Although my date with Olivia-san and Kaori-san wasn't until next month, I’d already heard which city we’d be visiting. I decided to do some preliminary research using travel magazines and similar guides.
The location was a fairly famous Trade City, and it didn't take long to find several tourism magazines and books detailing the local recommended spots. The basic itinerary was already set, so I didn't expect to have much say in our destinations. Still, it never hurt to have a few suggestions in my back pocket in case we found ourselves with time to kill.
I had plenty of time, so I intended to browse at a leisurely pace, but one particular article caught my eye as I leafed through the pages. It featured a Membership-only High-end Chocolate Shop located in the very shopping district we planned to visit. More importantly, I recognized the logo. It was identical to the one on the box of chocolates Jutia-san had brought to the Harmonic Symphony after-party.
Those chocolates had been exquisite. Jutia-san had claimed the ones I brought were a better match for black tea, but hers had been wonderful—fine-grained with a smooth texture that was right up my alley. Since she had specifically chosen a variety that paired well with tea for the party, I was curious to see what else the shop had to offer.
However, the magazine noted it was a Membership-only High-end Chocolate Shop; you couldn't register without a referral from a current member. If that was the case, could I get in if I asked Jutia-san to introduce me? I decided to send her a Hummingbird message just to see. If I could secure a referral, it would be a nice surprise to stop by during my date with Olivia-san and Kaori-san.
Meanwhile, in Lilliwood’s castle in Yugfressia, located in the Demon Realm, Jutia-san was tilting her head in confusion at the Hummingbird message she’d just received. Camellia, who happened to be nearby, noticed her expression and spoke up.
"Is something wrong, Jutia-san?"
"Ah, no. I just got a Hummingbird from Kaito, but it's very strange. I wonder why he's asking me for this?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"Kaito mentioned he’s interested in Dia Royal Chocolate and asked if I could introduce him. Of course, I’m more than happy to help him with anything, but... is my help really necessary here?"
Jutia-san liked Kaito a great deal and felt deeply indebted to him for several matters, including the business with the tea leaves. Consequently, she was usually happy to agree to any request he made without a second thought. However, regarding this particular request, she was simply baffled as to why he was going out of his way to ask her.
"Dia Royal Chocolate? The high-end shop that’s been so popular lately? Wait... isn't Kaito-san friends with the owner?"
"Exactly! Dia Royal Chocolate was founded by Elis-san of the Hamilton Marquis House. It would be much faster for him to just ask her directly rather than going through me..."
"Maybe he simply doesn't realize she's the owner? Kaito-san doesn't typically take much interest in the business dealings of the nobility, after all."
"Ah, I see, I see. Certainly, if he doesn't know, it wouldn't be strange for him to ask me."
Jutia-san’s confusion stemmed from the fact that she knew Elis-san—whom she had met as Kaito’s friend—was the owner. She figured if he wanted a referral, he could have just asked Elis-san and settled it instantly. Still, as Camellia suggested, it was entirely possible he just didn't know. Nodding in agreement, Jutia-san sent back a positive response via Hummingbird.
Not long after I sent the request to Jutia-san, a reply arrived with her enthusiastic approval. Right on cue, Alice appeared out of thin air, a wry smile on her face.
"I bet Jutia-san was scratching her head over that one," Alice remarked. "She probably thinks it’s a bizarre request."
"What? Why?"
"Because that shop belongs to Elis-san, the girl you befriended not long ago. If you’d just asked her, it would’ve been settled in a heartbeat."
"...You... why didn't you tell me that sooner?"
My face burned. So that was it? It was Elis-san's shop? No wonder Jutia-san was confused; I was the one who had introduced her to Elis-san in the first place.
Alice had clearly known all along and kept her mouth shut just to enjoy my reaction. She was a far cry from the kind-hearted Jutia-san, who had graciously agreed to help even while being utterly baffled.
I took another look at the magazine. Sure enough, right there in the text, it said, "Operated by the Hamilton Marquis House." I’d been so focused on the logo that I hadn’t actually read the article properly. It was my own fault; I didn't have a leg to stand on.
Serious-senpai: "She’s already taken so many hits, and now she’s up for another stomach blow? That poor young lady..."
???: "Well, since he's going through Jutia-san for the introduction, the chances of Elis-san getting involved are practically zero... unless, say, she happened to be there for a surprise inspection at the exact same time."
Serious-senpai: "And there it is. A massive flag has been raised."