Nifty’s boutiques had become the talk of the town, drawing intense interest not only from Kaito’s inner circle but from high-ranking nobles and professional servants alike.
The demand to visit was staggering. It reached a point where even the right to purchase products—to say nothing of sitting in the cafe—was determined by a lottery system. Fortunately, since the retail section had more available slots than the cafe, securing a chance to shop was relatively easy by comparison.
"Milady, while I am personally delighted as a maid to visit the famous Nifty boutique, I do worry... about your lack of a companion. Ah, my apologies."
"I have friends, you know! It just so happens that the lottery I won was for the branch in the Kingdom of Sinfonia. I thought it would be rude to suddenly drag my friends across national borders for a mere shopping trip, so I decided to bring you along instead."
"I see. Well, it is true that even if money is no object, crossing borders on a whim can be quite a hurdle for a noble."
"There are political considerations with the Sinfonia nobility to keep in mind, after all. For now, as the daughter of a Marquis, I don't have many obligations, but it looks quite exhausting for my father and mother. I suppose I’ll have to deal with that eventually..."
Walking through the Kingdom of Sinfonia’s high-end shop area with her escort maid was the Young Lady of a Marquis House of the Arclesia Empire. She was the same lady who, during the Arclesia Empire Founding Anniversary Festival, had been the very first person to purchase one of the brand cups—back before the name Nifty even existed.
Naturally, she had been following the brand’s developments closely. She had entered the lotteries for the branches in all three countries and, through a stroke of good fortune, won a slot. However, since the winning ticket was for the Sinfonia location rather than the one in the Arclesia Empire, she had traveled abroad specifically for this visit.
"Hasn't the association with Nifty been a bit difficult for you lately, Milady? People are even whispering that you might have a personal connection to the owner."
"That is a complete misunderstanding, though you know how nobles love their gossip. I simply happened to buy those cups from Miyama Kaito-sama by chance at the festival. Now that the brand has officially launched, those few cups sold during the Founding Anniversary Festival have become 'Initial Lots' with astronomical value."
"Even that accessory you're wearing, the one made from a Dragon King's Scale... you received that from Miyama Kaito-sama as well, didn't you? Its design is entirely different from the ones in general circulation. People are saying Miyama Kaito-sama must have taken a fancy to you and given it as a special gift."
"I find such prying to be nothing short of vulgar. In truth, I haven't even properly introduced myself to Miyama Kaito-sama. I only received this accessory as an apology for an accidental mishap, so we have no relationship whatsoever. That said, the accessory is a truly exquisite piece, so I make sure to treasure it."
The accessory the young lady wore had been given to her by Kaito as an apology for startling her when she had accidentally ended up caught between the goddesses Fate and Chronoa during the festival.
Because the design was more luxurious than the Dragon King's Scale accessories currently sold through the Mikumo Trading Company, rumors persisted that the lady was on intimate terms with Kaito. She denied it firmly every time the topic arose, but the whispers never truly faded.
"...Winning this reservation might invite more of those strange suspicions, I fear."
"I’ve already given up on that. Rumors will spread no matter what I do. If I win a reservation, they say I used a secret connection. If I hadn't won, they would say I didn't need to enter because I can negotiate with him directly. There are always people looking for an excuse to pull someone else down. There’s no point in worrying about them."
"Noble society really is a murky mess, isn't it?"
"I agree, though things have improved significantly since Empress Chris took the throne."
The young lady offered a bitter smile at her maid’s exasperated comment and continued her trek. Just as they reached the vicinity of the Nifty boutique, they happened to run right into someone walking from the opposite direction.
"Eh?"
"Hm?"
They didn't actually collide, but their eyes met by pure chance. In that instant, the color drained from the young lady’s face, leaving her deathly pale.
(W-Why is Miyama Kaito-sama here?!)
The person she had encountered was indeed Kaito. The coincidence was so overwhelming that the young lady could only scream in the silence of her own mind.