A Plant lover's past #2

'And then you met it,' the voice said, and Ardian, who was looking at his younger self, nodded,

"Ardian, what are you doing here? Mori told me you ran away as soon as I left?" The priestess who came to the greenhouse said, looking worried,

"He was helping me, sister," the Caretaker replied before Ardian,

"Was he?" Priestess asked with a relieved expression, and the Caretaker replied,

"He is a very intelligent kid, and I am more so believing in the words you said."

Ardian, who noticed the priestess's expression visibly soften, spoke,

"I am sorry, Priestess big sister…. But I did not run away…" but before he could complete, a voice came from behind the priestess,

"You were here!! we looked for you, everyone Ardian," Fern said with a serene smile,

"I told you to wait for a while," Mori added. Fern moved back towards Ardian and laid a hand on his shoulders,

'Cold' Ardian remembered how it felt back still. He was about to tell the priestess what Fern did, but he was under his palm before he could speak.

"You were going to say something?" Ardian shook his head in denial, and the Caretaker, who sensed something wrong, intervened,

"Sister, can I borrow this Ardian for a while… I will teach him about herbology. I am really having a nice time talking with my plant through him."

"Of course, you can. I am sure he'll learn sooner under you… Ardian, do you want to help the gardener till evening."

Ardian nodded instantly as he was having fun, while he suddenly felt the bitter expression of the other three kids who spoke in a low voice,

"What a scammer?"

"A liar"

"Time waste"

But this only assured the young Ardian of his choice.

'I would spend time with trees instead of them' soon, the priestess and the boys left.

"So, you want to know about herbs, Ardian?"

"Yes!!" Ardian shook his head excitedly. He was happy about herbs as there weren't many of those back at Doran village,

For hours a strange class where the Caretaker taught Ardian while plants too instructed the young child,

"You see, Ardian, even if your Blessing rank is C, you should not worry. After all, its effects are best," Caretaker said after the class ended for the day,

"What?" Ardian asked, confused, as the Caretaker had said so suddenly. Caretaker thought for a bit and put a pot in front of Ardian filled with dirt,

"Here, Ardian plant this," he spoke as he gave Ardian a small seed,

'Purr purr,' the seedling purred inside Ardian's mind.

"Which plant is this, uncle?" Ardian asked as he buried the seed carefully in soil and watered it,

"It is orchid Ardian."

"I never saw one before!!" Ardian replied excitedly.

"Haha… orchids are very smart. I know you'll be good friends with him," the Caretaker replied,

Later that day, Ardian came to know that everyone else had a B-ranked blessing from the Goddess of bounty and harvest, but he did not mind much as he already had the best ability he wanted.

Days went by the three Ardian was sharing room with didn't talk to him even a bit, and whenever they did, it was mostly hurtful and confusing things, yet Ardian was happy and content with his life because no matter what,

'No matter what I knew, plants were waiting for me with their stories and uncle too,' Ardian thought as he watched his memories giving water to a small sprout of Orchid,

'I am sorry, Ardian…. If only I gave you B rank too' the voice in his head sounded apologetic, but Ardian replied,

'It is fine. I am thankful for what you gave me already….' As he saw the seedling in his memories, looking delighted with water, Ardian felt a pain in his chest.

'If only I was there…' he thought,

"Ardian, how are you doing today?" The Caretaker asked Ardian, who entered the greenhouse.

"I am fine, uncle. How are you today?" Ardian replied he had been taking classes in the church school and with the other three contestants for Goddess's recognition, so his way of talking gradually was becoming refined,

"I am fine, Ardian, but look at Bibo, he stupidly made two leaves fall," the Caretaker complained, and Ardian looked concerned as he moved towards the little potted orchid plant named biborka, or bibo for short,

"Bibo, you dropped the leaf intentionally again?"

'I am not talking with you!!' the plant replied to Ardian pouty,

"What happened this time?" Ardian asked, and the Caretaker was shocked by the strange growth of the Orchid seed he had given. Never had he seen a plant lose leaves intentionally.

'I am not talking!!' Bibo replied to Ardian, and Ardian stood up.

"Okay then, I am leaving. Uncle, please give Bibo water later" he gestured Caretaker to be quiet childishly, who nodded,

'No!! don't go wait… I will talk!!' and finally, with a mischievous grin, he sat near the Orchid.

"Why did you do it, Bibo? I told you it is bad, right?" Bibo was quiet for a bit and then finally spoke.

'You did not give me water at night!! I want to be with Ardian more… you planted me; then why does this smelly person keep watering me!!'

Ardian thought for a bit and spoke,

"But you know I cannot be here the whole day, or I will get scolded,"

'But…. Purrr' Bibo replied, and Ardian sighed as he saw the plant desperately act like it was still a sprout even though he had become a proper plant for weeks now. He moved to the Caretaker and explained the situation,

"Why don't you take him to the dorm?" the Caretaker suggested, and Ardian's eyes sparkled. He spoke

"I did not think about it!! I will do that."

'After all, Fern also keeps Rose and lily' he asked Orchid if he would like to live in the Dorm with him, and the plant replied positively instantly,

'I would live in Ardian's room' as soon as Bibo said this, Ardian felt awkward as,

'I still remember I didn't know how to tell Bibo that I was sleeping on the living room sofa… as Mori would not let me in.'

Ardian took the plant and rushed toward the Dorm,

"Where are you rushing to?" Fern, who stood in the way, asked. He was wearing specs, and Ardian instinctively hid Bibo behind his back.

"I was going back to Dorm," Ardian replied in a low voice, and Bibo asked,

'Who is he? Is he Ardian's friend' but Ardian couldn't reply,

"What are you hiding behind?" Fern asked as he moved near Ardian, who took a step back,

"It is nothing..." he tried shouting but couldn't,

"Don't run away. Just show me already. You know you can't hide, right?"

Ardian knew if Fern wanted, he could force Ardian to show him, but he couldn't help it. He did not want Bibo, who he had raised since seed, to be seen by Fern somehow. He knew it would not do any good,

"Just come here already!!" Fern pulled Ardian's collar, and the pot that he held fell from his hand to the ground, shattering instantly.

'My leg!!' Bibo cried,

"Ahh, it was just an Orchid…." Fern said, and Ardian sat on the ground, despair welling in him.

"I am sorry, Bibo… I will plant you soon in the new pot."

'It is fine… but hurry purr.'

"Do you have to act so far!?" Fern was pissed that Ardian was still acting as if he could talk to the plants. He just walked away, leaving Ardian on the spot, who carefully, along with some soil, picked Bibo up and ran towards Dorm fast,

'I need to plant Bibo soon,' and finally, he did it. He reached home and rose, and lily welcomed him,

'Welcome back, Ardian.'

'Who is it?' Lily asked, curious about the plant Ardian was holding. Ardian explained what happened, and Lily told him where the pots were,

"Bibo, are you fine?" Ardian asked after he planted Bibo safely in the new pot, and Bibo didn't reply

"Bibo?" Ardian asked again, concerned,

'It was so thrilling!! Let's do that again!' Bibo replied excitedly, and Rose laughed,

'You brought an amazing youngling kid!! Haha'

'He sure seems like a happy child,' Lily added,

"Never!! That was an accident!!" Ardian said to Bibo, who just purred, but Ardian firmly added,

"No, even if you purr, still no!!" Rose laughed at such a duo, while lily was happy to see Ardian this active as normally he was just speaking to them quietly at home,

Bibo, who was new, was a bit wary toward Rose and Lily but soon settled right in. Days were wonderful; every day, Ardian would go to school, take his class and then visit the greenhouse.

When he comes back to the Dorm, he would be welcomed by lily, rose and Bibo. Whenever he talks to those three, Mori, Fern, and the third kid, he still didn't know the name of, would stare mockingly at him, but Ardian, due to teachings from Rose, learned how to ignore them back,

Time was delightful in Bibo Ardian got everything he wanted a friend, something to look after, and Bibo similarly fawned over Ardian. It was a bond above that of blood,

Everything was getting better. It seemed as if Bibo was his lucky charm, Ardian found out about his talent for Magic and began learning plant magic in celebration of which Bibo and Rose made him do simple Magic on them, and the Caretaker gave him a treat,

His manners, his sword skills, everything was smoothly improving to a level where the chatting in church and rumours began going around.

'You heard that Drasil's family son is really the one….'

'Was it not natural?'

'I knew he really could talk to plants. I once lost a ring in the garden, and he found it in 5 seconds.'

The praises and talents of young Ardian were spreading,

'But how is this in my memory?' Ardian questioned as he didn't remember hearing them. As he noticed the unfamiliar scene in memory and the voice in his head replied,

'My child, I told you I was always watching over, right' he felt a pat on his head and felt relieved, and he tried his best to steel his heart as he knew what was going to come next.

Praises from everyone and priestesses were being showered on Ardian, but there are always some people that could not accept other's happiness,

"He is only a C-ranker!!" Fern said,

"Ground magic is better than plant magic!!" Mori said, irritated,

'He was staring at us laughing,' the third one added, and both Fern and Mori became quiet,

"Fern… do you still have those" Fern nodded, knowing what he was talking about.

Young Ardian, who did not know about their schemes, went about his day as usual, but this day when he returned home, his ears were met with the sound of crying Bibo,

'I am dying… these bugs are eating me…'

-To be continued