The sight of young ladies in dresses standing neatly upright in a row was, in a sense, rather strange, but it couldn’t be helped under the circumstances.
If only Kaito had been ing, things would not have been so plicated. Through a letter, Eris had already informed them of Kaito’s character beforehand and given advice on the proper attitude to take when interacting with him.
Had Kaito e alone, they could have acted as though they had only just gathered, chatting casually in small groups so as not to make him feel that everyone had been waiting on him.
But with Kuromueina acpanying him, the situation was entirely different. Certainly, Kaito himself was an extraordinary individual, the World's Singularity that possesses immense influence, overwhelming connections, and words that carried great weight. Yet if one were to speak strictly in terms of social standing, he was still an Otherworlder immigrant, essentially closer to an ordinary citizen.
In contrast, Kuromueina was one of the Six Kings, the very pinnacle of the Demon Realm, holding a position that was practically representative of it. While she was reputed to be gentle, much like the World King Lillywood, no one present had ever spoken with her directly, and none knew how they ought to behave in her presence. Moreover, the announcement of her participation had e so suddenly that there had been little time to prepare.
Thus, when striving at least not to offend, lining up in orderly fashion to await them was inevitable.
[Ladies, I believe the maids have already informed you beforehand, but in addition to Miyama Kaito-sama, who was originally scheduled to attend, Kuromueina-sama will also be joining our tea party today. Under normal circumstances, it would be ideal for everyone to introduce themselves, but having each of you stand and speak in turn would take too much time. For now, let us take our seats. Please, this way……]
As expected of Eris, by the time they had arrived, she had already regained a measure of posure and, as hostess, firmly took mand of the gathering.
Foreseeing that a line of noble ladies giving introductions one after another would only create awkwardness for Kaito and Kuromueina, she instead guided them all to their seats first.
With Eris clearly assuming her role as host, the young ladies felt relieved and moved to the large table where seats had been prepared.
[Kaito-sama, Kuro-sama, please, these seats are for you.]
[Thank you very much.]
[Thanks. Then, if you’ll excuse me.]
With natural grace, Eris guided Kaito and Kuromueina to sit side by side, then seated herself beside Kaito.
(There was some debate over the seating order, but sitting next to Kaito-sama should be the best choice. It goes without saying that Kaito-sama and Kuro-sama must sit together. That left me with two options: either take the seat next to Kaito-sama or the one next to Kuro-sama. If I considered only the other ladies’ feelings, perhaps it would have been better to seat Kuro-sama between Kaito-sama and me. But since this is Kaito-sama’s first time attending a tea party, he is likely feeling uneasy. Supporting him takes priority…… so I believe the seat beside him is the optimal choice.)
Incidentally, Eris’ decision had been the correct one. Makina, who had been secretly watching to make sure none of the nobles acted disrespectfully toward Kaito, saw that Eris prioritized Kaito over Kuromueina and nodded approvingly, thinking "She understands the basics". In doing so, Makina raised her evaluation of Eris, though Eris herself did not have any knowledge about this.
[Once again, thank you all for attending the tea party I am hosting today. I believe that while you are all familiar with Kaito-sama and Kuro-sama by name, many of you are likely seeing them in person for the first time. Therefore, with your permission, I would like to begin with each of the young ladies giving a brief self-introduction. Would that be acceptable?]
[Yes, I’d actually appreciate it if we could start with introductions.]
[Same here. I recognize a few faces, but I haven’t spoken with anyone directly. I’d be glad if you could tell me your names.]
Eris’ suggestion that the gathered young ladies introduce themselves before the tea party truly began was met with smiling approval from both Kaito and Kuromueina.
Had Kaito been the only guest, the flow might have been one of polite individual greetings and introductions. But with Kuromueina also in attendance, such an approach would have taken far too much time. Thus, Eris chose to have each noble lady introduce herself briefly in turn, keeping things concise. For the ladies too, who were unsure how best to interact with Kuromueina, this was a wele proposal. With no objections raised, the tea party began with the young ladies’ introductions.
Makina : [Un, unn. Prioritizing my beloved child above all else, of course, that’s something that should be the most basic of basics. But to make that choice without being swayed by the lofty title of Kuromueina, one of the Six Kings? Not bad at all. She seems like a noble who really understands the fundamentals, and that puts me at ease.]
Serious-senpai : [Eris is once again being highly praised behind her back in a way that’s only going to give her stomachaches later…… No, she really is outstanding, no doubt about that…… but somehow, I can’t help feeling sorry for her.]
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