The food Kaori-san prepared was as delicious as ever. Just as Noin-san had mentioned when she tasted it, there was a wonderful, homey warmth to her cooking.
"Not bad at all... And this sake, do you get it from Noin?" Megiddo asked.
"Ah, yes. I have Noin-sama supply it, along with things like miso. I've tried other brands, but Noin-sama's was the best when it came to Japanese sake."
It seemed that when I had brought Noin-san here previously, they had reached several business agreements. Kaori-san’s shop now sourced various seasonings and alcohol directly from her.
Noin-san was quite particular about Japanese food, so she and Kaori-san’s diner were a perfect match. Noin-san herself seemed to have taken a liking to the place; despite it being located in the Friendly City Hikari—the one city in the world she most wanted to avoid—she apparently visited quite frequently.
"I feel like your diner is constantly leveling up, Kaori-san," I remarked.
"I'm biased, of course, but I think the food has improved because I’m able to use better ingredients than before. Though, if you trace it back to the source, almost all of it is thanks to your influence, Kaito-kun. I'm really grateful."
"I think 'almost all of it' is an exaggeration, but I'm glad I could help."
"...If only it were a little easier on my stomach, it would be perfect," she muttered.
"Hmm?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing! Ahaha..."
She had been whispering something under her breath with half-closed eyes, but I couldn't quite hear her. Just then, a sake cup was smoothly offered to me from the side.
"Here, Kaito, you have some too. You can use Shallow Vernal's blessing to nullify the alcohol whenever you want, right?"
"Ah, yes. I'll have some, then. Drinking in the middle of the day feels a bit strange, though..."
"Why's that?"
"I feel like trying to explain it to you would be a lost cause, so please don't mind me. It's just a personal thought."
Megiddo-san would drink whenever the mood struck him; in fact, he practically drank sake like it was water. Since he was also capable of nullifying intoxication or sobering up in an instant, it probably didn't matter when he chose to indulge.
However, in his current form—a young girl with a slightly mysterious air—the sight of him sipping hot sake was quite striking. It created a sensual, glossy atmosphere that felt almost alluring.
If he were in his usual magic beast form or his humanized male form, he would just look like a common drunkard... Visual impressions really were powerful.
"Oh? What is it, Kaito? Fallen for me?"
"No, I just thought that seeing you drink in that form creates a unique atmosphere. It gives off a different impression than usual."
"Is that so? Well then, what's your usual image of me?"
"A hearty battle junkie who loves his alcohol... I suppose?"
"That's a blunt evaluation, but I can't find a single reason to deny it, so I can't really complain. Oh well—drink up!"
Megiddo-san truly had a refreshingly straightforward personality. Watching him brush it off with a wry smile made me realize just how easy he was to get along with.
Of course, I understood that he could be terrifying before you got used to him. I also understood why Kaori-san and Akane-san had panicked when I called him a "hearty battle junkie" just now.
"...Kaito, are you just... not afraid of anything?" Akane asked.
"No, Megiddo-san is much more tolerant than the public makes him out to be. He doesn't get angry that easily. Today especially, he’s in such a good mood that there’s really nothing to worry about."
When dealing with Alice, he would deliberately rise to her provocations, but that bickering was just their specific way of communicating.
With everyone else, he was generally big-hearted and broad-minded. He rarely got angry... though that was admittedly based on the premise that he actually liked the person.
For those he didn't care for, his response would likely be exactly what Kaori-san and Akane-san were imagining. Incidentally, he seemed to have taken a liking to Kaori-san, Akane-san, and Frau-san, so I figured it was safe for them to relax a little more.
While lost in these thoughts, I enjoyed the idle chatter and the meal.
That reminded me—since I had bought clothes for Kaori-san, I had also picked some up for Olivia-san. Since I was already in the Friendly City, I decided I should go deliver them to her later.
Serious-senpai: "And so, he prepares to launch a surprise raid on Olivia, who is currently undergoing grueling ascetic training in a desperate attempt to stabilize her mind."