In a private study within the Hamilton Marquis estate in the Arclesia Empire Capital, Elis, the family’s heir, sat buried under a massive volume of correspondence.
Though she was technically the daughter of the house rather than its head, one would never have guessed it by her desk. As the current "person of the hour" in the social circle, the mail addressed to her had quite literally grown into a mountain.
(I can safely ignore these letters that are clearly just vulgar prying. People who send such things are unlikely to ever be of use to me or the House of Hamilton. As for the ones addressed to the House itself rather than me personally, I’ll send a reply asking them to redirect their inquiries to my father... The real problem, as always, is the flood of questions regarding Kaito-sama. I have to be incredibly careful about what I disclose; I can’t risk causing him any trouble. Judging the fine line between what to say and what to withhold is going to take a significant amount of time.)
Elis continued her painstaking work, weighing every word, until a knock at the door interrupted her. Her father, Marquis Hamilton, entered the room holding two envelopes.
"Father?"
"I happened to run into the maid bringing these to you. I thought the contents might concern me as well, so I told her I’d deliver them personally."
"...I see. Envelopes from Nifty. I can guess what one of them is—the product introduction booklet they issue every month."
"Ah, that. It’s a remarkable thing. Distributing a booklet filled with high-quality photos from recording magic tools to anyone who asks, and for free, no less... It makes one feel their overwhelming financial power quite keenly."
"The reality is that Kaito-sama’s wealth has reached a level ordinary nobles couldn't even dream of matching. On top of that, Nifty itself established its status as a premier black tea brand in a shockingly short time. With so many noble fans, its profits must be staggering."
Answering her father, Elis opened the first envelope and pulled out the catalog. She flipped through it idly for a moment, only to freeze, her eyes wide with shock.
"F-Father... look at this..."
"Highest-grade tea leaves limited to a single lottery winner per month... Good heavens, that is a terrifying prospect."
"It seems the first draw has already taken place. Naturally, they aren't disclosing the winner's name. If people knew a low-ranking noble had won, the pressure from higher houses would be immense. It’s a sensible move to protect the winner’s safety."
"Wait, Elis... what about that other envelope?"
"............"
Startled by the description of the MK Royal tea, the Marquis and his daughter suddenly realized something. There were two envelopes, and Elis had no idea what the second one contained.
"N-No, it couldn't be. The prize is only the 'right to purchase,' and this envelope is far too large. It feels like there's a book inside... Besides, even if I had won the lottery, I intended to decline."
"A wise choice. Our house has gained far too much profit in too short a window. Any more would only breed envy and create unnecessary enemies. Declining would indeed be the best course of action."
"Then I truly have no idea what this is. What could possibly be inside...?"
Assuming it wasn't a notification of a win, she opened the envelope. Inside was a large, thin volume—a catalog of sorts—and a letter.
"Oh, I see. That explains it... Father, this is regarding the priority rights Kaito-sama gave me previously—the right to order pottery inscribed with our family crest. It seems they are finally beginning the service, and they’ve sent me a catalog. Apparently, I can have our crest put on any of the items shown here."
"I see... Nifty’s pottery is incredibly popular. Having our own set would be a fine mark of prestige. Hmm, looking at the catalog, there are quite a few varieties. Vases and interior decor as well as tableware..."
"We’ll have to consult with Mother to decide which ones to order... wait, what is this?"
The conversation had been going smoothly, but Elis’s expression suddenly shifted to one of pure bewilderment.
Marquis Hamilton frowned. "What’s wrong?"
After a long silence, Elis read the latter half of the letter aloud, her face pale.
"...I-I’ll read it exactly as it’s written... 'Furthermore, regarding the order from Elis Dia Hamilton, Young Lady of a Marquis House: in consideration of your relationship with the representative of Nifty, Miyama Kaito, the creator of the initial lot of Nifty pottery will personally undertake the production of your order as a special exception'..."
"......"
At her trembling words, the Marquis looked up at the ceiling, speechless. Nifty’s pottery was popular, but the items from the so-called "Initial Lot" were considered priceless treasures.
While the pottery currently sold in stores was exquisite, those with a discerning eye could tell that the Initial Lot was crafted with techniques that were world-class, surpassing anything else in existence. There were people who would gladly pay a fortune just for a single cup from that first run.
Curiously, the identity of the craftsman behind the Initial Lot remained a mystery. Despite their peerless skill, no known master seemed to fit the profile. Currently, one could only obtain works by that specific artisan through Nifty, and only through extremely rare limited reprint sales.
The word "specially" made it clear: that legendary artisan would not be involved in the standard crest-pottery service. They would be working exclusively for Elis.
Elis instinctively clutched her stomach.
Serious-senpai: "She perfectly dodged the main lottery stress, only to get punched in the gut from a completely different direction... So this is the New Generation of Stomachache Warrior..."
???: "Lilia-san is a bit different, since the main events always hit her directly. As for this announcement, Lilia-san has no need to buy from the shops in the first place. She can negotiate directly with Illness, Nebula, Kaito-san, or Canalis. Besides, she gets samples of all the new products anyway, so she hasn't been making any new purchases. That’s why she wasn't even in the lottery pool."
Serious-senpai: "...I see. So Lilia’s off the hook for this one, at least."