Presepe moved together with Fenrir.
"..."
Presepe walked with a staggering gait, her face expressionless. Instead, she looked simply exhausted, like someone who had never possessed any vitality or color in the first place.
But it couldn't be helped. She was completely out of her mind. She's been through a lot while playing, but there has never been a day as shocking as today.
The further they moved from the banquet hall, the deeper the silence grew. A heavy stillness settled between Fenrir and Presepe like lead. The only sound was brief breathing. It was completely different from the garden where the commotion had occurred.
So, it was as if what had just happened felt distant, like a dream. Of course, it was ironic that Attar's shocking appearance remained vividly etched in her mind.
"You must have been very surprised."
And it was long after they had left the garden together that Fenrir broke the silence.
It was around the time the tower came into view ahead.
"It is probably the work of an assassin. Sometimes, a celebratory gathering like this is the best opportunity for them to carry out a mission quietly."
Presepe slowly turned her head and looked at Fenrir.
She could see the dazzling moonlight settling on Fenrir's face as he walked silently straight ahead.
Thanks to that, Presepe was finally able to see his face properly.
Prince Fenrir...
It must be one of the NPCs in Secret Mode, right?
'However, for an NPC, he's quite...'
No, his face is excessively handsome.
Usually, in games like this, the appearances of NPCs were all pretty much the same. There are already so many characters, so putting effort into the artwork of useless supporting characters only results in fatigue.
However, Fenrir was almost on par with any of the male characters appearing in the game. That made Presepe even more puzzled. Considering how highly acclaimed the artwork in <Presepe in the Cage> was, there was no reason for a seasoned artist to unnecessarily make an NPC, who wasn't even a main character, look so handsome.
Presepe checked above his head several times just in case, but there was no sign of the affection window.
"Prince Attar is a prince of the Tain Empire, but he was sidelined in the power struggle a long time ago. The fact that he was able to attend the celebratory banquet was likely just a ploy to save face by sending a member of the royal family."
There was nothing wrong with what Fenrir said. Attar was not the first, or even the second, but the Fourth Prince. And one born to a concubine from a humble family.
In fact, recalling what happened during the ending with Attar, he was literally a loafer. He naturally had no idea how to work and was only interested in loafing around or stimulating things.
So, a perverted slacker.
"And the Tain Empire is in a position where they have to watch out for Ateloia."
Ateloia was one of the strongest empires in the world, but the Tain Empire was not. Given that Ateloia happened to be the closest neighboring country, the Emperor of the Tain Empire would have no choice but to be wary of the situation.
"If we find suitable evidence or an excuse to claim it was the work of an assassin, retrieve the body, and offer a perfunctory apology, we can let it slide. Prince Attar is not exactly indispensable to the Emperor of the Tain Empire, so he has no enemies."
Fenrir snickered.
"So what I mean is, there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about, Lady Presepe."
That was the kind of thing you could say out of ignorance. If you knew what situation I was in right now, you wouldn't be able to say such careless things. Presepe thought to herself.
"Anyway, it is a true honor to meet you this close, Lady Presepe."
"..."
"But why are you so quiet, Lady Presepe?"
Fenrir looked at Presepe and asked.
"Or perhaps you are unable to speak."
Fenrir's lips twisted slightly.
"Please answer me, Lady Presepe."
'No, I can't say...'
The options aren't even showing up, so how am I supposed to answer?
It was just as she was having that thought.
Presepe stumbled.
“Ugh!”
With a sharp scream, Presepe staggered violently, but she did not fall. It was because of Fenrir, who quickly grabbed him.
"Damn it. I almost got hurt... huh?"
And Presepe realized it belatedly. This time, too, the fact that she could speak without any choice, completely differently from when she was with Dietrich earlier.
Why is it possible to have a free conversation with Fenrir even without any choices?
There weren't any strange bugs like Attar, and nothing happened.
Of course, such cases were not entirely nonexistent. For example, the gap that occurs just before moving to the next storyline where a male character does not appear, when the game is not progressing.
At that moment, Presepe was also able to speak and move according to her own will.
Then, is that why this is also?
Since Dietrich told him to take me to the tower, is it because the section traveling to the tower isn't affected by the system?
“Are you okay?”
"Ah, yes... thank you."
Even though she answered, Fenrir remained silent for a moment. He was just staring down at me intently.
"Grand Duke Fenrir...?"
"Say it..."
Then, he answered with a smile that felt somehow sinister.
"You're doing great. Very well."
"..."
“Thank goodness.”
At first glance, the conversation didn't seem particularly strange, but Presepe kept feeling an inexplicable discomfort.
Strangely enough, it felt like it was alluding to Presepe's situation.
"Anyway, I am glad that I can have a conversation with you, Lady Presepe."
Fenrir grinned.
"Have you ever heard of me? I know a lot about you, Lady Presepe."
"...What do you know about me?"
"I have no choice but to know. I am His Majesty the Emperor's man and one of his few close aides."
"..."
"What do you know about me, Lady Presepe?"
"I am meeting the Grand Duke for the first time... so I don't know anything."
"..."
"I'm sorry."
She even apologized, but there was no reply. So, Presepe subtly glanced at Fenrir.
However, no emotion could be read from that handsome face, shining beautifully in the moonlight.
"You saw me for the first time..."
"Yes...?"
“I see.”
However, the moment he said those words, it was a fleeting thought, but for some reason, he wore an expression of disappointment.
Of course, that didn't last long. Fenrir, having quickly erased his emotions, looked at Presepe and continued speaking.
"As I mentioned earlier, I am His Majesty the Emperor's closest aide. We have been in contact since His Majesty was a Prince."
...If it hadn't been before I was kicked out of the Imperial Palace, there's no way I wouldn't have known that.
Then it meant that Fenrir had become friends with Dietrich after Presepe was expelled.
"Before that, I had only wandered from battlefield to battlefield, so you probably never had the chance to see me."
Ateloia was an empire plagued by frequent warfare. This was especially true before Dietrich ascended the throne.
"Yes..."
Anyway, since he's said to be Dietrich's closest confidant...
It must be an NPC related to Dietrich's route, right?
However, I had absolutely no intention of pursuing Dietrich again, even in Secret Mode. Then I wouldn't have to meet Fenrir again. He was incredibly handsome, but unless he was the real male protagonist, he wasn't worth paying attention to.
...While she was racking her brains all by herself, Fenrir was staring intently at Presepe, but she did not notice his gaze.
Meanwhile, Fenrir and Presepe reached the front of the tower.
"Thank you for seeing me home. Well then, I'll be going now..."
All she wanted was to return to the tower as soon as possible. Presepe left a brief greeting and turned around. However, before she had taken even a few steps, Fenrir continued speaking.
"You will come to know more about me now."
Presepe, who was about to enter the tower, paused and stood still.
"Lady Presepe and I will have many occasions to meet in the future."
"..."
"Well then, I hope you have a good night."
Presepe did not answer, but instead looked back at Fenrir.
Standing with his back to the moonlight, red glowing eyes were visible over Fenrir's shadowed face.
He didn't adopt any threatening attitude, nor did he say anything unpleasant, but she couldn't quite understand why those words left her feeling so uneasy...
Presepe quickly turned her head and disappeared, leaving Fenrir behind.
"..."
Fenrir remained alone in front of the tower for quite a long time without moving.
He simply quietly recalled the face of Presepe, who had just turned to look at him.
“Now...”
Fenrir muttered in a low, ominous voice.
"Just one step..."
It was literally just one step.
But you probably don't know how many days I repeated to take this one step.
You'll find out soon, though.
What I have done and what I can do to reach you.
Also, that this is just the beginning.
Fenrir, shrouded in darkness, snickered to himself. As if thoroughly amused.
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