I Was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but That World Is at Peace (WN)

Chapter 2419 - Spreading Aftermath ⑳

In the end, to thank Kaito for buying her so many things, Marie invited him to a café. Kaito readily agreed, and the two of them walked a short distance from the clothing store to one nearby.

Of course, being located in the upscale shopping district, the café was also a high-class establishment. However, even there, the cost of tea for two would never exceed the amount of money Marie currently carried.

After entering the café, they sat facing each other and placed their orders. Once that was done, Kaito suddenly spoke as if something had just occurred to him.

[……Come to think of it, Marie-san, did you come to the Imperial Capital with your father to buy clothes? Or were you here for something else and just shopping on the side?]

[Yes, our original purpose was to visit the temple of the Goddess of Fertility. Once that was done, we decided to shop as well.]

[The temple? So, it wasn’t for prayer or anything like that, was it?]

Kaito tilted his head curiously at her words. During their previous tea party, he had learned that Marie rarely visited the Imperial Capital. It seemed unlikely she would come all this way just to offer prayers, and it wasn’t even the New Year season when blessings were usually granted.

Well, not that blessings were strictly limited to certain times of the year, but something about her explanation felt faintly odd to him.

[Errr, it was more like I was summoned by Goddess of Fertility-sama herself.]

[By Erune-san?]

[Yes. It was truly an honor, apparently, she wishes to strengthen the Divine Protection over Baron Ritchy, so both my father and I were summoned.]

[…………Errr…… that’s probably because of me, right? I mean, if you were summoned too, that must be related.]

If it weren’t somehow connected to Kaito, there would be no reason for the fourth daughter, Marie, to be personally summoned, so he quickly realized he was indeed the cause.

[Ahh, please don’t worry about it. It’s nothing but good news for our household, on the contrary, we’re deeply honored and grateful.]

[R- Really? Well, I’m glad to hear that……]

[Yes. Besides the strengthening of the Divine Protection, God of Earth-sama will apparently make some adjustments to the soil as well, so the quality of the ripples we harvest should improve. I can hardly wait to see the results.]

Once again, though this had been stated already, Marie was currently in an extremely optimistic mental state. Any feelings that might cause her emotional distress were automatically shut off, so she could only view this blessing as something joyous and honorable. Seeing this, Kaito’s expression softened with relief.

[Who knows, maybe you’ll even be able to harvest golden ripples.]

[Golden ripples? Are those amazing?]

[Ahh, no, not really amazing…… nor are they literally golden-colored. It’s just a made-up story about ripples said to be the most delicious in the world, worth their weight in gold…… A sort of marketing legend.]

[A story, huh?]

[Yes. The current territory of the Ritch Barony used to be governed by another noble household. When that noble family fell into ruin, the land temporarily became royal territory, and later, when my great-grandmother was granted the baronial title, it was bestowed upon her. As for the so-called “Golden Ripples”, it was actually a kind of promotional tale spread by the previous ruling noble, who had worked hard to establish a brand image in order to sell the Ripple from their domain at a higher price.]

[Ahh, so kind of like a sales strategy.]

Hearing her explanation, Kaito nodded in understanding. It was common for merchants to exaggerate the qualities of their products for marketing purposes, and it all sounded perfectly reasonable to him.

[They used to say it was the most delicious ripple in the world, worth as much as gold. And the pie made from those golden ripples was a special dish to be shared with one’s dearest person…… if the two shared it together, they would live happily ever after. They even mixed in stories about the Spirits’ golden fruits to make it sound more romantic.]

[Hehh. Well, if they went that far, they must’ve been pretty confident in the taste, right?]

[No, the quality was said to be only so-so. If it had really been that popular, the territory would have prospered far more. In fact, you never hear about it anywhere else. Still, in the Ritch Barony, it remains as a kind of old rumor, something the farmers occasionally bring up, like a legendary ideal ripple to aspire to.]

[I see. So the promotion outpaced the product’s actual quality. But even so, stories like that carry a bit of history, they’re kind of fun to hear.]

It was truly just lighthearted small talk. A failed business venture that had turned into a sort of local legend, that was all. And so, Kaito and Marie continued chatting pleasantly, enjoying their harmless conversation.

It was nothing more than idle small talk…… there had never actually been such a thing as a golden ripple in the past, nor was the current Ritch Barony aiming to cultivate one.

It was simply the kind of light conversation one might have in a café, the sort where you might say “It’d be nice if the Divine Protection improved the quality”, and leave it at that…… or at least, that’s how it should have been.

[……Houu…… Golden ripples, you say…… A special dish to share with one’s beloved…… With one’s beloved, hm……]

However, somewhere in the “Sanctuary”…… there was a certain being who muttered those words with great interest, clearly intrigued by this so-called golden ripple……

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [Oi, idiot, stop that! That’s not something you joke about, and she’s the kind of being who doesn’t get jokes! If you keep this up, a real golden ripple is actually going to come into existence…… Someone, please stop Marie…… She’s seriously not just digging her own grave, she’s sprinting headlong into certain doom!]

? ? ? : [Off to a stomachache-filled future, let’s gooo!]

Serious-senpai : [Could you help her instead!?]

? ? ? : [No, even Alice-chan wouldn’t know what that airheaded goddess is muttering up in the Sanctuary right now. Until the Gods themselves start moving, there’s no way for her to realize what’s happening.]