Following our unexpected encounter with Great Tree Princess Jutia, we waited for Lilia and the others to pull themselves together before finally heading to the restaurant.
The establishment Sky led us to resembled a casual family diner in its layout. The atmosphere wasn't overly stiff, which was a relief to me personally.
However, a closer look at the menu revealed Shallow Grande listed in the spirits section... at 10,000R per glass. Converting that to Japanese currency, it was a staggering one million yen.
Then again, considering it was a phantom wine so rare that only one bottle was offered as a prize during the Hero Festival—meaning only a hundred bottles had reached the market in a thousand years—perhaps that price was actually reasonable.
Wait, looking further down, they even had Glorious Tea. A single cup cost 5,000R... five hundred thousand yen. It was outrageous, but since it was also touted as a legendary delicacy, I suppose that price made sense too.
If a single glass cost this much here, I couldn't help but wonder exactly how expensive the goods in the area for the wealthy would be.
While I was lost in thought, Sky, who had stepped away from the table at some point, returned carrying two bottles that appeared to be wine.
"Everyone, as a small token of my welcome, please allow me to treat you to a drink. For those who enjoy wine, I have Shallow Grande. For those who aren't fond of alcohol, I have prepared juice made from grapes found only in the God Realm."
Her level of consideration was truly remarkable. Treating us to the expensive Shallow Grande was impressive enough, but the way she had juice ready for those who couldn't or wouldn't drink wine showed just how incredibly competent she was at her job.
Everyone was delighted by Sky’s generous surprise, and we enjoyed a truly delicious round of drinks alongside our lunch.
Once we finished our meal, I asked Sky where we would be heading next.
"What do you think of this? There is a purchase area for the wealthy nearby. It features a collection of the finest luxury goods, so even if you don't intend to buy anything, would you like to take a look?"
"Oh, I’d love to see that! It’s different from the marketplace we were in earlier, right?"
Hina reacted happily to Sky’s suggestion. Indeed, the shopping area we had visited before mostly dealt in affordable souvenirs. While that had been fun in its own right, I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about the high-end district.
"Milady, surely you could shop there normally, couldn't you?"
"I could, but what would be the point of buying expensive things I don't need?"
"Wouldn't it add prestige if you displayed them at the mansion?"
"I already have more than enough prestige as it is... far too much, really..."
The Strongest of Humankind, a former princess and current Duchess, the owner of a Wyvern Service that deals with Magnawell, the proprietor of a jewelry store connected to Isis, the owner of the Sky Castle tourist attraction, and the recipient of Supreme God Chronoa's True Blessing... not to mention being well-favored by the Six Kings. Yes, she definitely had more than enough prestige. In fact, thinking about it again, her resume was terrifying.
Lilia likely had more political influence at this point than her brother, King Ryze.
The purchase area for the wealthy wasn't far from the restaurant, so we arrived in short order. As one might expect given the target demographic, the shops weren't mere stalls but actual buildings, with designs that exuded a sense of high-class luxury even from the outside.
It seemed the district was divided by specialty, such as food or interior decor, and there appeared to be a significant number of stores.
To start, we decided to visit a shop that carried items even we recognized, like Shallow Grande and Glorious Tea. They handled various beverages, including the grape juice Sky had treated us to earlier.
Thinking it might be nice to pick something up if I found a good deal, I stepped into the store and froze.
"Huh?"
"Hm? Oh my, oh my! We’ve met again! I’m happy, I’m happy; such a wonderful coincidence makes me break out in a smile, indeed!"
There stood Jutia, holding a tin that likely contained Glorious Tea. So the "place" she had been heading to was this purchase area for the wealthy.
"Oops, that’s right, that’s right! I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I? I’m Jutia. Good to meet you properly!"
"I'm Kaito Miyama. Likewise."
"Ah, I see, I see! I thought you looked familiar! So you're the one. This is great, this is great! A coincidence like this is a grand welcome, indeed!"
It was a truly unexpected re-encounter, but as before, Jutia wore a beaming, radiant smile that was so infectious it made me feel a bit more cheerful myself.
Meanwhile... out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Lilia looking up at the sky while covering her eyes with one hand, while Sieg directed a sparkling, delighted gaze toward me. The contrast between the two was stark.
Great Tree Princess Jutia
A petite woman who is always bright and cheerful. Despite her alias "Great Tree," she is quite small in stature. However, like Lilliwood, Jutia is a tree spirit with a combat form fused with a tree, which is incredibly massive.
She is unfailingly positive and always smiling; it is said that even among the other Seven Princesses, no one has ever seen her get angry. She is worshipped by the Elf Race as a deity.
She occasionally ends her sentences with "indeed" or "I say" depending on her mood. There is no particular pattern to it; it's entirely based on her whim.