In a random dessert shop of a random town near the Secret Base. Maria, Ai, and Yuki are having some really delicate and delicious strawberry shortcakes that are decorated into the shape of adorable animals.
"Oh my goodness! Maria-chan! This strawberry shortcake is amazing! How did you even find this lovely shop?" Yuki asked, rather amazed by the taste of the shortcake.
Ai nodded, agreeing with Yuki's statement.
"Oh~ It was recommended by one of my girl friends who lives nearby, they know all sorts of these kinds of stuff." said Maria as he waved his hand, seems to be flattered.
"Hmm... That actually makes sense, Maria-chan is always a popular lady no matter where we are." said Yuki, continuing to praise Maria.
"Aww~ Yuki-chan, stop flattering me. It's embarrassing." said Maria who actually seems to be enjoying all the flatters.
While three of them are enjoying their cakes with some little chitchat, the girls at another table are having some really interesting conversations as well.
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"Hey! Did you hear that rumor about the Flower Queen in that mystical garden?"
"Oh my! Of course I do! It was so heated up in my academia! They said the Flower Queen will grant the prettiest girl ever visited the garden with a diamond crystal crown and become a princess."
"Ugh... Did you girls actually believe in that? Come on! There is no such thing as a mystical garden, it's just an abandoned botanical garden."
"Aww... You are such a fun killer. Don't you even have some imagination? But seriously, although that rumor really sounds quite dreamy but I don't really think it's a good idea to visit that place."
"Mhmm... I heard that if the queen found out that you are not the prettiest, she will lock you up in her garden and become her slave forever. Even if you had successfully become the 'princess' you will still have the risk to get demoted if there is another much prettier girl visiting the queen."
"Now you mentioned that, I know a friend of friends that went to that botanical garden and gone missing."
"Oh my! That's scary!"
"Oh, come on! Why would you girls even believe in such superstitious crap? But seriously it is indeed not a good idea to go to an abandoned botanical garden, who knows what would we find in there?"
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As the girls from the other table discussed about that soundly ridiculous rumor, Maria and the other two ladies listened to their conversation and are getting into that topic as well.
"I guess if it's Ai-chan that go meet the queen, she will surely be qualified as the 'princess' forever. I mean I haven't seen any girls that are prettier than our Ai-chan." said Yuki while hugging Ai from the side.
"Heh?"
"I know right~ Our Ai-chan is the most beautiful girl in all the dimensions... Uhm... After Rei-chan though. If that whatsoever actually thinks that she is not pretty enough, I will burn down her whole mystical garden into ashes." said Maria, who sounds slightly excited.
"Hey, Maria-chan, I actually know the location of the botanical garden they had mentioned. Are you interested to check it out a bit?" said Yuki, who sounds like an excited gossiping girl.
"Heh? For real? Sounds like a good plan to spend our plain time for now. Lead the way, we are going to meet the Flower Queen!" Maria exclaimed in excitement as he suddenly stood up from his seat.
"Eh? But... Can I finish this shortcake first?" Ai asked, she sounds a bit confused and blunt.
"Aww... It seems like our 'princess' here is not very enthusiastic about that." said Yuki, slightly teasing...
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Anyway, regardless of how unenthusiastic Ai was, they still decided to check out that rumored botanical garden which is not very far from the dessert shop, they believed that without Sky's God of Misfortune, nothing too bad would actually happen to them.
After a short ten minutes walk, they reached the said abandoned botanical garden that is well hidden at the backstreet. However, except for the overgrown plants and the slightly rusty gate, there isn't any other sign that the botanical garden had been abandoned, it gives a vibe that someone had been taking good care of it and all the plants in it. Maria carefully pushed open the rusty gate door that is tangled by the vines of morning glories. Three of them carefully stepped into the garden and is amazed by all the beautiful flowers and plants that are three times larger than usual plants.
"Wow! Instead of an abandoned botanical garden, this is more like a giant botanical garden." Maria exclaimed, slightly exaggerated.
"I guess that's why it is rumored as a mystical garden, after all, these gigantic plants do look mystical." said Yuki, equally amazed as Maria.
"I guess even if we didn't find the Flower Queen, it would not be a waste to walk all the way here to have a peek at all these amazing flowers... Hmm?... What was that?" said Maria, out of the blues as he suddenly sensed some extraordinary presence.
Ai seems to be alerted as well.
"Uhm... Maria-chan? Ai-chan? Is there anything wrong?" Yuki asked, a bit oblivious to the situation.
"Mmm... I don't know about Ai-chan but I just heard some weird noise from a distance." said Maria.
"Uhm... I kind of sensed some sinister presence nearby, along with some murderous intention..." said Ai.
"Ah... Should we continue looking for the Flower Queen?" Yuki asked, still a bit blunt.
Maria shook his head.
"Let's head back for now, it's not a wise idea to ruthlessly get deeper into this place without any preparation. I guess the rumors are real after all." said Maria with a rare serious tone...
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*Something out of the story
Sky: "Dear readers."
Chris: "Hmm?"
Sky: "This chapter is meant to be released for webnovel.com."
Chris: "Oh! This matter. Yes, if you're reading this chapter on another platform than webnovel.com, know that it's an illegal copy diffused without the Writer's authorization."
Sky: "As what Chris said. Right now, this story is free on the authorized platform, so please read it from authorized platforms as mental support for the writer."
Chris: "Mhm... There are two authorized platforms. One is webnovel.com. And another one is that messy and half-dead Weebly site that she uses for draft and backup... But not recommended."
Sky: "Ah... Haha. Yes, as Chris said."
Chris: "But look out, those scums might change this note to their own website link. So, be cautious.
Sky : "By the way, if the cover page is the old cover page that shows two stickmen, stop reading it, it's cursed and might caused the writer to stop writing."
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