After we had spent some time chatting enthusiastically about Japan, it seemed the set meal was ready, and Kaori-san placed the food in front of me.
"Sorry for the wait! Here, dig in."
White rice, miso soup, a small dish of pickles, and a large plate featuring a beautifully rare beef cutlet alongside shredded cabbage... It looked incredibly appetizing.
I suppose I still haven't quite lost my commoner sensibilities; to be honest, I found myself thinking that a classic set meal like this looked more delicious than a succession of dishes with long names at an ultra-luxurious French restaurant.
"This looks great. Is the meat... fillet?"
"Yeah, it’s fillet. It’s not some fancy brand beef, but it's quite a good cut. Oh, use the dressing over there for the cabbage."
I nodded at Kaori-san’s suggestion and took a sip of the miso soup first. It had a very gentle, pleasant flavor. When I tried the beef cutlet afterward, it was just as she said—tender and delicious.
Personally, I thought the grated daikon with ponzu was a wonderful touch; the refreshing taste made it feel like I could eat it forever.
"It’s really good. I’m a big fan of this grated daikon with ponzu."
"I’m glad you like it! I’ve been wanting to serve a meal to someone from my home country for ages, so I’m happy to see my dream come true... Wait. Come to think of it, I was a little curious... that necklace of yours, Kaito-kun... is that a Magic Crystal?"
"Yes, that's right."
"It—It’s another black one... Um, Kaito-kun, are you perhaps... incredibly wealthy?"
Now, how should I answer that? If asked whether I was rich or not, the simple fact was that I definitely was. It wasn't so much my own doing as it was the environment around me—Anima’s management, the correction from Shiro-san's Blessing, and the rare scales Magnawell-san gave me every so often.
"...Well, I suppose I am, to an extent."
Since the necklace had been a gift, it was a bit awkward to explain, but I figured I already seemed well-off based on our conversation so far. It felt wrong to deny it outright, so I gave a vague confirmation.
At that, Kaori-san’s eyes began to wander as if she were hesitating over something.
"...Um, so. Do you like alcohol, Kaito-kun?"
"To some extent..."
"Well, you see. I have some delicious sake... No, it’s really, really high quality, and the taste is top-notch, but..."
Reading the complex mix of slight guilt and faint expectation on her face, Kaori-san pulled a bottle that looked like sake from her Magic Box. The label was black with gold lettering, and "Kiwami" was written on it in the language of this world.
"That bottle looks quite high-end."
"Y-Yeah. It is... It’s very delicious, but it's also extremely expensive... N-No, I’m really not trying to force you or anything, but if you're interested, I thought I'd see what you think... The flavor is similar to Japanese sake, but it’s not too dry, so it’s easy to drink."
I think I understood. Kaori-san wanted to sell this sake—or rather, she wanted me to order it. That was why she had recommended it to me, thinking I had money. However, since it was an incredibly expensive drink by her standards, she felt guilty about pushing it on a younger countryman, no matter how wealthy he might be.
"By the way, how much is it?"
"W-W-Well... for one cup... 300R."
"..."
Calm down, me! Don't you dare think that’s surprisingly cheap! Your perspective is completely skewed... One cup for the equivalent of thirty thousand Japanese yen is an enormous price. It’s just that things like Shallow Grande at one million per cup or Glorious Tea at five hundred thousand are the ones that are insane!
While I was busy correcting my own thoughts after reflexively thinking it was cheap, Kaori-san misinterpreted my silence as shock. She began to speak in a panic, sweating profusely.
"Normally! I mean, only under normal circumstances!! T-This time, to celebrate meeting you, Kaito-kun, how about 280... No, 270? I mean, of course, I know it’s too expensive, so you don't have to force yourself to order it..."
"Um, Kaori-san, you want to sell it, right?"
"Ugh... Yes. Honestly, it hasn't sold at all, and I don't feel like it ever will in the future... So, I'd be happy if it sold..."
"Then I’ll take it. That said, I have plans to meet someone later, so I can't really drink right now... If it’s alright with you, could I just buy the whole bottle?"
"Eeehhh?! Th-The whole bottle?! No, no, Kaito-kun, if you buy the whole bottle—it's an isshoubin size, so there are about ten cups' worth... That would be 3000R!?"
This flustered reaction of hers felt somehow fresh... Even if I was buying it of my own volition, she was a far cry from a certain someone who would charge a Gold Coin for a single bowl of ramen. Though, I did wonder why she had stocked such expensive sake in the first place.
"In that case, will three Silver Coins be alright?"
"Eeehhh... Silver Coins just come out of your wallet that easily?! I mean, wait a second, I didn't mean to peek, but since this counter is a bit high, I caught a glimpse of the inside of your wallet... W-Wasn't there a large, whitish coin in there?"
"Eh? Oh, you mean the Platinum Coin?"
"Don't just put it on the counter!! One of those is worth ten million, isn't it?! What would you do if I stole it... I mean, I wouldn't, but you're being too careless!"
Right, come to think of it, a person wouldn't normally see a Platinum Coin in their daily life. Even Sieg-san seemingly had never seen one before...
"...Hey, Kaito-kun? Most people don't keep their entire fortune in their wallet, right?"
"That’s true."
"Which means, in other words, your actual wealth is much, much more than the money currently in that wallet, right?"
"Well, yes..."
"What is this... what's with this difference... This is strange; our financial situations are just too far apart. The otherworld is peaceful, but it certainly isn't equal..."
"...I suppose you're right."
Kaori-san stared off into the distance as if contemplating some grand truth.
Serious-senpai: "Exactly! The world is not equal! While there are favored characters, there are also unfortunate existences like me!!"
???: "Serious-senpai is unfortunate? What kind of nonsense are you talking about?"
Serious-senpai: "I am! I’m unfortunate! Do you have any idea how much I've suffered up until now..."
???: "Can you say that same thing to Seigi-san's face?"
Serious-senpai: "I'm sorry. I was being favored. I'm happy just being able to appear in the main story once a year."
- Seigi-kun had no lines or appearances for over 200 chapters following his initial self-introduction.
- After his reappearance, he has had no lines or appearances for over 800 chapters up to the present—a span of more than five years.