Chapter 1003: The Encounter with the Rose Princess ⑥

【Announcement】

Details of the 2nd Popularity Contest have been added to the Activity Report.

Please note that there are “2 new articles” posted, so you should check the older one first.

The trigger was the flowers of the Sanctuary, but I don’t know if she let down her guard to the extent that I could talk to her or that her interest in the God Realm’s flower bed just exceeds her social anxiety…… but she firmly asked me a lot of questions about the flowers in the Sanctuary.

Rosemary-san seems to really love flowers with all her heart as she has so many questions…… To be honest though, I don’t really remember that much about these flowers either, so I was desperately searching my memory for the answers, but Rosemary-san seemed to be pleased and I could feel her happiness.

[……T- Thank you for teaching me about them…… Hearing about the flower garden in the Sanctuary that I’ve always wanted to visit makes me happy.]

By the way, probably because of her low voice, Rosemary-san had been telling me this with her face quite close to my ear, which makes me feel strangely nervous.

Also, despite her flashy appearance, her voice is very cute.

[Eri, don’t trouble Kaito-san too much. Well, I’m glad for you that you could hear about the Sanctuary.]

[……U- Unnn. The flowers in the Sanctuary really are very nice. They have a different atmosphere from other flowers, and they feel very fresh. K- Kaito-kun too, thank you for teaching me about them.]

[No, no, I’m glad you’re pleased.]

Well, even though I just had the right knowledge that drew her attention, it was great that I was able to have a conversation with Rosemary-san. As I was thinking about this, I suddenly remembered the Eternal Flower that I received as a prize of the quiz a while ago.

I was thinking of decorating my room with them, but I think it would be better to give them to Rosemary-san, who loves flowers so much and has a strong interest in the flowers of the Sanctuary, than for me to keep them.

[Ummm, Rosemary-san.]

[U- Unnn?]

[I participated in a quiz event a while ago, and I received flowers from the Sanctuary as a prize…… So if you want, you can take them.]

[ ! ? ]

When I took out the Eternal Flower, Rosemary-san’s expression, which had remained grim up to this point, drastically changed and turned into a look of astonishment.

[Eh? F- Flowers from the Sanctuary? Eh? Eeehhh?]

[They’re called Eternal Flowers. I was just thinking of having them as a decoration, but I thought it would be better for Rosemary-san, who loves flowers, to have it than for me to keep it.]

Rosemary-san looked flustered, as if her mind was unable to catch up with what was going on, but her gaze was still glued to the Eternal Flower in my hand.

Incidentally, the Eternal Flower is different from the three flowers being displayed here, having beautiful pale purple petals.

[T- They’re very lovely flowers…… b- but but, t- that won’t do. I can’t receive such precious flowers……]

[Kaito-san, is that really alright? The value of that flower isn’t something that can be expressed in monetary terms, you know……]

I had anticipated her response to a certain extent, but not only Rosemary-san, Camellia-san also asked me with a look of utter astonishment.

Of course, I understand what they were trying to say. Even though these flowers are just displayed, they’re already quite bombastic about it, so I could tell that the value of these flowers would be at such a level that you can’t really put a price on them.

It’s just that…… To be clear, I think that’s probably just under the premise that these flowers would be released to the public.

[……Yes, of course, I understand your astonishment…… but you see, I know this might sound like a strange way to say this, but after I gave these flowers to Rosemary-san, if I just decide that I want these flowers…… I could probably get more of these.]

If I ask Shiro-san, I can probably get these flowers. To be honest, I don’t think Shiro-san is restricting the availability of the Sanctuary’s flowers or anything like that.

I think she just doesn’t have a chance to take them out, nor does she have any reason to bring them out, so I guess she’s just letting them bloom only in the Sanctuary.

(Yes, if Kaito-san wants, I can give you as many flowers as you want, even if it’s a set of all kinds.)

Just as Shiro-san herself said, they’re something that I can get if I want to. Well, I don’t have any gardening hobbies at the moment, and as for the flowers in the Sanctuary, it’s already enough for me to look at them when I have tea with Shiro-san.

[……U- Ummm, w- w- would it really be alright? O- Of course, this makes me very happy…… Even if you give me this, I can’t give you anything in exchange, you know?]

[You don’t really need to give me anything in exchange…… Ahh, let’s put it this way then! Please accept this as my thanks for helping me in the battle in the God Realm back then.]

In a way, this probably fits just right. Since Rosemary-san is also a Spirit, it’s highly likely that she doesn’t eat much, so I’m happy to be able to give her a thank you gift that I know she will appreciate.

When I offered her the Eternal Flower with this thought in mind, Rosemary-san hesitantly moved her gaze away from the flower a few times, before she slowly extended her hands and accepted the flowers from me.

[……Thank you. I’ll take good care of them.]

Saying this, she smiled for the first time. When I first saw her, I thought she looked like a villainous lady, but when I saw her smile, my impression of her completely changed.

I felt that Rosemary-san’s bashful smile…… was very cute.

Serious-senpai : [……The Popularity Contest has finally started…… Oiiiiii! What the heck is with this “However, it would only be those excluding Serious-senpai”!?]

? ? ? : [No, I mean, if you were to be added to the regular category, you’d win……]

(T/N: The Popularity Contest only consists of those who appeared in the main story. There are some exceptions like Mamonaka Alyssa, who even though created based on Alice, isn’t the same person, and characters who only appeared in Extra and Intermission chapters, like Blossom, who still haven’t met Kaito yet, and Eulpecula, who would be under the Death King’s rule in the future. The only exception to this exception though, is Serious-senpai, whose entry would only be in the Afterword section.)