Prisippi moved next to Fenric.
“…….”
There was no expression on Precipe's face as she stumbled forward, only exhaustion. It seemed as if she had never known vitality or colour, as if they were foreign concepts to her.
It wasn't really surprising. She was mentally exhausted. Despite all the experiences I've encountered while playing so far, there has never been a day as traumatic as today.
The farther they got from the banquet hall, the more intense the silence became. There was a heavy silence between Fenric and Presipe, broken only by short breaths. It was a stark contrast to the chaos in the garden they had just left behind.
It felt like the previous events were just a distant, fleeting dream. But the irony was that the horrific image of Atari's condition remained engraved in her mind.
“You must have been very distraught,” Fenric finally broke the silence, long after they had left the garden. That was when the tower appeared before them.
"Most likely, it was the work of an assassin. Events like these celebratory banquets are often the perfect opportunity for them to carry out their tasks quietly."
Prisippi slowly turned her head to look at Fenric. The dazzling moonlight illuminated his face as he walked steadily forward.
For the first time, Precipe was able to see it properly. Fenric, Grand Duke...
One of the secret mode NPCs, right?
But for a non-player character, it's...
No, he's very handsome.
NPC designs in games like this were usually fairly standard. There were already too many characters, and putting too much effort into the appearance of the secondary characters added unnecessary complexity.
But Fenric stood out out of all the male characters in the game, as his appearance rivaled almost any of them. This made it even more confusing. Given the high praise for Prisippi's art design inside the cage, it seemed unlikely that a skilled artist would create such an extraordinarily attractive NPC for no reason.
To be sure, Precipe looked over his head several times, but there was no measure of affection or anything like that.
“Prince Atari, despite being a prince of the Thane Empire, has long been marginalized to the margins of power. His presence at the banquet is likely merely a symbolic face-saving gesture on the part of the Imperial Family.”
Fenric wasn't wrong. Atari was not the first or even the second prince. Rather, he was the fourth prince, born to a humble concubine from an ordinary family.
When Precipe recalled her experience with Atari's ending, she realized that he was nothing more than a hedonistic person. He had no idea how to work, and was only interested in indulgences and provocations.
In short, a decadent playboy.
“And the Thane Empire is in a position to deal with Atiluia with caution.”
Atelroya was one of the most powerful empires in this world, while the Thane Empire paled in comparison. Given their shared border, the Thane Emperor had no choice but to pay attention to Atelroya.
“They will find some suitable evidence or excuse, claim that it was the work of an assassin, collect the body, and offer a nonchalant apology to smooth things over. After all, Prince Atari was not of much value to Emperor Thane.”
Fenric laughed softly.
“Anyway, my point is that there's no need to worry, Mrs. Presby.”
This was the kind of assurance that someone could only make when they did not understand the situation. If Fenric had really known what she was dealing with, he wouldn't have been so indifferent, Precipe thought to herself.
“Anyway, it's a great honor to see you up close, Mrs. Presby.”
“…….”
“You are unusually quiet, aren't you, Mrs. Presby?” Fenric looked at her.
“Or can't you speak?”
His lips curved slightly into an amused smile.
“Answer me, Mrs. Presby.”
“I can't answer... because I literally can't speak,” Precipe thought. There weren't even dialogue options!
While she was thinking about this, she suddenly stumbled.
“Ahh!”
She let out a sharp cry and stumbled forward, but Fenric quickly caught her, preventing her from falling.
“I almost- oh?”
Only then did Prisippi realize something amazing: once again, she was able to speak freely without the need for dialogue options. And unlike her encounter with Atari, there were no insects or strange oddities this time.
Why was she able to have a free conversation with Fenric when the system imposed restrictions in other cases?
"Are you well?"
“Ah, yes...thank you.”
Although she responded, Fenric didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at her.
“Grand Duke Fenric…?”
“You can talk…”
His smile became deeper, taking on a strangely sinister quality.
"That's good. Very good."
“…….”
“I am relieved.”
Although the conversation seemed normal on the surface, Precipe couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that his words held deeper connotations, as if they were indirectly referring to her situation.
“Anyway, I'm pleased. It's a pleasure to be able to talk to you like this, Mrs. Presby.”
Fenric smiled cheerfully.
“Have you ever heard of me? I, on the other hand, know a lot about you.”
“What… what do you know about me?”
“How could I not do that? I am one of His Majesty’s closest confidants.”
“…….”
“What do you know about me, Mrs. Presby?”
“This… is my first time meeting you, so I don’t know anything.”
“…….”
“I'm sorry.”
Despite her apology, there was no immediate response. Prisippi looked tenderly at Fenric. His face, beautifully illuminated by the moonlight, betrayed no noticeable emotion.
“This is the first time you've met me...”
“Yes…?”
"Understood."
Briefly, a flash of frustration appeared on Fenric's face, but it quickly disappeared. He resumed his speech with his usual calm.
“As I mentioned, I have been His Majesty’s closest confidant since his days as prince.”
If so, Preseppe must have known about it before she exited the palace. This must mean that Fenrick built a good relationship with Dietrich after her exile.
“Before, I was always on the battlefield, so you didn’t have the chance to see me.”
Ateluia was a nation frequently at war, especially before Dietrich's ascension.
“I see...”
However, if he was one of Dietrich's closest confidants… then he must be an NPC connected to Dietrich's path.
But Precipe had no intention of pursuing Dietrich again in an undercover situation. If he's not a real man, there's no point in paying him any attention, no matter how handsome he is.
While Prisippi was preoccupied with these thoughts, she failed to notice Fenric's constant gaze on her.
When she noticed this, they had reached the tower.
“Thank you for accompanying me. I will leave now...”
Eager to return to the safety of the tower, Presibe gave a short farewell salute and turned away.
She had only taken a few steps when Fenric spoke again.
“Soon, you will know a lot about me.”
Prisippi froze, stopping mid-step.
“We will have many more meetings.”
“…….”
“Good night, Mrs. Presby.”
Without answering, Presippi looked at Fenric. His face, surrounded by shadows and glowing red eyes, exuded an inexplicable unease.
He didn't threaten her or say anything unpleasant, but she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling his words conjured up.
Without another word, she turned and disappeared into the tower, leaving Fenric standing alone in the moonlight.
For a long time, Fenric did not move.
Instead, he silently studied Precipe's face when she turned to look at him.
“Finally...”
Fenric muttered in a low, creepy voice.
“You have taken the first step...”
It was just one step, after all.
But how many days did he repeat it until he achieved even this?
You have no idea. But you'll soon find out what I've done to get to you and what I'm willing to do. And this is just the beginning.
An evil laugh escaped Fenric's lips as he stood hidden in the darkness, clearly enjoying his own thoughts.