The party has safely concluded, and it’s finally time to relax.
As I made casual conversation with Sehas, vaguely contemplating my future, Sehas suddenly walked towards the entrance.
I had sensed his presence for some time, and Sehas seemed sharp enough to notice such subtle signs. Within a minute, a quiet knock echoed.
“Enter,” I called.
In perfect timing, neither too early nor too late, Sehas opened the door to the office. There stood Memoria, dressed in lighter attire, distinct from her party dress.
Behind her was a maid pushing a wagon, presumably filled with light refreshments.
“Shall we take a break?”
“Let’s do that.”
I wasn’t so oblivious as to misunderstand the meaning of her invitation. With a look, I signaled Sehas to leave, and he bowed before exiting with the maid. The maid brought the wagon inside and prepared sandwiches and drinks at the table before they both departed.
The moment I sat down on the sofa next to Memoria, she sighed, “Phew, I can finally relax.”
My commoner roots showing, I completely relaxed from my previous demeanor, leaning back against the sofa.
“You must be tired,” I said.
“Indeed. While I’m not physically exhausted, mentally, I am,” I replied.
I realized today just how draining it is to maintain composure while being mindful of not letting the nobles and merchants gain leverage and while under the gaze of Sehas and the maids.
I couldn’t help but feel that my nature was still rather common. I knew I would have to reconcile this feeling with the atmosphere of the party in the future. But…
“If you’d like, would you like to rest?” Memoria asked, patting her thigh.
“Please do,” I replied, settling down.
Her gentle fragrance tickled my nose. She had probably bathed. The soft scent was strangely comforting.
During the party, I only had a few sips of drinks and spent the rest of the time talking. I should be hungry, but the desire to rest, even for a moment, was stronger.
I wasn’t sleepy. I just wanted to relax here.
As I mused on this, Memoria gently stroked my slightly stiff hair. Her strokes were so gentle, following a steady rhythm. The sensation was incredibly pleasant.
“You were quite popular towards the end, Jiro-san,” Memoria remarked.
“The instructor’s prestige had a significant influence, though,” I replied.
Memoria continued to talk about the party. She chuckled softly, perhaps recalling my overwhelmed state facing the nobles and merchants, or perhaps something else entirely.
“Even so, it’s your charisma. You’ve forged ties with the Oni King and shown that relationship. That person would never tolerate someone who merely flaunts their connections, as you well know, right?”
“That’s true.”
Memoria smiled, easing my slightly self-deprecating feelings, and I returned her smile. If I had acted arrogantly, relying on the instructors’ power, I would have been beaten to a pulp by that Oni by now. I knew that betraying the Oni’s kindness would lead to ruin. Kindness for kindness, punishment for betrayal – that is the nature of the Oni species.
The fact that the instructors showed an attitude that made it seem acceptable for me to leverage their power was precisely what demonstrated to the nobles how much trust I had earned from them.
“Also, Jiro-san, you underestimated certain nobles and merchants a little. If they were merely relying on the Oni King’s prestige, they would have seen through that and approached you differently.”
“For example?”
I was being cradled by Memoria’s lap, my head being stroked. This was my time to relax, and the conversation flowed leisurely.
“Regarding the nobles, they asked about hosting the next party at the end, didn’t they? They also inquired if they could invite their noble acquaintances. If they intended to use you, they would have guided you to invite them rather than making such a move themselves.”
“To clarify the social hierarchy?”
“Precisely.”
It seemed like a check of my understanding, also serving as a lesson for me, who was unfamiliar with noble society. What Memoria explained with her fingers, holding up one and then two, was something I understood. In fact, Evia had told me the same thing.
“Be polite, but don’t fawn,” she had said. As a Japanese person, I tended to be too humble, which often appeared as fawning, a point I was frequently warned about during etiquette lessons. I was told to be polite but to maintain a certain line. Therefore, the fact that they casually invited me to the next party indicated that they didn’t see me as beneath them in the social hierarchy.
“Next, let’s discuss the reaction of the ladies.”
“The ladies?”
Looking at Memoria’s fingers forming a peace sign, I recalled the party, wondering if there was any element of expectation. Dare I say, apart from the initial greetings, I had no time to speak with women. And with Memoria by my side, I didn’t recall any overt advances. Moreover, although the women present seemed young, they were all married. I would be in trouble if flirting was attempted in such a setting. Therefore, it couldn’t have been a honey trap-like reaction.
“You don’t know?”
“Hmm, I can almost guess, but not quite.”
Since I couldn’t immediately figure it out, I tried to eliminate possibilities, but it wasn’t easy. After some thought, Memoria, with a faint, almost imperceptible smile on her usually expressionless face, murmured, “Here’s a hint.”
“Didn’t you talk about family in some way?”
“Family?”
She had thrown a hint that seemed to be getting close to the core of the matter. Family, in this context, likely referred not to my family, but to the families of the nobles. I puzzled over the connection for a few seconds. Then it dawned on me.
“Could it be children?”
“Correct.”
I recalled that during the party, I was asked if I could bring children to the next one for the sake of learning about parties. I remembered agreeing, thinking it would help me increase my supporters and allow me to assess them.
“When nobles introduce their sons or daughters, it signifies their intention for a long-term relationship, anticipating future potential. While the eldest sons or the heads of households must protect the family line, second or third sons, or daughters, can be more easily dispatched. If you, Jiro, can identify them and they serve you, it becomes a sufficient connection and provides a reason for support in times of need.”
“I see.”
I was impressed by Memoria’s words, which made me realize how taxing the noble society was. Even with just theoretical knowledge, putting it into practice often failed to connect with the actual experience. As someone who was currently experiencing this in parties, I couldn’t deny that I felt like I was bookending my learning with practical confirmation. As the saying goes, “Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.” I learned far more by actually doing it.
“Then, does that mean I’ll have to memorize the faces and names of those young lords and ladies…?”
“That’s correct.”
“Ugh, Japan is considerably better with business cards.”
What I found most tiresome about dealing with nobles was memorizing names. While it was a basic requirement of etiquette, being told to instantly remember dozens of new acquaintances was quite challenging. In my previous company, or rather, in Japanese companies, there was a custom of exchanging business cards to keep information on hand, which was helpful. But in a setting like this party, it was a serious memory challenge, which was no laughing matter.
“Yes. I’m used to it, but you’ll have to work hard, Jiro-san.”
“I will.”
Memoria’s phrasing made me wonder if it was a matter of habit. However, I couldn’t afford to say I couldn’t do it, so I resigned myself to the fact that I had to put in the effort. Having boldly declared myself a General Candidate, I couldn’t falter over something like this. However, while Instructor Fushio might understand, Instructor Kio might simply dismiss it with “I don’t know” if he wasn’t interested. While such power might be excused, I couldn’t afford to do that, so I had no choice but to memorize faces and names diligently. Fortunately, the other world had many distinctive species. Linking them to those characteristics should make memorization somewhat easier.
Memoria then shifted the conversation to merchants, and I listened intently.
“Merchants are more straightforward than nobles, don’t you think? Weren’t they drinking the sake you were drinking quite a bit?”
“Come to think of it, they were,” I recalled.
While nobles sought to clarify their relationship with me, merchants approached with a more materialistic perspective, Memoria explained. “They were trying to remember your preferred taste and find similar, delicious products.”
“Like a gift to get closer?”
“Essentially, yes.”
The sake I was drinking was Japanese sake. It had a considerable alcohol content, but my liver, trained through countless drinking sessions with the instructors, could handle it. I only took sips, so I didn’t get drunk and remained sober throughout. Was the fact that a good amount of Japanese sake was being consumed in the latter half of the party due to the reason Memoria mentioned?
“Other conversations about hobbies were preliminary research for gifts.”
“Hobbies? Ah, like asking if I liked paintings or was interested in theater?”
“Yes. Those are easy topics to initiate a conversation with, and if you share a common interest, it can lead to closer ties.”
The nobles were constantly around me, so the merchants could only join the conversation occasionally. However, they managed to interject at opportune moments when I casually mentioned something. Oh! Their exclamations of surprise, yet delivered in a way that wasn’t unpleasant, were certainly characteristic of merchants. I wasn’t without hobbies, but talking about manga or anime wouldn’t be very productive here. So, when I unremarkably mentioned that I often drank sake with instructors, they eagerly chimed in, asking about specific regional sakes or rare varieties.
“In essence, they are trying to make an impression on you, Jiro-san.”
“But is that alright? In a way, I’m already in a sort of familial relationship with Memoria’s family.”
Hearing this, I wondered if they thought it would be more profitable to befriend me, or if they sensed potential profit. If that was their feeling, then I could already be considered to have the Toris Trading Company, a large trading firm, on my side. While I had no intention of neglecting Memoria’s family, I doubted that Mr. Gray or Miruru, Memoria’s parents, would be pleased if I readily did business with other merchants.
“There’s no need to worry about that. While my family will handle the primary dealings, it also guarantees their backing as long as a certain amount of tribute is paid. Unless they are exceptionally greedy or ambitious merchants, they should realize that business will be easier and more profitable.”
However, Memoria didn’t seem to think so. She added that expanding sales channels would lead to profit. And indeed.
“Besides, we’re known for showing no mercy to our enemies. Unless they are utter fools, they won’t make an enemy of us, right?”
Her words, stating how terrifying it would be to cross them, reminded me of what happened to the shop employee who fled from the company that first entrusted me with a store. I hadn’t heard any news of him since then, and I briefly wondered if he was alright. But that thought was fleeting; I quickly pushed it out of my mind.
“In summary, then. Can we say that this party was a success?”
“Yes, though there is still room for improvement.”
“Harsh,” I remarked.
Even in Memoria’s eyes, I had received a passing grade and exceeded the minimum requirement. This meant that, as a General Candidate, I had at least made an impression on the attendees of this event.
“But this means I’ll become a topic of conversation on the continent, even if just a little…”
“Yes, from here on, things will get truly busy.”
“Indeed.”
Information is the lifeline for both nobles and merchants. These types of people spare no expense for fresh and reliable information. Therefore, the attendees of this party would surely gather information about other General Candidates as well. Whether they share that information will depend on future relationship building, but we’ve made a start. As Memoria said, things will truly get busy from here. But…
“I’m counting on you, Memoria.”
“Yes, supported by all of us – myself, Suella, Himik, and Evia-sama.”
“That’s reassuring.”
With them supporting me, I couldn’t afford to break. The selection date hasn’t been announced yet, but it likely won’t be far off. As I thought about needing to accomplish what I could at a rapid pace from now on, I shared a kiss with her as she slowly descended.
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