"This is..."
Noah lifted the cloth, opened his eyes wide, and dropped his mouth.
"It's a stuffed monster, isn't it?"
As is usually the case with stuffed animals, the value of stuffed monsters increased the more ferocious and unique the monster was.
Furthermore, having collected all kinds of stuffed animals since childhood, Noah did not want such things, even if they were stuffed monsters.
However, the monster in front of him was very valuable.
It was also top-notch.
"Griffin..."
The Griffin, which had the appearance of a combination of a lion and an eagle, was a monster with a small population.
Moreover, although it was extremely beautiful in appearance, it was unspeakably ferocious, so there was no way to catch it. Even if one were lucky enough to encounter it, running away was the wisest choice to preserve one's life.
But that griffin... not even cut it up and stuffed it, but like this, whole?
"Ah..."
Noah, with a dazed look, carefully fiddled with the beautifully stuffed griffin.
A large, hard beak that looked as if it could gape open at any moment, cool eyes glistening in the light, and feathers neatly arranged.
Based on his accumulated experience, Noah could confidently assert that this stuffed monster was the most precious of all the ones he had ever seen.
"But who on earth..."
He was muttering to himself when he suddenly remembered something.
[I'm talking about monsters. I heard they've started making stuffed animals out of monsters, and my heart raced when I found out. But they are so hard to find.]
"...Grand Duke Fenrir."
Noah's mouth was stretched so wide it was unsightly.
"His background is utterly wretched, but it seems he has some discerning eye."
It seemed that his words about wanting to be a friend weren't just made up for no reason. Otherwise, how could he send such a precious gift?
It was the moment Noah was carefully examining the stuffed monster.
With a thud, the small, wrapped object wedged next to the stuffed animal rolled across the floor.
“It’s a scented candle, right?”
The hexagonal scented candle looked luxurious at first glance. Noah carefully sniffed it and wore a very satisfied expression.
"You have a romantic side, contrary to appearances."
They were truly the perfect gifts. Of course, there was no thoughtfulness like a written sender's name or a short enclosed letter, but Noah was certain. He was certain that the person who sent these precious gifts was none other than Fenrir.
"..."
Noah stuffed the incense stick into his robe pocket and, with a thud, pushed the makeshift cart with all his might. Then, he headed straight toward the room where all sorts of collectibles were gathered.
He knew better than anyone where this beautiful stuffed monster was placed.
[However, the wall looks a bit bare. I was thinking of decorating it with the rarest taxidermied specimens.]
[It’s a shame, actually. I deliberately left that spot empty. But I haven’t found anything I like yet.]
Although it could not be hung on the wall, the taxidermy specimen was enormous. It was large enough to cover the wall and then some.
He thought it would be perfect to pull the sofa forward a little to change its direction and place the stuffed animal in front of the wall.
"Damn it, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have given you the vacation..."
Normally, he would have had the servants do it, but as he told Fenrir, Noah gave them a vacation.
He wouldn't be back until next week at the latest, but Noah was not at all the type to wait doing nothing until then.
"Hehe..."
After quite some time had passed, Noah, having finished preparing to place the stuffed animal, haphazardly wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead.
Then, he took the stuffed animal down from the makeshift cart and placed it in a spot he had been eyeing.
"Also..."
That's great.
Noah smiled with great satisfaction as he looked at the stuffed griffin covering the wall that had been so utterly devoid of activity.
Eventually, Noah sat on the sofa, pushed right next to the stuffed animal with a slightly tired look on his face. Then, he lit the enclosed scented candle.
As expected, he really liked the scent the candle emitted as well.
"..."
He looked at the incense stick burning with a pleasant sound, then at the stuffed animal in front of him... Noah bustled about like that all by himself for quite a while.
And not long after, he started dozing off.
I want to savor this leisure, this wonderful moment, a little longer...
Even as he had such thoughts, his eyelids were as heavy as lead and showed no intention of becoming lighter.
To be honest, it was unavoidable.
Since that beautiful scented candle contained ingredients that Noah was completely unaware of.
Of course, the fact that Noah didn't know that was the beginning of all the tragedy, though.
"..."
The mysteriously colored smoke exhaled by the incense candle shone upon Noah's sleeping face.
The incense candle, burning endlessly and rapidly, continuously emitted smoke.
Not long after, in front of Noah.
The stuffed giant griffon was also engulfed in smoke.
And through the curtains that had not been completely drawn, the dazzling moonlight pouring in secretly and the mysterious-colored smoke shone brightly in the eyes of the griffin.
Unlike just now, when they were like the eyes of a doll, devoid of any vitality.
Not long after...
A griffin with its huge beak wide open lunged straight toward the nape of Noah's neck while he was asleep.
***
Two days have passed since Fenrir left.
What was a bit unexpected was that Dietrich was no longer visiting.
Just look at Attar; didn't he act quite erratically after choosing the bug option? So she was worried that Dietrich might do the same, but he was actually quiet.
However, Presepe knew better than anyone that this uneasy silence would not last long.
It was because the event of being trapped in that damn ice prison was right around the corner.
To be precise, it was exactly two days later.
After that event, the game progresses quickly, and male characters appear frequently. In other words, it meant that the gaps within the game, where one could at least move voluntarily as in the past few days, would disappear.
So before that, somehow...
She had to go to the new place she had discovered. No matter what excuse she had to come up with.
"Lady Presepe, what do you mean by saying you are going out?"
Ella asked with a look of disbelief, perhaps surprised by Presepe's behavior, which had never been seen even once before.
"You know very well, don't you? That if you want to leave the palace, you must first obtain permission from His Majesty the Emperor!"
"I'm not saying I want to go outside the palace; I'm saying I want to go to the church inside. Besides, it's less than a 10-minute walk away."
"Even if it's less than a 10-minute walk, the outside is the outside! Who on earth do you intend to punish this time?!"
Ella's reaction was incredibly cold. Well, it wasn't exactly surprising, considering how she always looked, but...
"I am going to church because of His Majesty, too. I want to go and offer prayers for His Majesty's safety. You heard it, didn't you? About what happened to Prince Attar."
Ella hesitated.
"His Majesty will understand, too."
Presepe knew better than anyone that she was cutting corners. However, there was nothing she could do. The atmosphere had been unsettled for the past few days due to the death of Prince Attar, and with the Ice Prison event right around the corner, time was running out.
"Do you understand? Do you think His Majesty will just sit idly by? If you really want to leave, ask for permission first."
"No, I have to go right now. If you stop me, I'll go even if I have to go alone."
"..."
"Or you can come with me. Wouldn't that be better for you?"
At Presepe's words, Ella's face stiffened slightly.
If she goes out together, they will punish her for going along with Presepe, as if failing to stop her wasn't enough.
If she doesn't follow, they will punish her for sending Presepe out alone.
She is probably comparing which one is harsher.
And the answer was already decided.
"Just offers a prayer and comes straight back. Do you understand?"
Presepe shrugged instead of answering, and Ella frowned deeply and began to get ready to leave.
Hmm. You really don't think of me as your boss in the slightest.
Still, well, it didn't really matter.
"..."
Presepe stared blankly at Ella as she brought her coat, then unconsciously turned her gaze away.
With the empty vase on the table.
"Ella, did you or the maids bring that vase by any chance?"
"Yes?"
Ella still looked at the vase with a crumpled face.
"I understood that you came along when His Majesty brought household items into the tower the other day. Is that not the case?"
"Ah. Right. I think I brought it in back then. I just asked because I was confused."
It wasn't like that either.
She thought that even the flower that was placed just once could be expected in this game, which is full of bugs.
Presepe let out a sigh and looked at the vase, then put on the coat Ella had draped over her very carelessly.
As the information display explained, the church was not far from the Presepe Tower. At most, about a 10-minute walk.
All the buildings in the Ateloia Imperial Palace were, without exception... no, except the eerie tower; they were all incredibly extravagant.
And this church was one of the largest and most magnificent buildings in the imperial palace. It would probably rank in the top five at the very least.
The church was that magnificent and grand. It was truly splendid.
Because of Siegfried, she thought that the world of <Presepe in the Cage>—or to be precise, the Empire of Ateloia—had a close relationship with the Church, but she didn't know it was to this extent.
Anyway, Ella seemed very dissatisfied with Presepe's reckless behavior.
It was understandable, in a way, since Presepe, who had been eerily quiet and obedient until now, was stubbornly insisting on going out. She was probably also annoyed at the thought of getting caught in the crossfire.
However, Presepe could say with certainty that she was not sorry to Ella at all.
"Wait here, Ella."
"Are you saying you'll go in alone?"
Ella asked back with a face that still clearly showed annoyance.
"Having come all this way, do you think I would run away? I just want to pray quietly by myself."
Ella finally let out a sigh, saying she understood. Honestly, at this point, pressing her any further was exhausting. Besides, it wasn't just any matter; it was to pray for the safety of the Emperor, Dietrich, so she felt reluctant to add anything more.
No matter what Ella was thinking, Presepe carefully opened the closed door without looking back.
And... As soon as she entered the church, she bumped hard into someone and ended up tumbling across the floor.
“Oh my...”
Since the game wasn't in progress, unrefined words flowed out as they were.
"What on earth is this?"
Presepe looked up at the person who had shoved her, her face contorted in a grimace.
Then she wore a slightly dazed expression.
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