healingbonds (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
healingbonds) wrote2020-10-11 08:31 pm
healingbonds) wrote2020-10-11 08:31 pm
Ballad of the Dogsledder Praying to the Northern Lights | Chapter 5
Chapter 4 << | index | >> Chapter 6
The next day, the Central wizards and the Western wizards change into the arctic clothing that Chloe prepared, and we gather at the tower in the magic headquarters.
Chloe’s arctic clothing is incredibly wonderful. It holds a wizard-like sense of mystery, and the warmth of a snowy country.
Riquet: Thank you, Chloe! They’re so warm and fluffy!
Cain: These are so cool! I feel like I could go to a ball in the Town of Ice!
Chloe: Ehehe. When Arthur told me the stories of Sir Oz’s castle, these ideas for clothes immediately sprang to my mind.
I’m happy that everyone is wearing them!
Arthur: Thank you, Chloe. What do you think, Toto? How do they suit?
Toto: Ah...... Y-yeah. I think they’re wonderful.
Toto sneaks a glance at Arthur, and immediately lowers his gaze back down. As usual, he makes no attempt to look at Oz’s face.
Arthur seems crestfallen, but he takes Toto’s hand so he won’t trip from his restricted field of vision.
(Dogs barking)
His dogs walk behind him, sticking close to his rear as if they’re protecting him.
Akira: (Cats are cute, but dogs are cute too......)
Suddenly, Oz plucks at the lapel of Arthur’s clothes.
Toto turns pale, apparently having glimpsed Oz’s fingertips.
Arthur: Sir Oz, what’s wrong?
Oz: .....Once, I tried to make something like this.
Arthur: Something like this? Do you mean clothes like this? You, Sir Oz, making clothes like Chloe?
Chloe: Sir Oz? Um...... You mean clothes with collars?
Oz: It did not matter whether they had collars or not.
Oz releases Arthur’s lapel, and balls his fingers into fists as if he doesn’t know what to do with them.
Oz: ......When I first picked up Arthur, I tried to put new clothes on him because the ones he was wearing were dirty.
But even though I tried making clothes with magic, it wouldn’t go the way I wanted it to.
Cain: Huh! So even you can fail at magic.
Oz: I did not fail. I added the same number of sleeves and collars, but the clothes I made just did not look like his old clothes.
Rustica: Why would that be? Did they suddenly burst into song?
Murr: Or did they refuse to get along with Arthur?
Arthur: I’ve never fought my clothes, have I......?
Oz frowns and curls his lips. His face makes him look more like a father sulking over a failed do-it-yourself project than an imposing and dignified demon king.
Oz: ......The clothes that I made with magic were ugly.
Arthur: Your clothes weren’t ugly, Sir Oz. They looked cool, like a strong bagworm.
Oz: .....Bagworm......
Shylock: Ah, I see how it is. You’re referring to the design. Well, that can’t be helped.
The clothes that Prince Arthur wore were surely children’s clothes of the finest quality, tailored by imperial craftsmen.
They must have been elegant, refined articles of clothing made of the finest materials. Like the clothes that Chloe makes.
Akira: (I see...... Even if you can make anything with magic, decoration and sense of style still depend on the creator.)
(Whether you create something based on your memory of seeing it elsewhere, or you create something entirely new based on your own aesthetic...... Either way, it’s difficult if you don’t have any interest in the task.)
I gaze at Chloe, impressed. The sheer stylishness of Chloe’s creations must be due to his impeccable sense of style.
Feeling everyone’s gazes on him, Chloe turns red with embarrassment and shakes his head fervently.
Chloe: I-I’m really not all that. My clothes can hardly compare to the ones made by the imperial craftsmen......
Chloe trips over his words in his happiness, and then falls silent under Oz’s intimidating stare. He looks nervous, sweat forming on his forehead.
Chloe: ......N-not at all...... Ah...... Well, I’m just, um...... S-Sorry......
Oz: ............
Oz wipes away the sweat on Chloe’s forehead with his fingertips, murmuring quietly.
Oz: I wanted someone like you.
Chloe: ............
Oz: If only I had met you earlier......
Chloe: ......Sir Oz......
Rustica: I’m sorry, but Chloe met me in Western Country.
Toto: Ah......
Toto exclaims all of a sudden. He clamps a hand to his mouth, still looking downwards.
Toto: There’s something I heard from my mother. One night when she was up knitting, a young man suddenly appeared by the window......
Akira: (Scary......)
Toto: He kept staring at the children's clothing, which was mine. When Mother held it out to him through the window, he vanished like an illusion......
Oz averts his gaze. Maybe he’s feeling awkward.
Cain: You can’t do that, Oz. If you receive something, you have to say thanks. At the very least, you should nod with a smile.
Oz: ......That village exists because of my protection. All the fruits of their labor belong to me.
Murr: Ama~zing! That’s the logic of a king for you!
Shylock: Silence, Murr.
Riquet: It won’t do for you to forget your humility, Oz.
Arthur: Was it the blue and white sweater with deer patterns all over it?
Toto: Yes, that’s the one. In the village, there’s a saying that deer will protect lost children.
Arthur: So that’s why! Your mother mentioned it when I met her.
"So you’re the child those clothes were for." I didn’t know what she meant at the time, but then she knit me a cap with the matching design.
Chloe: Wow! It sounds just like a fairytale! I’d love to see that sweater and the cap.
Arthur: I want to show you too, Chloe! Is it still at the castle?
Oz does not reply immediately. Just as he is about to speak, Cain nudges his elbow into Oz’s side, laughing without care.
Cain: Of course it is. I’m sure he’s kept it carefully. My family still displays the wooden sword that I made as a child right next to the fireplace.
We all smile at Cain’s words. Everyone seems relaxed — it feels more like going to visit a friend’s house than going on a mission.
Oz: ......Well then, let’s set out.
<< Vox Nox >>
As soon as I hear Oz’s spell, my vision turns pure white.
I sense the cold, piercing air around me. But it isn’t cold enough to make me freeze or shiver, so perhaps Oz is protecting us.
Akira: (Where is this......? My feet seem to be planted somewhere, but...... My line of sight is so high that it feels like I’m on top of a cloud......)
I look around, and catch sight of the Central and Western wizards amidst the flurry of pure white snowflakes.
Rustica smiles at me against the silvery world, even as he protects Chloe from the blizzard.
Rustica: I’ve heard about the lightning, but it appears the castle is also protected by a blizzard.
Akira: The castle is protected by a blizzard......?
Rustica: This blizzard is of Sir Oz’s magic. And this is the balcony of Sir Oz’s castle.
I look down at my feet again, and look up at Oz’s profile.
He lifts his staff, and chants his spell.
Oz: << Vox Nox >>
The wind and the snow subside like they had never been there in the first place, and our vision gradually clears.
My breath catches at the sight of the scenery spread out in front of my eyes.
Akira: ......Amazing......
Pure white forests that stretch into the distance endlessly...... Beautiful, vast mountain ranges interwoven with shades of white and blue...... Even the rays of light and the sounds of wind hold a note of divinity.
I stand stock still, at a loss for words. Its beauty is so primal, serene, and overwhelming that my soul feels like it will float away.
Akira: (......I couldn’t imagine how Oz lived for two thousand years, but......)
(Now I feel like I understand how you would forget the passage of time just by gazing at this scenery......)
All of the Central and Western wizards are mesmerized by the scenery.
Mountain ranges that trigger small avalanches. The shadow of a large bird taking flight from the forest of white and dark green. It is terrifying, and yet I cannot look away.
Shylock smiles with satisfaction.
Shylock: How beautiful...... I have one less regret now. I can finally come to genuinely love this scenery.
The last time, I did not have enough composure to enjoy the view. To think that it was this magnificent......
I turn to peer at the castle interior.
Perhaps Oz casted his magic: there is a lit fireplace in the spacious living hall.
Lights flicker to life down the long hallways.
Akira: (The lights are on...... I hope the people in Toto’s village can feel at peace......)
Chapter 4 << | index | >> Chapter 6
The next day, the Central wizards and the Western wizards change into the arctic clothing that Chloe prepared, and we gather at the tower in the magic headquarters.
Chloe’s arctic clothing is incredibly wonderful. It holds a wizard-like sense of mystery, and the warmth of a snowy country.
Riquet: Thank you, Chloe! They’re so warm and fluffy!
Cain: These are so cool! I feel like I could go to a ball in the Town of Ice!
Chloe: Ehehe. When Arthur told me the stories of Sir Oz’s castle, these ideas for clothes immediately sprang to my mind.
I’m happy that everyone is wearing them!
Arthur: Thank you, Chloe. What do you think, Toto? How do they suit?
Toto: Ah...... Y-yeah. I think they’re wonderful.
Toto sneaks a glance at Arthur, and immediately lowers his gaze back down. As usual, he makes no attempt to look at Oz’s face.
Arthur seems crestfallen, but he takes Toto’s hand so he won’t trip from his restricted field of vision.
(Dogs barking)
His dogs walk behind him, sticking close to his rear as if they’re protecting him.
Akira: (Cats are cute, but dogs are cute too......)
Suddenly, Oz plucks at the lapel of Arthur’s clothes.
Toto turns pale, apparently having glimpsed Oz’s fingertips.
Arthur: Sir Oz, what’s wrong?
Oz: .....Once, I tried to make something like this.
Arthur: Something like this? Do you mean clothes like this? You, Sir Oz, making clothes like Chloe?
Chloe: Sir Oz? Um...... You mean clothes with collars?
Oz: It did not matter whether they had collars or not.
Oz releases Arthur’s lapel, and balls his fingers into fists as if he doesn’t know what to do with them.
Oz: ......When I first picked up Arthur, I tried to put new clothes on him because the ones he was wearing were dirty.
But even though I tried making clothes with magic, it wouldn’t go the way I wanted it to.
Cain: Huh! So even you can fail at magic.
Oz: I did not fail. I added the same number of sleeves and collars, but the clothes I made just did not look like his old clothes.
Rustica: Why would that be? Did they suddenly burst into song?
Murr: Or did they refuse to get along with Arthur?
Arthur: I’ve never fought my clothes, have I......?
Oz frowns and curls his lips. His face makes him look more like a father sulking over a failed do-it-yourself project than an imposing and dignified demon king.
Oz: ......The clothes that I made with magic were ugly.
Arthur: Your clothes weren’t ugly, Sir Oz. They looked cool, like a strong bagworm.
Oz: .....Bagworm......
Shylock: Ah, I see how it is. You’re referring to the design. Well, that can’t be helped.
The clothes that Prince Arthur wore were surely children’s clothes of the finest quality, tailored by imperial craftsmen.
They must have been elegant, refined articles of clothing made of the finest materials. Like the clothes that Chloe makes.
Akira: (I see...... Even if you can make anything with magic, decoration and sense of style still depend on the creator.)
(Whether you create something based on your memory of seeing it elsewhere, or you create something entirely new based on your own aesthetic...... Either way, it’s difficult if you don’t have any interest in the task.)
I gaze at Chloe, impressed. The sheer stylishness of Chloe’s creations must be due to his impeccable sense of style.
Feeling everyone’s gazes on him, Chloe turns red with embarrassment and shakes his head fervently.
Chloe: I-I’m really not all that. My clothes can hardly compare to the ones made by the imperial craftsmen......
Chloe trips over his words in his happiness, and then falls silent under Oz’s intimidating stare. He looks nervous, sweat forming on his forehead.
Chloe: ......N-not at all...... Ah...... Well, I’m just, um...... S-Sorry......
Oz: ............
Oz wipes away the sweat on Chloe’s forehead with his fingertips, murmuring quietly.
Oz: I wanted someone like you.
Chloe: ............
Oz: If only I had met you earlier......
Chloe: ......Sir Oz......
Rustica: I’m sorry, but Chloe met me in Western Country.
Toto: Ah......
Toto exclaims all of a sudden. He clamps a hand to his mouth, still looking downwards.
Toto: There’s something I heard from my mother. One night when she was up knitting, a young man suddenly appeared by the window......
Akira: (Scary......)
Toto: He kept staring at the children's clothing, which was mine. When Mother held it out to him through the window, he vanished like an illusion......
Oz averts his gaze. Maybe he’s feeling awkward.
Cain: You can’t do that, Oz. If you receive something, you have to say thanks. At the very least, you should nod with a smile.
Oz: ......That village exists because of my protection. All the fruits of their labor belong to me.
Murr: Ama~zing! That’s the logic of a king for you!
Shylock: Silence, Murr.
Riquet: It won’t do for you to forget your humility, Oz.
Arthur: Was it the blue and white sweater with deer patterns all over it?
Toto: Yes, that’s the one. In the village, there’s a saying that deer will protect lost children.
Arthur: So that’s why! Your mother mentioned it when I met her.
"So you’re the child those clothes were for." I didn’t know what she meant at the time, but then she knit me a cap with the matching design.
Chloe: Wow! It sounds just like a fairytale! I’d love to see that sweater and the cap.
Arthur: I want to show you too, Chloe! Is it still at the castle?
Oz does not reply immediately. Just as he is about to speak, Cain nudges his elbow into Oz’s side, laughing without care.
Cain: Of course it is. I’m sure he’s kept it carefully. My family still displays the wooden sword that I made as a child right next to the fireplace.
We all smile at Cain’s words. Everyone seems relaxed — it feels more like going to visit a friend’s house than going on a mission.
Oz: ......Well then, let’s set out.
<< Vox Nox >>
As soon as I hear Oz’s spell, my vision turns pure white.
I sense the cold, piercing air around me. But it isn’t cold enough to make me freeze or shiver, so perhaps Oz is protecting us.
Akira: (Where is this......? My feet seem to be planted somewhere, but...... My line of sight is so high that it feels like I’m on top of a cloud......)
I look around, and catch sight of the Central and Western wizards amidst the flurry of pure white snowflakes.
Rustica smiles at me against the silvery world, even as he protects Chloe from the blizzard.
Rustica: I’ve heard about the lightning, but it appears the castle is also protected by a blizzard.
Akira: The castle is protected by a blizzard......?
Rustica: This blizzard is of Sir Oz’s magic. And this is the balcony of Sir Oz’s castle.
I look down at my feet again, and look up at Oz’s profile.
He lifts his staff, and chants his spell.
Oz: << Vox Nox >>
The wind and the snow subside like they had never been there in the first place, and our vision gradually clears.
My breath catches at the sight of the scenery spread out in front of my eyes.
Akira: ......Amazing......
Pure white forests that stretch into the distance endlessly...... Beautiful, vast mountain ranges interwoven with shades of white and blue...... Even the rays of light and the sounds of wind hold a note of divinity.
I stand stock still, at a loss for words. Its beauty is so primal, serene, and overwhelming that my soul feels like it will float away.
Akira: (......I couldn’t imagine how Oz lived for two thousand years, but......)
(Now I feel like I understand how you would forget the passage of time just by gazing at this scenery......)
All of the Central and Western wizards are mesmerized by the scenery.
Mountain ranges that trigger small avalanches. The shadow of a large bird taking flight from the forest of white and dark green. It is terrifying, and yet I cannot look away.
Shylock smiles with satisfaction.
Shylock: How beautiful...... I have one less regret now. I can finally come to genuinely love this scenery.
The last time, I did not have enough composure to enjoy the view. To think that it was this magnificent......
I turn to peer at the castle interior.
Perhaps Oz casted his magic: there is a lit fireplace in the spacious living hall.
Lights flicker to life down the long hallways.
Akira: (The lights are on...... I hope the people in Toto’s village can feel at peace......)
Chapter 4 << | index | >> Chapter 6