Olivia walked down the wide corridor, having changed from her prayer vestments into her formal garments as Pope. The atmosphere was majestic, yet possessed a certain stillness. Light streaming through the windows illuminated her, making her appear as if she were glowing from within; her stride was so beautiful and poised that it looked like a scene from a masterpiece painting.
Her spirit, sharpened and refined for the upcoming monumental event, radiated outward. Had she passed any priests, the aura was so divine that they likely would have dropped to their knees in instinctive prayer. She was the picture of the supreme head of a faith, and Olivia felt certain that she was in the absolute best state of her life. She believed there could be no more appropriate condition in which to receive Kaito. With that quiet confidence, she reached the reception room.
"Miyama Kaito-sama, my deepest apologies for keeping you waiting so long."
"Hello, Olivia-san... No, I didn't wait at all. I'm actually the one who should apologize for dropping by so suddenly. Did I catch you at a bad time?"
"Not at all. Even if I had other pressing matters, almost nothing takes precedence over a visit from you. In this instance, I was merely spending some private time, so please, do not trouble yourself with any concern."
"I'm glad to hear that. I thought about sending a message through a Hummingbird, but I happened to be at Kaori-san's shop. I figured if I could get an audience directly, coming to the Central Cathedral would be faster..."
"Yes, certainly. No one in this cathedral is unfamiliar with your face, so you will be welcomed and accommodated no matter when you visit. Please, feel free to stop by whenever you like in the future."
Having addressed Kaito in an incredibly gentle tone, Olivia said, "If you'll excuse me," and took a seat opposite him.
Inwardly, she felt that as a subordinate, she should remain standing while Kaito was seated. However, through their history together, she had learned that he disliked such rigid formalities. Therefore, she chose to sit across from him as he preferred.
"So, Miyama Kaito-sama. If I may ask, what business brings you here today? Of course, simply seeing you is a joy beyond my wildest dreams, but..."
"Ah, right. Where should I start... To put it simply, I went out to buy some clothes for myself first..."
Kaito began explaining the chain of events. He described how he had gone out shopping, happened to run into Kaori, and ended up spending the day with her. Olivia maintained her serene smile, nodding politely as she listened.
"I see. If you had an enjoyable time, then I am happy for you as well... However, if I may be so bold, I don't quite see how I fit into the story thus far? My apologies for failing to grasp the depth of your intentions."
"Oh, no, the reason I'm here starts now... I mean, it's not really a huge deal, but I found some clothes at the shop that I thought would look great on you. I figured I'd get them for you as a surprise present, so I came by to drop them off."
"........................"
"Um... Olivia-san?"
As Kaito spoke, Olivia froze as if time itself had ground to a halt. The crystalline clarity that had filled her mind just moments ago vanished, replaced by a vast, chaotic cosmos stretching across her thoughts.
To be precise, she was utterly unable to process the situation.
(Miyama Kaito-sama is... bestowing raiment upon me? I cannot recall achieving any feat worthy of merit, nor can I think of any reason to receive such a bounty... A present? Eh? W-Why? H-H-How? For what reason?)
In Olivia's world, it was as if she had suddenly been offered the highest possible divine reward by the being she adored most. Her hard-won mental peace shattered in an instant, replaced by the absolute peak of confusion.
Being far too earnest, she could only conceptualize a superior being—namely, Kaito—giving her a gift as a formal reward for some great service she had rendered him. While she had technically been gifted clothes by him once before, her memory of that event was dominated by Alice forcing her into the outfit. She hadn't truly processed it as a personal gift from Kaito.
But this was different. Being gifted clothes was a massive event in its own right, but the fact that Kaito had personally selected and bought them because he thought they would suit her was so overwhelming that her consciousness drifted into the far reaches of the galaxy.
(S-S-Stay calm. I must be... serene... These are merely worldly distractions... I must settle my heart and decipher Miyama Kaito-sama's true intent! Since I have performed no feat of merit and yet he is bestowing this upon me, it cannot be a simple reward. There must be another meaning! If I don't realize it soon, I'll be committing an act of utter disrespect... Wait! That's it! I believe I read something similar in the references I studied regarding dating... Something about giving clothes as a way of... molding the recipient to the giver's tastes... Hahee?)
It is often the case that trying to regain one's composure only leads to a deeper descent into madness. Needless to say, Olivia's mind once again departed for the void of deep space.
Serious-senpai: "I see. So when you carelessly give a gift to the hardcore devout, they overthink the hidden meaning until they completely short-circuit..."