A few days had passed since I hosted my first shipboard party. Perhaps as a reaction to how busy I had been with the preparations, I was spending my time quite lazily.
Kuro, who had some time to spare today, had come over to visit. We were lounging around together when she suddenly seemed to hit upon an idea and stood up.
"Oh, that's right! Kaito-kun, I have something I want to get your opinion on!"
"Hmm? My opinion?"
"Yep! You already knew I owned a merchant company that specialized in coffee, right?"
"I knew. Actually, I have the feeling you own most types of companies... but anyway, you're talking about the one that sells the Baby Castella Blend, right?"
The coffee company Kuro mentioned was the one responsible for the "Baby Castella Blend"—the specific coffee she always brought whenever she came over with snacks. I’d read in a magazine that her company held the number-one market share in the coffee industry and offered a wide variety of other original blends as well.
"Exactly. It’s actually about that specific blend. It's been on the market for quite a while now and is a long-time favorite, and I really like it too, but I’m starting to think it's time for an improved version. A 'Part 2,' so to speak."
"So... you mean you're creating a new blend specifically designed to be paired with Baby Castellas?"
"Exactly! Baby Castellas possess infinite possibilities and are evolving every day. Naturally, the coffee we drink with them has to evolve at the same pace!"
"O-oh..."
I’d stepped right into it. Of course it was a Baby Castella-related topic. Because I had shown a hint of interest, Kuro’s energy spiked, and she was really leaning into it now.
Judging by the direction of the conversation, she wanted my input on this new blend. I just hoped it wouldn't turn into a marathon lecture.
"Even so, I was extremely particular when I made the original Baby Castella Blend, so surpassing it has proven difficult. I spent a long time trying to improve the coffee bean varieties through selective breeding, but I just couldn't produce 'the one.'"
"Selective breeding sounds complicated. But since you're bringing this up, does that mean you finally succeeded?"
"Yeah. Well, it’s a fairly recent development, but it seems I’ve been growing lately too. The number of things I can do has increased. Before, setting aside magic and the like, my abilities at the Godly Authority Class level were heavily biased toward the Destruction-type. It’s probably because Shiro divided her power that way originally... but Shiro has completely regained her original strength now, and I’ve been growing by leaps and bounds lately as well."
"I see. So it's like the power that was once split is trying to return to its original, complete state?"
"That's right. My power used to be around the Quasi-Almighty Class, but now it feels like it's approaching the true Almighty Class. I've become capable of using powers much closer to Authorities... I can actually interfere with the Laws of the World now."
In a way, Kuro and Shiro-san were two sides of the same coin. It stood to reason that as Shiro-san grew, Kuro would be influenced and grow alongside her.
However, that wasn't really the point of the current conversation.
"...So, you used that power to make the selective breeding go well?"
"Yep! Well, I cheated a little and just created entirely new types of coffee beans from scratch, but I managed to make some really good ones. I think I'm almost ready to produce the Neo Baby Castella Blend! And since I am, I really wanted to hear what a fellow member of the Baby Castella Appreciation Society like you thinks, Kaito-kun."
I’d had this thought back when she was trying to create the Ultimate Baby Castella, but I really wished she would stop drafting me into these mysterious societies I never signed up for.
Granted, the number of Baby Castellas I had consumed likely dwarfed that of any average person. Since Kuro brought them almost every single day... I’d actually reached a level where I could identify the subtle differences between batches.
Wait... am I actually a legitimate member of the Baby Castella Appreciation Society now? First I get dragged into the inner workings of the Maid World, and now this. It was enough to give me a headache.
Serious-senpai: "...Huff... gasp... that was a nightmare. The Main Story is bad enough, but that Mad God is even worse... Is she trying to turn me into a Sweets Manufacturing Machine? A-anyway, I made it through! Illness's turn is finally over!!"
???: "...(Since Serious-senpai is saying that, something is definitely going to happen after we finish this business with Kuro-san. Generally, once a couple's relationship progresses, a date follows...)"