Through a majestic yet serene corridor, Olivia walked, having changed from her prayer attire into the robes befitting her role as the Founder.
The light streaming in through the windows illuminated her, making her appear as if she herself were shining. Her graceful strides created a scene so beautiful it seemed like a work of art.
Her mind, honed and polished in preparation for the significant event ahead, influenced the atmosphere around her. It was as if even a casual encounter with a priest along the way might prompt them to drop to their knees in prayer. Such was the divine presence she exuded.
She embodied the ideal figure of Godism Church's leader, and Olivia herself was acutely aware of her peak state. She believed that no condition could be more fitting for her upcoming meeting with Kaito...... With such thoughts in mind, she arrived at the reception room.
[......Miyama Kaito-sama, I deeply apologize for keeping you waiting.]
[Olivia-san, good afternoon...... No, no, you didn’t keep me waiting at all. If anything, I should apologize for dropping by so suddenly. I hope things weren’t inconvenient for you?]
[Not at all. Even if there were matters to attend to, it’s highly unlikely that anything would take precedence over Miyama Kaito-sama's visit. As it happens, I was merely spending some personal time, so you need not worry about any disruption.]
[That’s a relief. I thought about contacting you via hummingbird, but since I happened to be at Kaori-san’s shop, I figured it’d be quicker to come here directly to the Cathedral and have her help the receptionist arrange me a visit......]
[Yes, of course. There is no one in this Central Grand Cathedral who wouldn’t recognize Miyama Kaito-sama. You’re welcome to visit anytime, and we will always provide a proper reception. Please feel free to stop by whenever you like.]
After speaking in a calm and gentle tone, Olivia politely excused herself before taking a seat across from Kaito.
(......Miyama Kaito-sama is bestowing clothing upon me? But I can’t recall any notable achievements on my part, nor can I think of any reason deserving of such a reward...... A present? Eh? W- Why? F- F- F- For what reason?)
From Olivia’s current perspective, it felt as if her most revered figure had suddenly and inexplicably offered her the highest of rewards. Her inner calm had instantly shattered, replaced by utter confusion.
Being earnest to a fault, she could only interpret a gift from a superior being...... in other words, Kaito, as a reward for significant contributions or accomplishments. That was the only scenario she had ever envisioned.
Though there had been an incident before where Kaito had, in a sense, provided her with clothing, she primarily remembered it as Alice forcibly dressing her up. It hadn’t left her with the impression of a genuine gift from Kaito.
This time, however, was different. Even receiving clothes as a gift alone was a monumental event for Olivia, but the idea that Kaito had personally selected something he thought would suit her and purchased it was so overwhelming that her thoughts had completely spiraled into the vastness of space.
(C- C- Calm down! I- I- I- I must control myself...... F- From worldly thoughts...... Clear my mind...... I need to decipher Miyama Kaito-sama’s true intentions! For someone like me, who hasn’t achieved anything significant, to be given a gift by him———— it must mean this isn’t about rewards but has a different purpose. I need to figure it out quickly or risk being disrespectful to Miyama Kaito-sama...... Wait! T- That’s it! When I researched dating customs, I read something about giving clothing as a way to...... to...... infuse the recipient with the giver’s preferences......Haehh!?)
Her attempt to regain composure only led her deeper into chaos, a common enough occurrence when overthinking spirals out of control. Naturally, Olivia’s thoughts once again launched into the great unknown.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [I see, if you casually give a devout believer a present, they end up overthinking it way too much and totally freak out......]