Ch.116Chapter 116

Outside the conference room where silence had settled.

The Gardener and I stood alone in an unknown place, somewhere I couldn’t identify.

The Gardener’s eyes were quietly fixed on me.

She seemed to be waiting for my response to what she had said earlier.

I could somewhat tell that her gaze contained both expectation and a hint of fear.

The question of why I wouldn’t call them by their names.

At first, I was going to give an indirect answer.

Since my reason for not calling them by name stemmed from my distrust of them, they would surely find it unpleasant.

With that thought, I was about to open my lips, but seeing the Gardener’s expression, I closed them again.

It might not be obvious at first glance, but I noticed her flinching as if my speaking would be like throwing a punch at her.

Damn it.

Why would she show such vulnerability to someone like me, whom she could easily overpower if she wanted to?

…I suppose it meant they hadn’t encountered many beings who were kind to them.

She trusted me so much after I approached them willingly, and it wouldn’t be respectful to the Gardener to beat around the bush here.

Above all, they had helped me without asking for anything in return.

“…The Chronicler once said something.”

“What was it?”

“That comparing you and the Outer Gods over there would be like comparing nobles to commoners. When you accidentally confess to someone, you might have some way to escape from commoners, but once caught by a noble, you’ll never be able to escape again.”

At those words, the Gardener’s eyes grew wider.

Perhaps this was the moment she realized why I had been so desperate not to call her by name all this time.

Then, her expression gradually darkened, and forcing a smile, she pointed at herself with her finger.

“Do you… dislike me?”

She seemed to be trying to make it easier for me to answer, but her trembling finger clearly revealed her current emotional state.

At first glance, it sounded like she wanted me to have a way to escape from her.

“Of course not!”

“Then why are you saying such things now…?”

“If you think about what I said in reverse, it means I would become your shackles.”

“What…?”

The Gardener expressed her confusion, even breaking into a cold sweat.

But what I said wasn’t something I had blurted out carelessly.

“As I told the Cook before, I’ve only helped you once. I didn’t expect anything in return. But you show me gratitude, some of you show affection, and you help me. Of course, I’m incredibly grateful for that. But you… you shouldn’t be bound to anyone. You should be freer… seeking more enjoyable things.”

Outer Gods are beings that shouldn’t be bound to anything.

Of course, they can act as they please, but it would be sad if they lost their freedom because of someone like me.

They must have so many things they want to do.

After saying this, I suddenly felt overwhelmed by fear and lowered my head.

The Gardener might look at me with contempt after hearing such cowardly words.

I was truly a contradictory being.

I had been feeling this acutely since facing the twin Outer Gods.

The contradiction of easily disposing of humans who meant harm, while showing mercy to Outer Gods with their own stories.

The contradiction of wanting them not to be bound to me while fearing they might leave.

I was self-deprecating, thinking how ugly I was.

The Gardener strode toward me, grabbed my shoulders, and pushed me forcefully.

“Ugh…!”

Fortunately, there was a tree right behind me, so I didn’t hit it too hard.

When I looked at the Gardener with surprised eyes, she was staring at me with slightly trembling pupils.

“You idiot…!”

The Gardener grabbed my collar with the same hand she had used to push me and began to apply more pressure.

Before I could even be surprised by this sudden action, the Gardener continued.

“Don’t say such ridiculous things. Don’t define our relationship by saying we’re bound to you! Do you know that’s also an arrogant thought? You’re talking based on the premise that we’re bound to you. Why are you defining others as you please!”

When the Gardener finished speaking, I couldn’t give any answer.

The Gardener was right.

Although my actions were for her sake, this too was just an arrogant thought.

Placing the Gardener on my own thoughts and defining her—an extremely arrogant action.

“Do you even know why I’m with you in the first place?”

The Gardener hesitated, furrowed her brow, gritted her teeth once, and then spoke.

“It’s because I like you, you idiot…! Don’t define my feelings as mere gratitude!”

Ah.

The moment I heard those words, my mind stopped working.

I wasn’t unaware.

The Gardener had shown signs of having feelings for me several times, so I would have been a fool not to notice.

But the reason I was stunned was that I realized I had been defining the Gardener’s thoughts as I pleased.

I had reduced these complex and subtle emotions to something that arose merely from me helping her once.

“So…!”

Just as the Gardener was about to say something more, I sensed someone behind me.

Could it be one of the Outer Gods from the conference room?

I tried to move to calm the Gardener down, but I was too late.

Some force pushed my back, shifting my center of gravity toward the Gardener.

Crash!

I fell on top of the Gardener, and the flower petals on the ground flew into the air from the impact.

I could feel the Gardener’s warmth and softness.

Her breath hit my face from very close proximity.

Unlike me, who was full of embarrassment, the Gardener’s eyes were completely fixed on me.

Just as I was thinking I had acted rudely again and tried to move away from her, her hands wrapped around my neck like vines around a tree.

Before I could do anything, my body was strongly pulled toward her, and I felt a soft sensation.

My lips were sealed by hers, and I couldn’t say anything for a while.

It tasted like something pink.

And it seemed to have a hint of anxiety mixed in.

When our lips parted, the Gardener covered her mouth with her finger and turned her face to the side.

Her reddened face revealed the mindset with which she had taken this action.

“…Now that you know my feelings, stop avoiding me.”

Ah.

Really.

I was such a fool.

Perhaps I was still feeling a sense of disconnect from being immersed in a game.

Thoughts like “they’re not real,” “even if I treat them sincerely, only the shell will remain,” and so on.

Was I ignoring their sincerity because of that?

I touched my lips where the sensation still lingered.

There, the Gardener’s consideration and sincerity were imprinted.

Perhaps the Gardener felt the same way I did earlier.

With her eyes gently closed, she was breathing somewhat roughly.

She must be afraid that I might act contrary to her feelings.

I gently brushed her hair with my hand.

She carefully opened her eyes and met mine.

“…I could see what my real problem was. I’ve only ever caused harm, yet you take care of me like this. I should call this a luxury.”

I smiled at her and said.

“Thank you.”

Fiore.

At that moment, Fiore’s eyes widened dramatically.

#

“Vice-Captain!”

“Enough! How many times do I have to tell you I’m watching too!”

Marenne finally scolded the knight who kept making a fuss, but it wasn’t incomprehensible.

The knight’s tone was more excited than ever as he reported to her.

The Vice-Captain was witnessing with her own eyes the cause of this knight’s behavior.

The trees that had been withering and reviving repeatedly while dancing suddenly stood firmly in place.

Then something began to swell from the branches.

They all bloomed with white flowers.

Dandelions.

“Trees blooming with dandelions? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

Dandelions aren’t trees but herbs to begin with.

That means this strange phenomenon must also be related to the Gardener.

“Well, it seems my subordinate has done something unbelievable.”

The white mask suddenly walked up beside the Vice-Captain.

Receiving the Vice-Captain’s questioning gaze, the white mask looked at her once and snorted.

“You shouldn’t give flower gifts.”

“What nonsense are you suddenly talking about?”

“If you knew the meaning of white dandelions, you wouldn’t be standing there so blankly.”

The white mask said this and started walking back to the station.

“My subordinate’s forgotten crime comes to mind again.”

Despite the harsh content, the white mask chuckled as if amused, leaving the Vice-Captain even more confused.

What connection could there possibly be between this strange phenomenon and Tanthyn’s crime?

“Alpha.”

“Yes, Vice-Captain.”

“…Do you know the meaning of white dandelions?”

“No, I don’t.”

“…That’s unfortunate.”

The Vice-Captain only learned what the flower symbolized after the incident was completely over, and she received quite a shock.