After leaving the venue for the interaction event, we headed into the city. Since the Night Session required a separate ticket, I went ahead and purchased ours while we were at it.
The venue was scheduled to close from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM to transition between the Day and Night Sessions, so we planned to make our way back once it reopened. I pulled out Kuro’s Complete Food Tour Guide to figure out where to eat. As usual, the book was incredibly handy. Kuro frequently swapped my copy for the latest version, keeping the information so current that even brand-new shops were listed in detail.
"Sieg-san, is there anything specific you’re in the mood for?"
"Hmm, since we're here, I'd love to try some famous local cuisine."
"True, a local specialty would be nice..."
Flipping through the pages, a certain entry caught my eye. Kuro had given it a high rating of eight stars, and the notes described it as a rare dish seldom seen in other cities. According to the description, it was a lot like okonomiyaki. It was listed as a rare otherworld dish served at a restaurant founded by a Former Hero-role who had stayed in this world; the shop now boasted a four-hundred-year history.
"Sieg-san, what about this place? It says they serve a dish similar to okonomiyaki, which is from the world I came from."
"I’ve never heard of it before. I'm definitely interested, so let's go there."
"Alright."
With our destination decided, we followed the guide to the restaurant. Contrary to the casual image I had of such a place, the building looked quite high-end. When we went inside, the staff told us that we didn't need a reservation and led us to a private room immediately. It was spacious, with a table featuring a large iron griddle built into the center.
"This feels a lot more upscale than I expected."
"Was it different in your world, Kaito-san?"
"It's generally more of a commoner's food..."
"Otherworld cuisine is a rarity, after all. Between the specialized ingredients and other factors, it tends to be expensive in this world. Rice is also relatively high-priced."
"I see."
That made sense. Kaori-san had mentioned that the cost of rice was high and that certain ingredients were difficult to source, so it stood to reason that a dish I thought of as cheap would be a luxury here.
A moment later, a waiter arrived to take our order. They offered the choice of grilling it ourselves or having them bring it out pre-cooked. I chose to have them cook it for us. I didn't have much confidence in my ability to flip the batter cleanly, and besides, there was no guarantee their recipe followed the exact steps I knew.
"We’ll still have some time before 8:00 even after we finish eating, right?"
"Want to do some shopping nearby afterward?"
"Oh, that sounds lovely. It’s a perfect way to kill time. Is there anything you’re looking for, Sieg-san?"
"Let’s see... maybe some clothes. It gets a little chilly at night, so I brought some outerwear, but I thought maybe buying something new would be nice too."
I was fine thanks to Shiro-san's Blessing, but the Arclesia Empire was certainly a colder region. Sieg-san was wearing a sleeveless outfit, so she looked like she might be freezing.
"Actually, aren't you cold right now? For this season, I’d think it’s pretty chilly..."
"Oh, I'm using magic power to protect myself, so I don't feel the cold much even in light clothes."
"Ah, I see."
"It's one of the Mandatory Magic for Knight Order Members. It would be a problem if our performance dropped because of the temperature. I mean, there’s a limit to how much I can adjust it, so I still feel a bit of a nip... but Kaito-san, you're fine because of the Blessing of Shallow Vernal-sama, right?"
"Yeah. It feels like I'd have no problem even in the Land of Death."
The Land of Death was a place perpetually locked in ice and snow, so the cold had to be extreme, yet I didn't feel a thing. According to Shiro-san, I could even swim in lava without an issue. That effect alone made it a staggeringly powerful Blessing.
"As expected of a Blessing from Shallow Vernal-sama. That reminds me, Kaito-san—switching topics... or rather, going back to one—do you have a certain style of clothing you prefer?"
"In terms of what I wear myself? Probably this hooded jacket. Honestly, regardless of what else I’m wearing, I feel restless if I don't have this on."
While I changed my shirts and pants regularly, I had bought multiple copies of this specific jacket and wore them religiously. It had become something of a trademark; nothing else felt quite right.
"I know how you feel. I'm the same way with my muffler. I don't feel settled without it."
"Do you have a favorite type of clothing, Sieg-san?"
"Let me see... I suppose outfits that are easy to move in while I'm in the forest."
"Ah, I figured that would be high on your list."
I remembered her saying something similar back when we went shopping for the Six Kings Festival. A wave of nostalgia washed over me, and I couldn't help but smile. We continued to enjoy our idle chatter until the food arrived.
Serious-senpai: "Looking at the patterns of the past, the number at the end of this title will go up to ⑫ at most... which means the Night ☆ Interaction ☆ Event will start within the next five chapters at the latest... I'm terrified."
???: "What's with that star? Isn't it a bit old-fashioned? Kind of cringey, honestly."
Serious-senpai: "Listen, stop dealing me any more psychological damage. I'm literally going to cry, okay?"