The Second Scout

"Ojou-sama. A scout email has arrived."

So said Kokuyou, whom she'd left in charge of checking the mail. Karona tilted her head with an "Oh?"

"Oh my. An email from Hoshizora Production?"

"No, not that one. A different agency."

… …!? Karona froze in shock.

The email Kokuyou displayed had the subject line "Corporate Inquiry: Nico Noir."

"C-could it be! I'm in the position of choosing now!?"

"Congratulations, Ojou-sama. You're quite in demand."

"Ho ho! Why, this calls for celebration, we must cook sekihan! On the battlefield it was basic rations as a rule, but on auspicious occasions we were served canned Japanese sekihan."

"Oh, honestly! Sebas! How embarrassing! Sekihan, of all things!"

Karona lightly slapped at Sebas, pesh pesh.

"Ho-ho-ho, then shall we make it cake instead, Ojou-sama?"

"Fufu, let's go with that, Sebas… However, choosing means casting aside one of them. This is getting troublesome…"

"Still, one cannot be affiliated with multiple companies at the same time. Partnerships are possible, mind you."

"Ojou-sama, how about we look over the email first and then think it over?"

"You're right, Kokuyou. Let's take a look."

She promptly checked the email. The contents were largely similar to Hoshizora Production's.

"… I can't really say much without meeting Nico Noir-sama in person, can I? So, Kokuyou, what sort of company is Nico Noir-sama?"

"Uh, let me look into it, one moment please."

Kokuyou began wading through the sea of the internet.

"Looks like a fairly large box. It seems they have around fifty people affiliated."

"My! That's quite the major player, isn't it!"

"… Hmm. Hold on a moment, Ojou-sama, this is suspicious～!!"

Sebas's eyes flew wide open.

"You didn't react nearly this much for Hoshizora Production, so why the sudden change?"

"Just a hunch! For one thing, with 'waaru' right there in the name… the fact that 'waru' (evil) is buried in it positively reeks of suspicion!"

"Noir, as in, black, yes? I'm not averse to the color black, you know? Maid uniforms and butler uniforms are both black. It's a calming color. Don't you think so, Kokuyou?"

"Yes. I feel a kinship there, actually. I'm black too."

Kokuyou nodded.

"That said, I have turned up one problem. Hoshizora Production."

"Oh? What about Hoshizora Production?"

"Yes, Ojou-sama. You know that story about Hoshizora Production having a falling-out with a major agency? That other party is this very 'Nico Noir.'"

"My! Such coincidences really do happen, don't they～…"

Karona mulled over fate with a thoughtful air. Things like that really do happen, she thought.

"… This is one of those situations where whichever we pick, someone's going to take offense, isn't it?"

"So it seems, Ojou-sama."

"Indeed."

"I'll keep collecting information," Kokuyou said, turning back toward her semi-transparent window.