Chapter 2

## The Land of Flowers

**"The Land of Flowers"** is the second chapter of the *Wandering Witch* manga.

## Summary

Elaina finds herself in a meadow of flowers close by to her next destination. It's there she meets a young girl named Artemisia who gives her a bouquet of flowers. Although the flowers are seemingly harmless, there's more to them and the place where they originated.

### Plot

Flying through a thick forest, Elaina finds herself in a large and vast meadow. There she encounters a young girl named Artemisia tending to the flowers there. When asked by Artemisia if Elaina is heading to the Country of Flowers, she confirms it and Artemisia details the story about "Love Threads". It involves when someone finds a special flower called the Love Thread which is foretold that if a couple were to find it, they'll be joined together forever. Internally, Elaina believes this to be completely bull as it's just a provincial tourist trap item. Elaina then asks Artemisia if she's looking for such a thing and she abruptly answers no, but retracts her answer. Artemisia then requests if Elaina could deliver a bunch of flowers she has wrapped in her shawl. When asked to whom she should give the flowers to, Artemisia mentions the name Sorol, but corrects herself in an agitated manner that anyone would do. Now in possession of the flowers, Elaina notes that it's getting late and says Artemisia should get home soon too. However, Artemisia disturbingly claims that she wants to stay there as there's no better place to stay at then there.

At the gate to the country, the guard there stops her and confiscates her flowers. Noticing the shawl, the guard demands to know where Elaina got it, which his curt attitude aggravates Elaina. Another soldier intervenes calling the callous more solid Sorol and relieves him of his duty. With Sorol gone, the other soldier apologizes for his rude behavior on his behalf, noting that a few days ago he little sister went missing. Taking no offense to what happened before, Elaina requests for her bouquet back, however, the soldier notes that it must be confiscated. This is due to the flowers being poisonous and the soldier details the harsh details surrounding it. The soldier then asks where Elaina got them and she answers that she simply found them and knows nothing about the missing sister.

Afterward in her room at an inn, Elaina reflects on her encounter with Artemisia and how it reminds her of a story in Nike's Adventures. Going to investigate the flowers that were to be incinerated, Elaina finds Sorol by the furnace embracing Artemisia's shawl and calls out her name. Because of this, Elaina decides to swing by the flower meadow again before she leaves and dispels the poison from the flowers if it's magic.

The following day Elaina goes on an excursion around the town and notes while it's pretty it's lonely due to the lack of tourists. Soon, Elaina talks with a middle-aged woman about the Love Thread sham and details the backstory of the flowers involving a magician. The conversation then changes to about a young girl who came to live in the country with her older brother. In order to make a living, she sold flowers which gained her much praise throughout the country and beyond. Upset by the attention that his sister had started to draw, the brother forbade his sister to leave the house. Because of this, a nasty rumor started to spread that the two siblings were involved in a taboo relationship with each other. Part of this was fueled by the poisonous flower story and people started to surround her house, which made the brother cut all ties with the outside world with her. The middle-aged woman then charges Elaina for the story, but as a special deal offers her a small bouquet of flowers. Curious as to know the meaning behind the symbols behind the colors of the flowers, the middle-aged woman explains them to her. Elaina then inquires about the color combination of a certain bouquet involving a single yellow flower surrounded by white flowers. To this, the middle-aged woman answers it and apologizes for scamming her noting her slump since her flower girl went missing. After having an epiphany, Elaina asks what the flower girl's name was and the middle-aged woman answers that it was Artemisia.

With this in thought, Elaina heads back to the flower meadow and finds Sorol embracing the dead body of Artemisia. Sorol talks with his sister noting how wonderful it is to see her again and how he'll never leave her again. Elaina then deduces the intention as to why the magician created the field of flowers and why Artemisia fled there. Before leaving the two, Elaina comments on how both Artemisia and Sorol look together as if a couple in love.

## Differences in Adaptation

* The manga revealed the sibling's names was "Sorol" and "Artemisia".

## Characters

* Elaina
* Artemisia
* Sorol