I had finished handing out the coffee samples to Amel, leaving only Flare and one other person. I’d already checked my schedule, and it looked like Flare would be the last stop.
With that in mind, I headed off to meet the second-to-last person on my list. The location was somewhere I had never actually visited before. It was one of the many trade cities in the Kingdom of Sinfonia, and while it was easy to get to via the Teleportation Gate from the capital, it was still a new environment for me.
"Let’s see... it should be this way."
Following the notes I’d prepared, I soon came upon a building roughly twice the size of an ordinary house. The sign out front bore the words "Mikumo Trading Company" in the script of this world.
This was the base of operations for Akane's business. Unlike most, hers was a mobile merchant association, so this location functioned primarily as an office and warehouse rather than a retail storefront.
"Oh, you made it! Didn't get lost, did you?"
"Hello, Akane. No, it was pretty much a straight shot from the Gate. But more importantly, thanks for waiting outside for me."
"Well, you're a VIP guest, after all... Nah, honestly, work was just a bit light today, so I was bored. We're just waiting for a shipment to arrive."
"I see."
"Well, no point standing around talking out here. Come on in, I’ll show you to my office."
After a quick exchange with Akane, who had been waiting in front of the building, I followed her inside. The interior had the busy, functional atmosphere of a mid-sized wholesaler. I could see several employees scurrying about.
"Oh? The Chairman is bringing a man home? Finally, the strings of fate have reached our boss. It's a miracle—don't let him get away!"
"Don't go getting weird ideas! He's a guest, a guest! And hey, what do you mean 'miracle'? For your information, the only reason I haven't had much luck in love is because I've been putting all my energy into work. If I actually tried, I'd be incredibly popular, you know? My charm is off the charts!"
"...Men from the other world must have some very particular tastes, then."
"...Hey, everyone! This idiot clearly has too much free time if she’s got the energy to tease the boss. Pile a mountain of work on her!"
"Ah! Wait! Chairman!?"
"This way, Kaito."
The woman who seemed to be the receptionist had started the banter as soon as we walked in, and she and Akane traded barbs with practiced ease.
"Honestly, don't you think these people lack a certain respect for their chairman?"
"Doesn't that just mean you're approachable, Akane?"
"Good grief. If they were just big mouths, I'd fire 'em in a heartbeat, but the problem is most of them are annoyingly good at their jobs..."
Akane gave a wry grin, and I couldn't help but smile back. It was a very "homey" atmosphere. While the company wasn't massive and didn't have many members, there was a sense of familial ease—much like the vibe around Frau—and the mood in the office was bright and welcoming.
We walked to the very back of the office and entered a room. The interior was simple: a set of sofas for guests and an office desk. Frau was already inside, placing something on Akane’s desk.
"Hello, Frau. What are you up to?"
"Oh, Lord Miyama, hello. No, I was just... a new magic tool arrived, and I thought I’d let our esteemed Chairman be the first to experience it..."
"That's a magic tool for a shower, isn't it? If you turn that thing on right here, I'm docking your pay for every square inch of the desk that gets wet. Anyway, Kaito, take a seat on the sofa."
After a quick, sharp retort to Frau, Akane gestured toward the couch. I sat down.
"Kaito, want something to drink?"
"Actually, that’s part of the reason I’m here. I was asked to help promote a new coffee being sold by Kuro’s company, so I brought some samples."
"Oh, I see. In that case, we might as well brew the new stuff. Chrome-sama’s coffee is famous, but I haven't actually had it that often."
"Really? I heard from Alice that you were a big fan of coffee, Akane."
"Oh, it's true I like it—or rather, I drink a lot of it. It's just that my company sells coffee too, but we source it from a different supplier than Chrome-sama's. I just don't have many chances to drink hers. Her products are mostly sold through her own retail outlets; they don't really do much wholesaling."
"Ah, that makes sense."
It was perfectly logical once she explained it. Akane’s company acted more like a distributor, sourcing goods from various producers and shops to sell them where there was a demand. Naturally, she would usually drink the coffee her own company supplied.
"Hmm... out of this selection, I'll go with this one. Frau, brew this up."
"Understood."
As expected, she clearly knew her way around a coffee bean. She gave the samples a quick sniff before making her choice and handing it off to Frau. Her expertise was evident.
Serious-senpai: So the last one was Akane, huh? She definitely fits the image of a coffee drinker more than a tea drinker.