At the words that were difficult to understand, goosebumps ran down Noah's neck.
With a look of utter bewilderment on his face, he reflexively turned to look at Fenrir.
However, Fenrir, who was looking at him, wore a very nonchalant expression. He even had a smile on his face.
"You have gathered so many rare items in your townhouse; wouldn't there be a risk of an intruder?"
"..."
"You really need to be careful. Since no one can immediately notice if something happens, I think it would be a good idea to at least tighten security."
"Ah. Uh... that’s right, isn’t it?"
Only then did Noah relax, nodding with a foolish smile.
"Listening to the Grand Duke, it really does seem that way. In fact, there are still guards standing watch, but..."
Noah continued speaking.
"How should I put it? I'm not the type of person who likes having too many people around the things I cherish, so you understand, right?"
"Yes."
Fenrir answered in a very low voice.
“Really, so much.”
"It seems that Grand Duke Fenrir and I have much in common. I am so glad to have gained a precious friend through this wonderful opportunity."
Fenrir did not answer. He simply walked quietly, following Noah.
Not long after, the two entered the room located at the very back of the townhouse.
Noah excitedly lit a fire, and soon light descended upon the dark room.
Noah's remark that there were 'many rare items' did not seem like mere empty boasting. The vast room was filled with luxury goods of all kinds.
Masterpieces with unknown titles, but which looked undeniably expensive. Dozens of jewels gleaming inside a glass display case, and even the stuffed animals he boasted were the most beautiful and precious.
If there was a talent, it was to arrange so many extravagant decorations in such a large space.
"This is my favorite place. I hope the Grand Duke likes it as well."
As Noah walked briskly, he began to explain the masterpieces and jewels on display. He also described how much he had paid to buy them, and how many people had coveted them.
And.
"As expected, the most wonderful thing is these taxidermied specimens."
"..."
“Isn’t it really beautiful?”
The variety was also diverse. In the faces of the lions, deer, and dogs, not a trace of guilt or compassion for the helpless animals could be found.
All he could clearly feel was a disgusting possessiveness and collecting urge reeking of foul stench.
Just as it was shown to Presepe in his own strategy route.
Noah would not have cared a single thing about Presepe's suffering, just as he does for those stuffed animals.
To him, Presepe was nothing more than a toy he wanted to get his hands on.
Not a person.
"Grand Duke, do you happen to know that, just like jewelry and clothing, there are trends in taxidermy as well?"
"... Trends?"
"Yes, when I was young, stuffed small animals were quite popular. So I collected as many as I could. But the popularity faded in no time, so now I follow the trend and have collected stuffed large animals like this. Besides, I am the type of person whose interest fades very quickly."
"Then what did you do with the taxidermied specimens you lost interest in?"
"I disposed of them."
"..."
"However, the quantity was so large that at some point, I just dumped them in the warehouse like trash. It is a shame since I spent a lot of money on them, but what can I do? Items that have lost their appeal are no different from trash."
Right, just like you did to Presepe?
Fenrir bit his lip hard.
"In any case, all my taxidermied specimens are even more lifelike because I drain the blood while they are still alive and treat them with chemicals immediately."
"..."
"However, lately I’ve become interested in other things."
Noah excitedly chattered away.
"I'm talking about monsters. I heard they've started making taxidermy out of them, and my heart raced when I found out. But they are just too hard to find."
Fenrir did not answer.
Instead, he looked at the comfortable sofa placed in the corner of the room, in front of the wall.
Fenrir slowly walked toward the sofa, stroking the smooth leather as he parted his lips.
"It looks like you are sitting here admiring the view."
"Yes. I often end my day sitting on that sofa, admiring the view. Every single day."
It is also my favorite time.
At Noah's words, Fenrir laughed heartily.
"However, the wall looks a bit bare. I was thinking of decorating it with the rarest taxidermied specimens."
Fenrir spoke while looking at the empty wall right above the sofa.
"It’s a shame, actually. I deliberately left that spot empty. But I haven't found anything I like yet."
With so many amazing items already here, shouldn't the focal point be even more spectacular?
Noah kept chattering tirelessly, and Fenrir gave no further answers.
Instead, he simply gazed quietly at Noah, his red eyes shining.
***
Presepe holed up in the tower for two whole days, engrossed in finding information about the real male protagonist.
That was possible because there was still time until the next event, but in fact, that next event was extremely tiring.
The original plot is as follows. A few days after Dietrich's banquet, Presepe is unjustly caught up in a certain incident.
That incident was the catalyst that opened up Presepe's path of hardship in earnest.
To put it simply, Dietrich receives a mysterious letter.
The senders of the letter were the opposition Dietrich had not yet fully dealt with. They were the remnants of the Second Prince, his younger brother who was the original heir to the throne but had been killed by Dietrich.
The letter contained writings that mocked and insulted Dietrich, but the biggest problem was that it included information known only to Presepe.
It is said that whenever the anniversary of his mother's death comes, Dietrich drinks heavily—something he never even touched—and spends the night at her grave shedding tears.
Dietrich's mother was the Empress, but she died when he was young.
It was called death by illness, but everyone must have known the inside story. The mother of the Second Prince. In other words, the fact that the Emperor's behavior of excessively favoring the concubines while treating the Empress like a second-class citizen had made her even weaker.
It was also during that time that Presepe and Dietrich were on good terms. Presepe was the only one who stayed by the side of the frail Dietrich, who had nowhere to turn for comfort.
That is why she knew. That poignant habit.
In any case, Dietrich was a man who had deep affection for his mother. It was understandable that he would be angry, as someone had even brought up his deceased mother and mocked him.
Furthermore, since he revealed a secret that only Presepe should have known, it was only natural for Dietrich to suspect Presepe.
In the end, the points that angered Dietrich were these.
1. First, the content of that letter.
2. The suspicion that Presepe was colluding with external forces. In other words, the thought that she was planning to abandon him and leave again at any moment.
3. The misunderstanding that Presepe went around blabbering about his own shameful secrets.
Of course, the culprit was not Presepe. However, an enraged Dietrich rounded up the remaining members and began an investigation, then imprisoned Presepe in an ice prison.
[Your Majesty, I am truly being treated unfairly...]
And Presepe endlessly repeats those pitiful words until she collapses on the exact third day. When she regains consciousness, of course, she is in the Tower.
If she goes directly to Dietrich's quarters from here, she can resolve the misunderstanding with him and increase her affinity, and if she stays in the tower, she can meet Siegfried, who has come to check on her condition on Dietrich's orders, and increase her affinity as well.
Instead, if she goes outside and wanders, she can meet Noah and Attar in the directions she wandered. Raise her affinity. The same goes for what can be done.
'...But Attar is already dead, and a buggy option popped up with Dietrich as well; will the game even proceed properly?'
To be honest, it was actually a benefit if things didn't progress. Although this game was overflowing with painful moments, being unjustly trapped in an ice prison and shivering for days on end was also incredibly difficult.
...Of course, the problem is that if you don't follow the set route, you really can't even get a handle on this game.
In any case, worrying about it wouldn't solve anything. So, Presepe decided to focus on what needed to be done for now.
"No matter how much I look, there is nothing special..."
She looked back on past memories and the incident logs with all the characters, and even scoured all the system windows, but she couldn't find anything.
She just felt sick to her stomach from seeing nothing but illustrations of people suffering at the hands of those damn bastards.
Furthermore, the Book of Memories still couldn't even be viewed.
"Hmmm..."
Presepe, who had been pondering with her chin resting on her hand, suddenly paused.
Then, she looked at something that caught her eye belatedly.
It was the map of the imperial palace.
"But even if you call it a map... it must just be a place everyone knows."
Still, you never know.
Presepe let out a sigh and pursed her lips.
“Show me the map.”
[Notice: View map of the Imperial Palace.]
And...
"Uh?"
She made a look of disbelief.
That was understandable, as she saw a place she had never once visited before.
[Notice: Secret Mode has been unlocked, and the locked location has been revealed.]
"No. Then you should have told me this earlier!"
As expected, it’s the worst of the worst games. And a total piece of garbage at that. Presepe spat out a curse.
“Tell me a new place!”
[Notice: The newly unlocked location is the Church. When centered around the West Tower...]
And it was that moment.
"Lady Presepe."
Unexpectedly, Ella's voice was heard.
...But nothing had happened before the event where I got locked up in prison?
Following this, words that doubled the mystery ensued.
"Grand Duke Fenrir has arrived."
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