Rhapsody of the Sunset-Kissed Greenhouse | Chapter 8

[healingbonds]

Chapter 7 << | index | >> Chapter 9


Cain: I believe in Heathcliff Blanchett. So you should believe in yourself too.
You would never curse Shino. And you will save him.

Heathcliff: Yeah.
....Hey, Cain. If you were going to meet an old friend, but you parted ways many years ago on an awkward note, what would you say to them?

Cain: What would I say? Hm....
I’d go, "Long time no see. How’ve you been? Sorry about what happened back then!"

Heathcliff: .....Ahaha! You would, Cain.

Arthur: Are you going to say sorry to someone?

Riquet: You should bring them some candy when you do. Mitile always does.

Heathcliff: Prince Arthur, Riquet!

Cain: Huh. You’re both awake?

Riquet: We woke up because your voice was so loud, Cain.

Cain: Huh? And I thought I was whispering......

Arthur: Heathcliff. We heard you. Please tell us if there’s anything we can do to help.

Riquet: We want to help save Shino too.

Heathcliff: You guys....
Well then.... I’m going to do some magic training. Could you train with me?

Arthur & Cain & Riquet: Of course!

✦✧☾✧✦

The next morning. The rain has let up, making way for a blue sky with all the brilliance of fresh paint.
Faust, Oz, Nero and I have gathered before the orangery to save Shino from the miniature garden.

Akira: Are we going to break the curse here?

Faust: Our magic will function more effectively if we perform it somewhere that has deep ties to the miniature garden of memories.
Nero, Oz. I’m asking for your support in the event that anything happens.

Oz: Yes.

Nero: Got it.

(Woosh)

Heathcliff: Please wait!

Akira: Heath....!

Faust: All of you....

Arthur: Thank goodness we made it in time.

Heathcliff and the younger wizards come sliding in on their brooms. I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but they all look tired.

Nero: Hey, did you guys stay up all night?

Cain exchanges high fives with everyone and grins mischievously.

Cain: Not all night. But we did stay up a little later than usual.

Heathcliff: They helped me with my magic training last night.

Akira: Magic training?

Oz: You were training?

Arthur: Yes. We were all training together.

Riquet: It was our secret training!

Heathcliff turns to Faust with a serious look in his eyes.

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust, please let me do this.

Faust: ...You look tired. Are you really all right?

Heathcliff: I am.
And it is my role to save Shino, as his friend and master.

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

Faust conjures a piece of sugar into his palm and hands it to Heathcliff. Once Heathcliff puts it in his mouth, he hands him the miniature garden.

Faust: Then give it a try. No matter what happens, we will support you.

Heathcliff: Yes....!

Heath purses his lips in determination and opens the door to the orangery.
He’s murmuring quietly, as if convincing himself.

Heathcliff: I’ll get it right this time......



The orangery is tidier than I expected: there are only a few magic tools scattered about.

Arthur: So this is the orangery....

Nero: I’m not getting any bad vibes.

Cain: It’s actually pretty comfortable.

There’s no sign of cursed turbulence shrouding the room. It’s filled with warm, brilliant sunlight pouring in from the large windows.

Heathcliff: ............

There’s a small tree stump in the sunniest part of the room. Heathcliff stands in front of it.

Faust: Same instructions as yesterday: put the miniature garden in your palm, imagine yourself infusing your mind into the box, and chant your spell.
Imagine your heart binding itself to the miniature garden.

Heathcliff: Yes. I’ll give it a try.

Heathcliff places the miniature garden on his palm and closes his eyes.
He takes in a deep breath, and carefully utters his spell.

Heathcliff: << Repsevaivulp Sonus >>

Arthur & Riquet & Cain: ..............

But nothing happens. The miniature garden remains silent.
Panic begins to settle in on Heathcliff’s face.

Heathcliff: ....It’s no good......

Akira: Heath....!

Without thinking, I grabbed his hand, just as I did yesterday when I wanted to cheer him up.

Akira: I’ll help you. Let’s save Shino together.

Heathcliff nods with fresh determination and grips my hand.
He takes deep breaths to calm himself before repeating his spell one more time.

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

I offer my own prayer in my heart. I don’t know what I’m praying to, but I pray with all my might.....

Akira: (Please, succeed....!)

The miniature garden begins to tremble, and a seven-colored rainbow of light pours into the room.



The light dissipates, and the scenery returns before our eyes.
It’s a familiar scene, yet slightly different from just moments ago.
It should’ve been morning, yet evening colors stream in from the windows.

Akira: .....?

Heathcliff: ............

The other wizards are nowhere to be seen. Heathcliff is the only one by my side.

Heathcliff: I’m sorry.... It looks like I brought you here with me, Sir Sage.

Akira: Which means this is.....

Heathcliff: Yes — I think we’re inside the miniature garden. The magic worked thanks to you, Sir Sage.

Akira: Thank goodness....!

I let out a sigh of relief.
It looks like we’ve connected our minds to the miniature garden. Maybe I came along because I was holding Heathcliff’s hand.
The miniature garden feels more spacious than the actual orangery. Heathcliff turns around, searching.

Heathcliff: ....The orange tree.

I follow suit, and see an orange tree thick with fresh green leaves.
It’s the orange tree we saw in the miniature garden. And under the tree, we spot a familiar back.

Heathcliff: ....Shino!

He turns around at the sound of his name.



Shino: Hey. You finally showed up.

Akira & Heathcliff: ......Huh?

We blink over and over again.
Because Shino doesn’t look worn out or exhausted; he doesn’t look like he’s trapped by some curse. He looks so normal that we have no idea how to respond.

Chapter 7 << | index | >> Chapter 9