"...This one had not expected you to come out to greet me in person. Is there a particular reason you have gone so far as to wait for this one at the airport?"
"Hm? This visit is more for building a personal connection than for official business, isn't it? Then of course I should be the one to greet you. As a friend."
Kisaki's visit to Trinity had been decided so suddenly it felt a bit impromptu, but the reality was a little different. This was merely her fulfilling the promise she had made when I visited Shanhaijing, that she would come to visit the following month.
"Is that so... Hmm. In that case, one presumes you chose that attire and hair ornament to indirectly inform your friend that her gift was well-received."
"Ahaha, well, that's part of it."
"This one is pleased that you like it. The fact that you took special care to style your hair to match it suits you particularly well."
The reason I had specifically worn the white qipao and butterfly hair ornament that Kisaki had sent was, honestly, half because I wanted to take some pictures.
Someday, if I ever truly felt up to it, I was even considering trying on a bunny girl outfit for my ultimate Mika Collection. Compared to that, this qipao was a piece of cake. It was even preferable to the monokini I wore during the summer festival.
...Of course, separate from that, Nagisa had told me that if I didn't wear pantyhose, she'd take it as me wanting to fight. But I also felt that bare legs would be a bit much, so I thought this was better.
She wasn't actually picking a fight, of course, but that subtle possessiveness was so like Nagisa, I found it cute.
My hairstyle was somewhere between double buns and twin tails, and Nagisa helped me with this part, too. I was a little surprised by how pretty it was—so much so that I gasped the moment I looked in the mirror. Not that I was ever not pretty, though.
"Oh, by any chance, did Mina-chan not come with you?"
For some reason, I couldn't see Mina, who was in charge of Kisaki's security. It wasn't just Mina; she hadn't brought any entourage at all. For someone of Kisaki's standing, even if she said she didn't want to bring anyone, her subordinates would have insisted...?
"To borrow your words, this one did not come to Trinity today for official business. If the purpose of the visit is solely to build a friendship, then there is no reason to be accompanied by unnecessary guards or attendants."
"That's true, but..."
"Hmph. Since you will be by this one's side, guards are of no consequence. May I entrust my safety to you for the day, so that not even a single scratch may grace this skin?"
"When you put it like that, it becomes a matter of pride... Well, I guess I have no choice. Let's go eat first, Kisaki-chan. You said it's not an official visit, but I'm sure we have a thing or two to talk about, right?"
Kisaki agreed, and I led her to a high-end tuna specialty restaurant, considered one of the most expensive even in the wealthy autonomous district of Trinity. I had gotten her permission in advance and made a reservation. For me, this was probably my fifth visit.
The restaurant consisted of private, enclosed rooms, making it a perfect place for important conversations.
After ordering some bluefin tuna sashimi at a price that made me gasp, Kisaki brought up a familiar topic.
"Regarding the two proposals you presented when you last visited Shanhaijing. Regrettably, there are some difficulties in implementing them in the near future."
"...Is the opposition from within the Xuanlongmen that strong?"
"Indeed. This one is merely the lord who leads the Xuanlongmen, not a dictator. Thus, I must respect the will of all. The chefs from the Xuanlongmen have declared they will not participate in the cooking competition, citing concerns about the many outsiders who would flood the district, and they refuse to allow a broadcast to leave the district... For this one, there is no viable solution other than to take the time to persuade them."
"Hmm. Right, since the goal is harmony between the Xuanlongmen and the Black Tortoise Emporium... forcing the issue won't solve anything here."
"But it remains a knot that must be untied, even if it requires painstaking effort. To approach it simply, like the knot cut by a certain ancient king, would only invite a disastrous outcome."
What was it called... the Gordian Knot? It must be a similar anecdote.
In any case, this was a problem to which I had no suitable answer.
Besides, Kisaki probably hadn't brought it up expecting a solution. The look in her eyes was proof of her will to persuade them, no matter how much time and effort it took, precisely because it was not something she could force.
On our side, the sentiment was more like, 'What? A chance to prove who's superior to those arrogant fools? We can't possibly pass this up,' so there was virtually no opposition. But I was reminded once again that things were a little different with the Xuanlongmen.
Their stance was closer to, 'We are confident in proving we are the best, but we will never tolerate a large influx of outsiders sullying the waters of Shanhaijing.' Since their primary value is the preservation of tradition, it's difficult to get their immediate agreement.
This is a matter where even goading them by asking if they're scared could backfire, so there really seems to be no easy answer. If the relationship between the two groups worsens in the process of setting up the competition, it would literally be putting the cart before the horse.
"The situation in Shanhaijing really isn't easy. Hmm."
Even though I had no solution to offer, I wracked my brain for a way to at least provide a small opening for Kisaki's troubles. If I looked for one, there was bound to be something... At times like this, I find myself envious of Hanako's brain.
Come to think of it, the General Student Council President's disappearance will soon throw all of Kivotos into chaos.
Which means that until that period passes, all existing plans will have to be temporarily suspended anyway...
Hmm. Could I possibly use the incident of the President's disappearance to my advantage? It's sad how my brain just isn't working.
Still, I came up with a way to give her a light hint about the chaos to come. If I gave similar advance warnings to Millennium, Abydos, and Odysseia, I might be able to reduce the damage, even if only by a little.
"Kisaki-chan, there's one thing I'd like to tell you."
"Oh? This one shall listen intently. Do speak."
Sorry, Kaya. I'm going to have to borrow your name today.
"I have a contact in the General Student Council's Defense Office, and I heard the situation over there has been unusual lately. They said the atmosphere is literally like walking on thin ice."
"...That sounds as though the nature of this change is different from the annual departure of graduating students."
"Nothing's certain yet, but that's what I've heard. It's still under investigation over there, but what is certain is that it wouldn't be a bad idea to watch the situation for a bit instead of rushing things. In any case, Shanhaijing's problems have to be solved in connection with the outside. If the GSC's problems don't just end there, there's no telling what kind of negative impact it could have, even if we push forward now."
"...How reliable is this contact in the Defense Office? This one is well aware of the story of the former Defense Chief who was arrested and taken to the Correction Bureau after being caught accepting bribes from Kaiser. It is only natural to be somewhat suspicious of information coming from the Defense Office, which has lost trust twice in the last two years alone."
"For my part, I trust my source one hundred percent."
Regardless of the Kaya I knew from the main story, the Kaya I had seen and judged with my own two eyes was a trustworthy person. Of course, this information supposedly coming from the Defense Office was something I made up...
Nagisa once told me that showing this kind of sincerity is the greatest weapon for an honest person like me. Seeing Kisaki nod, that must be close to the truth.
"Is that so. It seems this one is indebted to you yet again. I shall keep that information in mind."
Our conversation, which continued for some time after that, came to an end when a server arrived.
Kisaki's eyes sparkled as she watched the beautifully marbled bluefin tuna sashimi, a mouth-watering sight, being laid out on the table.
"Kisaki-chan, this here is the tuna collar..."
Hmm. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but I just can't get used to how disappointing it is not to have alcohol...
***
The portions weren't particularly large, but since both Kisaki and I were small eaters, we left the restaurant pleasantly full and in good spirits. Our next destination was Mille-Feuille, one of the most popular dessert cafes in Trinity.
The sight of two girls strolling through the streets in qipao, an outfit rarely seen in Trinity, and occupying a window seat at a dessert cafe drew no small number of stares. However, Kisaki, who was used to being the object of admiration within the Xuanlongmen, didn't seem to mind.
My original plan was to have her try Mille-Feuille's parfait, but Kisaki wanted a dessert that would pair well with tea. Thus, we decided on the mille crepe.
"Kisaki-chan, how about coffee instead of tea here? I'll brew you some tea myself later."
"...Coffee, you say? If you are the one recommending it, a new experience would not be amiss."
I suggested coffee to Kisaki, and she accepted more readily than I expected. We ordered a hot cafe mocha and an americano and chatted leisurely.
Talking with Kisaki, how should I put it... it feels like my mental age is on the verge of reverting to my twenties. That's how mature she is.
Of course, as a student, she must have a side to her that befits her age hidden away somewhere... but at least on the surface, it's not very apparent.
And then, the incident occurred after our coffee arrived.
"U-Ugh...? Ughh..."
The light vanished from the eyes of Kisaki, who had confidently taken a sip of her americano through a straw. It seemed the Lord wasn't a fan of black coffee.
Hmm... what should I say? It feels like I'm seeing her act her age for the first time.
"Ahaha. Try taking a bite of this first. If it's not to your liking, I recommend adding some syrup."
Following my advice, Kisaki brought a piece of the mille crepe to her mouth with a fork. Only after chewing for a while did the light return to her eyes.
"...If one adds syrup, does it not lose its original aroma?"
"I think that's better than forcing yourself to drink something you don't like... Or, how about you try this instead?"
I offered Kisaki the cafe mocha I had ordered for myself. After a moment's thought, she nodded and brought the straw to her lips.
"This is not bad. No, in fact, I may quite like it..."
"Ahaha, I'm glad you like it. Then you can just have that one, Kisaki-chan☆"
"...Are you certain that is alright?"
I'm glad Kisaki seems to like the cafe mocha, but, well. As for this other one, I'll have to try it to know...
I took a sip of the americano. An intense bitterness rose up along with the aroma of coffee. To be honest, it was a bit far from my own tastes.
"Well, it should be fine with a little syrup... Oh, Kisaki-chan?"
"Th-Hmm. It is... it is nothing."
Kisaki looked flustered, so I wondered if something was wrong...
Then I realized, this straw was the one Kisaki had just used.
Hmm, well... I'm at a point where I don't even really register indirect kisses anymore, so I was a bit slow to notice, but this might have made Kisaki uncomfortable. Maybe I should apologize first...?
***