To prevent warmth from escaping?
As I opened and closed the somewhat stiff greenhouse door, a starkly different air greeted us.
But rather than feeling uncomfortable from the sudden change, it only offered me a cozy embrace.
The chilly weather outside was clearly visible in the transparent greenhouse, where the previously blowing cold wind was now replaced with a warm aura that filled the space, as if it had been a lie.

Creaaak
“Uwaaa, it’s melting… Finally feel alive!”
“Hehe, we’re in!”

Feeling the warm air melting the frost on my skin, I slowly took in the beautiful scenery of the greenhouse.
Before coming to the Akard Empire and experiencing many things, I used to think that the items created by medieval or modern people couldn’t possibly be that impressive. But it didn’t take long for that thought to be shattered.
Right now, just this greenhouse alone was one of those extraordinary things.

Everywhere, including the walls and ceiling, was glass, providing a vast sense of openness. The black frames supporting the structure added a modern touch, making me feel quite at home.
Really, at this moment, it felt believable enough to think I had traveled back in time.

Well.
Of course, I had never been to such a luxurious glass greenhouse in person!
Everything I knew was merely from pictures.
Or were they videos?
I never paid much attention, but if I had said I wanted to visit such a place, I would have been too busy crying in response to my mother’s “You silly girl! Stop daydreaming and go study!”

“…….Hoo.”
Anyway.
The weight of culture and technology built up over hundreds, no, if we really go back to its origins, thousands of years by numerous geniuses was beyond anything I imagined.
After all, this was my first proper touristy visit during the day, making it even fresher for me.
Previously, I had only passed by for a glimpse, and when I brought Alice to hide her in the garden, there was hardly enough time to look around due to a busy schedule.
Recently, I’ve had a short vacation thanks to the princess’s backing.

What exactly went into creating this garden?
Alchemy and the furnace to melt the materials, and the insides that could withstand those furnaces, along with something else to create them.
And even new techniques to create that something else; the more I thought about it, the more I realized the fruit of effort just kept spiraling endlessly.
To make, to be born, to create.
The origin starts from the hands of humanity alone.
Every detail I observed had the history of humankind hidden within.

Just how many trials and errors occurred before the people of the distant past, who couldn’t even start a fire properly, achieved such technologies?
When reflecting on these things, I often thought back to my youthful days when I failed miserably attempting to make a pen and gave up entirely.
“Ta-da! How’s this, Rumié! With this, we can make a fortune!”
“Hahn… what strange idea do you have today? Just go do some laundry.”
“…..So unfair.”

Without even signaling, a sudden wave of embarrassing memories floated back.
Whether it was due to the humid air or the cold outside, my face turned inexplicably red.
Why do such awkward memories cling to my mind when I want to be alone, unlike other memories that can be easily forgotten?
It truly is quite mysterious.

So.
Feeling a slight nostalgia for memories I wish to return to but can never revisit, I slowly wandered around the center of the greenhouse.
There, around a plum blossom tree, purple bleeding hearts bloomed, exuding a fresh fragrance that could be felt from afar.
In addition, various spring flowers such as red and pink anemones and beautiful purple hyacinths were scattered throughout the greenhouse.
The theme of the greenhouse had apparently changed periodically.
This time, it seemed to be ‘Spring’.

Thud
“…Huh? What’s that?”
Then, a little distance away, I noticed a patch of bare soil with nothing planted.
The soil appeared rich, as if plenty of fertilizer had been spread.
It didn’t seem like a forgotten place; even just throwing some seeds there would likely make them grow. Yet, strangely, there was nothing that should have been there.
But seeing such soft soil was a sign that it was maybe a new place for planting flowers soon or perhaps a spot set aside for visitors to experience.

Seeing the neatly arranged watering can and various tools nearby suggested this was likely the latter.
It probably was a specially made area for kids like Alice who want to plant flowers.

Thud, thud!
“Ah, here it is!”
“…Oh, there were seeds too.”

And that thought was confirmed as Alice rushed towards a bin where tools were gathered, as if already familiar with the place.
Was her original intent to be here all along?
Just a few visits to the garden before, which was before I met Remi Akaia, and she’d already figured out the location and how to use the tools, delicately handling them with her tiny hands.
Next to her, there were even seedlings fully sprouted, just waiting to be uprooted and transplanted.
What a perfect experience area for children!

Thud.
“—Uchaa!”
Alice filled a basket with tools, including a shovel, and draped it over her shoulder with her tiny hand.
Her extremely familiar manner made it feel as though she had done this several times before.
Speaking of which, I heard that when Alice was just a royal princess in her childhood, she had a hobby of planting flowers in the garden.
Seeing her unchanged from the past to now, it might be that memories stay in the heart rather than the head.

I used to think royalty cultivating plants was more of a leisurely hobby, but observing her prepare with such ease made me realize it must have been a passion she sincerely devoted herself to.
Well, this is Alice; she wouldn’t do anything halfway.
“Hmm…”
If someone who didn’t know the child’s identity were to see Alice now, they might mistake her for the lively daughter of a farmer.
That was how enthusiastic her demeanor appeared.

Tack, tack.
“Uwaaa…. how comfy.”
In a corner of the greenhouse stood a stove to maintain the air temperature.
I dragged a nearby chair and sat down, listening to the mysterious sounds made by the well-split firewood crumbling into the flames while watching the adorable figure of Alice.
There didn’t seem to be anything that looked dangerous around, but the sight of a grown woman over 30 participating in a child’s garden was honestly not a good look.
Even though my public image had long since fallen through the floor, I still craved at least some semblance of humanity.
Well, it was already beyond repair, but still.

Rustle, rustle.
“Umm… this one, and this one…”
Finally having gathered all her tools, Alice made her way to the display where flower seeds were lined up, starting to pick them one by one.
It appeared that each basket had different types of seeds.
Not picking up the already sprouted seedlings indicated she must want to do everything from scratch.
With her mouth shut and a serious expression I had never seen before, she busied herself feeling the different seeds with one hand, occasionally rolling them around on her palm, and at times she would squint her eyes and stare at a single seed for an extended period, lost in fervent wonder.

One by one, selected seeds were carefully gathered in Alice’s hand.
If there was a painting drawn on the theme of ‘Happiness and Peace,’ I thought the scenery right before my eyes would fit that description perfectly.

But.
But, there was something different.
“…….Huh?”
“Hehe~♬”

Gradually, my face was hardening.
Like the cracked earth of a parched field, tiny fissures began to appear in my expression.
My face was wrinkling over time, like a rotting fruit.

Denial?
No.
Surprise?
No.
Sorrow?
Maybe, but not fully.
This was an emotion beyond simple categories; it felt closer to the fear of encountering something unknown.

A stark anomaly.
The actions and motions unfolding right before my eyes.
My reactions stemmed, as I couldn’t understand it from the depths of my heart.

“Hehe, he~♬”
“…..Alice?”

Alice gently picked up one seed and transferred it with care.
It was covered in black mold in several places.
Alice picked up another one seed that seemed to catch her fancy.
Its shell was cracked all over.

Alice set aside one seed and returned the rest to their original bins.
It was faded and of a shabby size.

None of them appeared to be normal seeds.
It wasn’t even a matter of whether they would grow; one might question if they even had the potential to sprout at all.

But despite my puzzled voice asking, Alice seemed to be in high spirits, humming a cheerful tune.
She neither thought to discard them nor hesitated to hug them tightly.

Thud, thud.
“Hehe, he~♪”
“………”

She was only choosing crumbling, rotten seeds.
One by one, with utmost care.

Stretch.

“……..”
I simply leaned back in my chair,
Blankly observing Alice’s incomprehensible behavior.