CH. 9: Words From Heart

After gritting his teeth for a while, he still got up, preparing to go pick some flowers in the garden to try out how this skill actually works.

Although he has no practice today, doing nothing would be too boring. And there weren't many entertainment options in this era either.

Arriving at the garden he glanced around.

Knowledge of the types, lengths, appearances of all the flowers poured into his mind, then processed into dozens or hundreds of flower arrangement plans.

"Not bad at all!"

Kenshi couldn't help but exclaim at the power of the skill, then he casually picked some nearby flowers and returned to his room.

Since it was for relaxation, he didn't plan on following the plans in his mind. He simply chose some nearby flowers to see how much this skill could accomplish.

Finding an empty vase, he officially began.

First trimming away the remaining stems and leaves, then cutting to different lengths based on the styles. Next visualizing and planning, imagining a perfect potted plant, finally arranging the flowers in the vase according to the design.

He had never touched the art of flower arrangement before which resulted in a few mistakes, but with the knowledge in his mind, he still orderly processed the flowers in hand.

Even he himself didn't notice how tranquil and serene his face was while arranging flowers.

This was the true effect of the flower arrangement skill - bringing people peace and relaxation!

And he who was earnestly arranging flowers also didn't notice the door behind him opening then closing again.

"Didn't expect you knew how to do flower arranging!"

A surprised voice suddenly entered his ears, also pulling him back from that wondrous feeling.

He turned his head, discovering Shinobu had at some point sat down beside him, smilingly watching the unfinished potted plant in his hands.

"Miss Shinobu, why are you here?"

As he asked, he resumed the flower arrangement, also realizing the state he had entered earlier. He couldn't help praising in his heart, the system's stuff really was good!

"Can't I come if I have nothing to do? you're so heartless!"

"No...I didn't mean it that way..."

Seeing his awkward expression, Shinobu laughed softly, stopping her teasing. Instead she placed her gaze on the unfinished potted plant.

"You're doing very well! Where did you learn it from?" She asked.

"My mother taught me." He shamelessly lied with a straight face.

"Oh my, that is really beautiful!" Shinobu siad, but didn't question further.

After all, the background he had given himself was a fallen impoverished young master. Poking at his painful past wouldn't be good.

But he had clearly forgotten this background, continuing the flower arrangement while saying. "There's still many things you can't imagine! Who knows if there will be even more surprises in the future."

Who knew what other skills might be drawn in the future. Laying down some foreshadowing now, even if exposed later, shouldn't be a big issue.

The surroundings gradually quieted, but he still remained immersed in the flower arrangement, so he also didn't notice this bizarre silence.

Shinobu looked at his profile, he was still earnestly arranging flowers.

Other than the first glance at the start, even while chatting with her afterwards, his gaze never left the flowers in hand.

Was her charm really so negligible?

Abruptly!

Shinobu reached out taking a stalk from the potted plant. Under his surprised gaze, she inserted it into her left hair, then smiled asking.

"Pretty?"

Kenshi's hands finally stopped, looking at the girl before him.

Delicate features, beautiful eyes, that gentle and refined smile. Her deep purple hair neatly combed back, pinned with that overly familiar butterfly hairpin.

Sunlight shone through the window onto her, making her seem like a fairy of nature.

His heart suddenly stirred, he pursed his lips, turning his head away.

"Pretty!"

Really pretty!

Like a goddess, that flower on her was just an insignificant ornament.

"Is that so?"

Hearing the reply, Shinobu also showed a smile from her heart.

He looked at the flower vase that was still one fourth full, sighed, turned to Shinobu and reached for the flower in her hair while saying. "Miss Shinobu, you're already very beautiful, you don't need these accessories at all, so give the flower back to me!"

Shinobu didn't move, only smilingly watching as he took the flower from her head, and even tidied her disheveled hair in passing.

Just as he was about to resume, Shinobu suddenly moved closer asking. "Are you going to do flower arrangements the whole day?"

"No." He shook his head. Although the flowers arranging brought him a feeling of serenity, he didn't plan on spending the whole day on it either.

He planned on taking a good stroll around Butterfly Mansion today, also taking a look at the daily life.

"Speaking of which, for what matter did Miss Shinobu visit, is there any task I need to fulfill?" He suddenly asked. He remembered the Hashiras were very busy with work.

But Shinobu only shook her head. "Nope! I only heard little Aoi say you picked some flowers so I came to take a look. And...occasionally taking a break for myself isn't bad either!"

So it turned out Aoi had accidentally seen him earlier.

He decided to change the topic. "Kanao should be back soon right?"

Hearing him Shinobu nodded. "She passed the exam yesterday already, but Mt. Fujikasane is a bit far, so she can only get back today. You already know Kanao and her personality right? You two better get along when the time comes!"

"I understand." He indicated he comprehended.

"Due to circumstances in her childhood, Kanao is a bit emotionally deficient, so she seems a bit absent-minded. But you definitely can't take advantage of her!"

Shinobu's sudden speech nearly left him breathless. After thinking about it, he still asked. "Taking advantage, you mean that kind of taking advantage?"

She smilingly answered. "That's right, just what you're thinking."

"..." He instantly felt a headache coming on. "What do you take me for?"

"My Kanao is very cute!"

"Cuter than you?"

"Cuter than me!"

Shinobu's affirmative answer lef him a bit surprised. Didn't expect her evaluation of Kanao to be so high, could this be the so-called little sister lens?

After a brief silence, he said. "Don't worry, I'm not the kind of shallow person who only looks at the surface."

Hearing this, Shinobu's expression lit up as she looked at his eyes asking. "Then what.....do you think about me?"

"You?" He blanked for a moment, glanced at Shinobu's beautiful countenance, then turned his head back continuing the flower arrangement.

Kenshi focused intently on the flowers in his hands as he carefully arranged them in the vase. "You are kind, thoughtful, and caring towards animals and even strangers."

Pausing, He continued after a moment. "You welcomed me, a stranger, into your home and have treated me with warmth. But I also feel you're hiding something, like you're carrying a burden that you think is the goal of your life." He turned and looked at her.

"You're not only beautiful by your appearance, but also from your soul." He said without blinking his eyes, as cheesy as these words sounded, he was actually telling his true feelings. After coming into this world and interacting with the few people he came to know, it was indeed hard for him to just think all of them as some sort of characters.

Shinobu who heard this just blankly looked at him, her eyes opened wide, without saying anything she suddenly disappeared from the room leaving the silent atmosphere behind.

...

Afternoon -

Kenshi sat to eat while his whole body had gone gray.

He felt like dying!

Too embarrassing!

He wasn't in the right mind when he said those words. After all, the flowers actually kept him distracted.

Shinobu must have seen an enormous joke right?

He still didn't know if she would use this to tease him in the future. He didn't even dare meet her eyes while eating.

This made Aoi curious the whole time, asking what happened. Although he brushed it off each time, out of the corner of his eye he still saw Shinobu's light smiling face.

He could only go off and sit by himself in the yard...to try to forget that moment even happened.

At this time, he heard light and rhythmic footsteps, followed by a pair of boots appearing in his vision.

He looked up, only to see a girl was silently standing before him.

The girl had her right side hair tied in a ponytail, adorned with a butterfly hairpin like Shinobu. Her eyes were a bit empty, with a faint smile on her face.

But different from Shinobu, her smile was even more hollow and indifferent.

It was Kanao!

He immediately stood up as he didn't expect to meet here.

Just as he was about to say "Welcome back", he recalled he didn't seem that familiar with her yet, so he changed his words. "Hello, I'm kenshi. I'm Miss Shinobu's new...um, student!"

Kanao blanked for a moment, then took out a coin, tossed and caught it!

Reverse side!

She put away the coin, continuing to smile faintly at him.

"..."

"..."