Flowers

Althur wandered through the Lomberd area.

The corporate headquarters of major banks and significant businesses are concentrated along this opulent avenue. People were everywhere, and carriages carrying nobles and wealthy businessmen entered and exited luxury stores.

Nearby is the Temple of Aelius, a large temple of the Diocese of the Sun, dedicated to the Sun god Lut. A holy ritual started each morning as the sun's first rays hit the temple's golden dome. The temple 's largest bell will be rung to announce the sunrise.

After a while, he stepped into a flower shop. From the outside, the store is decorated with luxurious glass doors. Inside, where staff are advising a few customers. He walked in and opened the door slightly, the small wind chime signaling a new visitor.

He could see a lady. The one who was speaking fluently seemed to have repeated this conversation a hundred times while advising two young and well-dressed gentlemen.

"If you want to express your love, send red roses. They are both fragrant and seductive. A standard lady will understand your loving message to her. If the lady sends you some yellow carnations," The woman stopped and sighed. "She only sees you as a friend. Of course, it doesn't hurt to be friends with such a delicate lady."

"Alternatively, you can also send lilies to the same men who received pots of yellow carnations. Maybe you'll find a new best friend." With a stretched syllable, "or... a pot of marigolds for the person who received the pot of roses from that woman." As she spoke, she hid her smile behind the delicate feather fan.

"Go ahead and make your choice, gentlemen. But if you're still clueless about your beloved dream, just buy some cookies from the counter over there." The woman pointed to the display counter next to the flower baskets in front of the shop. There were packets of cookies wrapped in different colored packages. "We will provide free tea and help you have a long discussion here to solve your problem."

She ignored the interesting expressions of the two boys and motioned for another female assistant to come take care of them. After that, she waved her fan and approached a gentleman who had been looking around the room for a while.

She came and asked with a professional smile, "Have a nice day. How can we help you, sir?"

Althur looked around the store. There were countless small flowerpots posted around. They are presented according to the latest trends today. With bouquets displayed in porcelain and silver vases.

There were bouquets that had a tightly packed mass of flowers, leaves, ferns, and other greenery. Nearby are also roses placed alone in a porcelain vase. But the fuchsia and rose with dazzling reds are the most widely used in the store.

He nodded slightly and said to the woman, "Good afternoon, miss. Could you please wrap up a bunch of white carnations for me?"

The lady showed a silent expression. Carnations can both be used to express love and affection. Carnations are a popular variety used at funerals and to visit cemeteries, in addition to white daisies, tulips, and lilies. Then she asked, "What do you use it for? We also provide services related to funerals and grave visits."

"Just a simple bouquet of flowers to visit the grave."

"How would you like to be wrapped?" The lady paused, her voice becoming melancholy. "Think about it for a moment, sir. You know, beautiful flowers also carry subtle meanings."

"We provide vases for flower arrangements, wreaths decorated with bay leaves, etc. If possible, we can decorate in a style that the deceased loved."

Professionally, she introduces many options to customers, from luxurious to simple. Along with her aesthetic, the lady offers many different flower arrangements for Althur to choose from.

Being a polite man, he still quietly waited for the woman to finish her assignment. He flashed a regretful smile and said, "Great choices. However, when my mentor was alive, he was a simple person, so just wrapping it up with paper is fine."

"Above all, he is a surprising minimalist. He always presents himself in a formal manner. And stoic in his attitude."

"He always wore a classic black suit. Everything was black. He also had no sense of humor. He was stern, too." Althur sighed as he remembered those boring days.

"He did not seem to like flowers very much. So, I intend to choose some flowers to take with me when I visit him. Let it brighten up the place a little."

"Well, based on your manners, I can imagine that he must have been an elegant man. It's nice to see you as well.

"Alright, if so, then I have some more suggestions. Let's use a few more white daisies. It represents purity and loyalty. It is also very elegant and sophisticated, which suits that teacher of his. We also just wrapped some kraft paper around it. It will be very elegant when placed in front of the grave."

"How about it, sir"

"That's really nice, miss. Just do as you say."

The woman nodded. She didn't smile, then she gently asked her staff to prepare a flower for visiting the grave.

The staff quickly went to get the paper and flowers and wrapped a simple but elegant bouquet.

She sent the bouquet to Althur.

He gratefully accepted the bouquet and left right away. Taking a carriage, he required the driver the way to a peaceful cemetery in the west.

"What a gentleman." She thought to herself as she watched the well-dressed young man come out of the store and look at the flower arrangements on the counter.

...

In a sunny flower garden at Isandros Academy.

In this beautiful place, a young man is seated alone on a bench.

In his hand was a book, Floriography, which said that these flowers all have meaning. Something he found while spending boring time under the library. He looked at the flowers in the colorful rose pots. And he wonders how people ascribe those same meanings.

He had been sitting in this spot, where it wasn't too crowded, for a few hours, but as people passed by, he received no attention at all.

It was as if he were the only one who noticed the efforts of the gardeners, who cherished each petal while others only saw it as a miniature. However, gardeners seem to focus only on the beautiful flowers that adorn the garden, neglecting some things that are hidden. The pots of roses and carnations all have faded colors lying in the corner. Similarly, there is a bush of wild amaranth flowers that are slowly withering.

Staring at these things, his mind went blank as he lost himself in his thoughts about the existence of the world around him. A few gasps and hurried footsteps suddenly broke the peaceful scene in his mind.