The Book Of Flowers
Human
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"You called me again apparently..."
...
"I didn't call you, Canopus. Why are you here to try?"
"No~ Just nosy, hehe~"
Verdea put on a strange face looking at Canopus's childish response
"And it's not just me that a stranger came here this time"
Canopus glanced the other way, until Verdea reflex followed. There, not far from the side of the spruce tree that stood behind Verdea, another figure of light was seen
The exact same figure as Canopus, with its body covered in full light. But the light is white, unlike Canopus which is light blue. Their eye color is the same somehow
He was seen playing cards together with Marcellus, it looks like he will win until Verdea and Canopus do not dare to disturb
"okay! I won!" The figure exclaimed, throwing the 2 cards he had in his hand down
"There's no point playing with you... I always lose..." Marcellus grumbled
A strange expression was once again plastered on Verdea's face, coupled with twitching eyes
"Oh! Regulus has arrived apparently!" The figure was finally aware of Verdea's presence
The figure was apparently very noisy, so Verdea even reflexively distanced his ears a little even though he did not approach
And from the voice of the figure, Verdea realized that his voice resembled that of a girl his age
"I'm sorry, but do I recognize you?" Verdea asked
The figure, surprised
"HUH??? How could you forget this best friend of yours??"
"Disregard him Regulus. Everyone is best friends to him"
Verdea nodded listening to Canopus' advice, making the figure even more sullen
"All right! Before there is a commotion, you should introduce yourself again how?" Marcellus interrupted before another word came out
The attitude of the figure reminded Verdea of Remina, where she would surely be annoyed at the slightest thing that Verdea did
But he got a little picture that this figure was even worse a little, for some reason. It also made Verdea goosebumps and swallow
"Alright, alright. You're really very neutral, Fomalhaut"
"My name is Marcellus, listen? Stop calling the name Sirius gave us when that person already has a birth name"
"But he gave me that name when you were gone, didn't he, Fomalhaut?"
"That's why I said it's best not to! You're repeating what I don't want!"
The figure looked unconcerned again after his eyes were fixed on Verdea, making Marcellus immediately pat his face in limp
"So, what's your birth name?" The figure also asked
"Verdeans. And apparently... You are the sixth, Spica" Verdea replied
"Oh apparently you still remember about me even if it's just a name...!"
"not remembered. I just got a little picture of all of you besides me, including your names. Marcellus told me after he had exposed the secret of the seal to me
And he explained himself with the phrase, 'He is energetic and can't stop talking. But also very brave and not afraid of death'"
"You explain myself as if I were a bully, Fomalhaut" Spica turned to Marcellus who was silent
"I can't say he's wrong. Although I still doubt how he believes you're not afraid of death" Verdea interjected again
"You listen to me! I will be the greatest knight known of all time, and you will not be able to rival my achievements, hmph!"
Spica looked pouted and turned her face away, making Verdea gawk awkwardly
"He's like a kid, right?"
"I don't want to hear that from you, Canopus"
Canopus then glanced at Verdea, looking sullen as well
But...
Put that aside first
"There's actually something I want to discuss. But it seems like the ears in this place are even more and more..." Verdea said later
"Come, we're not even alive yet, excluding this quiet one whose only one is gone. Even if you unpack anything, it will have no effect on the world now or later" Spica said, pointing to Marcellus
Marcellus only added with a nod of his head
"And if it should be discussed...
This means that it is related to the task that Marcellus gave to all of us...? Is that right, Regulus?" Canopus
...
...
"I want to hear"
Spica put on a cross-legged sitting position, not matching her who sounded like a girl. "Continue, continue" He then ordered
"This is also the first time you intend to have a discussion, instead of throwing out your heart" Marcellus commented
Spica immediately gave a look that clearly said, 'Really??'
Canopus is also ready to spread his ears. Literally
All that was left was Verdea who needed to speak up
...
"... I already know who my enemy is at this point. All in all, he was that person" Verdea began to say
"... You've met her...?" Spica asked
"Yes. It seems like Marcellus already knew who, but he didn't dismantle it from the beginning because he was sure I would try to deny it"
"... This guy must be close to you"
"No. But he's still a member of the family, even though I've only known about him lately..."
The atmosphere became silent after that, swarming down Verdea among all the people surrounded by the light
Marcellus tried to melt the atmosphere by making a sound, then gave Verdea a chance to talk back
"... That opponent of mine is also my half-brother. Her name was Rosalia Hortensia" Verdea replied, heartbroken
...
"Against your own blood is indeed something heavy..." Marcellus commented with a small sigh
He knows very well Verdea's feelings. When he had to fight his brother Lazarus, Marcellus could feel something suffocating
Although his brother was wrong to kill, even though his brother was wrong to destroy, Lazarus was still family to him
"I already know who your opponents are, from Regulus to Sirius. But I will always tell you: I will not expose anything related to the spirit world" Marcellus added
"And it is our duty to dismantle it!" Chirps Canopus
"I swear to God Canopus, your destiny must be very messy right now..."
"Hehe~"
"That's not funny! Your fate that you have written so hard now will even change! Your birth time is still long, so you should get used to being careful right now!"
...
It was the first time Verdea had seen Marcellus raise his voice, even Canopus and Spica were silent
"... We better get back to my problem before I know more about the spirit world" Verdea interrupted quietly
"I beg you!" Spica followed, getting closer to Verdea's face, to the surprise of her
"All right, give me some space..."
Verdea has prepared a new topic to discuss
"Yes. I came to ask you that, maybe you have an idea what it means
My brother is my opponent at this time... He hates humans, but wants to save them"
Spica tilted her head in disbelief, while Marcellus was silent because he did not want to answer
Not because he couldn't tell. It's just...
"... I hate riddles..."
Verdea stared at Marcellus, who had unintentionally thrown it
'The magnificent great spirit.', Verdea muttered inwardly.
But his expression of dissatisfaction was too clear until Marcellus immediately knew it without the need for explanation
His last hope was Canopus. He may know something, although it never seems serious
"... I know a thing or two about what it means. But I know it through your destiny. Telling him to you will only make my time in the world cut short"
...
Verdea lost her last hope. He was close to reaching that answer, but the taboo in the spirit world became a bigger barrier than he had expected
Or so
Verdea did not want to come and go empty-handed. He should at least get something
"At least tell me the basic concept. If I had known, I wouldn't have had to float around looking for answers that were still unclear"
"Basic concept huh...?"
Canopus is also seen thinking while looking for an answer that will not be fatal to him
"I would say that he hates a concept, not a subject or an object" Canopus replied
Marcellus flinched, before showing a smile. "Now I also understand" He muttered later
Verdea and Spica are not. They still don't understand
"Remember the purpose of all of us, Regulus. I want to make you all my successors, and you know what my job is, right?" Marcellus
"... Protecting humans..."
"..."
"..."
"... It seems you don't yet have a good mindset for your position as the protector of mankind..."
Verdea was silent
Marcellus has said it, and he is absolutely right. He has given this task to them, but Verdea still does not have the quality or capacity to do it
No. gabe. The seal itself chose it. This living seal, for whatever reason, chose Verdea as the protector of mankind
"Heir Marcellus like us has a heavy duty my friend. But the seal does not pick us at random" Canopus said, trying to make Verdea feel better
"To be more precise, it was Sirius who had chosen us. For whatever reason, he drew 8 of us, among the billions of souls who were there to meet Marcellus in that empty place" Spica added
"That's why I wanted to meet Sirius..." Verdea muttered languidly
He wanted to ask why. Why did Sirius choose himself as the heir to this power. As Spica said, why, among the billions of souls already formed, did Sirius choose Verdea and a few others?
And there, too, Verdea wondered why his soul, which used to be Regulus, accepted this task and came first compared to the other heirs?
He doesn't have good qualities and capacity, but he came early to carry out this task. He should be an example to the other heirs. He is still unable and without good guidance
...
"By the way, you haven't asked your friend anything? If it's not wrong... Name's Vainzel?" Marcellus asked later
Verdea did not know what to answer other than the truth
"... It's not that I don't want to, but he's always burdening himself. That's what I don't want him to do, in the middle of all the trouble that's been happening to us right now"
"... He's a good friend. Also, isn't he one of the 2 people who made your seal able to rise?"
"Yes, too...?"
...
"I want everyone to be happy with my strength. That's why I want to be able to solve all of this quickly, but also with great precision. That's why I need to understand my enemies as well
The best way to bring them down is overall understanding. Even if it takes me a long time, at least I will have an idea to always overcome my opponent"
Even if he doesn't want to, he still has to. To all the people he loves and loves
To all the friends he considered to be his own family. It gives him comfort and warmth in life
At least, if Verdea could not save humanity as a whole, she wanted such people left, and would fight to support their lives. So that they could meet others in need, and give such warmth again, just like he had
His dream was very big, but what he could achieve was still very small. He knew it would take time, but how long?
"Hey"
Canopus held Verdea in both hands, looking her directly in the eye, making Verdea rise from her musings
"I told you, didn't I? Your greatest strength is your trust in the friends you love. So Regulus..." He said, pausing in the middle. "... Trust them on this too. Always tell them what you need, and you will be able to do what you want to help them afterwards" he added later
...
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"But I'm going to burden them like that, while I always have the easy side, right?" Verdea said
"Thinking is what will hold you in place, my friend. After all, a trip wouldn't be easy without a friend by your side..."
...
Canopus's right. He's very right
Man cannot live without his other hand. They are creatures that cannot live without others on their side
Whether they are evil or not, humans still need someone to be by their side. Things would be easier if it were like that
And that reminds him of something. Had I not saved her that day, she was sure that she would not be like this right now. His life was always suffering from solitude, and on the apple tree, he got a helping hand from the others
A warm helping hand, for the first time
In the past, he always thought that I had a naive look at humans. Letting myself be stepped on as if I were a doormat
But the more he walked with me, even when he met Veskal, he realized that his initial view of man was wrong
They have many different characteristics, but they still need a suitable color to complement them on a canvas of life
Something that made Veskal change because he had equipped himself with us. Something that makes Walter and Cyth unpack their original colors that have always been hidden, just desperately wanting to complement themselves again. Something that made Claudia fall in love with Darwin, and vice versa, no matter how bad they were in the eyes of the world
They have assortments. Because that's how humans are...
At any given moment, they want to achieve something at any cost. And there they came, to help by their side. The most perfect creatures, without a limit of what colors they can give and get
Verdea smiled happily, intending to thank Canopus
But he gasped, realizing that something had just crossed his head...
...
...
"They have no limits on giving or receiving anything..."
The more he thought about the sentence, the more his eyes sparkled, making Marcellus and Canopus do it too
While Spica who is still confused is even more added to the confusion
"I have the answer...!" He said quietly with a pleased tone
"That's good for you, Regulus! You finally understand!" Canopus is happy
They both laughed happily, making the other two just silently watch, not daring to interrupt nor interrupt
But the moment was interrupted by Verdea who felt something change in her body in the original world
Something like he was feeling refreshed. A sensation that was familiar enough to him during his time in the dream world
"... It seems like it's morning" Verdea muttered
Canopus once again looks happy half dead. "Then tell this to your friend immediately. Get this over with and reach your goal, Regulus!" He said again
"alright. But how am I gonna get back if my hand keeps holding like this?"
Canopus spontaneously unbinds their hands
"Now fast! Your friend is waiting for your answer!"
Verdea chuckled at the spirit-looking Canopus, as if he was about to receive a great gift
"alright. Spica, nice to meet you this time. And for all of you, next time we'll meet again"
Verdea then touched her forehead, instantly taking her away from the dream world
...
...
"You honestly helped him too much, Canopus" Marcellus said
He said so, but he also looked happy
"To be honest, if I also understood at least a little bit about what you guys were talking about earlier, I would also help out like Canopus" Chirps Spica who was still seen thinking about it. "And if so, Canopus need not cut his life time too much..." He said again
His head slowly bowed, realizing that he had ruined the atmosphere
...
...
"It's okay Spica. Maybe it's been my attitude since I was made" Canopus replied softly
"... But I came here with the intention of helping you. Achernar said that you pushed yourself too much..." Ariel who is still angry continues to speak
"The woman always obeyed the rules. He always wanted to help, but he was always exposed to certain restrictions" Marcellus interjected before sighing
His smiling face was once again visible after that
"Regulus. Aldebarans. Achernarians. Canopus. Spicas. Altair. Vega. Procyons. Then, Sirius...
You have your own way of helping people in the future. You have thought of the best way to make sure it can happen in your life. I will not question your decision, though I must warn you. You are the inheritors of the power of the protector" he added
His face turned sad when he remembered something. A past that will always stick with it
"... Listen, all of you? I called someone at that moment, and the nine of you came before me. You are my hope for the future. My hope is that the sin I have committed against my brother and the people will not be repeated..."
A speck of tears fell from his cheek, while Spica and Canopus were just staring with pity, not having the power to interrupt in the moment
"... Hope what I did this time is right, brother-I hope-
-- May you be happy with this decision, unlike what I have taken first..."
Whether or not her prayers reached her brother, she would never know. He will only continue to convince himself that the mistake they both made will never be repeated again
The three smiled slightly, as the dream world slowly began to fade from Verdea's soul...
......................
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"I heard your prayer, Marcellus..."
Verdea was stunned, staring at the back of her right hand, which was still lying next to her
His tears slowly trickled down, with the voice of Marcellus still ringing in his head
"Even if it is not addressed to me, I will make sure your prayers are fulfilled. I, and others, as the heir to your power..."
