NOVGO.NET Chapter 2363: The Promised Tea Party ㉜
In the God Realm, at the Temple of Life, the God of Fertility, Elune, had arrived after being urgently summoned.
[Thank you for coming, God of Fertility. I’m sorry for calling you here on such short notice.]
[Eh? No, God of Life-sama always tends to be abrupt with these things……]
[Is that a problem?]
[Hyiih!? N- Nothing at all!]
Elune, who had almost dug her own grave with that slip, hurriedly shook her head. Life looked at her with some suspicion but decided to move on to the more pressing matter.
Placing the ripples she had received as a gift from Kaito on the desk, Life began to ask Elune.
[Do you know of the noble family called Ritch Barony?]
[Ritch Barony…… ah, yes, a Barony that holds lands on the western frontier. It’s an old family, but their territory has no particular strengths, and they’re poor at business as well. It’s said their influence and wealth as nobles rank among the lowest in Archlesia Empire.]
[I see…… well, the young lady of that house, Marie Ritch, told me herself that she is friends with Miyama-san.][Friends? That’s the first I’ve heard of it…… Miyama-san doesn’t have much to do with the Empire’s nobility to begin with…… ah, but come to think of it, I heard that Eris-san of Hamilton Marquisdom recently hosted a tea party and invited Miyama-san. They may have met there. The Ritch Barony should be part of the Hamilton faction after all.]
As Elune was responsible for Archlesia Empire, she was well-informed about its internal affairs. Thus, she was aware of Eris hosting a tea party where Kaito was invited, and surmised that might have been when he met Marie.
[Miyama-san seemed to value the ripples produced by the Ritch Barony very highly.]
[Ah, yes. The ripples from Ritch Barony are indeed well-regarded. They only distribute it to nearby cities, so it isn’t famous, but it’s like a hidden gem. Still…… Miyama-san huh……]
For most matters, Elune possessed a fairly ordinary sense. However, with a God’s way of thinking, as Life’s subordinate, her way of thinking is close to that of Life’s.
In other words, as someone who received Shallow Vernal’s Blessing, Kaito must always be given top priority, a principle that guided her actions.
After listening to Life’s words, Elune thought for a moment, then spoke.
[……Shall we strengthen the Divine Protection upon Ritch Barony?]
[Indeed so. It would help prevent a situation where Miyama-san might be unable to obtain the ripples he values. Of course, if I were to perform the Divine Protection myself, it would cause too much of a stir……]
[Indeed. The Divine Protection I’ve spread over the whole Empire emphasizes coverage over potency. So for the Barony, I can grant a separate, stronger Divine Protection. That should greatly increase ripple harvests, and may even improve their quality further.]
[Then let’s proceed with that.]
[Understood. If we wish to strengthen it further, Divine Protection from God of Harvest, God of Trees, or even God of Time and Space-sama’s subordinate, God of Agriculture, might also be effective.]
[Yes, that may be useful if needed…… But for now, let’s see how things go with your Divine Protection alone. Speak with Marie Ritch of the Ritch Barony, and once she’s informed, reinforce your Divine Protection.]
[As you command.]
And so, without anyone present to retort, a nearly unheard-of decision was made: to strengthen a Divine Protection specifically over one small territory.
Six days after the tea party hosted by Eris, in the mansion of the Ritch Barony, on the western frontier of Archlesia Empire, Marie, dressed in clothing modest for a noble, was humming to herself as she brewed tea.
Though she was a noble lady, Marie was the fourth daughter of a poor Barony, and had neither a personal maid nor servants. The Baron and his wife, the heir and eldest son, as well as the eldest daughter who managed the orchards, each had maids who doubled as guards, but for the other children like Marie, the family could not afford such luxuries.
Thus, in the Ritch Barony, it was common sense that even as nobles, “they do for themself what they can do themself”. Marie, too, brewed her own tea.
She prepared it, dropped in one of the adorable animal-shaped sugar cubes Kaito had given her as a souvenir, and smiled happily.
(When it looks so cute, it really lifts your mood. What a lovely sugar cube, just what one would expect of a gift from Miyama Kaito-sama.)
With such pleasant thoughts, Marie was enjoying a tranquil moment…… until a maid, pale and frantic, burst into her room……
[Lady Marie!? S- S- S- Something s- serious has happened!!!]
[W- What is it, all of a sudden…… a natural disaster? No, in such cases, Elder Sister should———–]
[No, not that. I- I don’t even know how to explain this…… F- First, a return gift has arrived from Miyama Kaito-sama.]
[A return gift? A- Ahh, for the ripples…… oh dear, I’ve troubled him again. How embarrassing.]
Though confused at the uncharacteristic panic of the usually composed maid, Marie assumed it was nothing serious. But that notion was shattered to pieces by the maid’s next words.
[And also, a letter has arrived from Satania Darklord-sama, President of the Lord Trading Company, and from the Death King’s Executive Rasal Marfik-sama, each requesting to meet with Master and Lady Marie. In addition, a letter from the Temple of Goddess of Fertility-sama has asked that Master and Lady Marie visit the temple on a convenient day!!!]
[…………………]
In that instant, all thoughts left Marie. The cup in her hand slipped, shattered on the floor, and left a spreading stain…… but neither she nor the maid had the presence of mind to react.
So this is what it truly means for your mind to go blank? She understood the words, yet couldn’t comprehend them. A dull, sluggish haze filled her head, and on top of it came a stabbing pain…… as though her stomach had shriveled to half its size.
[……………………………………………..Why?]
That single word was all she could squeeze out…… And tragically, there was no one to give her an answer.
For Marie Ritch, the fourth daughter of the Ritch Barony…… thus began the upheaval, the rise, and the stomachaches.
<Afterword>
Stomachache Devil : [Impact, now!]
Serious-senpai : [The power of that charged shot is way too much…… What did Marie even do to deserve this!? She only sent ripples out of goodwill, and now this…… This is just too cruel……]
? ? ? : [It’s nothing more than the perfectly natural cycle of goodwill being returned with goodwill. If I had to point out one thing, it’s simply that the goodwill being returned isn’t just on the level of a hundredfold repayment, it’s far, far beyond that.]