The task of promoting the samples Kuro had requested had taken a fair bit of time as I traveled from place to place, but everything had finally concluded without any issues.
It had been quite enjoyable, actually; I’d visited the homes of people I’d never met before and heard many fascinating stories. Although I felt I'd learned a great deal since arriving in Trinia, I realized there was still an overwhelming number of places I had yet to see. I wanted to visit various other places again, but for the time being, I just wanted to relax.
"Master, do you have a moment?"
"Anima? Yeah, what's up?"
"A letter has arrived addressed to you, Master, requesting a visit to the mansion. Usually, I decline these sorts of requests myself... however, the sender mentioned having already met and introduced herself to you, so I came to check."
"I wonder who it could be. Usually, letters like this come from nobles, don't they? Anyone connected to the Six Kings typically goes through their executives or the Kings themselves... though if we’ve already met, a direct letter isn't out of the question. Who is it from?"
I was apparently quite famous among the nobility, so these letters arrived frequently. Still, I received far fewer than Lilia-san; I suspected the various kings and Alice were doing their part to keep people at bay. Most were invitations to parties or requests for a meeting. Anima usually handled the rejections, so only letters from people I actually knew made it to my desk.
But today, Anima looked genuinely puzzled. She managed nearly everything in the house, from my schedule to my assets. As my lover and someone I spoke with constantly, it seemed impossible that there was an acquaintance of mine whose name she didn't know.
"The letter is signed 'Jane Doe.' Does that ring a bell?"
"Oh, right! Jane-san. She was the one accompanying Laguna-dono at the recent shipboard party. We spoke briefly then."
"I see. If that's the case, it's no wonder I didn't—Wait, Master? Did you say she was Laguna-dono's companion?"
"Huh? Yeah, she was."
"That’s strange," Anima mused. "I kept track of everyone, including the guests' companions. I don't recall anyone named Jane Doe being at the party... though it's possible I simply forgot."
I blinked. "Wait, really?"
It was definitely odd. Anima might have had a lapse in memory, but there weren't that many "plus-ones" at the party—maybe ten or fewer. Come to think of it, I’d assumed Jane-san was a noble of the Hydra Kingdom... but she’d never actually said that. She’d joked about having a "noble aura," but that was all.
"It’s certainly weird, but she didn't seem like a bad person," I said.
"True," Anima agreed. "Shallow Vernal-sama and Alice-dono were both present. It’s hard to imagine them overlooking an intruder."
"Alice, do you know anything about Jane-san?"
Anima’s point was valid; Alice was far too sharp to miss an uninvited guest. I figured she’d be the best person to ask. Surprisingly, even Alice appeared with a difficult expression.
"Well... she’s likely a god of another world. I know the name and face of every inhabitant of this world, and she isn't one of them. I looked into it after the party, and she hasn't been seen anywhere else. My estimate is that she's at the Almighty Class level."
"That’s... quite a revelation," I stammered. I glossed over the fact that she claimed to know everyone in the world. "So, Jane-san is a god from somewhere else?"
"Most likely. She hinted at being a 'former' god, so there’s probably some backstory there. But she didn't harbor any ill will toward you, and it seems she cleared things with Shallow Vernal-sama first. I don't think she's a problematic individual. I actually asked Shallow Vernal-sama about her, and she just said, 'She is a god who created a world other than this one. She asked to stay here for a while, so I gave my permission.' She didn't offer any more details than that."
"I see... well, she didn't seem like a bad person after all, and I'd like to hear what she has to say. Anima, could you send a reply? Tell her she's welcome to visit."
"Understood."
This was turning into something much bigger than I’d anticipated. But she had seemed genuinely kind, and if Alice and Shiro-san were keeping an eye on things, there wasn't much reason to worry.
Serious-senpai: The fact is, because the Absolute One's education is so thorough, she's actually quite sensible. I mean, she didn't just barge in; she sent a formal written request first. At that point, she's already considerably more decent than most.