If we were to tour them in order, the next stop would be the Ice Area—a fantastical wonderland of snow and ice likely themed after Isis-san. However, since we had agreed beforehand to stop for lunch after visiting two areas, we decided to eat first.
To begin with, each area had stalls scattered about offering unique light fare. The Aqua Area had shops selling things like grilled seafood skewers, while the Forest Area had fruit stick stands and drinks made with Seal Fruit.
"Looking at the pamphlet, most of the dining establishments seem to be along the outer perimeter of the Central Area."
"Right. We're planning to save the Central Area for last, but why don't we head over to the restaurant area along its outer ring for now?"
Those snack stalls were mainly meant for eating on the go. If we wanted to sit down for a proper meal, the outer perimeter of the Central Area—dubbed Gourmet Street—felt far more suitable.
After talking it over, we decided to head there, leaving the Forest Area behind. Pathways connected every area directly to the Central Area, so we reached the outer Gourmet Street in no time.
"My, there certainly is an impressive number of shops here."
"...There are even some well-known establishments. Could they be branch locations?"
"A facility on this scale will likely see tremendous sales, so it makes sense that famous places would open branches here."
Just as Lilia-san, Luna-san, and Sieg-san observed while looking around with great interest, the variety was truly remarkable. Some places had a high-end atmosphere, while others felt more like fast-food joints.
Though they might not be full-blown chains, there were branches of renowned restaurants, offering far more options than we had imagined.
"Hina-chan, where would you like to go?"
"Hmm, it's so hard to choose! But since we're here, I'd love to try a restaurant you can only find at this amusement park!"
At the moment, Hina-chan was our group's navigator. When Aoi-chan asked for her opinion, Hina-chan crossed her arms, looking thoroughly torn.
The choices were undeniably overwhelming, and given that the Central Area's outer ring spanned a massive distance, the sheer number of storefronts was staggering.
Still, we couldn't spend all day deliberating if we wanted enough time for the rest of the park. While I wanted to decide quickly, Hina-chan was in such high spirits that she might actually try walking the entire perimeter before making up her mind.
"Hina-chan, that restaurant over there... apparently has a park-exclusive parfait."
"An exclusive parfait?! That's the one! Let's go there!!"
And so, I played my trump card. Hina-chan loved parfaits, and there was no way she would pass up a special treat you could only get right here.
I had simply spotted the words "Park-Exclusive Parfait" on a stylish storefront that caught my eye, but the moment I pointed it out, the decision was made.
With no objections from anyone else, we headed straight for the restaurant with the exclusive parfait. The interior leaned slightly whimsical, but it fit the vibe of an amusement park restaurant perfectly.
"Oh, the menu has pictures! Ah, look at this one, it's so cute!"
Naturally, there was no single table large enough to seat all of us together, so we split up as usual: me, Aoi-chan, and Hina-chan; Lilia-san, Luna-san, and Sieg-san; and Anima, Caraway, Eta, and Theta.
Just as Hina-chan noted, the menu featured photographs—a luxury made possible by magic tools, which were still expensive and far from commonplace—making it wonderfully easy to browse.
There were even dishes styled after the park's mascot characters. As far as theme park dining went, it was a flawless hundred out of a hundred... No, it was almost too perfect. Alice or Kuro might have had a hand in running this place.
Kuro owned several trading companies, and Alice ran restaurants all over the place. I had even visited some of them on dates with her, so it wouldn't be surprising if they had lent their expertise.
"I think I'll go with this chicken-based plate."
"I'll have the pasta... What about you, Hina-chan?"
"I'm getting the Amusement Park Plate and the exclusive parfait!"
I ordered a lunch plate centered around what looked like herb-roasted chicken, while Aoi-chan went with a creamy mushroom pasta. Hina-chan chose the adorable Amusement Park Plate shaped like the mascot characters, along with her coveted parfait.
"I can't wait! Kaito-senpai, Aoi-senpai, I'll give you both a bite of my parfait!"
"Hm? Are you sure?"
"Yep! Delicious food is always more fun when you share! In exchange, please let me have a bite of your chicken, Kaito-senpai!"
"Ahaha, fair enough. Sure thing."
"Yay, thank you!"
She was having the time of her life, and her infectious excitement brought a smile to my face. There was an innocent, childlike charm to her, radiating the endearing energy of a small animal.
That said, every time she hopped around in excitement, her generous bust bounced right along with her. I couldn't help but think she might want to tone down the vigorous jumping just a little.
Serious-senpai: "Look at you all, basking in your wholesome little picnic! Right at this very second, there's a young lady of a count house whose stomach is undergoing total annihilation, you know!"