Chapter 1115: Founder and Shopkeeper ②

After admiring the scenery with Olivia-san for a while, we returned to the Cathedral, thanks to Olivia-san’s ability to return to the Cathedral instantly, and then went back outside again, checking out the other stores on the way to Kaori-san’s restaurant.

We were quite leisurely and took our time walking, so by the time we arrived at Kaori-san’s restaurant, the sun had set and it was time for dinner.

When I opened the door, Kaori-san, who was washing dishes at the counter, noticed my visit and gave me a bright smile.

[Welcome, Kaito-kun! You came just at the right time, I’ve just finished serving the customers…… Now, now, come sit here at the counter.]

[Excuse our intrusion then. I was wondering what to do if it was too crowded to sit down, so I’m glad.]

[Ahaha, we’re a Set-meal Restaurant, so it’s usually crowded during the daytime when there are many tourists. We don’t handle much alcohol, so we’re rather empty at night.]

Now that she mentioned it, her shop isn’t a bar, but a set-meal restaurant, so it probably wouldn’t be crowded at night. Since the food she serves are cuisines from another world, tourists would probably be her main clientele, and there are probably not many tourists walking around during the late hours of the day.

With this in mind, I sat down at the counter with Olivia-san, and there Kaori-san looked at me with a grin on her face.

[Even so, you’ve come with quite the beauty here. I sure can’t underestimate you, Kaito-kun~~ Is she your girlfriend? Even so…… Hmmm, have I seen her somewhere?]

[Ah~~ No, she is……]

Having said that much, I paused, moving my gaze around the store. I had told Kaori-san that I was going to see the Founder Olivia-san today, but I checked just in case there were other customers in the restaurant, because there was a possibility that it would cause a commotion.

But fortunately, there seemed to be no other customers, so I felt relieved and answered Kaori-san’s question.

“”

[Look, I mentioned about it during the day, right? That I’m going to see Founder-san…… This is the Founder, Olivia-san.]

[……………………]

[Ahh~~ It’s Founder-sama huh, I didn’t recognize you because you’re wearing a different outfit than your usual———–Eeeeeehhhhhhh!?]

Following my introduction, Olivia-san slightly nodded in greeting, to which Kaori-san responded with a smile, but then she suddenly backed away from her.

I had a hunch about this earlier, but it seemed like she really passed my words earlier off as a joke.

[F- Founder-sama!? W- W- Why is Founder-sama…… Abababa, y- your words earlier weren’t a joke!?]

[I had thought that might be the case, but you really thought I was joking huh.]

[Of course I would think of it like that! She isn’t someone just about anyone can mee, you know!?]

Kaori-san seemed to be in quite a panic, but after a little while, she regained her composure, and with a somewhat stunned look on her face, she spoke.

[……Haahhh…… However, I see, I kinda get it now.]

[You got it? What is it?]

[Kaito-kun’s someone related to the shrine! You were rich, so maybe one of the Gods liked you and gave you a good position? Because of that, you have come here to say hello to Founder-sama.]

Hmmm, I guess she really isn’t off the mark. In a broader sense, you could say that I’m related to them, and as for being liked by a God, that’s exactly right.

As I was thinking about this, Kaori-san looked a little angry as she called out to me.

[However, that won’t do, Kaito-kun.Of course, otherworld cuisine may be rare, but you don’t entertain your boss in a Set-meal Restaurant…… No, of course, I’ll do my best to show my skills, but I don’t know if she’d be satisfied, you know? Wouldn’t that affect your career prospects?]

[……Shopkeeper, can I tell you something?]

[Yesh!? W- W- What is it?]

At that moment, Olivia-san spoke up for the first time, and Kaori-san, who was spoken to, straightened her posture, looking rather tense.

Judging from her attitude, I suppose Olivia-san, the representative of the city, might be something like a King of the Friendship City.

[I myself have a lot of things I don’t know, and I don’t consider ignorance to be a sin. However, there were words you said that I couldn’t overlook, so I would like to correct them.]

[C- Correct? What is it?]

[Listen here, okay…… If you are referring to our position, “Miyama Kaito-sama would be my superior, and I, his subordinate”.]

[Eeeehhhh…… W- Why…… Who exactly is Kaito-kun? Is he a fixer? The shadow ruler of the world?]

[I suppose that’s generally correct.]

“”

[No, no, no…… That’s completely wrong.]

The story is getting outrageous, so I hurriedly corrected them.

No, wait a moment…… If I consider Alice as the real shadow ruler of the world…… Doesn’t that mean their words weren’t exactly wrong?

Anyway, I feel like I should properly explain this matter first.

Serious-senpai : [If you think of Shallow Vernal as the public ruler and Alice as the shadow ruler of the world…… I think her perception of Kaito as a fixer is indeed generally correct.]

? ? ? : [I doubt he’ll ever actually get involved in politics, but he’s well-connected enough to do whatever he wants if he wants to.]