Do Flowers Bloom in the Fallen Land?

“Dad,” Seira called out to Nathan as she stood in front of her bedroom door.

What?

“Tomorrow, I’m going to search for you.”

Nathan blinked as if he couldn’t understand what Seira meant, and then smiled.

Okay. Then I’ll have to hide from early in the morning.

He seemed to misunderstand that she wanted to play hide-and-seek with him.

“If I can’t find you, I’m going to cry… You have to watch over me.”

Okay… it’s late. You should go to bed now.

Leaving Nathan in the hallway as he waved at her with a friendly look, Seira closed the door.

‘As expected… I don’t think he knows.’

As she had felt every time she searched for the past seven years, Nathan seemed unaware of his death. But Seira didn’t have the courage to tell him that he died 15 years ago. Because it was clear that Seira wouldn’t be able to bear it if Nathan left after saying it.

‘I’m sorry, Dad. Instead, I’ll definitely find you, so please wait a little bit.’

Even if no one could bring her warm milk with plenty of honey, she had to sleep somehow now. To search the whole territory and find Nathan Askan.

* * *

Whether it was true that he was going to hide, Nathan’s spirit was nowhere to be found since the morning. Seira left the castle early after eating a simple meal with chocolate cake she found in the grocery crate.

She packed piles of hay, bags of beef jerky, drinking water, and some tools on horseback, and began her search around D-Ark.

Her method was simple. Amplification and calculation were used together as she searched for the magical power of Illuminum. When using her power, the area that could be explored at once was divided and marked up in the map, and then checked by walking around.

‘Only up to 20 places a day.’

Her body wouldn’t hold out any longer than that. It was important to do it at a steady pace every day, so she wouldn’t overdo it.

On the first day, she looked back to the place where the outer castle of Askan existed before. She expected a little because she thought it was most likely that there wouldn’t be anything that would hint the presence of Illuminum there.

The next day, she combed the plains of Esdrellon. As it was a place where Askan, which had existed since long before, had rotated several times against the enemy. There were several magical reactions, but when she dug up the ground, only unfamiliar weapons, jewelry, and ornaments were found.

Of course, Seira packed them all, too.

On the third day, she even checked the entrance of the Johern Mountains beyond the Esdrellon plains. Somehow, a lot more stuff came out.

“This thing is taking too long!”

After digging carefully thinking Nathan’s remains might be there, Seira only found relics of an era long gone. Seeing that the magic still remained, it was certain to be quite valuable, but she wasn’t happy at all.

It wasn’t until the moon had peeked over the clouds that Seira returned to the castle with only two unidentified items.

And on the morning of the fourth day.

Seira opened her eyes as she felt D-Ark shaking with a thud.

‘What???’

As she quickly dressed up and went down the first floor, Nathan’s spirit greeted her, perhaps deciding he was done playing hide-and-seek with his daughter.

‘You’re awake!’

“Yes, Dad,” Seira replied, “But didn’t you hear something strange just now? I thought there was an earthquake in the castle.”

That’s right. Fools shouldn’t dare to invade the territory of Askan.

“…What?”

Seira, who ran to the window, looked out.

“What the hell is that…”

Bodies were strewn about. Beyond that, those who stepped back with fear-stricken faces seemed to be hired mercenaries. Seeing that the number reached hundreds, it seemed that someone had put a large bounty on Seira.

‘I don’t think they died fighting each other… right?’

As she carefully observed the mercenaries, she could see that their eyes were fixed in one place. It was the only door that could enter the duke’s castle.

“Who… are you fighting?”

Nathan nodded at Seira’s question.

There was a guy you weren’t close with who has been here since before.

A guy who’s not close to me? Don’t tell me…

Seira checked the bracelet on her left hand, took a deep breath and headed for the gate. As the great door opened itself in response to its master’s will, the back of the man who blocked the stairs was right in front of her.

“Baron.”

With his shoulders squared, he wiped his face with the hem of his clothes and looked back.

“Seira. Good morning.”

While blood was all over him from head to toe, his white tooth was terrifying. Even his dark blue hair was soaked red, so it was hard to figure out when he began wielding his sword here.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well… I thought I came too soon, so I waited for the sun to rise. I’ll clean the garden.”

As she glanced at him, the mercenaries became more contemplative.

“He sent me things like that…?”

Seira wrinkled her brows.

“You would only lose strength due to the volume of the offensive. I don’t think this would be the real thing.”

“Well, yes.”

This level of attack was nothing short of a disaster for her, who had to travel far and use her power.

“Come in for now.”

Because of Nathan’s spirit, no one originally intended to enter the castle. But for now, it was inevitable, and Seira stepped aside for Baron to come in.