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Chapter 204: The Flower
“So…so cute…! Oh, this girl is absolutely adorable!”
“W-Wait! Stop! Please stop!”
Mom had woken up and was now clinging tightly to Lutiel, who looked as though she couldn’t fully resist, likely because she felt guilty about having blasted her off earlier.
Although this scene was nearly identical to what Abel usually endures, the fact that both women who were a bit more…endowed made every squeeze and hug a bit of a soft, dangerous visual.
To keep myself focused, I turned my attention to Phe.
Today she was in her spoiled mode, and after everything that had just happened, my little angel wasn’t letting me out of her grasp. She rubbed her cheeks against me as though her life depended on it.
“Niita, doing dangerous stuff is a no-no! Leaving Phe alone is a no-no!”
That’s exactly what you’re always being told by Mom, you know…
“All right, all right. Thanks for protecting me, Phe.”
“Sniff… Niita, Phe will protect you forever…! Phe will make you happy.”
As I stroked her head, I caught Abel’s gaze.
Normally, she would be stuck dealing with Mom’s affection, but with my dear mother cheating on the “Balance” high ancestor, Abel stood off to the side, looking somewhat out of place.
I’d promised to spend today with Abel, but so far, I hadn’t been able to keep that promise. I had to do something.
I decided to start with a simple conversation.
“So, Abel, about her—Lutiel-san, was it? Why is she here, anyway?”
“I’m not the only one who needs the Sacred Lake’s water.”
So, she came here looking for that “Mina Water,” then.
“Normally, I would have shared it with her earlier. But…”
Ah, I get it .
With the broken bottle, the priority was to use the lake water for maintaining the garden. After obtaining a sufficient supply, Abel had probably agreed to share some with her.
“And it’s not only that; I also have something very important to discuss with Abel. Ugh, stop… Please, let go of me!”
Whoever Phe or Mom clings to, becomes completely immobilized. It’s a binding force so strong that even an ancient elven ancestor can’t escape…
“Abel, maybe you should help her?”
“I don’t want Lucia’s attention to return to me...”
And with that, she sold off her sister without hesitation.
So my teacher was choosing self-preservation… The terrifying power of Lucia Cranput indeed.
“You’re Abel’s sister, right? If you’re Abel’s sister, then you’re naturally my sister too!”
“That’s absurd! And it makes no sense! L-Let go of me! Just…let go already!”
Her resistance was futile as the mighty “Scale” ancestor was swallowed up by Mom’s embrace. It was a rare sight indeed—a human capturing an elf.
Abel seemed to think this tangle between her friend and sister would take some time to resolve. Turning her attention away from them, she looked at me.
“Al, I have a rare flower to show you.”
“A flower?”
Everything Abel grows is unique, but she’s making a special effort to show this one to me.
It must be extraordinary.
Or maybe she’s just using it as an excuse to spend time with me.
Either way, I’m all in.
“Yes, I’d love to see it.”
“…Come with me.”
Abel timidly held out her hand, almost hesitantly.
Using strengthening magic, I lifted Phe up with one arm and firmly held Abel’s hand with the other.
Abel’s lips curled into a slight smile.
Yeah, I thought to myself. It’s times like these when being able to use magic really comes in handy.
“W-Wait, Abel! Wait for me…!”
Without a second thought, the three of us left. We heard a faint cry of despair from behind, but no one turned back to look.
Led by Abel’s hand, we arrived at a small tower.
It was about three stories high.
Made of simple white stone, it resembled a silo one might find on a farm.
The entrance had a lock on it.
It might seem like common sense to lock a building, but that isn’t actually the case here. The room with the teleportation gate and the reservoir for the Mina Water both had no locks.
In a place where outsiders rarely, if ever, come, locks aren’t necessary. It’s a place built on trust—an ideal environment, in a way.
Yet, this tower had a lock.
It must be a very special place.
“Niita, it’s all dark and spinny here!”
Phe gave her honest assessment.
There were no lights inside, so it was dimly lit, and there was only a spiral staircase leading to the top floor.
So yes, Phe’s description of “dark and spinny” was spot on.
“Be careful not to slip.”
Her hand tightened around mine.
With no handrails, the stairs were definitely risky.
“Whoa…”
At the top of the short staircase, we were greeted by a breathtaking sight.
It looked like the ruins of a grand cathedral.
Like a scene from a beautifully crafted film, white stone was placed on the ground in a way that almost looked deliberate.
Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a flower bed, but at first glance, it felt like a long-abandoned cathedral holding a single flower that no one knew was there.
The surrounding darkness and the way the sunlight filtered in, forming defined beams, only enhanced the scenery’s beauty.
“Niita! There’s a cute flower! Phe’s going to pick it and take it home!”
“Don’t do that.”
Abel’s face took on an unusually serious expression.
It was a small white flower.
It hadn’t yet bloomed and was still in bud.
“Abel, what kind of flower is this? Is it one of the ancient plants?”
“No. This is the only one of its kind in the world. It doesn’t have a name, and as far as I know, there’s no other flower like it.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s—”
Just as Abel was about to answer, I felt Phe go limp in my arms.
“Zzz…zzz…”
Is she…sleeping?
Phe does fall asleep when she’s exhausted, but I’ve never seen her fall asleep this suddenly.
Abel tilted her head, puzzled.
“…Hmm?”
The flower.
That little flower seemed to be faintly glowing.
Could it be that the flower is causing this?
“Abel, what is this flower?”
“This flower was created by my mother.”
“Your mother…created it?”
Abel’s mother is the Great Spirit of the Forest, if I remember right.
So this flower was something she personally created?
“My mother told me to make this flower bloom. She said it was something I needed to do.”
“Needed to do? What did she mean by that?”
The little elf shook her head.
“I don’t know. I don’t understand why, but I’ve been taking care of it, and it only sprouted recently.”
“You mean it just started growing?”
“Yes. It stayed a seed for the longest time. Since I have plant-related magic, I could tell it was alive, but even using Sacred Lake water or adding special fertilizers did nothing.”
“So you have no idea why it sprouted?”
“No. And while my mother told me not to show this flower to anyone, she also said that if I found someone who I truly cherish, I could show it to them. I don’t know why, though.”
Is it some sort of riddle?
At least I understand now why the tower was locked.
Wait a minute…
It’s more than that.
“Abel, you cherish me, huh?”
“…Ah…”
Abel turned bright red and looked down, avoiding my gaze
