Bethel Botanical Garden was more professional and academic than she thought. Rather than being decorated like a garden focusing on beautiful flowers, it was filled with all kinds of strange and bizarre plants, giving visitors newness and shock.
Tropical flowers with black spots on vivid red petals, strange vine plants winding up trees like giant snakes, and colorful mushrooms that look dangerous at a glance.
“I thought there would be pretty flowers, but there are so many weird things.”
Inside the glass greenhouse. Noel said as he walked along a path decorated like a walkway. His eyes widened with surprise and then frowned with astonishment as he looked at the different kinds of plants planted on each flower bed.
“I don’t think this will change your mood”
Seeing the flowers with long, tentacle-like legs fluttering in the place where the stamens should have been, she finally let out her heart.
“Why? I’m having fun.”
“Why do you like this? I’m afraid It will come out in my dreams.”
“I don’t really want to see pretty things. It certainly looks strange, but…… It’s fascinating and useful to know.”
“Like this?”
In front was a stinky flower, Noel crumpled his face and covered his nose. He may not have known because he was looking around, but Lucy was reading one small sign at a time, standing in front of each fence. There were detailed names of plants she had never seen before, their efficacy, and what medicines they could be used as.
“Hurry up and let’s go somewhere else. I feel like my nose is getting numb.”
Noel pulled Lucy still holding her nose. Lucy also thought the smell was more unpleasant than she thought, so she stepped away this time.
Then, suddenly, she looked back. Felix had been following them silently without saying much. But he also frowned at the strange-looking plants like Noel.
Still, some plants were exceptional, and he showed interest in taking a closer look to see if they stimulated his curiosity. Especially in front of the vines wriggling as if alive, he could not suppress his curiosity and even tried to poke them with his hand. Even then, when Lucy and Noel showed any signs of moving, he noticed like a ghost and followed.
Continuing visit to the Botanical Garden. They stopped in front of one of the most bizarre-looking flowers there. It was a cannibal flower with a human mouth.
At first glance, the creature looked like a large bud that could easily swallow a child. However, at the end of the bud, it had a disgusting and terrifying mouth to look at. Every time the flower wriggled and opened and closed its mouth, its sharp teeth crackled.
“I feel like throwing up.”
Noel said. He really looked pale, not a joke. Even Lucy, who was interested in seeing strange plants from an academic point of view, was surprised to see the appearance of this plant, so it deserved it.
“I feel sick in my stomach. Does it need to look like that?”
Lucy agreed, too. Still, it was the most mysterious and interesting flower in this botanical garden. It has an appearance that you won’t see anywhere else.
“I guess it’s feeding on animals. Is there a tongue in there?”
Lucy was curious. Then Noel suddenly said to Felix with a playful look.
“Did you hear that, Phil? She wants to know what’s inside.”
Immediately a look of irritation came. Felix stood crooked and stared fiercely at Noel. As if confident that it was an open place and that Lucy was next to him, Noel continued to nag.
“Why don’t you put your hand inside?”
Felix’s expression became even more terrifying. He looked as if he would grab Noel’s head, not his own hand, right away.
Noel smiled and whispered in Lucy’s ear.
“He’s angry, he’s angry.”
“Stop it, Noel.”
Lucy scolded him with a stern voice.
You’re going to get into a fight again.
Lucy looked anxiously at Felix’s expression as she remembered the two growling like dogs and cats in an empty classroom.
However, Felix, who was staring at Noel, turned to the cannibal flower and was lost in thought. He suddenly approached the fence and thought for a while. Lucy was startled when he went over it and into the flower bed.
“Oh? Felix sunbae.”
Lucy called, but he didn’t seem to hear. Soon, Felix stood next to the cannibal flower. Lucy didn’t have the time to stop him, he grabbed the side barrel of the plant like he’s grabbing it by the collar without hesitation. Suddenly, the flower caught in the human hand wriggled and opened its mouth wide.
Clack clack!
There was a gruesome sound of teeth hitting. Felix suddenly pulled the plant up regardless. As the plant was laid down, the mouth facing upwards slowly tilted toward the people.
In that position, Felix spoke secretly to Lucy.
“Lucy! … Now, look!”
He grabbed the collar of the plant higher so that Lucy could look inside.
“Can you see it? But…… I don’t think there’s a tongue inside.”
Suddenly, a shrill scream rang out in the vicinity. It was a lady’s scream. She was looking at Felix with a contemplated face. He seemed to be shocked to see a young man struggling with the collar of a cannibalized flower.
Along with that, everyone around them turned to Felix. Soon the greenhouse was filled with the buzz of people.
“That crazy person!”
Noel was appalled. He grabbed Lucy by the wrist and hurried her somewhere else.
“Let’s run! I’m embarrassed, really!”
He led Lucy through the crowd and escaped. “Where are you going!” exclaimed Felix.
On the other side, a man who appeared to be a botanical garden employee was rushing in. He also screamed at Felix with a white face.
“Guest! What are you doing?”
* * *
“That was so embarrassing! He’s ignorant and strong!”
“Hey! You asked me to show you the inside!”
“Of course, it was a joke! Who’s crazy to show you the real thing!”
“Why are you talking about such useless jokes?”
After running away from the cannibal flower. Felix and Noel bickered along the road. The bustling quarrels on both sides made Lucy deaf.
Felix didn’t even think about lowering his voice as if he had forgotten that he had followed them while hiding his identity. He didn’t seem to recognize that people were glancing at him.
Obviously, he was dressed as a servant, so seeing him not losing to a young man that seemed to be a noble made the passers-by pay attention to them.
“Su, sunbae….”
Lucy, who couldn’t stand it, took Felix’s sleeve slightly.
“People are looking at you strangely.”
Only then did Felix shut up and looked around. When he realized that people were glancing past him, he kicked his tongue and pressed his hat deeply.
He gave Noel a warning look. It was like saying see you on the way back to the academy. In the midst of such a war of nerves, they arrived in the center of the botanical garden.
There was an open ceiling about six stories high. And in the center stood a giant oak tree, the symbol of this botanical garden.
“Wow, it’s a tree that’s a thousand years old.”
Noel said, reading the sign in front of the tree.
“… … It is a mysterious tree that is said to be inhabited by spirits, and there is a rumor that if you go into a huge hole in the base and make a wish, it will come true… …. I guess it’s over there.”
Noel pointed to a cave-like hole in the base of the tree. In front of it, people who wanted to make a wish stood in line waiting for their turn.
“Well, sunbae, it’s just the right time. Let’s get rid of all the gloom here and get some fresh energy!”
Noel took Lucy to a place where people lined up. It wasn’t long before Lucy’s turn came. The employee who was standing in front of the hole said that they could only make a wish for one minute as there were a lot of people waiting behind.
Before entering the hole, Noel said, blocking Felix from following him.
“Phil, wait here. The hole is so small that I think only two people can fit in.”
Come to think of it, the hole was as big as if it would be full for two people. There were also two people who went in and out of the hole, just like lovers and couples.
“Come on in, sunbae.”
Noel gently pushed Lucy into the hole.
“Oh, it’s dark.”
Noel’s slightly frightened voice was heard behind her.
As he said, the hole was dark, and only a few small candles were lit. The subtle orange light lit up the hole, but the floor was dark and hard to see. Lucy tried not to fall on the bumpy floor.
Noel’s hand-held Lucy’s arm still behind her.
“Oh, thank you.”
The hole became full when two people came in. Lucy said, crouching her shoulders in a space where she couldn’t even move.
“But it’s too small here. Let’s make a wish and go out.”
Noel didn’t answer. His warm breath touched her ear. She thought he already started making a wish first.
Lucy closed her eyes, too. At first, she thought it was a childish superstition, but when she came in, she felt strange as if the spirit would really grant her wish. Thinking about what to pray for, she prayed for the health of her family in Brom.
“I’m done praying.”
She opened her eyes again and looked back and spoke.
“Let’s go out now….”
Lucy stopped talking. It was Felix, not Noel, who was looking at her.
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I want to know what he prayed for 🥹