Garden

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## Organization

### Debut

* *Three & Nine* (*Trails of Cold Steel IV*) (mentioned)
* *Trails into Reverie*

### Predecessor

* Order of the Moonlight Horse
* D∴G cult

v **·** e

**Garden** (庭園(ガーデン)), also known as **the Organization** (組織) in the *Trails of Cold Steel IV* novel series *Three & Nine*, is a group of assassins active in Central and East Zemuria.

## Organization

Garden is divided into four units that are known as the **Four Gardens** (四の庭園(フオーガーデン)). Each of the overseers of the Gardens are equipped with artifacts. The subordinate members they employ are always paired to improve the success rate of their operations, and ensure potential traitors are reported or assassinated.

### Garden of Swords

Overseer of the **Garden of Swords** (剣の庭園) was **Emperor**. He wielded the Monarch's Regalia set of artifacts that enabled him to manipulate gravity in combat. He had three known subordinates:

* One of Swords (**Ace Rayne**, deceased)
* Three of Swords (**Swin Abel**, defected)
* Nine of Swords (**Nadia Rayne**, defected)

### Garden of Thorns

Overseer of the **Garden of Thorns** (棘の庭園) was **Melchior**. His artifacts included his dagger and a method of endlessly creating bombs, each considered an artifact in their own right.

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Ixs and Jolda were both members of Melchior's Garden. Prior to his death, Melchior ordered all of his subordinates to kill each other, and only they were left standing. It is also stated that these two had been raised in the Garden following the destruction of the cult that they were born in.

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### Garden of Aurum

Overseer of the **Garden of Aurum** (金の庭園) was **Olympia**. Her artifact was Ishtanti, a doll that assisted her in combat and absorbed all her emotions.

### Garden of Rust

Overseer of the **Garden of Rust** (錆の庭園) was **Arioch** prior to his death. His artifact was the Fang of Ragou, a special halberd and suit of armor that bolstered his resilience, strength and longevity through the taking of others' lives.

## Background

### Origins

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Following the destruction of the Order of the Moonlight Horse, one of its members, Ellroy Harwood, became the Fourth Anguis of the organization that destroyed the Order; Ouroboros. When the D∴G cult was exterminated not long afterwards, Harwood facilitated the remnants of the Order merging with the remnants of the Cult to form Garden. Despite his involvement in its creation, Harwood allowed the Garden to do as they pleased.

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### *Trails of Cold Steel IV*

Garden gathers children with special circumstances and trains them as assassins in a place called factories. After enrolling, their names are discarded and the mere mention of their real name will lead to severe punishment.

Members of the Organization can be divided as low-ranking and high-ranking members. Low-ranking members who graduate from the factories are given a name based on the minor arcana, hence Swin and Nadia being known as Three of Swords and Nine of Swords. They are bound by the Garden's strict rules requiring them to cooperate and requiring them to rat out their partner if they attempt to betray or escape the Organization. If two members are caught betraying the Organization, they are purged; however, if one of them exposes the other attempting to betray the Organization, then that person will be spared and granted freedom while the exposed person is purged.

Before the events of Three and Nine, Swin's (Three of Swords) partner was the One of Swords. When the two of them failed in an attempt to escape the Organization, the rules dictated that if one of them betrayed the other, that person would be spared. Ace made it look like he was betraying Swin, but in reality, he allowed Swin to kill him thinking he was defending himself against a traitor, because he didn't want Swin to feel the guilt of betraying a partner.

Within the next three years, Nadia, Ace's younger sister, became Swin's next partner. During the events of the book, Nadia is aware of the truth about Ace's "betrayal" of Swin who falsely thinks Nadia seeks to kill him in revenge. The two of them fool their Warden who is supervising them, the Emperor, into thinking Nadia is about to betray Swin, but this is all a ploy; thanks to Swin's sword properties and Nadia's analysis techniques, they are able to overcome the Emperor's gravity manipulation tactics and defeat him. They execute him before leaving the Organization for good.

### *Trails into Reverie*

A Simulacrum of the Emperor wielding copies of the Monarch's Regalia serves as an obstacle to Swin, Nadia and their new allies during the events of the game.

### *Trails through Daybreak*

The known remaining Wardens of the Garden; Melchior, Olympia and Arioch; ally themselves with the Almata mafia group throughout the course of the game. Melchior is loyal to the leader Gerard Dantes, while Arioch and Olympia are working under a contract. They come into conflict with the Arkride Solutions Office multiple times. Ouroboros seem to have a vested interest in taking Garden's personnel out, with Walter Kron pursuing Melchior and Ellroy purchasing the Solutions Office of their services in their elimination.

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Melchior comes up with the idea of destroying the town of Creil and Gerard ends up going through with it's destruction. Following this, factions on both sides of the law including the Arkride Solutions Office, the Bracer Guild, the CID, Heiyue, Ikaruga, Marduk Company and Ouroboros all cooperate to take them down. In the ensuing conflict, all members of Almata including the cooperating Garden members are killed or imprisoned.

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### *Kuro no Kiseki II: Crimson Sin*

A new figure becomes active in Calvard with the appellation 'Garden-Master.' This individual is said to have risen to power as the Garden's new leader following Nadia and Swin's departure from Garden and the death of Emperor. Ellroy personally thanks Swin and Nadia for taking Emperor out, stating that it removed a quarter of his workload, referring the the leaders of the four branches.

It is revealed shortly before his death, Melchior sent an order out to all remaining members of Garden. The order was for them all to kill each other and the last ones standing would be free. Ixs and Jolda relishes in this opportunity and emerged as the ultimate victors. With this action, Garden was effectively dissolved and ceased to function as an organization. Garden-master, later revealed as August Ardante, a soul saved from death at the time of the Revolution and inhabiting a clone body of Ace Rayne, is later killed. He made use of the phase space the Vanity Garden guarded by the artifacts of Olympia and Arioch. Ixs and Jolda remain as the sole survivors; however, they have joined Ouroboros.

## Trivia

* There are 56 Minor Arcana cards. This would imply a limit on how many members there may be.
* When the Emperor was confronted by Order of the Moonlight Horse member Sharon Kreuger, he remarked that he knew that Sharon was a member of the Moonlight Horse, and Sharon was surprised for him to be aware of this. This foreshadows the connection between Garden and Order of the Moonlight Horse.
* As Garden was created by Ellroy Harwood, he may have decided to name the four groups after the suits of Minor Arcana to reflect the Ouroboros Enforcers, who are named after the Major Arcana.

## References

Notes

1. ↑ 金黄の園 is also used as alternative spelling in *Trails through Daybreak*, Chapter 5: "White Night Carnival" (白夜のカルナヴァル).

Sources

1. ↑ *Trails through Daybreak*, Chapter 5: "White Night Carnival" (白夜のカルナヴァル).