The Bonds We Formed, Like Magic | Chapter 15

[healingbonds]

Chapter 14 << | index | >> Chapter 16


And so we arrive at Borda Island.
I’m still shaken from Oz and Mithra’s confrontation, but......
The moment I catch sight of the endless blue sky and tranquil water surface, I cheer up.
I take a deep breath, filling every corner of my heart and lifting my spirits.
The seagulls’ cries, crashing waves, and glittering waters come together to gently heal all of us.
I’m sure the wizards feel it even more keenly; their receptiveness to nature and their keen senses accord them with a strong affinity for the world around them.

Mitile: It’s so pretty....

Riquet: Right? I really wanted to show you, Mitile!

Mitile: Oh right, you visited before!

Riquet: Yes!

Mitile: The sea is so wide......! Let’s share the rest of the pie as we look at the sea.

Riquet: Was it delicious?

Mitile: It was super delicious!

Arthur: Playing on the beach seems fun. But before we do, let’s pay our greetings to Lady Dianne.
Could you come with me just for a while?

Mitile & Riquet: Yes!

✦✧☾✧✦

We make our way toward Borda Castle, a small château located on the Island.
One of the things I’m looking forward to most on this trip is getting to meet Lady Dianne.
However......

Arthur: ......Lady Dianne is away?

Castle steward: Prince Arthur. Please accept our deepest apologies.
The day before yesterday, Lady Dianne received an urgent summons to present herself at the Western Castle.
She left word that she expects to return by tomorrow afternoon, but......

Arthur: I see. So that means the inauguration ceremony....?

Castle steward: Yes. It will have to be postponed.
We’ve prepared rooms at the castle for all the ceremony’s attendants while they graciously await the Lady’s return.
Prince Arthur, and all the Sage’s wizards: we apologize profusely for the imposition on your time, but we will offer you our utmost hospitality.
Pray make yourselves at home.

Until Lady Dianne returns, we cannot hold the inauguration ceremony.
Hence we’ve been requested to make ourselves comfortable at the castle.

Arthur: Sir Sage. Is that acceptable to you?

Akira: I’m completely fine. But are you, Arthur? Your schedule for tomorrow......

Arthur: It shouldn’t be a problem as long as we can return by the end of tomorrow.
Being a wizard is really convenient. We can travel over vast distances in the blink of an eye.

Chloe: Sir Sage! They’ve asked us to wait in the castle courtyard while they prepare our rooms!
It’s so, so lovely! It’s where they’re holding the inauguration ceremony, so it has a wonderful view!

Akira: Can you see the sea from there?

Chloe: Yes! You can see all the way to the other side of the sea! Far, far, far away!
Hurry and come on, Sir Sage!

✦✧☾✧✦

(Sound of waves)

Akira: Wow! It’s amazing......

Butler: Originally, we planned to hold the party here today, but......

Arthur: No one could have anticipated an urgent summons from the palace. Don’t worry about it.

Butler: Thank you for your gracious understanding......
We’ve prepared a light meal for you, so I invite all of you to come this way and partake in some refreshments if you’d like.
This is the most spectacular venue in the castle...... From this vantage point, you can see the most breathtaking views of Borda Island.

There wasn’t any exaggeration in the butler’s words. The scenery is so beautiful that the opulence of any furniture or lavish wallpaper would pale right next to it.
The joined swathes of blue sky and sea, paired with the gleaming radiance of white-crested waves and clouds, and strokes painted by birds’ wings, all come together to form the most stunning scenery.
Even the wizards, standing poised in the castle courtyard, are wearing more serene expressions than usual.
With a laugh, I make a suggestion.

Akira: Shall we.....have a meeting?

Cain: You mean continue the one that we ended halfway?

Akira: Yes. I suppose we can also do that after we’ve relaxed, but......
I thought it might also be nice to just sit back and talk.

We’ve just emerged from a fight at the magic headquarters. It’s entirely possible that the conversation won’t go anywhere.
And yet, looking at everyone’s faces right now gives me hope that it might work out.
I feel freed and refreshed by the comforting lull of the crashing waves and the cries of the seagulls.
I’m here in this wonderful place, with such wonderful friends.

Snow: Hmm.... That’s not a bad suggestion.

White: The theme was "the Sage’s power," right?

Akira: Yes.

I nod, feeling a slight sense of elation.
I’ve never really felt excited before a meeting before. I’ve felt nervous, tiresome, and exhausted.
But this meeting is different.
I want to ask for everyone’s opinions. I want to convey my thoughts, unformed as they might be. Because this is an important matter to us.
I’m determined to find out — how we’re going to move forward from now on, and how I can be useful to all the wizards.
I want to help my friends who are in trouble.

Akira: I want to know what kind of powers the Sage possesses. When I can use them, and when I can’t......
More than anything, I really want to be able to help those of you who are suffering from injuries inflicted by the < Great Catastrophe >.

I look to Shylock for permission.

Akira: Can I talk about your injury from the < Great Catastrophe >, Shylock?

Shylock: Yes, of course. Thank you for asking me first.

I nod and cast my gaze across everyone’s faces.

Akira: I believe some of you have witnessed Shylock’s injury from the < Great Catastrophe >, but it involves his heart bursting into flame.
It looks incredibly painful; just watching him makes my own heart hurt.
If I can heal his wound with the Sage’s power, then I’d like to help Shylock whenever he’s suffering in pain.

The Flores brothers both press their hands against their chests, their brows furrowed.
Lennox notices them feeling for Shylock’s pain, and smiles gently.

Akira: That’s why I want to know when and how this power is activated....

Rustica: Sir Sage. If we’re attempting to demystify the secrets of the world, don’t you think it’s the perfect opportunity to call upon our beloved genius, Murr?

Akira: You’re right.... Murr, do you have any ideas? Or any hints.....

At Rustica’s question, I scan the venue, looking for Murr.
Murr has lifted his ring high in the air as he does grandiose somersaults from one end of the castle courtyard to the other.
He leaves a seven-colored rainbow in his path.

Murr: Noooo idea~!

A spinning Murr, a small rainbow bridge that glistens under the sunlight, and the wide blue sea that stretches far beyond them.
Murr offers me a word of advice as he leaps through the air like a dolphin.

Murr: But you know, Sir Sage. The most important thing to do when unraveling mysteries....
Is to thoroughly break down and analyze what you actually know!

Akira: Analyze what we actually know.....

Murr: That’s right! Where does the rainbow stem from? Your very own home! You can find hints hidden in plain sight!

Bradley, who was gobbling down tea sandwiches, wipes his mouth and makes an inquiry.

Bradley: Makes sense. Hey, Sage. Which of us were with you when your powers kicked in?

Akira: The ones whose injuries I could temporarily heal were Oz and Mithra.

Shino: Oz and Mithra... Does it have to do with the strength of their magic powers?

Shino furrows his brows and asks. He’s almost surprisingly serious about this.

Shino: Can you nullify the effects of someone’s injuries even if their magic isn’t as strong as Oz or Mithra’s?

Akira: I don’t know...... I’ve never properly tried to heal someone else’s injury before.
Even with Oz and Mithra, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t......

Arthur: I see...... Do you have any other ideas?

Akira: Let me think......

I trace my memories, slowly recalling and scrutinizing every incident til now.
Contemplating the palm of my hand, I comment.

Akira: I feel like it works more often when we’re holding hands.

Mithra: That’s true. I always start to feel sleepy when we hold hands.
Oz. You said the same thing about touching Sir Sage.

Mithra turns to Oz, like the commotion just now never even happened.
Oz frowns, but he nods quietly without enmity.

Oz: We were touching. But there were times I still couldn’t use magic, even if we were in contact.

Mithra: The Sage is so fickle.

Akira: I don’t want to hear that from you, Mithra......

Rutile: Hands...... Is it like a transfer of power?

Rutile murmurs, looking down at his own upturned palms.
He narrows his eyes, as if he’s recalling a brilliant memory, and murmurs.

Rutile: When Mitile was born, my mother asked me to touch her stomach.
She told me to pour in all my magic to save Mitile. Don’t think about Mother, she told me; think about the baby child.

Mitile: This was when you saved my life.....

Rutile: That’s right. I’m still proud of that moment even now.

Mitile bashfully lowers his gaze as Rutile puts his arm around his shoulder and holds him close.
Mitile laughs, embarrassed.

Bradley: Let’s give it a shot. You heard what the Western scholar said, let’s throw some theories at the wall and see what sticks.

Figaro: That might be the quickest way to handle this. Who has an easy injury to test this out on — maybe Cain?

Cain: You’re probably right. But I can see all of you right now.

Heathcliff: Right, you mentioned that if you touch someone in the morning, you can see them for the rest of the day.

Cain: Yeah. Sometimes I lose sight again when we change locations, but for the most part, I can see you for the rest of the day, until I fall asleep.

Shino: But you haven’t gotten a chance to see everyone working at the castle, right?

Cain: Good point. I can sense them though......

Chloe: You’re incredible, Cain. You’re sensitive to sound the way cats and dogs are.

Cain: That’s because I can’t see anyone. So I’ve gotten a lot better at picking up on the presence of other people.
So I guess this injury I got from the < Great Catastrophe > hasn’t been all bad.
Though it’s still pretty lonely in the morning.

Akira: So you are lonely......

He’s always laughing brightly, but I try to imagine the world Cain sees through his eyes.
A world where sounds come from every corner, and yet there isn’t a single soul in sight.
And in that world, the only person that he can see is.....

Cain: I can see Owen even before I touch him. Maybe it’s because his eye is in here.

Owen throws a glance at Cain from where he’s eating sweets.
He smiles faintly, crossing his legs.

Owen: How does it feel, living in a world where I’m the only one you can see?

Cain: ......I can see you really clearly. Sometimes I try to read your mind by observing your gaze and your expressions.

Owen: Huh? Who said you could do that?

Cain: I can’t help it; you’re the only one I can see.
I’m not too worried when you’re just spacing out, but I know things are looking bad when you start grinning.....

Owen: I don’t space out. I’m a Northern wizard.

Cain: Then how should I put it? You’re like, staying still...... Anyway, that’s just how it is.

After hearing Cain talk about the world he sees, I am filled with a renewed determination to help him.
It must be agonizing for Cain — who is so bright, always the center of attention — to be stuck in a world all by himself.
But in that world, the fact that he can see Owen might be a saving grace (reluctant as they might feel about it).

Akira: Then, should we try holding hands?

Cain: Yeah. Please.

Chapter 14 << | index | >> Chapter 16