The tea party Kaito attended had concluded safely—well, safe enough for everyone except the guests' stomachs. Once the last participant had been seen off, Elis issued cleanup orders to her maids and retreated to her private quarters to finally catch her breath.
I survived... for now, she thought. There is plenty of cause for concern regarding the fallout, but at least the event itself is over, and Kaito-sama seemed pleased. Still, with the arrival of Chrome-sama right on the heels of the Supreme God-sama, everyone will assume we are on intimate terms with the Six Kings. I will need to give serious thought to how we handle the social landscape from here on out.
The fundamental issue was Elis's status as a social focal point. Word of this party would spread like wildfire.
Even though the guests were from the same faction, there were sixteen outsiders present including companions, not to mention the servants involved in the preparations and those who had witnessed her guiding Kaito and Kuromueina. The saying that one cannot bar the door of a person's mouth was a truth Elis understood only too well.
We were already in negotiations with the Death King-sama's camp, and I maintain relations with the Seven Princesses. I haven't actually met the Death King-sama or the World King-sama personally, but because of Duchess Lilia’s precedent, people are bound to assume I've already met the entire circle of the Six Kings.
Of that group, Elis had only spoken with Kuromueina and Alice. As for Alice, there was no point worrying about rumors. If the Phantasm King wished it, she could manipulate aristocratic gossip with a wave of her hand; Elis's own efforts were meaningless in that regard.
The question remains whether I will be viewed as an individual player or if the Hamilton Marquis House as a whole will be seen as the connection. Regardless, the fact that Chrome-sama visited the Hamilton estate will spread, and since our dealings with the Death King's faction are also tied to the family name, the number of people trying to curry favor with us is going to skyrocket. I expect my father will take the lead in managing the countermeasures, but I'll need to arrange another sit-down with him and my mother soon.
Since meeting Kaito, the frequency of their family summits had increased exponentially. With a weary sigh for her future, Elis shifted her focus further ahead.
Then there’s the tea party hosted by Kaito-sama. It’s going to be a massive ordeal... Just thinking about it makes my stomach churn, but I can't afford to walk into that situation without a plan. And then there's the visit to Kaito-sama's home. That's already set for next month, so it's best to treat it as a separate concern from his tea party.
During a previous gathering, Kaito had invited Elis to visit his home, an offer she had accepted. After subsequent communications to finalize the date, her visit was locked in for the following month.
She would be the first foreign noble to step foot inside Kaito-sama’s house. Wondering just what awaited her, she clutched her already aching stomach and prayed that, for once, things would go smoothly.
Having returned to the Sharon Count House after the tea party, Cornelia went straight to her father’s office. She found Count Sharon buried in paperwork, but he looked up and welcomed her with a warm smile.
"Welcome home, Cornelia. How was the visit to the Hamilton Marquis House? Or rather, how was the tea party hosted by Lady Elis?"
"I have returned, Father. It was a magnificent gathering, as expected of Lady Elis. However... there is something I must report to you immediately."
The Count’s pleasant expression sharpened into a serious look. "Does this involve that gentleman?"
"It does."
With a curt wave of his hand, Count Sharon signaled for his assistants and servants to leave. Once the room was cleared, only father and daughter remained.
"First, let us be clear," the Count said. "A connection to Miyama Kaito-sama is indeed enticing for our family. However, it does not outweigh the risk of clumsily showing greed and incurring his displeasure. You kept that in mind during your conduct, I assume?"
"Of course. I did not attempt to promote myself to Kaito-sama, nor did I try to close the distance between us recklessly. I certainly did not attempt to use my womanly charms to win his favor."
"Good. Then... tell me. What happened?"
"Underworld King Kuromueina-sama participated in the party."
Count Sharon fell silent. He slowly looked up at the ceiling, his mind clouded by a single, desperate question: How did it ever come to this?
Serious-senpai: "The stomach pain flags planted at the tea party... or rather, it's the detonation turn for all those landmines he scattered about."