After we finished questioning Alice, we decided to check in with the people nearby next. That led us to Lilia-san's mansion to get her take on the matter.
Perhaps because it was a request from Kuro, Lilia-san cleared her schedule immediately. We sat down to talk in her office.
"……A new potential for Baby Castella, you say?"
"Yeah. So, I wanted to hear what you think, Lilia-chan."
"I understand the situation, but the truth is, I've had very little experience eating Baby Castella myself. I'm honestly not sure how much help I can be…"
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes. I rarely had the chance to attend festivals, and between my royal duties and my work with the Order of Knights, I seldom left the Royal Castle for anything else…"
Now that she mentioned it, it made sense. Lilia-san was a former princess, and as Luna-san had once put it, she’d been quite sheltered. She might enjoy things like skewered roasts, but even then, she usually had someone like Luna-san buy them for her. She probably had almost no experience actually walking up to a stall and buying something for herself.
"……I-I see… Lilia-chan, I had no idea you’d endured such a tragic past. I'm so sorry I didn't realize," Kuro said, her face twisted in profound grief.
"Milady, how piteous…" the Fanatic added with a deep, solemn nod. "To have rarely partaken in Baby Castella, the Underworld King-sama's favorite delicacy—it is as if you have been robbed of 70% of life's happiness."
"Is it that much!?" Lilia-san gasped.
Of course, neither Lilia-san nor I led lives where 70% of our joy came from sponge cake. But Lilia-san was far too earnest; she took even these ridiculous exaggerations to heart.
"……Lilia-san, you really don't need to take what these two are saying seriously," I reassured her.
"Y-Yes, quite right…"
"Now, Kuro. Weren't you going to ask about the potential of the snack?"
"Ah, right. I was momentarily stunned by the sheer tragedy of Lilia-chan's past… I'll have to send you a mountain of Baby Castella later."
"Please don't. You'll just make her suffer," I sighed, brushing off Kuro's suggestion of culinary terrorism.
We got back on track. Lilia-san thought seriously for a moment before speaking.
"……What if…… you tried giving them a more high-end, luxury feel?"
"……I see. Until now, I've always felt that Baby Castella should be a snack for the common people. But maybe that mindset was just narrowing my vision. By deliberately pursuing the opposite direction, we might find entirely new possibilities. That's a great point."
"Oh? Ah, yes! Exactly. That is about the only thing I could think of, though… What about you, Luna or Sieg?"
Lilia-san turned the question to Luna-san and Sieg-san, who were standing by in the room. Both took on expressions of deep contemplation before Luna-san spoke up.
"It isn't a suggestion for the snack itself, but perhaps you could consider what is served alongside it? For instance, with cookies, the experience changes entirely depending on the type of black tea you pair them with. I imagine the same principle applies to Baby Castella."
"That's a fresh perspective. You're right; modifying the snack itself isn't the only way to change the flavor profile. By focusing on the beverages or other accompaniments, we can take a whole new approach. Thank you, Lunamaria-chan! That was incredibly helpful."
"Ah… how divine…"
As Kuro offered her thanks with a beaming smile, Luna-san's face went blank with bliss. She remained standing, but her consciousness had clearly departed for a better place. It seemed she had fainted from sheer joy—truly a dedicated fanatic.
At that moment, Sieg-san seemed to hit upon an idea.
"……Chrome-sama, are you aware that in Rigforresia, we have a variety of Baby Castella that uses the fruit of the Spirit Tree?"
"Yeah, the seasonal ones they make for the Treasure Tree Festival, right? I've had those a few times."
"In that case, have you ever tried one made with the leaves of the Spirit Tree?"
"……The leaves? I don't think I have… Is that a thing?"
"Yes. I've only heard rumors myself, but apparently, there's a version where the leaves are decocted and kneaded into the dough. The flavor is quite polarizing and supposedly unfit for the general market, but those who enjoy it are said to be obsessed. Perhaps refining it into a sort of niche delicacy for connoisseurs is another path to consider…"
"I see. A flavor that targets a specific audience rather than trying to please everyone. That's definitely another possibility."
Kuro nodded, looking genuinely intrigued. Between Lilia-san, Luna-san, and Sieg-san, she’d gathered three very different perspectives, and she seemed quite satisfied with the results.
……However, the search wasn't over. Since we were already in the Royal Capital, our next stop was Fia-sensei's clinic.
Serious-senpai: "Oho, this is playing out quite differently from the book version. In the light novel, Lilia wasn't this close to Kuro yet and was a nervous wreck around her, but having gone on the beach trip together and such, they've clearly bonded. There's no trace of that paralyzing tension. Plus, they're heading to see Fia, someone they never would have visited before their reconciliation in the book version. Things are moving right along!"