The Bonds We Formed, Like Magic | Chapter 7

[healingbonds]

Chapter 6 << | index | >> Chapter 8


Faust: The meeting went on for so long that it cut into class time again....
This is the bare minimum I need you to know before we head out on our next mission, so you’re going to have to cram.

Shino: You know, the guys from the other countries don’t even have class.

Faust: That’s because their teachers are confident in their abilities to protect their students. I have no such confidence.

Nero: No need to be so humble.

Faust: ...It’s the truth. I let my students get hurt all the time.
You don’t have to cover for me. So long as I accept my position as your teacher, it is my responsibility.

Heathcliff: It’s not your fault, Mr. Faust.... Your teaching has guided us through crisis after crisis.
Prince Arthur and Chloe and Rutile have all said, "I’m jealous of Eastern Country — you get to learn so much."

Shino: We study too much. We should stop with the written exams.

Faust: I’m not taking orders from you.

Shino: That’s my line. You said, "This is the bare minimum you’ll need to cram" last time too. That’s too many bare minimums.

Faust: Yes, because there are infinite bare minimums. To be honest, I want to teach you every inkling of knowledge I have.
You tend to push yourselves past your limits, so... I’ll teach you about the natural laws of order, about regenerative magic, about seals and defense.
I do try to construct my lessons so they are easy for you to understand, but it doesn’t always work out like that.
So I need to conduct regular examinations to confirm your understanding. That’s why we have exams.

Shino: But the other guys....

Faust: The other countries have teachers who can protect their students.

Shino: ........

Faust: I have neither overwhelming magical power nor extensive battle experience the way Oz, the twins, and Figaro do. I’m not adroit the way Shylock is, either.
Heh... You’ve all drawn the short straw. You’re guided by the man who is most likely to drive you to injury.

Shino & Heathcliff & Nero: ..........

Faust: .........
.....I blamed your poor luck for your wounds. I apologize......

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust, um..... ..........

Nero: Hey, come on, that’s..... Like.... You know.... Right.....?

Shino: You guys suck at cheering him up.

Heathcliff: Y-you’re not weak at all, Mr. Faust. I don’t mean to compare you to others, but I’m sure you’re stronger than the South’s teacher.....

Shino: Nah, Figaro is pretty strong. I don’t know if he doesn’t realize or what when he says he’s weak all the time.

Heathcliff: Wait, really?

Shino: Yeah. He was really happy when I cheered him on, saying, I think you’ve got a lot of potential.

Faust: What a disgusting man.....

Shino: Anyway, there’s no way Faust is weaker than Shylock. I think you can beat him.

Faust: ............ I do think that if it were a pure battle to the death, I might be able to win, but....
I don’t want to fight the Western wizards.

Nero: I feel you.

Shino: Why.

Nero: Have you never fought a Western wizard? They make things impossible.
You’re supposed to be killing each other, but before you know it, you’re getting swept up into a romance.

Shino: What does that even mean?

Heathcliff: That’s horrifying......

Nero: You’re better off assuming you’ll never reach your full potential when fighting Western wizards.
At best, you’ll be at seventy percent full power; at worst, thirty.

Shino: Are you telling me that our Faust is the weakest?

Heathcliff: Shino....!!

Faust: ...........
.....I truly am sorry to you all..........

Nero: It’s fine! It’s fine, really!

Heathcliff: You’re strong, Mr. Faust! In my mind, you’re the strongest wizard in the world!

Nero: Okay, hold up, that’s going too far. Moderation is key.

Shino: Hey, Faust. Don’t look too down. I’m glad you’re my teacher.

Faust: ...........

Shino: If I were in the same country as Oz, I wouldn’t get to show off. The East is great; it’s easy for me to make a name for myself.

Faust: ..........

Heathcliff: Shino, you’re not helping at all!!!

Nero: Mr. Faust is a serious guy at heart! Don’t drive him into a corner like that!

Shino: Oh, shut up. Then why don’t you two cheer him up instead?

Nero: ....Got it. Hey, Faust. I’ll seriously pay attention during class from now on.

Faust: Nero.....
You mean you weren’t serious up till now?

Nero: I was like, sort of serious! But, you know, like, those exams....? I’ll get a perfect score next time. Just wait.

Faust: Really?

Nero: Yeah. By the way, you store your exams somewhere safe once you’ve written them, right?

Faust: ..... And?

Nero: No, uh.... I think it’s better for you to store them somewhere safe. That way nobody will try to peek at your exams and stuff.

Faust: Who’s going to peek at my exams?

Nero: .....Naughty students?

Faust: I have no naughty students.

Nero: Yes, sir......

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust!

Faust: Yes, Heathcliff.

Heathcliff: I’ll be careful to make sure I never get hurt again. I’ll make Shino and Nero be careful too.

Faust: Heath.....

Shino: But you can’t guarantee you’ll escape without a scratch when a powerful enemy strikes.

Heathcliff: When that happens, I’ll hide my wounds so Mr. Faust doesn’t find out....

Faust: Heath.

Heathcliff: ....Yes, sir.

Faust: That is not what I want.

Heathcliff: Yes......

Faust: ......... Sigh......
Thank you.... For trying to cheer me up.

(Door opens)

Lennox: Sir Faust.

Faust: Lennox....
What’s wrong? We’re still in class....

Lennox: Would you allow me to behold the appendages with which you tread upon the ground?

Shino: What’s he saying?

Heathcliff: He’s asking if he can look at his feet. He’s speaking formally, the way one would talk to someone of higher rank.

Shino: Sounds cool. I’m gonna try that too. It helps that Lennox knows a lot of cool words.

Heathcliff: What do you even think Lennox is.....

Faust: .....Of course not. What are you saying?

Lennox: ........ Sir Faust.....

Faust: In any case, save it for later.

Lennox: ....I understand. I apologize for interrupting your lesson.

Faust: It’s fine.

Lennox: Excuse me.

(Door closes)

Nero: ....... Hey, if something’s up, we can continue the lesson later......

Faust: It’s fine.

Nero: I’m not saying it because I wanna play hooky.

Faust: Don’t worry. I know. Let’s continue.
I’m going to make you cram as much as possible.

Shino & Heathcliff & Nero: Yes, sir..........

✦✧☾✧✦

Figaro: The Venator meteor shower, huh. I confess I’ve grown tired of the sight, but it might be entertaining to watch the spectacle with so many people.

Oz: ............

Figaro: You probably don’t remember. But that also happened on the night of a Venator meteor shower.

Oz: ......What are you referring to?

Figaro: I’m talking about the day you almost killed Arthur.

Oz: ............
There were multiple such occasions.

Figaro: That’s true. You were really terrible. You soaked Arthur in icy cold water even though he was running a deathly high fever.

Oz: You......

Figaro: Yeah?

Oz: You wanted Arthur.

Figaro: What? You think I wanted Arthur?

Oz: That’s right.
"I will give you a mana stone of comparable quality and power to Arthur’s stone."
"So give him to me." That is what you said.

Figaro: Ah...... That’s because it looked like you were carelessly toying with his life.

Oz: ............

Figaro: I scolded you a lot back then, remember? I told you it was improbably cruel to take in a child on a whim and raise him, just to turn him into stone.
I’m pretty fond of little lives, and Arthur was such an intelligent and adorable child — I couldn’t just stand by and watch him die a merciless death.
I’ve raised numerous orphans, you see. If all you wanted was a mana stone, I figured I’d just hand you one and rescue Arthur.

Oz: ......Is that so.

Figaro: You were really terrible, you know. It’s a miracle Arthur didn’t end up hating you. You locked him in his room and didn’t even feed him......

Oz: That’s how the twins kept their horses. I did leave him mana stones.

Figaro: Did you think that was enough to keep him alive? You’re such a foolish child...... It’s far more difficult to keep someone alive than it is to kill them.
It’s a good thing he had a kind, gentle wizard like me right by his side.

Oz: ............

Figaro: You’re not going to object?

Oz: Object?

Figaro: I said I was a kind wizard. Aren’t you going to tell me to cut the pretense?

Oz: No...... You’ve always been benevolent.

Figaro: ............ I guess so.
And so, before the ruthless demon king piled up any further sins, I tried to take Arthur in and raise him. I was already taking care of Rutile, after all.
But you refused to let go of Arthur.

Oz: ............

Figaro: I think it worked out pretty well in the end. Arthur experienced a lot of pain and suffering, but he never lost any of his artless innocence.
And yet, when he turned thirteen, you let him go.
Why?

Oz: ............
And you, Figaro?

Figaro: Huh?

Oz: Faust was your apprentice. Why did you expel him? Did he abscond away from you?

Figaro: ............

Oz: ............

Figaro: ......You’ve had too few connections in your life. That’s why you couldn’t possibly understand......
That this sort of thing happens all the time. The bonds you believed you had tied fall apart, and the paths you were meant to tread close before you realize it.
What you thought were scarce encounters and exceptional ties turn out to be nothing but fleeting mirages; the stuff of dreams. It’s a common enough occurrence when you know too many people.

Oz: Is that so?

Figaro: That’s right.

Oz: He was your first and last student — can you still say that happens all the time?

Figaro: Oz.

Oz: ............

Figaro: It’s been a mere ten and some years since your emotions have blossomed. It’s not your place to ask me questions. You would never understand anyway.

Oz: ............
Is that so.

✦✧☾✧✦

Snow: Ohoho. I’m looking forward to spending time on Borda Island with everyone.

White: Ohoho. It’ll be such fun!

Murr: I’m looking forward to it too!

Shylock: By the way, Sir Snow, Sir White, why are you in your adult forms....?

Snow: Ah... You see, we plan on enjoying ourselves as adorable children as we dart across the beaches of Borda Island.

White: So we shall enjoy being adults tonight to make up for it. Shylock, give us the usual, please.

Shylock: The usual cocktail it is.

Murr: Does it taste grown-uppy?

Shylock: It’s nonalcoholic.

Snow & White: Alcohol is just so bitter.

Shylock: Fufu. Your air is as mysteriously alluring as always. I can’t tell if you’re adorable or terrifying....

Murr: It’s how you seem upright and proper, but also don’t!

Shylock: Sit down, Murr. By the way, I was thinking about what you said the other day.
Life exists to rebel against order. It attempts to sustain order amidst a world where disorder is the order of law. What did you mean by those words?

Snow: How fascinating!

White: That sounds quite complex.

Murr: The world can’t sustain order, you see. You can’t turn back time! Water that has spilled from the cup won’t go back into the cup!
Neither shattered stars nor shattered ice will return to their original form. Their shards may crash and mingle and stick together at times, but.....
For the most part, they will scatter in varying directions and venture off in disorderly fashion.

Snow: I see!

White: Huh.

Murr: Only life resists the laws of this universe in an attempt to sustain its shape and order.
White is a good example! His soul was meant to disappear — yet Snow bound him to this world!
I think it’s so fascinating! What about you, White? Do you think it’s interesting?

Shylock: Murr. Stop.

White: Ohoho. It’s fine, Shylock.
If it is a choice between fascinating and not fascinating, I believe the right answer would be to say that it is fascinating.
I — no, we — have changed from the time when I was alive.
I will disappear unless Snow keeps me bound to this world. And that is why I query him.
The same goes for Snow. He queries me, to ensure that I shall not abandon my lingering attachment to this world.
Ohoho... Hell is other people!
We once understood one other as well as one knows his reflection in the mirror — yet now, that image has clouded over!

Snow: ....That is not true. We are one. Our physical existences may differ, but our hearts are one.

Murr: Your hearts are one!? Even though you tried to kill each other?

Shylock: Murr.

Murr: I thought you tried to kill each other because your hearts differed! Am I wrong?

Snow: Murr — man of wisdom. You are correct.
But do not assume that our magnanimity will last forever.

White: Come now, Snow.

Murr: Scaaaary~!

Shylock: Murr! I apologize, Sir Snow, Sir White.
I will give him a proper scolding later. I beg of you....

White: Ohoho. He’s not the kind of man who will listen to such scoldings.
Snow, you need to take a deep breath as well. Do not unleash your anger at Murr simply because he has struck the nail on its head.

Snow: ..........

White: ‘Tis fine. I am no longer alive. I won’t waste away like the living do.

Murr: Really? That’s great!

Snow: Let me turn him into rubbish.

Shylock: Murr!

White: Stop it, Snow! But Murr, you’re plagued with a difficult nature.
I’m amazed you’ve managed to live for this long. Haven’t you been through hell at least once?

Shylock: He has. Plenty of times.....

Murr: I have~? Wow, poor me!

Shylock: Fufu.... I’ll never forget the Murr from that night. The night of the Venator meteor shower....

White: What happened to Murr?

Snow: Was he beaten to a pulp? Tell me how badly he was hurt. If it wasn’t bad enough, I’ll impose additional sanctions.

Murr: I will too~!

Shylock: Fufu....
It’s a secret.

White: Shylock is so kind.

Snow: You really ought to treasure your friend.

Murr: I will~!

Shylock: Oh my. Should I keep my hopes up?

Chapter 6 << | index | >> Chapter 8