It was early in the morning on a beautiful, clear day when a Hummingbird came flying my way. Through a specialized magic tool, you can identify the sender of these messages as long as they are registered.
Normally, you aren't supposed to be able to send a Hummingbird unless you have mutually exchanged mana wavelengths. However, those at the Count-class can discern a wavelength at a glance, allowing them to send messages even to people they have only briefly met.
In this case, the message came from an acquaintance who was already registered in my system—Chris-san.
Even so, receiving a Hummingbird from her was quite rare. Chris-san generally preferred to communicate via letters. I remembered her saying that she didn't use Hummingbirds except for urgent matters because they didn't allow for the decorative script and aristocratic flourishes that colored her formal correspondence. If she was using one now, it meant something was pressing.
Curious, I touched the Hummingbird. The message read: "There is something I wish to confirm regarding the details of the stall you are running with Amel-san. I would like to speak with you as soon as possible."
The stall? I had indeed promised to open one with Amel. As for the application, I had left that entirely to her, since she lived within the Arclesia Empire. A thought occurred to me—did Amel submit the application using her usual... unique style? I had a feeling Chris-san had been confronted with a peak chunibyo application, noticed my name in the applicant column, and immediately reached out in a panic.
I sent a reply back to her via Hummingbird: "Should I come to see you directly? If it’s convenient, I can head over right away." Given the character limits on these messages, explaining everything would take far too long. If she was free, meeting in person was the best option. She replied almost instantly with a "Yes, please," so I threw on some clothes and headed for the Arclesia Empire’s royal castle.
I already had the area directly in front of the castle registered as a teleportation destination, so the trip was effortless. Chris-san had clearly already informed the guards, as I was ushered straight to her office the moment I arrived.
At her prompting, I took a seat on the reception sofa. Chris-san sat opposite me, and a woman who appeared to be a maid brought out black tea and sweets.
"Miyama-sama, I am terribly sorry for calling upon you so abruptly," Chris-san began.
"Ah, no, please don't worry about it. This was about the stall with Amel, right?"
"Yes. We received the application from Amel-dono, but there were several... challenging sections. For instance, what exactly are these Items of Chaos Dyed in Eternal Darkness <<Regalia>> you intend to sell?"
"Er, they’re 'miscellaneous goods.'"
"Miscellaneous goods?"
It looked like my hunch had been spot on. Amel had gone full chunibyo with the application. Items of Chaos Dyed in Eternal Darkness <<Regalia>>... that was quite a mouthful.
"Yes, 'miscellaneous goods' is the closest category. It started because Alice used the money she made at the Six Kings Festival to create some joke items—basically party goods. Amel took a real liking to them and suggested we sell that kind of stuff."
I began walking Chris-san through the sequence of events. The inventory for the stall Amel and I were running was a bit of a grab bag. We were going for a flea market vibe, so calling it a general store or a miscellaneous shop fit best, but the primary stock was Alice's party favors.
"We have things like balls that create flashy effects with phantom magic when thrown, stickers with glowing patterns, and various items Alice produced based on ideas Amel and I came up with."
"I... I see. That explains why the product collaborator is listed as the 'Master of Phantasms Wearing a Temporary Guise'..."
"Yeah. Amel and I just wanted the experience of running a shop together, so the inventory is pretty casual. Besides Alice’s party goods, we’re both just bringing whatever we have on hand. It’s really meant to be a general store with a flea market feel."
"I see. Does that mean you’re providing some of the stock as well, Miyama-sama?"
"Eh? Yeah, mostly pottery and woodcrafts."
Nebula and Illness-san had actually produced a massive surplus of pottery and woodwork lately. It seemed a waste to let it sit around, so I figured we might as well sell it. We really were treating this with a flea market mentality.
"By the way, were you involved in the production of these items?"
"No, I wasn't. Our Nebula made them as a hobby, and since we had so many extras, we thought we’d sell them rather than let them go to waste. Since they were made for fun, the designs—even for the teacups—are all over the place."
"I see... Phew, that sounds safe enough, then."
"Oh, though Amel did insist that we needed a brand logo. Nebula and I came up with a simple mark to put on the pottery and woodcrafts. It’s a design of three peaks representing 'Three Mountains'—it’s a bit of a pun on my name, Miyama."
"..................My apologies. Could you please... explain that last part in more detail?"
The relief that had washed over Chris-san’s face only a moment ago vanished, replaced by a deathly pale complexion. Looking at her, I couldn't help but feel that her expression was a perfect match for Lilia-san’s whenever she was fighting off a sudden bout of stomach pain.
???: "S-See, Machina! Kaito-san isn't making them himself! So, stay! Stay!"
Machina: "...Ah, I-I see... Ugh, then what am I supposed to do with all this surging Love Power for My Child? My frustration is reaching the breaking point!"
???: "Why don't you just vent your stress by launching a full-power attack in that direction? Someone over there is scheduled to be revived in the next chapter anyway..."