Pranks, Jealousy, and Chocolate Rivals

Kikiwai downtown. The central crosswalk.

Pfft. Pluto was utterly delighted by Kim Jian's flustered expression. He probably had no idea that running into her and Okerus here had been entirely orchestrated.

Since yesterday, she'd been sending clones to surveil and tail him. Dissolving them would dump the accumulated fatigue back on her main body, but the other clones she'd made in the meantime had gotten some rest, so it would balance out.

Her plan had involved dispatching multiple clones in various disguises to make him think he was the one tailing them, luring him right here. And it had worked beautifully.

Now he had to have a meal with a woman he didn't even know. The bob-haired beauty standing beside Pluto was none other than her own older sister—and president of the Dimensional Credit Vault—Okerus Dis Pater. In other words, one of the goddesses who granted Job Authority to the tellers, and the one leading the entire organization Kim Jian belonged to.

What would happen if Kim Jian acted like his usual self in front of such a person—a goddess? What if he lost his temper at her playful provocations?

"Hehe."

Unlike the clueless Kim Jian, Okerus already knew exactly who the man before her was. This was their first face-to-face meeting, but that eye of his had originally been a treasure owned by her and her family.

I'll let him know that the person my sister chose is just one ordinary human among many.

Deputy Kim Jian, who had monopolized the attention rightfully due to her dear older sister. What kind of face would he make when he learned that the person he'd so casually offered to buy lunch for was the bank president? He might even cower preemptively at the realization that he'd treated the president's little sister like a peer.

"Kee-hee."

It wasn't that she disliked Kim Jian, but the mischievous sprout of playfulness and pettiness quietly taking root in the goddess's heart was already anticipating the delightful outcome.

"...What the hell?"

While crossing the crosswalk with Pluto and this 'sister' of hers, Kim Jian felt someone's gaze on him again. Turning his head, he caught sight of a hat-wearing figure turning away and vanishing into the crowd. The brim was too wide to get a good look, but the build ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was different from the earlier pursuer. A bit taller, too.

A woman in a sundress. No heels. He hadn't caught her skin tone, but he'd memorized her silhouette for now. If he spotted her later, he'd either dodge or draw her out.

"Let's go. I know a good spot—no line."

"Deputy, I prefer meat."

"......"

"Sorry. My sister's being rude again. I'll treat you to lunch."

"No worries. Since we're all here and bumping into Pluto too, lunch is on me."

Having these two around lowered the chances of those tails trying anything, so a meal was a small price to pay. Later, he'd quietly ask Slick Elama or Isaac for backup. Hope nothing goes wrong...

"Haa... what the hell am I even doing?"

Mira turned away from the sight of Kim Jian chatting and laughing with the bank president, gripped by an inexplicable emotion. The president and a teller. Even if they met outside work, it had to be business-related.

So why did her chest feel this uneasy?

"Why is the president in Kikiwai... and who's that woman next to her...?"

The pink-haired woman beside the president—whose profile looked vaguely similar—was a stranger. As HR, Mira memorized the faces of tellers in key positions. But this young woman wasn't an aide.

GuD faction execs did include some who maintained youthful appearances like the president, but none matched her description.

She had no right to meddle in Kim Jian's private life, but stumbling into this unexpected scene left her unable to think straight.

"They look a bit alike. Family? Then why was she with Oppa... No way..."

Mira's mind flashed to a rumor she'd overheard at HQ: Kim Jian had some connection to the president. That her special hire status had involved the president's influence.

"A personal relationship... maybe."

The president might have played matchmaker between Kim Jian and her family. No evidence, but...

Mira trusted her woman's intuition. She'd sniffed out office affairs multiple times without Job Authority, her specialty being that subtle air between men and women.

"Suspicious..."

Among the skills she'd recently learned from seniors was lip-reading. She'd questioned why a teller needed it at first, but for HR handling sensitive rumors, it proved useful.

Kim Jian's words were auto-translated from Dimension 3-1 via satellite magic, so his lip movements didn't reveal the content. But natives of this multiversal world could guess from afar.

Unfortunately, she'd barely watched for a few seconds, so no details.

"Looks like they're heading to eat. And Oppa's paying..."

Mira pondered what it meant that the highest-ranking one among them—the president—wasn't footing the bill. They must be close enough for Kim Jian to casually treat and entertain them.

That was the only conclusion.

"Ugh... I didn't think he'd already be meeting the president privately like this. Isn't Oppa's ambition a bit too big?"

For some reason, a strange sense of betrayal made her shudder.

"Why didn't he tell me...? I thought we were the closest among trainees..."

Mira couldn't identify the emotion churning inside her. Everything just grated on her nerves.

"Men are all the same. Probably cozying up to the president's family to worm into the power center? Argh, annoying. Sure, marriage is practical, but doesn't romance deserve at least one romantic idealist?"

Then it hit her. She'd been wishing Kim Jian was that kind of guy for a while now.

"...Haa. Oppa always seemed so pure when it came to dating."

In Mira's mind, she wasn't crushing on him romantically. She just imagined that a teller who gave his all to clients, who held high ideals, would approach romance with purer intentions than most. A vague fantasy.

"I-It's not like I care who he dates. Just disappointed, that's all."

Saying that, her eyes were glued to the map app on her activated smartphone.

Snorting in irritation, she marched into the shopping district. She didn't want this brief encounter with her trainee buddy to ruin her tropical island trip. But loyalty was loyalty.

"Aaaargh, so annoying!! I'll still get him that chocolate!"

Mira arrived at a street lined with century-old colonial-style buildings. Outwardly antique, but housing famous brands: clothes, sundries, and more.

Scanning around, she spotted two shops facing each other across the street.

The two luxury brands dominating Great Huuriten's chocolate scene. Their dramatic rivalry, steeped in history and savage rhetoric, was infamous—Mira had heard the tales.

Both were family-run by generational houses, bitter rivals who trembled at each other's names. Paranoid competition led them to open shops side-by-side everywhere, including here in Kikiwai.

Directly across from each other. Fierce rivalry drove endless innovation, their handmade chocolates captivating customers across dimensions.

Maison de Leoniabr: cute designs, diverse flavors transcending chocolate limits.

Vainaus: minimal sweeteners, perfected processes maximizing pure chocolate essence.

Handmade chocolate nobility, pursuing extremes in opposite directions.

Standing between the direct stores, Mira fell deep into thought. Like decals mirroring across the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠street, grand entrances and signs atop short stairs tempted passersby.

The twin peaks of luxury handmade chocolate, epitomizing opulence and richness.

After agonizing, Mira noticed the lines: unnaturally long.

"Uwaaaah. What do I do? Can't choose..."

Honestly, she wanted both. Indecisive, she joined the end of Leoniabr's line. But lingering attachment to Vainaus had her glancing across even as her turn neared.

Then she spotted something odd.

"...Huh?"

Alternating glances revealed it. A woman before Leoniabr's colorful display window. Dark elf vision outstripped humans—she could read inscriptions on twigs ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a kilometer away. Mira caught the nameplate title.

First: a woman in her early thirties, the manager. Her gaze fixed across the street.

"......"

Curiosity drew Mira's eyes the same way—another figure gleamed in Vainaus's transparent case. Amid busy staff, a man stared back.

Just those two, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠locked in glares.

"...They must really hate each other."

Then curiosity struck: Did bad blood between rival owners affect employees this much?

"Well, we were like that pre-merger too."

The Dimensional Credit Vault's predecessor banks weren't on great terms even now—similar context?

Pure curiosity sparked it.

"Hmm."

Her evolved Job Authority as deputy read emotions stronger; once weekly, badge-free.

Never used on non-HQ tellers before. Just a whim.

Mira activated her power on the two managers. The arrow linking them wasn't hate-black or rivalry-yellow.

"...Why?"

Vibrant, deep pink. The strongest shade of love.

Their nameplates bore the names of chocolate dynasties, glaring like they'd devour each other.

"Whoa, what the...?"

Two days later, the pair Mira witnessed would visit the Kikiwai Multidimensional Branch to apply for a newlywed foothold loan with Kim Jian. Neither she nor anyone foresaw the branch plunging into another major incident.