On the second floor of the restaurant Suiren in Friendly City Hikari, Kaori had just woken up and taken a quick shower. As she stood in the dressing room drying herself off, her eyes happened to linger on a large mirror.
She had recently come into a bit of extra money, which she’d used to purchase a high-quality full-length mirror. As she studied her reflection, a contemplative look crossed her face.
"Hmm... My skin really is beautiful, isn't it? I mean, I’ve been noticing it for a while now, but it’s like it’s becoming more radiant by the day."
Even accounting for the fact that she had just stepped out of a hot bath, her skin in the mirror was luminous. At the very least, it was a far cry from how she used to look.
"The fine lines I was worried about around my eyes are just... gone. My skin looks so dewy—it has this incredible suppleness. Did that new lotion and emulsion just happen to suit me perfectly? No, this isn't the kind of beauty you get just by being diligent with skincare. It’s a different nature entirely. It's the kind of glow and texture that only comes with youth... and it’s my whole body, too. It’s not just my face, which I take care of, but even my hands... They're usually so rough from all the water I use, but even they look perfect."
As the sole proprietor of a restaurant, Kaori naturally spent a significant portion of her day cooking and washing dishes. Although she could simplify the chores to some extent with her specialized Water Magic, the constant exposure to water had always left her hands chapped and worn.
Yet, as she looked at them now, there wasn't a single rough patch to be found. At a glance, no one would ever imagine she spent her days doing manual labor.
"I’m thrilled my skin is so pretty, of course, but... this clearly isn't the result of my own efforts. Skincare, diet—none of that explains it. It feels like something far more supernatural is at work. Wait. Hold on. I feel like I’m forgetting something incredibly important... Uh, let's see..."
Seeing the strange state of her body, Kaori felt a nagging sense that she had overlooked something crucial. she pressed a finger to her forehead, searching her memory.
—As for you, partly as thanks for looking after me every day, I have bestowed upon you something close to the blessing of the God Race.
The words came to her like a divine revelation. It was what Olivia had whispered to her via telepathy during that date for three with Kaito.
"A-Ahhh! I remember now! That’s it! Olivia-sama said something strange back then! I intended to ask her for the details later, but the rest of the date was so shocking that it completely consumed my attention. I totally forgot about it!"
Olivia had indeed made a comment suggesting she had blessed Kaori. Kaori had been curious at the time and meant to follow up, but in the whirlwind of emotions that followed—acting like lovers and eventually even hugging Kaito—the matter had been shoved into the far corners of her mind.
"This has to be it. There’s no way it’s anything else. I-I have to confirm this with Olivia-sama... but how? I don't want to ask her while she’s at the shop. There are always other customers around, and she already draws enough attention. If everyone finds out for sure that I’ve received a blessing from the High Priestess... y-yeah, asking at the restaurant is out of the question."
Since Olivia visited Suiren regularly for meals, finding an opportunity to see her was easy, but the subject was sensitive. Kaori didn't want any prying ears to overhear.
"That means the best thing to do is visit Olivia-sama personally. The shop is closed today, so I have the time. Olivia-sama is bound to be at the Central Cathedral, and if I go there... I think she’d see me. I hope she would, anyway."
Even though Olivia held the exalted position of Pope, Kaori felt confident enough in their relationship to believe that Olivia would make time for her.
The problem was the destination itself. The Central Cathedral, the heart of the world's Shenism, was an incredibly massive and intimidatingly solemn structure.
"But still... the idea of going to the Cathedral and asking for the Pope is so daunting. I’m too anxious to do it alone. If only Kaito-kun would come with me... If he were there, I could actually go through with it."
If Kaito accompanied her, Kaori knew Olivia would be overjoyed to see him, which would make the visit go smoothly. She also felt a sense of security knowing Kaito would be there to help if things got overwhelming.
Just as she was thinking this, a Hummingbird suddenly arrived from Kaito.
"From Kaito-kun? I wonder what it is?"
She checked the message. He was asking if she was available to meet because he had some business to discuss. For Kaori, it couldn't have been more perfect.
She didn't know what he needed, but even if he couldn't help her today, she could at least get him to promise to go to the Cathedral with her soon. She had absolutely no reason to refuse.
"If Kaito-kun has some free time, I’ll ask him to come with me. But honestly... putting all that aside, I’m just so happy about my skin. I-I actually look pretty good, don't I? I’m no peerless beauty, sure, but I could definitely pass for 'pretty' or 'cute' now, right?"
The mystery of the blessing still made her a bit nervous, but seeing the undeniable improvement in her skin—something she had been deeply worried about as she approached thirty—filled her with genuine joy. Kaori stood before the mirror for a long moment, a radiant smile on her face.
Serious-senpai: "S-So, which is it? Is this going to be a blessing-themed story leading into a stomach-pain development thanks to the matsutake, or are we looking at some kind of date scenario... Wh-Which is it...?"