As we chatted, we arrived at a chocolate specialty store that, according to Dr. Vier, was considered to be the best. To be honest, I imagined that it would just look like an ordinary confectionery store, no matter how much it was aimed for nobles.

  However, what I saw in front of me was a large, shiny, black-painted building that certainly looked like a luxury brand store…… Eh? It’s about 4 times the size of the confectionery store I had imagined, but this big is a chocolate store?

  [……Ummm, this store is even more amazing than I imagined, isn’t it?]

  [U- Unnn. I’ve only heard the name before, and this is the first time I’ve seen it myself…… Their building is so big that I’d believe it if someone told me this was the headquarters of a trading company.]

  [I- It takes a lot of courage to enter this place. If I were alone, I would definitely have turned back now.]

  [Ahaha, I agree with that. Well, for the time being, let’s enter.]

  Nodding at Dr. Vier’s words, I opened the large door and went inside…… The first thing I saw was a large floor with a luxurious-looking carpet…… Eh? Is it alright to wear shoes on this floor? Won’t they get mad?

  There was a man who looked like a security guard right next to the entrance, and I could see many showcases here and there. This place really looked like a jewelry store.

  As I was feeling pressured by this overflowing sense of luxury, an old butler-like gentleman wearing a tailcoat standing near the entrance quickly approached me and bowed with a beautiful gesture.

  [Welcome, esteemed customers. I’m sorry for my rudeness, but may I check your “membership card”?]

  [Eh? M- Membership card? I- I’m sorry, I don’t have one.]

  [I see. In that case, have you received a referral from someone?]

  [Ah, no, we didn’t really get any referral……]

  This is bad. This seems to be a much higher-end store than I imagined, and judging from our exchange, it’s obviously a members-only store, right? This pattern, it’s obviously that one where we completely made a mistake in choosing the store, isn’t it?

  While I was thinking like that, the old gentleman bowed his head with an apologetic expression on his face.

  [Even though you went out of your way to visit our establishment, we would have to apologize. Due to the nature of the products we sell, we are unable to mass produce them, so we have to limit the number of people to whom we offer our products. We weren’t able to provide products to customers who don’t have a membership card or are referred by an existing member.]

  [Is that so. I’m sorry, we came to the store without knowing about it.]

  [No, we’re sorry we can’t meet your expectations.]

  Hearing his polite refusal, I’m starting to feel apologetic. At any rate, this shop seemed impossible, so I suppose we should just go to another store.

  [I think we should go to another store instead.]

  [Unnn. It can’t be helped. Let’s just go to another store. Miyama-kun, you choose which store we should go from that map earlier.]

  After exchanging words with Dr. Vier, we turned away to leave the store, when I suddenly heard a soft mutter.

  [……Miyama?]

  [Eh?]

  Hearing my name being called, I reflexively turned around and saw the old gentleman with a surprised expression on his face.

  [P- Please excuse my discourtesy…… but may I ask your name?]

  [Ah, yes. I’m Miyama Kaito.]

  [I see, please accept my sincerest apologies. Please come in.]

  [Huh? Eh? Ah, no, but I don’t have a membership card……]

  [We’ll have them ready for you in a moment. Excuse me, but may I ask for your companion’s name as well?]

  [Errr, it’s Vier.]

  [Miyama Kaito-sama and Vier-sama, yes? We will prepare the membership cards for both of you. It is our greatest honor that you have come to our store today. Please enjoy shopping to your heart’s content.]

  [……I- I understand. Thank you very much.]

  For some reason, the old gentleman bowed more reverently than before, and as he urged us to come in, I exchanged a few words with Dr. Vier.

  [……Errr, what’s happening?]

  [It’s just a guess, but being a shop aimed for nobles, they probably also heard about Miyama-kun? I heard that Miyama-kun is famous among the nobles.]

  [A- Ahh~~ I see, so that’s why……]

  I see, he probably knew my name from a noble who came to his store…… However, that surprise and reverence on his face…… What in the world were the nobles saying about me?

  ……I’m feeling really anxious right now. As for what makes me uneasy…… It’s because I’ve heard about “an angel who threatened most of the nobles at the Six Kings Festival”…… I wonder if they’re really afraid of me?

  H- Hmmm, but I’m feeling this dilemma of being curious, but also afraid to know…… F- For the time being, I’ll just say I’m glad I was able to enter the store.

  **********