She wonders how long it has been since she left the imperial palace.
Of course, looking at the flow of time, it wouldn't have been that long. After all, Presepe, who was banished after her mother Vanessa's infidelity was revealed, lived outside the imperial palace until Dietrich ascended the throne and brought her back.
However, this unfriendly game let those years slip away, glossing over them with just a few lines of description. And yet, you couldn't even use skills in the main story.
Furthermore, whenever a bad ending occurred, the point of regression was after being captured and brought to the Tower. To be precise, it was the time when Dietrich's celebratory banquet was being held, so from Presepe's perspective, it had been a very long time since she had left the Imperial Palace.
Well, it wasn't that the background location hadn't changed even when she saw the endings with other male characters, but this was the first time dhr had left the Imperial Palace completely unrelated to the flow of the game.
'I feel like I can finally breathe. I finally feel like living!'
So, in a way, it was only natural to be excited.
Enough to completely forget, at least for a moment, the fear of not knowing how the game would turn out.
Throughout the carriage ride, Presepe gazed intently at the scenery outside the window.
A bustling market, completely different from the Imperial Palace. The streets of the capital...
Everything felt lively.
However, what caught Presepe's attention the most was something else entirely.
They were not the imperial palace people she had seen until she was sick of them, but ordinary people.
Presepe thoroughly enjoyed watching these minor characters—who didn't even qualify as NPCs—busily coming and going.
'Those people have nothing to do with the progression of the game... so there must be nothing set in stone or holding them back.'
Perhaps that is why, in Presepe's eyes, they looked so free. She could feel their vitality and realism. Just like people in the real world outside the game.
Completely unlike herself, who had endured being trapped in a cage-like meal, spouting fixed lines like a parrot and choosing predetermined choices.
"..."
Presepe, who had been looking out the window, paused briefly. It was because of Fenrir's large hand that had suddenly reached out to her.
Fenrir, sitting opposite her, glanced at Presepe once, then tightened his grip to open the window.
"I don't really like feeling stifled."
"..."
"I apologize, but I think it would be best if we opened the window like this."
"Ah. Yes. I'm fine."
On the contrary, it was good. The air outside the Imperial Palace was so welcome.
“Thank goodness.”
In the eyes of Fenrir, who was smirking at her, there was no trace of the murderous intent or cunning she had felt when he glared at Dietrich.
And in that moment, a warm spring breeze suddenly blew over Presepe's face as she stared at Fenrir.
"Ah..."
The spring breeze that blew as if it had been waiting was so warm.
And...
[Now that the cold has subsided and spring is approaching, the flowers will soon be in full bloom.]
Just as Fenrir had told her a few days ago... it seemed as though the flowers outside the Imperial Palace had already bloomed completely.
A strong floral scent wafted in the wind.
It was a sweet, fragrant scent, full of the unique freshness of plants.
It felt like it was overflowing with vitality.
For the first time in a very long while, endlessly fluttering flower petals were reflected in Presepe's sparkling, shining pale purple eyes.
"..."
Presepe gazed out the window again like a child. This time, she even craned her neck out completely and stared blankly.
Gazing at Presepe like that, Fenrir wore a faint smile.
"Slowly."
Fenrir, who had slightly opened the small window at the front of the carriage leading to the driver's seat, spoke in a low voice.
"Slow down, drive as slowly as possible."
“Yes, I understand.”
As soon as he gave the command, a satisfactory answer came back, and Fenrir closed the small window.
Then, he quietly took in Presepe, who was still looking out the window happily.
***
They rode in a carriage for about 30 minutes.
For some reason, the carriage seemed much slower than when it first set off, but Presepe thought that was better. After all, thanks to that, she could admire the scenery outside the window to her heart's content.
It was around noon when they arrived at Fenrir's mansion.
"Although this place is humble to host you, Lafy Presepe, I will do my utmost to ensure you can rest comfortably without any inconvenience."
"W-you're saying it's shabby?"
Can the word 'shabby' even be applied to a mansion like this?
Presepe unconsciously wore a look of bewilderment.
And understandably so, as Fenrir's mansion was on par with any building in the Imperial Palace.
It went without saying that it was excessively large, and she could tell at a glance just by looking at its unparalleledly splendid exterior that this mansion was being maintained with great care.
Moreover, it was called the Imperial Palace, but the place where Presepe lived was an old tower in the west.
If this is considered shabby...does that mean I was a homeless beggar?
Well, that's not entirely wrong, though.
"Because Lady Presepe is a precious person."
"..."
"No matter what I treat you, it is not enough."
Fenrir grinned and said.
Come to think of it, Fenrir was a truly strange person. He couldn't have been completely unaware of how Presepe was treated by Dietrich, and he must have known better than anyone what kind of life Presepe was leading.
Moreover, even if she is helped so kindly, Presepe will not have the opportunity to repay that kindness.
And yet, he acted as if such things didn't matter to him at all, as if he didn't care what others thought.
"There were already guards standing watch, but as of today, their numbers will increase fivefold."
Fenrir said as he guided Presepe.
"That is the only way to keep Lady Presepe safe."
Still, this was a relief, if you could call it that. Considering that Attar and Noah, who were involved with her, had died one after another, and she had even encountered a suspicious figure, she should be grateful that he was paying such attention to her safety.
If there was truly someone targeting her, she didn't want to die at their hands. After all, Presepe didn't want to die like that before even finding the real male protagonist.
"That is the garden."
Fenrir pointed his finger over there and said.
"There are all kinds of fresh flowers and flowering trees. Of course, you don't necessarily have to go to the garden. You will be able to see them all in Lady Presepe's room."
She suddenly remembered the question Fenrir had asked not long ago when he visited the tower and asked if she liked flowers.
"It seems the Grand Duke likes flowers, too."
"It’s not that I dislike it, but I don’t particularly like it either. A flower is just a flower."
"But to say that, the scent of flowers is overflowing from the mansion like this..."
"Originally, there was nothing there. It was just like an empty lot."
“Yes? Really?”
"I hired as many as ten gardeners two months ago. They must have had a hard time. But I thought that was the only way to meet the time."
"Time? What time?"
At the words that were difficult to understand, Presepe widened her eyes and stared at Fenrir.
Fenrir paused for a moment, then continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
"... After all, flowers don't bloom all year round. Wouldn't it be more pleasing to the eye if you timed it to the blooming season?"
"But didn't you just say you didn't particularly like it?"
"...."
"Ah. I'm sorry for prying into your details. I was just curious..."
"It's okay."
Fenrir chuckled.
"Anyway, the mansion is truly beautiful! It is so pretty... The Grand Duke said it was shabby, but it is not at all."
“Is that so?”
"Yes! And actually, I should be the one thanking you. I mean, you regard someone as nobody as me with such value."
Regardless of whether she could fully trust him or not, this feeling was sincere.
Anyway, if it weren't for Fenrir, she would still be stuck in the Imperial Palace, trembling in fear while playing the game.
"Thanks to you, my eyes are so delighted. The scent is really nice, too. I've only ever stayed in the tower, so I've hardly ever seen scenery like this..."
Presepe's pale violet eyes turned toward the profusely blooming flowers visible in the distance, just as she had been excitedly gazing out the carriage window for quite some time.
...Right. What I like isn't flowers.
It was the sight of you looking at the flowers and liking them.
Then and now.
Fenrir thought to himself.
"Let's go inside now. There is a lot for me to explain."
"Yes, yes."
Presepe finally came to her senses and nodded, her cheeks still flushed red, just like pink flower petals fluttering in the wind.
Fenrir laughed briefly, then immediately started walking with Presepe.
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