“Completed… you say.”
“Yes, that’s right. Here it is.”
—Yes… this is the Giant Divine Kingdom… Divine Kingdom!—
“Ei!”
“Ah!”
When Akai switched off the robot anime’s recap—complete with its ridiculously dramatic line—using the remote control, Inari looked a little disappointed. But of course, Akai did not have the leisure to spend thirty minutes watching a robot anime at a time like this.
“The one that has been completed is this. Furikake.”
“Ohh, yes, yes. I had been looking forward to this.”
What was placed before Inari was furikake already in what could be called a finished package. The packet, printed with a photo of Inari holding Kogetsu, gave off an overall impression of cuteness. The lettering that read “Inari-chan Furikake (Inari Sushi Flavor)” was also adorable, and at this stage it would not be strange to see it lined up in stores. In fact, this was already the stage just before going on shelves, pending Inari’s approval. Thanks to Wado Foods, which had already advanced development to a certain point, and thanks to Inari, who had left nearly everything to Akai, the product development had advanced at an unbelievable speed to arrive here.
“To see it like this fills me with deep feeling… Though, having my photograph displayed does make me feel a bit embarrassed.”
“Really? I think it’s cute.”
“Is that so.”
The truth was, Akai thought Inari was an extraordinary beauty. The common expression “like a doll” was not enough to describe her. To be frank, Inari’s beauty alone had boosted Fox Phone’s sales. Even Lion Communication had introduced quite the beauties, yet none could compare to Inari. Despite her refusal to engage in any form of entertainment activity by her own will, countless companies continued to raise their offers, unwilling to give up. If she appeared, she would sell—that, they understood well. If Fox Phone had not been a company run by awakener, perhaps someone might have already tried to use forceful means. That was how valuable she was.
And now, that same Inari was featured on the package photo of the collaboration product, “Inari-chan Furikake.” There was no way it would not sell. Everyone loved strong, dazzling awakener. In fact, in the downstairs store nearly every customer had asked, “Will the furikake be sold here too?” It was not just a mega hit; it was practically guaranteed to be a giga hit. For the record, Wado Foods’ phones were already jammed with calls. Their personal smartphones were likely unreachable for a while as well.
“Fufu, I had not thought it would turn out like this… Perhaps I ought to go and see it lined up in the store on the release day.”
“Ah—no, that might not be a good idea.”
“Hm, is that so. Am I being overly self-conscious, perhaps?”
“Not at all. It’s just… it would cause quite an uproar.”
Imagine: people come to buy furikake and the star herself shows up. What kind of surprise would that be? News would spread instantly, chaos would ensue, and the store staff would be left in tears trying to manage the crowd.
“Hmm, I see. Then it cannot be helped. Ah, when was the release day again?”
“Next Monday. On that day, you probably shouldn’t leave the house.”
“Mmm. Is it truly so extreme?”
“The fact that you’re this unaware of your own popularity is what’s extreme… Even without doing talent work, you’re immensely popular. If you set your mind to it, you could probably conquer the world.”
“I need it not…”
“I figured you’d say that.”
Popular awakener often appeared not only in commercials but also in dramas, variety shows, even movies. By gaining recognition, they secured funds to support their activities as Awakened. To put it bluntly, it was for money. Being an awakener usually required money, so it was inevitable.
But Inari was different. She never got injured, so she needed no medicine. Her weapons and armor were extraordinary, so she did not spend on gear. From what Akai knew, she had almost no interest in entertainment. She cared nothing for clothes or makeup. As for meals, rice and furikake were her standard, with only recent additions of side dishes, still well within the range of an ordinary commoner.
On top of that, she had no desire for self-promotion, so she showed zero interest in talent activities.
But precisely because of that, she was idol-like in the eyes of the people.
Pure-hearted, her desires were modest and charming, content with what she had. With a simple private life immune to scandals, glorious achievements as an awakener, and a gentle personality—above all, she was a beauty. An overwhelming beauty.
“If Miss Kogami ever became an idol, I’m confident I’d be an obsessed fan… But she has no interest at all.”
There was nothing Akai could do if Inari herself did not wish it. It was frustrating beyond words.
“She beareth a face as though thinking upon something most futile…”
Inari somewhat sensed Akai’s silly thoughts, but it was nothing worth pointing out. Thinking was harmless. With a benevolent smile, she simply nodded.
And so, to Inari herself, “Inari-chan Furikake” was nothing more than that. In truth, she had greatly underestimated her own popularity.
On the release day of “Inari-chan Furikake”… by that very evening, it had sold out in stores nationwide. Even the manufacturer’s stock, produced in abundance with factories running at full capacity, had completely run out.