1.01
Since the Shibuya Raid in Volume 10, the Roderick Firm has begun the task of working on an antennae to communicate with the Moon. On the way back from a meeting with them, Shiroe and Akatsuki discuss the situation with Honesty and the Fairy Rings; during the establishment of the Round Table, calculating the Fairy Rings' current timetable was designated a priority and the task was delegated to Honesty. Since then, however, research has languished and the project was ultimately deemed a failure. (They did find, however, that destination of the Fairy Rings now change around every 6 months, instead of the in-game 28 days during the game era.)
Akatsuki and Shiroe agree that the project's failure was not Honesty or the Round Table's fault. However, to the average Akiban, the Fairy Ring research has been like a parasitic leech on Akiba's resources, as Honesty has been requesting resources for their research with nothing to show for it. Not helping matters is Honesty's recent aggressive expansion; it has been absorbing players who live outside Akiba as well as people who have left small-and-mid-sized guilds, which has has rubbed other people the wrong way. The situation can't be described as malicious, but it's definitely disquieting.
The two spot a black-coated carriage making its way down the street. Akatsuki points out that it bears the Cowen/Corwen family's crest, leaving Shiroe quietly baffled as there was no planned meeting with the Round Table.
1.02
Rayneshia has taken up a part-time job helping Mikakage at a bakery/shop owned by the Rod Lab. After taking out some freshly-baked treats from the oven and taking out some sugar for Mikakage, Ray heads out to deliver the treats to Shopping District 8. As she follows Ally (Mikakage's Alraune summon), Rayneshia thinks about how she took on a part-time job to deal with her unease over Apret and Fevel getting engaged before her despite being younger. (By now, Rayneshia's almost 16, making Apret and Fevel around 14.)
Right now, Ray's official title is "Ambassadress in Akiba for the Duchy of Maihama," so both Rayneshia and the Water Maple Consulate staff are all having their expenses paid for by the Cowen Dukedom. However, not only is she advising people in Akiba, but also all Eastal merchants and lords that come to Akiba. People who want to buy, sell, and live in Akiba all come to consult her. Technically, they could go to the Round Table... but being an organization of Adventurers, many Landers are wary of the gap in culture and raw strength. If a Lander accidentally angers an Adventurer, an Adventurer could snuff out their life with nary a flick of their hand. This makes Rayneshia's unique position as a consultant highly valuable. However, Rayneshia never thought to make a profit out of her position, and even when Elissa suggested it, she turned the notion down.
As a result, Rayneshia has no money of her own. Before coming to Akiba, she never had so much as a wallet, and all her clothing and needs were provided for her. But after living in Akiba for many months and hearing Adventurers throw around unknown terms like "careers," then turning around only to find that her Lander friends have gotten engaged, has left her uncertain about her future. After listening to her Water Maple friends talk about concepts like "being a lovely career woman," she eventually decided to take up a part-time job. (Initially, Elissa disapproved of the idea, but she quickly changed her tune once she realized it meant Rayneshia would wake up earlier in the morning.)
Just as Rayneshia and Ally are about to reach their destination, they find a greatly agitated Elissa. Seeing Elissa, who usually has nerves of steel, pale and trembling leaves Rayneshia greatly alarmed. She quickly finds out that she has to return to Water Maple at once. Her mother, Saraliya, has arrived without notice, and Rayneshia can't help but sense it is a foreboding of something tumultuous ahead.
1.03
Rayneshia returns home at once, but because she is dealing with her mother, she has to make sure she is dressed appropriately in case the situation is serious. By the time she's done changing, it's already dusk. She finally goes up to where her mother is and goes through the typical Lander noble customs that she normally no longer performs with Adventurers. Saraliya had taught Rayneshia all about aristocratic socializing, but now that she thinks back on it, never had her mother doted on her. All of Rayneshia's education and upbringing was handled by nannies and tutors hired for her.
Saraliya is a talented woman known as the "Pearl of Eastal," who took Eastal politics by storm with her great diplomatic and political astuteness. She fell in love with Feynail, himself a prominent up-and-coming earl for his work in a flood control project, and married him. Rayneshia knows her mother's story by heart, whether she wants to or not, and slightly resents having to be compared to such a person like her.
Saraliya brings up the subject of the Akiba Raid, the murderer Enbart Nelles, and the decision to shut off Akiba's Royal Guard system. Much to Rayneshia's relief, Saraliya continues that the Conference of Lords will not hold Rayneshia solely responsible for the decision, as the Adventurers had also agreed to it. She also brings up the Kunie Gold expedition that relieved the Round Table of much of its financial burden, as well as Grandale (Grandeur)'s recent work in mapping out and establishing more efficient trade routes for remote villages.
Then, Saraliya questions what Rayneshia thinks about its impact on business. Rayneshia, unsure what kind of answer her mother is looking for, fails to produce an answer. With that, Saraliya dives into her next question: "Krusty is no longer in this area, is he?" After a very unladylike expression of surprise, Rayneshia tries backpedaling as she feels more and more pressure from her mother. While Rayneshia is still reeling from her mother's increasingly passive-aggressive questions, Saraliya jumps into her real point.
"You will have engagement talks two weeks from now."
It takes Rayneshia several moments to come to grips with this sudden news. Saraliya continues to explain that it came from Touri Saiguu, the head of the House of Saiguu. At this moment, Rayneshia wants nothing more than to dive into her soft, quilt comforter and forget about it all, but she meekly nods her head at her mother's words. If your parents arrange an engagement meeting, it isn't the child's place to disagree.
"Prepare yourself for it. Don't regret it."
With that, Saraliya ends the meeting.