A few days had passed since my encounter with Aria-san. Though it happened somewhat by chance, I found myself visiting the royal castle of the Arclesia Empire. My business today was with Chris-san; I had come to deliver a set of teacups from Nifty, my personal black tea brand.
Since Nebula and Illness-san had mastered the art of creating Imperial-style pottery, I planned to have Chris-san inspect the pieces first. If she gave them her seal of approval, I intended to officially add them to the brand's lineup.
I was shown into Chris-san’s office, where we sat on reception sofas and engaged in light conversation. Soon, a knock sounded at the door, and Aria-san—or rather, Alexandra-san—entered the room pushing a tea cart.
Unlike the version of her I had met as Aria-san, her bangs were now pinned back to reveal her face, and her hair was tied up in a sharp, elegant style. As Aria-san, she had the relaxed air of a kind older sister, but while working as Alexandra-san, she projected the aura of a high-powered professional. The "capable career woman" energy she exuded was palpable.
Her expression was crisp, and her presence felt incredibly honed. Even knowing the truth behind the transformation, the sheer contrast was startling.
"Your Majesty, Miyama-sama. Please, enjoy your refreshments."
"Thank you very much."
She spoke in a cool, collected voice and poured the tea with practiced, refined movements. As she placed the cups before Chris-san and me, she truly felt like a different person, thanks in no part to the shift in her vocal tone.
I felt a bit bewildered by the change, but then Alexandra-san glanced my way. From her position behind Chris-san's sofa—a total blind spot for the Empress—she caught my eye. She brought a single finger to her lips in a silent "shhh" and gave me a playful, mischievous wink.
She must have sensed my confusion and decided to secretly show me a glimpse of her Aria-san persona where Chris-san couldn't see. Her thoughtfulness, combined with that flash of the "Aria-san" I knew, brought a natural smile to my face.
"Miyama-sama?"
"Ah, it’s nothing. The tea is just delicious... Anyway, Chris-san. These are the ceramics I mentioned in my letter."
"Let me see... I see, the craftsmanship is exquisite. You’ve reproduced the Imperial style perfectly, and the quality of the firing itself is remarkable. I am constantly surprised by the standards of Nifty’s products."
"The people who make them are truly talented. If you don't see any issues from your perspective, Chris-san, then I think I'll go ahead and add them to the product line."
"Yes, I believe they will be quite popular, especially among the nobility and the professional maids of the Arclesia Empire..."
The pottery was clearly a hit; there would be no problem adding the Imperial-style teacups to the lineup. We continued our chat for a while, but since I had the chance, I decided to bring up the subject of the shipboard party.
"By the way, I haven't settled on a firm date yet, but I’m planning to host a shipboard party soon..."
"……Eh? A... A party hosted by Miyama-sama?"
"Yes. I intend to send you an invitation once everything is finalized, so I hope you’ll attend if your schedule allows."
"……I-I see…… That is truly terrif—no, I mean, I am very much looking forward to it! Naturally, I will be delighted to participate."
Chris-san gave me a smile as she spoke, but I couldn't help but notice that her expression seemed just a little bit strained.
At the exact moment Kaito was chatting with Chris, Alice was in a certain special space, wearing a strained smile of her own that was every bit as pained as the Empress's.
"……Look, can't you just use one of your terminals?"
"But why?! I went to the trouble of acting like Shallow Vernal's errand runner just to renew the contract, and I even made a specialized terminal for it! Why can't I go in this form?! I’ll be on my best behavior regarding the meat slabs around me, I promise!"
"Well, that restraint should be a given... but the power in that terminal is just too much. If you relax your guard even for a second, the existence pressure you radiate will probably vaporize anyone nearby who isn't strong enough to handle it..."
"It’ll be fine! My children are going to be there, so there's no way I'll mess up my control... Please? Come on, Alice, please let me go like this...!"
"Uuuuuugh."
Machina was currently throwing a tantrum, insisting that she wanted to attend her beloved child Kaito’s shipboard party in her "Machina" form rather than as Eden. Alice was wearing a look of deep, rare distress as she considered the request.
In truth, acting in the form of Machina wasn't an issue in itself, as Shallow Vernal, the God of the World, had already granted permission. However, the potential for disaster was enormous.
If she went as Eden, it wouldn't be a problem. By now, almost all of Kaito’s acquaintances recognized Eden as a "Terrifying God from another world," so they knew better than to provoke her.
However, very few people recognized her Machina form. If someone were to carelessly say or do something that earned Machina’s wrath, Alice would have to spend the entire party acting as her watchdog. Simply put, it was going to be a massive pain.
"This is my beloved child's big moment! You have to let me go! I'll be good, I promise!"
"The fact that I can't trust you to be 'good' at all is exactly why I'm struggling with this... Sigh."
The scene continued for some time, with Machina clinging to a pained-looking Alice and refusing to let go.
??? [What she really hates is that if it happens, the role of 'Machina-handler' falls squarely on Alice-chan... Poor thing... I want Alice-chan to be able to enjoy the party too...]