Once the painting was finished, we left the atelier and returned to the house above ground. As we chatted over more of the rose tea Rosmiel-san had brewed, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
“By the way, Rosmiel-san, you performed in a musical during the Harmonic Symphony, didn't you?”
“Yes.”
“Your singing was incredible. Are you particularly gifted with music?”
“I’m not sure if I’d call it a gift, but for spirits, singing is a way of harmonizing with nature. Most of us love to sing.”
I remembered hearing something like that before. Considering they held an event as massive as the Harmonic Symphony, music was clearly a cornerstone of the Spirit Race’s culture.
Lilliwood-san was an outstanding singer, and the rest of the Seven Princesses were equally impressive.
“Do you play any instruments?”
“I’m not much for instruments, though I suppose I can play the violin a little.”
“Heh… Do you sing often, Rosmiel-san?”
“Yes. I sing in the flower fields quite a lot.”
That certainly painted a picturesque scene—singing amidst the blooms of the Garden of Myriad Flowers. Wait, though…
“These fields are quite densely packed. Is there actually a place where you can stand and sing?”
“Yes. The garden is quite vast, so there are open clearings. Would you like to see one?”
“I would. So far, I’ve only seen the fields from the entrance to this house. I’m curious—exactly how big is this place?”
“I’d say it’s about the size of a small town.”
That was incredibly large. Since she specified a town rather than a village, the fields I’d seen so far were likely just a tiny fraction of the whole. There were probably way more than ten thousand flowers here—maybe it was the number of species that was ten thousand.
I stood up and followed Rosmiel-san outside.
“But with a garden that huge, isn't it a struggle to manage?”
“Not at all. Magic makes quick work of it. Besides, as a spirit, I can instinctively sense the condition of the flowers. I know exactly how to care for each one and what they need.”
“I see.”
“As for things like watering, I can control the environment within this space. I can make it rain over specific spots or adjust the temperature in certain sections.”
Come to think of it, Rosmiel-san was an Executive of the Six Kings and one of the top powerhouses in the Demon Realm. It wasn't surprising that she could do almost anything. I recalled Alice mentioning that once someone reached the highest-ranking Count-class, they seemed practically almighty by the standards of humans or myself.
“Speaking of which, I have a patch where I’ve planted the Sanctuary Flowers you gave me, Kaito-kun. Shall we head there too?”
“Ah, that sounds great. I’d love to see it.”
“…Also, um… if it isn't a bother, Kaito-kun, I’d be happy if you could tell me more about the Sanctuary Flower Garden. We didn't really have the chance to talk properly during the White God Festival.”
“Of course. I made sure to pay closer attention to it after our last talk. It looks like some new flowers have bloomed recently, too.”
“Oh? Really? I’d love to hear about them.”
She had asked plenty of questions during the White God Festival, but apparently, it hadn't been enough. She eagerly pressed me for more details.
I had no reason to refuse. Thanks to her curiosity back then, I had observed Shiro-san’s garden with a much more critical eye on my subsequent visits, so I was able to offer much more detailed answers than before.
I found it heartening to watch Rosmiel-san nod happily as I recounted everything I could remember about the Sanctuary Flower Garden. Eventually, as we walked and talked, a circular patch of green lawn appeared in the middle of the flower fields up ahead.
“Ah, Kaito-kun. That’s where I usually sing.”
“Oh, wow. It really is right in the heart of the garden. No matter which way I look, the view of the flowers is overwhelming.”
“I’m quite proud of the view from here…”
Since we were there, we decided to take in the scenery for a while. I pulled a leisure sheet out of my Magic Box, spread it out, and we sat down. We resumed our conversation, but… for some reason, the distance between us felt very small.
“…I see. Those flowers… the Sanctuary Flower Garden really is mysterious. You mentioned it’s divided into areas; what are they like?”
“Well, let’s see. In the area immediately after Shiro-san teleports me in…”
Rosmiel-san was sitting beside me, close enough that our shoulders were practically touching. Actually, I’d noticed it several times already, but she frequently sat much closer than I expected.
I wondered why that was, and then it suddenly clicked. Rosmiel-san was normally painfully shy; her voice was often so quiet that she had to lean in close to a person’s ear just to speak. Perhaps it was just a habit? When she talked to someone she’d opened up to, she likely leaned in close instinctively.
I see, mystery solved… except… her face was also really close! When a stunningly beautiful woman who had been smiling as much as Rosmiel-san was today leaned in this far, it was hard not to feel… a little flustered.
Serious-senpai: “This is definitely a date!!”