Although her expectations had been completely overturned by the sudden appearance of Pope Olivia, Elis had managed to regain her composure with impressive speed, showing the true mettle of a noblewoman.
In the end, Kaito and his companions were only stopping by in the middle of a date. They wouldn't be staying long, and naturally, they would depart as soon as they finished their shopping. Since they were already at the final stages of browsing and about to make their purchases, she figured the odds of another disaster occurring were slim.
This is going to give me a terrible stomachache when I think about the future, she reflected. But in terms of adding prestige to the shop, it’s beneficial—as long as I don’t dwell on the logistical nightmare of the aftermath. I’ve learned my lesson today, though. Friendly City Hikari is politically unique, which makes gathering intelligence difficult... but if I’d had better connections there, I might have seen this coming. That will be my priority moving forward.
It was an irregular situation, but since she couldn't guarantee it wouldn't happen again as long as she associated with Kaito, she resolved to strengthen her information network toward the Friendly City. She knew that from tomorrow, she would be buried under an avalanche of letters from nobles who had caught wind of the Pope's visit, and she was in for a busy few weeks. For now, however, she felt a sense of relief—or rather, she let her guard down.
She did not yet realize how foolish it was to lower her guard in the presence of Kaito, the World's Singularity. It was true that Kaito was almost finished with his shopping, and neither Kaori nor Olivia were likely to cause more trouble, but where Kaito was concerned, complications often arrived from entirely unexpected directions.
"Welcome to—eek!?"
A shop assistant let out a reflexive shriek. Elis turned her gaze toward the entrance and nearly screamed herself. A figure stood there, draped in a jet-black robe and hauling a massive coffin that stood taller than the traveler themselves.
The—The Martyr of Death, Lady Rasal Marfik?! Wh-Wh-What is she doing here?!
The newcomer was a necromancer famous even across the Demon Realm, a woman often whispered about in the same breath as the Monster of the Black Forest. While her name was legendary, few had actually seen her. Elis identified her by the descriptions she had heard and her terrifyingly dense magic power, but the assistant was likely just startled by the macabre sight of the coffin-bearer and had no idea they were in the presence of the Martyr of Death.
"I apologize if I startled you. I have come to shop. I do not have a membership card, but I do possess a letter of introduction. Please use it to issue me a new membership card."
Rasal’s conduct was surprisingly gentlemanly. The assistant, while still trembling, managed to process the request without further incident.
Rasal scanned the room and spotted Kaito, who had looked over after hearing the assistant’s scream. "Oh? If it isn't Miyama Kaito-sama... What a coincidence."
"Rasal-san? Hello. I’m surprised to find you here. Are you buying chocolates?"
"Yes. It seems Lady Isis took a liking to the chocolates you shared with her the other day. She mentioned wanting her other subordinates to try them at a tea party. Naturally, I could not allow the King to handle such menial errands, so I have come to purchase them in her stead."
"I see..."
Kaito had visited Elis's shop the previous month and shared his purchases with Isis. She had been quite fond of them, but because her Magic Power of Death made it difficult for her to shop in public, Rasal had stepped in. Rasal had done her research, learned that the shop was members-only, and secured a letter of introduction from Zex's subordinates. By some strange twist of fate, her arrival had perfectly overlapped with Kaito’s visit.
"Are you also here to purchase chocolates, Miyama Kaito-sama?"
"Something like that. I’m showing Olivia-san and Kaori-san around the city, so we decided to stop by. The owner of this shop is a friend of mine..."
"A friend of Miyama Kaito-sama? In that case, I should offer a word of greeting."
"Sure, she's actually right there."
It was painfully easy to see what would happen next. Elis was already pushed to her limit, and now she was about to be officially connected to the Death King's inner circle. The pain had transcended her stomach; it felt as if the organ had been obliterated entirely. She simply stared off into the distance, her eyes hollow and devoid of light.
???: "See? Serious-senpai, you just mentioned a triple stomach blow, and now Elis-san really got hit with a triple strike..."
Serious-senpai: "N-No, I didn't mean one person would take three hits to the stomach back-to-back! Is this the true potential of a New Generation Stomach Pain Warrior? That aside, Rasal is as efficient as ever. She researched the membership system and got her references ready in advance. And her reason for coming is so thoughtful—she didn't even mention that Isis is feared or that her magic is dangerous; she just said a subordinate should handle the errands. She's perfectly rational and considerate."