"I hear that His Majesty is unwell."
What?
At the completely unexpected words, Presepe opened her eyes wide.
"What are you talking about? That he's unwell!"
"I heard he has been complaining of a headache since early this morning. So, he took his medicine and fell asleep now... His Majesty has never been sick before."
There was only one thing that came to mind.
That bug option.
"Since Grand Duke FenrikPresepe happened to visit at that time, I conveyed the message to him on my behalf. And so..."
Ella could not continue speaking.
Instead, a deep shadow fell over the faces of Presepe and the Archbishop as they sat.
"...Grand Duke Fenrir?"
Fenrir, who appeared just in time, looked down at the Archbishop with a stiff, rigid face.
He seemed somewhat annoyed and in a bad mood.
"I heard about the church matter from the handmaiden. However, it seems you possess some evidence that it is connected to Lady Presepe."
“What is that..."
"Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to keep Lady Presepe detained for this long, would you?"
"...Grand Duke, I was merely listening to Lady Presepe's explanation of the situation."
At Fenrir's barbed words, the Archbishop also hardened his expression.
"And even though the Grand Duke is His Majesty the Emperor's closest confidant, this is not a matter for you to weigh in on. Do you not understand what I mean?"
“I know.”
Fenrir answered without even twitching an eyebrow.
"There wasn't really anything to explain about the situation. According to the maid, the Archbishop arrived and discovered the broken statue shortly after Lady Presepe entered the church. In that case, Lady Presepe wouldn't know anything either."
The archbishop said nothing.
"You should be questioning the guards about the situation. Or perhaps this maid who was standing watch at the door."
To be honest, there wasn't a single thing wrong with Fenrir's opinion. In fact, the problem was that everything he said was correct.
"Instead of interrogating like this, shouldn't the first step be to call someone over and check if anyone is injured?"
...This too was correct.
If she were still of the royal family, rather than in this lowly state of having been stripped of even her status as a Princess, the Archbishop would not have had to ask her questions as he had earlier.
And as if Fenrir shared the same sentiment, he continued to lash out at the Archbishop.
"Even though the Archbishop has authority over the Church, that authority does not extend to you, Lady Presepe. Do you not understand what I mean?"
As if it seemed to be a sign of filial piety, the Archbishop glared at Fenrir with an angry face, while Presepe wore a look of surprise.
After possessing the game, she saw many endings while suffering countless senseless deaths, but...
It was the first time someone had taken her side like this.
And to think that even Fenrir, who is nothing more than an NPC and not even another male character, is stepping forward like this.
"I have conveyed the news to His Majesty's guards for now, so His Majesty will hear it soon."
Fenrir continued speaking with a stiff expression.
"Why don't you ask this maid about the rest? She, too, said she witnessed a suspicious person leaving the building."
"Ah. But for me too, it was just a fleeting glimpse. It disappeared so quickly..."
Ella, who had suddenly been placed on the chopping block, muttered softly, but Fenrir seemed not to care at all.
"I will escort Lady Presepe home, so you explain what you saw earlier. That should be enough."
Fenrir extended his hand to Presepe with courtesy. It seemed he intended to help her get up from her seat.
Presepe took Fenrir's hand and slowly stood up.
"Let's go, Lady Presepe."
Presepe nodded and left the Archbishop's room with Fenrir, leaving Ella behind.
***
"...So, that was really all I saw."
On the way back to the tower after leaving the church with Fenrir.
Presepe told Fenrir everything she had seen.
"I don't really know what happened, but to think something like that had to happen today of all days..."
"..."
"Grand Duke Fenrir might not know this, but it was my first time visiting that church today. That made me even more flustered."
"..."
"...Grand Duke Fenrir?"
When no one replied no matter how much she chattered, Presepe looked at Fenrir with a puzzled expression.
Fenrir is somehow...
He had a pensive look on his face.
So, a very serious day.
However, that look did not last long. He quickly changed his expression and answered in a worried tone.
"Are you really not hurt anywhere?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
"That's a relief. Then that's fine."
It was a bit puzzling. Seeing even the Archbishop making such a fuss, something pretty serious must have happened. But Fenrir seemed like someone who cared only about her safety, rather than such things.
"But did that man really do that?"
“That man?”
"That man that I saw, and Ella saw too."
"..."
"But I wonder if one person can really smash that huge stone statue like that..."
"That is something we will find out once we investigate."
Fenrir nodded nonchalantly in response, and Presepe stared at him for a moment before cautiously parting her lips.
"Anyway, thank you, Grand Duke Fenrir."
"What do you mean?"
"You protected me, didn't you?"
Fenrir paused.
"There is no one in this imperial palace who protects me like the Grand Duke. It was my first time experiencing something like this."
"..."
"So I was really grateful. Thank you."
...Did I say something unnecessary? To Dietrich’s closest confidant, of all people.
That thought crossed her mind, but she's still grateful for what she has to be grateful for. Besides, if Fenrir had eyes, he surely wouldn't be unaware of how Presepe is treated in the Imperial Palace.
Besides, Fenrir is nothing more than an NPC, so he wouldn't even be able to significantly intervene in the game. So, well, talking about this probably won't make much of a difference.
"You seem much more at ease than when I saw you a while ago."
"... Yes?"
"Back then, you were stiff and nervous, only answering the questions I asked."
“Ah. That’s..."
"But I like this better."
Fenrir snickered and said.
"It must mean that I have become someone with whom you can comfortably converse, Lady Presepe."
[Lady Presepe, you don't have anyone you can talk to comfortably, do you?]
Suddenly, what Fenrir had said the last time she saw him flashed through her mind.
At the time, she wondered if he really meant it that way, but...
For now, well.
She even wondered if she had been suspicious for no reason.
But did I get too carried away? Presepe slightly averted her gaze out of belated embarrassment.
"In any case, Lady Presepe has absolutely no connection to this matter, so even if His Majesty finds out, it will not be a big deal."
Well, is that really the case?
Looking back at the actions Dietrich has taken so far, it was difficult to expect it to pass quietly.
Of course, Dietrich might not care much about the fact that such an event occurred in the church.
The problem was that Dietrich was a terrible skeptic.
Leaving aside the fact that the statue was shattered, he would suspect that Presepe might have been colluding with someone else. Saying things like, "Did you try to abandon me again and leave?"
Just as it was in that upcoming event where she was trapped in an ice prison.
"You look skeptical."
Presepe didn't answer, and Fenrir snickered.
"Then, shall we make a bet?"
"A bet? What bet?"
"If this causes you trouble, Lady Presepe, then I lose, but if it passes quietly as I said, then you lose."
"..."
"So, the loser grants the winner's wish. How about that?"
"However, I cannot grant Grand Duke Fenrir's wish."
"That is something you should think about after hearing what my wish is."
"So, if I win?"
"I shall grant your wish, Lady Presepe. Whatever it may be."
Even if that wish means leaving this game and returning to the real world?
In that moment, a hollow laugh escaped her without her realizing it.
"Lady Presepe?"
"No, no. Then let's do that."
“I guess so.”
"Of course, even if the Grand Duke wins, I am not sure if I will have the time to grant your wish."
No matter how this incident unfolds, the game's second fixed event will proceed without fail.
That damn guy who is suffering like a log in an ice prison because of a mysterious letter that flew to Dietrich Event.
It was a process that couldn't even be avoided, and since being trapped for several days, there was no telling when she would see Fenrir again like this.
So, whatever.
It didn't matter what happened.
Fenrir wouldn't be able to grant her wish anyway.
"Great."
However, Fenrir answered with a grin, completely contrary to Presepe's thoughts.
"Make sure you remember this. You made a bet with me."
Before they knew it, the two had reached the West Tower. Fenrir greeted Presepe with courtesy, and Presepe looked at him with a slightly embarrassed expression.
So, there are hardly any people in the Imperial Palace who treat her this well.
"Then please get some good rest. It must have been a tiring day."
"Then, are you returning, Grand Duke?"
"No. His Majesty said he would wake up by dawn today at the latest, so I intend to wait at the Imperial Palace."
"Because of what happened at the church?"
"That is true, but I still have business at the Imperial Palace."
...Business?
"I mean that handmaiden named Ella."
"Yes?"
"I heard that after receiving the order to serve Lady Presepe closely, she moved her residence with a few other ladies-in-waiting."
That was true. Originally, Ella would have been staying in the quarters used by the palace maids, but after Dietrich imprisoned Presepe in the tower, he selected a few maids, including Ella, and moved their residence to a place close to the tower.
It was probably a scheme to make surveillance easier, but...
Why do you ask that?
"I heard it is a place prepared behind the western tower.
Fenrir's red eyes turned toward the back.
"It must be that place."
"Grand Duke Fenrir, why is that..."
"Then, I will see you again. Please get plenty of rest."
Fenrir simply walked away alone, without answering Presepe's question.
Presepe, who was suddenly left alone, turned her head toward the church with an inexplicable sense of unease, but Ella was still nowhere to be seen.
***
He had a dream.
It was a dream full of Presepe.
Dietrich spent a lot of time with Presepe in there.
He heard through Presepe's mouth about the countless days he hadn't realized and had greatly misunderstood, and he conveyed his true feelings to her.
However, throughout that endless dream... Dietrich could not show a genuine smile for even a single moment.
He did the same while gazing at Presepe's face, which was whispering love to him and smiling brightly like sunshine.
And the moment Dietrich genuinely smiled in front of Presepe was always fixed.
[No matter how much you whisper your love to me... I cannot believe a single word. If only I could let go of your hand, that would be the end of it...]
When he urged Presepe to die with him, and she complied.
[... I guess I can finally trust you now.]
Only then did he smile very happily.
But the dream didn't end there.
Endless, terrible moments were played back over Presepe, who had chosen death with him and become a corpse.
Presepe, who is executed and beheaded by the Emperor's order—that is, by his own order.
Presepe, who was fleeing, collapses after her heart is pierced by an arrow he shot.
Beneath the sharp blade, Presepe is weeping and spitting blood...
No.
I don't remember anything like this.
I have never done anything like this.
No!
"Ha, ha..."
Dietrich woke from a nightmare and sprang out of bed, breathing heavily.
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