In simple terms, the young ladies were already somewhat acquainted with Kaito's character through Elis, and they knew him to be a kindhearted soul. Even Kuromueina, the irregular presence at the table, was famously mild-tempered. She proved this by greeting each lady's self-introduction with a gentle smile and a few pleasant words. With Cornelia having set a perfect tone as the first to speak, the introductions proceeded without a hitch.
Six women had already finished their introductions, leaving only two. Since the order followed the hierarchy of their houses, it was inevitable that the final person to speak would be the one with the lowest social standing at the party: Marie Rich, the fourth daughter of the Baron Rich family.
I’m so incredibly nervous, Marie thought. I still don't even know why I was invited. Our house is basically just commoners with a little bit of land, and I’m only the fourth daughter. I was taught etiquette just in case, but this is the first time I’ve ever been to a real tea party. I’ve only greeted Marquis Daughter Elis once before, and I’m certainly not in a position to be speaking to her... I’ve double-checked the invitation so many times I know it’s real, but still...
Marie came from a Baronial line with a long history but a tiny territory, making her a noblewoman by birth. However, the life of the fourth daughter of an impoverished baron was far from aristocratic. Simply standing on the terrace of a Marquis’s estate made her feel as if she had ascended into the celestial realm.
While there were other minor nobles present, such as the third daughter of a Viscount, that family was quite wealthy for their rank. Despite the labels, their financial power existed on a completely different plane than that of the destitute Rich family.
The difference was visible even in her attire. On Elis's advice, the other ladies had chosen elegant, understated designs suited for the occasion. Marie, however, was wearing a dress she had merely borrowed from her older sister, and its quality was overwhelmingly inferior to the rest.
W-Why was I invited to a tea party with Miyama Kaito-sama? Marie panicked inwardly. His name has reached even a tiny, weak house like ours! And to top it off, the Underworld King-sama is sitting right there! Father, Mother... your Marie might actually have her head cut off for lèse-majesté today.
In truth, Marie had been selected because of her kind heart and her relatively common upbringing. Elis had reasoned that, for Kaito’s sake, it would be beneficial to have someone present who shared the sensibilities of an ordinary citizen.
Nevertheless, the crushing sense that she didn't belong remained. Trembling slightly, Marie stood up as her turn finally came and gave a deep bow.
“I am Marie Rich, the fourth daughter of the Baron Rich family. To be honest, our house is low in rank and we are essentially half-farmers. As this is my first time attending such a magnificent tea party, I am embarrassingly nervous. I fear I may fall short in my manners, but I hope for your kind acquaintance.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Kaito said.
“Nice to meet you,” Kuromueina added with a smile. “You mentioned being half-farmers—does that mean you grow your own crops?”
“Ah, yes. We operate a Ripple orchard of a modest size.”
“Really? I’m a big fan of Ripples,” Kaito said. “In fact, they’re my favorite fruit.”
“Is that so? Then, if it would be acceptable to you, Kaito-sama, would you allow me to send some to you?”
“Wait, is that okay? I’d be happy to buy them from you.”
“No, please. Since we’ve had this chance to meet, I’d like to offer them as a gift to commemorate the occasion. I can personally guarantee their quality.”
“In that case, I’ll gratefully accept your kind offer.”
To Marie, it was truly a trivial exchange. The Rich family had a large Ripple orchard passed down through the generations, and they harvested enough Ripples every year that they often had a surplus. Since Kaito liked them, her thought was simply to give him some as a light gesture.
But this moment would prove to be the turning point for Marie Rich. It was the spark that would eventually bring astronomical wealth to the family of the "poor Barons"—and in exchange for those great achievements, Marie would find herself plagued by a never-ending series of stomach-paining social disasters.
Serious-senpai: “Another new stomach pain victim... Seriously, which move was the correct one here?”
???: “It’s a tough one, but having him buy the fruit normally might have been her only hope. By making it a gift, she’s guaranteed a ‘repayment’ from Kaito-san in the future—which we all know is just a metaphorical body blow to the stomach...”
Serious-senpai: “Is our protagonist a walking minefield for noblewomen's stomachs or something?”