Our conversation may have started with the flowers of the Sanctuary, but once we actually began talking, her guard seemed to drop—or perhaps her fascination with the God Realm's gardens simply outweighed her fear. She began questioning me about the Sanctuary’s flora with intense curiosity.
Rosmiel-san clearly loved flowers from the bottom of her heart. She had so many questions that I found myself desperately scouring my mind for details, as I hadn't exactly memorized every petal. Still, she seemed thrilled by my answers, and her joy was palpable.
"...Th-thank you for telling me so much. I've always dreamed of the Sanctuary’s flower gardens. Hearing about them... makes me so happy."
Because her voice was so soft, she leaned in quite close to my ear to speak, which made my heart race in spite of myself. Despite her flashy, almost aggressive appearance, her voice was actually quite lovely.
"Elly, you shouldn't trouble Kaito-san too much," Camellia-san interjected. "Though, I suppose it was worth it to hear those stories about the Sanctuary."
"...Y-yes. The flowers there sound truly wonderful. They have an atmosphere unlike anything else. It's so... refreshing. K-Kaito-kun, thank you again for being so patient with me."
"No, it was my pleasure. I'm just glad I could help."
It had been a rocky start, but I was relieved to finally be on speaking terms with Rosmiel-san. That thought reminded me of the prize I’d won earlier in the festival quiz: the Eternal Flower. I had planned to just display it in my room, but seeing how much Rosmiel-san loved flowers—especially those from the Sanctuary—I felt it would be much better off with her.
"Um, Rosmiel-san?"
"Y-yes?"
"I took part in a quiz event earlier and received a flower from the Sanctuary as a prize. If you'd like, I’d be happy for you to have it."
"——!?"
The moment I produced the Eternal Flower, the stern, guarded expression she had worn until now vanished, replaced by total astonishment.
"Wait... a Sanctuary flower? Really? Are you serious?"
"It’s called an Eternal Flower. I was just going to use it as a decoration, but I think someone who loves flowers as much as you do should be the one to keep it."
Rosmiel-san seemed unable to process the offer. She looked flustered, but her eyes remained fixed on the flower in my hand. It was distinct from the three varieties on display in this area, boasting beautiful, delicate purple petals.
"It’s... it's a stunning flower. B-but I can't. I couldn't possibly accept something so priceless..."
"Kaito-san, are you certain?" Camellia-san asked, looking just as shocked. "I don't think you can even put a price on a specimen like this."
I had expected that reaction. Given the security and ceremony surrounding the flowers in this exhibit, I knew a Sanctuary flower was considered an invaluable treasure by most people. However, that was based on the premise of how the rest of the world saw them. For me, the situation was a bit different.
"I understand why you're surprised, but... well, to put it simply, if I give this to Rosmiel-san and eventually decide I want another one... I’m pretty sure I could get one."
Specifically, I knew Shiro-san would give me more if I asked. I didn't think she was intentionally hoarding them to keep them rare; she likely only grew them in the Sanctuary because she had no reason to take them anywhere else.
(Yes, I will give you as many as you like. I wouldn't even mind giving you a set of every variety.)
The Goddess herself had just confirmed it telepathically. As far as I was concerned, these were items I could obtain whenever I wished. Besides, I didn't have much of a green thumb; seeing the flowers in the Sanctuary whenever I had tea with Shiro-san was plenty for me.
"...A-are you... are you really sure? I would be so happy to have it, but... I have nothing I can give you in return for something like this."
"I don't need anything in return. Actually, let’s call it a belated thank-you for helping me during that battle in the God Realm. Please, take it."
In a way, this worked out well. Since Rosmiel-san was a spirit and likely didn't care much for food or typical gifts, I was glad to provide something I knew she would cherish.
When I held the Eternal Flower out to her again, she hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting nervously. Finally, she slowly reached out both hands and accepted the flower from me.
"...Thank you. I’ll... I’ll treasure it forever."
With those words, she gave me her first genuine smile. When I first saw her, I had thought she looked like a classic villainess, but her smile completely shattered that impression. Watching her beam with such bashful, pure joy, I couldn't help but think she was actually very cute.
Serious-senpai: "...The popularity poll has finally open—Heeeey! What do you mean, 'excluding Serious-senpai'!!?"
???: "Well, if we put you in the normal category, you’d just win by a landslide and ruin the suspense..."