Since Eris happened to be a little away from Kaito and the others, Kaito introduced Kaori to Rasal first, giving Eris a brief respite.
Given the flow of events, Kaito would next introduce Eris——— or possibly Olivia, though since neither Olivia nor Rasal seemed particularly interested in each other, it was highly likely Eris would be introduced next.
(......This is troubling. There’s very little information about Rasal Marfik, so I have no idea what the correct approach is. I know she’s famous as the greatest necromancer in the Demon Realm, but I’m not well-versed in necromancy. Trying to expand the conversation in that direction would be a mistake. If an amateur like me tries to talk about it with my shallow knowledge, I’ll just end up being snickered at.)
As a noble, Eris understood the importance of connections and relationships with others. Even though the development was sudden, if it came to self-introductions, it would be best to leave a good impression on Rasal, who was a Peak Count-rank, one of the most powerful beings in the Demon Realm.
However, Rasal had only recently joined the Death King’s faction and had rarely appeared in formal settings. While it was somewhat known that she is the Death King's subordinate, almost no other information was available.
This was not surprising, Rasal had secluded herself deep in the Dark Forest for thousands of years, dedicating herself to research. While her name was known due to the notoriety of the Dark Forest as a dangerous area and Tiamat’s fame, Eris’ information network had failed to yield any further details.
(Earlier, I refrained from mentioning my status as a marquis’ daughter when dealing with Founder-sama, due to her position and the religious implications. But how should I approach Rasal Marfik-sama...... Generally, the Death King faction doesn’t interact with others except for some mining-related matters. However, I’ve heard their faction has grown significantly recently, so it might be better to establish some degree of rapport early on. That said, even if I were to establish a connection with them, I couldn’t handle the oppressive magic power of death, so direct interaction with Death King-sama is impossible...... Perhaps, like with Founder-sama, I should aim for a personal connection with Rasal rather than involving my family or the Death King’s faction.)
Eris quickly worked out her approach and decided on a general strategy. At that moment, Kaito finished his conversation with Kaori and turned to face Eris.
[Ah, so, once again...... This is the owner of the shop.]
[I am Eris Dia Hamilton. Thank you very much for visiting our establishment today.]
[I am Rasal Marfik, a subordinate of Death King Isis-sama. Pleased to meet you.]
[Eris Dia Hamilton...... I believe you are affiliated with the Hamilton Marquidom of Archlesia Empire, am I correct?]
[Y- Yes. I am the heir to the Hamilton Marquisdom.]
[I see...... If possible, I would like to have some of your time later. Our Death King faction has been considering establishing more external connections in the future. As part of that effort, we’re exploring ways to expand the export destinations for the minerals mined in the Land of Death. If you are someone Miyama Kaito-sama trusts, then that’s more than satisfactory. It would be helpful if we could discuss this further.]
[......Y- Yes. I would be honored.]
Hearing Rasal's proposal, Eris felt her consciousness momentarily go blank. This was a monumental matter. Up until now, the minerals mined in the Land of Death had been exclusively handled by the Demon Realm's merchant associations.
While Rasal had only expressed preliminary thoughts about increasing trading partners and wasn’t suggesting an immediate deal with the Hamilton Marquisdom...... the implications of such a discussion were staggering.
(......W- Why? Kaito-sama is just too amazing, and nothing is going the way I expected......)
Even as her inner thoughts devolved into disarray, Eris maintained a strained smile.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [Honestly, the fact that Kaito, the Singularity beloved by the world, trusts someone makes them pretty safe. As a result, the the information that Kaito trusts her dramatically raises her favorability from others, making the higher-ups more amicable toward Eris, and in turn...... Eris' stomach takes the brunt of the damage......]