Phantom Flower

Little miss, would you like to take a look at my flowers? I have all sorts of rare blossoms in today.

Really? But...

Don't worry. We're not in a hurry at the moment.

Okay. Well then, would you kindly let me see?

Of course! Well let's see, first there's the rare desert flowers all the way from Zarbo...

Hmm. I've seen all of these on my travels.

R-Really? You must have traveled far.

Not particularly. I'll admit I enjoy traveling.

But if all you have are flowers I've seen before, I'm not that interested in buying...

Hmm... In that case, I'll have to do something to save the name of our flower shop.

There's one flower that I can guarantee you've never seen before!

Really?

It's a flower that only blooms at this time of year... But it's so rare, so valuable, I'm afraid I don't have any in stock. Oh, but I know where it grows! Why don't I tell you that?

But if you do that, then you won't get a sale.

I told you, it's for our pride! So those flowers, they're deep in the Karek Swampland. But right now I've heard that monsters are running all over that area.

I think it might be a good idea to take someone who can handle themselves, like that man behind you!

Hey, Aldo...

Okay, I'll come along. You wouldn't take no for an answer anyway.

Thank you! Well then, shall we make our way to the Karek Swampland?

So this is the Karek Swampland? I've come this way a number of times before. But I've never heard of this flower.

I've never heard of it either. Anyway, from here on, there's going to be lots more monsters. We should keep our wits about us.

Oh, well if they're going to get in the way, then maybe we should take care of them first.

I'm sure the Unigan Sentinels would be glad for the help, too.

A little, I suppose. After all, we're only here to look at some flowers.

You're right. And I wouldn't want the flower to die from being too near my lance thrusts.

We should make sure not to attract too much trouble.

You seem to be really getting into this. Komachi, do you really like flowers that much?

I'm a fan of anything rare! Flowers, poems, fabrics, ceramics! That is why I came all this way. Of course, I've since come to enjoy living in this land. There's nothing that excites me more than finding out about something I know nothing about!

So you like new experiences? That's why you've been traveling?

Yes! ...I mean, not quite. I'm on a journey to learn how to be a homemaker.

You went on a journey like that alone? Is that normal in your country?

I suppose. My father said much the same thing. He told me that to protect my home I have to learn what lies beyond it. So that's why I left my, ahem. Why I got permission to leave.

He also spoke to me of marriage, though I'm not nearly ready for that.

I cannot go home until I have learned what it takes to be a wife!

So specifically, what are you looking for?

I want to become the world's greatest lance fighter.

And that will help you be a good wife?

That's why I left that box at the Unigan guards. At least...

Oh, okay. I'll ask about it later. But for now, let's keep looking for that flower.

Of course! Let us go, Aldo!

Is this it?

If we're looking for a place in the Karek Swampland that'll have flowers, this is the place.

I don't' see any flowers here. I hate to say this, but could that girl be lying...

No. Perhaps this area has been disrupted?

By the looks of it, this area must be their territory!

If it insists on attacking us, I shall show it no mercy!

Oh, that flower. It looks pretty rare to me.

Oh, you're right. I saw one like it in Rinde, they said it came from a country far away. I believe they called it something like the "Knightbloom."

If you've seen it before, then it can't be the Phantom Blossom we're looking for.

Right. It must have fallen from a merchant's cart and took root here. Let's look somewhere else.

How about this flower? It's a color I've never seen in these parts before.

Hmm... It certainly is an unusual color. But this is a type of flower that takes on the color of the nearby Prisma deposits...

Oh, so it's not the one we're looking for. Then I guess we need to go somewhere else.

Still nothing. She must have been lying.

Even if she wasn't, this place has gone to waste. Maybe that Phantom Blossom has gone...

Wait, over there!

Th-That flower?!

Where? Wow, never seen anything like that before. Could this be the Phantom Blossom that the flower girl was talking about?

......

Komachi?

It may just be. Let's go make sure.

Is this the Phantom Blossom that you spoke of?

Yes! That's it! Wow, you actually found it!

I come from Baruoki, and have been to the Karek Swampland lots of times. But, I've never seen a flower like this before.

So how about it? I bet you've never seen anything like this before.

Actually, I have.

What?! But this flower can't be found anywhere else on this whole continent! I've never seen it when I've been to Rinde or Zarbo either.

This flower can be found in the east. It was quite common in my home land.

The east? Ah, so that's why no one knows about it here.

Right. It's my favorite flower.

But how did it end up here?

It must have fallen off a merchant's cart. Either that or someone planted it... Either way, it seems not to like this climate too much. It grew all over the place in my home land, but here it seems to be struggling.

I see, a flower from the east, huh... Oh, I give up! I've shown you everything I have!

I never thought I'd meet someone who knew more about flowers than me.

That's not true. Though I have seen this flower before... Seeing it again is like being back home again, if even for just a moment. Thank you.

Oh, I'm glad then. But next time, I'm definitely going to find something you've never seen before!

It may be common in my land, but to see it so far from home has really touched me. It almost feels as good as finding a flower I've never seen before. It makes me glad that I decided to make this journey.

I see...

You know this flower reminds me of you a bit, Komachi.

Huh?

Well you came here from the east, and now fight for others as a knight of Unigan. So in a way, you've taken root here, just like this flower. That tenacity, that adaptability is what reminds me of you.

I'm like a flower...

Komachi?

No one's ever said that before. I'm always compared to a horse, or something like that. I'm a flower, am I? That makes me, happy...

Komachi? I didn't catch a word of that.

Aldo!

Y-Yes?!

I'll bloom and thrive here, on this continent! Just like this flower!

Oookay. Good luck with that.