After the revelry of the Harvest Feast, life at the Black Shores seemed to return to its usual, peaceful rhythm.
Cartethyia's treatment was progressing smoothly. Under the guidance of the Tethys System and the effects of the harmonizing agents, the violently imbalanced energy within her body was gradually stabilizing.
One afternoon, the sunlight was just right.
Taking a leisurely stroll through the headquarters, Rover found Cartethyia by a small flowerbed.
She was crouching in front of a patch of freshly turned soil, carefully burying a few seeds. A delicate watering can sat on the grass beside her.
A blocky-headed Black Shores gardening robot—Ku-Jiaojiao—hovered nearby, reporting data in a monotonous electronic voice.
"According to the Black Shores' climate data, the growth cycle of the iris flower in this region is approximately eighty to one hundred days."
Rover approached and asked softly, "Are you planting flowers from your homeland?"
Cartethyia looked up, the sunlight casting a golden halo over her wheat-blonde hair. Her face carried a look of serene focus. "Yes. I heard from Ku-Jiaojiao that the Consultants love bringing back exotic flower seeds from all over the world to plant in the soil of the Black Shores."
She gazed at the surrounding flowerbeds, which were teeming with various plants of different shapes and sizes from all across Solaris.
"Lately, I've watched them busy with their missions, yet they never forget to water their flowers before heading out," Cartethyia said, a trace of envy slipping into her voice. "These flowers are like invisible threads, miraculously drawing the Consultants back and reminding them of what ties them here."
"So, you know," she turned to Rover, her icy blue eyes sparkling with anticipation for the future, "there are still so many places I want to go, and so many stories I want to experience."
"Knights always leave a trace of their existence wherever they stop. These irises... consider them a gift left behind at the Black Shores by this wandering knight."
She gently patted the soil, her tone soft yet firm.
Right at that moment, Ku-Jiaojiao suddenly let out a sharp warning beep. "[Warning]. According to the Black Shores Glasshouse Cultivation Management Treaty, the planting of plant species not listed in the approved directory is strictly prohibited to prevent the potential ecological threat of invasive species."
"Therefore, Ku-Jiaojiao has the authority to clear away unlisted invasive species."
It turned to Cartethyia, its black display screen flashing a completely emotionless digital expression. "I apologize, Miss Cartethyia. The iris flower is not in the approved treaty directory. After they bloom, Ku-Jiaojiao will execute the clearing protocol."
Cartethyia's eyes dimmed for a moment, but she quickly accepted the outcome with a soft sigh. "It's alright. Since they're already planted, let's just wait until they bloom."
Rover, however, furrowed his brow slightly. Without a word, he quietly slipped his hand to the Pangu Terminal at his waist.
In the next second, utilizing the supreme clearance of the Black Shores' leader, he directly accessed the Tethys System's regulatory directory.
Navigating the massive list of regulations with practiced ease, Rover found the Black Shores Glasshouse Cultivation Management Treaty. Without batting an eye, he appended "Iris Flower" to the bottom of the approved directory, alongside a series of supplementary clauses classifying its ecological assessment as "Safe."
After making the edits, he didn't forget to wipe his backend browsing history and modification logs, making it look as though the clause had been there since the very beginning.
Having finished his handiwork, Rover pulled his hand away from the terminal and calmly looked at the hovering robot with a perfectly feigned expression of confusion. "Ku-Jiaojiao, did your system encounter an error? Why don't you try rereading the treaty data?"
Questioned by Rover, the gardening bot paused, seemingly re-verifying its internal data archives.
A moment later, its display screen instantly shifted into a flattering digital smile. "Re-querying treaty directory... I apologize, Miss Cartethyia. The system data previously experienced an accidental error of unknown origin. The iris flower is indeed registered within the approved directory of the Black Shores Glasshouse Cultivation Management Treaty."
It seemed to hesitate for a fraction of a second before adding, "The treaty's supplementary content notes: '...On the path to saving the world, the Black Shores welcomes every friend, and welcomes the gifts every friend brings.'"
Cartethyia froze. She looked at Ku-Jiaojiao, and then at Rover, who was standing beside her trying to look completely innocent. She instantly understood what had happened, and a quiet warmth flowed through her chest.
"Is this..." she asked softly.
"Don't knights need companions too?" Rover asked back with a smile, his golden eyes looking exceptionally warm in the bright sunlight. "The Black Shores is a home you can return to at any time."
Cartethyia lowered her head, hiding her slightly reddened eyes. The lingering sense of being a drifting, rootless wanderer was completely washed away.
When she looked up again, her smile was incredibly bright. "You're right. Even a wandering knight shouldn't have to be entirely alone."
"On the journey ahead, I still have you. We will travel this road together."
"So, before it blooms," she turned and pointed at the flowerbed, her tone laced with a light, cheerful anticipation, "if you have the time, please come visit it often."
"When it finally blooms, it will mean that there is one more island where I can stop and rest. A wandering knight, just like a Consultant, will always have a reason to come back."
The blazing sun cast its radiant light, stretching the long shadows of the two people standing before the flowerbed.
The knight and her Righteous One exchanged a smile. Everything was perfectly understood without another word.
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