A few days had passed since Canaris moved in, and it had been just as long since I’d put her in charge of the tea brand. We eventually sat down to discuss the interior design of the stores we planned to open.
Anima, Caraway, and I were set to review her progress. Since Anima’s office worked well as a meeting spot, we gathered there, and Canalis arrived shortly after.
"Hehe, sorry to keep you waiting! I’ve put together some preliminary designs in a subspace for you to look at. Ta-da! I apologize for being such an efficient worker. Oh, and the interiors are completely adjustable, so let me know if you want to change anything."
"Being able to see them before we actually build is great, but... um, Canaris-san? Your face is... caved in. You look like a character from a comic book."
"Oh, excuse me! I just took a 'Multiple Dimension Crushing Kick' a moment ago and forgot to fix the damage."
When Canaris appeared, her face was deformed, looking like a clay sphere that had been punched from the side. I wondered what had happened, but as soon as I pointed it out, it popped back into place.
There were plenty of things to question, but if a "Multiple Dimension Crushing Kick" was actually as powerful as the name suggested, the fact that it only caused a bit of facial deformation was a testament to her status as an Almighty Class being. I had no idea why she’d been hit with such a violent-sounding attack, but she apparently mingled with gods from various worlds, so maybe something had happened during one of those visits.
"...However, Canaris-dono. While it is certainly helpful to be able to see the designs early, it feels a bit premature. We haven't even received word from the various kingdoms regarding the exact land plots yet."
"The size of the shop depends on the size of the lot. Even if we like a certain design, isn't there a possibility that it won't fit the actual location?"
Anima and Caraway's points were perfectly reasonable. The building would need to be adjusted based on the size of the lot and the surrounding scenery.
But those were normal-world problems, and they didn't really apply to someone like Canaris. I talked to Shiro-san and Machina-san enough to know that she probably already knew the dimensions and the scenery, though it was only natural for Anima and Caraway to worry.
"Oh, don't worry! I’ve checked all of that using Future Information. I’ve accounted for the locations, conditions, sunlight, and even the views from the windows when I put these together. Ta-da! I apologize for being able to do literally anything."
"...I suppose we should remember she's a god on the same level as Shallow Vernal-sama," Caraway muttered.
"Indeed. It was foolish of us not to realize she'd be capable of such feats," Anima added. "Clearly, Master already knew. Look at his calm, dignified expression."
Actually, it was just a difference in my experience with world-creating gods; it certainly wasn't their fault.
In any case, we moved into the subspace Canaris had created to inspect the shops.
"First, this is the design for the Kingdom of Sinfonia. It’s primarily white to evoke a sense of luxury. Since it will be located in a district full of high-end boutiques, I’ve added extra ornamentation to make it stand out without clashing with the neighborhood."
"This certainly looks high-end. It fits the 'store for the nobility' vibe perfectly. Even the carvings on the pillars are incredibly detailed."
"Well, for me, it’s just a matter of imagining it and willing it into existence, so it’s no trouble at all. Ta-da! I’m basically an easy 3D printer!"
The shop she’d prepared for the Kingdom of Sinfonia was stunning, featuring a white exterior accented with gold patterns. It looked exactly like the kind of place nobles would frequent. I visited high-end districts often enough to know that many of the shops there had a similar atmosphere.
Stepping inside, the layout was even more interesting.
"...Is half of this a cafe?"
"Yes! Some customers will want to sample the tea before buying, and many wealthy patrons prefer to take their time while shopping, so half the space is a cafe area. It’s a great way to serve our black tea and gauge reactions to new products."
"That makes sense."
Anima and Caraway, having invested in various businesses, seemed to understand the strategy without further explanation. They moved through the shop with documents in hand, checking every corner. Meanwhile, Canalis stayed by my side to explain things I didn't quite understand.
In reality, I was just there for the tour, simply enjoying the atmosphere of the high-end interior.
Serious-senpai: "If they release cafe area limited products, that's going to turn into something incredible."
???: "Well, they'll probably have limited quantities or make the cafe reservation-only. Since it's a high-end store, they can adjust things as needed."
Serious-senpai: "Also, as usual, Anima is still overflowing with that 'Kaito-loving aura' even in normal conversation."