Flowers for You, Magic for the Sky | Chapter 25

[healingbonds]

​​Chapter 24 << | index | >> Chapter 26


Faust: This way, Lennox. Let’s head to the Sage.

Lennox: Where in this castle is he?

Faust: He’s trapped within that puppeteer’s barrier. I’m going to make a connection to breach that dimension. We might face some resistance, but we’ll force our way in.

Lennox: I understand.

Faust: As long as we have the Sage, Oz can use his magic. I don’t know what might happen, but let’s prioritize bringing Oz and the Sage into contact with each other.

Oz: Understood.

Faust: << Satillquinart Mulcreed >>

✦✧☾✧✦

Obsius: ......My magical beasts...... How did this happen...... My one desire, laid to waste after all these long years!

Obsius discards his silk hat, tearing messily at his hair.
His face flashes with despair and rage, twitching with the ghost of a crooked smile.
Obsius paces the room, keeping up rapid conversation with himself.

Obsius: That’s why I said! We shouldn’t go against Oz and the twins from the North!
I just wanted to see Talia again! Anywhere would have sufficed, as long as I could gather the magical beasts and summon the briar castle!
This all happened because that person insisted I take action at Granvelle Castle during the five countries’ peace conference......!

Akira: (That person......?)

At that moment, a familiar-looking mirror materializes in the unearthly dimension.
It’s Faust’s magic tool.

Obsius: ............! << Volo Habere >>

Holding his puppet close, Obsius chants his spell.
As he does, the mirror distorts limply and shrinks. But the next moment, it returns to its original size.
The mirror expands and shrinks in a cycle like a contest of wills, before steadily glowing brighter and brighter.
With a dazzling brilliance—......
Oz, Faust and Lennox appear before me.

Faust: ......Hah...... Sage......!

Akira: ......hh........!

I attempt to call Faust’s name, but to no avail. Obsius sealed my voice away.

Faust: So he stole your voice with magic. ......You bastard......

Realizing my predicament, Faust glares sharply at Obsius.
A far cry from the usual, listless Faust — right now, he has all the sharpness and intensity of a leader.
Immediately, Obsius grabs the back of my collar and pulls me close.
He wraps his arms around my own and holds me back.

Lennox: Sir Sage!

Obsius: Back away! I’ll kill your precious Sage!

Oz: Try it if you can.

Narrowing his gaze, Oz raises his staff.
Obsius’ entire body stiffens with tension: perhaps he knows of Oz. He chuckles in a show of false bravado.

Obsius: And why should I fear you? I know you can’t use magic until dawn breaks!

Faust: ......Where did you hear that? Intel regarding wizards’ weaknesses is highly confidential.

Obsius: From the sponsor of my plans. But it has all come to nothing.
Even after summoning the three beasts and the fabled castle wandering between dimensions, the curse remains in place.......
Even after all this, I cannot see Talia........

Obsius laughs hollowly, black flames igniting in the palm of his right hand.
Eerie flames dance and sway before my eyes.

Obsius: Nothing matters anymore..... This is just the way of the world: cold and unforgiving to outcasts.
Perhaps I should just lend myself to this cursed castle as it is swallowed into the distant dimensions, doomed to wander for eternity.....

Akira: ......hh......!

Obsius: And I will take every last one of you with me — the Sage, the demon, and the sleeping humans, all of you....!
The philosopher Murr’s shard, or whatever it is... The Prince, the King... They all mean nothing! Talia, too, and the days I spent with her....
I haven’t a single care in the world for them! They were never special; they were never wonderful. It was all a pathetic sham; a waste of time!
That was what I wasted my life upon!

Obsius’ voice resounds, an indistinguishable cacophony of fury and anguish.
Suddenly, a wave of emotion — something like sorrow — washes over me. It does not originate from Obsius, nor from Oz nor Faust.
It permeates the space we inhabit...... This terrifying, unearthly castle of briars.

Akira: (......Talia?)

I look up at the sound of boots clicking on the ground.
Oz takes a step forward. He walks towards me, one step after another, wordlessly holding his staff aloft.
Like a beast rubbed the wrong way, Obsius spits out threats, his voice ragged.

Obsius: Oz! There’s no point brandishing your weapon at me! I know you can’t use magic!

Oz: It is as you say. Until the day breaks, I cannot use magic. However......
I have learned physical attacks.

Obsius: What?

(Thwack)

Obsius: Oof......!!

Oz bashes Obsius with his staff.

Faust & Lennox: Huh!?

No one expected the great wizard known as the demon king to strike someone physically.
Missing his chance to dodge, Obsius staggers under the blow.
I seize the opening to shake off his grip and run towards Oz.
I don’t know what role the Sage holds in this world.
But I do know that—......
When Oz — who can’t use magic because of his injury from the < Great Catastrophe > — touches me, he’ll regain his magic.
He can unleash the strongest power on earth.

Oz: << Vox Nox >>

The second he chants his spell, my voice breaks free from my throat.

Akira: Oz......!

Oz: I kept you waiting. Sage.

Obsius: ......You......!
<< Volo Habero >>!

I hear Obsius’ spell reverberate behind me.
His puppet spews black flames, ready to attack.
But Faust and Lennox throw themselves in front of the flames.

Faust: You will not lay a finger on him.

Lennox: << Forsettao Meiuvat >>

Faust: << Satillquinart Mulcreed >>

Faust and Lennox’s magic keeps Obsius’ black flames at bay, dissipating the scorching heat of the attack.
Oz pulls me towards him with one hand, his staff poised in the other.
He fixes a stern gaze on Obsius, only to suddenly turn to look down at me as a thought occurs to him.

Oz: Have you ever witnessed the death of a wizard?

I can’t immediately grasp the meaning behind his question.
I answer truthfully.

Akira: No.

Oz does not reply. He presses my head down firmly, turning my eyes to the ground.

Oz: << Vox Nox >>

Oz chants his spell, whipping up a gentle breeze that flutters through his long hair.
Blue flashes of light streak across the space, followed by the reverberations of tremendous, ear-splitting claps of thunder.

Akira: ............!

My head still bowed, I hear a sound like shattering glass.
The crystal clear notes of splintering cracks.
By that point, I can guess what is happening.
Wizards turn into stone when they die.
Priceless, beautiful crystals that people call mana stones.
Oz releases my hand and I raise my head. Obsius is no longer there.
In his place, countless mana stones have scattered around us.
I close my eyes, suddenly feeling faint.

Lennox: Sir Sage......!

Perhaps the tension sustaining me snapped. I fall unconscious as Lennox supports my body.

✦✧☾✧✦

Then, I dream a short dream.
It may have been someone’s memory rather than a dream.
From a long, long time ago......

Murr: Tell me your story, Talia.
I’m all agog to know how you turned out this way.

Talia: ....You’re so rude..... I am not your research subject!

Murr: Pardon me. I simply cannot temper my curiosity when faced with something spectacular.

Talia: Spectacular? Me? You must be lying!

Murr: It’s not a lie.

Talia: ....What are you plotting? Do you pity me? Or are you just going to mock me later in front of all your friends, in hopes of inciting peals of vicious laughter?

Murr: You are not particularly unique, so I don’t think I can use your story to amuse others. My friends are also not the type to laugh viciously.

Talia: Then what is it!? What is it about me that makes the great Murr, the famous, genius scholar, say that I am spectacular!?

Murr: The fact that you are a societal outcast: a cursed, violent, ill-bred witch who lashes out at all who approach her with briars.

Talia: .......Uuuh.... Hic! Wah....... Waaaah........

Murr: ............

Talia: .......So you are making fun of me......! You’re so awful......! Waaah.........

Murr: .....I do confess that your contorted and emotional personality makes me recoil from the sheer pain of dealing with you. Here, a handkerchief.

Talia: Well I’m equally sick of you! You know, Obsius said that the world is pointless!
Because it’s a world that belongs to the chosen. Outcasts should just stick with outcasts!
A popular scholar like you should go hang out with someone just as popular!

Murr: But I want to know about you.

Talia: Stop lying to my face. Even my long-time friend Obsius has no interest in me.
He never even asks me a single question. And that’s because I’m a boring witch.

Murr: He simply thinks you’ll shrink back — that you’ll fear any interest directed at you.

Talia: ....That’s true; I am a little afraid. Because I don’t know what he’ll ask me, and I don’t want to disappoint him with a strange answer.....

Murr: See? Your hysterical fit a moment ago also stemmed from that fear.

Talia: .....Murr. If you know that I fear questions, then why do you still ask them of me?

Murr: Because my own fascination takes priority.

Talia: ..............

Murr: You have a kind friend. But he’s wrong about two things.
This world is beautiful and spectacular. And you are loved.

Talia: .......... .....By whom?

Murr: By this world.

Talia: .............. .....Would you mind acting like a gentleman? Then I might be willing to answer your questions.

Murr: Of course. That’s my specialty.

Talia: Then..... I’ll tell you my story. I’ll do my best......

Murr: I’m looking forward to it.

Talia: .....But it might be boring. I’m not.... Really special in any way. And nothing amazing has happened in my life.

Murr: Talia. Tell me your story.

Talia: ........... Hey, Murr. I.....
I want to be an ancient castle of roses standing on the moon. A quiet castle, befitting of roses.
Obsius may hate wizards and humans; the only thing he may care about is puppetry....
But he loves the moon, and this castle, and the fragrance of roses.
I want to become a castle of roses so he’ll come visit me for eternity.

​​Chapter 24 << | index | >> Chapter 26