Rhapsody of the Sunset-Kissed Greenhouse | Chapter 5

[healingbonds]

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Everyone’s expressions grow stern; Heathcliff looks particularly troubled.

Arthur: Let’s try whatever we can.
Whatever the cause may be, we need to save Shino before thinking about anything else.

Nero: The problem is, how are we gonna get Shino out of there?

Riquet: This black-haired doll is probably Shino, right? Can’t we set him free by just plucking the doll out of the miniature garden?

Cain: Isn’t that playing a little rough? How about breaking the walls of the box instead?

Nero: I think that’s just as rough....

Akira: (How can we save Shino....?)

I peer at Oz, who stands in silence, hoping that he’ll offer a word of advice.

Akira: Um, Oz.....

Oz: .........

Oz’s gaze is directed straight at Heathcliff.

Oz: Heathcliff. I sense a faint trace of your presence from that miniature garden.
Are you not the one who cursed Shino?

Heathcliff: .....Huh.....?

The room falls silent.

Cain: Hey, hold on, what are you saying?

Riquet: Heathcliff and Shino are friends. Why would he ever do that?

Oz: A curse does not need to be intentional. The passion and obsession born from spending years together with another soul can produce a myriad of consequences.

Arthur opens his mouth to respond, but Oz averts his gaze and continues speaking.

Oz: Heathcliff may have subconsciously tied this miniature garden to Shino, and wished to trap him within it — at times, such desires can turn to curses.

Heathcliff stands dumbfounded, as if struck in the head.

Heathcliff: ....I.....? Cursed Shino.....?

And within seconds, he grows deathly pale.

Akira: Heath.....!

Nero: Are you okay? Pull yourself together.

Cain: Oz. How likely is that?

Oz: It is merely a possibility. I cannot say for certain.
But if this possibility were true, then undoing the curse carelessly may put Heathcliff in danger.
For a broken curse rebounds against its caster. If you truly cursed this miniature garden, its destruction would reflect the curse back to you.

Cain & Arthur & Nero: ..........

Akira: (No way......)

I’m at a loss for words. An invisible anxiety crawls into my heart.
Thick clouds gather in the skies outside the window, casting a shadow over the entire room.

Riquet: Then what in the world should we do? At this rate, Shino will....

Faust: ....The safest solution would be for Heathcliff to undo the spell.

Faust’s voice carries a quiet weight, as if he is opening a heavy door.

Faust: If Heathcliff were truly the caster, it would be highly dangerous for anyone else to get involved.
But if he undoes the curse with his own hands, there will be no rebound. In the rare event that he is harmed by the curse’s return, the damage would be minimal.
Which means that he has to bind his mind to the miniature garden using magic, but....

He glances at Heath, who nods despite his deathly complexion.

Heathcliff: ....I’ll do it. I’ll save Shino.
Mr. Faust. Please teach me what I need to know.

Faust: First, place the miniature garden on your palm.... Imagine yourself infusing your mind into the box, and chant your spell.

Heathcliff: Yes.

Heathcliff recites his spell, just as Faust instructs.

Heathcliff: << Repsevaivulp Sonus >> .....!

....But nothing happens.

Heathcliff: I can’t use magic....? But I said my spell....

Faust: Don’t panic. Calm down and try again.

Heathcliff: Y-yes......
<< Repsevaivulp Sonus >> .....!
....It’s not working.

Heathcliff recites his spell over and over again.
But not once does any magic respond to his voice.

Heathcliff: Why, when I need it the most.....

A heavy cloud of gloom shrouds the room.
And rain slowly begins to drizzle outside the window.

✦✧☾✧✦

Heathcliff heads to his room to rest and calm his heart.
Faust, who had walked him there and kept him company, returns after a little while.

Arthur: Faust, how is Heathcliff doing.....

Faust: He’s very shaken. He’ll need some time.

Nero: That’s not surprising.... He was so pale.

Akira: Um.... Was that a difficult spell that Heathcliff was attempting?

Faust: It certainly requires delicate minuteness, but it shouldn’t be particularly difficult for Heathcliff — in fact, it’s an area of strength for him.
But his heart is in great turmoil. That’s probably why he couldn’t do it: wizards use magic with their hearts.

When Heathcliff left the room, Faust had to support him because he looked so frail — we thought that he might have to lie down from illness.

Cain: ...I don’t know if all the talk about this being a curse is real or not.
But faced with that possibility when Shino is right before us, looking like this... I’m not surprised he feels so hopeless.
Shino always supported Heath’s heart with his straightforward confidence.
And Shino is the kind of guy who would never show his master a sign of weakness; even if he lost an arm, he still wouldn’t get on his knees.
That’s his pride as a vassal. So maybe Heath has never seen Shino like this.

Faust & Nero: .........

Our gazes are drawn to the sleeping Shino. All we hear is his faint breathing.
If only he would open his eyes.

Arthur: ...Sir Oz. Is there anything we can do?

Oz: No.

Riquet: Nothing at all?

Oz: Nothing at all.

Faust: He is unfortunately correct. And for Heath’s heart to recover, he has to face the emotions that lie within him.

Riquet: No way.....

Riquet looks down in disappointment, and Nero strokes his head.

Nero: I know it’s frustrating, but all we can do is wait. Heath is the one going through the most right now.
He’s the only one who can save his friend in desperate trouble, but the more he thinks about it, the more the pressure builds, and his magic refuses to work the way it should. I’m sure he’s beating himself up over it.
So let’s watch over him, and stick with him — so he doesn’t drive himself any further into a corner.

Arthur: Yes.... You’re right, Nero.

Cain: Heath is waiting for the tides of his heart to retreat while he suffers.
So let’s wait for his heart too.

Riquet: Yes.....

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

Chapter 4 << | index | >> Chapter 6