As I stepped into the wedding reception hall with Olivia-san, the first thing I noticed was... well, a strange atmosphere.
No, "strange" wasn't quite the right word. To be more precise, it felt as though everyone was keeping a wide berth, looking as though they were utterly terrified. Through my sympathy magic, I could feel waves of awe radiating from them.
However, they didn't seem to be in awe of Olivia-san, who was by my side; rather, that fear was directed squarely at me.
Most of the people in this venue were nobles or representatives of major trading companies—the kind of high-status individuals typically invited to a royal wedding. For that matter, I was meeting the vast majority of them for the first time. I hadn't even spoken to them yet, so what on earth were they so afraid of?
The moment that thought crossed my mind, an image of Eden-san flashed through my head with the force of intuition. Ah, right... I’d heard that during the Six Kings Festival, a certain terrifying God had gone around zealously threatening the nobility. Was this the result?!
I suddenly felt a profound sense of understanding. Or rather, I couldn't help but wonder exactly what kind of threats she had made to them...
"It is only natural. Anyone seeing your refined presence, Kaito-sama, would feel an instinctive sense of reverence. While I believe it is primarily due to the overflowing haki you radiate, it is still commendable that they are at least perceptive enough to recognize it and show proper respect. I am impressed they understand exactly whom they should revere."
In contrast to my troubled expression, Olivia-san nodded with a proud look on her face. If anything, it felt as though she was actually raising her opinion of the nobles simply because they were fear-stricken by me.
I already knew from our time at the Friendly City that Olivia-san’s evaluation of me was incredibly high—so high that her judgment was absurdly soft, as if she would find a way to praise me no matter what I did.
However, looking at it from another perspective, I had no intention of forging all sorts of political connections with the nobility, so being avoided to some extent might actually be a blessing.
This reception wasn't a buffet; it was a seated event where we would enjoy a course meal. There would be time for socializing after the food, so I was honestly grateful that I wouldn't have a relentless crowd of people flocking to me.
"Kaito-sama?"
"Eh?"
"Please forgive my rudeness for speaking to you while you were lost in such sublime thoughts. Should we not be moving to our seats soon? Ah, no, of course—the schedule should be adjusted to accommodate your actions, and your presence, radiating the brilliance of wisdom, is truly majestic and wonderful. I am well aware that you possess deep insight that someone of my level cannot fathom, but..."
"S-Stop, Olivia-san. It’s okay. Thank you for speaking to me. Let’s move to our seats."
"Ah, yes. Understood."
For my part, I was actually glad she had spoken up since I’d gotten stuck at the entrance, but Olivia-san seemed terribly apologetic for interrupting my train of thought and was getting a bit flustered.
When Olivia-san grew flustered, she tended to shower me with so much praise it felt like she was trying to kill me with kindness. In that sense, she was quite easy to read.
Since she usually gave the impression of being very calm and quiet, seeing her get flustered and become talkative was actually a little endearing.
I gave her a reassuring smile and then began walking toward the table where Lilia-san and the others were waiting.
In truth, Kaito was laboring under a slight misunderstanding. He perceived Olivia’s excessive praise as something she desperately squeezed out of her mind only when she was flustered or panicked.
But the reality was different.
(Looking up at him like this, the dignity Kaito-sama displays is truly dazzling.)
To be precise, Olivia was almost always praising Kaito in her heart. When she grew flustered, she simply became talkative, and "the things she usually didn't go out of her way to say out loud" simply began to spill out.
In her mind, she was constantly admiring him. Even if he were just standing there doing nothing, she would find it worthy of praise.
The fundamental truth was that to Olivia, Kaito was an object of worship. Her feelings of faith were of a staggering magnitude, and that devotion flowed directly into her affection for him.
Furthermore, Olivia viewed Kaito as the person who had rebuked her for her mistakes, taught her, and guided her during the incident at the Friendly City.
In short, Olivia’s faith and affection for Kaito had long since shattered their upper limits.
Because her emotions rarely showed on her face, and because her faith was so much larger than her romantic affection, it was difficult for Kaito to notice; his sympathy magic primarily picked up her feelings of faith.
If anything, she was already deeply in love with him. Simply being able to walk by his side was enough to put Olivia at the peak of happiness.
Looking at the nobles showing fear toward Kaito—or more accurately, toward the shadow of Eden—she felt proud that the being she worshipped was being correctly evaluated. That was how high her affection truly was.
(Of course, my priority is to learn, but what an honor it is to participate in such an event alongside Kaito-sama... I wish to offer a prayer of gratitude this very instant. However, if I were to stop and pray here, it would only cause trouble for him. I shall keep my gratitude deep within my heart for now and offer a deep prayer once I have returned to the Cathedral.)
Yes, although her feelings were pure and lacked any dark intent, Olivia was a being who could only be described as a fanatic.
Olivia: A woman whose feelings are difficult to read due to her quiet nature and stoic expressions, but she is, in fact, a fairly serious fanatic. She is a Shiro and Kaito absolutist who praises Kaito in her heart for simply breathing. Her affection level has broken through the limits, but she personally interprets these feelings as religious faith rather than romance.
The fact that the object of her faith, Kaito, "rebuked and guided" her was a massive turning point for her. Simply put, if Kaito were to suddenly confess to her right now, she would accept without a moment's hesitation.