We chatted while taking a break, danced a little more, and eventually decided it was time to call it a day. Erial-san was out on an errand for a friend and wanted to deliver the seeds she had purchased as soon as possible.
"Again, you have my thanks... in other words, you were a big help today, Kaito. Thank you. It was a pleasant moment... or rather, I had a wonderful time dancing with you. Let's do it again if the opportunity arises."
"The pleasure was mine. I had a great time too."
"A token of my gratitude... in other words, it isn't anything major, but please accept this as a sign of my appreciation."
"This is—"
With a gentle smile, Erial-san handed over a gift and walked away with a small wave. She was certainly a woman with a unique aura, but there was no doubt in my mind that our encounter had been a positive one.
Even though I should have felt some fatigue from the dancing, my body felt strangely light, and I was filled with a sense of quiet rejuvenation. If destiny allowed it, I thought it would be wonderful to dance with her again, just as she had suggested.
Upon returning home, I walked through the corridor toward the dining hall of Lilia-san’s mansion, pulling the gift Erial-san had given me out of my Magic Box.
It was a peculiar cluster of "Sky-blue Grapes." Since the color was so unusual, I figured I would ask the Chef about them. I wasn't sure if they were the type of fruit that required special preparation to be edible or if they were just a rare variety.
"Oh? If it isn't Miyama-sama."
"Luna-san... and Lilia-san. Are you heading out?"
I turned at the sound of the voice to find Lilia-san and Lunamaria—who was carrying several bags—standing behind me. They looked like they were prepared for a trip, so I struck up a conversation. Lilia-san nodded and explained their plans.
"Yes, I was just about to head out to inspect some of the shops I manage."
"I see. Good luck with the work."
Lilia-san owned several other businesses besides the Wyvern Service, which served as a vital revenue stream for the Ducal House of Albert since they didn't hold their own territory. Apparently, she had recently opened a jewelry store as well, thanks to the massive volume of gems she had procured from Isis-san.
"Have you just returned, Miyama-sama? ...Oh? Are those 'Sky Grapes' in your hand? My, you certainly have a knack for finding rare things..."
"These grapes? I received them as a gift. Are they actually valuable?"
I tilted my head at Luna-san's comment. For a split second, I worried that I had accidentally acquired something outrageous again, but looking at Lilia-san and Luna-san’s relatively calm reactions, it didn't seem to be a world-ending discovery.
"You don't see them often in the Kingdom of Sinfonia. Sky Grapes only grow on mountains with extremely high altitudes. In the Human Realm, they are only cultivated in a few specific regions of the Arclesia Empire."
"Exactly as Luna says. Because the cultivation regions are so limited, they're quite rare. While they are delicious and refreshing when eaten fresh, the wine made from them is far more popular, so most people rarely see the fruit itself."
I see. So they were rare items found only in specific areas, but they were still general trade goods rather than some sort of legendary ingredient. Since it was fine to eat them raw, I decided I would save them for later. They were supposed to have a refreshing taste, so I was looking forward to it.
"By the way, Miyama-sama, you mentioned these were a gift... Who gave them to you?"
"Eh? Oh, I got them from a woman named Erial-san I met today..."
The two of them went silent.
The air in the hallway suddenly froze. Then, without warning, Lilia-san’s knees buckled, and she slumped to the floor.
"Milady!?"
"This man... Honestly, the moment I look away, something like this happens... I thought I could finally relax since he promised to meet people in order this time... I was a fool to let my guard down!"
Watching Lilia-san hang her head in utter defeat with her hands pressed against the floor, my past experiences allowed me to instantly grasp what her reaction meant.
"...Um, Luna-san, could it be...?"
"Yes. Much like the Sky Grapes, there is a certain flower that only grows on high-altitude peaks. There is a very famous individual who is the spirit of that flower, the Sky Flower. She is 'Heavenly Flower Princess Erial,' one of the World King's Subordinate Executives 'Seven Princesses'."
"...I... I see..."
Good grief. To think Erial-san was one of the Six Kings' executives... I had honestly just assumed she was a dancer. The possibility of her being a different person with the same name was... zero. Based on my track record, that was simply impossible.
"As expected of Miyama-sama. You announce your intended acquaintances in advance to make Milady lower her guard, only to deliver a devastating surprise blow from a completely different angle. Such a fervent determination to savage Milady's stomach at every turn... This humble Lunamaria is truly impressed."
"I have no such determination! This was entirely beyond my control! Please, I'm begging you, stop fanning the flames!"
"Ka... i... to... sa... n..."
"Yes!?"
I felt my spine snap to attention as Lilia-san rose unsteadily, her voice echoing as if it were crawling up from the depths of the earth. She was terrifying. Truly terrifying.
"We need to talk. Very, very important talk."
"...W-Well, Lilia-san, don't you have your inspection to get to...?"
"Luna, please send word that I will be late. I must have a long, thorough talk with Kaito-san. I have to drill it into his head to properly verify the status of every single person he meets!"
"As you wish."
Since arriving in this world, I have stood my ground against many things. I have felt bone-chilling terror more times than I can count. But if I were to rank those experiences, Lilia-san’s anger would easily land in the top three.
I felt like I finally understood why Fia-sensei was so terrified of being lectured by Zwei-san. All I could do was hope that this particular lecture wouldn't last too long.
Heavenly Flower Princess Erial: The spirit of the Sky Flower that blooms only near the summits of high-altitude mountains. She is one of the "Seven Princesses" who serve as the World King's executives. She possesses a deep love for freedom and dance, with an elusive, cloud-like personality. Because she and the other subordinates of the World King do not utilize Information Concealment Magic, it is possible to recognize her in public, but she rarely makes appearances in crowded human settlements.
(It has been approximately one hundred years since Erial last visited the Sinfonia Royal Capital.)