How long has it been since you last left the Imperial Palace?
Of course, it hasn't been that long in terms of the passage of time. After her mother Vanessa's corruption was exposed and Priscipe was expelled, she lived outside the palace until Dietrich ascended the throne and restored her.
But this cruel game had transcended those intervening years with just a few lines of narrative. While the main story wasn't possible to skip even the short events.
Moreover, every time she met a bad end and retreated, the starting point was always after she had been captured and imprisoned in the tower – precisely at the moment when Dietrich's celebratory banquet began. From Prisippi's perspective, it has been an incredibly long time since she left the palace.
Of course, when I made ends meet with other male characters, the scene would sometimes change. But this – leaving the palace without following the pre-determined flow of the game – was the first of its kind.
"I feel alive. Finally, I feel like I can really live!"
It was natural to feel excited.
For the first time, she was able to temporarily forget her fear of not knowing how the game would develop.
All the while the carriage was speeding along, Preseppe was looking intently at the landscape outside the window.
The bustling market, very different from the Imperial Palace. The streets of the capital…
I felt like everything was full of life.
But what caught Precipe's attention most wasn't the scenes themselves.
They were ordinary people – not imperial subjects or important NPCs – simply going about their busy lives.
Watching these extras in the background, who had no connection to the game's progress, was very entertaining for her.
'They have nothing to do with the flow of the game...there is nothing specific to them, nothing holding them back.'
Maybe that's why they seemed so free in her eyes. Very real. As if they were people from the real world, not characters in a game.
Very different from herself, trapped in a cage-like tower, endlessly repeating pre-written lines and choosing from pre-determined options just to endure.
“…”
As she looked out the window, Preseppe paused for a moment, surprised by the large hand that suddenly extended toward her.
Fenric, who was sitting in front of her, glanced at her before grabbing the window and opening it.
“I don't care much about feeling suffocated.”
“….”
“I apologize, but I prefer to keep the window open.”
“Oh, no, I don't mind at all.”
In fact, she welcomed it, and the air outside the palace was pleasant.
“That's good to hear.”
Fenrick's eyes crinkled slightly as he gave her a weak smile, devoid of the malice or cunning he had shown when he stared at Dietrich.
And then, as Presibe looked at Fenric, a warm spring breeze blew across her face.
"Yes…"
The breeze was gentle and warm as if he had been waiting for this moment.
And…
“Now that the cold is over and spring is here, the flowers will bloom soon.”
As Fenric had said a few days ago, it seemed as if the flowers outside the palace were already in full bloom.
The wind carried a rich floral scent – sweet, fresh and full of the unique vibrant greenery of the plants.
It was the kind of fragrance that exuded life itself.
For the first time in a long time, light sparkled in Prisippi's lavender eyes as the petals danced endlessly in the breeze outside the window.
“…”
She looked out the window like a child, and cocked her head slightly, completely mesmerized by the view.
Watching her, Fenric's expression turned into a faint smile.
“Slowly,” he said softly.
Fenric opened a small window on the driver's seat at the front of the carriage, and gave instructions in a low voice.
“Slow down, and walk as slowly as possible.”
“Yes sir.”
The driver responded immediately, and Fenric closed the small window.
Then he turned his gaze again to Preseppe, who was still happily dazzled by the sight outside.
—
The carriage drove for about thirty minutes.
It seemed like the plane was moving more slowly than when it had initially left, but Prisippi didn't mind at all. In fact, she liked it that way better – it allowed her to enjoy the scenery as much as she wanted.
By the time they reached Fenrick's estate, it was approaching noon.
“It is a humble place to host someone as distinguished as you, Ms. Presby, but I will do my best to ensure your comfort.”
“You say humble?”
Can such a palace really be called modest?
Presibe couldn't help but look puzzled.
This was no surprise, as the Fenric Estate rivaled any building within the Imperial Palace in terms of grandeur and size. The sheer size was overwhelming, not to mention the impressive façade that immediately revealed the painstaking care taken in its maintenance.
Furthermore, while the term “Imperial Palace” sounds grandiose, the place where Presepe was imprisoned was nothing more than a crumbling old tower in the western corner.
If this was “modest”...what would it be? A homeless woman with no money, no shelter, and no possessions?
Well, that wasn't entirely untrue, I supposed.
“You are a person of great importance, Mrs. Presby.”
“…”
“No amount of hospitality can be enough,” Fenric said with a sly smile.
Now that I think about it, I realize that Fenric is a really strange guy. He certainly knew very well how Dietrich treated her and what kind of life she led.
And yet, despite this, he offered his kindness freely, even though Precipe had no means of repaying it. It was as if he didn't care about such things at all, and didn't care what others might think.
“There have always been guards stationed here, but starting today, the number will be increased fivefold,” Fenric said as he guided her through the property.
“This way, we can ensure your safety.”
At least that was lucky. Given the recent deaths of both Attar and Noah, as well as her encounter with a suspicious character, she could not deny that such measures were reassuring.
If someone truly set his sights on her, she wouldn't want to die—not before finding the real male protagonist, at least.
“That's the garden over there,” Fenric said, pointing to a distant area.
“It's filled with a variety of flowers and blossoming trees. But there's no need to go there if you don't want to. You can see everything clearly from your room.”
Prisippi suddenly remembered Fenric visiting the tower and asking him if she liked flowers.
“Do you like flowers, Your Highness?”
"I can't say I hate them, but I don't particularly like them either. Flowers are just... flowers."
“Whoever says that, your palace is overflowing with his scent.”
"There was nothing here before. It was an almost empty lot."
"What? Really?"
“I hired ten gardeners about two months ago. They probably had to work hard. But it was necessary to have everything ready in time.”
"Time? What time?"
Puzzled by his ambiguous words, Prisippi widened her eyes and looked at him.
Fenric hesitated for a moment before continuing casually.
“Flowers do not bloom all year round. To enjoy their beauty, you have to keep up with the season.”
“But you just said you didn't particularly like them.”
“…”
“Oh, I'm sorry if I'm intruding. I was just curious...”
“It's okay.” Fenric laughed softly.
“Anyway, your property is beautiful! Really amazing… I called it modest, but it's not at all.”
"Is this correct?"
“Yes! And I am the one who should be thankful to you. You have shown great kindness to someone like me who is worth nothing at all.”
Whether she could completely trust him or not, her gratitude was genuine.
Without Fenric, she would still be trapped in the Imperial Palace, shivering in fear as she navigated through the game's cruel mechanics.
"Thanks to you, I can't take my eyes off this sight. The smell is amazing too. I've spent so long confined in this tower that I've rarely seen sights like this…"
Prisippi's lavender eyes sparkled as she lingered to look at the vibrant flowers blooming in the distance, just like when she had excitedly looked out the carriage window earlier.
“No, it's not the flowers I like. It's you, smiling at the flowers. Just like in the past. And now too.”
Fenric thought to himself.
“Let's head inside. There's a lot I want to show you,” he said loudly.
“Yes, yes,” Presippi answered, coming to her senses, her cheeks still flushed a deep pink, like petals dancing in the wind.
Fenric let out a soft laugh and started walking, leading her inside the property.