Beautiful Flower Knights

Stories

# Flower Knight Girl

## Illustrations



















## Prologue: Her Flower Language Is—Farewell.

Scan: Kuroyukihime

Cleanup: Yoyo Kirby

Proof: Abu

……Why do humans fear insects?

On the verge of blacking out, with what felt like death’s footsteps in my ears, that thought rose in my mind.

Is it because insects—their colors and shapes are so uncanny?

Is it because insects—the patterns on their backs make the skin crawl?

Is it because insects—they move in swarms and fill the air with buzzing?

No. None of that is right.

Because insects and humans have lived in peace in this world—Spring Garden—since ancient times, and once built a firm bond of trust with us.

Insects were humanity’s friends.

The word “pest” once existed nowhere in this world.

Yes. That was at least a thousand years ago.

The source of the fear is simple.

Because the insects were remade into a species that bears killing intent toward humans—

What hit me in the face was the stink of sweat and blood.

What closed in, step by step, was the buzz of countless footsteps.

I hid behind my father’s broad back and could only feel myself shaking without end.

Even so, my father’s voice stayed cold.

Not one person fell back.

“Understood, Commander!”

From this small hill, the town of Blossom Hill lay open to the eye.

While we were on a scouting mission across the Navia Plain, my father and a unit of five Flower Knights happened upon a place being ravaged by pests…… (Content failed to load! Please refresh or switch browsers)

## Chapter One: Her Flower Language Is—A Chance Encounter……?

1

The journey takes about five days by carriage.

I set out from Winter Rose, where I had been studying abroad, and before I knew it today was already the fifth day.

All around hung the air of a spring that lasts through every season.

A gentle scent of cherry blossoms.

A body used to a land of snow could not help feeling a touch of heat.

As the destination, Blossom Hill, drew nearer, the road changed little by little from dirt to gravel, and then to paving stones of every color.

Riding in the carriage were a young man and a young woman.

Between them sat a square board.

The chestnut-haired girl stared at the board and let out a “hmm—.” Across from her, the young man sat with one leg crossed, gazing idly at the sky.

“Swordsman (spada), 3–4.”

The young man did not so much as glance at the board. He said it lightly.

“Nn…… Then I’ll play worker ant, 6–4!”

Cold sweat ran down the flustered girl’s cheek. After moving her own piece, she moved his for him as well.

“Hammer (marteau), 2–7. Checkmate.”

“Wha……!? I—I take it back!”

“……We agreed you only get five take-backs…… Fine. Mage (magia), 3–7. That’s checkmate too.”

“Eh!? Waah, it really is…… uuuh……”

The girl pressed her lips tight and looked over the board once more—

“I—I resign……”

At last she let out a heavy sigh and gave up. The taut air inside the carriage eased all at once.

“To inherit this medal is to stand as Bandus Nahatrek…… (Content failed to load! Please refresh or switch browsers)

## Chapter Two: Her Flower Language Is—An Unknown Encounter.

1

Kuryu Nahatrex, the young knight commander of Blossom Hill, was not in the habit of rising early.

As a child he had often bolted from the house the moment the sun was up, crossed a hill inside the domain, and run to Little Ran—Agave’s—house to play. Then the two of them would chase each other through the hills and fields, exploring, splashing, climbing trees, until dark.

But when both of them turned ten, they had no choice but to part ways.

To become the next knight commander, Kuryu began training in this castle under his father. Those days were one lesson stacked on another. Things like exercise were left entirely behind.

Later, while studying in Winter Rose, Kuryu spent every night deep into research on “knights and insects,” and so he settled completely into the life of a night owl who never moved his body.

Today was the second day of his appointment.

The schedule called for Flower Knight training. In the evening he was to attend the commander’s inauguration party at the royal palace.

Feeling the warmth of morning sun through the window, Kuryu drifted between a light doze and waking.

“—my lord, —my lord, time to get up. It’s morning!”

Just then. Kuryu felt his shoulder shaken back and forth, and his mind gradually cleared.

“Honestly, Commander! You mustn’t sleep in in the morning.”

“Ah, ahh…… Nazuna……!?”

Kuryu sat bolt upright. What snapped his eyes open was the way Nazuna, the one waking him, bent forward. From her chest, boldly open…… (Content failed to load! Please refresh or switch browsers)

## Interlude

“All right~, everyone got their cups~?”

Wrapped in a bath towel, Agave raised her glass and took the lead. The glass held pink honey juice, about as good a drink as one could ask for when it came to getting one’s strength back.

Before her, smiling companions sat in a fan.

This was the great bath in the castle.

Royal Princess, Hibiscus, Alstroemeria, Purple Pansy, and Nazuna rose from the bath and lifted their glasses high along with Agave.

“Then, cheers!”

“Cheers—!”

Six cups rang together with a clear clink.

“Pwah~! I mean, today was really something!”

Hibiscus drained her juice in one go, still not down from the excitement. That habit of hers of not covering the front of her body at all—was that a custom of the Banana Sea?

“You’re telling me! I never thought we’d be commended by the Queen herself!”

Royal Princess, who had been toyed with by tentacles until she was a complete mess, had long since washed the slime from her body and was all smiles.

“Say, I didn’t think we’d be toasting in the bath. It feels a little like being bad for once.”

“Hehe, I figured we ought to loosen up a bit today.”

The one who had started the bath party—Agave—said it with a laugh.

After they drove off the pitcher plant and returned to town, evening came.

Kuryu, Agave, and the others became the center of talk in an instant.

An unknown humanoid pest—the pitcher plant—had attacked. An abnormal state of affairs: pests striking the town. And no relief at all.

Because they had resolved a crisis that grave with zero casualties, …… (Content failed to load! Please refresh or switch browsers)

## Chapter Three: Her Flower Language Is—Scattered Blossoms.

1

About a month had passed since that first battle, when they had driven the enemy off so cleanly.

Since then, a calm and peaceful time had continued inside Blossom Hill.

Even Cattleya’s unit, out on scouting missions, had not found so much as a single ant-type pest. Word went around town: “The new knight commander has brought us peace!”

Agave and the other five Flower Knights at last had a setting where they could put all their energy into varied training. With the stamina built by running drills, they could spend the day from morning to night on muscle work, practice swings, or coordination drills against straw dummies. Three meals put enough nourishment back in them; the great bath washed off the day’s sweat; then they lay down early to rest. In that way they honed their bodies into a keen blade for battle.

To return to Kuryu. He still made a point of showing his face at the Flower Knight training ground every day, but most of his time was spent with Nazuna, just the two of them.

That said, it was nothing pleasant. The pair spent their days buried in the castle’s deployments, and in handling and putting in order the reports submitted by Flower Knights of other worlds, rushed off their feet with rulings on income and expenditure. Kuryu’s right wrist even ached from signing so much.

On one such afternoon.

A messenger came to the castle.

Alone, following that messenger’s guidance, Kuryu rode the carriage kept for receiving and seeing off guests to the far side of town—the royal palace ringed by cherry blossoms.

A lavish plush carpet, leading to a…… (Content failed to load! Please refresh or switch browsers)

## Chapter Four: Her Flower Language Is—Sovereign of the Night.

1

He had no idea how long had passed since then.

“Nn…… mm……”

Waking from a light sleep, Kuryu suddenly sat halfway up. His head was fuzzy, his mind none too clear.

He looked around. He was still inside the cave from before. It seemed he had fallen asleep without noticing.