"You... dreamt of bunnies?"

Cindy asked it slowly, as if she wanted to make sure she’d heard him right.

Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open, her whole face frozen in a mix of surprise and something else Florian couldn’t quite place.

Interest, maybe.

Too much of it.

"Yes," Florian replied, letting out a small, embarrassed chuckle. "It was a silly dream. I don’t even know why I was so worried about them."

He shook his head lightly. "And apparently, I was talking in my sleep too."

He rubbed the back of his neck, half amused, half puzzled.

’Of all the things my mind could come up with,’ he thought, ’bunnies?’

If he was being honest, the dream had felt symbolic. The forest, especially, felt familiar in a way he couldn’t explain.

Like a place he’d seen before, or maybe a place the original Florian had known.

But still.

Bunnies?

It felt ridiculous.

Probably the silliest dream he’d had since transmigrating. Compared to memories soaked in pain or fear, this one felt almost harmless.

Cindy didn’t laugh.

She didn’t comment either.

Instead, she tilted her head to the side, brows knitting together as she stared off into nothing, deep in thought. The usual bouncing energy was gone, replaced with an uncharacteristic stillness.

Not uncomfortable.

Just... intense.

Florian glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

’So she’s either overflowing with energy,’ he thought, ’or completely silent. There’s no in between.’

Strangely, he didn’t mind the quiet right now. His stomach gave a small reminder that it had been a while since he’d eaten, and the thought of food was becoming more appealing by the second.

"Uh... Your Highness?"

"Yes, Cindy?" Florian turned to her again.

"I actually have another question," she said, hesitating. "Since we weren’t told that—"

"Ugh!"

The sharp interruption made both of them turn at the same time.

Cindy’s eyes widened instantly. "Miss Juno."

Juno approached them briskly, her expression tight with stress.

Even so, she still managed a proper curtsy toward Florian before reaching out and taking hold of Cindy’s arm.

"Everyone has been waiting for His Highness," Juno showed her notepad, obviously displeased. "I’m certain you were distracted again, and now he’s late."

’Wow. Even her writing sounds angry...’

Cindy shrank slightly, her shoulders drooping. "I’m sorry, Miss Juno. I was just—"

"No, no," Florian cut in gently, lifting a hand. "Please don’t worry. It isn’t her fault."

Juno paused and looked at him, clearly surprised.

"It was actually mine," Florian continued calmly. "I overslept. I was exhausted, and then I ended up talking her ear off about a dream I had."

Juno frowned, respectful but unconvinced. She looks down at her notepad, jotting down what she has to say quickly.

Florian was patiently waiting to see what she was writing, and when she was done, she raised the notepad again.

"Prince Florian, you are far too kind. You don’t need to shoulder the blame. She is still quite young and easily distracted." Her gaze flicked briefly to Cindy. "It was a miracle His Grace even assigned her to you."

Cindy’s head lowered, her lips trembling just slightly.

Florian felt a pang in his chest.

’That’s a bit much,’ he thought.

"No, really," Florian said, more firmly this time. He stepped closer and placed a gentle hand against Cindy’s back.

She startled, then slowly looked up at him. "I’m telling the truth. Please don’t scold her more than necessary."

"Your Highness..." Cindy murmured, eyes shining as she stared at him.

Juno looked between the two of them for a long moment.

Then she sighed and then nodded. Seemingly letting it go.

Florian gave her a small nod. "Thank you."

Juno gestured for them to follow, regaining her composure as she quickly wrote again. "Let us proceed to the dining room. Lord Eldrick and the others have been waiting for some time."

Florian straightened, his earlier grogginess finally fading.

"Alright," he said. "Lead the way."

As they began to move, Florian glanced briefly at Cindy, who was still watching him with an expression he couldn’t quite read.

’Cindy and Juno seem to have a very... strict relationship,’ Florian thought. ’But they also seem close?’

He couldn’t quite place it, but something about the way they spoke about each other felt familiar.

Cindy had mentioned Juno before, and from Juno’s words...or, well, writing, it was clear she knew Cindy just as well.

Not formally. Personally.

Juno led the way, her steps light and practiced, posture straight and composed. Florian and Cindy followed a short distance behind her.

As they walked, Florian found himself glancing around again, attention drifting despite himself.

Even knowing how beautiful the manor was didn’t lessen the effect. The halls were wide and bright, pale stone catching the light in a way that made everything feel clean and almost unreal.

Frosted glass panels reflected their movement, and the carvings along the walls were detailed but restrained. Careful craftsmanship rather than excess.

’This place really is stunning,’ Florian thought. ’For a man who barely does anything for the kingdom, how does he have a manor this intricate...’

Then he smelled it.

Food.

Warm, rich scents drifted through the corridor, making his stomach twist painfully.

Something savory. Something sweet. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until that exact moment.

And then came the sound.

Voices. Laughter. The low murmur of conversation layered with the clink of cutlery and the scrape of chairs.

They were close.

Ahead stood a large set of doors, taller than any Florian had seen inside the manor so far. Two maids stood guard on either side, perfectly still.

The moment they spotted Juno, their attention sharpened. When their eyes landed on Florian, both maids curtsied deeply in perfect unison.

Florian blinked, startled, then quickly returned a polite nod.

’Do they not have knights?’ he wondered. ’Why are maids guarding the doors?’

Without Juno making any movements, the maids stepped forward and opened the doors smoothly, as if they had been waiting for this exact moment.

Warmth spilled out immediately.

Light. Then the noise.

The dining hall opened before them, long tables already filled. Steam rose from freshly served dishes, plates neatly arranged. Faces turned toward the entrance almost all at once.

And then—

"Prince Florian!"

"There you are!"

"You’re finally here!"

The greetings came all at once, overlapping cheerfully. Athena waved enthusiastically from her seat. Scarlett leaned forward with a bright grin. Even Hendrix looked up, calm but attentive.

Lancelot straightened the moment he saw Florian, clear relief flickering across his face.

’Uh oh,’ Florian thought as he lifted a hand to wave back. ’That look means he’s definitely going to interrogate me about being late.’

At the head of the table, Lord Eldrick rose halfway from his seat, smiling broadly.

"Ah! Prince Florian," he greeted warmly. "I hope you rested well."

Florian felt every pair of eyes settle on him.

Heat crept up his neck.

He smiled anyway, placing a hand lightly over his chest. "My apologies for the wait," he said calmly. "Thank you for your patience."

"It’s no trouble at all!" Eldrick replied easily. "I had the pleasure of speaking with the prince and, of course, the princesses." He gestured toward Athena, Scarlett, and Hendrix.

"He’s been a very attentive host," Scarlett chimed in brightly. "One of the most enjoyable conversations I’ve had since arriving in Concordia."

Florian noted the exaggeration immediately, but Eldrick accepted it with a pleased laugh.

"Please, take a seat," Eldrick said, gesturing to the chair beside him. "And Juno, bring His Highness his meal."

Florian paused mid-step.

"Bring... my meal?"

"Oh, they do things a bit differently here," Athena explained softly with a smile, gesturing to the dishes before her. "His Grace took the time to research our preferences. Each of us has a tailored five-course meal."

Scarlett nodded. "We just finished the hors d’oeuvres. We’re on soup now."

Florian settled into his seat, eyes flicking briefly over the table. "That looks divine," he admitted honestly.

Behind him, Juno raised a note.

"Would you prefer to begin with the hors d’oeuvre, Your Highness, or proceed directly to the soup?"

Florian hesitated, then asked sheepishly, "I can... have both, right?"

Juno glanced at Eldrick.

Eldrick laughed. "Of course, Your Highness. It would be an honor for our chefs to know you wish to try everything."

Juno bowed and stepped away, and Florian watched her go, already feeling his stomach growl again.

’This place really doesn’t do anything halfway,’ Florian thought.

Everything was too polished.

Too attentive.

Too carefully arranged.

Perfect, almost.

And yet, he couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling curling in his stomach.

Or maybe that really was just hunger.

Still, Florian knew better than to expect peace for long.

Especially not here.

Eldrick didn’t give him much time to settle before speaking again.

"So," he said pleasantly, folding his hands atop the table, "how has your stay been so far, Prince Florian? I hope the manor hasn’t been too overwhelming."

Florian offered a courteous smile. "It’s been good," he replied honestly. "Everyone has been very welcoming."

Across from him, Hendrix tilted his head slightly. "Then why were you late?"

The question was calm.

Florian felt his shoulders tense before he could stop himself.

’Why is he asking?’ he wondered, forcing himself to inhale slowly.

"I overslept," Florian answered evenly. "I was more tired than I realized. Fortunately, the maid you assigned woke me just in time."

Lancelot frowned.

"That’s unlike you," he said quietly, his gaze fixed on Florian, sharp and searching, as if he were waiting for something more.

Florian met his eyes and gave a small shrug. "I don’t know why either. I just felt... exhausted."

’Which isn’t even a lie,’ Florian thought. ’Just not the whole truth.’

Lancelot didn’t look convinced.

Eldrick, however, nodded with clear understanding. "After everything I heard about what happened at your birthday ball," he said gently, "it’s only natural. Anyone would be drained after something like that. I imagine you haven’t been sleeping well."

Lancelot’s jaw tightened.

He said nothing.

Florian noticed immediately.

’He’s blaming himself,’ Florian realized. ’Because he was there. Because he couldn’t stop it.’

Florian opened his mouth, ready to say something, anything, to ease that weight.

But before he could—

"Your Highness."

Juno had returned, this time accompanied by another maid. The woman wore a chef’s hat that sat slightly crooked on her head, her uniform pristine and stiff.

’A maid with a chef’s hat?’ Florian thought absently. ’Couldn’t they have just given her a proper chef’s uniform?’

The two of them moved with practiced coordination, placing dishes carefully in front of him.

The scent reached him first.

Warm. Sweet. Comforting.

Florian’s gaze dropped to the plate.

Honey bread.

Golden and soft, lightly glazed, still warm from the kitchen.

Exactly how he liked it.

Beside it sat a bowl of soup, steam rising gently from the surface.

Frumpkin Flower soup.

Florian blinked.

’That’s... my favorite.’

Something tightened in his chest.

Not quite fear.

Not quite gratitude either.

Just that same strange, crawling feeling that had been following him since he arrived.

"That looks wonderful," Eldrick said proudly. "I was told this is one of your preferred dishes."

Florian managed a smile, though it took a bit more effort than he liked. "It is," he replied. "Thank you."

"Oh yeah!" Athena chimed in cheerfully. She leaned slightly toward him, peering at the plate with interest. "His Highness always eats those during tea time."

Scarlett laughed softly. "He’s obsessed with those little things," she added, pointing lightly at the honey bread. "I’ve seen him reach for them before anything else."

Florian let out a chuckle, a little sheepish. They weren’t wrong.

He really was.

"Please enjoy," Juno shows him an older note; it must’ve been one of her pre-written notes, bowing once more before stepping back into her usual place, hands folded neatly in front of her.

Florian nodded and reached for the spoon.

Then stopped.

His fingers hovered just above it.

Something felt... off.