The Stolen Flower
"That's strange... Why isn't it activating...?"
"Did you know? Canary flowers glow golden when infused with Solar Mana."
Ignoring Frey's muttering in disbelief, Rosewin began her explanation. With the hand holding the canary flower, she slowly channeled her Solar Mana into it.
Though she was a collateral imperial branch member and didn't possess Clana's level of power, she had trained diligently in her spare time. Her Solar Mana was more than enough to dye the canary flower golden.
Shaaaa...
"...Ha."
As Rosewin continued infusing Solar Mana, a faint wisp of black smoke began to rise from the flower. Seeing it, Frey's face fell into utter dejection.
"Hmm... It's not shining as brilliantly as the rumors say. It does seem a bit brighter, though."
Ignoring Frey once more, Rosewin peered intently at the flower before gently setting it down beside her.
"...You, you liked canary flowers?"
"Yes, I love them. Do you perhaps know why?"
"Hmm... Who knows?"
Frey scowled, clearly uncomfortable with the situation, but Rosewin pressed on undeterred.
"A sunset envies the rising sun, just as I prefer yellow tones over reds."
"...You?"
"Yes. So honestly, I was always a little sad whenever you gave me red roses."
Rosewin smiled as she said this, and Frey nodded awkwardly, his expression uneasy.
"Uh, yeah... Then from now on, I'll give you yellow flowers..."
"But you've already given me one."
"What?"
"This yellow canary flower."
As Rosewin tapped the flower beside her and curved her lips into a grin, Frey quietly stared at her.
"...This is weird. It looks exactly like Rosewin."
"Why are you staring like that?"
"Oh, nothing."
As Rosewin tilted her head curiously, Frey waved it off dismissively before forcing an awkward smile.
"Seriously... This was a gift for me?"
Meanwhile, Clana—who had witnessed the entire exchange through the canary perched on Frey's shoulder—muttered in a trembling voice.
"But... but I definitely sensed black magic...?"
I had been absolutely convinced that the box Frey prepared was a trap.
Yet Rosewin opened it without issue, and what emerged was a canary flower.
Considering who gave me my childhood nickname "Canary," this couldn't possibly be coincidence.
'R-Right. There was black smoke rising just now, wasn't there?'
That thought pulled me from my spiraling confusion. I recalled how black smoke had risen from the flower when Rosewin channeled her Solar Mana.
With that in mind, I tried to conclude that the canary flower was indeed a malicious trap Frey had crafted by exploiting our shared memories.
'Wait, but if it was a trap... why wasn't Rosewin affected?'
A new doubt surfaced, plunging me back into turmoil.
Rosewin had handled the flower bare-handed. For nothing to happen despite that was highly suspicious.
'Wait, could it be...'
Racking my brain once more, I remembered Frey's earlier words and broke into a cold sweat.
'...It really was just traces from Kania fetching the flower?'
Before entering Frey's room, I'd glimpsed Kania glaring at him, radiating black magic. For some reason, her aura was dozens of times stronger than in previous loops.
If that amplified black magic had merely brushed the flower...
'Then this flower really is a gift of reconciliation...'
"Frey, would you put this flower in my hair?"
Lost in those thoughts, Rosewin's amused voice pierced through.
"Heh, thank you."
Frey grimaced slightly as he tucked the canary flower into her hair. Rosewin flashed a captivating smile, thanked him, and promptly followed up with another question.
"So, why did you use an oath on her?"
"...Rosewin, are you trying to sell me something right now?"
"Of course not. I'm just purely curious."
My breath caught involuntarily at the mention of "oath." As Frey opened his mouth with a bored expression, I found myself leaning in despite myself.
"To toy with her and toss her aside."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. She's always acted like hot shit, and it pissed me off."
I nodded knowingly at Frey's cold tone, my suspicions confirmed.
'Y-Yeah, Frey really just wanted to toy with me. Of course, I knew—'
"I see... So my hypothesis was wrong?"
But before my thoughts could settle, Rosewin narrowed her eyes and whispered.
"Hypothesis?"
"For instance, maybe you actually protected Clana back then?"
My body stiffened at her words, while Frey scowled and pressed her.
"What are you talking about, Rosewin?"
"People at the scene said that when the vile, lecherous betrothed tried to claim Clana as his fiancée, you proposed instead."
"That's right. It was necessary to avoid suspicion from others."
"I see... But where is that betrothed now?"
As Rosewin tilted her head innocently, Frey sighed and replied.
"Why ask me?"
"One of our Information Guild's clients vanished suddenly. Isn't that surprising?"
"Eh, probably fled to the mountains in rage after I stole Clana, or got his revenge from the women he tormented."
"Is that so? I see."
Rosewin nodded along with Frey's answer, then smiled faintly.
"But... the fact that even our Information Guild can't track him is quite astonishing."
"Why is that astonishing? Your guild..."
"You know what kind of place our guild is."
With a serious expression, Rosewin continued.
"There are only four places in the empire with the power and authority to hide information from us."
"Which are?"
"The Imperial Family, the Church, the Moonlight Family, and..."
As Rosewin trailed off, Frey—his face tense—quickly switched to a sly grin.
"Heh... Can't fool you, Rosewin."
"Oh? So the gossip among the noble ladies was true?"
"No, that's not it. I did handle him, but... he touched a toy I'd set aside, and it pissed me off."
"...Well, if you say so."
As Frey showed no sign of falling for her leading questions, Rosewin chuckled softly and wrapped up.
".........Huh?"
I, who had been listening intently, finally let out a dazed murmur.
'What... did I just hear?'
My mind refused to process it. Their conversation looped endlessly in my head.
'Frey used the oath to protect me? No, impossible. He's always just wanted to toy with me like a—'
"But anyway, Clana rejected you now, right?"
I tried to think rationally, but Rosewin's words halted my thoughts again.
"...Yeah."
"Shall I pour you a drink? Alcohol's best for forgetting the pain of heartbreak."
As Rosewin reached for the bottle on the desk, Frey nodded, tempted.
"Make it a cocktail?"
"...Sure."
With a triumphant smile at Frey's ready agreement, Rosewin gathered the bottles on the desk and began mixing in precise ratios.
'...Poison?'
Watching her intently through the canary's eyes, I spotted her slyly slipping something from her sleeve.
Srrk...
"Ah..."
I murmured unwittingly as Rosewin naturally dripped the substance into the cocktail.
"...No."
Snapping out of my daze, I gripped the veranda railing with my trembling hands and muttered.
"No what...?"
I now had some power and leverage over the Imperial Family's weaknesses. Even if Frey's oath broke, I wouldn't be forced into engagement like before.
So I needed to escape that loathsome Frey quickly...
I had to sabotage the engagement somehow, or who knew what he'd do with his authority over me...
That's why I'd asked Rosewin to do this of my own will...
So why was my heart screaming for me to rush in and stop it?
"Shall we toast?"
"Sure."
But ignoring my turmoil, Frey was already raising the drugged cocktail Rosewin had prepared.
"Mm... Unique taste."
Before I could act, Frey downed it in one gulp.
"Frey, how do you feel now?"
"...Mm."
As Rosewin gazed at him expectantly, Frey murmured in a dazed haze.
"My chest... it's hot."
"Is it?"
"R-Rosewin...?"
Rosewin approached, embracing and patting him.
"It's okay. You'll find someone better next time."
"No, it's not like that. She was really just a toy..."
"Yes, yes. Of course."
Leaning in close to his face with a playful smile, Rosewin whispered.
"...But what about me?"
"Huh?"
"If you want, I could comfort you tonight."
"What do you... Wait, really?"
Frey sobered for a split second, then slipped back into his stupor.
"For real...?"
"Hehe, not now—next time... Mmph?"
As Rosewin stroked his chest and tried to pull away, Frey suddenly kissed her. She widened her eyes in panic, pushing at him.
"Rosewin..."
"Mmm..."
The next moment, Frey tumbled to the floor with her, their bodies entwining.
"Haa... Haaa..."
Watching blankly, I severed the connection with the canary and collapsed to the floor.
"Aaa... Uu..."
It had gone exactly as planned. I didn't care who that hated Frey entangled with.
So why were tears streaming from my eyes?
"Hnnngh... Mmph!"
Even after Clana cut the connection, Rosewin remained pinned beneath Frey, their tongues entwined for a long while.
"Pha... W-Wait a sec..."
Finally shoving Frey off with all her might, Rosewin tried to mutter something urgently.
Swoosh...
But as Frey's hand slid downward, she fell silent and slipped her own hand into her bosom.
"...Ha."
A moment later, as his hand reached her below, she wore a satisfied expression.
Pazzz...
Then the black mark on her hand began to glow.
"Urk!"
"R-Rosewin?"
Suddenly, Rosewin started dry-heaving.
"G-Get off me."
Scowling fiercely, she shoved Frey aside forcefully, staggered to her feet, and rushed to the door.
"S-So gross... Uu..."
Bolting from Frey's room, Rosewin dashed to the nearby veranda and began retching.
"Urgh...! Uweeerk..."
Tears welling as she heaved, she spotted Clana standing there blankly and sighed.
"Sorry, it was just too disgusting."
"Wh-What..."
"I got it on with Frey. But midway, nausea hit me out of nowhere, so I bolted."
Clana paled at her words, while Rosewin glared with disgust at Frey's room.
"As expected... Even for a commission, Frey's tough to stomach."
Clana bit her lip unwittingly, prompting Rosewin to clap and pull something from her bosom.
"Oh, right—I almost forgot to give you this. Here."
"Th-This is?"
"A small magic tool recording Frey assaulting me. You'll need it for the exposé later."
At Rosewin's casual remark, Clana's hand trembled as she took the device.
"Uu..."
Still queasy, Rosewin plucked the canary flower from her hair as if it were filth.
"...Creepy."
She flung it to the floor.
"Ah, no!"
As Rosewin coldly moved to crush it, Clana cried out in panic.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"W-Well, um... that..."
But as Rosewin tilted her head questioningly, Clana could only trail off in a quivering voice.
"...You're throwing it away?"
After fumbling for a while, Clana finally spoke. Rosewin snapped to attention, sighed, and picked up the flower.
"I nearly botched the commission over useless emotions. Thanks for the reminder."
"N-No, that's not..."
"Honestly, just holding it gives me chills, but what can you do? The gains are worth it."
As Rosewin tucked the flower back into her hair, Clana stared blankly at it.
"Then, I'll head back to Frey's room."
"I-Isn't that dangerous? He might be angry—let me go instead..."
Clana, fixated on the demure flower in Rosewin's hair, spoke urgently at her words.
"No need to worry."
Rosewin smiled playfully.
"That bastard likes me so much, he'll cling even if rejected."
"Th-Then you don't need that flower?"
Clana forced a calm expression and asked.
"You seem to really like this flower?"
Rosewin smirked at her, reaching for the flower in her hair.
"Y-Yeah. Not that much, but..."
Clana extended a trembling hand, trying to sound nonchalant.
Snap!
"...Huh?"
Instead of removing it, Rosewin plucked the smallest petal and pressed it into Clana's palm. Clana stared blankly.
"Be satisfied with that, Princess."
Patting Clana's shoulder, Rosewin left the veranda before she could respond.
"Ah........"
Standing frozen for a while, Clana drooped her head limply and murmured.
"Th-This... This is enough... Uuugh."
It didn't take long for her murmur to turn into a sob.