The following morning…
Arianne woke earlier than usual.
Ellis’s notebook still rested beside her bed.
She reached for it almost immediately.
“…”
She wasn’t looking for answers anymore.
She was looking for clues.
One page after another…
Flowers.
Spirit herbs.
Seasonal changes.
Small observations most people would have ignored.
Nothing seemed unusual.
Until…
She noticed a familiar name written near the edge of one page.
Ashvale Greenhouse Schedule
“…”
Ashvale.
Her eyes moved down the page.
“Miss Erin watered the eastern flowerbeds again today.”
“She always remembers the flowers everyone forgets.”
“I should thank her properly next time.”
The note ended there.
Arianne quietly stared at the handwriting.
“…”
There had never been a next time.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
“Young miss?”
“Breakfast is ready.”
“I’ll be there.”
She carefully closed the notebook.
The dining room was calm.
Mr.
Rowland had already left for work.
Lady Rowland quietly enjoyed her morning tea.
Across from her…
Fiona skimmed through the daily newspaper.
Arianne took her seat.
“…Mother.”
Lady Rowland looked up.
“Yes?”
“…Do you know House Ashvale well?”
For the briefest moment…
Lady Rowland paused.
“I know of them.”
“They’re one of the Association’s oldest Hunter families.”
“A respected family.”
Arianne nodded.
“…And Erin?”
Fiona lowered her newspaper.
Lady Rowland answered after a moment.
“She’s Catherine Ashvale’s youngest daughter.”
“Catherine and I have met several times through Association events.”
“…”
“So she really does come to the Association often.”
“Almost every afternoon.”
“She waits for her mother to finish work.”
Arianne lowered her gaze.
That explained it.
It wasn’t coincidence.
The greenhouse had simply become Erin’s waiting place.
Lady Rowland continued.
“I remember when she first Awakened.”
“There was quite a bit of celebration.”
Arianne looked up.
“…Celebration?”
Lady Rowland smiled faintly.
“D-Rank Earth Mage.”
“A fine beginning.”
“The Ashvales were very proud.”
“…”
Arianne frowned.
That didn’t sound like the story of a forgotten child.
Which meant…
Something must have happened afterward.
Arianne quietly waited.
She had a feeling…
The real story hadn’t started yet.
Lady Rowland folded her hands on the table.
“For the first year…”
“No one was concerned.”
“Children grow at different speeds.”
“Some awaken quickly.”
“Others take a little longer.”
Arianne nodded.
That sounded reasonable.
“Then came the second year.”
“Her mana remained the same.”
“No new skills.”
“No noticeable improvement.”
“The Association recommended additional training.”
“The Ashvales agreed.”
Lady Rowland’s voice remained calm.
“They hired experienced instructors.”
“They changed her training schedule.”
“They purchased spirit medicines.”
“They even consulted specialists from other cities.”
“…”
“They tried everything.”
Fiona quietly turned another page of her newspaper.
“I remember hearing about that.”
“People said House Ashvale spared no expense.”
Lady Rowland gave a small nod.
“They truly didn’t.”
“They never abandoned her.”
“They simply…”
She searched for the right words.
“…ran out of answers.”
Silence settled over the dining room.
Arianne lowered her eyes.
That…
Somehow felt sadder than cruelty.
Not because Erin wasn’t loved.
But because…
Everyone had eventually accepted the same conclusion.
Lady Rowland spoke again.
“Four years have passed.”
“She’s still D-Rank.”
“Exactly where she started.”
“…”
“The Association no longer recommends additional evaluations.”
“They believe…”
“…her growth has simply reached its limit.”
Arianne frowned.
Its limit.
The words echoed in her mind.
Limit.
Or…
Something else?
She remembered Ellis’s notebook.
“Late does not mean never.”
“A gardener cannot force a flower to bloom.
He can only prepare the season.”
“…”
For the first time…
Those words no longer sounded like they were about flowers.
They sounded like they were about Erin.
After breakfast…
Arianne returned to her room.
She quietly placed Ellis’s notebook on her desk.
Then…
“Status.”
The familiar blue screen appeared.
She selected the only quest currently on her list.
[Main Quest]
[The Second Seed]
[Target Identified]
[Synchronization: 3%]
[Seed Formation: Unavailable]
The screen remained unchanged.
No explanation.
No hints.
“…”
Arianne sighed.
“I guess…”
“…I’ll have to figure this out myself.”
The following afternoon…
Arianne found herself standing in front of the Hunter Association once again.
This time…
She wasn’t following a quest marker.
She was following a question.
“…”
What kind of season…
Was Erin waiting for?
The receptionist greeted her with a warm smile.
“Good afternoon, Lady Arianne.”
“Back to visit the greenhouse?”
Arianne nodded.
“If that’s alright.”
“Of course.”
“The flowers seem happier whenever you visit.”
She smiled awkwardly.
“I think that’s because someone else takes good care of them.”
The receptionist chuckled.
“I suppose you’re right.”
Arianne quietly made her way toward the greenhouse.
The familiar scent of flowers welcomed her.
And just as before…
Erin was already there.
She knelt beside a small flowerbed.
One by one…
She carefully removed tiny weeds growing between the stems.
Not hurried.
Not bored.
Simply…
Patient.
Arianne didn’t interrupt.
She watched from a short distance.
Several Association employees walked past.
Each greeted Erin naturally.
“Waiting for your mother again?”
Erin looked up and smiled.
“Mm.”
“She still has meetings.”
“Then don’t forget to eat later.”
“I won’t.”
Another employee stopped briefly.
“The eastern flowers look healthier.”
“They do.”
“They’ve been getting more sunlight.”
The employee laughed.
“I knew you’d notice.”
After a few moments…
They continued on their way.
“…”
Arianne blinked.
No one ignored Erin.
No one mistreated her.
Everyone knew her.
Everyone was kind.
Yet…
There was still a quiet loneliness surrounding her.
It wasn’t neglect.
It wasn’t cruelty.
It was…
Acceptance.
As though everyone had quietly agreed…
That this was simply how things would always be.
Eventually…
Erin noticed her.
“…Lady Arianne.”
“Hello.”
“Hello, Erin.”
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Erin gently shook her head.
“I was almost finished.”
Arianne walked over.
Several clay pots rested nearby.
Most contained healthy spirit flowers.
One…
Didn’t.
Its leaves were green.
Its roots looked healthy.
But…
It hadn’t grown.
Not even a little.
“…”
Something about it felt strangely familiar.
Almost instinctively…
Arianne stepped closer.
The System quietly activated.
A translucent window appeared before her eyes.
[Spirit Bloom]
[Growth Status: Restricted]
[Condition: Not Yet Met]
Arianne’s breathing stopped.
“…”
She slowly turned toward Erin.
Then…
Back to the flower.
The same words.
The same condition.
The same…
Restriction.
A quiet realization settled into her heart.
“…”
“It isn’t just Erin.”
“It happened to the flower too.”
For the first time…
Arianne understood.
She wasn’t looking for a way to make Erin stronger.
She was looking for…
The condition that had never been fulfilled.
End of Chapter 18
BWAHAHAHA!
Bonus chapters!
I wasn’t able to update for a few days because I got sick, so these are my little apology chapters.
Thank you so much for waiting and for sticking with Arianne’s journey!
<3<3
Now…
let’s continue growing flowers…
and future monsters—I mean, Hunters.
XD