Inside the private quarters of Eris, the heir to the Hamilton Marquis House, the young lady sat in her chair, immersed in quiet reflection. The invitations had already been dispatched to the selected noble scions, Kaito included. The die was cast.
Nevertheless, Kaito was far too formidable a presence to face without caution. It was Eris's sincere desire to be as prepared as possible.
As I thought, the primary concern remains the companion, she mused. The most critical question is whether Kaito-sama understands what a "companion" signifies at a noble tea party. Honestly, this is a failure on my part. Had I managed to casually mention during our past conversations that a companion is essentially a guard, I wouldn't have to worry. Yet, I could hardly include a manual on etiquette in the invitation itself. To do so would be to treat Kaito-sama as an Ignorant One. Some would gleefully label me disrespectful for such a move, and even setting that aside, it's simply bad manners.
Eris was a clever woman. She had considered the possibility that Kaito might not grasp the nuance of the term. However, given that he might have learned it from Lilia or others, explaining it as if he were uninformed would be a slight. She regretted not having confirmed his knowledge more naturally in the past.
Well, there is no use dwelling on what’s done. I must prepare for either outcome. If Kaito-sama understands the meaning, there should be no problem. In that case, the most likely candidates would be Anima-sama, the Attendant Captain; Illness-sama, who I’m told is an excellent maid and his lover; or Sieglinde-sama, who should be well-acquainted with noble events through her service to the Ducal House of Albert.
Eris predicted that since Kaito was a newcomer to high-society tea parties, he would likely choose a companion who was either well-versed in noble culture or someone he relied upon for emotional support.
The scenario that demands the most scrutiny is the one where he doesn't know what a companion represents. If only it were feasible, I would have liked to make an exception and allow Kaito-sama to bring another noble. Had I done that, he undoubtedly would have brought Duchess Lilia, which would have put my mind at ease. However, this tea party is specifically being held after excluding house heads and title holders. If Duchess Lilia were to attend, it could be perceived as showing undue favoritism toward the Ducal House of Albert.
While Eris was the host, her actions would inevitably be linked to the Hamilton Marquis House. As her family stood as the Head of the Faction, appearing to favor a foreign noble over the nobles within their own faction was a political disaster they had to avoid at all costs.
Since she had already committed to excluding heads of houses and officials, inviting Lilia was impossible. Thus, the restriction against noble companions remained necessary.
...Even so, I suspect things will turn out fine even if Kaito-sama doesn't know the rule. From his perspective, he’ll be surrounded by strangers. He’ll surely want someone by his side. When selecting that person, he would naturally look for someone with experience in noble culture. But with the "no nobles" rule in place, no one obvious would spring to his mind immediately. He would then likely seek advice. His most natural confidante—someone well-versed in noble society who has attended countless tea parties and is his lover—would be Duchess Lilia. She would surely explain the true role of a companion to him.
Eris’s logic was sound. Had Kuromueina not visited at that exact moment, Kaito likely would have puzzled over the choice, consulted Lilia, and learned that a companion is, for all intents and purposes, a bodyguard.
Taking that into account, the probability of him bringing someone truly overwhelming is minimal. However, I have dealt with Kaito-sama many times. Letting my guard down now would be a mistake. I must assume that even someone like the Phantasm King-sama might show up. But as her face isn't widely known, I could simply plead with her to remain undercover...
Eris maintained a focused expression as she braced for the worst. Yet, she failed to account for a series of miraculous coincidences: Kuromueina just happened to be visiting Kaito when the invitation arrived, and the usually busy Underworld King happened to have a rare gap in her schedule.
Consequently, Kaito decided on a companion without ever consulting Lilia. Furthermore, not even the brilliant Eris could have imagined that the companion would be Kuromueina—a woman who had attended countless massive parties but had never once participated in a formal noble’s tea party, leaving her as clueless as Kaito regarding the custom of the companion-guard.
Serious-senpai: "Eris is working hard. She’s really giving it her all, but... her opponent is simply too much. No matter how you plan or what you predict, he’s the type who just happens to slip through every countermeasure at exactly the right moment."