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It was when I came to visit Alice at her miscellaneous goods store, and we were sitting at the counter, chatting about this and that.
[Ahh~~ Right, right, Kaito-san. Iām thinking of implementing the Peerage-ranking Reformation that I mentioned before, and since weāre at it, how about Kaito-san come with me?]
[Unnn? Ahh, about increasing the number of Duke-ranks that you had mentioned before huhā¦ā¦ That took quite a while to implement.]
[Well, Iām preparing a lot of things so that information about this can sink in immediatelyā¦ā¦ It took me a long time to try to figure out if I could somehow, someway, persuade Ein-san in a decent way. Incidentally, as for Ein-sanās matter, I just gave up.]
[ā¦ā¦I have a feeling that the latter half was the main reason why it took time.]
I see, if someone with Aliceās intellect canāt accomplish it, I guess thereās nothing that can be done about thisā¦ā¦ It seems like having a Maid-rank is unavoidable. Well, I certainly donāt think Ein-san can be convinced otherwise, so I guess it canāt be helped if one says this isnāt something that canāt be helped.
[Well, putting that aside, youāre asking me to go with youā¦ā¦ does that mean weāre going around certifying them, Alice?]
[Yes, there are only a few of them anyway. And so, letās go together! Mainly for my mental stability when Iām gonna tell Ein-san about her stupid Peerage-rankingā¦ā¦ No, I donāt feel like thatās anything like a peerage anymoreā¦ā¦]
[Reason aside, are we going right away? I donāt have any particular plans today, so Iām alright with itā¦ā¦]
[Weāre just gonna relay the news to them, so it isnāt like we need to be prepared or anything.]
[Thatās trueā¦ā¦ Well then, letās go after we finish this tea.]
In a sense, this is supposed to be an important moment for the history of the Demon Realm, so I wonder if having this nonchalant conversation is really alright. But well, those titles were originally something Alice established to make it easier to manage information, so I guess this is just how it is for the person in question.
With this thought in mind, I gulped down the remaining tea.
[By the way, Iāve already notified those in my staff. Pandora and Pandemonium have been declared as Duke-rank.]
[Speaking of which, you did mention how there would be two Duke-ranks in each campā¦ā¦ What about in Kuroās place? Putting aside Ein-sanās change in rank, are you also going to give two people over there Duke-ranks?]
[Yes, thatās the plan. As for who they are, just look forward to it~~]
After Alice told me this, she snapped her fingers and a Teleportation magic circle appeared beneath our feet.
The first place we went to was Kuroās castle. If this is the case, itās needless to think about who we will meet.
[ā¦ā¦Kaito-sama and Shalltear? Is something the matter?]
[Hello, Ein-san. Iām sorry for the sudden visit.]
Yes, itās Ein-san. Despite our sudden visit, Ein-san pleasantly welcomed us and after guiding us to the dining room, she served us tea and snacksā¦ā¦ I just had a cup of tea a few moments agoā¦ā¦ but well, I will just accept her kindness.
[ā¦ā¦Itās a flavor Iāve never tasted before, but itās very tasty.]
[Heehhhā¦ā¦ This isā¦ā¦ I see, you have successfully blended tea leaves that would normally have conflicting tastes using Nebula-sanās tea leaves huh.]
[Hmph, a single sip and youāve seen through it, as expected of my rivalā¦ā¦ I see that your skills havenāt waned.]
[No, please stop with that troublesome rival-designation.]
Hearing the words Ein-san said with a rather aggressive smile on her lips, Alice responded with an unusually fed up expression on her face. Then, after a few moments, seemingly as if she had made up her mind, Alice told Ein-san.
[ā¦ā¦Ein-san, actually, since the number of Count-ranks is increasing, Iām going to change the criteria for acknowledging someone as Duke-rank and am planning to raise some of them to Duke-rank.]
[Fumu, canāt you just do as you please? I mean, the Peerage-ranking management is entirely under your jurisdiction, isnāt it?]
[And accordingly, Iām going to prepare a higher rank for Ein-san, who is currently a Duke-rank, so Iāve come to ask you to move up to that rank.]
The fact that she doesnāt specifically say āMaid-rankā, even though she may have given up on it, somewhere in her heartā¦ā¦ Sheās hoping that sheāll just agree without her needing to say the said rankā¦ā¦ and she would be able to change how that rank is called other than Maid-rank.
However, reality is a cruel mistress, as the moment Alice told her those words, Ein-san had a blatantly displeased look on her face.
[I refuse. In the first place, I am already displeased with the fact that the maid that I am is being called a Duke. Because you had insisted on it, I compromise in a way that I would not identify myself as such, but I also wouldnāt deny it when one refers to me like that. Donāt forget that I am making the greatest concession when I allow myself to be called by any title other than Maid.]
I donāt know if I should say itās to be expected or not, but she gave a firm refusal. No, for Ein-san who was that fixated about maids, she certainly may have been making a significant concession to Alice when she designated her as a Duke, even though she doesnāt go referring to herself as one.
Seemingly as if she had also expected Ein-sanās reaction, Aliceās shoulders slumped down, as if she gave up on everything, and spoke.
[ā¦ā¦Your new rank is Maid-rank.]
[I have no objection. I am in awe of your wonderful and wise decision. What are you doing, Shalltear? Quickly certify me as a Maid-level, High-ranking Demon.]
Itās a refreshingly lightning-fast turnabout. Her eyes were shining so brightly that I wondered where her displeased expression she had earlier disappeared to, as her heartfelt joy was clearly conveyed.
[ā¦ā¦I now officially certify Ein-san as a Maid-level, High-ranking Demon.]
[Wonderful. With this, I have regained the title most ideal to me.]
In contrast to such an Ein-san, Alice, looking like she was the personification of resignationā¦ā¦ As I had expected, she looked somewhat reluctant, but there was no way she could revise things now.
And thus, on this day, the position of Maid-level, High-ranking Demon was created above the Duke-level, High-ranking Demonā¦ā¦ and I also realized that I, who wasnāt even fazed with that happening, had a mind that was already quite contaminated with maids.