Ch. 1: Blue-Purple Flowers
Kingdom of Alstoria in the Land of Knights, Month of Sunlight...-
As thanks for saving Avi, I was again invited to the Alstoria Castle.
Led by an attendant, Avi and I walked together in the gentle sunlight.
Inside the castle walls was a magnificent display with elegant furnishings and dried flowers adorning the corridor.
OO: "Ah, these flowers."
I glanced out the window into the courtyard and saw many of the same blue-purple flowers blooming below.
Attendant: "These flowers are the same as the ones in the garden. Aren't they beautiful?"
OO: "Yes, it's a lovely color. They're so beautiful you could arrange them even without drying them."
The attendant's voice was so gentle, I found myself in a sort of warm trance as I responded.
Avi: "What are you grinning at?"
Avi looked down at me suspiciously, his hands on his hips.
OO: "These dried flowers are nice, but wouldn't it be more beautiful to decorate with live ones?"
I said with enthusiasm.
Avi: "... if you do that, they'd quickly wither and die."
OO: "Eh?"
For an instant, I thought I had misheard.
Avi's voice, always so strong and direct, seemed very lonely just then.
OO: "Avi?"
His tone made me uneasy and I peered into this face.
Avi: "Hey, let's hurry. We're making Father wait."
As if he had suddenly realized something, his voice resumed it's normal tone again in an instant.
OO: "Y-yeah!"
Still flustered, I trailed behind his broad shoulders. But...
Avi: "They'd quickly wither and die."
I couldn't get Avi's words out of my head.