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[Estelle's in her pink and white canon outfit now. She's staring up at the treetops.]
It really is. It almost puts the gardens at the castle to shame.
It really is. It almost puts the gardens at the castle to shame.
[She hesitates, then nods.]
Yes. I suppose there's no hiding it here...
[With her fancy dress and mannerisms, it's questionable if she was actually trying not to look the part.]
Yes. I suppose there's no hiding it here...
[With her fancy dress and mannerisms, it's questionable if she was actually trying not to look the part.]
Well... isn't it normal to? I'm not normally allowed to just run around on my own, away from the castle... Without an escort, the safest thing to do is to lie low.
Besides, I don't really want people to treat me differently than they would otherwise...
Besides, I don't really want people to treat me differently than they would otherwise...
Oddly enough, the assassins I've encountered were usually after someone else...
[She looks like it only just occurred to her that that's kind of weird.]
[She looks like it only just occurred to her that that's kind of weird.]
No... They were after my friends, an imperial knight and... um, a guildsman.
[Assassins are really weird, actually.]
[Assassins are really weird, actually.]
A-a lot of things happened! Just... nothing all that simple.
I'm sorry. It's just complicated. Not just because of status or politics or anything like that...
[Hey remember how we're in the butterfly garden? Well, one of those shadowy butterflies chooses this time to flutter on over. Naively, Estelle lets it perch on her finger.]
...but because... I'm a poison.
[Hey remember how we're in the butterfly garden? Well, one of those shadowy butterflies chooses this time to flutter on over. Naively, Estelle lets it perch on her finger.]
...but because... I'm a poison.
I was born with a power that harms the very world and all that live on it.
[More and more of those shadowy butterflies are converging, perching on her shoulder and atop her head. Her eyes take on a distant, glassy look.]
It would have been better for everyone if I died...
[More and more of those shadowy butterflies are converging, perching on her shoulder and atop her head. Her eyes take on a distant, glassy look.]
It would have been better for everyone if I died...
[ For a second, Claude had started to think that maybe he was getting better and having people open up to him.
Now, he's realising something isn't quite right. ]
Now, hold on a minute—
[ He reaches over, placing one hand on her shoulder and using the other to wave away the butterflies, shivering as their shadowy forms brush his hand. ]
You don't believe that, do you?
Now, he's realising something isn't quite right. ]
Now, hold on a minute—
[ He reaches over, placing one hand on her shoulder and using the other to wave away the butterflies, shivering as their shadowy forms brush his hand. ]
You don't believe that, do you?
[The moment the butterflies are displaced, she gasps, eyes wide and pleading.]
I... I have to get out of here.
I... I have to get out of here.
[Once she's outside, she takes a few deep breaths, trying to compose herself.]
I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me. It was like I couldn't control my emotions.
I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me. It was like I couldn't control my emotions.
[She's receptive to the touch, answering with a brief, somewhat forced, smile.]
I think so too.
I didn't expect the butterfly garden to turn out to be dangerous...
I think so too.
I didn't expect the butterfly garden to turn out to be dangerous...
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