Ch.371Chapter 371 Epilogue – Palace of Flowers and Spring (4)

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As Alcor exited the room, giving Shizu and me a look that seemed to say “expect something,” I noticed something.

Though no voices could be heard beyond the doorway, the sound of rather busy footsteps echoed in my ears.

It wasn’t just Alcor’s footsteps alone.

They belonged to at least three attendants who served this divine realm, following behind him.

My senses had become so sharp lately that I could perceive their movements beyond the door even without using my spiritual perception.

Their footsteps were so refined that they would be extremely difficult to detect with ordinary senses or spiritual perception.

They were probably attendants of this divine realm who had joined Alcor to retrieve the gifts Regina had ordered for us.

‘…Impressive.’

Though I hadn’t seen them since we arrived here instantly with just a gesture from Alcor.

But just hearing these disciplined footsteps was enough to tell me that these attendants possessed remarkable martial arts skills.

At minimum, they moved with the breathing control and footwork of mid-ranking Imperial Knights.

It made sense that those serving a goddess residing in this divine realm would naturally surpass mid-ranking Imperial Knights in skill, so I didn’t find it strange.

However, I did feel somewhat troubled by the thought that if they were mobilizing such skilled attendants, what kind of gift were they planning to give us?

As I mentioned earlier, while gifts themselves are important, receiving something excessively beyond one’s means was clearly meaningless.

If Alcor was planning to give us something like that, I wanted to politely decline if possible.

“…Lady Regina.”

Shizu, who seemed to share my thoughts after noticing the disciplined footsteps beyond the door, tried to dissuade Regina, but…

“This is just a minimal gesture of sincerity.”

Regina had no intention of listening to Shizu’s request, cutting her off with a voice that remained gentle yet firm.

“Please accept it.”

Faced with Regina’s polite attitude despite her incredibly high position, Shizu found it difficult to insist further.

“…I understand.”

With these words, Shizu sat down and remained silent.

After all, refusing someone’s goodwill when they insist it’s just a minimal gesture would be problematic in its own way.

I too, instead of supporting Shizu, sat down and carefully observed our surroundings to pass the time.

At first glance, this place seemed surprisingly modest for a divine realm inhabited by transcendent beings.

But the longer I spent carefully examining the room, the more I realized how wrong my initial impression had been.

‘I was mistaken. It only appears modest on the surface.’

As I observed the room while inwardly clicking my tongue, everything became clearer.

The wallpaper, based on gray and white tones, neatly adorning the space.

The furniture that, while not flashy, possessed an elegant presence that perfectly reflected the taste of the goddess who owned this space.

Even the vase of lilies placed where we were sitting.

Everything in this room, though perhaps lacking in ostentation, was perfectly harmonious with the space, creating a natural ambiance that was beyond compare.

And needless to say, the finishing touch to this perfection was Regina herself, sitting modestly across from Shizu and me, somehow already sipping tea placed on the table.

…Wait, tea?

There hadn’t been any teacups on the table when we sat down, but now…?

Trying my best to suppress my surprise, I focused my gaze on Regina as she drank her tea.

“This is what I always drink. Rather than asking others, I prefer to brew it myself.”

Reading the slight confusion in my gaze, Regina smiled casually as she gently sipped her tea.

Though it didn’t explain how she had prepared the tea without us noticing.

Her unpretentious attitude—doing things herself that she could easily have ordered subordinates to do—naturally inspired both familiarity and respect for this goddess.

Shizu seemed to feel the same way I did, as I could see admiration and wonder in her gaze as she watched Regina drinking tea.

Perhaps reading the admiration in our eyes.

“Fufu…”

With a soft laugh, Regina tried to dispel the boredom of waiting for Alcor to arrive with the gifts by drinking the tea in her cup.

I say “tried” because her action didn’t actually continue.

“…?”

The reason was that her gaze became fixed on Shizu sitting across from her, with the teacup paused at her lips.

The green light reflected in the goddess’s eyes—which looked refreshing just to behold—blinked repeatedly while fixed on Shizu.

It seemed like mere blinking, but to me, it felt like a profound action of recognizing something and trying to identify what it was.

…What is it? Did the goddess sense something about Shizu?

I couldn’t help thinking this because…

“…”

The emotion in Regina’s silent gaze as she stared at Shizu was far from ordinary.

It wasn’t negative like suspicion.

But Regina’s gaze, filled with certainty that something she herself couldn’t quite perceive properly resided within Shizu, was enough to make Shizu uncomfortable.

“Um… excuse me.”

Shizu called out to Regina, who was staring at her intensely enough to be burdensome, intending to ask why she was being scrutinized so thoroughly, but…

“…??”

Instead of answering Shizu’s call, Regina only deepened the questioning look in her eyes.

It was certainly a situation that would naturally cause tension, being under the scrutinizing gaze of a goddess of such caliber.

But the doubt in her gaze was far from the kind born of vague suspicion and fear.

Rather, it was closer to a process of trying to confirm something dwelling within Shizu that couldn’t be properly observed even with transcendent intelligence and insight.

So it would have been normal not to worry, but…

‘…This is really concerning.’

The problem was that even from my perspective watching from the side, Regina’s gaze remained fixed on Shizu for quite a long time, enough to make a seed of anxiety sprout in my heart.

Contrary to the expectation that one glance from those green eyes—reminiscent of lush spring foliage—would comprehend everything in sight, she carefully placed her teacup on the table and began observing Shizu more intently.

‘What’s happening?’

I was becoming genuinely convinced that there must be some issue with Shizu’s body to warrant such scrutiny.

As I unconsciously rubbed my hands together to ease my growing tension…

‘They’re damp.’

In this short time, my nervous state had caused enough sweat to form on my palms to make them feel moist.

It wasn’t just my palms.

Thump-thump-

My heart rate had also increased due to the confusion of facing this unprecedented situation.

Seeing myself so tense and fearful just at the thought that Shizu might be facing some unknown negative situation…

I found myself fervently hoping that nothing bad would come from Regina’s lips after she finished her observation, but…

“Ah…!”

Regina finally let out a soft exclamation, clearly showing that she had realized something, which made me feel relieved that what I had been worried about wouldn’t happen.

If it were something serious, there would be no reason for such an expression, which seemed certain enough.

“Lilian Shizu, could I speak with you for a moment?”

However, if it were nothing, she could simply state that what she observed was nothing to worry about.

The fact that she specifically wanted to speak with Shizu alone made that strange anxiety bloom in my heart once again.

“Is it a topic that’s difficult to discuss right here?”

Shizu, who had been directly under Regina’s gaze, seemed to feel the same way, asking if they couldn’t just talk right here.

It might seem quite rude to question a revered being during conversation, but…

“…Hmm.”

Regina brought her left hand to her chin thoughtfully, apparently finding Shizu’s point reasonable.

“You’re right. Then let’s do it this way.”

Saying this, she prepared to have a private conversation without leaving their seats.

Snap-!!

With the clear sound produced by bringing her right thumb and middle finger together, which faded away with its resonance…

“­­­­­”

I could see Regina’s lips moving as she began speaking to Shizu across from her, but I couldn’t hear her voice at all.

It seemed she was conveying something to Shizu that I wasn’t meant to know.

“­­?”

At first, Shizu’s expression changed strangely, as if she didn’t quite understand what Regina was saying.

“­­­­­­­”

Regina recited something even longer than before, conveying something to Shizu.

Judging by her bright expression, it didn’t seem to be something too serious.

“­­?? ­­ ­­­­­­­!!!!”

As soon as Regina finished speaking, Shizu’s expression turned to one of shock as she said something in response, which made me worry again.

And seeing Regina smiling at Shizu’s reaction made me feel relieved again, creating a contradictory emotional situation.

As their conversation continued—visible only through their moving lips with no audible words—Shizu’s initially shocked expression gradually transformed into one containing subtle embarrassment and joy that only I could recognize.

My anxious heart, which had been fluctuating back and forth, finally stabilized.

Snap-!!

Having apparently finished their conversation, Regina snapped her right thumb and middle finger together again, dissolving the invisible barrier that had allowed them to converse privately.

“Congratulations.”

To Regina, who offered inexplicable congratulations with a bright smile…

“Th-thank you…”

Shizu responded with a voice full of embarrassment rarely seen except when she was alone with me.

“…What’s going on?”

I asked, trying to understand the cause of this incomprehensible situation.

“…I’ll… tell you later…”

Judging by Shizu’s state—her face even redder than during her conversation with Regina, trailing off at the end of her sentence—it seemed unlikely I would get an answer here.

…What is really going on?

As I grew more puzzled by this incomprehensible situation, what filled my vision was the sight of Shizu carefully cradling her stomach with both hands in a slow but affectionate gesture.