After leaving the exhibition area, we reached the point where we had to part ways with Camellia and Rosmiel.
Apparently, Rosmiel’s primary motivation for coming had been to see the flowers from the Sanctuary, and having achieved that goal, she had little reason to linger. Even a casual observer could see how much she struggled with crowds. Camellia had mostly come along to support her friend, so she intended to head back as well.
Rosmiel thanked me repeatedly, promising to visit my home in the near future. She even mentioned bringing over some ornamental flowers as a thank-you for the Eternal Flower, which gave me something to look forward to.
"All right then, Sky-san," I said. "Where to next?"
"Well, we’ve been quite active, so I imagine you all are starting to get hungry. Perhaps it’s time for lunch?"
"That sounds like a plan. I actually am starting to feel a bit peckish."
I wasn't starving, thanks to the snacks we'd grabbed at the lower level stalls, but it was midday—the perfect time for a proper meal. I checked with everyone else, and since no one had any objections, we left the choice of location entirely to Sky. Her competence had been on full display throughout our tour, so I felt perfectly comfortable letting her take the lead.
"Sky-san! Is lunch going to be some kind of original God Realm cuisine?" Hina asked excitedly.
"I would like to say yes, but because most Gods do not actually eat, we don't really have a culinary culture of our own. However, the restaurant we are heading to serves dishes prepared exclusively with ingredients grown right here in the God Realm."
"Heh, I wonder what that's like. I can't wait to try it."
"The Supreme God-sama and many others designed the establishment specifically to align with the food cultures of humankind and Demons, so it should be quite good. That said, as I do not eat as a matter of principle, I am a little nervous about whether it will truly suit your palates."
"If you're the one who picked it, Sky-san, I'm sure it'll be great!"
"Fufu, thank you."
Hina had taken a real shine to Sky in a remarkably short time. Watching them chat was heartwarming; their personalities seemed perfectly compatible. When they spoke, Hina reminded me of a younger sister doting on a kind older sibling.
"I’m excited, but I’m also a little nervous," Aoi admitted. "After those pig's trotters at the Six Kings Festival, I can't help but wonder if we'll run into any more... eccentric dishes."
"I know exactly what you mean, Aoi-san," I replied with a wry smile. "I don't think we'll run into anything like that baby castella shop from the sixth day, though. That was pure, unadulterated mischief."
"Oh? Kaito-san, did you actually go into that shop? We saw it too, but the atmosphere was so... intense that we stayed far away."
I walked alongside Aoi as we chatted. While the pig's trotters had been a surprise, the trauma of the baby castella incident had left a far deeper impression on me. Honestly, it had been a disaster. As Aoi said, it was a glaringly obvious landmine, but unfortunately, I hadn't had the luxury of avoiding it.
"I was with Kuro, after all," I explained.
"Ah, that makes sense. Still, where does Chrome-sama’s passion for baby castella even come from?"
"I’d like to know that myself. She just seems to love them for no particular reason."
Usually, Kuro was reliable and maternal, projecting an air of maturity despite her youthful looks. She was incredibly considerate and intuitive. Yet, for some reason, the moment baby castella entered the picture, her judgment vanished. She would throw herself into absurd schemes with the kind of enthusiasm you’d expect from a prankster.
"Changing the subject, how has life as an adventurer been treating you?" I asked.
"It’s been fun," Aoi replied brightly. "Hapty-san’s early lessons made things relatively smooth, so I haven't struggled much. Honestly, the Adventurer Guild is a remarkably well-oiled machine. It’s clearly designed to help people advance through requests at a steady pace."
"My only knowledge of guilds comes from games and manga, so I pictured a place full of roughnecks," I admitted. "But the facilities I saw were clean and the management seemed very professional."
"Exactly. There are plenty of benefits, and they even provide resources for learning essential skills if you apply for them. If the opportunity comes up, Kaito-san, you should come with me. Not for a monster hunt, but maybe an investigation quest that’s more like an exploration."
"That sounds great. Let's do it if we get the chance."
I continued the walk, enjoying the conversation as Aoi told me more about the requests she had completed.
Serious-senpai: "Look at this wholesome scene. Talking with the junior duo is just so heartwarming."
???: "That's because, at the moment, there’s very little chance of things getting sugary-sweet between them. Regardless of what the future holds... regardless of the future."
Serious-senpai: "...Why did you repeat yourself? Is it really that important? Is it?"