Tre, Cento, and Sien were officially on board to help me with my stall for the Sinfonia Kingdom Founding Anniversary Festival.
Standing around on the street wasn't exactly conducive to planning, so we moved the discussion back to my place to hammer out the details.
"Alright, everyone! From this moment on, we are working toward a single goal. We are a team! We can't let awkwardness hold us back, so let’s set aside our social standing and speak our minds freely!"
"Um, can I ask one thing?"
"What is it, Kaito?"
Tre stood before a massive whiteboard, looking incredibly smug as she addressed us. I raised my hand tentatively before speaking.
"Why are you acting like the natural leader, Tre-san?"
"Hmph. Could the amateur please remain silent? As a glorious professional with a zero-percent experience rating, I believe I am the only one qualified to take the helm."
"Wait, that just makes you a complete novice, doesn't it!?"
"Now then... what should we decide on first?"
"See! You're already stuck!"
With her usual boundless energy, Tre had produced a whiteboard from nowhere the moment we entered the room and started taking charge. However, as was typical for her, she was acting purely on momentum and clearly had no concrete plan.
I looked on with exasperation until Cento and Sien caught each other's eyes and nodded. Cento stood up and walked over to the whiteboard.
"Tre-neesama, regardless of who's technically in charge, would you mind if I handled the proceedings for today's meeting?"
"Sure! I haven't the slightest clue what I'm doing, so it's all yours!"
"Then why did you try to lead in the first place...?"
"Maybe it's because I felt the wind blow me that way?"
True to her nature, Tre acted entirely on whim. She didn't actually have a reason for wanting to lead, nor did she have any particular attachment to the role. She readily yielded her spot to Cento and sat down in the chair next to me.
"In that case, I will take over for now. The first order of business is, naturally, deciding what kind of stall we will run. Let's start with the general categories. First, Food and Drink—the most popular choice, handling light meals and snacks. Second, General Goods—selling things like accessories or small trinkets. Third, Attractions—providing simple games where customers win prizes rather than buying items directly. I believe we should decide which of these three we want to pursue first."
As expected, Cento was remarkably capable—a sharp contrast to Tre—and handled the meeting with professional efficiency.
"I was personally leaning toward the food category..."
"I agree," Tre added. "Selling trinkets doesn't feel special enough for a festival, and attractions seem like they'd be a hassle to set up. An orthodox food stall is the way to go, don't you think?"
"If Miyama-san and Tre-neesama are in agreement, then I have no objections," Cento said.
Since this was my first time, it seemed wiser to stick to something simple rather than trying to be too eccentric. We reached a unanimous decision on that point without any trouble.
The next question was exactly what we would be serving.
"What do you think would be good?"
"Hmm, how about a classic? Kaito and I are both amateurs, so something simple and common would be best... Oh, wait! How about Baby Castella?"
"Oh, that’s a great idea!"
Tre’s suggestion was actually quite good. In this world, Baby Castella was the ultimate staple of festival food. It wouldn't stand out in a bad way, and it was unlikely to draw a crowd so massive that we'd be overwhelmed.
It wasn't particularly difficult to make, and since I’d eaten plenty of it myself, I felt like I had a decent understanding of what distinguished a good batch from a bad one.
"Fufufu, despite how I look, I'm actually quite picky when it comes to Baby Castella, you know?"
"Ahaha, the same goes for me. Though I suppose anyone associated with Kuro is destined to feel that way. Regardless, Baby Castella is perfect. What do you think, Cento? Sien? Any other ideas?"
"No, I think Baby Castella is an excellent choice. It's easy to prepare..."
"I agree with Sien," Cento concluded. "Then, Baby Castella it is."
And so, it was settled: our festival venture would be a Baby Castella stall. I was genuinely looking forward to it. It was a simple concept, but there was plenty of room for us to get creative. I could feel the excitement building.
(I've heard everything!)
Wait, stop that, you idiot...
In a corner of the Demon Realm, Kuromueina was in the middle of a meeting in a large merchant guild conference room when her eyebrows twitched. She informed the participants that she was pausing the meeting for a moment and summoned Zex.
"Chrome-sama? Is something the matter?"
"Zex, about the Sinfonia Kingdom Founding Anniversary Festival... you were originally scheduled to attend as my proxy this year, weren't you?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Could you let them know that I'll be attending in person instead? I've had a bit of a sudden change of heart."
"I see. I am certain the other party will be overjoyed... but are you sure?"
"Yeah. Oh, but make sure to tell them ahead of time that I'll be slipping away for a bit during the middle of it."
"As you wish."
Serious-senpai: "Uh-oh, a dangerous one has arrived..."
???: "She definitely caught the scent, didn't she?"