Erina did not come out for the subsequent dishes; instead, other chefs were responsible for serving them.
Throughout the meal, the various ingredients and techniques Jean had never seen before left Jean absolutely dazzled.
Perhaps it was due to the dishes themselves, or perhaps Erina was not yet mature enough, but while the subsequent dishes were not necessarily better or worse in terms of deliciousness, their level of perfection was significantly higher.
Dining while chatting with Shiro, aside from the topic of the dishes, the main point of conversation was curiosity about the term "Drifter."
"So, what exactly is a Drifter?" Jean asked.
"Drifters are those who have left their original worlds due to various accidents. Those with good luck might enter other worlds and become Transmigrators or something similar, but those with bad luck can only wait for death in the cracks between worlds. Later, it is said that a Transmigrator who had grown powerful traveled everywhere, and this world began to actively save Drifters, giving them a space to survive."
"That actually sounds quite nice."
"Although the person's original intention was good, a collective can only be driven by clear interests. The end result is that rescuing Drifters is free; those with special qualities are absorbed by various organizations, those with skills join the city's operations—for example, craftsmen or culinary experts—while truly ordinary people become Reincarnators to gamble for their final chance at survival."
Shiro did not continue, but Jean understood. People without value naturally had no value in existing. Although it sounded quite cruel, when considering that they had been saved, it was actually giving them a chance to live, which could also be called a form of mercy.
"Come to think of it, I seem to need to find a craftsman." Jean explained the matter regarding her sword to Shiro.
"Hmm, then let's go shopping this afternoon. We can just see what level of upgrade your sword is; if it's average, we'll just have a new one custom-made. We should buy other equipment to complete your set as well." Shiro seemed very happy when talking about shopping.
---
After finishing the meal, the two got back into the flying car. "Integrated Zone Plaza." Shiro directed the car's automatic system.
Then, they flew towards the third zone.
"These three zones are the Upper Zone, Deep Zone, and Integrated Zone, plus the Central Zone right in the middle." Shiro took the opportunity to introduce them to Jean one by one. "The Upper Zone is the area where we just ate; it was established to serve the members who participated in creating this world. Later, it was opened to outsiders visiting for tourism, or to the elite among the local Reincarnators and Drifters. The Deep Zone is the area where Reincarnators strive; basically, they are all Reincarnators produced locally in this world, with a minority being Drifters. Finally, there is the Integrated Zone, with a large number of shops, Workshops, and research centers. The Central Zone was carved out after the arena was established; it only contains the arena and related facilities. The City Representative Deciding Battle is the biggest event there."
The destination this time was not far from the White Tower. Just as Shiro finished her introduction, the flying car began to descend.