You’re walking through Paulownia Mall on a Tuesday afternoon and see him. Sitting on that bench by the fountain is a kid who calls himself the Gourmet King. Most players see Nozomi Suemitsu and immediately want to run the other way. He’s loud, he’s insecure, and honestly, he’s kind of a jerk for the first half of your friendship. But if you’re looking to max every bond in the game, you can’t ignore the moon social link persona 3 reload.
It’s one of the weirder stories in the game. It involves a cult, a dead brother, and an alarming amount of indigestion.
How to Get the Gourmet King to Actually Talk to You
You can’t just walk up to Nozomi on day one and start a friendship. The game makes you work for it. First, you’ve got to get your Magician Social Link (Kenji) up to Rank 3. During one of those hangouts, Kenji will mention a "Gourmet King" who hangs out at the mall. That’s your cue.
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But wait, there’s more. You need a Charm rank of 3 (Confident) just to get him to acknowledge your existence. Once you meet those requirements, he’ll grill you with a quiz to prove you’re a fellow foodie.
The answers are pretty specific. If he asks about the most popular drink, tell him it’s Pheromone Coffee. When he asks about the color of the mascot at the burger joint, the answer is Red. Finally, for the secret menu item at Hagakure, go with the Hagakure Bowl.
Even after that, the guy is still hungry. He won't officially start the Link until you hand over an Odd Morsel. You’ve probably found dozens of these in common chests while exploring the first block of Tartarus. Give him one, and the Moon Arcana finally unlocks.
Why Everyone Struggles With This Storyline
Nozomi is a controversial character. In a game full of cool SEES members and tragic figures like the Sun Social Link, Nozomi feels... different. He’s a middle-schooler with a massive chip on his shoulder. He spends the first few ranks bragging about his "refined palate" while scamming people into joining a weird cult called the "Moonlight Garden."
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It’s uncomfortable.
But that discomfort is the point of the Moon Arcana. In Tarot, the Moon represents illusions, anxiety, and things that aren't quite what they seem. Nozomi is living in a massive delusion. He’s constantly comparing himself to his late brother, a "perfect" student who everyone loved. Because he feels like he can’t live up to that ghost, he creates a fake persona—the Gourmet King—to feel important.
The Cult Arc and the Rank 9 Reversal
Around Rank 6, things get dark. Nozomi starts talking about "Paradise" and asking for money. He's basically running a pyramid scheme for a cult. Most players find this part of the moon social link persona 3 reload frustrating because the protagonist just kind of stands there and watches it happen.
Interestingly, Rank 9 is one of the few places in Persona 3 Reload where a Social Link "Reverses" naturally as part of the script. When Nozomi gets cornered by the people he scammed, he panics. He realizes his "Paradise" is a lie. This is where the mask finally slips, and you see the terrified kid underneath.
Best Dialogue Choices for Fast Ranking
If you want to get through this Link quickly so you can focus on school friends (who are only available on certain days), you need a Moon Persona in your inventory. Having one gives you a 1.5x multiplier on all points earned. Since Nozomi is available every single day (including Sundays and holidays), he’s a great "filler" link for when school is closed.
- Rank 2: Tell him "Sure, why not" when he asks to hang out.
- Rank 3: Call him "The Gourmet King" to stroke his ego. It feels wrong, but it gets the points.
- Rank 4: When he looks pale, ask "Are you feeling sick?"
- Rank 5: Confirm his suspicions by saying "That’s right."
- Rank 6: Ask "Are you sick?" again when he starts acting erratic.
- Rank 7: He’ll ramble about the world ending. Respond with "The world is ending?" or "That’s insane."
- Rank 8: This is the turning point. Tell him "No, you're not" when he starts devaluing himself.
- Rank 9: When the scam is revealed, tell him to "Just stop it."
- Rank 10: This is the payoff. He finally eats a bowl of ramen and actually tastes it instead of just stuffing his face to numb the pain. He realizes he doesn't need to be his brother.
The Reward: Fusing Sandalphon
Once you hit Rank 10, you get the "Gourmet License." This isn't just a piece of paper; it's the key to fusing Sandalphon, the ultimate Persona of the Moon Arcana.
Sandalphon is a beast. He’s a level 75 Persona that naturally reflects Light and resists Physical and Dark. In the original game, he was a bit harder to use, but in Reload, his unique skills and high stats make him a staple for the late-game Tartarus grind. If you’re planning on taking on the secret boss or finishing the final blocks of the tower, having a Max Moon link is basically a requirement.
Is He Really the "Worst" Social Link?
Honestly? Maybe. But he’s also one of the most realistic. Not everyone you meet is going to be a hero or a tragic poet. Some people are just messy, insecure kids who make terrible decisions because they’re lonely.
By the end of the bond, Nozomi decides to become a real food critic. He stops scamming people and starts trying to find his own path. It’s a small victory, but in the world of Persona 3, where the "Fall" is always looming, those small human changes are what the game is all about.
Don't sleep on the Moon link just because Nozomi is annoying. Use those Sunday afternoons when the mall is empty to grind out his ranks. You’ll want that Sandalphon fusion by January.
Next Steps for Your Playthrough:
- Check your inventory for an Odd Morsel before heading to Paulownia Mall.
- Make sure you have a Moon Arcana Persona (like Gurulu or Onoskelis) to speed up the process.
- Focus on Nozomi on Sundays and Holidays to save school days for your classmates.