"Sorry to keep you waiting. Now, please head to the second floor!" (Mitsuha)
We set out the chairs, tables, and Sabine-chan, then went down to the first floor to guide the customers. I didn't offer tea or sweets, because it was hard to boil water here. It would be weird to offer tea to unexpected guests when it's just me and Sabine-chan here.
...In the first place, I don't even know if the person is worth offering tea and sweets to. If someone is welcome, I will do my best to treat them well, but if they are unwelcome, I won't even serve tap water. Well, in this world, Japan's safe and clean tap water may be a luxury drink. If you add some floating ice, it would be an ultra-luxurious item.
"Please, have a seat." (Mitsuha)
When I offered her a chair, one of the young ladies sat down, while the other two stood slightly behind her on either side. Well, the guards wouldn't sit there, because if they were attacked, they would be too late to draw their swords and fight back. ...So, that's fine, but don't glare at Sabine-chan!
Of course, they might think, "Why is a child here with us?!" but if you say that, I must look about 12 or 13 years old to the people here. So, if someone says to kick out Sabine-chan, that's the end of the matter —While I was thinking about this...
"…………" (Visitors, x3)
They all seemed to have something on their mind, but although they looked at Sabine-chan, they didn't say anything. Yeah, I guess they guessed it from how she looked. ...Well then, let's get started...
"Now, may I ask what you may need?" (Mitsuha)
No one said things like "Welcome." I was not particularly welcoming, and I had no intention of belittling them. If we acted submissively, there was a risk that they would get carried away and act overbearing, so we weren't going to give any unnecessary advantage to an unidentified girl accompanied by bodyguards who weren't customers.
The two guards looked displeased, as if they thought I wasn't showing enough respect for my master. But they were the ones asking a favor, right? Moreover, although I didn't know her title, I think their master was probably the daughter of a noble family. It was not that she was a noblewoman herself, she was just the daughter of a noble family.
On the other hand, I was a titled noble myself, right? Moreover, I was a noble from another country. It was not something a mere daughter of a noble family in this country should be allowed to act all high and mighty towards me. …Well, if she was the daughter of a marquis or a duke, I would certainly be a little considerate.
Do I arrogant towards Micchan #2 and her father? Well, that was "A close friend and her father"... Hahaha...
For that reason, I didn't take an overly humble attitude and I kept a fairly cold attitude, but I did respond properly and didn't turn people away at the door. I just wanted them to be grateful for that. Perhaps understanding this, the young lady herself did not seem particularly offended—but she didn’t seem grateful, though.
"You are the daughter of Viscount Yamano, correct? …Not as a servant or anything?" (Girl)
Ah, that's certainly something to be concerned about when meeting someone for the first time. When I was here, I didn't wear a dress or anything, I was dressed like a normal shop assistant— No, if I wear a dress even when I'm in a store or my room, it'll just be annoying! Dresses cost quite a bit of money when it comes to cleaning and other things... I take them to a Japanese dry cleaner because it doesn't damage the fabric and the end result is nicer...
Anyway, judging from our clothing, it would be natural to assume that Sabine-chan was the daughter of an aristocratic family and I was her servant. Well, if they had asked about my age (in appearance), my hair color, and the fact that I dressed like a sales clerk in the store, they probably wouldn't have made a mistake. …And yet, they couldn’t help but check that I looked like a commoner, yes! And my response was...
"Yes, that's right, but..." (Mitsuha)
To be precise, I was "Viscount Yamano herself", not "Viscount Yamano's daughter". But, did this girl just ask, "Are you the daughter of Viscount Yamano?" In that case, as a member of the Viscount Yamano family and an unmarried woman, in other words a daughter, that would mean that I fit that description, yes!
Why didn't I correct her when I realized that she had mistaken me for the daughter of a nobleman and not the noble himself? That was……. Because it's more fun that way!!
If you allow the other person to underestimate you, you will be more likely to create gaps and reveal your true feelings. ...Besides, if I keep them misunderstanding, I don't know if they're asking me to do something or if they're forcing me to do something, but it would be easier to send them away without accepting it. After I told the truth, I could say, "How rude!!"
And after confirming that I was the daughter of Viscount Yamano, she finally began her explanation.
"My name is Mileisha, the daughter of the Count Larisdelle of the Norveth Kingdom. I am currently studying abroad in this country..." (Girl, next will be Mileisha)
Huh? A noble from another country? In that case, is she asking me to do something because she can't get the cosmetics?
Hmm, I didn't expect to sell directly to aristocrats from other countries within the country. If she was an international student, she might be able to contribute to friendship with this country in the future, and it must be painful for her to be the only one who was not using Yamano cosmetics while all her classmates were looking beautiful. That was a bit sad. I wondered what I should do...
"And then, I got caught up in a certain incident..." (Mileisha)
Circumstances have changed!!
"...So, when I asked my friends for advice, they suggested that I consult with Mitsuha-sama of the Viscount Yamano family." (Mileisha)
Ah, she has connections with the members of Society. The majority of the members were daughters of Counts and Marquises, and if their friends, followers, and sympathizers, we included, the number became quite large. Their influence was enormous. ...Battle is all about numbers, bro.
Also, perhaps they thought it would be easier to talk to each other since we were both nobles (outsiders) from another country? Well, that's a fair decision, certainly...
"So, this 'incident'..." (Mitsuha)
Ah, so in the end I couldn't just turn them away and had to ask them about it... But not yet!
It would be a disaster if the trend of "If something troublesome occurs, you can just push it onto Viscount Yamano" spread. I had to get through this situation smoothly and get them to go home— Wait, Sabine-chan, why are you shrugging your shoulders with that 'Ahhh...' look on your face! I brought Sabine-chan in to help guide things in that direction. You understand that, right?