flower

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Early morning

Rhodes Island Dormitories

Perfumer's Dormitory

(That should make for enough space.)

(For the output...)

(I'll probably need to tweak the cultivation method for this section.)

(And then here...)

Miss Lena, I've got reports for you!

Hmm? Is that Podenco? Come right in.

Good morning, Miss Lena.

Good morning, Podenco.

Here's the inventory list you wanted, and the completed order form.

Thank you.

(Inventory figures all seem to line up.)

(Order information is crystal clear, too, and the budget attached... seems alright.)

(There's a problem or two in plain sight, though. I wonder if she'll notice.)

You've done very well, handling all this documenting all by yourself.

It feels very simple to do, compared to caring for the plants.

Only...

(She noticed?)

Mmm... it caught my eye.

Orders and appointments, more and more are coming in lately... A little extra work's okay, and I can cope if I sleep a bit later, but..

We just don't have enough raw material.

Right, the Garden flora's output can't keep up anymore.

If we keep burning through them our current rate, we'll be out of fresh flowers to make things in a month.

Mm-hmm.

If we can, I'd like to apply to purchase a few plants. That way, we can buy ourselves a little time while we think of a solution.

Do you think that would be okay, Miss?

Hmm. What to do?

Miss, why are you still so calm? The flowers are going to run out, aren't they?!

Heheh, don't worry. We'll find a way.

Here, come sit. Have a cup of tea, and take a breather.

It just so happens I have a few questions I'd like your opinion on.

Oh, if you really say so, Miss...

Let me ask. With Rhodes Island roving all over Terra year-round, do you have a stable supplier to sell to you?

If you leave it in Logistics's hands, they can probably work something out.

But we can't trouble them with everything. There's always more important things for them to eke out channels and spend their funds on, isn't that right?

Oh...

If the Logistics Department's Operators made contact with a supplier, but the other side couldn't meet our requirements, what then?

You have to consider, we painstakingly assembled the Garden's plantlife from across Terra. A certain few of our plants are even special kinds not permitted to be bought or sold.

If we made an order, but they had no way of fulfilling our needs, what then?

Then maybe we can purchase the more common ones, free up some space, and plant all rare flowers?

Like the rugosa roses, maybe? What do you think?

(Pfft. There's a silly idea I had as well.)

You're right, they're the flower we use the most of, and the easiest to purchase at that.

Hmm...

Podenco, do you still remember the roses you planted where you grew up?

Mm-hm!

Then do you feel any particular difference between the roses back home, and the ones in the Garden?

The rugosas back home had a lighter kind of aroma. It was less of a flower and more like one of our local fruits, really.

The ones here have a much stronger fragrance, but they don't make your nose wrinkle either. They're really nice-smelling, Miss.

See, both are rugosa roses all the same, yet they're so different. How could we make sure flowers from a supplier have the same qualities as the ones we grow here?

We could certainly treat those flowers like our own in use, but in the off-chance an Operator feels unwell using our goods because of that minute change in ingredients, I would be betraying the Doctor's trust.

Not to mention, despite being roses, some varieties aren't easy to purchase.

Do you still remember the ones growing in the freezer compartment?

They might be roses still, but their nature, and their medicinal nature above all, is very different from roses growing on the farms. Because they only grow in the northern tundras of Ursus, and the Medical Department specially entrusted me with their cultivation.

I could never just freeze any rose I fancied and hand it over to Dr. Kal'tsit, could I?

I'm sorry, Miss, I didn't think about any of this...

Oh, it's quite alright.

You've thought through a great deal already. You should be proud.

Miss Lena, the way it sounds, you must have a plan. You can tell me.

What to do indeed~

Well, then, let's shutter the Convalescent Garden.

Huh?!

Miss Lena, you can't even consider closing down!

I've had a clear mind about it the entire time.

Lean in here a little, take a look at this.

This is—?

The Convalescent Garden remodeling plan.

I've already discussed it with the Doctor, who's agreed to clear the neighboring storehouse and incorporate it into the Garden entirely.

This way, we can have more space for planting, provide an area for guests to relax, set up a dedicated aromatherapy room, and your little greenhouse can even get a fix-up alongside.

Can I expand mine too?!

Yes.

That's wonderful!

Moreover, I'm preparing to move my own dormitory in there.

You're going to live in the Garden?

It takes too much time to get there from the dormitories, after all. So I thought to myself, I might as well just live there. Part of the research room will be merged with my own room.

This way, I can actually save on quite a bit of space.

The thing is—

What is it?

The workload will be a bit too much, for just us two alone.

It just so happens we'll have much more space to build an even larger greenhouse. Could I trouble you to find an Operator for the task, and bring them over for me?

We'll need someone good with botany and greenhouse construction, right?

Right.

Then I'll go and find someone now. When I do, I'll get in touch with you, Miss.

Mmm, take care on your way.

Hm-hmm, she's grown a little more every day I see her.

Perhaps this time, I'll be able to just sit back and supervise?

Really, that Miss Kal'tsit. I grumble to her and mention the poor plant quality, and she hands the whole Convalescent Garden straight off onto my back.

Planning, measuring, cultivation, every last little thing, left for me to sort out on my own...

And I, *sigh*... did exactly as she told, learning as I set things up...

At least I could grow some flowers, and give something or other to all of Rhodes Island.

And now...

Hmm, now I can have Podenco build some strength too.

I'll just get everything set up, sit on the sidelines, and give myself a little holiday of sorts.

Phew... ha...

Let's have some tea and rest...

Tea bags... tea bags...

Midday