At the end of the Central Plaza in the Friendship City, Hikari…… Stands a conspicuously humongous building, the Central Cathedral.
It was so huge that it could be seen from a distance, but looking at it up close, it looked overwhelmingly large.
Incidentally, this Cathedral wasn’t the center of the Friendship City…… That would be the Central Plaza where the main event of the Festival of Heroes is held.
As I entered, a man dressed in a priest’s uniform approached me.
[Have you come today for a tour? Worship?][Ahh, no, my name is Miyama Kaito. I have an appointment to meet with Founder-san……]
[We have heard about your arrival. The Founder is currently in the prayer room dedicated to her. Please allow me to guide you. This way please.]
[Ah, yes. Thank you very much.]
It seemed that he had already been informed, as I was received right away. Even so, Founder-san had a prayer room dedicated for her huh. From what I’d heard, if she had free time, her prayers could even last for months on end……
As I had such thoughts in mind, I was brought to a slightly small room. There I found a Teleportation Magic Circle, which was apparently connected to the prayer room.
As the person who guided me to the room urged me to stand on the Teleportation Magic Circle, the scenery around me changed with a flash of light.
At the inner part of the room, which wasn’t as large as I had expected, just slightly smaller than an ordinary church, I saw an altar, and in front of it, I could see Founder-san kneeling down both knees, seemingly in the middle of a prayer.On top of the altar, for some reason, placed there was a luxuriously decorated chair…… something that looked like a king might sit on, but I’m not sure why that chair is there.
Well, putting that aside…… How should I say this…… The prayer room is so astonishingly quiet that I find it hard to call out to her.
As I was feeling puzzled, Founder-san quietly stood up and turned around, her beautiful blue eyes reflected my image.
Thereupon, as she walked towards me with a steady gait, the light shining through the stained glass windows gave Founder-san a somewhat mystical feeling.
[……I’m extremely grateful for your visit today. Once again, it is my heart’s greatest pleasure to have met you like this, Miyama Kaito-sama. My name is Olivia, the representative of the Friendship City, Hikari, as well as the Founder of the Central Cathedral.]
It was a clear, beautiful, high-pitched voice, but it was somewhat devoid of emotion.
It wasn’t a voice without intonation like Shiro-san. It felt like her voice was somewhat indifferent, as if she were reading the words she had written on her script.
[Nice to meet you, I’m Miyama Kaito. Errr, I’m in your care.]
[I will also be in your care.]
[Yes.]
[…………….]
[Errr, do you mind if I call you Olivia-san? You can also call me however you want.]
[Yes.]
[…………….]
[…………….]
T- This is troubling…… I can’t keep the conversation going. I mean, Olivia-san was very calm and cool, but I could tell that she wasn’t the type to actively talk.
That being the case, I guess I should be the one to take the lead and manage the conversation huh…… I- I wonder what kind of topic I should bring up here?
[……E- Errr…… The Cathedral is a beautiful place, isn’t it? I took a glance around the place while heading here, and everywhere I looked, it was beautiful and kind of mysterious.]
[If that’s what you think, I think those who made it would be pleased.]
I’m stumped, really stumped. I seriously can’t move the conversation forward. The emotions conveyed through my Sympathy Magic were very flat, and I couldn’t quite figure out what Olivia-san is thinking.
As I was wondering if there was any way to resolve this subtly awkward feeling, Olivia-san quietly spoke.
[Miyama Kaito-sama, would you mind if I offered a little prayer?]
[Eh? Ah, yes. It’s alright.]
I don’t really know much about praying, but I had interrupted her in the middle of prayer earlier, so I suppose this would be a good time for her to return to praying.
Having this in mind, I gave her my acknowledgement. Olivia-san then quickly got down on her knees in front of me, clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
……Wait, the prayer is being directed on me!? The heck is with this situation…… I am standing in a prayer room, being prayed to by a woman with silver hair, blue eyes, and dressed in a pure white priest robe.
What the heck am I supposed to do here? When does this prayer of hers end……
[I’m grateful for allowing me to have this small prayer.]
[N- No…….]
[We have seats prepared. This way please.]
[Ah, yes.]
—–is what I thought, but it seems that her prayer ended in a short amount of time, and Olivia-san stood up and began leading me……. “to that luxurious chair on top of the altar”———- No, that chair was prepared for me!? I was wondering why there was a chair unnaturally on top of the altar…… Eh? You want me to sit on this?
[……Olivia-san, if I sit on this, what about you?]
[If it doesn’t sully your eyes, I was thinking of kneeling in front of you.]
[……Why don’t we talk while standing up? Somehow, I’m not really in the mood to sit down right now…….]
[If that’s what pleases Miyama Kaito-sama.]
……H- How should I say this…… This was a rather unsettling start.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [……I guess it’s probably that. There’s probably a subtle difference in how they view the situation between Kaito, who thinks of Olivia as the same as the Supreme Gods, and Olivia, who thinks that Kaito is a being who stands equal with the target of her faith, Shallow Vernal?]
