第１３１９堀：各国へ連絡を (Part2)
Why is it so difficult to secure a venue? Simply put, how many establishments would willingly accept a sudden influx of heads of state? One wrong move, and heads could literally roll. While such occurrences are frequent in Weed, it is rare to find a place that would accommodate such guests without any prior notice. Furthermore, the visitors this time include nearly every major power within the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance.
While it is an honor, the flip side is that a single failure wouldn't just bankrupt the shop—it would cost the staff their lives. Only someone truly formidable or an absolute fool would accept such a request so casually. That is why we are grateful to Lady Fiora, and why we have begun moving individually. I immediately reach for my communication tool to contact the dignitaries of the Rogari Continent...
"..."
I freeze.
This gathering is meant to be incognito, held under the cover of night. This means I cannot inform anyone other than the kings themselves. Since it is a secret, the subordinates likely know nothing. In other words, I must contact the monarchs directly. But... I am a slave to Yuki-sama. Me, contacting a king directly!?
The sheer weight of this task makes me tremble. Until now, I had only ever been in the presence of royalty while accompanying Yuki-sama, and my direct contact had always been limited to their personal aides. I lift my head to see how the other two are faring...
"Hello there! Thank you for the delicious ramen recommendation yesterday. So, we're all having yakiniku today, right? Yes. And Yuki-sama said he'd arrange a separate venue, so he wanted to know if the men of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance could talk amongst themselves. Oh, that's fine? Great, then once I get confirmation from the others..."
"Y-yes, um, yes, this is Yayui. Regarding King Haiden, I hope he is in good spirits... Oh? You don't need the formalities? I-I see. But, um, yes. I will deliver the cake to the Queen at a later date. And for the King, my recommended coffee beans. Yes. Now, about today's contact..."
Wait. Hovis is one thing, but is Yayui also making contact so naturally? And are they already in the habit of communicating with them regularly? And here I was, thinking...
Just then, my communication screen lights up. It is a call from the King of Roschur.
"Yes, this is Orelia."
"Orelia, are you free right now?"
"Yes, I am. How may I assist you?"
"You see, we're all gathering for yakiniku today, aren't we? I was hoping to see Sakura, Sumire, and the other children while I'm at it. Could you put in a word with Seraria for me?"
"I don't mind, but wouldn't it be better to speak with her directly?"
"No, that won't do. She always gets too shy. Besides, if I contact my son, he'll just get angry at me for interrupting his work."
No, that is only natural. Please, do not add to Yuki-sama’s workload. Wait—am I actually quite used to this level of contact myself?
"Understood. I will speak with Seraria-sama. Also, regarding today's yakiniku..."
Just like that, I managed to coordinate the plans for the meal. Am I, too, being corrupted by Yuki-sama? It has become second nature for me to receive casual inquiries from the Kings of Gartz and Rumel regarding their family troubles or requests for logistical support.
As it turns out, Lady Fiora had the hardest time of all, and in the end, she had to consult Yuki-sama.
"Ah, in that case, contact this place. I’ve invested in it, and they’re prepared for these kinds of meetings, so there’s no chance of them being fully booked."
"...If you had a venue secured, you could have told us sooner."
"My bad, my bad."
And so, we offered our thanks and apologies to the shops we had previously contacted, finally managing to get everything in order. The other shop owners had been terrified, thinking they had offended Yuki-sama by refusing his request, so we had to reach out and reassure them that there would be no repercussions.
Yuki-sama has his moments of carelessness, which is precisely why he needs us. For better or worse, Orelia and the others are becoming just as acclimated as he is. To think, they were once just ordinary people. I suppose I knew they had connections from their greetings, but they seem far more integrated than I ever imagined.