"You pick a strange kind of flower to like, kid."

"I like the crimson color of it. Beside, I feel a connection to it."

"Should I be worried that you feel a connection toward the flower connecting to the death?"

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"

"Not interested. But mostly because you won't be able to give me even a small scratch, kid."

"Go to hell."

"Geez, what a nice adopted brother I have. But still, do you know Red Spider Lily is also connected to 'miracle'?"

"That's the first time I heard it. Did you just make it up?"

"No, it came from one of my most precious people. Red Spider Lily, the flower that will never be allowed to bloom alongside leaves. But if one day a flower can bloom alongside leaves, that means a miracle is going to happen."

"And you believe it?"

"I don't believe it. I know it's true and I have experienced it, twice."

"And what 'miracles' did you get?"

"I'll tell you when you're older."

"Pfft! More like you just don't want to, you wanker of a brother."


Chapter 7:

"I'm surprised that they let you off the hook so easily like that, Master." commented Musashi as the samurai girl walked beside him. Quite a heretic day, he admitted. At least he and the plants had had a chance to enjoyed another song. "Especially after such a stunt like that."

"I said it before and I'll say it again: I can be persuasive if I need to." he just gave his companion a shrug. It was pretty easy to persuade those lads since he had solved their problem with no 'serious' casualty and his magecraft didn't use a single ounce of Psion or Pushion. Therefore, his 'explosive self- defense tool' excuse had been accepted for now, given that those lads couldn't prove that he had used 'magic'.

Also, Rule of Equivalent Exchange, old as dirt it might be, was always strong no matter what era the world was in. They wanted information? Then they had to give him information with the value at least equal to what they wanted… provided if they could find out who this Ooguro Ryuuya fella was. The 'chat' he intended to have with that fella would be quite 'interesting'…

And finally, anyone who could use magecraft was basically armed so a gardener who possessed an 'explosive self-defense tool' was still acceptable…

… more or less. But hey, still acceptable.

"If you said so." shrugged Musashi as she gulped down the last of her sake. "But it still seemed rather convenient and not to mention you didn't receive any kind of punishment."

Oh, he did get a warning from the school and a fine that worth two months' salary of his to fix what he had blown up, not that he cared anyway. Even if he had been fired, he could always find a new job or just opened some kind of store, preferably flower shop, or cafe. Not to mention with the First, money was never a problem to him. Hell, Van-Fem even transferred some 'allowance' as well as 'research money' to a bank account under his name every month. Not sure how much said account currently had though since he had never touched it. Probably this would be a good chance to check that account.

… Hmm, now that he thought about it. Perhaps he could use those money to prepare a super wedding gift. Those two lovebirds, especially that Matou girl, deserved much more than what they were having now.

Anyway back to topic, called him paranoid but he believed that Saegusa girl had something up in that cute head of hers if the look in her eyes when she had decided to let him off the hook indicated anything. And speaking of the bastard, his two sons were probably stuck in the toilet at this time. His brother's ridiculous Constipation Curse could be very nasty after all.

Also, he wondered if the Student Council's president had any relation with the head of Saegusa clan that ran much deeper than just being clansmen…

"Regardless, how about we celebrate?" Musashi's voice snapped him out of his thought. Celebrate for what reason? "You're off the hook and it's worthy to celebrate. And I'm eager to try something more luxury than Mashu-chan's and your cooking."

Oh, so that was her main reason. He admitted it had been a while since the last time he had eaten out and this could be a nice change of pace. However…

"I won't pay." he said teasingly "You propose, thus you pay."

"Oh, come on Master! At least I deserve something for helping you with the gardening and keeping Primy at bay, right?! Please? Pretty please!"

"Fou!"

"Oh quiet you little adorable fluffy furball!"

… Was that a complaint or a compliment? Shaking his head in amusement, he took out his music player and let his mind flew along the piano melody of the song

Daijoubu daijoubu odokete miseru boku wa/ It's okay, its okay. I, playing the fool,

Chiisana saakasu no na mo naki piero/ am merely a nameless clown in this small circus.

Hmm, maybe he should buy a clown mask and try to act like one in the wedding. It could be… 'awfully interesting' on so many different levels.


*drip* *drip* *drip* *drip* *drip* *drip* *drip* *drip*

The warm water continued to spurt out from the shower head as it landed on her skin and flowed down the curves of her body. But instead of washing herself, Mibu Sayaka just let the hot water rush down on her as her mind was deep in her own thoughts.

Everything had been set and the plan was already in motion. The day the open forum was held would also be the day Blanche would strike, the confusion and chaos caused by the attack would served as a distraction for her to break in the Special Browsing room and get her hand on the research. The plan was simple but would be very swift and efficient, given the school's attention would be focus on the forum.

However, Sayaka was having a mixed feeling not only about the plan but also everything else for the last three days. Their goal was to abolish the differential treatment brought on by magic, so why did they need the most cutting edge magical research? What good would it be for the people? And even if there had been any magic benefiting people couldn't use magic, how would it work? But more importantly, would people accept it?

And there was the conversation with the school's gardener kept pestering her mind for the last few days, which she believed to be the root of all these question…


"Oh come on, don't be shy. Just enjoy it, my treat." said the male gardener in front of her almost invitingly. Since the school had ended, his usual gardener clothes had been replaced by a simple white T-shirt, black jeans, black shoes and a brown fedora hat on the top of his head "Or do you find it's not appetizing for your taste?"

Oh, it looked delicious all right. But how could she enjoy it when the one sitting opposite her invited with such an intimidating aura like that?! Not to mention the gardener had given her two large lumps on the top of her head two days before and both of them still felt so painful even just by thinking about them.

"So you don't want to eat? Suit yourself then. Still a waste though." commented the gardener before he took out a flask and took a sip from it.

However, Sayaka didn't expect to hear his voice became firm as his demeanor changed so fast the moment he put his flask down.

"Anyway, now onto the business. I guess this incident answered my question on how far you Alliance lot would go with this 'discrimination fighting'. Are you satisfied with the outcome of this stunt?"

It took her a few seconds to get out of her shock and answer the question

"Yes, Watari-san. With the open forum, we will have a solid chance to erase the discrimination now."

"Just that? Is there anything else?"

For a moment, Sayaka felt herself become stiff as her mouth became dry after hearing his question. Had he… No, it was impossible. Maybe she was just being paranoid. Yes, He was just a common gardener. There was no way this gardener would know about that plan.

"Yes. And I don't understand what do you mean by 'anything else', Watari-san."

The gardener just gave her a long strange look that she couldn't make head or tail out of it before he took out his rien pipe and put it between his lips. She had never seen him smoked before and she didn't smell anything resembled cigarette smell from him. Therefore, she couldn't understand why he would keep rien pipe if he didn't smoke.

"Have your Alliance ever brought this matter to the Student Council and request an open forum to solve this instead of pulling a stunt like that?"

"They would just swat it away without bothering to look at." she forced herself not to sound hostile by biting into her lips as a memory resurfaced in her mind.

"Is it true? Or is it just your assumption?" I just kept silent as the gardener continued "And also, I notice that you seem rather… 'edgy' and even borderline zealous when it comes to equalizing the standing of 'Course 1' and 'Course 2'. Just what kind of motivation do you have that can drive you like that?"

Normally, she would have shot down those remarks of being 'edgy' and zealous but the gardener's question made her snapped. Without hesitation, she started telling him the first meeting between her and that despicable Watanabe Mari and how much it had hurt her. Sayaka thought the gardener would understand her reasons now...

"... That's your main motivation? Are you for real? Have you ever hit your head somewhere before? Or do you have a gigantic and twisted ego that can be easily bruised? Hell, maybe you're just being unreasonably spiteful or something like that."

… yet what she received was a deadpanned look etched onto his face.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Sayaka used every ounce of her self-control not to lash out even though she could feel her anger was slowly rising. Lashing out at this gardener wouldn't do anything good for her. However, she couldn't stop a glare from making its way onto her face.

"Was that too hard to understand? Okay, long version then." the mild annoyance was evident in his voice "She turned your request to spar and your challenge down and that event turned you into a person who hates the discrimination coming from 'Course 1' and fights for equality between the two Courses? Now, if I challenged you to have a shogi match with me and you turned me down, should I think all of you wankers studying in this school have no respect to a school staff and go on a rampage?"

"That isn't the same as my situation." She could hear her voice raised up a little bit

"Minus the shogi part, they're basically still the same. Don't tell me you haven't received any refusal to spar since the first day you started practicing sword? Granted, we're all more or less colored by our own perception but what make this time different from the others?" countered the gardener with his deadpanned tone. " And more importantly, did Watanabe-san really mean it or was it just your assumption, Mibu Sayaka?"


Back then, she had finally snapped and violently given the gardener a tongue lashing before stomping away. But after that day, the conversation started questioning herself

Was she truly being unreasonably spiteful? No! She had every right to be spiteful! But…

'Don't tell me you haven't received any refusal to since the first day you started practicing sword? Granted, we're all more or less colored by our own perception but what make this time different from the others?'

Because that despicable Watanabe Mari had looked down on her! How dare that arrogant b…

'I'm sorry but I have to refuse, for my skills can't match yours. You should find an opponent that is worthy of your skills.'

Suddenly, an alien yet familiar memory of Mari's refusal hit her. Wait! Where did it come from?! It wasn't like what she remembered! Her memory…

'I'm sorry but I have to refuse, for my skills can't match yours…'

No! What was the meaning of this?! Was her mind trying to play tricks on her? Yes! That was it! Yes, it probably was just an imagination! Tomorrow everything would be okay!

'I'm sorry…'

Yes, everything would be okay…


A little here… Nah, perhaps if she changed the way the od transfer then it could… No, it wouldn't do… Hmm, now what should she do? If only he was here, he might give her some inspiration and even ideas. Such a nice person yet he was the reason for her current trouble

Letting out a sigh, she put down her tool before turning to a window. His birthday was still nearly two months away. Why did she even bother about it from now? She was an unrivaled genius and she had tons of new and much more interesting things to research, experiment and create! Why would she even put this 'birthday present project' as her top priority? What the hell was wrong with her?

Before her thought could go any further, the voice of her mechanical bird snapped her out of her turmoil

"Oh, I have a guest? Thank you Colbert." she affectionately patted the bird before standing up. Who was it, she wondered…

The door of her workshop opened before a beautiful woman stepped inside as she narrowed her eyes slightly at her 'guest'.

"Oh my. What honor do I have to be visited by The Queen of Land of Shadows in my humble workshop?" Despite her pleasant and humble tone, there was an edge hid in her speech. She despised this woman. Why had he turned down her offer to teach him Runic magecraft and chose to learn from this woman? What did this woman's teaching have that her teaching didn't? Her Runic magecraft was far superior than this woman's yet he had chose this woman over her! Just what trickery had this woman pulled?

"I come here for a request, genius." a hint of haughtiness could be heard in the voice of her red eyes 'guest'

"Oh, and what might it be?"

Whatever game this woman wanted to play, she would never back down. And she would prove to him why she was considered as the almighty genius.


Despite the smile on his face, Yakumo was letting out a sigh inwardly. Even though he knew bringing Miya to the Shiba siblings' house would cause tension given the strained relationship between her and her son, he still decided to bring the woman in wheelchair anyway since he had to prepare for a festival which was going to be held at his shrine and he had no desire to waste time just to repeat some very important (to them) information.

But more importantly, he wanted to see the surprise on the four faces at the same time after hearing what his information network had found so far. One costed lots of time while the other took a ton of favors just to get little information.

"Okay, now that we're all good." clapping his hands to get the attention of the four people in front of him, Yakumo said in his usual cheerful manner "Let's get start, shall we?"

"Have you found anything about Savior-sama, Yakumo-sensei?" despite Tatsuya's attempt to calm his sister down, the anxiety still managed to find its way to hers and Honami's eyes. Even Miya had a hint of genuine interest appeared briefly in her eyes.

"Yes, I have found some clues, Miyuki-chan." Yakumo gave the younger of the Shiba siblings an eye-smile before raising his hand a little bit to stop her as well as Honami from shooting anymore questions "But it will have to wait for a little while, for I wish to fulfill your brother's request first."

Nodding his head gracefully, Tatsuya asked the monk-wannabe in his usual serious tone

"So what did you find, sensei?"

"At the first glance, everything seems okay but after digging in much deeper, there are quite some inconsistency and some… shocking finding." said Yakumo after a faraway look "Watarimono Yuuto. 18 years old and will turn 19 this June. Started working as the First High's gardener since this year's February. He lives in quite a large japanese-style house not really far from here, a few hundred meters at best. No blood-relative family member…"

"No family member?" the bald man was cut off by a surprised Honami as the young woman now had a thoughtful look "That's strange. I remember there was this time Yuuto-san had mentioned about having an older brother to me."

"Hmm, another inconsistency..." hummed Yakumo "Anyway, he has ID card, driver license, insurance record, bank accounts and basically most of other basic documents."

"Most of?"

"Your gardener literally has no birth record or orphanage record, health record and educational record."

"Wait!" interjected Miyuki "If Watari-san has no birth record or orphanage record and health record then how can he have other papers, especially ID card, let alone applying for the job?"

"According to one of my informants, your gardener's papers were taken care took care of by 'a very influential friend'. " looks of confusion appeared on the three younger people "It took me a lot of favors and even a connection just to get the name of your gardener's mysterious friend."

"And who is it, sensei?" asked Tatsuya after seeing his sensei was doing a dramatic pause

"It's Valery Fernand Vandelstam, Tatsuya-kun." this surprised Tatsuya while his sister frowned slightly

"Wait, where did I hear that name before?" said Miyuki to herself though her question could be heard by everyone in the living room

"Valery Fernand Vandelstam, he is the head of the V&V Industries, one of a very few large businesses that none of the Ten Master Clans has any kind of influence over in any way or method." the last person in the room the room finally spoke "It is also the main competitor of many large companies and corporations, including the Four Leaves Technology."

"Ehh?!" exclaimed Miyuki as Honami was just as surprised as Miyuki. How could a gardener have such a powerful connection like that? "Do you know that person, okaa-san?"

"Personally, no. The man rarely appears in the public and the last time he appeared in public was sometime around 2093. A truly mysterious individual." continued Miya with her usual emotionless voice "Back then, the clan intended to have me married to him in order to gain some kind of control but the man immediately turned down. Thus, I was married to your 'father' in the end."

"Now that makes everything become understandable, given the 'influence' the V&V Industries can possess as well as its connection, not to mention Watari-san's strange 'self-defending tool' may come from this company…" even Tatsuya had a look of surprise on his face as he put a hand under his chin "Are those all you manage to find so far, sensei?"

"Yes, unfortunately. Those were all I could get my hand on so far despite my network's best attempt. The influence of your gardener's friend is not something can be taken lightly." said Yakumo solemnly.

"Is it possible that this 'gardener' is an experimental magician?" came Miyuki's theory as Miya looked like she was interested in this mysterious gardener whom her son was trying to investigate. Meanwhile this possibility made Honami's eyes widen as a memory resurfaced in her mind.

"It's a possibility, Miyuki-chan. However, we…"

"The day after Yuuto-san's duel with Morisaki…" once again, the monk-wannabe was cut off by Honami "… after knowing that he had broken 'only' two rib bones of said student, he did say that relying too much on magic made his skill become rusty in a rather dismissive manner."

Honami's revelation immediately brought alarming look onto the face of Shiba siblings but before they could say anything, Yakumo stopped them calmly

"Even if he was an experimental magician then it would only bring up more questions and all the answers we could come up with would only be hypotheses at best. Therefore, let's stop there until my information network can give you more solid info. Now I would like to give you the clue about the one who saved Miya-san, Miyuki-chan and Honami-san back in the invasion. "

And immediately, Yakumo got the undivided attention from the other four people so quick that he had to chuckle inwardly. Time to drop the bomb.

"Miyuki-chan, you do remember the lapel pin on the blazer you keep right?" after receiving the nod from the younger girl, he continued "Have you ever shown it to your school gardener?"

"Of course not. But what does Watari-san have to do with this?" asked Miyuki in confusion

"Back then, my information network had searched around thoroughly yet couldn't find anything that even remotely resemble to that lapel pin and I was 100% positive that lapel pin was one of a kind…" said Yakumo with a sigh "… until yesterday, I found the second one."

"And who has it, Yakumo-sensei?" asked Miyuki with urgency in her eyes while Honami looked like she was going jump out of her seat if it wasn't for her holding her emotions back.

But instead of answering the question, the bald man just put a book onto the table as Tatsuya read the title aloud

"First High's 2094-2095 Yearbook? You mean…"

"Open the page for the school staff and look up for your gardener."

In a blink of eyes, Miyuki snatched the book in a rather… unladylike manner and quickly turned to the indicated page. The moment her eyes was on the photo of Watarimono Yuuto, Miyuki was temporarily frozen before her fingers shook slightly in shock

In his half-body photo, Watarimono Yuuto, with Primy on his shoulder, was smiling pleasantly at the lens as he was clad in a brown suit, a white shirt, a sky blue tie and a brown fedora hat on the top of his head.

But the most important detail of this photo was a beautiful lapel pin on his blazer's left lapel. And said lapel looked identical to the one in Miyuki's possession.

"The worst scenario, Watarimono Yuuto will be the one who can give you more clues about your Savior-sama…" Yakumo couldn't help but let an amusing smile crept onto his face after seeing the surprise on the four faces after seeing the photo. Even Miya, who was supposed to be near emotionless, had a genuine shock expression on her face and it was way beyond his expectation.

"... And in the best scenario… your Savior-sama is much more closer than you think, Miyuki-chan."

(End chapter)


Author's note: At first, I intend to end the Enrollment Arc right in this chapter but after it reached about 8k words yet the end still not come, I had to divide it into smaller chapters while changing the plans for Minami at the same time. I guess 'Lord of Souls' will have to way a little longer (; ̄□ ̄A)

Anyway, thank you everyone who has followed this story with me as well as gave me pointers and opinions . Finally, please read and review!