The Lower Level was massive, and even though we were aiming straight for the Middle Level, the distance was quite formidable. Between the size of our group and the frequent stops to browse the various stalls, our pace was leisurely at best.
Still, we weren't in any particular hurry, so we simply enjoyed the walk, chatting and laughing as we moved through the crowds.
Right at the start, I had ended up taking two "lost souls"—Tre-san and Falce-san—under my wing. However, even with a festival of this scale, the venue was so vast and the crowds so dense that I didn't think I would run into many other acquaintances.
Sure, given the magnitude of the event, I was certain plenty of people I knew were in attendance, but I had already met two. Surely, meeting a third so soon was—
"Welcome. Our compatibility readings are top-notch, so please leave."
"Ah, right. My apolo—"
"Oh, look, fortune-telling! That sounds like fun! Let's see how compatible we are, Kaito!"
At a stall I happened to glance at, the owner—an acquaintance of mine—made a look of intense displeasure for a fleeting second. Then, she plastered on a business smile and indirectly—well, quite directly—told me to get lost.
Since I knew Elise’s personality well enough, I intended to pretend I hadn't seen her and keep walking, but Tre-san chose that exact moment to pounce. Ignoring my surprise, she grabbed my hand and hauled me right to the front of Elise's stall.
"Welcome!"
Elise's customer service was accompanied by a smile so radiant I wondered if that brief flash of murderous intent I'd sensed had been a hallucination. It was a masterclass in professional salesmanship.
"We'd like a compatibility reading, please."
"That will be 2R. Yes, certainly... Now, please choose whichever one you like from here."
"I wonder what these are... Hearts? Or maybe crescents? Either way, they’re fairly large cookies."
"They are called fortune cookies. There is a slip of paper inside with the results of your compatibility reading. Since they are designed to be split into two pieces, please enjoy them together."
"Heh, sounds interesting! Alright, Kaito, you pick one."
I see. Cookies with the fortune results tucked inside... It felt very similar to drawing an omikuji.
This setup was perfect for a crowded festival; it allowed them to process each group quickly. At a price of about 200 yen, it was an easy, impulsive buy. The cookies were individually wrapped in translucent film, showing a high regard for hygiene, and the packaging featured cute patterns that clearly targeted a female demographic. Elise had claimed her shop was doing well, and she certainly seemed to have a knack for business.
"Um, let's go with this one. It’ll be a bother if we block the stall, so let's open it once we get back to the others."
"Roger that! I can't wait!"
Sensing the "get out of here already" vibes radiating from Elise, I quickly led Tre-san away from the stall and back to where Lilia-san and the rest were waiting.
It was truly rare to find someone like Elise, whose brilliant smile and actual internal emotions were so wildly at odds. Her business smile was an ironclad defense.
Occupied with those thoughts, I snapped the cookie in half and handed the paper from inside to Tre-san. I wondered how they even got the paper in there. Did they bake it with the paper inside, or assemble it afterward? I wasn't sure, but it was a fun little gimmick.
"Oh, look, look, Kaito! It says our compatibility is the best! I knew it! It’s destiny! So, shall we go look for a wedding venue?"
"We will not."
"That’s strange. And here I thought this shop was supposed to be accurate."
"Actually, the paper says: 'Being too forceful is a bad move; nurture your bond over time.'"
"Oh, you're right. I guess I have to be modest about it. Okay, let's just start as lovers for now."
"No, no, that’s way too fast for a first step! Wouldn't you usually start as friends?"
"Hmm. Well, if you insist, Kaito, then your big sister will concede. Honestly, you're such a novice."
"Hey, don't just nonchalantly frame this as me being selfish."
I couldn't lower my guard for a second. Of course, Tre-san had a mischievous glint in her eyes, so she was likely well aware of what she was doing and simply enjoying the banter. To be honest, I found this kind of back-and-forth pretty fun myself.
"Anyway, sorry for the detour... Shall we?"
I thought we were finally going to resume our trek to the Middle Level, but since Hina-chan and Aoi-chan both shared a typical girl's interest in fortune-telling, I ended up taking the two of them back to Elise's stall.
The two girls got normal readings and each purchased one of the accessories on display. That part was fine, but while we stood there, Elise bombarded me with silent "You again?" glares, which was quite awkward.
Her expression was a perfect smile and her tone was bright and polite, but the internal pressure was real. However, at the very end, she gave me a misanga-like accessory as a "bonus," so it seemed she wasn't actually genuinely angry with me.
Serious-senpai: "...I have a feeling he’s going to run into someone else soon."