In a corner of the bustling party venue, two people were facing each other with contrasting expressions on their faces. On one side was Ristia Asmodeus, a.k.a. Lilim, one of the Ten Demons, looking as if she had just bitten a bitter bug, and on the other side was Satania Darklord, a.k.a. Moloch, another member of the Ten Demons, with a somewhat daring smile on her face, seemingly finding the situation enjoyable.

They each participate from a public standpoint, with Ristia as Emperor Chris’s mother and Satania as the president of the Lord Trading Company. And it is this public standpoint that is the reason why Ristia’s expression is so distorted.

[……My oh my, Satania-san. It’s quite an honor to meet you in this way. I heard that my daughter…… Her Majesty Chris had been in your care……]

[Oh my, if it isn’t Ristia-sama. Yes, indeed. I believe we have a good relationship with Her Majesty Chris.]

After exchanging smiles and greetings on the surface, Ristia snaps her fingers, casting a barrier around them that muffles any sound from leaking out.

“With this, there’s no worry about the conversation being overheard outside,” Satania says, her tone relaxing.

[That’s quite the repulsed look on your face, Lilim. You seem to be very displeased with your daughter’s friendship with me. Fuhaha, this is quite a pleasant thing.]

[Moloch…… I’ll ask just in case, but you’re not deliberately helping Chris-chan just to agitate me, are you?]

[And what if I said that’s right?]

[I’ll kill you.]

[Fufu, well, don’t worry. It’s not like I was trying to harass you. We judged that it would be beneficial for our Lord Trading Company to establish a cooperative relationship with Emperor Chris, who is currently making great strides, as part of the progressive faction, purely based on foreseeing future prospects. Well, even without me explicitly saying it, you probably understand it since you didn’t make any moves.]

[Yes, having you and Lord Trading Company’s backing is very beneficial to Chris-chan…… though I personally don’t find this amusing.]

That’s right, Lord Trading Company, led by Satania, has recently been supporting Chris with various forms of assistance. For the progressive Chris, having the backing of a major company has made it easier to take action in various situations, and as a result, the reforms in the Archlesia Empire have advanced significantly.

However, Ristia, who doesn’t want Chris to get involved with the Ten Demons, has complicated thoughts regarding this matter. She understands that having such a connection is extremely beneficial to Chris, so she doesn’t complain about it…… but still, she’s not amused.

[Listen here, okay? Putting aside if it’s just a cooperative relationship, if you were to show Chris-chan your creepy hobbies, I won’t let you get away with it.]

[Good grief, not appreciating the beauty of skewers, this is why those who are consumed by lust are…… Even without you telling me, I wouldn’t talk about my hobbies that might expose my true identity. I do feel it’s a pity I can’t spread the beauty of skewers though.]

[It’s just disgusting, and there’s not a shred of beauty in it……]

[Huh? Not understanding how wonderful skewers are, a fool you may be, that’s still quite unforgivable…… Given the opportunity, I’d like to talk about the beauty of skewering———– Wait, I’m stopping this conversation with you for a moment.]

[Unn? What are you suddenly———- Ahh, I see.]

Satania, who had been in a wild mood, suddenly seemed to have noticed something and broke off their conversation, took out a hand mirror and started checking her hair.

Ristia tilted her head for a moment, but immediately afterward, sensing the presence of the person heading their way, she nodded her head as if she understood everything.

[Hello, Ristia-san, Nia-san, thank you for coming today.]

[Thank you for inviting us. I love parties, so I’ll be enjoying myself.]

[I greet Miyama Kaito-sama with my heartfelt gratitude…… Going out of your way to visit us, I feel myself trembling at your benevolence. As to be expected of Miyama Kaito-sama, a party of this caliber isn’t something I see very often……]

[……That’s quite the change of attitude you have there from when you’re talking to me huh, skewer maniac……]

When Kaito came to greet them, Ristia responded naturally, while Moloch returned the greeting with a graceful bow. Seeing that blatantly obvious change in her attitude, Ristia only let out a deep sigh.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [But in reality, in this situation, Kaito actually thinks more highly of Ristia, who acts naturally and is easygoing, right?]

? ? ? : [Well, Kaito-san would probably be happier if someone treated him that way. Well, Moloch is one of those with bugged loyalty, so it’s probably impossible for her to frankly interact with him……]