At the same time as the events in the Hydra Kingdom, Canaris was holding audiences with the respective sovereigns of the Kingdom of Sinfonia and the Arclesia Empire.
In the audience chamber of the Sinfonia royal castle, King Ryze met with Canaris, flanked by Knight Commander Rachel and Head Maid Beatrice.
Despite exploring every possible lead, no information about Canaris had surfaced. Even seeing her in person, Ryze found her completely unfamiliar.
After the formal greetings concluded without incident, Ryze spoke softly to Rachel and Beatrice, who stood nearby.
"...What do you think?"
"I... I honestly don't know, sir," Rachel replied. "She possesses a truly unique atmosphere. I cannot even gauge whether she is strong or weak from her presence alone."
"I am of the same opinion as Knight Commander Rachel," Beatrice added. "She clearly has an air of being no ordinary person, yet she leaves an entirely elusive impression."
Even without intel, Ryze knew she must be someone significant if Kaito had entrusted his brand to her. He had hoped the two high-ranking experts of his kingdom could gauge her true nature, but both Rachel and Beatrice looked troubled and uncertain.
Just as Ryze was wondering what to do, since they had learned nothing after all, Canaris spoke up.
"Your Majesty, may I have permission to speak?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Perhaps Your Majesty is troubled by who I am—someone who appeared out of nowhere but was entrusted with the brand by Kaito-sama?"
"Precisely. I am well aware that it is rude to investigate someone who has come specifically to offer greetings, but the total lack of information was unsettling. My apologies if I have offended you."
"Oh, no, please don't let it bother you. It's true that no information would come up even if you looked into me, and I understand the need for caution as someone responsible for national governance. Tee-hee, sorry for being so mysterious! As for why there's no record of me... I've only recently arrived here from another world. No matter how much you search, there is simply no information about me in this world."
Hearing Canaris's words, Ryze instinctively clutched his stomach. She spoke of it as if it were common knowledge, but arriving from another world outside of a Hero Summoning was unheard of. Knowing Kaito was involved, he could feel a familiar sense of dread.
"Regarding my position, I am technically a former God of World Creation, and currently a human... well, counting me as a commoner might be strange, but for now, I'm not particularly a person in power. Hmm, let's see... a former Almighty-class God in a commoner-like position, something like that. Tee-hee, sorry I have so many attributes!"
"..."
Ryze stared up at the ceiling of the audience chamber with far-off eyes. While enduring a dull ache in his stomach, he wondered if this was how his dear sister felt every day. Desperate to escape the question of how to treat an Almighty-class God, he tried to imagine the blue sky beyond the stone roof.
While this was happening in Sinfonia, a very similar scene was playing out in the Arclesia Empire.
Chris had also exhausted every resource trying to find information on Canaris. When the truth was finally revealed by the visitor herself, the Empress could only hold her head in her hands.
"...I see. So Lady Canaris is a God from an otherworld. Your circumstances might differ, but you are essentially on the same level as Lady Eden..."
"Exactly. I suppose I am quite close to her in rank. But since I'm a retired Goddess, I'm really just a traveler staying at Kaito-sama's place. You really can just treat me like a normal person."
"That is quite impossible," Chris sighed. "However, I am slightly relieved. With someone of Lady Eden's stature involved, no one will dare interfere with the Nifty stores."
Among the nobles of the Arclesia Empire, those with particularly strong pro-aristocracy views feared Eden from the bottom of their hearts. It was easy to imagine that even if there was no direct connection, they would also fear Canaris, who came from another world and held a position similar to Eden's.
If she could be considered a deterrent against those who might try to apply pressure or go out of control, it was a plus... though Chris's stomach was now aching sharply.
"However, to become acquainted with yet another God of an otherworld... the expansion of Miyama-sama's social circle truly seems bottomless. Tell me, is there a possibility that more people in positions like yours will increase in the future?"
"I wonder? I was like a traveler, so I was unburdened, but other World Creators have their own worlds to manage, so it would be difficult for them to be in a position like mine. Oh, but Kaito-sama's fans are numerous, so there are many Gods who want to meet him at least once. I don't know if Your Majesty the Empress will have the chance to meet them, but there is a possibility that Kaito-sama's circle of friends will expand even further."
"...I see. I understand Duchess Lilia's feelings very well."
It was quite a twist of fate, but coincidentally at this moment, the Kings of the three nations finally understood Lilia's hardships—linked by the ironic bond of chronic stomach pain.
Serious-senpai: "It was the usual stomach pain... N-Now, next is the part where the store opens and becomes prosperous, right? Right?"
???: "Next episode, the story returns to Kaito-san's side."
Serious-senpai: "...I have nothing but a bad felling."