Inside the Pope's Chamber of the Central Cathedral, Olivia sat in quiet meditation, honing her mental focus. The unexpected gift from Kaito had initially thrown her emotions into a tailspin, and for a long while, she had found it impossible to concentrate on her prayers.
Yet, with a will of iron, she had managed to suppress those stray thoughts. Or more accurately, she had successfully transmuted every ounce of embarrassment and agitation into pure gratitude towards Miyama Kaito-sama.
(I shall not seek a mind of absolute void. Instead, I will fill my heart with nothing but pure gratitude for Miyama Kaito-sama. There could be no better state of mind for embarking on a date. In my immaturity, I attempted to simply extinguish my distractions. That was my error. To elevate a turbulent heart into a state of cloudless appreciation—that is the true pinnacle of faith. Kaito-sama surely presented me with these clothes to teach me this very truth.)
She wore the white one-piece dress with a long skirt and the dark brown, slightly thick cardigan Kaito had gifted her. Knowing how much Olivia loathed exposing her skin, Kaori had helped her purchase black tights and dark brown boots to complete the ensemble. Aside from her face and hands, she was entirely covered. Yet, the outfit only served to emphasize her innate purity; paired with her shimmering silver hair, the look exuded a sacred aura that felt uniquely like her. Today, she performed her prayer in a posture slightly different from her usual one.
Normally, she would kneel to pray, but today she remained standing. She couldn't risk the slightest smudge or speck of dust ruining the clothes Kaito had given her.
(There are about thirty minutes remaining. Knowing Kaito-sama's nature, he will likely arrive fifteen minutes early. Since he is visiting me, it is only proper that I wait here rather than going out to meet him. I have given the priests exhaustive instructions; no matter which official he encounters, they will guide him here without fail. Until he arrives, I shall simply continue my prayers.)
By sublimating her stray thoughts into gratitude, Olivia’s focus reached a level of stability and strength she had never known. Her spirit felt so unshakable that she was certain even the most grueling ascetic training wouldn't cause it to waver.
Of course, such a state of absolute calm was only possible while she was alone in quiet prayer. It was a foundation destined to crumble into dust the moment they met. At that moment, however, Olivia had no way of knowing her impending fate.
Fifteen minutes later, sensing the approach of Kaito and Kaori, Olivia ended her prayer and stood to face the door. After a knock sounded and she invited them in, the pair entered the room. Olivia offered a bow so graceful it was a work of art.
"Good morning, Miyama Kaito-sama. And Kaori as well... I wish to express my deepest thanks once more for accepting my invitation and joining me on this date."
"Good morning, Olivia-san. I’ve been looking forward to today, so thank you for asking me. I see you’re wearing the outfit! Just as I thought, that pure look really suits you, Olivia-san. You look incredibly cute."
"............Hahii!?"
How could one even describe the scene? It was as if a meteor had suddenly slammed into the Glass Castle of the Mind that Olivia had spent so much painstaking effort to build. In an instant, the beautiful, artistic structure was obliterated.
To put it plainly, Kaito’s simple compliment had vaporized Olivia’s composure.
(...Cute? Kaito-sama called me... cute... Cute...)
Her thoughts were instantly painted over in pure white. Within her head, Kaito’s word "cute" echoed on an infinite loop. Needless to say, it would be quite some time before she regained any semblance of functionality.
Serious-senpai: "This is it, right? By spending ten days amping up her faith in Kaito beforehand, she basically manually cranked her own affection levels to the max. Doesn't that just make her way more vulnerable to his praise than before?"