The festival in the market was much grander than Precipe had imagined.
Fenrick's claim that the festival was “a festival held as a pretext for the blooming of flowers” appears to have been no exaggeration. Flowers were everywhere.
Preseppe knew that every spring countless flowers of so many different kinds bloomed around Atiloia, that it was impossible to identify them all. She also knew that other empires often referred to Atiluia as the “Flower Empire.”
As if to prove this title, the air was filled with the scent of flowers, and many vendors were selling them on every corner.
But festivals like this were completely foreign to someone who spent so much time confined. Everything seemed so unfamiliar.
Not only was the market full of flowers, but small bars were dotted along the streets, and the crowd seemed endless wherever you turned.
Couples were walking around holding hands, families were gathering together, and groups of friends were laughing and having a good time.
Everyone seemed happy, completely immersed in the festive atmosphere. Many of the people who were drinking even looked like they were having a good time, perhaps because of the booze.
“…”
As she walked beside Fenric through the bustling street, Prisippi's cheeks flushed slightly.
“This… has been a long time coming...”
A few days ago, on her way from the palace to Fenric's house, she thought the same thing. As I watched the people pass through the carriage window, I was amazed at how lively they all looked – and I was very envious of them.
But today, for the first time, Presibe is part of that crowd.
For the first time, she was not burdened by choices about life or death, or worried about unjust accusations.
She could simply exist, act and speak on her own terms, and she felt free.
Because of this, the world that had always seemed dull and colorless, now became vibrant and full.
And I felt relieved.
“Are you hungry?”
Fenric looked at Prisippi and asked her.
“There are food stalls over there. Nothing fancy about this place, but it's worth a try... I beg your pardon.”
Suddenly, Prisippi found herself leaning against Fenric's chest.
“…”
She was taken aback, and instinctively lowered her gaze, only to see a large hand forcefully pulling her slender waist towards him.
“This area is more crowded,” Fenrick explained.
"yes it is."
He was right. The street was getting more crowded, the crowds getting denser. He must have drawn her to him to protect her.
However, even as she tried to rationalize this, her cheeks became a little warmer.
'I've completely lost my immunity to kindness...'
In the past, she had always approached others calculatingly: targeting this person first, then the next, and then moving forward methodically. Each situation boiled down to a series of options.
Now, the unexpected acts of care caught her completely by surprise, leaving her unable to calculate or respond properly. As a result, she found herself in a state of increasing confusion.
“I'm not very hungry, so I think I'll ignore this.”
“Understood,” Fenric said with a nod.
"In that case, should we head there? This street runs in a straight line, so it should be easy to enjoy the views."
“…”
“Precipie?”
When no response came, Fenric turned slightly to look at her.
Precipe's gaze was fixed on the far side of the street.
To be more precise, she was staring at a little girl selling flowers.
“…”
Precipe's facial expression turned into one of deep sadness.
It wasn't strange. The girl, who was only six or seven years old, looked pathetic. Her entire body was dirty, her hair was a tangled mess, and her clothes were so worn out that they were falling apart.
Is it possible for this child to live on the streets?
The flowers in her hands were smaller and more wilted than those sold by others. Maybe that's why, even though so many people passed by, no one showed her any kindness.
The girl, who looked much shorter than her peers, got tired of offering flowers to passers-by and eventually hung her head in exhaustion.
“Oh, Duke Fenric… Instead of buying food, can I buy flowers instead?”
Prisippi looked at Fenric and asked him.
“If it's okay with you.”
Fenric nodded in slight surprise at the unexpected request.
It was not merely Precipe's sympathy for the wretched child that he touched.
[Do you sell these flowers too?]
[…]
[Then I'll buy them all, if that's okay with you.]
Presibe was the same as she had always been.
Although her circumstances and surroundings have changed, she has not.
Then and even now, she remained as kind and warm-hearted as ever—just as she had once been with Fenric.
“Duke Fenric…?”
Did you make a strange request?
Seeing Fenric's reaction, Presibe hesitated for a moment. But her doubts did not last long.
Holding her hand tightly, Fenric began to walk towards the child.
“Flowers for sale... Flowers...”
When Fenric approached, the girl, who was trying to call out to the customers, stepped back and looked at him with a tense expression.
“Give me all of them,” he said.
"…pardon?"
“Then you can go home.”
His voice was dry, and the girl looked completely confused.
Fenric glanced at it, then took out some gold coins.
Even though Precipe was confined to the palace and was not accustomed to coins, she could tell that this was a very large amount of money for a few flowers.
But Fenric did not seem bothered by this at all, so he put the money in the girl's hand and extended his hand to her.
"Thank you…"
The girl shyly handed over all her remaining flowers, bowed deeply, and quickly disappeared.
“Do you like them?” Fenric asked as he handed the flowers to Prisippi.
They were roses.
"Yes."
Presibe smiled at him, holding a bundle of roses in her arms.
“I like these things much better. Food disappears when you eat it, but flowers don’t.”
“They will wither,” Fenric pointed out.
“I'm going to dry them and keep them for a very long time.”
“Why?”
“Because today I am very happy.”
“…”
“And I want to remember this day for a very long time, too.”
She wanted to celebrate this moment. Even if she played this miserable game with her again and brought her back to Dietrich's banquet…
This was the first thing Presippi wanted to keep, ever since that mysterious vase someone had secretly left her.
“…”
Fenric's reaction was a bit strange.
He stared at her silently for a while, then slowly extended his hand.
He picked the most beautiful rose from the bouquet she was holding.
Was he curious about the smell, Prisippi wondered?
“Aren’t the flowers beautiful? They smell wonderful too.”
But Fenric did not examine or smell the rose.
Instead, he cut the stem and gently placed the flower behind Precipe's ear.
“Yes, it is beautiful.”
"…"
"Very beautiful."
'...He must mean the flower, not me, right?'
“Thanks to you, I think I will also remember this day for a very long time.”
Prisippi couldn't come up with a suitable answer, so he nodded and gave a slightly embarrassed smile.
“Um… Duke, what’s going on?”
I changed the subject.
"Everyone seems to be coming from this direction. There must be something special there."
“As I mentioned earlier, this street extends directly to the exit of the market,” Fenric explained slowly.
"Near the exit, there is a place where people put flowers and ask for wishes. It's an old tradition at this festival. That's why the girl was selling flowers earlier."
Wishes? Like a pile of stones? Prisippi tilted her head curiously.
“Common people and peasants cannot afford to offer sacrifices, so churches do not welcome them. It is difficult for them to even enter.”
“So they created something similar for themselves.”
“…”
“The nobles will laugh at this, of course.”
Peasants and common people...
Fenric's earlier words, where he had once admitted that he had been a peasant himself, echoed in Preseppe's ears.
Is that why he seemed so knowledgeable about this festival, which nobles wouldn't even glance at?
Precipi thought briefly, then smiled at him and spoke.
“Then should we ask for wishes too?”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, I have a wish that I want to fulfill. And you bought me these flowers, right?”
“…”
“Of course, I want to keep them, so I can’t give them all away… Hmm… Would it be wrong to think like this while making a wish?”
“Not at all,” Fenric muttered in a low voice.
“That's not the case anymore. No one can treat you like that now.”
"duke…?"
“Especially when you're with me.”
Fenric spoke vaguely, then tightened his grip on her hand.
“Let's go.”
Although Prisippi's eyes widened slightly in surprise, she nodded and followed him.
Just as they were about to take a step forward,
“!”
Suddenly we heard a loud and unexpected sound.
Frightened, Precipe collapsed to the ground.