kscans

Chapter 207 - Episode 6: The Royal Capital's Window

"Here you are, Tritt-sama."

The lady attendant placed my usual cup before me. I felt a little uneasy about how accustomed I had become to having my own personal cup in the princess’s private chambers. I hurriedly bowed my head deeply. "Thank you very much, Cattleya-sama."

I believe she was the third daughter of some noble, here at the Grand Duke’s residence for etiquette training. If we were to meet anywhere else, I would not even be permitted to raise my head.

Sherry, by the way, was the one who told me this. She had said, "...We can't let ourselves be corrupted by Vinder!" Although, to avoid that sort of situation, we usually take care of these things ourselves.

Today’s work participants were me, Sherry, and Natalie. Mia was absent, which was unusual. Natalie, not being used to this, was tense but managing to keep her composure. She kept looking at my face as if wanting to say something. Sherry’s gaze was directed toward the window. She looked worried. According to her way of doing things, getting emotionally invested in people from another world should be a dangerous thing.

A lone woman stood looking at the distant sky through the large window. She was the mistress of this room, and the niece of this mansion’s master. She was the king’s adopted daughter, the Oracle Princess, and the holy maiden who would save the kingdom.

She had blue and silver hair that seemed to draw the light to itself. She had a delicate frame, a small face, and a sharp, slender chin. Even without all her titles, her beauty, which one might even call divine, would remain unchanged. Yet what filled her heart right now was likely the sort of trouble a girl her age would have.

Thinking that gave me the courage to step up beside her. Beneath her fine, long eyelashes were eyes filled with sorrow. Considering her gaze was fixed on the north, it was obvious who the beautiful princess was thinking of.

I know I’m supposed to be on Mia’s side... but seeing her like this, I can't just leave her alone.

"Alfina-sama. The tea seems to be ready."

"...Oh, ah, I’m sorry for spacing out. Thank you, Rilka."

"Not at all. I understand you're worried about Vinder."

When I said that, Alfina-sama looked surprised. I mean, even if there’s a world of difference between our social standing, we’re still girls. Besides, everyone here knows Vinder is made of nothing but recklessness and audacity.

"Today we have a steamed confection with red bean paste wrapped in a buckwheat dough. Please enjoy it with some matcha."

A small, round, brownish sweet sat on a plate shaped like a deep green leaf. Inside was smooth red bean paste. The robust buckwheat dough paired well with the rich sweetness of the paste. The dough was moist, so perhaps it used honey as well. It was an incredible luxury, yet its taste was simple and its appearance plain. My merchant’s sense told me this would not sell.

...So buckwheat and red bean paste go well together.

Vinder’s preferences were definitely a factor here. That man’s sense of sweetness is strange. No one would normally use ingredients so boldly. Well, Natalie, who somehow makes his unreasonable demands work, is amazing too.

I mean, what is with that guy? He ate an ice cream that surprised not just us, but even Alfina-sama and the Grand Duke, and his only reaction was a look that said, "Oh, this is pretty good."

"It’s delicious. Thank you, Natalie. Are you sure this is alright? You haven’t received payment from my aunt, have you."

Alfina-sama said with a worried tone.

"Think of it as having you sample a product candidate. Besides, the ingredients were all provided by everyone here."

Natalie said, looking at Sherry and me.

"Well, thank you both."

"Not at all." "Th, that's right. It's too much."

Sherry and I became flustered. This was not out of deference to the princess. Compared to the value of the information that Vinder was trying to popularize dishes using buckwheat flour, the cost of ingredients was a rounding error. First of all, Alfina-sama is one of Vinder’s stockholders. In a sense, this was Alfina-sama’s treat.

"Um, it must be tough for you too, Natalie. This was Vinder’s idea, wasn’t it. Developing new products even while he’s away... Ah."

Sherry had misspoken.

"Fufu, Ricardo-kun seems to rely on you a great deal too, Sherry, so I imagine you understand," Alfina-sama said with a smile.

Sherry turned pale. This probably wasn't a warning shot or anything... but it was certain that Alfina-sama envied us for being swept up in Vinder’s affairs. Not because of the financial benefits, of course. Just how smitten is she.

"I... um, well, I had a hard time because he suddenly asked me to prepare matcha right before he left for the Empire..."

"Oh, I heard from Mia that she was grateful you had prepared it in advance."

You could say she has adapted to Vinder. It also meant he was promoting matcha all the way in the Empire. It would be difficult for Belmini, who dealt in vegetables, to start exporting abroad, but they need a product like that to get involved with the new city. What our company will do is a source of worry for us.

I once heard him say something like, "I wish we had eggs you could eat raw," but that’s just too unreasonable.

Incidentally, until that meeting at the Food Guild, my father and Sherry’s father were both wary of Vinder. They probably saw him as some upstart aiming to marry into wealth. Now, it’s just a funny story.

"Wh, what about you, Rilka."

While I was lost in thought, my childhood friend sold me out.

"He hasn’t asked me for anything in particular. Though I still think he works Mia too hard. Oh, but you would know that well, Alfina-sama."

I was actually curious about the relationship between the two of them living in the same mansion. I didn’t think someone like Alfina-sama would kick Mia out, but...

"The Vinder Company couldn’t function without Mia. I worry because the paperwork seems to pile up every time I visit her room."

I felt a sense of relief at Alfina-sama’s words. I knew she was this kind of person, but many girls change when that subject is involved. Not that Sherry or I have any time for that sort of talk, thanks to Vinder keeping us so busy. Though, if word gets out that we’re here like this now, the number of potential suitors would surely skyrocket.

"Then again, I may not be one to talk. There is much that Mia teaches me. She is like a dependable little sister to me."

For a moment, the air at the table nearly froze. I don’t think she meant it that way. But no, if you read into it, does it mean she would accept that kind of relationship? Sherry also looked troubled. As for Natalie, her expression had become a complete blank.

"What about you, Natalie. What do you think of Ricardo-kun?"

The spearhead, no, the conversation, was turned toward the silent Natalie. Her eyes darted left and right.

"I am, so to speak, Vinder’s employee, so please forgive me from offering an evaluation of my employer."

She dodged it smoothly. Is she perhaps the most formidable one here?

"...Vinder arrived safely in Maldraz, right."

Sherry said. I had heard the report came in. The Crown Prince is with him, so if anything were to happen, it would be a national incident.

"Th, that's right. He’s probably off picking out souvenirs or something right about now."

Yes, souvenirs that are actually seeds for his next business venture, also known as unreasonable demands... We all gave faint smiles. Considering our current capacity, it was no laughing matter. But Alfina-sama cast her face down.

"U, um, Alfina-sama. Did something happen with Vinder before he left?"

Everyone had noticed that the two of them were acting strangely before his departure.

"...I said something terrible to Ricardo-kun. So I’m sure he..."

Alfina-sama looked as if it were the end of the world. For the first time, we learned of the conversation she had before Vinder went north.

"It's Vinder's fault."

"Y, yeah, Vinder’s at fault."

"...I think so too."

We were all in agreement. Even Natalie, who had just said she couldn’t evaluate her employer, clenched her fist and declared it. How does he so precisely get on a girl’s last nerve? I know he’s a guy who couldn’t care less about self preservation, but this is on the level of an art form.

Of course, we know Vinder is going to unreasonable lengths for Alfina-sama’s sake.

"And, even before that..."

Alfina-sama haltingly told us about what had happened at the cathedral before. What, he actually... no!

So in other words, it was like Vinder almost assaulted her. No, when you think about it, it was a total setup. We had just heard something incredible. I'm happy that she trusts us enough to tell us such a thing, but... oh dear.

We all exchanged glances. A silent pact was formed that this must never be spoken of outside this room.

"It was because I prioritized my duty... But even after that, though we were in the same mansion..."

Finally, a complaint about Vinder escaped Alfina-sama’s lips. The atmosphere, contrary to expectation, relaxed. A princess, even one called the holy maiden of national salvation, is just a normal girl.

"I, in that kind of situation... you could invite him over under another pretext."

Sherry crossed a dangerous line. I wonder if she’s panicking. But no one stopped her.

"What about the tactic of saying you had a scary dream about the prophecy..."

"Wha, I, I couldn’t possibly use my duty for something like that..."

Even Natalie offered an idea. That tactic seemed like it would be quite effective. Though, knowing Alfina-sama’s personality, I doubt she could do it. And what in the world are we even talking about.

"I was so relieved to hear the report that Ricardo-kun had arrived safely in Maldraz, but then he’s with Princess Maytyl and Princess Lisabet... To find myself worrying about such things... Ah."

Alfina-sama turned bright red. She seemed to have realized what she was saying.

Yes, yes, it’s all Vinder’s fault, so please don’t worry, Alfina-sama. We all watched the blushing Alfina-sama with warm eyes.

Well, I’m on Mia’s side, but Alfina-sama is... she’s my friend now, too.

"...Well then, let’s continue our work. We need to organize the information so we can complete the inspection as quickly and efficiently as possible. I need everyone’s cooperation."

Alfina-sama, having calmed down, spoke. The girls’ tea time was over. Now it was time to resume our important work, work that the fate of the country might hang upon. Before Alfina-sama, who had returned from the south, heads to the west, we were to cross-reference her prophecies with what we know about the lives of ordinary people and places far from noble estates.

"I must return to the cathedral as soon as possible and extract the primary information from the crystal."

I was just a little concerned that what she was doing seemed to deviate from what Vinder wanted. But then again, Vinder himself was heading into dangerous magical lands even if Alfina-sama tried to stop him. They may have their own circumstances and reasons, but first and foremost, they do it for each other.

I suppose they’re a good match in that sense. A precarious one, so much so that we can’t possibly... no, it's impossible.

"First, based on the hypothesis that the scenes reflected in the calamity are centered on high places..."

Alfina-sama announced our course of action. Still, primary information and hypotheses. Those aren’t words you expect to hear from a princess. She was always intelligent, but I even started to think she would be a tough opponent if she were a business partner.

Well, I suppose most of that is Vinder's influence.