What's done is done. I quickly rummaged through my pocket.
"I'll pay for it."
"Money isn't the issue. I need flowers right now, what am I supposed to do? We're already running short on supply as it is......"
"Running short on supply?"
With the harvest festival being so large, surely there would be separate farms nearby专门 cultivating flowers for the festival?
"Are you an outsider?"
"Yes, I haven't been here long, so I don't know the city situation well."
I firmly pressed down on Zhigor's head, who was shouting about teaching a lesson to the insolent human daring to act rude to the captain, silencing him.
The man looked at me with displeased eyes, then glanced around. A hint of fear flickered across his face.
"Don't go wandering around late. Go back to your lodgings early."
He turned away as if he wouldn't say more. I quickly approached him.
"I broke the flower pot, so I can't just leave. I want to compensate you properly."
"You can't compensate it anyway, miss, so just go."
"I know there's a flower farm nearby. Can't I just get some from there?"
"Hey, this lady! You're saying something dangerous!"
The man jumped up with a stern expression. He looked around once more, then lowered his voice to warn me.
"That place is closed for now, so don't even go near it. Unless you want to become a corpse."
"......Is that where the headless ghost appeared?"
The man's face went pale. Instead of answering, he emphasized several times that 'he had warned me not to go' before turning away.
I stared blankly at his retreating figure as he shuddered, then turned my eyes to the bumblebee sitting quietly.
"Is your hive perhaps at the flower farm?"
[That's not my home!]
Glancing at the sky, the sun was gradually setting. The street lights hadn't come on yet, but it would surely get dark soon.
The flower farm was some distance outside the city, so even if I left now, I'd arrive in the middle of the night.
Though I wanted to head to the flower farm.......
Thinking of someone who would grumble but still clean up the house and even prepare dinner while waiting, I felt uneasy.
Staring blankly at the communication device while deliberating, I eventually climbed onto Nadab's back and turned the reins.
"Let's return to the lodgings for now."
I'd visit the flower farm early tomorrow after joining with the new Dullahan.
* * *
It was purely coincidental that Heinrich ended up accompanying Maksel's schedule.
Heinrich hadn't attended any events in the capital since losing the power struggle. Only occasionally would he show his face when needed to maintain appearances in distant rural regions.
No matter how much he lost in political strife, as long as his status remained, there were still places where his name carried some weight.
This time was no different. Naturally, the capital event was Maksel's role, while Heinrich was originally supposed to fill a ceremonial spot in a small city near Freya.
It was an additional schedule due to the recent unsettling public mood from monsters' strange behavior.
But with rumors of monsters appearing in Freya and the Crown Prince's visit being scheduled, a long-distance warp gate was opened.
Thanks to that, Heinrich was able to travel comfortably, saving what would have been a journey on horseback.
"You arrived earlier than scheduled, brother, but do you even have a place to stay?"
Heinrich remained silent at Maksel's mockery.
As if he hadn't expected an answer anyway, Maksel continued callously.
"Ah, perhaps it's too much to expect from someone who can't even get a seat at a small banquet."
The city was bustling with news of the Crown Prince's rare visit. The Freya regional lord family and retainers welcomed them with a splendid table. Maksel was invited to a banquet immediately upon arrival.
Of course, unlike Maksel who received warm welcome, no one paid attention to Heinrich. Naturally so.
Maksel, glancing at Heinrich who wasn't invited to the banquet, ordered as if bestowing charity.
"Prepare a room for him. Can you not show even that much mercy?"
"It's fine. I'll handle my own schedule."
"Monsters have appeared nearby. If you're unlucky, your head might end up rolling, brother."
Maksel's soft voice was low and cold.
With his hands behind his back and chin raised arrogantly, he looked down at Heinrich.
"Know your place."
Maksel wasn't pleased about accompanying Heinrich. If the Emperor hadn't ordered him to go along since the warp gate was opening, he wouldn't have traveled side by side like this.
It was a sensitive reaction for Maksel, who usually mocked Heinrich with the face of a victor whenever they met.
"......"
Heinrich complied with Maksel's words. It was true he had nowhere to stay, so it didn't matter anyway.
If anything, he was curious why Maksel was being so sharp.
"I'll guide you to your room."
Walking slowly behind the servant, Heinrich glanced out the window. Despite the approaching harvest festival, the outside scenery somehow felt eerily gloomy.
Had all festival preparations been completely halted due to monster appearances?
"Did you suffer direct damage from the monsters?"
"Huh? Ah, yes...... Some property damage has been reported."
"What are the city guards doing? They should be able to handle minimal response."
The servant hesitated, then answered cautiously, unable to ignore the imperial prince's question.
"I heard they couldn't kill it carelessly because it's presumed to be the monster that kidnapped the Resurrected One."
Heinrich, who had been turning his head indifferently, paused at those words.
"They're waiting for the Temple's official search team to arrive for proper identification."
"Where did you say this monster appeared?"
"The most recent sighting was at the Oel flower farm outside the city. It's temporarily closed now."
Heinrich's eyes narrowed.
The Oel flower farm was on Maksel's official visit schedule for tomorrow.
'I thought he was visiting famous sites to encourage the harvest festival, but is he actually going because monsters appeared?'
But if that were the case, it was strange. Maksel's visit to this region alone would be sufficient encouragement.
Even if he sent a few of his own knights, there was no need to personally tour a place closed due to monster sightings.
The servant asked the solemn-looking Heinrich.
"You can rest here. Shall I bring dinner to your room?"
"That won't be necessary."
Left alone after dismissing the servant, Heinrich stood deep in thought.
Maksel must have also heard the news that the monster appearing here might be connected to the Resurrected One.
「Anneli is a woman who lived her whole life to enter the imperial palace. There's no place more suitable for her than here.」
Maksel's arrogantly declaring voice was still vivid. The face that turned cold when corrected on the title also surfaced unbidden.
Maksel's words that Anneli suited the imperial palace sounded like he was pointing to his own side.
'I thought he only brought it up to provoke me......'
But what if that wasn't the case? What if their conversation in the corridor that day had actually stirred Maksel's feelings?
Heinrich remembered the Maksel of the past.
「I almost let an evil woman into the imperial family.」
Maksel would sometimes deliberately bring up news of Anneli in front of Heinrich.
「Did you miss even that woman's love, brother?」
He felt sorry for her, as if she was receiving mockery she shouldn't have to endure because of him. It was one of the moments Heinrich felt most resentful.
「She's not someone who deserves this treatment.」
「What good do you expect from protecting a criminal whose execution is already decided?」
「......Neither you nor I have the right to disparage her feelings as well.」
Maksel had frowned briefly then, but that was all.
「Of course, Anneli does admire me greatly. But my lover is far more lovely than such a wooden woman.」
To Maksel, Anneli's existence was merely one means to express his superiority. At least in the past.
'......Then what about now, after she's been resurrected?'
Heinrich twisted his lips.
Was it just his speculation that Maksel held arrogant convictions regarding Anneli?
「I hope we never meet again, even by chance. I don't know how this sounds, but you resemble Maksel.」
Heinrich fiddled with his horn-rimmed glasses that he habitually carried.
This was a magic tool made by a close friend who had once been his loyal supporter. Since it was one of the few items Maksel hadn't discovered, he could occasionally use this magic tool to evade the spies Maksel had planted.
The monster that might have kidnapped Anneli.
That meant Anneli could possibly be in this area. Could he see her again?
Of course, she had said she never wanted to see him again, but......
「I think I might hit you without realizing.」
Could it be interpreted to mean that anyone who doesn't resemble Maksel would be fine?
* * *
Samuel woke up in cold sweat.
The night was still dark. Wiping his soaked forehead with his hand, he let out a long sigh. After sitting on the bed for a while, he slowly rose from his seat.
When he opened the window wide, cold night air rushed into the bedroom. The chill felt even more distinct because of his damp shirt clinging to his skin.
"......Hoo."
His throbbing temples wouldn't ease no matter how much he pressed them.
Lately, he'd been having more nights like this. It used to be about twice a week, but he could feel the frequency increasing.
Since he wasn't one to sleep long anyway, having his sleep somewhat disturbed wasn't a major problem.
The issue was that these sleepless nights stemmed from certain nightmares.
Since they always faded into vague unconsciousness upon waking, he couldn't recount specific details, but one thing was certain.
His nightmares were clearly repeating two scenarios.
Beheading someone, or being beheaded.