"Welcome to Ashikaga Renoir. A Table for one?"
After a waitress bowed respectfully, Ishida Kirika replied that she was looking for someone.
"I have an appointment with Fujihara Setsuna. Is there a table reserved with his name on it?" she said as she looked around the spacious café during off hours. Lunch time had ended an hour ago.
"Well. Please come this way, Fujihara-sama is waiting on the second floor."
This was the first time for Ishida Kirika to come to a café that was probably twice the size of her house. A café with a classic style. The walls were covered in pure white colored wallpaper which was very elegant and charming. The waitress who was guiding her was also wearing European-style black and white clothes.
Her eyes grew fondled by the elegant interior design, as she moved deeper into the cafes. The classic European impression, and the white color that dominated space. In addition to the dark-purple half-circle sofa that makes the whole cafe perfect.
Even though it has a classic concept, in fact, no ornament makes each element redundant. Floors, walls, and ceilings are not forced to be all classic, but are integrated and seem harmonious in every corner.
She climbed up the stairs which were lined with a deep purple carpet with beige lines on the right and left. Like a royal princess being guided by her personal maid.
The atmosphere on the second floor was not much different from the first floor. However, the visitor capacity is much less and the table placement is also made more tenuous. But, where is that person? Fujihara Setsuna, the CEO of a game company that's being a trending topic all over Japan right now.
Ishida Kirika looked around every corner of the room but still couldn't find the person she was about to meet. Where is he? Is it possible that they will meet in a special room?
The question was finally answered. The waiter leading her stopped at the end of the hall. In front of it stands a majestic classic-style door, with a door handle decorated with medieval European carvings.
"Please come in, Fujihara-sama is waiting inside," said the waiter as she opened the door and half bowed.
The nervousness finally overtook Kirika. She was about to meet face to face with someone who was on a completely different level from her. A big corporate leader would like to meet him in person to discuss the lucrative partnership. But the reason for that person to meet her in person without intermediaries and bring her to a cafe as luxurious as this is still a mystery.
"He is a young man turned out to be a mere few years above me. I thought the CEO of male forty or nearly entered the head of five, "she murmured inconsolingly.
A man in a black suit rose from his seat as Kirika entered the VIP room. Short black hair made the man look like a serious, rigid Japanese teacher, with black framed glasses and monotonous hairstyles.
It was what Kirika had in mind, but Fujihara Setsuna who was standing waiting for her was different from that serious impression. He was probably only a few years older than her. His hair that was styled like a Japanese artist's made the impression of a boring company owner instantly crumble.
Accompanied by classical music that gracefully fill this meeting place, Kirika walked towards a table in the corner of the room. Her nervousness had increased the distance from the entrance to the cafe table. Right now she felt that her meeting with the Virtue owner was not a business meeting, but rather like attending a blind date.
Kirika immediately shook off her strange thought. It seemed his nervousness had made her lose her mind. Kirika felt she had to maintain her professionalism as a novelist. She bowed respectfully as she introduced herself, "Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Ishida Kirika."
"Fujihara Setsuna," said the man in front of her as she reached out. "And there's no need to be so tense, I'm not as old as you think I should be."
Kirika was stunned for a few seconds until Fujihata Setsuna's smile made her realize and immediately welcomed the CEO's outstretched hand.
The man in front of her smiled again and this time seemed friendlier than before. It made Kirika forget that the two of them were still shaking hands. Fujihara Setsuna's charisma had managed to amaze her, but this was not the time to admire the person in front of her.
"Please have a seat," said the man in front of her, waiting for Kirika to sit down first.
"Ah…thank you."
With mixed feelings, between shock and nervousness, Kirika sat on the soft chair behind her. Luckily today she was wearing a dark blue suit, so her appearance would not be so contrasting with this luxurious place and also the person who had invited her.
The waiter who had guided her finally approached their table, presenting a glass of cold water and a silk-soft handkerchief, along with a menu book.
"You can order whatever you want since I invited you so don't worry."
"Of course," thought Kirika without saying it. But when she looked at Ashikaga Renoir's cafe menu, she almost choked. The cafe's cheapest menu is already in the 4500 Yen range and it's just a plain cup of tea. But considering that the man in front of her was the CEO of a large company, Kirika finally calmed down and ordered something suitable for a business meeting. If ordering something cheap, it would likely be an insult to Fujihara Setsuna.
"Ah…I want to order a parfait au raspy…le mille feuille aux fruit rouge… and an iced earlgrey latte."
Somehow, Kirika was amazed at herself that she managed to pronounce all her orders without making any spelling mistakes, even though she had no idea what she had ordered.
"Then make it for two, okay?"
Setsuna's words just now made Kirika turn around, half surprised. Then assume that Setsuna wants to shorten the time, rather than having to choose a menu.
"Yes sir."
The waitress eloquently left the two and Kirika was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Then looked at the man named Fujihara Setsuna.
Kirika waited for the man in front of her to open a flat black briefcase, then took out a book. It wasn't a journal or anything like that, but a novel. In the lower right corner is the inscription 'Zeunoia'. It was Yomu Realm's last published novel, and the author was Ishida Kirika.
"I am a fan of yours, I mean a fan of your novels. You must be wondering, why did I directly make an appointment with you without using an intermediary, right? That is the reason because I am your fan."
Kirika was silent, the man in front of her seemed to be able to read her mind. Indeed, ever since she got the call from Virtue, curiosity had run through her head. Why would an owner of such a large company want to be bothered with this kind of business?
"I want to make your novel into the story of the next game of Virtue. Are you interested?"
"What do you mean that novel?"
"Yes…and you can be the story writer for Virtue next game and of course you can still publish your novel in the Yomu Realm."
Kirika thought hard, if imagining all the benefits she could get from working with Virtue of course it was very tempting. Rather than having to rely on selling novels, being a story writer for games would be a more definite job.
But right now she was very enthusiastic about Heavenly Online, the game that would be launched tomorrow by Setsuna's company. Of course, she had to divide her time carefully. Right now she was just overwhelmed.
She remembered the last time her novel was published, it was half a year ago. Until now, she had not even thought of a new story because she was so curious about the game that would be released tomorrow. It must be very troublesome, she thought. Not to mention that the publisher's editor has been terrorizing her to make the next novel.
"Your offer is very tempting, but—"
"There's no need to rush. You can think about it later, now enjoy the food first."
Even though the waitress had only left the two of them for a few minutes, but their orders had arrived just as Kirika almost refused Setsuna's offer.
"Is this person so interested in my story that he is willing to wait?" she muttered.