Rasal had apparently been searching for a negotiation partner among the nobles of the Human Realm. After speaking with Elis for a short while, the matter was settled with an agreement to hold a formal discussion at a later date.
With a brief greeting toward me, Rasal began browsing the shop to select chocolates to take home. Our own shopping was already finished, so we received our neatly packaged items from Elis and tucked them away into our respective Magic Boxes.
"Kaito-sama, where do you plan to head next?" Elis asked.
"It’s just about time for lunch, so we’re planning to get something to eat. It’s a first for all of us, but I believe the name of the restaurant was..."
I relayed the name of the establishment that I had heard from Olivia and Kaori earlier. Since Olivia had already handled the reservations for both lunch and dinner, there was no need for me to take the lead as I had during our window shopping.
When I had checked Kuro’s guidebook earlier, the place seemed to be a highly-rated restaurant that specialized in dishes made with local vegetables. One detail that had piqued my curiosity, however, was a mention in the article that said, "There is actually a secret menu," though no specifics were provided.
"That shop is quite popular and the food is excellent, so I believe you've made an admirable choice," Elis said with a smile. "Since you are visiting... please wait just a moment."
"Eh? Oh, alright."
After hearing the restaurant's name, Elis gave a quick instruction to one of her staff members. They brought her a small message card, which she wrote on with a flowing hand before sealing it inside a petite envelope.
"That establishment offers a fruit juice not listed on the public menu which they recommend once a customer becomes a regular. It has a marvelous flavor that truly highlights the quality of the ingredients, so I would certainly like you to experience it, Kaito-sama. I happen to have a personal connection there, so I’ve prepared an introductory message card for you. If you would like, please try ordering it."
"Thank you very much. I’ll be sure to order it."
I see. So the hidden menu mentioned in Kuro’s guidebook was a secret menu only available to regulars.
I thanked Elis for her thoughtfulness as I accepted the envelope. After expressing my gratitude once more as she saw us out of the shop, we finally moved on.
The new chocolates had been delicious as well. Even though I’d bought quite a few recently, I ended up getting a fair amount today too. That shop really is top-tier.
Come to think of it, Nifty sells a small quantity of chocolates made with the cacao Nebula produces. It might be interesting to look into a collaboration product centered around chocolate in the future.
Well, that’s not something I can decide on a whim; I’d have to see if Canalis or Elis were actually interested in the idea. It was just a random thought, but I figured I’d suggest it if the opportunity ever arose.
"By the way, I’ve been wondering for a while... Olivia-sama, is your income primarily derived from things like donations?"
As we walked toward the restaurant, hands joined once more, Kaori spoke up as if the question had just occurred to her. Unlike Kaori, Olivia hadn't seemed at all intimidated by the prices in Elis's shop; she had calmly purchased a wide variety of items that caught her eye.
"That is not incorrect," Olivia replied. "The sources of income for those belonging to the Great Cathedral include donations to the cathedral and the Divine Religion, rewards for dispatching personnel to perform rituals or ceremonies, and the fees for blessings performed by the priests. Because it includes donation funds, we refer to it as 1,000 Years' Worth of Distribution rather than a salary, but for all intents and purposes, you may consider it my pay. In my case, I also receive a salary for my duties as a City Representative."
"I see. Since Olivia-san is at the top of the Divine Religion and has a representative's salary on top of that, it might be an odd way to put it, but you must be quite wealthy."
It made sense when she explained it, but it was essentially a given that Olivia had a significant fortune. I didn't have much of an image of her spending money, so I hadn't really thought of her as "rich," but it would be stranger if the head of a city and the leader of the world’s only absolute religion wasn't wealthy.
"Indeed, as Miyama Kaito-sama suggests, I suppose my income is relatively high," Olivia said. "However, prior to receiving Kaito-sama’s guidance, I almost never used currency at all. My 1,000 Years' Worth of Distribution and my salary have been kept in storage virtually untouched for a millennium. To my embarrassment, I do not actually know the exact extent of my holdings."
"...A full thousand years of pay... Olivia-sama, aren't you actually staggeringly rich...?"
Just as Kaori whispered, Olivia undoubtedly possessed a massive fortune, but based on her behavior, she simply seemed to have very little interest in money itself.
In fact, the fact that she’d left it untouched for a thousand years meant she didn't use it unless absolutely necessary. Her spending had likely increased recently, what with eating at Kaori’s shop or buying books that interested her, but I still couldn't imagine her splurging. I had a feeling she wouldn't even manage to use up a single month's pay.
Serious-senpai: "When it comes to sheer toughness against stomach pain, Elis might actually be the best among the Stomach Pain Warriors... To be punched in the gut that many times and still recover so perfectly... I can feel her strength in how she keeps a straight face despite her internal panic. Meanwhile, it looks like the Stomach Pain Devil over here has already thought up a follow-up plan for her. Does he have no heart?"