Effloresced E.G.O Spicebush: Yi Sang's Story

So... Is this the trespasser?

The child's voice was rather dry.

With an apathetic expression and voice, he was looking down at the person dragged in front of him.

Yes, sir. They might have been trying to loot Enkephalin from the facility... They came down to the underground alone.

...I see, you may go now.

Perhaps that's the child's subordinate. The member who dragged the person with bound arms into the room bowed to the child before walking away.

Now... You may begin talking. For what reason did you go to that place?

As the fan folded shut, the captured one started arguing in their defense.

A-Are you their leader?

...It does happen to be my current position.

Look... I'm risking my life trying to earn some cash. It's not like you rented this whole facility to yourselves or anything, does it hurt to share some of that?

The child's expression becomes further unconcerned. He seemed almost puzzled by the claim.

It appears to me that you may have a misunderstanding...

I'm not misunderstanding a thing! I saw that fancy lab you've set up here, too... What, I guess there wasn't any Enkephalin left here that you could pocket, huh?

That is not an installation meant for harvesting Enkephalin...

What else can it be!

*Shrft*

The child forcefully unfolded his fan, making his unwillingness to hear more of it clear.

The complaining person stopped their argument for a second, overwhelmed by the sound and the pungent scent emitted with it.

W-What. Now that I got a closer look, you seem strange. There are flowers on your head, and...

These... are bloomed things.

The nostalgia in my mind for a certain time I would like to summon forth has taken form.

Facing the perplexed expression, the child stands up and slowly walks toward them.

Eek, s-stay away!

There is no need to fear. You admitted yourself that you're risking your life.

The child doesn't seem to have any hostile intent. Rather, he seemed as if his eyes were set on something far, far away.

If I may ask... Have you seen a proper flower in recent times?

...I don't think... I've seen any in person. Artificial ones were everywhere, though.

Indeed... Technology has come to a point where it robs us of what originally brought us enjoyment and glee.

One day... in our pursuit of convenience and expediency, we'd lost what used to matter more than technology.

If it weren't for such technologies, you would not be living the life of a petty Enkephalin thief, is that not right?

The captured person seemed to be flustered by the child's question, rolling their eyes for a bit.

No, but still...

If it weren't for technology, I wouldn't be alive at all by now... though?

My life was saved by some ampule K Corp. made once, even though it cost me an arm and a leg...

……

The child briefly contemplated in silence...

Indeed, you raise a fair point.

Then he gave his reply with a snicker.

What?

Although I happened to be assigned the position of a leader... My goal is slightly different from what they chant in unison.

When an artificial flower was first made, when fireworks were first invented...

The pure delight and joy of witnessing them emerge for the first time in the world.

Do you not yearn for that feeling as well?

...You're not right in your mind, are you?

You may be correct in your judgement. Yet...

That path appears quite charming to me. And, I felt my mind bloom wider than ever as I conceived that idea.

The child's mind was clear and steadfast.

It seemed that no one could dare snap it.