After finishing our tea, I followed Olivia-san as she led me through the Cathedral. It was a massive structure, yet it didn't feel crowded; we barely encountered anyone else as we moved along.
“How late is the Cathedral open?” I asked.
“Under normal circumstances, the Prayer Room is available until seven in the evening. During events like the Hero Festival, we remain open until ten.”
“Do many people come here just to pray?”
“Most travelers who visit the Friendly City for sightseeing stop by at least once. It seems many offer a simple prayer in the Prayer Room to commemorate their trip.”
“I see...”
Located right in the heart of the Friendly City, the Cathedral was exceptionally large and conspicuous—it was clearly a major landmark. It made sense; anyone visiting the city would probably see it from a distance and feel compelled to visit at least once.
The Prayer Room we eventually reached was indeed the heart of the Cathedral, possessing a vast and solemn atmosphere.
“This is the Prayer Room. The altar features an ornament designed in the image of the God Realm. By offering prayers toward it, those prayers are said to reach the gods of the God Realm—and, by extension, Shallow Vernal-sama.”
“Heh, I’ve definitely seen that triple-ring design in other churches before.”
“It is the Symbol of the Divine Religion, so it is utilized in many places.”
It likely served a similar role to the cross in my world. While crosses did exist here, they were primarily treated as grave markers, much like how they were used at Fia-sensei’s church.
“Aside from the Prayer Room, another area open to the public is the Room of the Great Bell on the third floor.”
“A Great Bell... Do you ring it often?”
“It is rung three times at the beginning of each month. These three peals represent the Human Realm, the God Realm, and the Demon Realm, signifying that a new month has begun across the Three Worlds.”
“I see, I see.”
“There should be very few people in the Room of the Great Bell at this hour, so let us head there.”
Olivia-san started walking again, and I followed. Her presence was a perfect match for the Cathedral’s aesthetic; she looked incredibly picturesque just moving through the halls. Furthermore, unlike our previous trip to the Hero’s Hill, Olivia-san possessed power equivalent to a Supreme God within the confines of the Friendly City. Even after climbing a rather long set of stairs, she didn't show the slightest hint of fatigue.
“...Kaito-sama, is something the matter?”
“Ah, no, I was just thinking about how dignified you look. It’s a different side of you compared to how we usually interact—it’s refreshing.”
“W-Was I being disrespectful?”
“No, no, not at all. I just thought... you looked really cool.”
“I-I see... A-Again, these worldly distractions are...”
Watching Olivia-san shake her head in bewilderment before walking on was strangely endearing, though I couldn't quite say why.
Olivia-san continued to guide me through various parts of the Cathedral. She even offered to show me the original manuscript of the Friendship Treaty—which was kept under heavy guard and strictly off-limits to the public—but I made sure to decline that. Eventually, all the walking helped me work up a healthy appetite, so we decided it was time to head over to Kaori-san’s restaurant.
“Have you been going to Kaori-san’s place often lately, Olivia-san?”
“Not every day, but I go whenever I find a spare moment... I am actually very close to completing the menu for the second time.”
...She goes there a lot. She’s a total regular. If she’s almost cleared the menu twice, that means she’s already finished it once. She probably knows the place better than I do.
“Then you might actually be more of an expert on Kaori-san’s food than me. In that case, I’d love to try whatever you recommend today. Is there a dish you particularly liked?”
“I-If you are asking for my personal opinion... I thought the Chicken Tomato Stew Set Meal was quite delicious...”
“Oh, that sounds great. I’ll order that today.”
Tomato stew was definitely a solid choice, and it paired perfectly with chicken. The acidity would probably make it go down easy with rice. If I had gone alone, I probably would have defaulted to something like ginger pork or tonkatsu, so I was glad I asked her.
???: “Kaito-san, Kaori-san, and Olivia-san... Hmph, a Stomach Pain Formation, I see. Not bad. ...It might lack the raw stability of a lineup featuring Lilia-san, but it’s still an arrangement that promises great results.”
Serious-senpai: “...What are you even talking about?”