Guided by Olivia, Kaito and the others arrived at the restaurant she had reserved. Just as he had expected, they were ushered to their table with the kind of VIP treatment that came with having the entire establishment to themselves.
This venue was even more upscale than the one they had visited for lunch. It was a favorite among the nobility, and the arrival of a celebrity like Olivia was a monumental occasion for the staff. They were prepared to pull out all the stops to provide the best service possible.
But then, Olivia dropped a bombshell on the server who had seated them.
"Please keep in mind that the highest-ranking individual at this table is Lord Miyama Kaito," she stated firmly.
"!? C-Certainly, my lady!"
Olivia had only intended to avoid the minor oversight from lunch by being proactive, but her words nearly paralyzed the waiter with fear. While the owner wasn't a noble, they were a merchant with deep connections to high society. They knew exactly who Kaito was and had drilled the significance of his presence into every member of the staff.
While Olivia was more famous among the general public, to a high-end establishment like this, Kaito’s presence carried even more prestige than hers. Unbeknownst to him, his status as a "hidden fixer" had just guaranteed them an even more extravagant level of service.
"This place has a lovely atmosphere," Kaito remarked.
"If it pleases you, Kaito-sama, then it was worth choosing... So, um, Kaito-sama... if possible, would you... would you mind giving me your evaluation of the day?"
"An evaluation?"
"Yes. Under the command of the Great Shallow Vernal-sama, I was granted the honor of this date, and I crafted this itinerary with Mizuhara Kaori's help. My own immaturity led to some deviations from the plan, but this restaurant marks the end of our scheduled activities. Therefore, I would like Kaito-sama to pass a ruling on whether I conducted this date successfully."
As far as this restaurant was concerned, Olivia hadn't incorporated any specific activities like the ones they had engaged in during lunch. It was simply the result of her searching for a venue worthy of hosting Kaito.
Now that they had reached the final stop of the day, a wave of anxiety had washed over her. She found herself desperately wondering if she had actually managed to be a good date, and she yearned for his approval.
"I see... Well, I had a wonderful time. Because you put so much thought into everything, Olivia-san, I could just relax and enjoy myself without having to worry about where we were going. It felt exactly like a real date should. But what about you? Did you enjoy yourself today?"
"Yes! Being by your side is an honor beyond words, but today I was shown such mercy at every turn... It was such a blissful day that I almost feel guilty for being this happy. Of course, it wasn't just about the joy. I struggled through the planning stage and received a great deal of advice from Mizuhara Kaori, but I feel I’ve grown because of it. I am certain the Great Shallow Vernal-sama advised me to go on this date because she believed I would grow through the process—by agonizing over the plans and dealing with the unexpected discrepancies that arise in practice."
"I'm sure that's it," Kaito replied.
As he watched her speak with eyes sparkling with divine fervor, Kaito kept the thought that Shiro almost certainly hadn't put that much thought into it to himself. Instead, he simply nodded in agreement.
"What about you, Kaori-san?"
"Man, it was something else," she said with a wistful smile. "It felt like my long-overdue youth came rushing back all at once, like a massive wave... I experienced so much today that it almost felt too dense, but I really did have a great time. Still, I can't believe I let Kaito-kun put his arm around me and give me a princess carry... Though, I guess for someone like you, carrying someone of my size is probably no effort at all."
"That's not true. You're a beautiful, charming woman, Kaori-san. I was actually quite nervous myself."
"...Oh. Well... that makes me... a little happy to hear."
Kaori looked slightly taken aback by his blunt honesty, her cheeks tinting a soft red as she let out a sheepish laugh. With that, the three of them enjoyed their dinner while reminiscing about the day’s adventures.
???: "Speaking of the weight exception we touched on earlier, Isis-san falls into that category as well. Even though she’s about five feet tall, she only weighs around sixty-six pounds. In truth, she simply maintains a weight she feels is appropriate. When she’s floating, her weight drops to zero. Since Isis-san is essentially a concept given form—much like a ghost species—her physical body doesn't actually have weight in the traditional sense."
Serious-senpai: "Well, for someone at Isis's level, manipulating her own weight is probably as easy as breathing."