--The time goes back to just before the start of the "Star-Gazing Banquet".

　A banquet held by the king to honor his aides and sisters.
　Unfortunately, Shayla's past has not been peaceful enough for her to be optimistic that nothing will happen at this unique event. So far, she has not been harassed by either the Red Roses or the Peonies, and preparations for the banquet have gone very smoothly, but that is only because of the Red Roses' glare. Sheila could predict that there would be people who would be planning something for the first time in the history of the palace, when all of the concubines and the king would gather.

"Shayla, please. Trust me. --I'm sure you'll be fine.

　She could not have foreseen that her life would be threatened just because she was .......

　In the event that you've got a lot of money, you'll be able to use it to buy a lot of things. It was not someone with whom she had much contact, but she and Riddile must have been close.
　Shayla's position is now very delicate, due to the troubles with the Red Rose extremists since the beginning of the year. Many of the "Red Rose Faction" feel that "I don't like bullying her, but I understand Sophia's argument that the Red Rose is the one who deserves to be the Queen. Even though they sympathized with her, most of them kept their distance from Shayla, who might become an obstacle to the Red Rose (Diana). In such a situation, the two people who do not dare to read the atmosphere around them and are always with her are Lidil and Nasha.
　I'm so glad that they feel the same way. There are times when I want to indulge them to the fullest extent.
　However, if I neglected to socialize in the closed, all-female space of the palace, I might not be able to get even the most basic information. And that would be detrimental to my dear friends.

"Master Riddile, Master Nasha. I'm going to go fix your hair ornaments because they seem to have shifted a bit.

　That's why Shayla deliberately left their side. There are many ladies who love the sociable Riddhild and the compassionate Nasha. If Shayla wasn't around, she thought, they would talk to her.
　I hid in the shadows, out of sight. I exhaled softly.

　--I heard the voice of someone I trusted more than anyone, someone I'd been dying to see.

　The two of them haven't seen each other since that day when Dee came to help Shayla who was standing in the snow. Shayla was so sure that she wanted to see Dee, that she pushed her desire to see her away.
　When will we see each other again? The next time we meet face to face...
She decided that the next time she would see him would be at a star gazing party.

　I had made up my mind that I wanted to meet her at the "star gazing party". But it wasn't for this urgent and bleak advice, was it?
　I guess there is no time. The sound of clothes rustling in the distance as she threw her words and waited for Shayla's reply. Shayla resisted the urge to chase after him.

(No. I can't sit here that long.

　But still... "Don't touch the food served at the banquet, no matter what.

It means it's dangerous to eat it. ...... I wonder if it's poison.

　Otherwise, Dee wouldn't have taken it upon herself to advise him at this hectic time. Dee's voice had such a sense of urgency because her life was directly threatened.
　Not eating and not drinking is not a hardship for Shayla. If Dee says don't eat, don't eat, that's it.

(You don't have to say 'trust me'. (You don't have to say, "Trust me." There's no way I'm not going to believe Dee's words.

　Shayla couldn't help but smile at her best friend's tragic words, even in this situation.
　--She was a smart girl. She probably sensed what Shayla sensed. Maybe she was a little worried that if people knew who she was, they wouldn't believe her.

(...... You really don't know yourself. You don't know who you are.

　No matter what you look like. No matter what you look like, no matter what you sound like.
　You can't fool the heart.

　Gentle and proud. Always looking forward with dignity.
　A person who can love others to the utmost, but is somewhat timid and fragile when it comes to herself.

　Dee has been the same since the first time we met.
　Dee is Shayla's favorite, dearest, best friend.

(No matter who you are.) I don't care who you are, that doesn't change the way I feel about you.

　Shayla went back to the banquet table, feeling fine despite the fact that her life was threatened.

"Master Shayla, you're late.
Are you alright?
I'm sorry to have worried you. I'm fine.

　She smiled back at the worried Riddile and Nasha.
　The three of us took our seats together and waited for the upper class to arrive.
　I could already see Violet-sama, the Countess of Kiel, and Letitia. Not long after, Master Suzuran and Master Waterlily, Yolanda Eustace and Laia Stresia, appeared together. After a short pause, Liliane Landrose, the Peony Master, gracefully appeared.

(She doesn't look like a bad person when you look at her like that.

　Short and lovely in face, Liliane is a fragile young lady with a rather protective appearance. Ordinary people would not believe that she was having an affair with a man at the royal palace.
　As Shayla was idly pondering such unimportant matters, she heard.

"The Red Rose is here.

　The chief lady, Master Magnum, spoke in a strange way, quietly but overwhelming the crowd.
　As everyone quieted down, I saw the Red Rose, Deanna Crester, with a smile on her face and the dignity of a queen, sit down on the top seat. You can hear the sighs of admiration from both sides of the room,.......



You look as beautiful as ever, .......
You look fantastic, as if you're wearing red with the twinkling of a star.

　It's a great way to stand out from the crowd, fit in with the purpose of the star gazing party, and look good on you. The combination of silver with the usual red makes the whole costume shine and emphasizes the "bad guy face" of the person wearing the ...... costume, although it is a matter of judgment whether it is good or bad.
　But at least there was no doubt that it was beautiful, and Shayla nodded sagely.

Really. She is truly divinely beautiful.
"I wonder where that cloth came from. I'd like to talk to you about the Red Rose's favorite merchants, if I have the chance.
Doesn't it come from Master Nasha's?
I'm sure we didn't have that kind of technology in our family. ...... Our family's main focus is to mass produce good quality products.

　In general, both Riddile and Nasha are friendly to the Red Rose. This is somewhat different from Rei and Marika, who sometimes speak ill of the Red Rose because they think too much of Shayla. This is why Shayla can feel free to praise Diana in front of the two of them.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think it's a good idea.
That's true.
Only the Red Rose could have worn that dress.

　Once again, Madame Magnum's voice announced the King's arrival. The entourage stood up in unison, hung their heads, and waited for the King's voice.
　After a short pause, his voice called for them to be seated. --When he looked up, he saw Juke, whom he had not seen for a long time.

I am deeply grateful for your constant devotion. Tonight, I have prepared a brief banquet for you to enjoy. --I want you to be able to talk to each other, regardless of your status.

　His voice came through loud and clear. He was trying hard to stand as a king, but he was still far away from this place where Shayla was.

(......, Your Majesty. I've made up my mind.

　The next time I talk to him. I'll be honest with him about my feelings.
　I don't know if he'll accept it. Shayla's made up her mind about Juke and about Dee.

　--Now that she has no doubts, she has nothing to be afraid of.


　　＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊


　As advised, Shayla did not touch any of the food that was brought to her. Fortunately, this banquet was a no-frills affair, and she was free to eat or leave the table. The two friends who were worried about Shayla were being very careful, but they could not enjoy the party all the time. They repeatedly asked her to make herself comfortable, and when the party was nearing its end, they finally went out to greet the ladies who were close to them. Lidil invited her to join him, but Shayla declined.

(I have to make sure that no one eats this meal by mistake.

　This banquet is considered to be the king's heart's work, and the food served is naturally a part of it. It would be quicker if the food were turned upside down so that it could not be eaten, but if that were done, it would naturally be the target of criticism. Although being bullied in the inner court is nothing to worry about after all these years, I would like to avoid doing anything that would be a burden to my loved ones.

(......) Come to think of it, who poisoned her?

The Peony Faction or the Red Rose Faction?
　I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who would love to see Shayla alive.
　...... If I could have my wish.

I hope the person she's suffering from isn't the killer.

　--I've always known it would never come true.

"How do you do? Miss Shayla.

　The shadows of the people standing in front of her fall on Shayla.
　Shaking off her darkening thoughts in the face of cruel reality, Shayla raised her head.

"Good day to you. Master Sophia, ladies and gentlemen.

　Yes. The one who stood before Shayla was.
The one who stood in front of Shayla was Countess Sophia Tandor, who is considered to be the closest to Diana among the Red Roses, and her friends.
　In the event that you've got a lot of time, you'll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your home.

(...... why)

　Why are you doing this?

　I'm not sure what to make of it.
　I'm sure you'll be able to understand.
　Why can't they understand?
　Even if Deanna really does want to be the queen.
　She would never choose to be elevated in this way.

　--That kind person who respects life more than anyone. She would never use someone's death as a springboard!

　Sheila found herself shaking her head in front of the cup of soup that had been thrust at her.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that. Thank you for your concern. ......, Miss Sophia. There is one person I trust more than you.
"What ......?
Master Sofia. Are you there, Miss Sophia?　I don't know what she looks like, only her voice, but I can believe in her unconditionally. I don't care what happens as a result of believing in her, I will never regret it. --There's someone I care about so much.

　That's right. It's always the voice, the words, the heart. Sheila's guidepost.


　I realized what I wanted. Even when she was dizzy from the endlessness of where she was going.
　She stood there with dignity, illuminating Shayla's heart.

　I believe in her. No matter what happens, I won't make a mistake in that promise.
　To believe and be strong. That's how you help her and protect her.

　Yes. --I want to protect her, Shayla.

Master Sofia. It's not too late. It's not too late. We can still talk like this and it'll just be small talk. Please don't do anything that would grieve the one you're risking your life for, Master Diana.

　The recipient of Dee's advice had correctly read the other side of Dee's advice not to touch the food in order to prevent Shayla from dying.
　There was no such thing as a "poisoning scare" at this banquet held by the king. There should be no "poisoning fiasco.
　It's not uncommon for me to get irritated with the girls in front of me who can't even understand that.

I'm sure you're the one who's making Diana sad!
I'm sure you're the one who's making her sad! Even if you are, you can tell by looking at her that she doesn't want this!

　I'm not afraid anymore. No more hesitation. No more hesitation.
　I've decided to believe. I've decided to protect you.
　I've decided to do everything in my power, even if it's weak.
　I've decided to protect the people I care about, the people I love...

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea. I'm not going to let that happen. ...... Are you going to force me to drink?
　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

And then... "Master Sophia. What kind of game is that?

　I heard a voice that sent chills down my spine.
　How long had she been there? I hurriedly glanced at the top seat, but of course, she was not there.
　In a red and silver dress, more beautiful than anyone else in the room, the Red Rose, the first in line to her side.
　Right now, at this moment. She's right there with Shayla and the others.

　Quietly, in a roundabout way, Diana blames Sophia and the others for their actions and tries to make them stay. I can feel the desperation in her blue eyes, like the ocean, as she desperately wants to deliver the message.
　--And yet...

"Master Red Rose!　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure you'll be able to do it.　We were just trying to tell you that this is disrespectful.

　We were only trying to tell you that it was disrespectful." And then, of all times, as if taking advantage of the comfortable silence of the end of the play.
　Sophia said the words in a loud voice.

(What do I do?)

　Sophia must have thought she was blaming only Shayla. If you point out that, it is unnatural that the Red Rose, who is said to be on good terms with the King, does not blame Shayla.
　But Shayla is. And the Red Rose...
　And the Red Rose knows that Shayla's food is the murder weapon.

　After a few beats of silence.
　A firm resolve flashes in the sea's eyes.

"Oh, ......, it's true. You have no appetite, Master Shayla?

　A voice, not strained, but resonant.

I can't believe you can't eat a meal from my beloved King, for whatever reason.

　She smiled against the star-studded night sky.

I'm so sad.

　...... Sadly, she was beautiful.

　Slowly, Deanna approached Shayla. It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your vacation. The dress is beautiful, but the face is also beautiful,......, and even misplaced admiration.
　The dress is beautiful, but the face is also beautiful. ...... Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of the delicate silverwork swaying in her hair.

　A crescent moon with an arc and snow on the ground.
　Regular, yet irregular, snowflakes.
　The way they come together and sway, swaying and swaying...

(Ah, ......)

　Just as Shayla had decided.
　She had made up her mind.

　--The next time I see her, I'll see her with a bare face.

　The "Snow Moon" hairpin I gave to Dee.
　The one who appears with it in her hand is the one who reigns at the top of the palace.

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but it's a good idea.

(It was you, after all. ......)

　To be honest, if I had wanted to know who she was, I would have gathered up all the information I had and deduced it, and I would have come to this conclusion much sooner.

　Dee was extremely afraid of being seen by Shayla.
　She was strangely knowledgeable about Shayla's relationship with the Red Rose, even though she was only a minor servant.
　When the Red Rose was busy, she was busy as well.
　When the Red Rose accompanied the King to worship at the Descent Festival, she left a note saying that she could not see him.

　The reason Shayla didn't notice all these obvious elements was because she had unconsciously forbidden herself to find out who Dee really was. Forcing her to reveal her true identity, which she didn't want people to know, might break up their friendship. He didn't want that to happen at all costs.


　And yet, Shayla had sensed it. When Juke had seen her with Sophia and the others, when he had almost gone off the rails. And when she saw Deanna running to him...

"Dee?

　I didn't have any doubts, no sense of discomfort. I almost called out to her as a matter of course.

　Her voice was different. Even her face is the familiar "Red Rose" in a way. If anything, her dress is a bit plain, but that's not so important in the face of the power that emanates from her.
　She's not even close to the Dee that Shayla had imagined.
　Not by reason, but by intuition. Shayla knew. --This person was Dee.

　Honestly, it was a storm of confusion when she realized it. For Shayla, who was already aware of her love for Juke and had already made up her mind, the image of the Red Rose who might be in love with His Majesty, and Dee, would be nothing but a nightmare. I was terrified that I would be caught in the middle and Dee would shun me, but ...... her words when she came to me on a snowy day showed me that my fears were unfounded. In the event that your intuition that the red rose is Dee is mistaken, just the fact that Dee has assured you that she doesn't like Juke is enough to lighten your heart.

　And then she thought. I want to tell him.
　Even if she didn't like him. Just look me in the face.

　Knowing who you are won't change the way I feel about you.
　If it's possible, I want us to remain friends. I want you to be my best friend.

　It was because of this that Shayla warned herself that the next time she would see Dee would be at the banquet.

(Even though it's ......)

　Reality is harsh.

　In front of Shayla's eyes, her food flew in the air. The food fell to the ground. The food that had fallen to the ground was of course still in its original state, and it seemed that no one would dare to eat it.
　I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who's a bit of a jerk.

(Also, you--)

　I'm trying to take care of the hardest part.
　I tried to protect you and ended up being protected again.

"I'm sorry, Miss Shayla. I'm sorry, Miss Shayla. I've ruined your cooking.
"Yes, yes. Master Diana...
But you don't mind, do you?　It was never intended to be eaten in the first place.

　You can see now that even your high-falutin' words are a stepping stone to your protection.
　I'm not sure what to say, but I'll try.

Sheila has no words to say to Diana, who urges the Red Rose Extremists to return to their seats.
　It's incredibly unnatural for Shayla to thank Deanna, who is probably only seen externally as a "Red Rose snob".
　She always makes it so that she can't even say thank you.

(Dee, you idiot.)

　Shayla's eyes, downcast.
　A glint of silver.
　She bends down unconsciously and picks it up. A long, thin stick with a delicate ornament.

(Snow, moon--)

　It must have slipped from Diana's hair when she fell.
　A long, thin, exotic hairpin that's hard to hold in place. It is strange for Shayla, who gave it up, to say this, but she has no idea how to use it to hold her hair up.
　The more Shayla thinks about her best friend's heart who gave her this useless hairpin, the more her heart becomes sad.

The more she thinks about her friend's heart, the more her heart breaks.

　--That's when an unusual scream went up.
　In front of the stunned Shayla, the situation quickly took a turn for the worst.

　A dead fish floating in the pond.
　Shayla's entourage began to fuss over the possibility that Shayla's food had been poisoned.
　Even the culprit is mentioned, and then...

"...... Oh, dear.

　The first lady's voice, which made my whole body tremble.
　The moment she saw her face, for some reason, Shayla knew everything.

(No!

　Who would want you to go that far?
　Who would force her to give up her life?

　That promise to take care of herself...
　It's not a one-way street.

Dee!

　Diana ate the food from Shayla's table. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on. ...... All she could think about was not to be distraught so as not to destroy what Diana had protected.
　You will find yourself in a familiar room. I was greeted at bedtime by the maids.
　There was no way I could sleep in my room alone, so I wandered around. Realizing that his whole body was chilled, he threw on a borrowed shawl that was close at hand.

(Dee ......, please, stay alive. Don't die. ......!

　I haven't told you yet. Shayla hadn't been able to say any of the words she wanted to.


　Even the hairpin that she had given him was now back in Shayla's possession.
　If this were to happen, if the bond between the two of them were to be severed...

(No... I won't accept such a future.

　You can do this. There's got to be something Shayla can do.
　Think. What is it that Shayla can do right now, in this situation?
　Something, anything--!

"Excuse me, sir. Miss Shayla Callerd.

　Suddenly, a quiet voice came from behind the door. The voice was unfamiliar to Shayla, so she took a few breaths and tried to remain calm.

"...... Who is it?
I'm Count Tandor. I am Countess Tandor's maid of honor, my name is Belle.

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but it's a good idea. It's impossible not to be cautious.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.

"Yes. What can I do for you?
"I know this is presumptuous and presumptuous of me. Would you please visit the Lord and listen to what I have to say?
...... That's a very presumptuous request.
I'm sorry.

　On the other side of the door, Bell's voice became strained.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's had to deal with this. ...... I'm sure Shayla is aware that you did not eat at the banquet today, even though Sofia pressed you.
I will not allow you to speak further here.

　"I will not allow you to speak further here," she said, "even in the middle of the night, when you do not know who is listening.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a fan of your work.

'...... Master Sophia, you have. I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that.

　Shayla's eyes opened. Does Sofia have the antidote?
　Without thinking, Shayla slammed the door.

"Then why?　"Then why don't you bring it to the Red Rose!
"I'm sorry!　We've told you many times that you should. "We have lost the Red Rose's trust. We've said so many times that we should, but we've lost the Red Rose's trust, and she's crying that no one will believe a word I say. If only ...... Shayla could intercede, or perhaps we're clinging to straws.

　Although his words were incoherent, as if he was in a hurry, he understood what Bell was trying to say. She was probably hoping that if Shayla said that she believed in her, which had been her original goal, the delirious Sophia might come to her senses.
　Shayla thought for a moment. Shayla didn't know Belle, but from her words, it seemed that she was really thinking about the Lord.
　And most of all. If we have the antidote, we need to get it to Diana quickly. Shayla may indeed be useful in appeasing the delirious Sophia. Seeing someone up close who is not supposed to be there, who is not supposed to be here, makes people turn around and calm down.
　If we can find a relationship with Sophia other than hostile. It would be to Deanna's advantage.
　Shayla nodded, thinking about everything.

　--The usual Shayla would not have come to such a conclusion. She knew firsthand that the maidservants were not to be trusted, and she was smart enough to think that any convenient antidote that might appear in front of a poisoned person would be a trap. In the first place, if Sophia had the antidote, she would have gone straight to the Red Rose Room in a state of confusion. Although he and Sophia were incompatible in their behavioral principles, they had a strange sympathy for each other in that they were in praise of the Red Rose. There was no way that she, who was willing to die for the Red Rose, would throw away the opportunity to save the Red Rose, thinking about her own credibility in the crisis of the Red Rose's life.
　But Shayla was not calm now. No matter how much she told herself to remain calm, it was impossible to remain calm in the face of the reality that someone she cared about had dared to take poison to protect herself. Normally, you would immediately think of something, but if you are smothered with plausible words and attitudes, you will think that's how it is.
　I want to save Deanna. The enemy took advantage of that strong feeling that was inside Shayla.

　Tucking the Snow Moon hairpin into the embankment of her dress, Shayla let Belle lead her through the palace. As she followed the back of Belle, who was taking a detour to avoid being seen, Shayla's suspicions began to grow.

(I wonder where Sophia's room is...) I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

　No way, I realized.
　--By then, it was too late.

"You can't escape, Master Shayla.

　Bell's voice was cold and colorless, like a different person.
　Shayla turned on her heel and tried to run away, but someone pinned her down from behind.
　A strange smelling cloth is pressed against her mouth, and Shayla's consciousness fades into the distance.