The well-maintained flower garden of the Spring palace was filled with nameless flowers. However, it didn't look messy. If the Winter Palace's garden felt like a quiet and organized park, the Spring Palace's garden seemed like a place where a festival was in full swing.
Bertus's garden was barren but not disorganized.
Charlotte's palace was splendid but not chaotic.
A garden full of flowers, and a garden without a single flower.
I felt that this part ultimately spoke of the similarities between the two.
Charlotte, who loved flowers, and Bertus, who hated them.
Because Bertus hated flowers, it was clear that Charlotte planted even more flowers. She even planted the flowers that Bertus had discarded as if to show off.
Both were obsessed with each other's likes and dislikes.
What would happen to Charlotte's garden if Bertus died?
With no reason to obsess over flowers, while they might not disappear, they wouldn't be as splendid as they are now.
In any case, they were similar.
That's what I thought.
Charlotte led the way through the garden full of flowers. The gardeners who were tending the flower beds quietly paid their respects when they saw the princess.
There was no special conversation.
There were no questions about the unexpected guest.
If the Winter Palace had a cold impression, the Spring Palace looked comfortable and cozy, whether it was because of the name or the design.
The palace, which gave a warm feeling rather than a splendid one, seemed to be complemented by the surrounding colourful flowers.
The garden was also part of the palace.
I thought that was true for both the Winter Palace and the Spring Palace.
The Imperial Palace Tetra was no exception.
"...There really are no bees?"
Charlotte's eyes widened at my words.
"The flowers are pretty. They smell nice. They're well-maintained. I didn't expect to hear that kind of thing from you, but you're still thinking about bees?"
No, that's the point!
Since there were so many flowers, it was natural for bees to be attracted, but as you said, I couldn't see a single bee, so it's strange!
"Of course, there aren't any. If I get stung by a bee, the gardener's head will fly off, you know?" Charlotte laughed, and I broke out in a cold sweat.
In the end, there were either no bees in this garden or they couldn't come. Pest control must be thorough. Whether it's magic or something else.
“Then, what about... that. You know."
"Pollination?"
"Yeah, that."
Without bees, there's no pollination, so isn't that a problem?
"...You really worry about strange things. They'll take care of that somehow."
"How?"
"...Reinhardt, you know, I don't know about that stuff."
There was no need for the princess to know about problems that could be handled without her knowledge. Charlotte liked flowers, and the giant flower garden was created for that one reason. There was no need or reason to know how gardeners do specific work.
That's what power is.
Charlotte lives a life where that's a given. No matter what I do, I only feel that Charlotte is far from me.
I don't need to know that stuff. The people below me will take care of it.
To say such a thing confidently.
Charlotte walked through the garden and arrived at the palace entrance. The huge hall inside the palace, the spiral staircase, the sculptures, and the pillars.
I thought the palace was too spacious for Charlotte to live alone.
No, she wouldn't live alone. There would be maids and servants, various officials, and a guard force.
However...
Somehow.
There were no servants in sight anywhere in the huge hall.
No, they were present, but...
I think there should be servants or maids or someone like that to greet Charlotte.
But no one came out to greet her, and there were very few people.
Something must have happened here, and this emptiness was the aftermath.
Although I forced my way in, Charlotte eventually brought me here. Does that mean I won't see what I suspected?
Charlotte opened her mouth first in the chilly palace.
"As I said before, don't say anything useless. I'll handle it."
"Okay."
I'll keep that in mind while observing these people. It is as good as Charlotte admitting herself as a pushover.
This feels good.
"Your Highness."
And then, a man who had been sitting somewhere in the hall stood up and came to greet Charlotte.
I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the sight of the approaching man.
You were alive.
The cavalry lieutenant who gave decisive help when escaping the Demon King's Castle.
"Have you returned?"
"Ah, Dyrus. Say hello. This is my friend, Reinhardt. Reinhard, this is Dyrus, my knight."
Now Dyrus, who had become Charlotte's escort knight, was in front of me.
I had a vague idea that Dyrus might be dead, but I couldn't ask Charlotte about it. I had no reason to know him.
He had become Charlotte's escort knight. Charlotte had succeeded in protecting the human who saved her.
However, thinking about it calmly, Dyrus's skills were, of course, not superhuman. I couldn't know what kind of progress he had made since then.
Anyway, I couldn't show my happiness outside. I had to not know Dyrus.
He’s safe.
That's enough for now.
However, contrary to my joy, Dyrus was looking at me with a cautious gaze.
"Your Highness, bringing an outsider here is..."
"He's a friend."
"Still..."
Despite Charlotte's words, Dyrus showed a troubled expression.
The rumours about what happened here must be true.
That's why outsiders are currently prohibited from entering.
Charlotte was desperately trying to cover up my insistence, and Dyrus looked troubled.
The princess, who lost to her friend's insistence and forcibly brought her friend home, now insisted on her own way at home.
"Your Highness." And then, cutting through Dyrus's voice, another voice came from somewhere else.
It wasn't familiar to my ears, but it wasn't unfamiliar either.
"You should refrain from bringing outsiders here."
It was Saviolin Turner, the Captain of the First Imperial Knights Division, Shanapell, whom I had met before.
Why is she here?
Wearing the knight uniform, she walked towards Charlotte and me.
"It hasn't been long, Reinhardt."
She recognized me, of course.
"You were invited, but I'm sorry, you must leave."
She spoke as if Charlotte's opinion didn't matter.
Is Shanapell in charge of the palace's security in the spring?
The influence of the rumours that Sarkagar mentioned was visible in real time. What on earth happened?
Is Charlotte safe?
"Captain Turner, I am the one who decides that."
"Even though temporarily, I am responsible for the palace's security."
Suddenly, the strongest person in the world and the princess were having a psychological battle.
"Is Reinhardt a dangerous person?"
"I think you know that's not what I'm saying."
I decided to stall, for now, trusting my intuition.
Is Charlotte fighting an unnecessary battle because of my insistence?
Saviolin Turner looked at me as if she wanted me to understand, not Charlotte.
It would be better for me to leave on my own, and her expression seemed to suggest that I should leave if I understood.
However, even with the strongest person in the world in front of me, I couldn't back down. I needed to know what was happening here, what was happening to Charlotte.
I had no intention of backing down.
She looked at Charlotte again when I stared back at her.
"Your Highness, let's talk for a moment."
It was almost an order.
Saviolin Turner's authority and power were that much.
"Yes, Captain Turner."
Charlotte didn't let her spirit be crushed either.
It's strange that Dyrus and Saviolin Turner oppose my visit.
Even if the palace owner decides, it's like the secretary and the security director are desperately opposing.
So, it's right to think that this situation is happening only in the Spring Palace.
Saviolin Turner and Charlotte, along with Dyrus, went somewhere to talk.
I couldn't hear their conversation, and I didn't know how far they had gone.
Shanapell seemed to be in charge of security, but apart from the captain, no other knight forces were visible.
She seemed to be alone.
**************************************************************
TL Note:
If you like the work so far, you can support me through Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/dreambigtl.