Time passed in Oosawa's garden, and Mandroot and I took our time to explore and appreciate the beauty of nature. I would ask the mandragora the occasional question about the plants, and he would respond with a slight nod or silence, which I respected and appreciated. I wanted him to feel comfortable and at ease with me, so I didn't pressure him to speak.

I knelt beside Mandroot, looking at the same white flowers that had encircled him earlier. "Are these your favorite?" I asked, and his small smile was all the answer I needed. Nodding, I said, "I thought so. I'm not sure what the name of these Flowers is, but I remember seeing them at a funeral a while ago."

I heard a faint noise that barely registered in my ears. My gaze shifted to the person next to me as I suddenly realized the source of the sound.

Mandroot stammered, "C-C-Chrys-s-anthems..." His sudden realization of having spoken out loud caused him to gasp in surprise and clutch his barrel-like chest tightly with his massive arms.

"Thanks," I said, not wanting to overreact to his comment. I didn't want to put too much pressure on him, so I kept it casual. "That's right. I remember now; they were at my great-grandma's funeral."

Mandroot knelt, his portly frame heaving with relief as he reached out to touch the white chrysanthemums. His stubby fingers delicately brushed against the petals, causing them to bend towards him as if in a silent plea for his attention. The entire flower patch seemed to sway in his direction as if enchanted by his presence.

"Wow," I exhaled in awe. I knew that the dryads and their subspecies had the strongest bond with nature of all the liminals and were even capable of manipulating plants to do as they desired. However, as Oosawa observed, witnessing it was an entirely different experience. Instead of commanding them, it seemed the flowers moved of their own accord, responding to Mandroot's presence.

If this didn't deserve the title of "magic," then nothing else does.

Astonishingly, being in such proximity to his dearest flowers gave him a modicum of courage.

Mandroot murmured, never looking away from them. Despite his words, his eyes filled with affection and warmth, his gaze almost yearning. "They mean death and grief and...truth," he said, a hint of sorrow in his voice.

I nodded, simply glad that he was becoming more talkative. "That's why they were at the funeral, then. But I can tell they mean much more to you than that."

I was surprised when he responded, even though I spoke my thoughts aloud rather than actively asking him to elaborate. I didn't want to push my luck.

He hummed in appreciation, a smile playing on his lips as he ran his fingers along the petals. "They remind me of a dear friend," he said reverently.

A white flower symbolizing death, reminding him of a friend; it seemed so straightforward, yet I knew I shouldn't hastily jump to a conclusion. I recalled the words of a wise talking plant from one of my favorite books/movies: "Take your time and think before you decide."

I inquired, "What can you tell me about your friend?"

Mandroot remained silent for a while, and I began to worry that I had gone too far. His hand dropped to the ground, his fingers pressing into the damp soil. He bowed his head further, concealing his face with a curtain of leaves.

He stammered, "S-S-She's...serious most of the time, especially regarding her job. But she's nice." A faint smile emerged from behind the leaves. "I miss her."

Going off his phrasing, it seemed like she was still alive. I couldn't help but wonder why she was associated with a flower that symbolized death. His enthusiasm for the topic made me more curious, especially since it was the only one he could speak of confidently.

"What's her job?"

Mandroot froze, unable to form a coherent answer. "I'm sorry, I can't say," he stammered.

The stutter returned full force, indicating that pursuing this line of conversation was off-limits. I raised my hands in peace, trying to ease his anxiety. "It's okay; I'm just curious." I was burning with curiosity, but I needed to be mature and accept what was before me.

Despite my attempts to reassure him that I was not mad, Mandroot remained quiet during our session. We were supposed to be together for an hour at most, but I was happy to stay longer if he requested it. We squatted in the dirt, mostly in silence, with Mandroot occasionally interacting with the plants around him. It was tedious, but I found myself captivated by his interactions with the plants.

The doors burst open at the stroke of the hour and out strutted Zombina. "Hey, Hot Pink! Time's up!"

The sudden burst of activity caused Mandroot to flinch, making me feel defensive of him. I sighed deeply and remained where I sat. "Could you give us a moment?" I asked her, trying to keep my voice even.

"Okay," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'll be waiting for you out front. Don't keep me waiting for too long, okay?"

"Thanks a bunch!" I chirped as she walked away. Turning to face Mandroot, I asked, "Would you like to meet again next week? We could do it every other week or at least - whatever you think is best."

Mandroot nervously shifted in his seat, anxiously pushing his fingers through the dirt as he mulled it over. I was becoming increasingly concerned that he wouldn't decide until he finally stammered, "Um...w-w-would every two weeks be acceptable?"

I smiled brightly at him. I was pleasantly surprised at how well things had gone - I might be good at this counseling thing after all! "Fantastic!" I exclaimed, my face lighting up with a goofy grin. "Can you make it on the same day and time?"

He nodded slowly in agreement.

"Excellent. I'll leave my number with Oosawa-san if you ever want to talk. Now, I'm off. Take care!"

"Wait!" Mandroot shouted, stopping me in my tracks. When I looked down at him, he winced and averted his gaze. "Thank you," he said, taking a deep breath. "For, um... taking the time to talk with me. My host tries, but I get so..."

"It was my pleasure," I said with a smile, "so don't worry about it!"

Mandroot nervously shifted his weight from side to side, avoiding eye contact. "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier," he stammered. "I want to make it up to you by telling you where my friend is working."

"I understand if it's something you don't want to do," I said, trying to be reassuring. "No need to force yourself."

He shook his head slowly; fern leaves rustling in the air with his every motion. "N-No, I want to. You were s-s-so much nicer than I expected, and I," he blushed, a tinge of shyness in his voice, "I want you t-t-two to meet someday! I'm sure you two would like each other."

Oh my, was he trying to set me up with his friend? It was quite a humorous situation, but I figured there was no harm in indulging him. I was rather intrigued to discover who this mysterious friend connected to death was.

"Yes, go ahead," I said, giving my permission.

Mandroot steeled himself, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. With a newfound sense of clarity and assurance, he declared, "The Far Side!"

What?

"Um..." I scratched the back of my head, feeling embarrassed for some reason. "Sorry, but I don't-"

"C'mon, Hot Pink-saaaaaaaaan," Zombina whined from the house. "Let's move on and kick your cutie patootie into gear!"

"My apologies," I said. I turned my attention back to Mandroot. "If you need to speak with me again, don't hesitate to call."

He nodded, and upon seeing this, I quickly exited the premises. When I arrived at the house's entrance, I encountered a zombie girl with a vacant expression and an older woman with a composed demeanor.

"Bando-san," Oosawa greeted me with a smile. "How did it go?"

"I was pleasantly surprised," I said, "We had an enjoyable conversation, and he asked me to meet him again in two weeks."

She gave a surprised blink behind her glasses. "Oh my! He spoke to you?" Her smile softened, and her eyes twinkled with joy. "I'm so glad. Whatever you did for him must have impacted him because I think he's finally ready to open up."

I wasn't sure what I had done either, but I was willing to accept the outcome. "I just followed my instincts," I told Oosawa, "but my colleague is eager for me to leave. I'll be on my way now."

Oosawa let out a hearty chuckle. "You're always welcome here, dear. That goes for you, too, Zombina-san."

Zombina and I both thanked her for her time and left. As we entered our car, the MON Squad member asked me, "So, how do ya feel about your first case?". The driver started the engine and began driving us back into town, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation as I contemplated the successful conclusion of my first case.

"I was pleasantly surprised when Mandroot spoke to me. I hadn't expected him to, given that he was a mandragora. Nevertheless, it seemed that he liked me well enough."

"Pshhh," Zombina waved a dismissive hand. "I read the boss's binder, and it's outdated regarding liminals. Most of the info there was based on first impressions and hasn't gotten a revision. If you followed it, you'd have a minimal and oversimplified view of liminals."

"I wasn't shocked by it," I said thoughtfully. "But it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless, and I enjoyed it."

"Be careful," Zombina warned with a sly smile, "You haven't encountered the more difficult characters yet. Wait and see."

"Bring it!" I replied with a confident smile. But my grin quickly disappeared when I noticed the car turning in the wrong direction. "Wait, why are we going this way?"

"We aren't," Zombina replied calmly, "The Boss wanted to request something of you. That's why I was in such a rush earlier."

I groaned in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me...."

"Take a deep breath and relax. Things aren't as bad as they seem."

"I promised Papa and Suu I would play with them once I had finished."

"It's a good thing you haven't finished yet," she said with a mischievous smile.

Further complaining would only irritate Zombina, so I quietly retreated to my corner and sulked. I didn't have much time to dwell on my misery, however, as the car soon stopped at a curb where two people were waiting. Smith, as usual, was nonchalantly waving at us. But the other figure.

"Hey Zombina, is that the liminal bigwig you mentioned earlier?"

"Hm?" She peered out through the window. "Oh hey, sure is. Neat."

I only had to see the wheelchair and the pink hair, and I immediately knew who it was. I didn't want to admit it, but I had, perhaps, forgotten about it a bit. I could make excuses that my life had been quite hectic recently.

Regardless, it seemed like Mero's turn to join the family. I wish I had more time to prepare Suu for the transition better; however, what can you do? No matter what unfolds, it's out of our hands now.

To be continued!