The Book Of Flowers

Meet With Rosalia (1)

-- A few hours later, Rose castle----

...

...

Finally he arrived at the place along with Veskal, Luna, and Ivor. And for one reason or another with Orion...

I must attend the meeting with their king and queen. I mean, they've also sent me a letter asking me to come because of a 'critical situation'

So, the three of them went to accompany Verdea to meet Rosalia without me following. Or rather, Luna and Veskal just went along to ensure the safety of Verdea. They were not even enthusiastic at all to come, had Verdea not intended to see Rosalia

The three of them stood in front of the castle gate, gulping down their saliva from nervousness and lack of spirit

"You better do it fast. I'll find Artorius while I'm inside" Luna said, complaining

"Did? Why do you need to find my father?" Verdea asked him

"You forgot? We have to change Vainzel's vows, right?"

Verdea recalled that, as she nodded slowly

The gate began to open, making the three of them who were not ready was surprised because the gate was open without anyone touching it

"Come in. I've asked Yael to put some scout magic in there, so I know that you're there, my sister"

Verdea recognized the sound as if it were coming from within the wall of the gate. He tried to calm himself down, as he invited his two friends in and stood by in case something happened

"Just calm. If I had intended to kill you, I would have done so long ago when you were unconscious"

"Stop scaring if we just want to talk big brother!"

Rosalia was heard laughing at Verdea's response, as the three guests she was waiting for her arrival began to enter the castle area

......................

-- Reception room, Rose Castle----

"Finally you have arrived" Rosalia said, while enjoying the aroma of the tea. "Well, you two can leave him and leave Veskal here with Verdea" he added

The door of the room was opened to them, and soon Luna and Ivor were expelled by Rosalia without further discussion

"Why should we follow the request of a dangerous enemy like you?" Ivor commented

"Because I heard you were looking for my father Artorius. So, please go and let this brother and sister talk in privacy"

Luna and Ivor flinched, but couldn't say anything more to reply to the argument. They simply do not want to waste their time and energy

That's why they immediately left before stepping even a foot into the room. Their next mission was to find Artorius, while Veskal had to stay near Verdea to keep an eye on the situation

Verdea walked in with nervous steps into the room, as she was greeted by her brother to sit on the opposite sofa with a warm cup of tea in front of her

"No need to be confused. Just sit down and we'll talk without anyone interrupting"

Rosalia did say so, but Verdea still remained doubtful and vigilant

"How can I believe that Jael won't emerge from the shadows and try to kill me?" Verdea said

"You don't know? He had already issued his demonic curse to someone, so the curse was also hurting his body right now" Rosalia replied

Verdea was listening to that

"Sliced as Vainzel said..." He muttered later

"so. He was only a basic level black magician in his current state. He can't even move around in vain until a few more months"

"Huh...?"

...

"Why did you tell me this?" Verdea asked, still having doubts in her heart

Rosalia came to a halt before she could sip her tea, then sighed and put her cup back on

"Whether you know or not about this, it will not interfere at all with the progress of my plan. Anyway, I want us to talk a little more normally because this conversation is going to be very long" she replied later

Verdea was stunned, looking at Rosalia's face well. But he could not find any signs of the lie from his words, making him feel a little calmer now

"Where's Vainzel going?" Rosalia started asking this time

"Eh? Um-He's gone to take care of something this time" Verdea replied briefly

"Absolutely do not hide the fact that you still do not believe me hm...?"

"Well how else? Every time I get involved with you, I almost die"

"yes too. It's all because I want something in your hand"

Verdea once again flinched. "Something... In my hand...?"

He slowly looked towards the seal on his right hand, convinced that that that was what Rosalia meant to him

'So then, why did he insist on trying to chase after me long ago...' Verdea muttered in her heart

"It seems I've gotten some thoughts as to why you tried to kill me a few times..." Verdea said to Rosalia

"And proved to be a failure throughout the experiment. That's why I'm going to give up for now, especially considering that Yael is currently inactive" Rosalia replied

Verdea lowered her face slightly. "That means you know what the power of this seal is?" He asked in a serious tone

"certain. A crow was always after something shining or sparkling" Rosalia replied, with her face down looking at Verdea directly

...

...

The two of them did not speak again after that until silence filled the entire room. Veskal who stood behind Verdea since then even went silent without moving a step from his place

The clash of eyes between the two people made the atmosphere tense as they tried to enter each other's minds. The two brother sisters who became enemies were now looking to find out what they could use to take down the others

"... I really don't understand, brother"

"... What, brother?"

"Why... You did all this?"

Silence came back as Verdea waited for her brother's answer, looking for a sign that he intended to lie or not

"... What I'm doing right now...

Everything is for humans, my brother"

Verdea gritted her teeth in annoyance, then slammed her left hand into the table until even the teacup before her spilled a bit of its contents

Veskal then took out his handkerchief in case Verdea needed it, then retreated back and quietly closed his eyes

"... You think I lied hm?"

"You must be lying! What is it for humans, when what you do is to commit genocide and destroy lives!!" Verdea called out loudly

Rosalia silently did not answer. He doesn't need to answer

Meanwhile, Verdea tried to regulate her breathing so as not to be consumed by anger. His head had to remain cold to argue with the person before him

"... You just want to win this battle of Verdea, while I'm aiming for something to end all the battles to come" Rosalia said

"Nothing you say makes sense 2nd brother. You think if they knew the truth of the Blood Sabbath, all of humanity, especially in Hortensia, would be able to live quietly with each other?" Verdea replied without hesitation

"That's why I hid it until the right time came. Or rather, until I'm gone" Rosalia replied

"... Then leave all responsibility to the whole of Hortensia, will you?" Verdea turned the table once again towards Rosalia

He sighed again because he was tired of handling Verdea who seemed to challenge him

"I'm sure you're not listening to me. Or rather, don't accept it..."

A sip of tea went down his throat, before he put his cup back on the table and returned to his calm pose

"I can't possibly take it. What you're saying doesn't make any sense at all..."

...

He stared at Verdea, whose head was bowed, as if he was feeling compassion for his sister

Before long, his eyes were fixed in another direction, that of Veskal who stood behind Verdea, while closing his eyes and only opening his ears

Rosalia paused for a moment to do whatever she was doing right now, as she felt something she wanted to get out of her chest. Something that he... Must say

...

Verdea and Veskal were surprised to hear that, so spontaneously put their gazes towards Rosalia at the same time

"... He must understand what I'm doing right now, when I say I'm doing it for all of humanity..." Rosalia continued her words

...

They were both stunned. Stunned to see the face of Rosalia who seemed to change that. It looks the same as before, but there is something... Unaltered

Verdea is especially aware of that. But...

His mind shifted to what Rosalia said about her mother. Something she didn't want to hear, thinking it was like Rosalia understood Marianne

"Shut up"

Rosalia gasped at the one sentence that came out of Verdea, raised her head again

So also with Veskal who began to get nervous because Verdea's face began to change

"... If my mother was alive today, brother...

He will not agree with you at all. It never will...!"

...

...

Rosalia indirectly felt challenged, ready to serve back Verdea

"Is that so? Why do you think?" He asked Verdea

"... Because I know for sure that I look like him. And I don't agree with that at all"

Verdea replied to Rosalia, looking at her coldly as if ready to come forward to pounce. That made Rosalia once again flinched, looking at the gaze of her sister's blue eyes

A very strong gaze, as if that person was a tiger protecting something of their own. The gaze that pierced to the ribs, to make everyone who looked at him instantly waver somehow

The look of both eyes was very familiar to him. Something she had seen once, and made herself feel in love with someone for the first time. Something that was originally intended to protect her, but now instead pierced towards her...

"... Stop that... Don't look at me like that..." He mumbled slowly

He tried to stop his trembling body before both Verdea and Veskal realized it, then looked back at Verdea with a sharp gaze as if not intimidated

"What's? Say it clearly if you still want to denounce my mother's name" Verdea retorted, still feeling the anger that wanted to overflow

"I didn't insult him hear?? I'm just saying that he'll understand my heart!" Rosalia replied half-screaming

The anger was out, mixed with sadness, but Verdea who could not catch his emotions at the time looked upset

His hands were clenched, yet he did not want to hit anything else in that place. He tries to hold himself back as much as possible, hoping that Rosalia can understand that he will explode a little more

"Stop this conversation right now. My mother would never agree with you, sister, and it's final..."

"You talk as if you knew him, when you can't remember him yet"

"SILLY!!"

*BRAK!!*

...

...

...

The table before them split in two

Unlike the one time he did it earlier, Verdea this time hit the table with his right hand

The sound caused by the impact could make the entire contents of the floor they occupied inside the Rose castle able to listen to it

"Verdea!"

Veskal panicked because of that, trying to see the bruises on Verdea's hands

However, even though Verdea had already hit the table as if she was using full force, her hands were not at all severely injured. There is bruising, but it does not look severe and even reddish

"You crazy? Don't hurt yourself like that again!" Veskal said to him, before blowing Verdea's hand many times

"... Sorry" Verdea replied briefly

He was silent, and so was Rosalia. But unlike what she expected, instead of feeling shocked by the table that suddenly split in two, Rosalia looked down and was silent as Verdea did today

He pulled his hand from Veskal's grasp and asked him to stop blowing because it felt strange, then refocused on Rosalia who was still silent

"... Sorry if I missed. So, I'd better just go instead of further ruining the atmosphere beyond this. Anyway, we can still meet tomorrow again" Verdea said to him

"Yes. But..."

Rosalia held her head in dizziness, while Verdea and Veskal were still curious about the continuation of the word 'but'

"... You haven't gotten any information from me today. I promised you to tell me when we met here" Rosalia continued later

Verdea and Veskal were confused, staring at each other before turning back to Rosalia

"Why... You insist on telling us this?" Veskal asked

...

...

"I will never stray from my path Veskal. I told you this once"

Veskal fell silent, remembering the exact words Rosalia had said to him now

"And should... I'm the one who apologized for getting carried away by emotions. It's not at all that I don't hold back like this...

So we better forget about it and just get back to the topic. I want to finish today because I have a lot to do" Rosalia said

"Huh?? Then why would you want to serve us a try?" Veskal with a ketus reply

"Well how else? You think Damien can handle things without my help or Celeste? The world would be turned upside down if something like that happened"

Veskal nodded in agreement to respond to Rosalia, but immediately shook his head and went back to stand behind Verdea. "Forward" He said, while Verdea was astonished to see his behavior

And before she spoke back, Rosalia slowly smiled

"I'm really sorry, sister. I didn't mean to provoke you or anything. Marianne too... My friend, so I was unintentionally challenged by what you said earlier, forgetting the fact that you're his real son"

Regret was completely etched on his face as he sighed

Verdea realized that, until her eyes were slightly wide. Something he did not expect, was suddenly shown by Rosalia at that moment. Something very surprising

"His race... Your expression is easy to read, isn't it?"

"Hm? What do you mean, my sister?"

"I mean, your behavior is like Vainzel's. He could not lie at all, so his face always looked active

I see the same thing on your face"

As a result of Verdea's words, Veskal also became curious to nail his face towards Rosalia who was silent did not answer

...

...

...

"Hm hm~ Maybe you just saw it wrong"

And that's what he is. Rosalia's calm face was beginning to return. The mask has returned

Verdea did not expect any more answers on the topic, and let Rosalia just start talking. But what he had just seen would always be remembered

Because it's... It was the first time, her brother behaved...

'Normal'

He'll keep it for another time. Because he also wanted to understand Rosalia. The purpose of coming to Rose castle is indeed for that right?

"Hm... About purpose...

I'll tell you one more time before we go any further. I'm doing all this, just for the whole of humanity"