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Does a Leithanian thin-tailed grass have single leaves or compound leaves?

No idea.

There are several methods for extracting red velvet mallow essence. Which one is most effective at retaining its soothing properties?

No idea.

This boronia that you planted...

All I did was help you shovel the soil. I have no idea why you plant it, or how.

You'll be tested on all of these things, Lydia.

The Athopoulou family has venerated Flora the Hero for generations, conducting plant-related work such as those associated with perfumes, medicinal herbs, and plant breeding.

The elders are very serious about this legacy. You'll have to participate in the traditional heir selection ceremony in a few years. You need to remember these things.

Everyone knows you're the heir to the Athopoulou family.

Uncle Steros can't stop talking about how proud he is of his daughter. He'll declare you the Flora of Athopoulou any day now.

I know my father hasn't been fair towards you...

He's already shown as much kindness as possible by taking me in after my parents passed away. Besides, you know I have no interest in plants.

But father has scheduled a test for next week. You'll be punished again if you fail...

I peeked into Uncle Steros's notebook. The thyme harvest has been disappointing. I expect he'll be going to Corinia soon, in order to find suppliers to meet the shortfall.

Corinia? He didn't say anything—

Crouching in the garden again, Lena? ... I'm going on a week-long trip. Take care of yourself and Lydia while I'm away.

Wow...

See? There are certain things that I'm good at, just like you're good at plants and perfumes.

*Pant* *pant* Help! Somebody! Anybody!

Some <i>skata</i> tradition! Why did Athopoulou have to do the selection ceremony out here in the middle of nowhere?

The one who finds the rarest plant is the one favored by Flora? Ridiculous!

Someone's hurt! We need a doctor... and emergency inhibitors!

You'll hurt your throat shouting like that, Lydia... carrying me is hard enough as it is, put me down...

Well, you can help by throwing away that big heavy plant! There's no one more suited to being the heir to House Athopoulou, with or without it!

I know, it doesn't mean anything to me now.

The Flora of Athopoulou cannot be Infected. Father will never accept it. I'll probably have to leave Athenius as soon as we get back.

You don't need the approval of that bastard, if he's so cruel as to cast aside his own daughter.

But the family needs an heir.

Write it down, Lydia. Boraginales, Boraginaceae, Cynoglossoideae, Myosotis...

What do you mean... don't tell me about it, Lena! I don't want to know!

Listen to me.

It's a common plant across Terra, but it's only known to grow around marshes, and it has never been found in Minos.

It reminded me of you.

You dislike the family tradition, and you have no interest in plants or herbs, as unlike Athopoulou as can be... but you're observant, and you're a good communicator. You'll make a good heir.

That's your place. I don't want it...

Let's make a bet, shall we? Just like when we were little.

Take care of this rare plant for me. If the elders have no issue with my condition, then I'll never make you come with me to that 'boring' garden ever again.

But if father shows disgust at my wounds... you must claim to have found this 'big heavy plant'.

Don't worry, Lydia. No one will bully you anymore, not even my father, once you become the heir.

With you, the Athopoulou family will be in good hands.

Lydia...

Why did you ask me to come to this public garden? I don't think there's any need for us to reminisce about old times.

If you have something to say, say it. I have a lot waiting for me to do.

The exchange ceremony is about to begin. Besides verifying the guest list, making sure the ceremony goes smoothly, I must—

You must announce to Athenius that Xanthos and Lykeion have been found guilty of treason for the intentional theft and destruction of a Minoan national treasure?

Not satisfied with turning from perfumer to doctor? Are you making another career change to defense attorney?

This is a critical juncture for the relationship between the two nations. I cannot allow an ill-planned, impetuous theft to destroy everything.

A century of war didn't destroy Minos. Are you working for the interests of the people of Athenius, or to protect your own position as Astynomos?

A cliched moral dilemma...

Of course I want to protect my position as Astynomos.

How do you think Rhodes Island managed to establish an office in Athenius in such a short time?

Priests buried in ancient tomes, the chaotic council, the convoluted voting process... you would have waited an entire year, if you followed the 'traditional process'.

Kereseira's First Temple and 'following the old ways'? What a joke.

How could the place be ready for today's exchange ceremony, if the Sargonian girl hadn't intervened and pushed the final phase through with modern, effective project management?

So you judged everything with your scales, not caring that the weights you are using are real people?

Do you believe that everything must give way to 'people', then?

I'll do everything I can to find a solution, before things get to the point of no return. My colleagues and friends will walk together with me, no matter how treacherous the path. As for your question...

I'm a doctor, Lydia. It's the basis of everything I do.

The ground beneath them trembles. The sound of howling approaches.

Dozens of burdenbeasts jump across fences and benches, stampeding through the public garden.

The herd steps upon the spacious grass, running towards the tall building in the distance, seemingly quite sure of their destination.

In the frenzied stampede, a young burdenbeast is drawn to something to the side.

Two solemn human figures reflect in its wet, curious eyes, but it quickly loses interest in them, catching up with the herd and leaving only drifting flower petals behind.

The scent of flowers surrounds the two Athopoulous.

Their keen sense of smell, honed by rigorous training from a young age, allows them to easily identify the damaged flowers, but not the true thoughts of their counterparts.

Neither of us could ever change the other's mind. It's been this way since we were little.

But there's a question I always wanted to ask you.

What makes you so 'great', Lena Athopoulou?

Lydia...?

You approached a girl that all the Athopoulous disliked, took her to your favorite garden, and taught her knowledge about plants that she had no interest in, all of it on your own.

You gave her the plant that determined the family's heir, thought the family was in good hands, and left Athenius, again all of it on your own.

You never cared about what I was good at, and it never occurred to you that I stayed with the Athopoulou family, not out of any sense of responsibility, or for the heir's position...

I didn't dislike the garden, Lena.

But you chose not to keep it. You chose to take it back from the family after it fell on hard times, turning it into a public facility.

That's our fundamental difference.

You hate the name Athopoulou as much as I do, but you're always looking backwards, even trying to get it back, while I never look back.

I know you asked me to come here for the sake of the two prisoners. Maybe you're trying to delay me, or maybe you have some other plan in mind.

After I became the heir to the family, it took me another two years to cast the mantle aside. Only now do I have the chance to do what I really wanted to.

As you said, though, no one bullied me during that time. I played along with your game for ten minutes. It's my final gift to you.

I owe you nothing now, Lena.

I see.

The grey-haired Vulpo gazes at Lena's departing figure. She had imagined their reunion before Lena returned to Athenius; afterwards, she had imagined their parting.

Never before had she been so acutely conscious that they were going to part ways forever.

The woman before her is no longer her foster sister who took care of her, the Lena who gently but insistently instilled botanical knowledge in her.

Lena is a Rhodes Island operator now. She has her own dreams and aspirations, her own home that she will go back to, her own family that loves and supports her. None of it has anything to do with Lydia.

Suddenly, a thought without any basis whatsoever comes to Lydia's mind—

Even if Lena remains in Athenius, and continues to work to develop an Oripathy treatment system, and continues to have dealings with the Astynomos' Office...

This will be the last time she sees Lena ever again.

Phew... we should be safe from the burdenbeasts here.

Where's Master Xanthos?

I think I saw him head towards the First Temple. To say goodbye to Kassandra, probably. We'll find a way to meet up with him, don't worry.

Why are there stampeding burdenbeasts on the street? Aren't you the Astynomos' Grammateús? Shouldn't you be finding out what's happening?

There are already peace officers heading that way. They'll take care of it.

This stuff's none of my business anymore—

I resigned.

To rescue Master Xanthos and me from prison? That's not necessary. We—

You wanted to say you could have gotten out on your own, right? Well, it doesn't matter. I was planning to quit anyway.

What exactly is your plan, Lykeion?

I don't know what you're talking about.