In a street lined with eateries in Friendly City Hikari, Kaori Mizuhara, the owner of the diner Suiren, was busy preparing for the day’s opening.
Her shop operated from 11:00 AM until 9:00 PM. Typical of a diner, her busiest time was during the lunch rush, though it was rare for her to be so swamped that she couldn't keep up.
During the Hero Festival, the place would become hectic enough to require temporary part-time servers just to stay afloat, but ordinary days were far more manageable. Her clientele consisted mostly of tourists drawn by the novelty of otherworld cuisine, along with a modest number of regulars who lived in the city.
Friendly City Hikari was arguably the most famous tourist destination in the world. Because the area was saturated with an incredible variety of restaurants, securing a loyal regular was a difficult and precious achievement for any shopkeeper.
Having finished the prep work with practiced ease well ahead of opening, Kaori glanced at the calendar on the wall.
A red circle was marked around today’s date. Upon seeing it, she placed a small sign that read "Reserved Seat" on one of the stools at the counter.
"All right, let's do this!"
Giving herself a little pep talk, she unlocked the door, hung the noren, and set out the standing sign listing today’s specials. A group that looked like tourists arrived immediately, and Kaori greeted them with a professional smile.
Amidst the steady flow of business, Kaori kept a close eye on the clock. It was currently 11:45 AM.
"Fifteen minutes left... Today should be the Miso-simmered Mackerel Set Meal, so I'd better have it ready."
The reason for her muttering was the existence of a particular regular. The customer who always occupied that reserved seat was obsessively punctual, arriving at exactly 12:00 PM sharp every single time.
Furthermore, unless there were limited-time specials, this customer ordered sequentially from the top of the menu on every visit. This made it incredibly easy to predict what they would want.
Since there were no seasonal specials today, and it was time for the Miso-simmered Mackerel Set Meal in the sequence, Kaori began the final preparations in advance so the customer wouldn't have to wait.
Just as the meal was nearing completion, the clock struck noon. At that exact moment, the door opened and a silver-haired woman walked in.
Her name was Olivia—the City Representative of Friendly City Hikari and the Pope of the Central Cathedral. She had become a regular at this shop entirely due to the influence of a certain singularity named Kaito Miyama.
While Olivia was a figure known to everyone in the city, she was rarely recognized here. She traded her usual priest robes for casual civilian clothes and wore her hair in a half-up style that softened her public image.
"Welcome. Please, have your usual seat."
"Pardon me."
By now, the routine was second nature to both of them. Olivia took her usual seat as invited.
"I will have the Miso-simmered Mackerel Set Meal."
"Coming right up. Just a moment!"
True to Kaori’s prediction, the order was for the mackerel. She finished the dish she had prepped and set the tray before Olivia.
Olivia clasped her hands and offered a silent prayer for about ten seconds before picking up her chopsticks and starting on the fish.
"The miso used here is slightly different from what I usually have in my soup."
"I use a slightly sweeter blend for this one. It complements the mackerel better."
"I see. A deliberate refinement, then."
"Even so, Pope—I mean, Olivia-sama, you've gotten quite good with those chopsticks."
As a small precaution to avoid drawing eyes, Kaori addressed her by name rather than title.
That said, Suiren was already gaining a reputation among some circles as "The Pope’s Favorite Shop," a fact that gave Kaori more than a few stress-induced stomach aches.
"I have eaten here many times now, after all... Hmm, it seems you have changed the green onions in the miso soup as well. This variety certainly seems better suited to the dish."
"You can tell from just one bite? Your palate is evolving at an incredible rate."
After their brief exchange, Olivia continued her meal in silence. Her movements were so refined and elegant that Kaori often found herself wondering if she had accidentally opened a high-end restaurant instead of a casual diner.
Once she had finished every single grain of rice, Olivia clasped her hands once more in a post-meal prayer. She stood up, placing the coins for the meal and a small slip of paper on the counter.
"Thank you for the food. This is my visiting schedule for next month."
"Ah, right. Got it."
"Until next time, then."
With a slight, graceful bow, Olivia departed. Kaori saw her off with a smile, but as soon as the door closed, she let out a weary sigh. She could feel the stares of the other customers—those who had realized the silver-haired woman was the Pope and were now looking for an opening to interrogate her.