Chapter 76

“That’s not something you sell at a medicine shop!” “We also got in some Hokkaido flour, pastry flour, hard flour, bread flour, fish meal, pancake mix, Parmesan cheese—we have all the powders you can think of, heh-heh…” “Someone’s going to think you’re a smuggler and get you arrested someday…” “So this shop specializes in powder~. But they decided to start dealing in traditional medicines as well, so they changed the name from the Haruo Fujiwara Store to the Kiyoshige Matsumoto Pharmacy.” “Oh, so that’s why they changed from a ‘store’ to a ‘pharmacy’!” “Exactly. And I wear glasses and a mask to keep the powders out of my nose and eyes when I handle them. And I wear a hat to keep it out of my hair.” “Oh, so there was a reason!” It was inconsequential, really, but at least one of the mysteries had been solved. “Some Jieyi pills, please, sir!” Alfoncina produced three ten-thousand-yen bills. It really was expensive medicine. The shop owner brought out a box that was just the right size to hold a small bottle. “Now that’s an unusual one you’re after today. This is all I have left. I don’t know when I’ll get my next shipment in.” “What a relief~. I’ve heard there are only so many places that sell it~.” “Oh yeah, make yourself a point card. You’ll fill it up with twenty thousand yen, which means you’ll get five hundred yen off your next purchase.” “Never would’ve guessed a place like this had point cards…” “You can also pay with your train card.” “Why is that the modern part of this shop?!” The shop owner was a fishy man, but at least they’d gotten what they needed easily. “Now your minion transformation will be undone~.” Alfoncina retrieved the bottle from the box and smiled. “Thank you! I’ll use it right now!” But as he reached out to take the bottle, she quickly pulled it back and put it away. “Not yet. First, you’ll have to work off the debt~.” “Yeah, I guess that was a little too convenient…” Ryouta was in no position to pony up 29,800 yen right away, either, so he couldn’t argue. Plus, this was Alfoncina’s first day off in a long time; if he didn’t at least accompany her where she wanted to go, how heartless would that be? “All right. I’ll stick with you the whole day!” He made up his mind. “Of course you will!” Alfoncina tugged Ryouta along by his hand again. Her hands are so pretty… Her hand- and nail-care were impeccable, probably because she was the archbishop. He wondered where she found the time for it. “Right, first, let’s go to a very quintessential Tokyo spot!” “Quintessential Tokyo? Like Asakusa or Skytree? Or Shinjuku, maybe?” “This is what I think of when I think of Tokyo~.” Alfoncina had chosen Akihabara. “Is this quintessential Tokyo…? Well, it is a sightseeing spot in a way.” He could see both Japanese and foreign tourists everywhere. “It is pretty impressive with all this stuff around. There aren’t even enough people in the Empire to fill up these streets.” “But Ouka did say she was going to build something like this on a smaller scale. In the future, she said she wants to have casinos, theme parks, and nerd neighborhoods in order to bring in the foreign cash.” “I wouldn’t put that past her…” Ouka struck Ryouta as the type to do anything for money, and he didn’t doubt that intuition. “She said we’re going to make a lot of money because harsh pay-to-win tactics in games are allowed under Empire law.” “That’s so sketchy!” “I’ve also heard she’s making knockoff stuffed animals of the mascots from a certain famous theme park~.” “Isn’t the copyright holder going to come after her?!” “She said, ‘A person sound of mind would take one look and give up. But once you lose a few brain cells, you’ll want to give it a try. I’m going to do everything I can to copy things that sell well!’” “She’s trying to make it sound cool, but it isn’t at all!” The phrasing had a dramatic sense of resolve, but the idea was cheap. “And, uh, Alfoncina? Can I ask you something…?” “Sure, what is it?” “Can we stop holding hands…? I sometimes feel like the people staring at us are going, Ugh, what’s a happy couple doing here? Go back to Shibuya or Harajuku or whatever.” It stung a bit. He couldn’t do anything about the attention he received from girls thanks to the curse, but he felt like the men were glaring at him, too. “What~? You’re being too sensitive.” Alfoncina drew even closer to him, until her chest was pressing up against him. That was definitely on purpose. “Look, the people who come here are concentrating on their shopping, so of course, they’re not going to pay attention to every other couple they come across. The jealous ones are amateurs who have not yet reached enlightenment. I came here five times over every two days, so trust me.” “That’s too much. People from the Empire sure like overdoing things…but we probably shouldn’t put on too much of a display, so let’s just—” “Oh, I’ve suddenly been overcome by the urge to throw the Jieyi pills into the river~.” “What?” “Oh dear. That shop we just went to is out of stock, so it would be quite troublesome for you to lose them, but I’m sooo young and impulsive~. All right, let’s go to the Kanda River—” “Fine, fine! We can stay like this!” He apparently had no other choice but to follow her lead today. He resigned himself to his fate. “Good. I’m glad you understand,” she replied smugly. This was one of those times where being owed a favor carried its own kind of power. “Why don’t we head into one of these stores, then~? I want to take a look at the manga~.” They entered a nearby specialty store called The Cat’s Hollow. Obviously, the walls were covered with manga and light novels. “Oh yeah, I’ve never been in a place like this before.” There were some manga-only shops in Oshiro, but he wasn’t deep into the otaku lifestyle, so this was his first experience. “Oh, hey, they have the new volumes of You’re Rouko, I’m Kouko! over there!” Ryouta decided to let the creator know they were in stock. But Alfoncina wasn’t next to him anymore. “Ah, I see, so this is what’s on the bestseller lists. And this, too. I think this one might be plateauing. I suppose what’s sitting over there is the extra stock. I’m not quite familiar with any of those titles there anyway. From the inventory on the shelves, I assume this is the next most popular.” She was very seriously checking to see what books were placed where and how they were selling. “Um, are you doing a sales analysis?” “I am. I need to note this—note, note.” She immediately started writing notes down in her phone, like a real pro. Well, she was a pro. “Um, are you sure this is good data if you only see what’s selling from one specific store?” “That is part of it. But there are many things you will never know unless you go into the field yourself. Without any firsthand knowledge, you will start prioritizing your assumption of what is currently popular when you create. That means you will fall behind on trends and feel a bit pathetic, or you will end up sending products to stores that are out of line with the needs of the market. Your assumptions will always be different from reality, you know. Of course, you do need to use your imagination a bit when you create something, but when you let your imagination decide everything, you will end up making a strange product that is not in line with reality.” “Uh-huh…” She continued her explanation with utter seriousness. “And I know this sounds contradictory, but checking only the popular things is a common pitfall. The outliers alone won’t give you a picture of the whole, of what ties everything together. Or if you do find a common thread between them, then most of the time, you’ll usually find that specific thread can greatly apply to things that aren’t selling well, too. And you need to take into consideration the different publishers. Each publisher has its specialties, you see. It’s quite dangerous to look only at what is doing well and ignore all these other factors. You’ll end up with a survey that makes you feel better about yourself, but the survey itself is heavily skewed. It’s better than studying only what is doing badly, but it’s best to widen your scope.” “You sure are talking a lot all of a sudden, Alfoncina…” The date-like atmosphere around them had vanished, too. “Oh, Ryouta, can you buy one copy each of all the books that are ranked one to ten in the doujinshi corner? Here, use this.” She thrust a ten-thousand-yen bill at him. “Uhhh, where’s the doujinshi corner…?” “Ask a staff member.” “All right!” And so Ryouta ended up going upstairs and buying a bunch of doujinshi. He really felt like her attendant. “Phew… Wow, going to a real store is a learning experience~. I feel like I’ve leveled up here~.” “I’m kind of tired…” The trip had given Alfoncina a shot in the arm, while Ryouta was just feeling drained. Maybe that was the difference between nerds and non-nerds. Grrrrrrowl. Ryouta’s stomach rumbled out of exhaustion. “Oh, that’s right, it’s past twelve. Shall we have lunch?” “Yeah… Oh, I’ll pay you afterward, so—” “I know a good place, so why don’t we go there? Taxi!” She raised her hand to hail a taxi. “Wait…do high schoolers use taxis?” Ryouta was getting some culture shock. “Of course. Better not to waste time. Driver, take us to Ningyo-cho, please~.” They arrived in Ningyo-cho almost right away, given how close it was to Akihabara. They came to a stop before an establishment that could have been around forever. “This place is definitely going to be expensive, Alfoncina…and people are lined up outside.” Ryouta lived a modest life with Shiren, so this was far enough beyond his means that it made him hesitant. “Why are you scared? Let’s go in~.” “What kind of place is this anyway…?” “They serve chicken and rice bowls.” “Oh, then I guess it won’t be that expensive…” “We’ll be having the five-thousand-yen course.” “Five thousand yen for lunch?!” Alfoncina called out to one of the staff members, “Excuse me, I have a reservation under…K-Kimura…” “You really don’t want to say your name, do you?” Thanks to their reservation, they were taken to a room that looked like it’d been ported right out of an expensive ryokan. The place was entirely made up of private rooms, it seemed like. “Oh, I’ll have a glass of oolong tea to drink. What are you having, Ryouta?” “Uhhh, something cheap, at least…” “Then two glasses of oolong tea to drink, please. That’s it for us~.” “Uh, is all this part of the Empire’s travel budget?” They were probably getting discounts, but he still wondered if this was okay. “Hmm? Everything is coming out of my pocket. I’m paying for this trip myself,” she replied, somewhat bemused. “Ouka hasn’t paid a single yen! And this is supposed to be work!” He’d had a feeling she was cheap, but this was a shock, nonetheless. “And with your pocket money, you’re paying for a lunch that costs five thousand yen per person (drinks not included)…” This was almost too much for him to process. “Uh…I’ll pay my portion of food later, so could you pick something cheaper…?” “Aw, no~. You don’t have to worry about any of this~. How can we not spend money on our special trip~?” “Sorry, but how much was the suit…?” “Oh~. That was cheap~. One hundred fifty-eight thousand yen.” “Pffft!” Ryouta choked. “What’s wrong, Ryouta? Are you ill?” “I’m starting to realize that money doesn’t mean the same thing to you as it does to me…” If he bought an article of clothing that cost one hundred fifty-eight thousand yen using the Fuyukura household funds, then he’d get put in time-out. “I have two T-shirts I use when I’m at home, and I got them both on sale for fifteen hundred yen…” “You do wear cheap clothes, don’t you, Ryouta?” she said point-blank. “Do you want to go shopping later? I’ll pay.” “Please, no! I mean it…,” Ryouta said, still choking. If he let her use her money on him, he had a feeling he would never be able to refuse her again… Afterward, Ryouta watched with disbelief as unbelievable amounts of money flew from one set of hands to another. “The sweets here are so tasty~.” “Uh…why does one ice-cream cone cost fifteen hundred yen…? That’s more expensive than a whole meal at a diner…” After the sweets shop— “I think this watch would suit you well, don’t you think, Ryouta? And it’s cheap, too.” “How much?” “Fifty thousand.” “Pffft!” —she bought him a fifty-thousand-yen watch. And that was essentially how their night went. Eventually, they sat together in Odaiba, gazing out over the water. “Sigh, capitalism is terrifying… So is money in general…” Ryouta found himself exhausted by something even he didn’t quite understand. “Huh…I feel dizzy, but I haven’t been on a boat or anything… Am I drunk on money…?” After all, the whirlwind life of a celebrity would be too much for the mind of a commoner. “Wow, I had a lot of fun today~! Thank you, Ryouta!” Alfoncina snuggled up to him. “Do you think we look like a couple~?” “I’m scared I look less like your boyfriend and more like your sugar baby.” Coming to watch the sunset in Odaiba seemed like a “couples-only” kind of activity, and everyone nearby was paired off. “I guess I kinda am a sugar baby…but I don’t really have any other way to make money…” It wasn’t like students were forbidden from working in the Empire, but it was a small country, which meant there weren’t a lot of high-paying options. “I think if we make Ouka an exception, you might be the richest person in the Empire, Alfoncina…” There was no way for him to know how much, but he was certain that YouRou IKou! was bringing in the dough. And I bet there are people who’d want to be her sugar baby in the Empire, too… Then a question suddenly came to mind. “Oh yeah, why don’t you get a boyfriend?” The reason he worded it the way he did was because he knew if she wanted one, she could easily find someone. “Hmm~. I’ve never dated anyone before, so I don’t know.” “No way, you’re kidding me.” That was hard to believe. “Oh, how mean! I’m not kidding you! I was so busy with lessons in elementary and middle school that I had no time for boys…” “I see… What kind of lessons were you going to?” “Oh, calligraphy. Swimming. Ballet. And I had to study the teachings of the Holy Church of the Sacred Blood, too.” “Wow, ballet… You really are like nobility…” “I also learned how to draw manga, went to creative-writing classes, and took classical Chinese lessons…” “I see where You’re Rouko, I’m Kouko! came from!” Her lessons had neatly led to her work. “And then tennis. Golf. Detective training. Debate club. Equestrianism. Model government… I forget the rest.” Sometimes, Ryouta had trouble believing Sasara was from a noble family, but Alfoncina was certainly the real deal. “So that’s why I never had friends~,” she said, as if it was nothing. “What…? But you’re so cheery all the time…” She didn’t seem like the loner type. “Oh, I wasn’t bullied or anything like that. I suppose people kept their distance out of respect? They sensed the step off aura, or so they told me.” “I guess I get that…” Few guys could muster the strength to ask out such a prim and proper young lady. If Ryouta were her classmate, he’d probably stay away, too. “Even the other girls were too scared to talk to me~. Oh, these aren’t painful memories or anything, so don’t worry too much about it,” Alfoncina assured him, and her expression was, indeed, unclouded. “I was ready for all this—I lived knowing that would happen, I suppose, so it didn’t hurt at all. Even with your curse, you’ve managed to survive, right? Everyone’s definition of common sense is just slightly different from everyone else’s.” “Yeah, I sometimes wonder what ‘normal’ really is.” Ryouta’s life was far removed from someone else’s definition of “normal.” “That’s right. And my normal was one without any friends.” Alfoncina paused, as though she was ruminating on something. “But I had a lot of fun when I met Ouka~. It felt like I’d finally met someone I could get along with who came from similar circumstances.” “I guess you are archbishop and emperor, after all.” Ryouta was starting to understand why they were running the Empire as friends. Only special people could understand how it felt to be in their position. Most people didn’t live in the world these two did. “That’s why I’ve decided to give it my all as archbishop while Ouka does what she can as emperor. She tends to keep to herself~.” Ryouta cracked a small smile. “That’s right. She talks big talk, but she’s so sensitive. She’d get mad at me if I said that to her, though.” Had he ever spoken about Ouka like this before? He and Alfoncina could be friends for a long time, he felt. “Yes~. You could say she sends mixed messages. I always need to come in and support her; otherwise, things could get bad for her~.” “Then you’ll have to keep supporting her.” “Indeed. That’s why I’m hoping we’ll get through our work tomorrow safely~.” There was something ominous about what she said. Was the next day going to be that dangerous? No, it couldn’t be. It was just supposed to be a meeting. “It will be like a battle, in a way. We have to stay on guard~.” “Uh, so tomorrow, what—?” “All right, I think it’s time we head to our hotel!” Alfoncina smiled, dispelling the foreboding aura. Ryouta couldn’t ask about work when she smiled like that. “You’re right, let’s go.” “Yeah. Thank you so much for everything today, Ryouta. I had a lot of fun on our date,” Alfoncina said sheepishly. “Even though I’d been to all the places we visited already, going with you made them feel fresher, more special… Truly, thank you.” “No, I was just following you… Sorry I was useless…” Ryouta fidgeted, too, after that point-blank compliment. “If only our next date was a real one… I’m not comfortable with them yet, so I’m not sure how it’ll turn out…” “You can’t just shift the topic in that direction…” “Let’s get to the hotel, then…” “O-oh, sure… Yeah…” Both with awkward smiles, the two made their way toward their lodgings for the night.