Brain bloom

“Yes! Right now, we only have the palace to rest in, but after the Wing Cloud ends, our compatriots will awaken and begin building the capital.” Dandelion spoke eloquently about the country’s construction while walking with light steps. “However, it won’t be a very powerful city. The Four Seasons people are always simple and unpretentious, more like a big village.”

“I know.” Mori Toki had seen the former land of flowers through the window of the connected world.

Unlike other prosperous countries, the people of the Land of Flowers are content with flowers and green grass; why would they need houses and industry? Therefore, even a random independent city-state is likely to be much more magnificent than its so-called capital.

Besides the royal palace, there are also palaces for special purposes, the highest-grade buildings being two-story log cabins similar to wineries. Even these are only inhabited by the extremely rare Four Seasons Hermits.

Unlike other countries with their distinct class distinctions of royalty, nobility, commoners, the poor, and beggars, the classification in the Land of Flowers is quite simple. Apart from royalty, value is determined solely by variety. A flower is either exceptionally beautiful, bears fruit, or is extremely rare.

Of course, no one will discriminate against those who thrive in all seasons; after all, even flowers need green leaves to complement them...

"I wonder when Yuan will be able to come. Yi Yun still has a spot for her."

When do you plan to hold this seasonal folk custom?

"You wouldn't want to overturn even this tradition, would you? Without it, the Kingdom of Flowers will be completely destroyed." Dandelion gazed at the sky, at the cotton-like spring clouds.

"No, I'd also like to meet my fellow Four Seasons People."

"Yes, fellow countrymen." Dandelion gently inhaled the scent of the land of flowers. "Long, long ago, an unknown person said: All souls are just feathers, and throughout their lives, they only strive to become full wings so that one day they can travel to farther places."

"Uh, what do you mean?"

“I don’t know either. The cycle of Winged Clouds and the Four Seasons has always been a strange thing.” Dandelion’s tone became more serious. “We used to think that this was a system created by the Rose Queen, but when we think about it carefully, it seems that she just borrowed it to create us, the Dark Ones, as a new race and integrate us into some kind of existing cycle system.”

"So, the Four Seasons Ones don't know the secrets and principles of the Winged Cloud, yet they continue to use it?"

"yes.

Volume 1, Chapter 404: Winged Clouds

With the help of many people, the construction of the palace in the Kingdom of Flowers has come to an end. The building, which is not very grand but is very unique and elegant, has appeared on this magical and charming land.

Amidst the boundless green, there is a touch of white—that is the newly completed palace.

Mori and Dandelion walked up to it and greeted some of the people doing the cleanup work nearby. Lately, they had become quite familiar with these devils and clergymen. They were not only intimidated by the reputation of the coffin bearers, but also driven by the generous rewards.

The money confiscated from the secular king of the Holy Coffin Kingdom was more than enough to build such a palace, so Dandelion was quite generous and gave everyone a considerable reward.

However, only the residents of the human world accepted the money, while those from the demon realm did not take a single penny.

"I thought that, given the devils' artistic level, our palace would be so ugly it would be astonishing..." Gazing at the building in front of him, made of wood and supplemented with a large amount of natural materials, he fell into deep thought. "It really does look quite impressive. I wonder if the devils have left any 'surprises' behind."

It was built next to the World Tree, leaving enough space for the World Tree to grow in the future. In front of the palace, a wide square was built of bricks for the people of the Kingdom of Flowers, who were about to be revived, to rest. The main building was a square and spacious three-story building, with two beautiful towers of different heights.

The fresh scent of wood wafted out, mingling with the fragrance of flowers and grass.

Yes, as per Dandelion's request, the palace was designed as a structure distinctly characteristic of the Four Seasons. In Sen Shi's view, it resembled a large, ancient wooden building from Chinese civilization, abandoned in the wilderness for three thousand years, ensuring it wouldn't decay.

Nature's traces covered its entire body; vines, flowers, and strange plants were everywhere, clearly showing that nature had gently embraced it. This wondrous beauty made Mori feel a sense of familiarity.

"I'm very satisfied," Dandelion nodded.

"Speaking of which, where is your harem?"

"Hehehe...you really won't give up." Dandelion, arms crossed, adopted a teasing tone. "I've been thinking, and the harem I'm preparing for you doesn't need to be too luxurious or extravagant. Instead, it should be more intimate, so—"

She pointed to a spot not far away, and only now did Mori realize that the scenery there was quite special.

This... isn't this the Four Seasons Winery where I stayed for quite a while back in Silvermoon City? From the vineyards to the little wooden cabins with their own flowers, even the hibernating tree spirits with grapevines hanging outside the door and the stone cellar that had been cut open by Yuan Shi, everything was very familiar to Sen Shi.

Seeing Melia and Yuan sitting there drinking tea and chatting, Mori realized who had moved it there.

“That is where my queen, lovely Miss Strawberry, should live.” Dandelion asked proudly. “Are you satisfied? This is the highest courtesy I can show you. It’s not some vast but desolate palace, but this place that can be called home.”

“…No, that’s your home,” Mori retorted.

I will visit you every day.

"I will visit you every day."

Dandelion gritted her teeth, somewhat unwilling to back down: "They actually dare to openly and fairly try to seize power from me, this is outrageous."

“You are still the Dandelion Queen of the Land of Flowers, but your workplace will be in my Mori’s harem.”

"You've really improved, not bad, not bad."

"After Wing Cloud ends, I will prove it to you." Sen Shi had already collected every possible card in her hand. If this world was a card game, then she was the dealer, able to easily decide the outcome.

At this moment, Dandelion seemed to be trying to prove to Morishige that she wasn't just a pretty face in the face of pirates or tree demons. No, it was even more intense than that. Her entire body radiated a sharp spiritual energy, the state before a battle. Moreover, Morishige vaguely sensed that the dandelion above her head was showing signs of turning black.

Fortunately, she didn't immediately unleash her anger on Mori, and still maintained a restrained and normal way of thinking.

"Then I'll go prepare for Wing Cloud now, and the event will begin tonight."

"Ok."

After saying that, Dandelion ran towards the harem that Moritoki was to live in. Her back view showed haste, but no hesitation, clearly indicating that she was determined to go to the small house in the Four Seasons Winery that housed all the heritage of the Flower Kingdom. Moritoki understood, but still couldn't help teasing her.

"Good girl, you ran off to my harem on your own."

Upon hearing this, Dandelion stamped her foot and turned around, her entire being conveying an air of anger. But this anger was quickly subsided, replaced by a haughty indifference, as if watching children fight.

She didn't say anything, just walked over with a sinister smile on her face.

Of course, Mori followed along. The area around the completed palace was full of people finishing up, so it wasn't a good place to chat. They needed to confirm the war plans with Yuen and Melia first.

"Princess Dandelion was humming a song the whole time. Did you cheer her up?" Yuan asked with a smile when she saw Sen.

I guess so...

“Dad,” Melia brought out another white bone china teacup she had prepared and poured her some black tea. “I’ve already spoken with Aunt Fernanda and Daniel; they’ll all be able to teleport here using spatial magic whenever you need them. And—”

Besides the cup of tea she had brewed herself, there was another item she took out mysteriously and placed on the tea table: a pure white cloak, as if it were made from the purest milk.

"...Finally got it."

Aunt Fernanda said it's yours now.

"Very good, very good!"

This is a cloak that grants invisibility, something Sen Shi had coveted since the game era. He never imagined that after so long, he would finally be able to touch it and possess it.

As for what it's used for, it's obviously for making it invisible.

In the gaming era, Sen Shi dreamed of wearing it and becoming the king of PVP among players. Just imagine how cool it would be to be an absolute nightmare—powerful, mysterious, and capable of appearing in the wild at any moment to instantly kill countless high-level and low-level players.

This dream was unfortunately shelved, but now—Senji can use it to deal with dandelions.

"Why don't you try them on?"

"Ah."

After saying that, Mori draped the cloak over himself, but strangely, it seemed as if the cloak didn't recognize him at all; no magical power was triggered when it was draped over his body. After thinking for a long time, Mori suddenly felt sweat beading on his forehead.

Her trembling hand gripped the corner of the cloak as she quickly checked its attributes, and a tragic truth came to light. This was equipment only usable at max level, and she had only just reached the level where it could blossom and bear fruit. Even if she could barely wear it, it would offer no benefit…

"What's wrong, Dad? Aunt Fernanda really went through a lot of trouble to give this to you... Wait, could it be a fake?"

"That ancient dragon shouldn't be faking it."

"...It's nothing, it's nothing." Mori dejectedly pulled his cloak tighter around himself.

At that moment, Dandelion came out of the wooden house. Seeing the three people at the tea table with different expressions and an awkward atmosphere, her gaze finally fell on Mori Toki, then she raised an eyebrow and burst into laughter.

"It's a really nice white wedding dress, so thoughtful."

"Humph."

After laughing, Dandelion hopped away, and Senshi didn't dare tease her again about her rabbit-like retreating figure. He just cursed his own foolishness in his heart… No, there was still a chance.

"By the way, where is my little Yunyun?"

"After moving the winery here, it went to meet with Miss Xiyangyun in secret, saying that it would try its best to come back to help."

"Then... I need your help!"

Melia and Yuan exchanged glances, their tea and snacks unconsciously ceasing. Why was she so anxious at a time when the Winged Cloud Kingdom was about to be established and everything in the Flower Kingdom was just beginning to recover?

"Do you know if there are any evil gods, wicked monsters, or annoying humans that need to be dealt with? I can help for free! I want to hone my skills!"

……

By evening, when Mori was dragged back to the Land of Flowers to head to Winged Cloud, she had only managed to wipe out a few low-level bandit groups, gaining less experience than she would from a day of sunbathing. As for a powerful prey that could instantly level her up to the maximum? She hadn't encountered one yet.

"Mori, did you eat some strange mushroom? Why do you have to go out and fight with strong people at such an important time?"

"……No."

"I finally got an invitation to attend the Winged Cloud viewing event, honestly... we almost missed it." Yuan's complaint ended quickly because they made it.

At this moment, the Kingdom of Flowers was much quieter. The palace was completed and finishing touches were finished. Dandelion settled wages with the construction workers and then sent them away. Nighttime was the stage for the customs of the Four Seasons People, and even without Dandelion speaking, the laborers, wary of the strange rumors, didn't dare to wander outside.

As Morishi had instructed, Melia, in a secluded spot, gathered with all the strong warriors willing to fight for the coffin bearers, sharpening their knives, ready to answer her call at any moment.

"I thought you weren't coming."

The dandelion's voice was as cool as dew, still dressed in its ritual robes, but its hairstyle and plant-like adornment were quite unique. Apart from that, there were no clouds tonight, and the moon was bright and round.

Standing beside her was a seasoned practitioner she hadn't seen in a long time, the Mimosa senior. Seeing Mori and Yume, she felt relieved, because without these two, Yiyun would likely be delayed until tomorrow, and she would have trouble sleeping tonight.

While Sen was out hunting, Dandelion seemed to have prepared everything.

The already unique aura of the Land of Flowers became even more intense, but unlike the natural fragrance, it carried a considerable degree of malevolence. Was this the prelude to summoning the Winged Clouds? Mori secretly regretted not staying to see for himself.

She moved a chair and sat obediently beside him, her face filled with anticipation.

After tonight, the Four Seasons Clan's folk customs, hailed as the most beautiful scenery in the world, will awaken the Four Seasons Clan of yesteryear. But for Yuan, it's not just that; there's also her older sister, the cursed sister who grew up with her and has always been by her side!

"It's started?" Mori Toki was also affected by the atmosphere and lowered his voice.

"Okay, let's start now."

After speaking to Sen Shi with a provocative smile, Dandelion opened an ancient book that she had prepared beforehand.

The pages swayed, the brittle yellow paper rustling in the night breeze. Until one page in the middle, Dandelion stopped it with her finger—it was a blank page.

Next, Dandelion took out a pen. It looked simple and old-fashioned, a quill pen that was entirely snow-white.

A sinister power flowed from the tip of the pen, reminding Mori of the filth that had previously permeated the entire Kingdom of Flowers. But now, that filth had become the ink on the tip of the dandelion pen.

"Our souls all need to be cleansed." The chant emanating from the dandelion is a language that no one has ever heard before, and there is no language that is the same as or similar to it. Yet it can be understood: "We will become a soft feather on your wings, cutting through the wind to the future for you, carrying your beautiful dreams of travel."

Then, on that blank page, she began to write one distorted but uniquely beautiful letter after another.

"Mimosa pudica" (sensitive plant).