Ballad of the Dreaming Pilot | Chapter 5

[healingbonds]

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Chloe: And I’ll finish this off with buttons and some embroidery.....

Arthur: Chloe. Can we talk right now?

Chloe: Arthur? What is it?

Arthur: I wanted to help you with our outfits.
I’m not very good at needlework, so I may not be very useful, but.

Chloe: Really? Thank you! Ah, but am I allowed to make a prince do needlework....?

Arthur: Of course. We’re comrades — please ask me to do anything.

Chloe: That makes me feel really happy. Can I leave the sewing here to you, then?
I’ll show you what to do, and if you’re ever confused, just ask away!

Arthur: All right. So first I need to attach these buttons.
....... May I ask a question?

Chloe: What is it? What’s wrong?

Arthur: This button doesn’t have any holes. Perhaps this is a defective product....?

Chloe: That’s a piece of candy! Maybe Murr or Rustica left it in the button box?

Arthur: So it’s candy. It was very pretty and shiny, and it smelled strangely sweet, so I thought, "Western Country is fashionable down to its buttons."

Chloe: (Arthur is a really cool prince, but maybe he’s pretty air-headed too....? He kind of reminds me of Rustica.)

✦✧☾✧✦

Arthur: I never realized how difficult a tailor’s job was until now, after experiencing it for myself.
You always do such amazing work like it’s nothing, Chloe; I truly admire you.

Chloe: No, you’re an amazing prince! I wanted to cover my ears during today’s discussion because it was filled with scary talk about nations and militaries, and it made me anxious.
But you don’t run away from all that, Arthur. You keep thinking about what you should do. I think that takes a lot of courage.

Arthur: Haha. If I were alone, I would’ve been completely lost, unsure of how to attach this button to this cloth. But I could do it because you taught me, Chloe.
I believe that we can overcome the difficulties in front of us because of the diversity of our strength and knowledge; we’re all good at different things, and we’ve all persisted in different ways.
I love how naturally the Western wizards can do that.

Chloe: Ehehe. You’re making me blush.
I think that goes for Mister Benjamin too. He put his life on the line and came all the way here with classified military information in order to find his ship.

Arthur: Yes. It must’ve taken a lot of courage.

Chloe: He’s proud of his job. Just as I pour my passion into making clothes.
That’s why I hope we can find his ship.
I know it might be difficult for you, Arthur, since it attacked Central Country, but.....

Arthur: No, I feel the same.
Even if the final product may bring forth tragedy and pain — the earnestness humans pour into creating something new is always wonderful.

Chloe: Arthur.....

(Knock knock)

Rustica: Chloe, how are things coming along? Oh, Prince Arthur, I didn’t realize you were here too.

Chloe: Guess what, Rustica! Arthur came to help me out.

Arthur: Chloe was teaching me how to sew buttons.

Chloe: And we were just taking a quick break to chat.

Rustica: Fufu, you look like you’re enjoying yourselves. What were you talking about?

✦✧☾✧✦

Rustica: ....I see. This story reminds me of the musical score I composed in the past.

Chloe: Musical score....? What kind of piece was it?

Rustica: Unfortunately, I can’t play it for you anymore.
Because I burned the sheet music long ago.

✦✧☾✧✦

(Woosh)

Dressed as trainees, we head to Langrenus Island using Oz’s magic.

Akira: Woah......

The moment I open my eyes, I’m overwhelmed by the scene that greets us.
The smell of oil and dust. A steady rhythm echoes through the earth, and the countless clanging metals pierce our ears. The tall, tall chimneys spit out black smoke, and the air blowing our way, warm from all the machinery, clings to the skin.
We gaze up at the competing crowd of factories in a daze. This place is an industrial city that spends day and night in production and development.

Chloe: Amazing... There’s nothing but machinery here.

Riquet: Is it all fueled by magical technology? I can’t believe it.

Benjamin: Isn’t it incredible?

Mister Benjamin says cheerily, pleased by Chloe and Riquet’s genuine surprise.
But Arthur and Cain are making troubled faces.

Arthur: What frightful progress. I didn’t imagine they had gotten this far.

Cain: Yeah. I heard the rumors, but.....

The strict and majestic breath of nature is nowhere to be seen. This island is ruled by the glaring passions of science.
I’ve never seen such a city in this world. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but even the passage of time seems to fly by at greater speed.

Cain: I’m glad that Oz...wald is a Central wizard. I’ve never thought of you as a military weapon, but I’m really feeling it after seeing this island.
If they ever use these scientific weapons to invade our territory, an average soldier would never stand a chance.

Oz: It does not matter to me if Central Country turns into a field of ashes.

Cain: What? But you’re a Central Country....

Oz: I have no interest in human conflict.
If you wish to protect something, then protect it yourself. You are a knight.

Cain: ........

Baffled, Cain surveys the city with a straightforward gaze. What does this island look like to him?

Rustica: What a merry place this is. Is there a shop that serves some delicious tea?

Murr: I want to find some sparkling jewels! Let’s go, Sir Sage!

Shylock: Then I suppose I will search for a bar with a relaxing atmosphere. Would you like to join me for future reference, Sir Sage?

Akira: (The Western wizards always take things at their own pace. It’s almost reassuring....)

Chapter 4 << | index | >> Chapter 6