At Elis-san's suggestion, we decided to grab lunch together. We began making our way toward a restaurant she had already been planning to visit.
To be honest, I had been quite conflicted about what to do next, so her taking the lead was a massive help. Truthfully, I had wanted to invite Elis-san to lunch myself, but I had hesitated, wondering if it was right to take up even more of her time.
Our meeting hadn't been planned; we had simply crossed paths in the city, and she had been kind enough to accompany me for a Gym Experience at my request.
While Elis-san had mentioned she was just out for a stroll and didn't mind the detour, I figured she must have had her own destinations in mind. The last thing I wanted was to impose on her schedule any further.
Elis-san was a very kind person, so she likely would have agreed if I had asked, but that was exactly why I had been reluctant—I didn't want her to feel obligated to stay if it was inconvenient.
Because of that, her being the one to propose it was a relief. Elis-san was a truly gifted conversationalist with a vast repertoire of topics. Speaking with her was always a delight, and since I had been hoping to chat with her a little longer anyway, this was a perfect turn of events.
"…Heh, I see. I’d heard the nobility holds significant power in the Arclesia Empire, so I had this image that they produced a lot of wine tailored to noble tastes."
"In terms of the quality of such crops, the Kingdom of Sinfonia holds the upper hand. Nobles are often driven by vanity, so some take great pride in the fact that they import the most expensive, high-quality wines from abroad. Additionally, the Arclesia Empire has a large population of Dwarves. The fact that there is a higher demand for spirits much stronger than wine might also be a factor."
"Ah, that makes sense. The Dwarf race is naturally resistant to alcohol and they definitely prefer the strong stuff."
"Indeed. A prime example would be the Dwarf Race's Fire Sake. As the name suggests, it is a spirit so potent that it will ignite if a flame is brought near… It is in high demand, particularly among Demons with a high tolerance for alcohol. It sells in massive quantities, often by the barrel."
"Come to think of it, Megiddo-san bought quite a lot of that, didn't he?"
"The War King-sama is famous for his love of drink, after all."
Elis-san was incredibly knowledgeable, but more than that, she was skilled at explaining things in a way that resonated with me. She often used examples I was already familiar with, making her points easy to grasp.
It was likely because she knew I had set up a stall near the Dwarven shops during the Arclesia Empire Founding Anniversary Festival that she brought up Fire Sake as an accessible example this time.
Her ability to weave those details in so naturally made her a truly impressive conversationalist.
"I actually received some from one of the Dwarven stalls and tried it. It certainly was a powerful drink."
"You drank it? That is impressive… I tried a small amount once before, but my head began to ache after only a few sips."
"I have Shiro-san's Blessing, which allows me to nullify the effects of alcohol. I'm not sure how the Temporary Blessing works, but I suspect Life-san's Blessing could do something similar. It’s likely an effect tied to the Complete Status Ailment Nullification found in a Supreme God's Blessing…"
"…I see. So, by perceiving the state of being drunk as an abnormality and the alcohol itself as a poison, you can block it. If that is the case, it does seem possible depending on one's own perception. That is a very interesting piece of information. I believe I shall try to put it into practice sometime."
"Do you usually have a hard time with alcohol, Elis-san?"
"Rather than the taste itself, perhaps it is more accurate to say I dislike the sensation of being drunk… I find the feeling of my thoughts becoming dulled quite unpleasant, so I rarely indulge. The fear that I might make a lapse in judgment due to an impaired mind makes me anxious. I suppose I might just be a bit of a coward…"
"Not at all. I think it’s cool that you maintain such strong self-discipline."
"Fufu, thank you. Kaito-sama’s natural kindness and the way you always show such consideration is truly wonderful."
Since it was clear her compliment came from the heart rather than mere social protocol, it was easy to see what a good person she was… As always, I found myself really enjoying her company.
And so, Elis-san and I continued our journey toward the restaurant, enjoying our idle chatter along the way.
While Kaito and Elis were enjoying their pleasant conversation on the way to lunch, a certain individual appeared at the Gym Magnawell was inspecting.
"Yo, Magnawell! I'm here!"
"…Hm? Oh? Were you summoned as well?"
"Yeah. Needsveld built one in my city too, so I figured I’d come check out the one in the Human Realm. Man, this is a great facility—exactly what I’d expect from her ideas. Obviously, there’s nothing here with enough resistance for me to use personally, but it’s fantastic for training my subordinates."
"I see. If it meets your approval, then all is well… However, you just missed him. Miyama Kaito was here until just a short while ago…"
"What!? Kaito was here? Tsk, I messed that up then… Kaito's Magic Power doesn't trigger Wide-area Detection, so I can't track him down… How Disappointing."
Hearing Magnawell's words, Megiddo expressed his frustration at having missed his chance to see Kaito. At that moment, Namyl, who was standing near Magnawell, spoke up.
"Big Bro left with his lover, so you might be able to pick up her Magic Power instead."
"Oh, he's on a Date? Then it’d be wrong to get in the way… I’ll catch up with Kaito another time."
"Hm? Is Elis Dia Hamilton Miyama Kaito's Lover?"
"Ah, well, no… Big Bro did say that wasn't the case, but… they did come to have a Gym Experience together… Hmm."
To be clear, Kaito had explicitly told Namyl that Elis was a close friend, not his lover. However, from Namyl's perspective, the two seemed exceptionally close. Considering they had come to work up a sweat together, she figured they must be very intimate, and she tilted her head in confusion.
"Well, it doesn't really matter either way… Magnawell, before we finish looking around the Gym, why don't we go grab a light meal?"
"Hm? Ah, I don't mind. Where did you have in mind…?"
"Let's see… Oh, I know! Let's go to Kaori's Shop!"
"The Otherworlder's Shop you mentioned before? I was planning to have Miyama Kaito introduce me, but…"
"I'm an acquaintance of Kaori's as well, so there's no reason I can't be the one to introduce you. You can just go eat with Kaito normally some other time."
"Hm, I suppose that’s true… Very well, let us go."
Megiddo, who generally didn't sweat the small stuff, decided on a whim to head to Kaori's shop. Since Magnawell agreed it was fine to be introduced by Megiddo, a situation that could only be described as a tragedy for Kaori was set in stone…
Alice's Split Body, who was watching this unfold from a bench, involuntarily stopped her wine glass halfway to her lips, her expression screaming, "Wait, it's heading that way?"
Stomach Pain Devil: "I won't forgive this… giving us a Heartwarming Development when 'Stomach Pain' is right there in the title… I'll give someone a Stomach Pain!"
Lilia: "This is bad, Elis-san!"
Elis: "…Kugh!"
Kaori: "Nobles sure have it rough…"
Stomach Pain Devil: "I'll definitely give you a stomach pain… Kaori Mizuhara!"
Kaori: "Wha—!?!?"