Standing in a corner of the magic ship’s reception lobby, Kaori and Akane watched the stream of arriving guests with eyes like dead fish.
While Akane was there simply as an invitee, Kaori was directly involved in the catering for today’s festivities. As a result, she found herself obsessively tracking the guest list, her anxiety mounting with every new arrival.
She had known, of course, that the Six Kings and the Supreme Gods would be in attendance. However, the sheer number of other legendary figures appearing one after another was far beyond what she had imagined, leaving her with a persistent, gnawing ache in her stomach.
"Well... with that latest arrival, it looks like the Four Great Magic Dragons are all here, except for Grandireas-sama. I reckon it's just too hard for him to join in given his size, but still... from where we’re standing, we’ve seen the Five War Generals, the Seven Princesses, and the Four Great Magic Dragons almost entirely assembled. I knew this was coming, but seeing it for real is just mind-blowing."
"Ugh, my stomach... I mean, I knew what I was getting into, and I put everything I had into the prep, but still..."
"You’ll be fine. You might have come up with the original recipes, Kaori, but plenty of other people helped adapt them to work with the ingredients and tastes of this world, right? If that's the case, you've got nothing to worry about."
Akane offered a supportive, weary smile. Just as Kaori’s expression began to soften, a familiar voice called out to them.
"Oh, if it isn't Kaori-chan."
"Ah! Shige-san! Hanna-san!!"
"Hello, Kaori-san... What an incredible venue this is."
The newcomers were the husband-and-wife pair, Shigenobu and Hanna Okura, both dressed in formal attire. The sight of familiar faces immediately brightened Kaori’s mood.
"Honestly, it’s so much more overwhelming than I expected that my stomach won't stop acting up... Oh, right! Let me introduce you! This is Akane-san. She’s an otherworlder who moved here, just like us!"
"Pleasure to meet you. I’m Akane Mikumo. Here, have one of my business cards. I run a small trading firm, so if you ever find yourselves in need of anything, please don't hesitate to reach out. I look forward to getting to know you."
"Ah, likewise. I’ve heard a bit about you from Kaori-chan, but it’s always a treat to meet someone from back home. I’m Shigenobu Okura. These days, I’m just a farmer out in Hydra's countryside. This is my wife, Hanna. We both look forward to your acquaintance."
"It is a pleasure to meet you."
While Akane and Shigenobu had heard of one another through mutual friends, they had never actually met in person. They took advantage of this chance encounter to exchange proper introductions.
"Come to think of it, isn't there one more kid who moved here? Seigi Mitsunaga-kun, was it?"
"Oh, I’ve heard that name from Kaito-kun. But I’m pretty sure that boy was granted a title, wasn't he? If he’s here, he’d be attending as a noble, which means he’ll likely have guards and a formal entourage. It might be hard to run into him unless Kaito-kun introduces us."
"...Wait. I heard this from Kaito as well, but isn't that Noin-san person also an otherworlder?"
"A-Ah... well, that person is... she’s special in a lot of ways. There are parts of her situation that are hard to explain and a bit complicated to get into... Anyway, just don't worry about it!"
Shigenobu inquired about Seigi, the other youth in the Hero-role, but since neither Kaori nor Akane had actually met him, they had little to offer.
The topic then shifted to Noin. While Akane only knew her as a former otherworlder, Kaori—who was aware that Noin’s true identity was the legendary First Hero—wore a strained expression as she glossed over the details.
In a desperate bid to change the subject, Kaori scanned the lobby. Her eyes landed on an acquaintance looking around near the reception desk, and her expression shifted instantly.
"Oh! Olivia-sama!"
"...Hm? Ah, Mizuhara Kaori. We meet at an opportune moment. I am having difficulty finding my quarters. To reach my destination, must I count exactly this many doors?"
"Ah, no, it’s not quite like that. The first digit of the number represents the floor..."
Kaori rushed over to Olivia, who was a regular at her restaurant. For Olivia, who rarely interacted with the outside world, Kaori was one of the few people she considered a relatively close friend. A faint, rare smile touched Olivia’s lips as she inquired about her room.
After a brief explanation, Kaori looked back at Akane and the others.
"Sorry! I’m going to go guide Olivia-sama to her room!"
"Go right ahead. I’ll be hanging around here for a bit longer, so take your time."
"Will do!"
Kaori gave Akane a cheerful wave and began walking toward the guest cabins with Olivia, who offered a polite nod of greeting to the group. Watching Kaori’s retreating back, Akane muttered to herself with a wry grin.
"...Good grief. It’s probably Kaito's influence rubbing off on her, but Kaori has developed some seriously heavy-duty connections of her own... Though, I suppose I’m one to talk."
Recalling that she, too, had met countless influential figures through Kaito, Akane let out a long sigh, her expression a mix of amusement and disbelief.