Chapter 261 - A Chain of Encounters
I'd been told from the start that they were 'coming to pick me up,' so it wasn't exactly unexpected when we left the university in a hurry as soon as greetings were exchanged.
Nor was it a surprise that they had looked into me beforehand.
After all, I had already handed over a certain amount of personal information when I ordered [Arcadia]. A little extra background check on the side was nothing to get worked up about.
At least, not as long as they didn't tactlessly pry into my past.
If there was anything unexpected about how things had unfolded so far, it was, first and foremost, that Chitose-san—a bigwig with the title 'Assistant Director,' who seemed to be Yotsuya's second-in-command—had come to pick me up personally.
I had assumed we were headed for the Yotsuya Development headquarters, a building I'd visited when placing my order, but our destination turned out to be a small office nestled quietly in a corner of the city.
And, above all else—
"Is it to your liking?"
"...Yes, it's delicious."
I was shown to a sofa in the office and asked to 'wait a moment' as Chitose-san departed. A few minutes later, I found myself being fussed over to an absurd degree by a maid with a smile so wide it could have split her face in two—even more so than the director's earlier.
As I let myself be treated to the delicious coffee she had apparently prepared as promised, I put on a grand display of awkwardness before a person I was meeting for the very first time in my life.
Her hair, a shade of black with the faintest hint of a lighter pigment, was swept up with a barrette. Draped over her slender frame was... well, I had no way of knowing the specific type, but it was a rather orthodox-looking maid uniform.
The maid who had introduced herself as Natsume apparently handles work that is half-secretary at Yotsuya.
What exactly 'half' meant was a mystery. Should I just assume it was a fifty-fifty split of secretary and maid? Her very first greeting was, "My name is Natsume, a maid," so it seemed entirely possible the latter role made up more than half.
And it wasn't just that she was a maid; she was also exceedingly beautiful and surprisingly forward, which left me completely flustered. With her elegant, almond-shaped eyes that stopped just short of being severe, she stared at me with unconcealed curiosity.
Her behavior would normally be considered rude to a guest, but she masterfully transformed it into an exquisite sort of 'friendliness' through her atmosphere, tone of voice, gaze, and conversational skill. It was impossible to deal with.
She was a different type, but in the sense that she made me certain I could never win against her as a person, I knew someone similar—my own master, to be precise.
Be that as it may,
"—How old are you?"
"—What are your hobbies?"
"—What are your favorite things?"
"—What do you do on your days off?"
"—Do you like board games?"
"—Do you have a girlfriend?"
Yeah, uh—could you please spare me the machine-gun interrogation worthy of a matchmaking interview? And what was with that random 'do you like board games' question thrown in the middle?
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
Why did she ask twice? Is that part important?
"I do not."
"Then, have you had one in the past?"
"I have not."
As I repeatedly denied it with a sullen look, Natsume-san smiled, looking deeply satisfied. Is she trying to pick a fight with a hopelessly unpopular guy?
Besides, if she's a 'secretary,' wouldn't my information have been shared with her already? How curious.
Perhaps she sensed my inner thoughts from the way I tilted my head. Her smile changed ever so slightly—but she didn't offer an answer.
Without warning, she reined in her 'chatter,' and just as Natsume-san stepped back toward the wall, the sound of a knock echoed through the room.
I hadn't been paying any attention, but now that I thought about it, no sound from the outside world penetrated this office at all. The soundproofing must have been exceptional... No, wait, how did she know someone was there in advance? Has she mastered some expert skill like Presence Detection?
The knock must have been a consideration for me, the one inside, rather than a request for entry. The door opened without waiting for a reply, revealing a middle-aged man with black hair and black eyes.
I knew in an instant, without even making eye contact.
This man was, in all likelihood—
"—Well, hello. You must be Haru Kasuga-kun."
"Y-Yes, hello."
I instinctively shot to my feet, my body threatening to freeze over. I willed myself to bow—but was stopped by his 'gaze.'
What in the world was this? The space directly in front of me crackled with an invisible energy.
He was somewhat on the shorter side, a fact that would be surprising if you noticed it—the dignity he held within him was that immense. Gentle eyes, a gentle voice, a gentle demeanor... and yet, the hand he extended with such composure felt, I must say, almost terrifying.
I managed to return the handshake, half out of fear and half out of sheer stubbornness.
Swallowing the tension that threatened to make me tremble, I reached out my hand. He smiled gently once more and—
"I am Yotsuya Togo, the director of Yotsuya Development."
"..."
And so, the man who spoke the very name I had expected gripped my hand firmly.
"Thank you for responding to my sudden summons. I've been looking forward to meeting you, Crown-kun."
With those words, the smile he offered was confident, fearless, and playful—like that of a mischievous child. A little surprised by his expression, I somehow managed to smile back.
"I'd really appreciate it if you didn't call me that in real life..."
—I replied in a deliberately joking tone, adding that it was embarrassing.
His dignity was beyond anything I had imagined, but... thankfully, he didn't seem to be the 'terrifying celestial being' I had pictured.
In response to my words, Yotsuya-shi nodded. "You have a point," he said, and laughed in a relaxed manner.
...........................But, may I say one thing?
—Isn't your grip a little too strong?
It can't be helped.