"Are you awake?"
When I woke up with a groggy feeling, the first thing I saw was Godric's figure. Just as the sun seemed to rise, sunlight glistened in his hair, shining with a golden hue.
He looked down at me and gently whispered.
"You sleep so deeply, I thought you were dead."
The fog in my mind, caused by a lack of sleep, cleared up, and I could finally see the situation clearly.
Godric had taken off his usual dazzling outer garment and carelessly draped it over a chair. He was lying at an angle, wearing only light undergarments.
'How long did I sleep?'
My body felt sluggish, and my back ached, so it seemed like I had slept for quite a long time.
Well, there's a saying about sleep debt, right? If you keep putting off sleep and don't sleep when you should, it builds up and eventually you have to pay it back all at once.
"You really know how to make my heart race."
"…"
"Are you going to do silent treatment again now that you're awake? Last night, you were so clingy. How cruel."
"What?"
What did I do?
Surprised, I asked back without thinking, and Godric burst out laughing.
"You slept so soundly, I just checked to make sure you were breathing properly. But you were the one who clung to me first. Look at whose hand got burned…"
Godric tilted his hand and lightly brushed my cheek. As his fingers slid downward, my body reflexively flinched. My mouth went dry, and my throat suddenly tightened.
Godric looked down at me with a dry gaze before pulling his hand away.
"That guy really ruined your habits, didn't he? That's why wild dogs are no good. They don't know their place and just get greedy, thinking everything is theirs. Did he try to bite you?"
Before I could respond, Godric got up.
"Now, if you just lie there, it's not good for your health."
He snapped his fingers, and the door opened. The donut-headed servant and a few others walked in, bringing food.
"Eat first. If you eat well, I'll let you go for a walk afterward."
'Is he treating me like a dog?'
His condescending attitude made the anger rise slowly from deep within me… but I kept up the act on the outside, as if nothing was wrong.
The absurdity of feeling excited just by hearing the word 'walk,' the humiliation of my body feeling hunger despite my mind's reluctance, and the faintly wavering will.
I bit my lip just enough so it wouldn't show, then turned my gaze away.
I was calculating in my head how I would appear to others, what angle would most effectively convey my feelings.
"If you slept well and then complain about food again, that's going to be a problem."
Godric placed a hand on my shoulder and warned me.
"Do you remember what I said yesterday? Eat. If you refuse again, those servants will take the punishment instead. I wonder if a wooden puppet can feel pain."
Reluctantly, I picked up the utensils.
Normally, Godric would have watched me eat, but today, he stood up first.
"Finish eating before I get back. Then I'll take you for a walk. Got it?"
'He looks like he's in a hurry.'
As Godric had mentioned last night, he stayed by my side, worried that I might stop breathing in my sleep. Could that have been true?
'Maybe he couldn't return to the stage on time because he was too busy watching over me.'
"Make sure he eats well."
After giving orders to the servants, Godric left the room.
Perhaps I could use this to my advantage. I quietly noted it in my mind while continuing to eat. I glanced around the room.
The servants were standing guard in place of Godric, attending to my needs. If I could use the
Inside the walls of Kargasthol, even the
"…Hey, do you want some? There's too much for me to eat alone."
I awkwardly offered, feeling strange eating by myself while they watched. It was also a way to check if any of them had been consumed and integrated by whatever force. They wouldn't be able to eat if that had happened.
"Seconds— would you like?"
However, the reply I got was completely off the mark, an oddly random response.
"Ho, ho—how about dessert?"
"…"
"If you need anything, just tell me! I'll help, I'll help, in a very, very beautiful way!"
"…No, it's fine. Thanks."
It seems like it would be hard to learn anything this way.
"Ahh, anytime, please, do let me know!"
The servants, seeing me gesture that it was fine, smiled, revealing their white teeth.
They looked strangely happy.
Now that I think about it, Godric always spoke as though he had just picked them up from somewhere. Maybe he had stored them like mannequins in some prop storage or supply room.
'Godric treated them like wooden puppets, but maybe they actually enjoy being out here.'
After finishing my dull meal and unsuccessfully attempting to bring up the unresponsive scenario window a few times, I grew frustrated. I wandered aimlessly around the room, feeling restless.
A few hours passed, or at least it felt like it had. Then, I heard footsteps coming from the hallway. It definitely took longer than usual for someone to be absent from the room.
When Godric opened the door and walked in, I quickly rose to my feet, seizing the opportunity.
"Why… why did it take so long?"
Hmm, that line was pretty good.
Godric, who had appeared with a somewhat annoyed expression as if something troublesome had happened outside, blinked in surprise when he saw me standing up as soon as he entered.
Clank!
I hurried toward him, but the short chain of the shackles caught my ankle, making me stumble. Godric reflexively reached out with both hands and steadied me as I teetered.
As I was buried in his chest, I could smell the winter air. It was clear he'd been outside the stage again. Inside the palace, there was neither snow nor rain, so it had to be from beyond the walls.
With my confirmation complete, I tried to pull away quickly, but Godric's hand tightened around my waist. Even when I flinched and tried to push him away with my shoulder, he didn't let go. He muttered lazily.
"Hmm. What's with all the affection… Did you enjoy the walk that much?"
This guy feels cold. He's always been icy like a corpse, but now it's even worse. Could he have been standing outside in the snow for too long?
"You ate well, too."
He soon relaxed his arms and extended his hand.
"Well then. Let's go for a walk."
So, we were able to leave the courtyard of the palace again. The strange atmosphere had lessened a bit, but still, Godric naturally took my hand and began walking alongside me.
Then, out of nowhere, he spoke.
"Butier followed Leovald, you know."
At the mention of Leo, my ears instantly perked up.
"And I thought he'd come straight here, but… instead, he went far away."
Is he talking about the plan to rescue the First Field Army? Trying to extract information from me?
I braced myself, focusing inwardly in case this was a trap—but the story Godric began to unravel took a different turn.
"Butier lied shamelessly," he said. "He must've noticed your condition, yet he deceived Leovald into leaving. Do you know why?"
"…"
"To keep him from discovering the truth about the collapsed stage. What do you think would happen if the protagonist charged into Kargasthol after leaving the stage? Butier tried to stop that from happening. Your safety? That wasn't really his priority."
'Is this… an attempt to drive a wedge between us?'
Godric's voice carried on, steady and cold.
"I don't understand why you help them. In the end, their only goal is to use you as a means to threaten me—nothing more than a pawn pushed toward self-destruction. If that weren't the case, would they have risked your life as a tactic to oppose me?"
"…"
"They're all hypocrites."
He declared it, tone icy.
"But I, on the other hand, can give you something better. Don't you see that?"
Then, just like that, his tone turned syrupy sweet. He leaned in close, whispering into my ear as he gently cradled my hand with his own—tender, almost reverent.
"If you only wished it," Godric murmured, "I could bring the entire world to its knees for you. Can't you see? The writers, even that Leovald guy—none of them can give you what I can."
But I don't want any of that.
And I understood why the main author would hide my situation from Leovald, even at the cost of lying to him. The moment the stage collapsed, everything would begin spiralling beyond control.
That's exactly why I had to escape, as soon as possible.
Because if Leonardo realized I was missing—if he figured out where I was—he would come for me. Without fail.
It wasn't logical, but I was certain.
Because Leonardo always kept his promises. And he had promised to return to me.
If he came chasing after me only to uncover truths he never needed to know… I couldn't let that happen. I had to leave before then.
So I stayed quiet.
And that night, Godric left again. All he said was that he'd be back soon.
'If only I could speak with Orlie…'
The current plan is proceeding steadily, but the real issue is that making Godric completely let his guard down inevitably involves many rough steps and takes a lot of time. Isn't it a waste to just let that time slip by?
'I can't go out myself, but… isn't there some way?'
"Damn it…"
Being stuck like this, unable to move, really doesn't suit me. I let out a sigh and slumped down onto the bed.
Knock knock!
An unexpected sound from outside broke my train of thought.
I wanted to get up and go to the door, but the chain that Godric had shortened to keep me from leaving the bed made it impossible to move that far. After a brief hesitation, I raised my voice.
"What is it?"
It didn't seem like Godric was back already. That bastard doesn't knock—he just comes and goes from this room like it's his own.
So it must be one of the attendants outside.
Creeeak.
The door let out a sharp whine as it opened, and the donut-headed attendant peeked his head in and cheerfully replied,
"Do-do, do you neeeeed aaaaany heeelp?"
"What are you talking about? You're the one who knocked…"
"Hellllppp!"
"No, wait—"
Wait a second.
"…Can you help me?"
"What would you liiiiike me to help you with?"
"The chains… could you maybe, unlock them?"
"I'm soooorry! That's not within the ooordersss!"
I studied the donut-headed attendant carefully. Hands politely clasped behind his back, he stood there as if still waiting for my next words.
As I observed this sudden strange behaviour, an uncertain possibility began to form in my mind.
"Then… can you bring me something I need?"
"Are you huuunggryyy? Th-th-that is within the ooordersss! If there's a specific diiiish you would like, I will bring it to youuu!"
'Could this… actually work?'
A thread of possibility began to show itself.