The revolutionary forces were a problem, but another entirely unrelated issue had been thrown into the mix, leaving them uncertain as to which matter should take precedence.
Charlotte had been staying in the palace rather than the dormitory lately. But word had it that someone had died within the princess's quarters.
This information had been gathered by Sarkegaar during his espionage activities, and he said that most people would be unaware of this fact.
Did Berthus know of this?
Berthus shared only the integrated classes with them, but Charlotte also attended the psychic classes.
However, although I shared these classes, I was in the dark about what Charlotte did during them.
Where should the focus of the problem lie?
Was it an assassination attempt on Charlotte? Or was it an entirely different issue?
Charlotte could be seen.
However, I could not discern anything from her expression.
If I hadn't heard Sarkegaar's words, I would have thought that there was no problem concerning Charlotte.
Both Berthus and Charlotte were adept at managing their expressions, as natural as breathing. That's why I couldn't detect any worry, concern, or anxiety in Charlotte's expression.
On Wednesday.
After the psychic class had ended.
I caught hold of Charlotte, who was about to return to the palace after class.
If I hadn't known anything, I would have let it go, but now that I was aware of something, I couldn't let Charlotte go just like that.
"Yes, Reinhardt. What is it?"
As I casually approached her, Charlotte cocked her head inquisitively.
What's going on with you?
Isn't it dangerous?
Do you have nothing to say?
I didn't know how to initiate the conversation. If I knew it was dangerous, I wouldn't have any answer to the question of how I found out.
Before Charlotte's seemingly ordinary face, which betrayed no hint of their knowledge, I couldn't determine how to start the conversation.
So.
Although I had managed to grab Charlotte's attention, I was at a loss for words, simply staring at her face blankly.
Finally.
"Are you busy?"
I blurted out the question, sounding somewhat like a scheming individual.
Hearing these words, Charlotte's face took on a puzzled expression.
"…Pardon?"
"Are you busy?"
I didn't know.
At this point, just go for it!
Let's just pester her!
Charlotte smiled at the absurdity of my words.
"What if I'm not?"
"Keep me company."
"…Pardon?"
Charlotte's lips twitched as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Um... uh... well..."
Flustered, Charlotte rolled her eyes and let out a short sigh. Then she offered a gentle smile.
"...I can spare a little time. As much as you need."
Her smile appeared even more clouded than usual.
—---
Sharing information about the revolutionary forces was a pressing issue, but even more urgent was ensuring Charlotte's safety. Although I was unsure, there seemed to be a high probability that Charlotte's life was in danger.
I didn't know what I could do about it, but I didn't want to remain ignorant. At the very least, I could talk to her. Charlotte may consider me her friend, but her existence is more special to me than just a friend.
She was the one who made me realize that I could risk my life for something, and her survival is the fruition of that realization. So, I wanted to protect her. The royal court was in turmoil over internal matters, and Charlotte was involved.
Due to this, the Orvis class failed to notice that they were actually involved in an extremely dangerous situation that could lead to the collapse of the empire. Of course, this was also a misjudgment, and there was every chance they could become aware of it.
The rumor that Sarkagar heard about someone dying in the princess's palace could be false. However, I had an odd certainty that there would be some trouble. I gained this certainty from Charlotte's determined attitude as she led me after I asked her to play with me.
I couldn't bring up the main issue, nor could I find a way to do so. Charlotte took me out of the temple. I had asked her to play, and she seemed to be headed somewhere. What could she be planning to do?
I didn't know about Berthus, but Charlotte seemed to have no fear of going outside without an escort. I thought that the princess walking around in public could cause some inconvenience, but unlike our previous outing, Charlotte didn't wear a hood this time.
"Won't people recognize you and cause trouble?"
It's not like Charlotte's face was unknown.
She shrugged her shoulders and showed me a bracelet.
"I got a new artifact recently."
"What is it?"
"It has a perception hindrance spell on it. It doesn't make me invisible, but it makes my presence fainter, I suppose. I won't be noticeable unless someone deliberately tries to approach me."
If there were too many people who recognized her and it became troublesome, she could activate the magic on the bracelet. Of course, since I was accompanying her, I wouldn't be affected by the perception hindrance.
It seemed like a magical item that would be useful for a celebrity.
"So, let's go."
After activating the perception hindrance, Charlotte led me somewhere. Before returning to the palace, it seemed as if she thought she could take a brief walk with a classmate during her spare time.
As soon as we arrived, I couldn't help but lose my words.
"…"
"Why?"
"No, nothing!"
The place Charlotte had brought me to was the banks of the Irine River.
I had been here with my friends just a few days ago!
But I didn't mention that, fearing that Charlotte would be disappointed. She had made time for me, not knowing what was going on, and she would be disheartened if I revealed the truth.
I couldn't trample on the princess's consideration like that. Charlotte tilted her head as she looked at me.
"Don't you like flowers?"
“I like them! Oh, I like them very much!"
Charlotte glanced at me, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"You're lying. You like flowers? Even a passing dog would laugh."
"No, no, I might like them, really!"
Why did she have to dwell on that? Seeing my forced enthusiasm, Charlotte playfully tapped my arm.
"Why do you keep trying to please me?"
"..."
"We're friends, aren't we? Just be yourself."
With that, Charlotte walked ahead.
I knew her situation was serious, though I didn't know the details.
Charlotte's ability to maintain her composure was almost frighteningly thorough.
—---
Both of us were troubled in our own ways, but neither of us showed it.
And so, we acted as if we had simply come out to enjoy the flowers.
In reality, it wasn't much different.
Charlotte's reactions weren't very different from the others either. She was astonished when I recognized a few flowers and named them.
"What exactly do you think I am...?"
"You 'guys'?"
"No, never mind."
It was amusing how people were astonished even by the small amount of knowledge I possessed.
However, in some ways, Charlotte was different from the others.
Charlotte knew the names of all the flowers that grew wild. As she rattled off the names of flowers I had never heard of, I was taken aback.
"That's a dahlia."
"That one is a geranium."
"That's a petunia. Isn't it pretty? I like flowers that bloom all year round."
"That's a heliotrope."
"Quite a grand name."
"It smells lovely. Want to give it a sniff?"
"No, thank you."
The thought of flowers being the reproductive organs of plants came to mind, making me hesitate and step back.
Am I crazy?
Why am I thinking of such things at a time like this?
Charlotte is enjoying the scent of the flowers!
When we had visited before, no one paid any particular attention to the flowers. However, Charlotte stopped to admire some flowers, inhaling their fragrance and walking slowly.
"How do you know all this?"
"I like them."
Charlotte looked at me and smiled.
"When you like something, you naturally learn more about it. You want to know more."
"So you studied them?"
"No."
Charlotte tilted her head.
"It just comes naturally."
Her love for flowers had led her to learn about many different varieties without any formal study. Hearing her say this, Charlotte seemed a bit unfamiliar.
Even in that smiling visage.
One thing I could be sure of was that Charlotte was genuinely enjoying herself at the moment. She might not have come here with a joyful heart, but she was definitely enjoying herself in this very moment.
Charlotte always wore a perfect mask, and I couldn't see what expression lay hidden beneath it...
But I knew for certain that this bright, smiling expression of hers was not a mask.
Charlotte loved flowers.
I thought it was reasonable to like them, but seeing her 'liking them' made me feel strange.
It was a side of her I had never seen before.
"Wow... this one is really pretty. What's its name? It's not labeled."
Naturally, it seemed there were flowers she didn't know.
I wondered what the garden of the palace where Charlotte lived looked like.
Suddenly, I became curious.
I thought there must be a well-maintained garden with countless flowers blooming each season.
Where you go is important, but so is who you go with.
Though we had just been here a few days ago, watching Charlotte occasionally stop to gaze at the flowers made me feel as though I had never been here before.
I found myself quietly observing the flowers Charlotte was looking at.
I took a closer look at the landscapes I had merely passed by, naming the flowers I knew.
So, this is what this place was like.
Standing beside Charlotte, who enjoyed looking at flowers, I didn't know how to appreciate them and could only add a few comments.
Not disturbing her was enough.
"Hmm... the pansies are already in bloom."
Charlotte crouched down in front of the flowers I knew as well.
As Charlotte knew flowers so well.
Would she know other things too?
Fortunately, I knew this flower too.
It seemed that what Charlotte said about flowers wasn't very different from the original world.
"Do you know their language?"
"The language of flowers?"
"Isn't there something like that? For each flower."
"Oh, right."
However, separate from her answer, Charlotte shook her head.
"I don't really like that."
"Why?"
"It's just a label someone else put on them."
Charlotte gently tapped the wide petals of the pansy with her fingertip.
"A rose might symbolize love, but to someone else, it could mean sorrow."
Flowers are better when they hold unique meanings for everyone.
That's why she disliked the language of flowers.
That seemed to be Charlotte's way of thinking. As she gazed at the pansy, she appeared to ponder for a moment before picking up a fallen blossom. It was a flower left discarded, seemingly broken off by someone who didn't take it with them.
"Do you know the language of the pansy?"
"As if I would know that."
"Actually, at Reinhardt's level, you've already passed. I would've been surprised if you knew this as well."
Charlotte looked up at me, holding the flower in her hand.
"Do you want it? Would you consider it trash?"
"Even trash becomes a gift if you give it to me."
"You have a talent for saying touching words without moving the listener at all. That's a skill too."
With those words, Charlotte handed me a single pansy.
I didn't know what label she had attached to the pansy in her heart.
If I had told her I knew the language of the pansy, she wouldn't have given it to me.
I lied to Charlotte.
Once.
There was a time when I had pointlessly memorized flowers and their meanings.
I couldn't memorize them all, but there were some that I did learn.
Pansy.
Its meaning: please think of me.
