Just as we had planned, we started up the long flight of stairs leading to the hilltop park. The steps themselves were shallow and the landings broad, designed for a leisurely ascent, but the low height of each step meant the climb involved a massive number of them.
Since I usually accompanied Hina on her jogs and stayed in relatively good shape, it wasn't an issue for me. Predictably, however, Olivia had reached her limit by the time we were only halfway up.
"O-Olivia-sama? Are you alright?"
"Haa... I am... fine. There is... no problem."
"You don't look fine at all! Wait... isn't Olivia-sama supposed to be incredibly powerful?"
Kaori called out in a panic to Olivia, who was visibly spent. As per usual, Olivia insisted she was perfectly capable of continuing.
From any perspective, she didn't look okay, though I had the feeling she was holding out better than she had during our trip to Hero’s Hill.
"Let’s take it slow and have a rest. We have plenty of time, and I was actually hoping to take a breather myself..."
"I... I understand. If Kaito-sama says so..."
I suggested a break. Knowing Olivia’s personality, I knew she would try to force herself forward to avoid being a burden, so I framed the request as my own need to rest.
While there weren't any benches, the landings were spacious enough that we could step aside without blocking the path for anyone climbing behind us.
"Regarding Kaori’s earlier question... my abilities are significantly restricted outside the Friendly City. In this state, I possess only the strength of an ordinary person. To put it simply, my powers are sealed. I am permitted to release that seal in extreme emergencies, but for now, you may perceive me as nothing more than a common human."
"I see. So that’s how it works."
"Olivia-san, inside the city, you have power equal to a Supreme God, right? So that’s your true strength."
I had wondered about the mechanics, and it appeared her abilities were indeed kept under lock and key whenever she left her home turf.
"To be precise, as long as I am within the city, I am superior to the Supreme Gods. No, that might be slightly misleading. The power Shallow Vernal-sama bestowed upon me—the equivalent of a God’s Authority—is absolute within the city. Specifically, it includes the 'Nullification of Abilities, Including Authorities.' Inside the city, I am immune to all external influences. It is a power rooted in the fact that Shallow Vernal-sama created me to be a neutral entity."
"I see..."
In other words, Olivia was effectively a blank slate that nullified everything else. Shiro-san likely gave her that ability so she could maintain neutrality, shielding her from Thought Guidance, brainwashing, or magical manipulation. It certainly gave her the aura of a high-tier powerhouse.
The fact that she said it "included" that ability suggested she had plenty of others, making her truly invincible within the city limits. That was likely why her power was restricted elsewhere—it would simply have too much of an impact on the world.
"However, it has no effect on certain Quasi-Almighty Classes, Shallow Vernal-sama being one of them. The Phantasm King also managed to create a subspace within my own sanctuary, the Church Leader’s Room..."
"Ah, so that’s why you were so shocked back then."
"That... sounds like a crazy scale of power."
Kaori stared off into the distance, looking overwhelmed by the scope of the conversation. Then, Olivia seemed to realize something and turned to her.
"My own lack of stamina notwithstanding, you don’t seem fatigued at all, Kaori."
"Oh, well, before I opened my shop in the city, I spent a long time traveling alone. I’m used to walking. I also have a high-level adventurer license... and a bit of an embarrassing nickname from my old days."
"Wait, really? Does that mean you’re a Top-class Adventurer, Kaori-san?"
I knew from Akane that she was strong, but I hadn't imagined she was a titled Top-class Adventurer on the same level as someone like Luna. However, Kaori looked conflicted at my question.
"I wonder. Titled adventurers are usually called top-class, but I was never really active in the guild. Since Aoi and Hina are adventurers, you might know this, Kaito-kun, but you have to submit a lot of paperwork to register. Because of that, an adventurer license works as a perfect form of identification."
I knew that much; Alice had explained it to me while the girls were getting their own licenses. Seeing the mountain of documents they had to fill out and the interviews they went through, I could see why the card held such weight.
"If you have a license, you can pick up work in any town with a guild. It was a great way to earn travel expenses. Higher ranks get more support and access to high-paying, short-term contracts, so I worked my way up. During one monster stampede, I managed to stand out a bit, and they started calling me 'Water Blade.' It's so embarrassing... But since I was always moving, I never took on long-term requests. Even when I needed money, I’d just as often take a part-time job at a restaurant. I’m not sure if someone like that really counts as a Top-class Adventurer."
"I suppose that is a bit of a gray area."
"Right? Anyway, I’m just a shopkeeper now. That’s all ancient history."
Kaori gave a self-deprecating smile, acting as if it were nothing special... but I suspected she was much more powerful than I had ever given her credit for. I had assumed she was roughly on par with Aoi or Hina, but after hearing this, I wondered if she could actually hold her own against Luna or Sieg.
Serious-senpai: "She’s being modest because that’s just her nature, but isn’t she actually a legend in the adventurer world?"
???: "Indeed. She was the hero of a large-scale stampede in the Hydra Kingdom a few years ago. She received a personal reward from Laguna and was even scouted for the Order of Knights. She turned them down without a second thought to continue her travels. To her, adventuring was just a way to pay the bills when her wallet got light, so she never actually cared about the prestige."