As we continued our tea, idling away the time with small talk, Olivia spoke up as if she’d just thought of something.
"Kaito-sama, may I ask you another question? What do you plan to do for dinner tonight?"
Since the wedding reception had been held at midday, I obviously hadn't eaten yet. That said, the party had dragged on for quite a while and there were plenty of light refreshments, so I wasn't exactly starving.
It was still a bit early for dinner. I’d intended to just head home and eat there, but the idea of grabbing a bite somewhere else first was starting to sound appealing.
"I was planning on going home, but eating out doesn't sound like a bad idea. I could always stop by Kaori-san’s place. Actually, that's sounding better and better the more I think about it."
"In that case... if it wouldn't be too much trouble, Kaito-sama, would you allow me to accompany you?"
"Sure, why don't we go together? I’m not really hungry yet, though, so I’d like to wait a little longer before we head out."
Lunch had been an elaborate course meal, and I found myself craving something more along the lines of a simple set meal. Once the idea took root, my desire to visit Kaori’s restaurant intensified until it was basically a settled matter in my mind.
"Yes, I understand. In the meantime, is there anything else you’d like to do?"
"Oh, in that case, I’d like to see the Cathedral. When I came here before, I went straight to your room and left right after. I never really got a chance to look around."
"I see. Then, if you’ll have me, I would be honored to act as your guide."
"Thank you. Let's head out once we’ve finished our tea."
The Cathedral was massive; there was no way it consisted of just a prayer room. It was clearly designed for various large-scale ceremonies and contained countless rooms. According to Kaori, it was even a famous sightseeing spot, so I figured touring it was a solid plan.
As a side note, religion in this world was almost entirely unified. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Shenism was the only faith that truly mattered.
I suppose that was inevitable in a world where God's existence was an objective fact. Interestingly, Shenism didn't seem to have particularly strict commandments; it was surprisingly flexible in most regards.
There was only one rule that had to be strictly observed: one had to offer their primary devotion to Shiro-san. As long as she was prioritized, it didn't matter how many other gods a person chose to worship. While certain factions existed based on which specific deity a person followed, they weren't in conflict. In fact, many priests reportedly belonged to several factions simultaneously.
They did have scriptures, but they contained almost no rules restricting behavior. For example, as Fia-sensei had mentioned once, there were no religious prohibitions regarding marriage. There weren't even dietary restrictions, making it feel vastly different from any religion I was familiar with. It felt more like a massive administrative branch dedicated to serving the God Realm.
"Come to think of it, Olivia-san, what exactly does your work as the Pope entail?"
"In my case, most of my work involves my duties as the City Representative. My responsibilities as Pope are relatively few. I preside over the annual Grand Assembly and lead the New Year’s prayers at the Cathedral, but that is about the extent of it. While there is much to do during years with a Hero Festival, I often find myself with quite a bit of idle time during off-years. I used to spend that time in prayer, but recently, I have dedicated myself to learning various new subjects."
"I see. And this Grand Assembly—what is that, exactly?"
"Once a year, those with the rank of priest or higher from across the globe gather at the Cathedral to re-verify the scriptures and discuss other matters. It is essentially a large-scale conference."
Low-ranking Gods maintained temples throughout the Human Realm, and nearly every priest staffing them was a member of Shenism. Considering the scale, the number of people belonging to this unified religion must have been staggering. Even if the gathering was limited to those of high rank, the sheer volume of attendees made it sound like a massive event.
"If you wish, I could invite you... I believe everyone would be absolutely delighted if you were to offer a few words to the assembly, Kaito-sama."
"Wait, what? No, no... that’s... I’ll have to pass on that."
"I see. I understand."
I couldn't bring myself to agree to that, no matter how much she looked at me with those shimmering, expectant eyes. My social standing in this world was already reaching absurd heights; being worshipped by the upper echelon of a world-spanning religion at their most important annual conference would be far more than I could handle.
I wasn't Lilia-san, but just thinking about the pressure... was enough to make my stomach start to ache.