"For thousands of years, the Ulmaria tribe has called this land home. Our ancestors built these villages through blood and hard work, and for generations we lived in peace. But seventy years ago, strangers arrived from across the ocean, claiming they had come only to trade. Though their culture differed greatly from ours, they said they wished to learn about our people, so we allowed them to stay. They built markets, spread their traditions, and settled among us. Some of us felt uneasy, but our leader told us not to fear them. A few years later, another man arrived—a man who called himself their leader, Amaranthus," Arum said.
Syring interjected, "Amaranthus? I've never heard his name before."
Everyone started looking at her.
Arum suddenly looked at them suspiciously. He turned to Marantaceae. "You didn't tell me where your friends are from."
Marantaceae stood up from his place. "You said if you lost, you would help me find a way out."
Arum looked ready to kill. "Yes, but that wasn't about your friends." He gripped his sword tightly. "Are they Gladiolus?"
Amaryllis got up to handle the situation. "We are from Tomentosum's land," he said while signaling everyone to sit down.
Marantaceae looked at Amaryllis, thinking that he lied with such confidence. Rather than a mere guard, he looked more like a leader.
Arum put his sword back. "I'm sorry. I just hate every Gladiolus."
"It's okay," Amaryllis said. "You can continue."
Arum nodded. "Slowly, they built the entire Gladiolus Empire, where they treat people worse than animals, which is far from our culture. Our tribe was built on equality."
After a pause, he continued, 'For years, we lived peacefully, but thirty years ago, the Gladiolus summoned our leader, Diascia, to their kingdom.
Amaryllis asked curiously, "Why?"
"When our leader Diascia went to the palace, their king, Echium, wanted us to become part of Gladiolus."
Arum looked furious. "But our leader refused."
Syring asked, "Why?"
Arum glared at her angrily. "Because they only wanted to take our land. They didn't care about our people."
"How can you say that?" Syring argued. "Haven't people been living peacefully all these years?"
Marantaceae and Arum looked at her furiously.
"The Gladiolus discriminate against their own people," Arum snapped. "Have you ever seen how they've treated the Thistle all these years? Worse than animals. And you think they would treat us equally?"
Arum laughed mockingly. "You're not from here, so you can say that. They are monsters. When our leader Diascia rejected them, King Echium came with his forces, fought us, and destroyed our land."
Marantaceae asked with concern, "What happened to your leader?"
Arum answered emotionally, "He died protecting all of us." He pointed toward the tree behind them. It was huge, covered in beautiful pink flowers.
Marantaceae felt a wave of emotion as he listened to Diascia's story. In many ways, he felt connected to him—they were both fighting against the cruelty of the Gladiolus.
"Diascia must have been a remarkable leader," Marantaceae said softly.
Arum nodded. "He was. In our tribe, we do not believe in hierarchy or feudalism."
Marantaceae looked at the tree with admiration, as if he were truly looking at Diascia himself.
"Our leader's cemetery is here," Arum said quietly.
Marantaceae knelt before the tree to pay his respects to Diascia.
When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Amaryllis kneeling beside him, also paying respect to Diascia.
He had not expected Amaryllis to do that. Although Marantaceae considered him a liar, at that moment he looked at him differently.
For a moment, Magnolia stopped wondering why Amaryllis was doing all this. He had noticed Marantaceae's discomfort whenever Arum spoke about the discrimination in Gladiolus, but he trusted Amaryllis. If he was doing something, there had to be a reason behind it.
Amaryllis opened his eyes and noticed Marantaceae staring at him. "Am I really that attractive?" he asked teasingly.
"I don't find liars attractive," Marantaceae replied before standing up and following the others.
With a shocked expression, Syring asked, "What are these?"
"These plants were grown by our leader, Diascia," Arum explained. "They help people sleep if they're having difficulty."
Amaryllis turned to Syring. "You were carrying these plants a while ago."
Syring was lost in thought. I saw these plants inside the palace. Why does the queen have them?
"Yes," Arum continued. "Leader Diascia grew these plants everywhere in Ulmaria."
"But what about Amaranthus?" Amaryllis asked. "What happened to him?"
"I never saw him after that," Arum replied. "I heard people say he died."
"How?"
"I don't know. I was just a child at the time."
"Thank you, Arum," Marantaceae said. "But can you help us get out of here?"
"I will, but I think it would be better if you leave tomorrow. It's already night, and it'll be difficult to walk through the jungle."
Marantaceae clearly wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"Can we stay here for the night?" Amaryllis asked.
"Yes. Come with me."
They followed Arum to a small house.
"You can stay here," he said.
Inside, there were only two rooms. Arum gave one room to Syring and the other to the boys.
Syring went inside her room to check it. Magnolia followed her in. "You can come inside. It doesn't look dangerous."
Amaryllis walked into the room but noticed that Marantaceae was still standing outside.
"You can come in," Amaryllis said. "It's safe."
"I don't trust you," Marantaceae replied before walking away.
Magnolia sighed. "Forget him, Prince. You should sleep first. I'll keep watch outside."
Magnolia went outside while Amaryllis lay down, thinking, What should I do to make you trust me?
Eventually, he stepped outside and saw Magnolia sitting beneath the dark sky.
"Come inside," Amaryllis said. "You should sleep, or how will you protect me tomorrow?"
"Prince, why did you come outside?" Magnolia asked suspiciously.
"I just wanted some fresh air."
Magnolia narrowed his eyes. "You're going after him, aren't you?"
Amaryllis didn't know what to say.
"Prince, I don't know whether you've noticed or not, but I don't think you should trust him."
"Why?"
"I think he hates Gladiolus."
"I know."
Magnolia looked shocked. "And you're still going after him?"
"Because he's my friend."
"Does he consider you his friend?"
Amaryllis replied awkwardly, "Not yet… but he will, if you let me go."
"What if he tries to harm you? How will I face your brother?"
Amaryllis's patience finally snapped. "That is my command. Go inside."
"I refuse."
Before Magnolia could react, Amaryllis forced him back into the room and pressed sleeping leaves against his mouth. His struggles lasted only a moment before darkness overtook him.
Amaryllis hurried outside to find Marantaceae. He spotted him sitting near a hill, watching the bright moon.
Amaryllis walked over and sat beside him.
Marantaceae looked at him in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted some fresh air."
"I don't even know you. You can sit somewhere else."
"If you want to ask me something, you can just ask directly."
After a moment of silence, Marantaceae finally asked, "Are you a Gladiolus?"
"Does it matter?"
"In the Gladiolus Empire, it does."
"I'm just a low-ranking Gladiolus who used to be a guard."
"So you are a Gladiolus."
"I left that life and opened my own business."
"Still."
Amaryllis sighed. "I'm just a low-ranking Gladiolus, not a prince, so can you stop hating me?"
Marantaceae narrowed his eyes. "Then why do you have a token from a prince?"
"What do you want me to do to make you trust me?"
Marantaceae looked confused because he hadn't expected that question. "Why do you always come looking for me?"
Amaryllis answered calmly, "Because I thought we could become really good friends." He gazed at him softly. "See? I even brought some fruit for you."