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

At last, as the time for the tea party drew near, Eris performed one final check of her appearance and composure before settling herself down to quietly wait.

She had already received word from Kaito that he would be arriving at the Hamilton Marquisdom via Teleportation Magic, so Eris had provided him with the world coordinates of the gate that led to the Hamilton family’s villa. She had also shown the gatekeepers his portrait and instructed them to report immediately upon his arrival.

(Since this time it was decided that only young nobles from the Hamilton Marquisdom’s faction would attend, there should be no chance of Kaito-sama accidentally encountering anyone else at the gate. I’ve already told them to come earlier, and all of them have already arrived, so there’s no problem there. In the end, I couldn’t find any suitable young lords, so the guests are all young ladies…… but given Kaito-sama’s position and influence, there’s no need for him to look for a mistress at a tea party. No strange rumors will arise, so that should also be fine. The only real concern is regarding his attendant, but…… it should be fine…… it has to be fine.)

As she tried to reassure herself with such thoughts, the magic tool on the table chimed. This was linked to the magic tool carried by the gatekeepers, and its ringing meant Kaito had arrived. Eris immediately touched the teleportation magic tool she had prepared in advance.

Although the distance from the room to the gate wasn’t all that far, the best way to avoid keeping Kaito waiting even a little was to use teleportation magic. Since she had already registered with the barrier beforehand, she wasn’t affected by the teleportation-blocking magic tool, and in an instant, she was able to transfer directly in front of the gate.

And then, the moment she teleported, Eris immediately spotted Kaito’s figure. Turning toward him with a smile on her face, she opened her mouth to speak.

[My apologies for keeping you waiting, Kaito-sama. Welcome……]

But her words faltered when her eyes caught the figure standing at Kaito’s side…… none other than Kuromueina. Eris froze, looking at Kuromueina, then at Kaito, then back again.

Eris Dia Hamilton, the woman praised as a prodigy, had just executed a perfect double take.

The shock nearly wiped her mind blank, sending her thoughts into a storm of confusion. Yet the faint shred of reason left reminded her she was still mid-greeting, and so her lips somehow continued moving despite her turmoil.

[M- My apologies. Once again, welcome and thank you for coming.]

[Hello, Eris-san. Thank you for inviting me. You said I could bring an attendant, so I came together with Kuro.]

[Hello, Eris-chan. It’s been since the last party, hasn’t it? I’m happy to see you again.]

[W- W- Welcome, Kuromu-sama. It is also an honor for me to see you again.]

Though shaken, Eris still managed to maintain proper etiquette, a feat worthy of praise. Yet as she looked upon Kuromueina’s bright smile, her mind whirled with frantic confusion.

(A- A- Attendant, her!? W- Why Kuromu-sama……!? And judging by this, not only Kaito-sama but also Kuromu-sama don’t know what “attendant” means in the context of a noble’s tea party. They must have taken it literally…… b- but why? I mean, Kuromu-sama has turned down countless invitations in the past, never attending noble tea parties, only occasionally showing face at imperial castle gatherings out of courtesy. And since she doesn’t even know what “attendant” is, this is definitely her first time participating…… abababa…… This has become a bit, well, it’s making things way too big, far too far beyond anything I could have imagined……!)

If Underworld King Kuromueina attended a noble tea party for the first time, it would undoubtedly elevate the host’s reputation sky-high. Eris, whose name was already more widespread than she would have liked, could only feel her stomach cry out in protest at the implications of such a development.

Even so, perhaps due to her inherent mental toughness, Eris, though wracked by turmoil and a stabbing pain in her stomach, swiftly moved one hand behind her back and sent hand signals to the maid standing behind her.

Those signals were instructions to add another seat to the tea party. Anticipating the possibility that Kaito might bring someone along without knowing the implications of an “attendant”, Eris had already made preparations so additional seats could be readied at a moment’s notice, along with a set of discreet hand signs to convey such orders.

[Sorry for showing up so suddenly. But since it’s a tea party hosted by Eris-chan, I’m looking forward to it.]

[I- I’m honored to hear that.]

Of course, Kaito’s high regard for her played a part, but it was also due to Eris’ own sincere and kind nature that Kuromueina held her in high esteem.

That in itself was an honor. But even so, Eris’ stomach continued to ache unbearably as she forced herself to keep her smile steady, leading Kaito and Kuromueina toward the terrace that served as the venue for the tea party.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [At this point, it feels like her stomach’s been punched so hard I’m not even sure she can drink tea or eat sweets anymore……]