healingbonds (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
healingbonds) wrote2022-05-29 02:04 pm
healingbonds) wrote2022-05-29 02:04 pm
Entry tags:
Main Story 2 | Chapter 4 | Magic Headquarters Power Rankings
MahoYaku Masterpost & Translator's Notes
Chapter 3 << | index | >> Chapter 5
Chapter 4: Magic Headquarters Power Rankings
4.1 Now It’s Time To See…
4.2 The Sage’s Ultimate Scheme
4.3 Don’t Get Them Riled Up!
4.4 Let the Rankings Begin
4.5 VS the Western Wizards
4.6 Bets on Strength
4.7 Passionate Debate
4.8 Overlapping Memories
4.9 His Anger
4.10 In Exchange For Their Mysterious Powers
4.1 Now It’s Time To See…
Akira: ......Why did you say that to Rustica?
Vincent: What are you referring to?
Akira: Your offer to arrange an attendant for him...... You didn’t ask any of the other wizards.
Vincent: Our country holds artists in high regard. I expect you to accord Rustica Ferch with the utmost respect and courtesy as well.
I turn to look at Mister Drummond. He seems similarly perplexed, but he bobs his head vigorously.
Drummond: It is truly as he says. After all, we are a cultured civilization that lies at the heart of the continent.
We value any and all artists and scholars regardless of where they hail from.
Akira: ......Is that the only reason?
Vincent: Naturally.
Vincent straightens his collar. He draws himself to his full height, exhaling shortly.
It looks like he’s nervous.
Akira: Are you tired? Should we take a break?
Vincent: No. Let’s get this over with. The next one is the last, right?
Mister Vincent’s gaze sharpens with a steely determination and resolve.
Vincent: Let’s go meet the Northern wizards.
So he’s nervous because we’re heading to meet the Northern wizards.
With that in mind, I smile brightly at him, hoping to put him at ease.
Akira: It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared.
He glares at me sharply.
Vincent: I am not afraid. If your intention is to insult me, know that I will not tolerate such a slight, even from the Sage.
Akira: It’s not an insult, just advice. They’ll be all the more delighted if you show up looking terrified.......
Vincent: Terrified?
Akira: No, I mean...... Um, how should I say this......
I choose my words carefully, taking care not to offend Mister Vincent.
Akira: If anything, they’ll be really pleased If you assume a guarded and wary attitude. They delight in being feared......
And they wholeheartedly relish being perceived as infamous, larger-than-life figures.
Vincent: ............ Then how should I act?
Akira: I don’t know if this will work....... But leave it to me.
Please just observe quietly, and try not to do anything that will anger or provoke the Northern wizards.
✦✧☾✧✦
The Northern wizards are tucking into a feast in the dining hall.
As they ravenously devour the lavish spread of food laid across the table, I can sense the air of relaxed ease radiating from them.
Bradley: Hey, Sage. Is Nero in a good mood today? This is a whole feast!
Mithra: Ah, you came at a good time. Here, get me some extra servings of this.
Owen: Me too. Hey...... Bring me back more of this reddish black sauce that looks like blood from a diseased cow.
Bradley: What are you going to do with just the sauce?
Owen: I’m going to drink it.
Mithra: What a coincidence. I’ve drank meat juice on its own before too.
Bradley: Stop saying such weird things.
Snow: White dear, say "Ah~."
White: Say "Ah~," Snow dear.
Snow & White: Mmmm, so delicious!
However, they immediately notice Mister Vincent’s presence.
Mithra: Huh? Who are you?
Owen: I’ve seen that annoying face somewhere before.
Bradley: Aha. Aren’t you the King’s brother who hates wizards?
You’ve got some nerve walking into a nest of bad guys on your own.
The relaxed atmosphere in the room swiftly turns combative.
Mister Vincent braces himself. Similarly, Mister Drummond and Mister Cock Robin stiffen.
They hold their breath, their faces taut....... Exactly the kind of reaction that the Northern wizards love seeing from humans.
The Northern wizards grow visibly cheerful. They sway as they get to their feet, exuding an air of volatile danger.
Seizing the moment, I step forward.
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4.2 The Sage’s Ultimate Scheme
Akira: Oh wow, what’s this!?
Snow: What’s wrong, Sage?
White: Is something the matter?
Akira: Snow, White, aren't you two looking incredibly cute today!?
Snow & White: ............
The two of them go still before breaking into jubilant grins.
Snow: You can tell~?
White: Snow and I tried out some skincare this morning~.
Akira: I see, of course! Your cheeks are practically glowing like fresh snow!
Snow: He said our cheeks are like fresh snow~!
White: You’ll make us blush~!
Snow & White: Ehehehe!
In high spirits, Snow and White press their palms together as they twirl around in the air.
Mithra gazes up at them, nonplussed.
Mithra: Cute? They look the same as always to me, but......
Akira: Ah, Mithra!
Mithra: What is it, Sir Sage?
Akira: For some reason, you look super hot today, Mithra.
Mithra goes still.
He stares intently at me, head cocked to one side.
Mithra: Really?
Akira: Absolutely~! You’re even hotter than usual today. I’d expect no less from the Mithra of the North!
Mithra smoothly combs back his hair, looking pleased.
Mithra: Yeah, I suppose so.
Akira: You’re especially handsome today too, Bradley! I’m absolutely in love with the wild way you tear into your food!
Bradley goes still.
The next moment, he breaks into a broad grin.
Bradley: Oh yeah?
Akira: Of course! If I weren’t the Sage, I would definitely be your underling, Boss!
Bradley: Huh...... You’ve got good taste. Here, eat up.
Akira: Wow~! It’s fried chicken! Thank you~!
I bite into the fried chicken, devouring it messily as I steal a glance at Owen.
Akira: ......O-Owen! Your personality seems especially terrible today!
Owen, who had been distastefully looking at the way I wolf down my food, goes still.
The next moment, he smirks.
Owen: Hehe, naturally.
Akira: You must be thinking of way scarier things than I could possibly imagine! Please don’t threaten me~!
Owen: Who knows. I miss your crying face, Sir Sage. It’s been a while since I last saw it.
Akira: Gulp~! Please spare me~! I’m so scared, guys~!
Your training must be super scary~! Wah~! I absolutely don’t want to see it~!
I put on my best performance of abject terror in order to entertain the Northern wizards.
Burying my face in my hands, I desperately shake my head. I peek at them through my fingers: it looks like they’re having a hushed discussion amongst themselves.
Mithra laughs gaily.
Mithra: Shall we show you, then?
Akira: Ehhh!? Are you sure!? Won’t I, like, die!?
Owen: Who knows. Finding out is the fun part.
Bradley: Hmph. Don’t come crying to me later.
They laugh fearlessly, clearly in high spirits as they conjure their respective magic tools.
Akira: (Yes! Looks like they’ll let us observe their training!)
(Now, if I can talk them into showing us a small glimpse of their practical magic training in the courtyard after this.......)
Um, everyone, if it’s all right, and it can totally wait until you’re finished eating, but if you don’t mind showing us a little of your magic in the courtyard afterwards......
Vincent: Just a little? Show me the full extent of your powers.
Akira: N-no!
I whip around in panic at Mister Vincent’s sudden interruption.
Mister Vincent’s apprehension seems to have diminished thanks to the Northern wizards’ affable demeanor. He crosses his arms and fixes the group with a level stare.
In one sinuous motion, Mithra sticks his face right in front of mine and Mister Vincent’s.
Mithra: Did you say you want to see my full powers?
Akira: N-No, we didn’t.
Vincent: I did.
Akira: Mister Vincent, that’s a bad idea. I’m really not exaggerating when I say they’d blow the entire magic headquarters away if they unleashed their full power.
As I speak, Mithra’s magic skull is already radiating a faint, ghoulish light.
Riled up by the conversation, Mithra smiles, brimming with confidence and exhilaration.
Mithra: Leave it to me. I’ll turn the entire magic headquarters, no, the entire castle to rubble.
You know, that place where they held the inauguration ceremony.
Vincent: ............
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4.3 Don’t Get Them Riled Up!
Akira: Um, Mithra, Granvelle Castle is where our guests come from, so.......
Mithra: That’s fine. I can destroy it quickly.
What a steadfast answer. Vincent frowns and crosses his arms.
Vincent: Is he bluffing?
Mithra: A bluff? Okay, now you’ve said it.
Akira: Oh no, wait, why are you trying to provoke him....... Mithra is really capable — he will follow through.
Mithra: That’s right, I’m really capable.
Mister Vincent ponders for a moment, his arms still crossed.
Suddenly, recalling something, he asks a question.
Vincent: .......Before the start of the ceremony, a giant magical bird attacked Granvelle Castle.
Snow: That was the Umbra Volans.
White: It was a monster born from the incomplete summoning spell cast in the Lunar Eclipse Palace.
Vincent: I received a report that someone cast an impressively vast barrier over the castle that held fast and protected it from the monstrous bird’s attacks.
Snow: Fufufu. Lo and behold — that was us.
White: Ohoho. Our barriers are quite strong.
Vincent: So you two cast that barrier.......
Snow & White: Indeed.
Vincent: So what would happen if the two of you tried to cast a barrier against Mithra’s attacks?
Snow: You fool.
White: Absolute fool.
Vincent: Did you just call me a fool!?
Snow: Do you intend to kill us?
Mithra: I wouldn’t mind.
White: Shut up, Mithra.
Prince, Oz is the only one who would be able to resist Mithra’s attacks.
Snow: That’s right, you fool. Treat your elders with more care.
Vincent: ............
Vincent strokes the corner of his mouth thoughtfully.
He raises his right hand and points towards Owen and Bradley.
Vincent: What about them?
Akira: Hang on, Mister Vincent......
Mithra: They’re easy.
Owen: Hah?
Bradley: Say that one more fucking time.
Owen and Bradley start looking surly.
Mithra crooks a finger at them in a beckoning motion, clearly in top form.
Mithra: Bring it on. I’ll give you a demonstration.
Owen: I’ll kill him.
Bradley: To hell with that.
Akira: P......Please! Try to get along! Aren’t you all in the middle of eating!? Who wants some more venison~!
Mithra: Ah, I’ll have some.
After the three of them return to the food-laden table, I draw closer to Mister Vincent.
Akira: Mister Vincent. Please, don’t provoke them!
It’d be terrible if they started fighting! I’m begging you, don’t say anything that would encourage them to test their strength against each other......
Vincent: But I want to know how they rank in terms of the strength of their magic.
Akira: We can’t talk about that here! They all take pride in their own individual strength!
Whoa......
Suddenly, I sense a weight on my shoulder: it smells good.
It’s Bradley, holding fried chicken in one hand.
Using me as an elbow rest, he speaks over my shoulders.
Bradley: You don’t have to tiptoe around us. We’ve got it more or less worked out.
Akira: Really? But you got mad at Mithra just now......
Bradley: What kind of loser hears someone say "bring it on" and sits back like it’s nothing? You might as well say, "Sure, let me bring you a gift while I’m at it."
Akira: That’s true.....
Owen: It’s way more uncool if you have no grasp on your own strength or your opponent’s strength. Like Sir Knight, you see.
Owen flashes a thin smile, his honey-colored eye glinting.
The eye that he stole from Cain.
Cain used to command the Order of Knights while hiding his identity as a wizard; that is, until Owen attacked him.
Snow: Cain, huh? For all their bravery, Central wizards’ main flaw lies in their inability to measure differences in power.
Bradley: I bet that guy only acts so buddy-buddy with Oz because he has no idea how much weaker he really is.
Snow and Bradley laugh, shrugging their shoulders like they’re saying, "Good grief."
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4.4 Let the Rankings Begin
At once, Owen’s eye — the same color as Cain’s — narrows in displeasure.
Owen: You’re asking too much from someone who only started using magic in the last year or two.
When it comes to chanting spells, even Mitile has years of experience on him. Sir Knight is a baby. Stop feeling so good about critiquing a baby.
Bradley: You’re the one who brought him up.......
I look around the room, contemplating the Northern wizards anew.
They might be quick to pick fights, but they’re definitely not just impetuous without a thought.
From the way they talk, it seems like they’ve sized each other up through dispassionate observation.
Like Mister Vincent, I’m keen to learn about everyone’s relative magical strength.
Akira: ......Then if it’s okay with you all, could I ask you to rank the twenty-one wizards at the magic headquarters in terms of strength?
Mithra: That’s fine.
Akira: Thank you! Then, the strongest wizard is......
Mithra: ............
Owen: ............
Bradley: ............
Snow: Sage. You already have someone in mind, right?
White: That is the correct answer.
Akira: O-okay......
(Right. They still don’t want to admit it......)
Vincent: Why do you refuse to state it outright? Is it not Oz?
Snow: Prince. If you were asked to name the most popular member of the royal family, would you like to answer that it is Arthur?
Vincent: Arthur is simply beloved by the uneducated masses who know nothing of politics.
I am the one who holds the trust of important personages, both domestic and foreign.
Mithra: Yeah, okay. I understand how you feel.
Bradley: Oz might be the strongest wizard in the world right now, but......
Owen: Soon it’ll be me.
White: Sage. Why don’t we start from the bottom of the list instead?
Snow: What a wonderful suggestion. We can have an exciting countdown to number one.
Vincent: Yes, and that would be Oz, right? Why do you refuse to admit it?
Drummond: Sir Vincent. I propose that we refrain from commenting..... Let’s leave it to them.
Vincent: ............ Fine. Start from the bottom of the list then.
Owen raises a single eyebrow at Mister Vincent’s folded arms.
Owen: Acting all high and mighty......
Hey, Sir Sage. What are the parameters for ranking? Are we going with who would come out alive if they battled to the death?
Akira: You mean......
Owen: If Mitile and Riquet tried to kill each other, who would survive? That’s what I mean.
I frown in dismay.
Akira: Well, I guess so......
Owen: What’s with that face?
Akira: It sounds like a sad ranking.....
Snow: In a fight to kill....... Very well. In that case, either Mitile or Chloe would rank last.
Akira: Chloe?
I'm not surprised that Mitile's name comes up — he's the youngest, after all. But Chloe?
White: Chloe’s magic can inflict temporary death. If he honed his skill, there’s a chance he might become a capable fighter, but......
Snow: He probably can’t use his temporary death magic to hurt people, rather than make clothes for them.
Akira: When you put it like that...... Chloe does hate hurting people.
White: That’s right. The Western wizards don’t tend to have aggressive temperaments to begin with.
Snow: Regardless of how detestable their opponent may be, they prefer to engage in transfiguration and transmutation magic over destroying or physically harming others.
White: They choose to do so precisely because they detest their opponent. The Western wizards value individuality, you see.
White throws Snow a meaningful glance.
White: If you lose to an overwhelming force of magic that destroys you with sheer might, then you simply turn to stone as yourself.
But the Western wizards blind you; they seduce you, they make you lose sight of yourself.
They strip away every trace of your very self and transform you into something unfamiliar. I wonder which is the crueler fate?
What would you say, Snow?
Snow and White are twins who had been together since the moment they were born.
But everything changed for them when the Western wizard Murr asked, "Have you never questioned not experiencing loneliness till the day you die?"
Snow dreamed of loneliness and yearned to taste separation. Unable to accept that, White tried to kill Snow.
In the end, White was the one who was killed and turned into a ghost.
Snow furrows his eyebrows in irritation at White’s glacial remarks.
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4.5 VS the Western Wizards
Snow: Who could you be talking about? Murr does not detest me. My destruction was simply my own doing.
White: No; I was the one who destroyed myself.
Snow: We are one and the same. If you are undone, then so am I. In other words, what I meant to say is......
The Western wizards do not seek victory, nor do they care for the outcome of the battle.
What they seek is truth and beauty that speaks to them, weighing stars and lives and the world in the course — they will do whatever it takes to attain their desires.
That’s why it’s difficult to measure their strength. Chloe might not be able to kill Mitile, but conversely, he might be able to end Oz’s life.
In pursuit of his ideal outfit.
Snow says, bursting into laughter.
Snow: Ohoho. Chloe giving his all for his clothes, and Oz losing his life for it. That makes for an interesting hypothetical scenario.
White lies down across Bradley’s knees, a vein standing out starkly against his forehead.
White: Idiot. It’s not the slightest bit interesting.
Bradley: Move it, grandpa.
White: You’re so mean! Bradley dear!
Bradley: Well, I get what you’re saying. It’s tough to gauge the Western wizards’ powers.
Mithra: When I fight Western wizards, I always feel like I’m losing sight of myself and being able to fight to the end the way I want to.
So I decimate any opponent with all I’ve got the second I find out they’re a Western wizard. I hate not feeling like myself.
Bradley: Liar. You’re always spacing out, so I bet you get caught up in their traps all the time.
White: Dear Mithra is the type who gets caught up the very moment the Western wizards go, “Okay, listen up~.”
Snow: That’s unavoidable....... We are Northern wizards. Our hearts are always left slightly ajar.
Bradley: I really don’t wanna get caught up in Shylock’s charms and end up showing some uncool side of myself......
Owen: I absolutely hate that...... I never want to get tangled up in it.........
White: If you ask me, I’m afraid of falling for Murr’s provocation and letting the situation spiral infinitely out of control......
Mithra: But you could kill Murr easily, couldn’t you?
White: That’s the issue! Logically speaking, it’s a shame to let a genius of that caliber die.
But if we rose to his bait, and turned him to stone....... We would leave behind such infamy attached to our names......
Owen: You’ve already left pretty awful legacies, but you still care about your reputation, huh.
White: You’ll understand when you become a ghost. Your dark past from life will come to haunt you when you’re dead.
Our beloved disciple Figaro is a cultured man, so he must also regard me with merciless contempt......
Snow: It’s all right. That child is also the type who will use his fists when he gets mad. He sinks into self-loathing afterwards though.
Mithra: If you ask me what I hate about the Western wizards, it’s that they seem like idiots before we start fighting.......
But before you know it, you’re the one feeling like the idiot.
Bradley: Yeah.
White: Yep.
Snow: You said it.
Owen: But the Eastern wizards don’t really fall for the Western wizards’ ways, right?
Bradley: They’re sharp, and they’ve got their guards up, after all.
White: That might be why the Western wizards are fond of the Eastern wizards.
Mithra: What do you mean?
Snow: You know how we Northern wizards are fond of the prideful, unyielding Central wizards.
Mithra: What? No, I don’t think that’s true. Right, Owen?
Owen: Well......
Bradley: The Western wizards’ tricks don’t work on Eastern wizards.
Fear and self-defense become excellent weapons in critical moments.
Who knows, the young master from the East might be able to turn Murr to stone.
Vincent: Ahem.
Vincent clears his throat. After getting everyone’s attention, he shrugs and spreads his arms.
Vincent: How long are you planning on prattling about? Do you mean to start matchmaking?
Not to be outdone, the Northern wizards huddle closer and start gossiping.
Bradley: His gesture just now kinda seemed like something a Western wizard would do.
Mithra: Did he do that on purpose?
Owen: What a strange guy.
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4.6 Bets on Strength
Vincent: When will we learn how powerful everyone’s magic is?
Bradley: What a pain. Can’t you hear us talking about it right now? First, it’s Mitile, then Chloe and Rutile......
Between Riquet and Rutile — if we're talking strictly attack magic, I guess Riquet is stronger? I think Mitile's got some room to grow, though.
Owen: Chloe's a little stronger, don't you think? He's definitely not weaker than the Southern wizards. Mitile and Rutile must be weaker.
Mithra: Those two are really strong.
Owen: Huh?
Mithra: They’re the strongest wizards right after me.
Bradley: Cut the crap. You’re giving them too much credit for being Tiretta’s children.
White: Well, Rutile is really fast on his broom. As long as he doesn’t get caught, he can’t lose. He could just keep running away.
Snow: Being able to stay on the run is a valuable strength in and of itself.
Owen: Riquet hides it, but he enjoys offensive magic.
He should stop being all uptight; he’ll get stronger if he accepts that he enjoys it.
Mithra: Destruction?
Owen: Yep. It’s fun to break things.
Doesn’t it feel great to clear obstacles out of your way?
Vincent frowns at their endless chatter.
Vincent: What is this? Can’t you just get on with it already? This is starting to turn into idle chatter over tea.
Mithra: Is there an issue with that? Sit here.
Mithra grasps Mister Vincent’s shoulders and forcefully handles him into a chair. Mister Vincent turns pale.
Owen and Bradley too, make themselves comfortable.
Owen: Rutile and Mitile should be around that level. Oh, Lennox too.
Bradley: He’s kinda hard to rank. If we’re talking about who can kill and who can’t, that guy can for sure.
Mithra: You sure your eyes haven’t gone bad? That shepherd is weak.
Bradley: His magic is weak, but man, he knows how to fight with that body.
Bradley says, leaning forward.
Bradley: And that's what's fascinating about him. It makes you go, wow, if you train enough, you can use the simple ability to float like that.
Owen: You have a surprising amount of high praise for him.
Bradley: It’s a really clever trick. I like guys who scheme to survive. He’s worked out how to use gravity with his moves.
Mithra: You mean he can manipulate gravity?
Bradley: He doesn’t have the magic to do anything like that. More like, he stops using magic, and lets his body come crashing down — then he mixes that simple move with his physical abilities.
Mithra: Huh.
Bradley: I bet he used to fight with a spear or a club. That's what it looks like when he fights. At least during the beginning of a battle.
Mithra: What about the end?
Bradley: He forgets to use magic.
Owen: Why? Does he forget that he’s a wizard?
Bradley: I don’t know.
Mithra: A spear, huh. The guy with your eyeball has a sword too, doesn’t he?
Owen: What do you mean the guy with my eyeball? It’s Sir Knight.
Mithra: Between him and Lennox, who do you think is stronger?
(Thud)
Bradley: Lennox.
(Thud)
Snow: Lennox.
(Thud)
White: Cain.
(Thud)
Owen: It’s got to be Cain.
Declaring the names of their comrades in turn, each of the Northern wizards takes out a mana stone and lines it up along the table.
It almost feels like they’re gambling.
Owen: What are you saying? Sir Knight has stronger magic.
Bradley: That guy isn’t used to using magic. The shepherd’s got the edge in terms of experience; that’d be enough to take the knight’s neck in a fight.
Owen: For now. We don’t know how things will change. And who knows, he might be able to beat him right now, actually.
White: Who is your pick, Mithra?
Mithra: For now, I’ll pick Lennox. It’ll be troublesome if he’s not strong.
Bradley: All right. Then I’ll hang onto these stones until the game starts.
Owen: Okay.
Akira: W-what game? You’re not seriously going to make Cain and Lennox face off against each other......
Bradley: No way, no way. We won’t. Okay, who’s next?
Snow: Heathcliff and Rustica.
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4.7 Passionate Debate
Bradley: That’s a tough one!
(Thud)
Owen: Rustica. He was really strong. Ah, but......
(Thud)
White: Heathcliff is cautious. He wouldn’t be led astray by Western magic.
(Thud)
Snow: But Rustica wouldn’t go easy on him either. They're both the type to stand their ground when it comes down to it.
Mithra: Hmm...... I wonder who I should pick.
Mithra toys carelessly with the mana stones in the palm of his hand.
Unsurprisingly, Mister Drummond gets angry.
Drummond: How dare you! The audacity of gambling right in front of Sir Vincent!
Owen clicks his tongue and glares balefully at Mister Drummond.
Owen: You’re annoying. Want me to pluck out your tongue to keep you quiet?
Drummond: Wh.......!
Owen: Next, let’s move on. A battle between the musician and the young lord is difficult. I’m the only one who would be able to judge the real outcome anyway.
Bradley: What does that mean?
Owen: Heh. It’s a secret.
Snow: Well, we have quite the exciting matchup.
Arthur from Central versus Shino from East.
Bradley: Oh yeah! That’s today’s main event! Let’s see.......
(Thud)
Mithra: It has to be Arthur, right?
(Thud)
Owen: It’s Shino.
Mithra: No, it’s Arthur. He has stronger magic.
Owen: But he lacks experience. Also, that prince gets himself into danger all the time.
Shino might be an offensive fighter for an Eastern wizard, but he's much more careful than the prince.
He'd slice away at his stamina bit by bit. First, he'd chop off the prince's legs with that scythe of his.
Bradley: Yeah. I like that about him — the way his fighting can get underhanded and savage if it comes down to it.
Owen: Right? Shino can come swinging in with an attack from the rear. Sir Prince could never do that.
It’s a fatal flaw to have something you can’t bring yourself to do. The side with fewer tricks up their sleeve will be eliminated. Shino will win.
Mithra: You can't say that for sure. Arthur is fearless and unrelenting — that means he has force and momentum.
His magic is strong, and he’s well-experienced in using it. He’ll end the battle quickly.
Bradley: He’s the type to fight fair and square. White, what do you think?
White: Hmm.... If it's a short battle, Arthur. If it drags on, Shino.
Drummond: Don’t get too full of yourself! It would serve you well to remember that Prince Arthur is the prince of this country!
Furthermore, he’s Sir Vincent’s nephew!!
Mithra: Nephew?
Drummond: ..............
Mithra: What’s a nephew?
Vincent: ......It means your siblings’ children.
Mithra: So you don’t bet on your nephews in Central Country?
Vincent: Huh?
Mithra: I do though. I’m a Northern wizard, you see.
Owen: Stop acting cool when you don’t even know what a nephew is.
Bradley: Come on, I want to see your stones on the table. Okay, next matchup.
Faust versus Shylock.
(Thud)
Mithra: The curseworker.
(Thud)
Snow: I’d say it’s Shylock.
(Thud)
Owen: Hmm...... Wouldn’t it be the curseworker? He has lots of tricks, and he seems vengeful.
(Thud)
White: No, it’d be Shylock. One doesn’t live for over 1500 years without having the wiles to get them there ready at their fingertips.
Compared to Shylock, Faust is quite adorable.
Bradley: Shylock might be shrewd, but the curseworker is an Eastern wizard: they’re a bad matchup for the Western wizards.
He’s cautious and won’t be led astray. And he pretends like he’s some shut-in, but he’s got the resilience and guts to pull through with his objective.
Snow: Oh no, no way. You are ignorant to the terror of the Western wizards.
You might be fooled by Shylock’s exterior air of amicable sophistication, but his inner self is nothing but burning flames of passion.
All that he’s gained and lost in life, the amount of life and death with which he’s made peace — he’s survived all these years on his aestheticism and passion. One cannot fathom the depths of that.
Owen: If you say that, then Nero is strange too. He looks weaker than Shino, but sometimes he feels stronger than Shylock.
He looks like he’d give up immediately, but also like he’ll continue to fight back even after you turn him to stone. Nero is just kind of strange.
Bradley: Yeah.
Owen: Who should we match Nero up against? Murr?
White: If Nero got mad, I think he’d be able to turn Murr into stone.
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4.8 Overlapping Memories
Mithra: Nero seems like he would lose to Mitile. Does he even have the will to fight? He looks like he’d be easy to fight alongside if he were more motivated about it.
Bradley: Yeah.
Owen: Anyway, how would you even make them fight?
Mithra: They’ll start fighting one of these days.
Owen: You say that, but even that conflict hasn’t been settled.
Bradley: What are you going on about?
Owen: Bradley versus Figaro.
The twins turn around to look at Bradley.
There’s a smile on Bradley’s face. He strokes his thin lips as he tucks his chin in.
Bradley: Huh. Who would you bet on?
Owen: Figaro.
Mithra: I’m betting on Bradley.
Bradley: And your reason is?
Owen: Figaro acts like he’s weak, but he can’t fool me. He’s cruel and merciless.
Bradley. You’re......
Owen pauses, his eyes narrowing.
He explains, with an uncharacteristic glint of something like pity and compassion in his gaze.
Owen: One day, you're going to get it wrong. And it'll be fatal.
Bradley: Oh?
Owen: Maybe you’ve already gotten it wrong, seeing how you became a prisoner.
Bradley: I see. Mithra, what about you?
Mithra: What?
Bradley: What’s your reason for betting on me?
Mithra throws Bradley an upward glance from the corner of his eye. He folds his arms, considering intently.
Mithra: I feel like Figaro is getting weaker.
I question my own hearing.
Mister Vincent furrows his brows.
Akira: ......Figaro is getting weaker?
Mithra: Yes. Like a container with a hole in it.
It feels like no matter how much life you pour into his body, it just keeps spilling out.
Bradley: Haha......
Bradley releases a bitter laugh as he raises one shoulder in a shrug.
I can’t tell what kind of emotion lies behind that smile.
Mithra: Right now, I think Bradley would be able to kill Figaro. Why won’t you do it?
Bradley: Do what?
Mithra: Take revenge. Your many comrades — they were essentially all turned to stone.
Thanks to Figaro and the twins. Aren’t you going to take revenge?
Snow: Come now, Mithra dear.
White: Don’t carelessly provoke him like that.
Mithra: I’m not being careless about this.
Mithra’s eyes narrow slowly as he scowls at the twins. It’s a rare expression on his normally languid face.
I search for the words to describe it: I’m not sure, but it almost reads like fury and contempt.
His deep emerald eyes blaze like jewels.
Mithra: I never would’ve dreamed of it — the three of you siding with humans.
The twins smile, their expressions mirror images of each other.
Snow: Why not?
White: We’ve always been fond of humans.
Snow: I don’t know what the humans thought of us, but......
White: Since the distant past, we have protected the people, judging and punishing wizards according to the principles we uphold.
Snow: Ohoho. Under our principles, we have also protected wizards, judging and punishing the people as we saw fit.
Mithra: I don’t care. I don’t care whatever it is you’re trying to do.
But that incident felt wrong.
Owen: That incident?
Mithra: I saw you marching Bradley to Central Country. I forget where I was, but it was in the middle of a blizzard.........
Did you notice me?
Bradley: Yeah.
Snow: We did.
White: Our greatest fear was that you might attack our party.
Mithra: ............ I was undecided. It’s not like we were close.
Mithra murmurs to himself, stroking his chin.
With a shake of his shoulders, Bradley’s expression relaxes.
Bradley: Yeah.
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4.9 His Anger
Owen: What a bizarre story. Figaro, Snow and White — you lot are plenty villainous too.
But Bradley was the one who got locked up. Why did you do that? Hey, aren’t you going to lock Oz up too?
Are you two planning on sentencing us too?
From the faint smile Owen wears, I sense a similar resentment and ire to Mithra’s.
Yet it is Bradley who responds with a mild shrug.
Bradley: It’s not like these guys were siding with the humans. Hey, if you look at the big picture, they’re on the wizards’ side.
Mithra: What do you mean?
Bradley: Civilizations flourished, and humans grew in number. Our lives might’ve been steady and peaceful as ever, but look at the Southern brothers.
If ten humans ganged up and attacked them, they’d die.
Mithra: ............
Bradley: That was when the tragedy in the City of Rain happened. Even now, those criminals still haven’t been caught. The humans there were at a breaking point.
So before they let their mounting fear drive them into taking up arms and beating wizards like Mitile and Rutile to death......
I got captured to set an example. I’m a big shot, after all.
Snow: That’s right. Back then, Bradley was the most famous wizard of all, after Oz.
White: Bradley and his Bandits of Death. A name humans feared, and wizards admired.
Bradley: Hmph...... You can tell by looking at humans, but there’s strength in numbers.
You two and Figaro were probably scared shitless of a giant wizard organization forming right before your eyes.
Even if I couldn’t beat Oz by myself, it wouldn’t have been great for you guys if my gang defeated Oz.
Right? Snow, White.
Bradley laughs jeeringly. The twins’ level ice cold stares at him.
Snow: You fool......
White: Your bandit organization was a mere stroke of luck.
Snow: Even if we’d left you alone, it would have collapsed by itself in no time.
Bradley: You sound awfully sure of yourself.
Snow: Because we are wizards.
White: Wizards cannot live in community.
Bradley’s smile vanishes, while Mithra bites into a fruit listlessly.
Owen: Ahaha, that’s so strange. Then aren’t we all the same?
Owen looks back at me with a thin smile.
His gaze is mocking, but for some reason, he looks like the one who’s hurting.
Owen: Hear that, Sir Sage? They said we can’t live in community.
Then there’s no meaning in us living like this. What are the Sage’s wizards good for?
Snow: It is simply the truth. Throughout our long history, there have been multiple accounts of wizards who tried to form groups.
White: A country, town, a guild of wizards...... And yet every single one of them fell apart within a few years.
Bradley: Because you persecuted them.
Snow: Our natures aren’t that warped. We’re twins: we know the joys of co-existence.
White: We wanted to teach other wizards the joy of living together too. That’s why we simply watched over them in silence, but............
Snow: Every last group fell apart. It could take as little as a few years; the more fortunate ones lasted for decades. It would have been a miracle for one to survive past a hundred years.
Bradley: Then my gang of bandits must’ve been a miracle. We lasted over four hundred years.
White: You’re exceptional.
Even Central wizards, who are used to working in groups, have failed in establishing countries — and yet a Northern wizard like you pulled off quite the feat.
Bradley: Well, yeah.
Snow: Hmph. You wouldn't call that an organization. You were simply the magnet that held the sand together. Hence, it collapsed the moment you were gone.
And returned to mere nameless sand.
Snow’s words might seem like praise for Bradley, but they are also insults that cast his comrades as incompetent.
Bradley, who was listening evenly until now, lowers his voice into a deep growl.
Bradley: .......You were the ones who turned my underlings to stone.
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4.10 In Exchange For Their Mysterious Powers
Snow’s eyes glitter. He bursts into a roar of derisive laughter.
Snow: Ohoho, indeed! But if you're going to direct your loathing at someone, blame it on yourself for failing to raise a successor.
Bradley: You better fucking remember those words. .......I’ll return them to you after I turn all of your disciples into stone, one by one!
My nerves are stretched taut by the tense atmosphere. I’ve never seen Bradley get genuinely angry before.
I don’t really know the story of how Bradley became a prisoner.
But I get the feeling it’s not as simple as "punishing the bandit who committed crimes."
Snow and White’s disciples, Oz and Figaro, attempted to conquer the world.
But neither of them are prisoners. As I puzzle over this complicated question, Mithra speaks up nonchalantly.
Mithra: Who are Snow and White’s disciples?
Owen: Oz and Figaro, right?
Mithra: Hang on. I’m the one who’s going to turn Oz into stone.
Owen: How annoying. I don’t care anymore...... Everything about this is stupid.
Owen tilts his head towards the ceiling in exasperation. He casts magic to steady his hat before it drops to the ground.
Mister Vincent’s brows are knitted together in displeasure; he’s listened quietly until now.
Vincent: ......Wizards love freedom and hate to be restrained. That’s why they can’t work together in groups. Therefore, they are not to be feared.
That’s the old saying that’s been passed down through the ages.
Humans can open their hearts and work to help each other because we don’t possess mysterious powers.
We steadfastly endure, compromise, and respect each other so we can live side-by-side in peace; that’s the foundation of the strength of human societies.
And in exchange for your mysterious powers and long lifespans, you wizards neglected the task of joining hearts and working to live in community.
And that is why wizards are lonely.
Owen: You’re the ones who abandoned him.
Owen raises an eyebrow and levels a deploring glance at Mister Vincent.
Wizards’ expressions are hard to read. His odd-colored eyes are devoid of sadness, and yet they are entirely unsmiling.
A flicker of uncertainty flashes across Mister Vincent’s eyes.
Owen: I’m talking about Arthur. You were the ones who said you didn’t need him to begin with.
You chased him away from the place he would've belonged; how can you claim it's his fault that he can't coexist with you?
You never once taught him how.
Owen’s laughing voice is painful. He looks down at the soles of his boots, disinterested, but the back of his head looks forlorn and lonely.
Mister Vincent looks grim, his lips pressed tightly together.
After a prolonged silence, he lets out a ragged breath and says.
Vincent: There is some truth in what you say.
For a moment, Owen and Mithra look up at him blankly, unsure of what his words mean.
Snow just bursts out in reproach reflexively.
Snow: Silence, boy.
White: Snow dear, you’ve got it wrong. He said there is some truth in what we said. That means he acknowledged us.
Snow: Oh.......
Snow turns to look at Mister Vincent in renewed surprise.
Similarly, I gaze at him, feeling my heart beat faster. He really is Arthur’s uncle, after all.
It’s not like he’s entirely incapable of understanding our efforts. As long as we talk, wizards and humans can come to know each other.
I gaze at Mister Vincent’s curt profile, and cherish that hope in my heart.
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Chapter 3 << | index | >> Chapter 5
Chapter 3 << | index | >> Chapter 5
Chapter 4: Magic Headquarters Power Rankings
4.1 Now It’s Time To See…
4.2 The Sage’s Ultimate Scheme
4.3 Don’t Get Them Riled Up!
4.4 Let the Rankings Begin
4.5 VS the Western Wizards
4.6 Bets on Strength
4.7 Passionate Debate
4.8 Overlapping Memories
4.9 His Anger
4.10 In Exchange For Their Mysterious Powers
4.1 Now It’s Time To See…
Akira: ......Why did you say that to Rustica?
Vincent: What are you referring to?
Akira: Your offer to arrange an attendant for him...... You didn’t ask any of the other wizards.
Vincent: Our country holds artists in high regard. I expect you to accord Rustica Ferch with the utmost respect and courtesy as well.
I turn to look at Mister Drummond. He seems similarly perplexed, but he bobs his head vigorously.
Drummond: It is truly as he says. After all, we are a cultured civilization that lies at the heart of the continent.
We value any and all artists and scholars regardless of where they hail from.
Akira: ......Is that the only reason?
Vincent: Naturally.
Vincent straightens his collar. He draws himself to his full height, exhaling shortly.
It looks like he’s nervous.
Akira: Are you tired? Should we take a break?
Vincent: No. Let’s get this over with. The next one is the last, right?
Mister Vincent’s gaze sharpens with a steely determination and resolve.
Vincent: Let’s go meet the Northern wizards.
So he’s nervous because we’re heading to meet the Northern wizards.
With that in mind, I smile brightly at him, hoping to put him at ease.
Akira: It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared.
He glares at me sharply.
Vincent: I am not afraid. If your intention is to insult me, know that I will not tolerate such a slight, even from the Sage.
Akira: It’s not an insult, just advice. They’ll be all the more delighted if you show up looking terrified.......
Vincent: Terrified?
Akira: No, I mean...... Um, how should I say this......
I choose my words carefully, taking care not to offend Mister Vincent.
Akira: If anything, they’ll be really pleased If you assume a guarded and wary attitude. They delight in being feared......
And they wholeheartedly relish being perceived as infamous, larger-than-life figures.
Vincent: ............ Then how should I act?
Akira: I don’t know if this will work....... But leave it to me.
Please just observe quietly, and try not to do anything that will anger or provoke the Northern wizards.
✦✧☾✧✦
The Northern wizards are tucking into a feast in the dining hall.
As they ravenously devour the lavish spread of food laid across the table, I can sense the air of relaxed ease radiating from them.
Bradley: Hey, Sage. Is Nero in a good mood today? This is a whole feast!
Mithra: Ah, you came at a good time. Here, get me some extra servings of this.
Owen: Me too. Hey...... Bring me back more of this reddish black sauce that looks like blood from a diseased cow.
Bradley: What are you going to do with just the sauce?
Owen: I’m going to drink it.
Mithra: What a coincidence. I’ve drank meat juice on its own before too.
Bradley: Stop saying such weird things.
Snow: White dear, say "Ah~."
White: Say "Ah~," Snow dear.
Snow & White: Mmmm, so delicious!
However, they immediately notice Mister Vincent’s presence.
Mithra: Huh? Who are you?
Owen: I’ve seen that annoying face somewhere before.
Bradley: Aha. Aren’t you the King’s brother who hates wizards?
You’ve got some nerve walking into a nest of bad guys on your own.
The relaxed atmosphere in the room swiftly turns combative.
Mister Vincent braces himself. Similarly, Mister Drummond and Mister Cock Robin stiffen.
They hold their breath, their faces taut....... Exactly the kind of reaction that the Northern wizards love seeing from humans.
The Northern wizards grow visibly cheerful. They sway as they get to their feet, exuding an air of volatile danger.
Seizing the moment, I step forward.
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4.2 The Sage’s Ultimate Scheme
Akira: Oh wow, what’s this!?
Snow: What’s wrong, Sage?
White: Is something the matter?
Akira: Snow, White, aren't you two looking incredibly cute today!?
Snow & White: ............
The two of them go still before breaking into jubilant grins.
Snow: You can tell~?
White: Snow and I tried out some skincare this morning~.
Akira: I see, of course! Your cheeks are practically glowing like fresh snow!
Snow: He said our cheeks are like fresh snow~!
White: You’ll make us blush~!
Snow & White: Ehehehe!
In high spirits, Snow and White press their palms together as they twirl around in the air.
Mithra gazes up at them, nonplussed.
Mithra: Cute? They look the same as always to me, but......
Akira: Ah, Mithra!
Mithra: What is it, Sir Sage?
Akira: For some reason, you look super hot today, Mithra.
Mithra goes still.
He stares intently at me, head cocked to one side.
Mithra: Really?
Akira: Absolutely~! You’re even hotter than usual today. I’d expect no less from the Mithra of the North!
Mithra smoothly combs back his hair, looking pleased.
Mithra: Yeah, I suppose so.
Akira: You’re especially handsome today too, Bradley! I’m absolutely in love with the wild way you tear into your food!
Bradley goes still.
The next moment, he breaks into a broad grin.
Bradley: Oh yeah?
Akira: Of course! If I weren’t the Sage, I would definitely be your underling, Boss!
Bradley: Huh...... You’ve got good taste. Here, eat up.
Akira: Wow~! It’s fried chicken! Thank you~!
I bite into the fried chicken, devouring it messily as I steal a glance at Owen.
Akira: ......O-Owen! Your personality seems especially terrible today!
Owen, who had been distastefully looking at the way I wolf down my food, goes still.
The next moment, he smirks.
Owen: Hehe, naturally.
Akira: You must be thinking of way scarier things than I could possibly imagine! Please don’t threaten me~!
Owen: Who knows. I miss your crying face, Sir Sage. It’s been a while since I last saw it.
Akira: Gulp~! Please spare me~! I’m so scared, guys~!
Your training must be super scary~! Wah~! I absolutely don’t want to see it~!
I put on my best performance of abject terror in order to entertain the Northern wizards.
Burying my face in my hands, I desperately shake my head. I peek at them through my fingers: it looks like they’re having a hushed discussion amongst themselves.
Mithra laughs gaily.
Mithra: Shall we show you, then?
Akira: Ehhh!? Are you sure!? Won’t I, like, die!?
Owen: Who knows. Finding out is the fun part.
Bradley: Hmph. Don’t come crying to me later.
They laugh fearlessly, clearly in high spirits as they conjure their respective magic tools.
Akira: (Yes! Looks like they’ll let us observe their training!)
(Now, if I can talk them into showing us a small glimpse of their practical magic training in the courtyard after this.......)
Um, everyone, if it’s all right, and it can totally wait until you’re finished eating, but if you don’t mind showing us a little of your magic in the courtyard afterwards......
Vincent: Just a little? Show me the full extent of your powers.
Akira: N-no!
I whip around in panic at Mister Vincent’s sudden interruption.
Mister Vincent’s apprehension seems to have diminished thanks to the Northern wizards’ affable demeanor. He crosses his arms and fixes the group with a level stare.
In one sinuous motion, Mithra sticks his face right in front of mine and Mister Vincent’s.
Mithra: Did you say you want to see my full powers?
Akira: N-No, we didn’t.
Vincent: I did.
Akira: Mister Vincent, that’s a bad idea. I’m really not exaggerating when I say they’d blow the entire magic headquarters away if they unleashed their full power.
As I speak, Mithra’s magic skull is already radiating a faint, ghoulish light.
Riled up by the conversation, Mithra smiles, brimming with confidence and exhilaration.
Mithra: Leave it to me. I’ll turn the entire magic headquarters, no, the entire castle to rubble.
You know, that place where they held the inauguration ceremony.
Vincent: ............
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4.3 Don’t Get Them Riled Up!
Akira: Um, Mithra, Granvelle Castle is where our guests come from, so.......
Mithra: That’s fine. I can destroy it quickly.
What a steadfast answer. Vincent frowns and crosses his arms.
Vincent: Is he bluffing?
Mithra: A bluff? Okay, now you’ve said it.
Akira: Oh no, wait, why are you trying to provoke him....... Mithra is really capable — he will follow through.
Mithra: That’s right, I’m really capable.
Mister Vincent ponders for a moment, his arms still crossed.
Suddenly, recalling something, he asks a question.
Vincent: .......Before the start of the ceremony, a giant magical bird attacked Granvelle Castle.
Snow: That was the Umbra Volans.
White: It was a monster born from the incomplete summoning spell cast in the Lunar Eclipse Palace.
Vincent: I received a report that someone cast an impressively vast barrier over the castle that held fast and protected it from the monstrous bird’s attacks.
Snow: Fufufu. Lo and behold — that was us.
White: Ohoho. Our barriers are quite strong.
Vincent: So you two cast that barrier.......
Snow & White: Indeed.
Vincent: So what would happen if the two of you tried to cast a barrier against Mithra’s attacks?
Snow: You fool.
White: Absolute fool.
Vincent: Did you just call me a fool!?
Snow: Do you intend to kill us?
Mithra: I wouldn’t mind.
White: Shut up, Mithra.
Prince, Oz is the only one who would be able to resist Mithra’s attacks.
Snow: That’s right, you fool. Treat your elders with more care.
Vincent: ............
Vincent strokes the corner of his mouth thoughtfully.
He raises his right hand and points towards Owen and Bradley.
Vincent: What about them?
Akira: Hang on, Mister Vincent......
Mithra: They’re easy.
Owen: Hah?
Bradley: Say that one more fucking time.
Owen and Bradley start looking surly.
Mithra crooks a finger at them in a beckoning motion, clearly in top form.
Mithra: Bring it on. I’ll give you a demonstration.
Owen: I’ll kill him.
Bradley: To hell with that.
Akira: P......Please! Try to get along! Aren’t you all in the middle of eating!? Who wants some more venison~!
Mithra: Ah, I’ll have some.
After the three of them return to the food-laden table, I draw closer to Mister Vincent.
Akira: Mister Vincent. Please, don’t provoke them!
It’d be terrible if they started fighting! I’m begging you, don’t say anything that would encourage them to test their strength against each other......
Vincent: But I want to know how they rank in terms of the strength of their magic.
Akira: We can’t talk about that here! They all take pride in their own individual strength!
Whoa......
Suddenly, I sense a weight on my shoulder: it smells good.
It’s Bradley, holding fried chicken in one hand.
Using me as an elbow rest, he speaks over my shoulders.
Bradley: You don’t have to tiptoe around us. We’ve got it more or less worked out.
Akira: Really? But you got mad at Mithra just now......
Bradley: What kind of loser hears someone say "bring it on" and sits back like it’s nothing? You might as well say, "Sure, let me bring you a gift while I’m at it."
Akira: That’s true.....
Owen: It’s way more uncool if you have no grasp on your own strength or your opponent’s strength. Like Sir Knight, you see.
Owen flashes a thin smile, his honey-colored eye glinting.
The eye that he stole from Cain.
Cain used to command the Order of Knights while hiding his identity as a wizard; that is, until Owen attacked him.
Snow: Cain, huh? For all their bravery, Central wizards’ main flaw lies in their inability to measure differences in power.
Bradley: I bet that guy only acts so buddy-buddy with Oz because he has no idea how much weaker he really is.
Snow and Bradley laugh, shrugging their shoulders like they’re saying, "Good grief."
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4.4 Let the Rankings Begin
At once, Owen’s eye — the same color as Cain’s — narrows in displeasure.
Owen: You’re asking too much from someone who only started using magic in the last year or two.
When it comes to chanting spells, even Mitile has years of experience on him. Sir Knight is a baby. Stop feeling so good about critiquing a baby.
Bradley: You’re the one who brought him up.......
I look around the room, contemplating the Northern wizards anew.
They might be quick to pick fights, but they’re definitely not just impetuous without a thought.
From the way they talk, it seems like they’ve sized each other up through dispassionate observation.
Like Mister Vincent, I’m keen to learn about everyone’s relative magical strength.
Akira: ......Then if it’s okay with you all, could I ask you to rank the twenty-one wizards at the magic headquarters in terms of strength?
Mithra: That’s fine.
Akira: Thank you! Then, the strongest wizard is......
Mithra: ............
Owen: ............
Bradley: ............
Snow: Sage. You already have someone in mind, right?
White: That is the correct answer.
Akira: O-okay......
(Right. They still don’t want to admit it......)
Vincent: Why do you refuse to state it outright? Is it not Oz?
Snow: Prince. If you were asked to name the most popular member of the royal family, would you like to answer that it is Arthur?
Vincent: Arthur is simply beloved by the uneducated masses who know nothing of politics.
I am the one who holds the trust of important personages, both domestic and foreign.
Mithra: Yeah, okay. I understand how you feel.
Bradley: Oz might be the strongest wizard in the world right now, but......
Owen: Soon it’ll be me.
White: Sage. Why don’t we start from the bottom of the list instead?
Snow: What a wonderful suggestion. We can have an exciting countdown to number one.
Vincent: Yes, and that would be Oz, right? Why do you refuse to admit it?
Drummond: Sir Vincent. I propose that we refrain from commenting..... Let’s leave it to them.
Vincent: ............ Fine. Start from the bottom of the list then.
Owen raises a single eyebrow at Mister Vincent’s folded arms.
Owen: Acting all high and mighty......
Hey, Sir Sage. What are the parameters for ranking? Are we going with who would come out alive if they battled to the death?
Akira: You mean......
Owen: If Mitile and Riquet tried to kill each other, who would survive? That’s what I mean.
I frown in dismay.
Akira: Well, I guess so......
Owen: What’s with that face?
Akira: It sounds like a sad ranking.....
Snow: In a fight to kill....... Very well. In that case, either Mitile or Chloe would rank last.
Akira: Chloe?
I'm not surprised that Mitile's name comes up — he's the youngest, after all. But Chloe?
White: Chloe’s magic can inflict temporary death. If he honed his skill, there’s a chance he might become a capable fighter, but......
Snow: He probably can’t use his temporary death magic to hurt people, rather than make clothes for them.
Akira: When you put it like that...... Chloe does hate hurting people.
White: That’s right. The Western wizards don’t tend to have aggressive temperaments to begin with.
Snow: Regardless of how detestable their opponent may be, they prefer to engage in transfiguration and transmutation magic over destroying or physically harming others.
White: They choose to do so precisely because they detest their opponent. The Western wizards value individuality, you see.
White throws Snow a meaningful glance.
White: If you lose to an overwhelming force of magic that destroys you with sheer might, then you simply turn to stone as yourself.
But the Western wizards blind you; they seduce you, they make you lose sight of yourself.
They strip away every trace of your very self and transform you into something unfamiliar. I wonder which is the crueler fate?
What would you say, Snow?
Snow and White are twins who had been together since the moment they were born.
But everything changed for them when the Western wizard Murr asked, "Have you never questioned not experiencing loneliness till the day you die?"
Snow dreamed of loneliness and yearned to taste separation. Unable to accept that, White tried to kill Snow.
In the end, White was the one who was killed and turned into a ghost.
Snow furrows his eyebrows in irritation at White’s glacial remarks.
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4.5 VS the Western Wizards
Snow: Who could you be talking about? Murr does not detest me. My destruction was simply my own doing.
White: No; I was the one who destroyed myself.
Snow: We are one and the same. If you are undone, then so am I. In other words, what I meant to say is......
The Western wizards do not seek victory, nor do they care for the outcome of the battle.
What they seek is truth and beauty that speaks to them, weighing stars and lives and the world in the course — they will do whatever it takes to attain their desires.
That’s why it’s difficult to measure their strength. Chloe might not be able to kill Mitile, but conversely, he might be able to end Oz’s life.
In pursuit of his ideal outfit.
Snow says, bursting into laughter.
Snow: Ohoho. Chloe giving his all for his clothes, and Oz losing his life for it. That makes for an interesting hypothetical scenario.
White lies down across Bradley’s knees, a vein standing out starkly against his forehead.
White: Idiot. It’s not the slightest bit interesting.
Bradley: Move it, grandpa.
White: You’re so mean! Bradley dear!
Bradley: Well, I get what you’re saying. It’s tough to gauge the Western wizards’ powers.
Mithra: When I fight Western wizards, I always feel like I’m losing sight of myself and being able to fight to the end the way I want to.
So I decimate any opponent with all I’ve got the second I find out they’re a Western wizard. I hate not feeling like myself.
Bradley: Liar. You’re always spacing out, so I bet you get caught up in their traps all the time.
White: Dear Mithra is the type who gets caught up the very moment the Western wizards go, “Okay, listen up~.”
Snow: That’s unavoidable....... We are Northern wizards. Our hearts are always left slightly ajar.
Bradley: I really don’t wanna get caught up in Shylock’s charms and end up showing some uncool side of myself......
Owen: I absolutely hate that...... I never want to get tangled up in it.........
White: If you ask me, I’m afraid of falling for Murr’s provocation and letting the situation spiral infinitely out of control......
Mithra: But you could kill Murr easily, couldn’t you?
White: That’s the issue! Logically speaking, it’s a shame to let a genius of that caliber die.
But if we rose to his bait, and turned him to stone....... We would leave behind such infamy attached to our names......
Owen: You’ve already left pretty awful legacies, but you still care about your reputation, huh.
White: You’ll understand when you become a ghost. Your dark past from life will come to haunt you when you’re dead.
Our beloved disciple Figaro is a cultured man, so he must also regard me with merciless contempt......
Snow: It’s all right. That child is also the type who will use his fists when he gets mad. He sinks into self-loathing afterwards though.
Mithra: If you ask me what I hate about the Western wizards, it’s that they seem like idiots before we start fighting.......
But before you know it, you’re the one feeling like the idiot.
Bradley: Yeah.
White: Yep.
Snow: You said it.
Owen: But the Eastern wizards don’t really fall for the Western wizards’ ways, right?
Bradley: They’re sharp, and they’ve got their guards up, after all.
White: That might be why the Western wizards are fond of the Eastern wizards.
Mithra: What do you mean?
Snow: You know how we Northern wizards are fond of the prideful, unyielding Central wizards.
Mithra: What? No, I don’t think that’s true. Right, Owen?
Owen: Well......
Bradley: The Western wizards’ tricks don’t work on Eastern wizards.
Fear and self-defense become excellent weapons in critical moments.
Who knows, the young master from the East might be able to turn Murr to stone.
Vincent: Ahem.
Vincent clears his throat. After getting everyone’s attention, he shrugs and spreads his arms.
Vincent: How long are you planning on prattling about? Do you mean to start matchmaking?
Not to be outdone, the Northern wizards huddle closer and start gossiping.
Bradley: His gesture just now kinda seemed like something a Western wizard would do.
Mithra: Did he do that on purpose?
Owen: What a strange guy.
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4.6 Bets on Strength
Vincent: When will we learn how powerful everyone’s magic is?
Bradley: What a pain. Can’t you hear us talking about it right now? First, it’s Mitile, then Chloe and Rutile......
Between Riquet and Rutile — if we're talking strictly attack magic, I guess Riquet is stronger? I think Mitile's got some room to grow, though.
Owen: Chloe's a little stronger, don't you think? He's definitely not weaker than the Southern wizards. Mitile and Rutile must be weaker.
Mithra: Those two are really strong.
Owen: Huh?
Mithra: They’re the strongest wizards right after me.
Bradley: Cut the crap. You’re giving them too much credit for being Tiretta’s children.
White: Well, Rutile is really fast on his broom. As long as he doesn’t get caught, he can’t lose. He could just keep running away.
Snow: Being able to stay on the run is a valuable strength in and of itself.
Owen: Riquet hides it, but he enjoys offensive magic.
He should stop being all uptight; he’ll get stronger if he accepts that he enjoys it.
Mithra: Destruction?
Owen: Yep. It’s fun to break things.
Doesn’t it feel great to clear obstacles out of your way?
Vincent frowns at their endless chatter.
Vincent: What is this? Can’t you just get on with it already? This is starting to turn into idle chatter over tea.
Mithra: Is there an issue with that? Sit here.
Mithra grasps Mister Vincent’s shoulders and forcefully handles him into a chair. Mister Vincent turns pale.
Owen and Bradley too, make themselves comfortable.
Owen: Rutile and Mitile should be around that level. Oh, Lennox too.
Bradley: He’s kinda hard to rank. If we’re talking about who can kill and who can’t, that guy can for sure.
Mithra: You sure your eyes haven’t gone bad? That shepherd is weak.
Bradley: His magic is weak, but man, he knows how to fight with that body.
Bradley says, leaning forward.
Bradley: And that's what's fascinating about him. It makes you go, wow, if you train enough, you can use the simple ability to float like that.
Owen: You have a surprising amount of high praise for him.
Bradley: It’s a really clever trick. I like guys who scheme to survive. He’s worked out how to use gravity with his moves.
Mithra: You mean he can manipulate gravity?
Bradley: He doesn’t have the magic to do anything like that. More like, he stops using magic, and lets his body come crashing down — then he mixes that simple move with his physical abilities.
Mithra: Huh.
Bradley: I bet he used to fight with a spear or a club. That's what it looks like when he fights. At least during the beginning of a battle.
Mithra: What about the end?
Bradley: He forgets to use magic.
Owen: Why? Does he forget that he’s a wizard?
Bradley: I don’t know.
Mithra: A spear, huh. The guy with your eyeball has a sword too, doesn’t he?
Owen: What do you mean the guy with my eyeball? It’s Sir Knight.
Mithra: Between him and Lennox, who do you think is stronger?
(Thud)
Bradley: Lennox.
(Thud)
Snow: Lennox.
(Thud)
White: Cain.
(Thud)
Owen: It’s got to be Cain.
Declaring the names of their comrades in turn, each of the Northern wizards takes out a mana stone and lines it up along the table.
It almost feels like they’re gambling.
Owen: What are you saying? Sir Knight has stronger magic.
Bradley: That guy isn’t used to using magic. The shepherd’s got the edge in terms of experience; that’d be enough to take the knight’s neck in a fight.
Owen: For now. We don’t know how things will change. And who knows, he might be able to beat him right now, actually.
White: Who is your pick, Mithra?
Mithra: For now, I’ll pick Lennox. It’ll be troublesome if he’s not strong.
Bradley: All right. Then I’ll hang onto these stones until the game starts.
Owen: Okay.
Akira: W-what game? You’re not seriously going to make Cain and Lennox face off against each other......
Bradley: No way, no way. We won’t. Okay, who’s next?
Snow: Heathcliff and Rustica.
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4.7 Passionate Debate
Bradley: That’s a tough one!
(Thud)
Owen: Rustica. He was really strong. Ah, but......
(Thud)
White: Heathcliff is cautious. He wouldn’t be led astray by Western magic.
(Thud)
Snow: But Rustica wouldn’t go easy on him either. They're both the type to stand their ground when it comes down to it.
Mithra: Hmm...... I wonder who I should pick.
Mithra toys carelessly with the mana stones in the palm of his hand.
Unsurprisingly, Mister Drummond gets angry.
Drummond: How dare you! The audacity of gambling right in front of Sir Vincent!
Owen clicks his tongue and glares balefully at Mister Drummond.
Owen: You’re annoying. Want me to pluck out your tongue to keep you quiet?
Drummond: Wh.......!
Owen: Next, let’s move on. A battle between the musician and the young lord is difficult. I’m the only one who would be able to judge the real outcome anyway.
Bradley: What does that mean?
Owen: Heh. It’s a secret.
Snow: Well, we have quite the exciting matchup.
Arthur from Central versus Shino from East.
Bradley: Oh yeah! That’s today’s main event! Let’s see.......
(Thud)
Mithra: It has to be Arthur, right?
(Thud)
Owen: It’s Shino.
Mithra: No, it’s Arthur. He has stronger magic.
Owen: But he lacks experience. Also, that prince gets himself into danger all the time.
Shino might be an offensive fighter for an Eastern wizard, but he's much more careful than the prince.
He'd slice away at his stamina bit by bit. First, he'd chop off the prince's legs with that scythe of his.
Bradley: Yeah. I like that about him — the way his fighting can get underhanded and savage if it comes down to it.
Owen: Right? Shino can come swinging in with an attack from the rear. Sir Prince could never do that.
It’s a fatal flaw to have something you can’t bring yourself to do. The side with fewer tricks up their sleeve will be eliminated. Shino will win.
Mithra: You can't say that for sure. Arthur is fearless and unrelenting — that means he has force and momentum.
His magic is strong, and he’s well-experienced in using it. He’ll end the battle quickly.
Bradley: He’s the type to fight fair and square. White, what do you think?
White: Hmm.... If it's a short battle, Arthur. If it drags on, Shino.
Drummond: Don’t get too full of yourself! It would serve you well to remember that Prince Arthur is the prince of this country!
Furthermore, he’s Sir Vincent’s nephew!!
Mithra: Nephew?
Drummond: ..............
Mithra: What’s a nephew?
Vincent: ......It means your siblings’ children.
Mithra: So you don’t bet on your nephews in Central Country?
Vincent: Huh?
Mithra: I do though. I’m a Northern wizard, you see.
Owen: Stop acting cool when you don’t even know what a nephew is.
Bradley: Come on, I want to see your stones on the table. Okay, next matchup.
Faust versus Shylock.
(Thud)
Mithra: The curseworker.
(Thud)
Snow: I’d say it’s Shylock.
(Thud)
Owen: Hmm...... Wouldn’t it be the curseworker? He has lots of tricks, and he seems vengeful.
(Thud)
White: No, it’d be Shylock. One doesn’t live for over 1500 years without having the wiles to get them there ready at their fingertips.
Compared to Shylock, Faust is quite adorable.
Bradley: Shylock might be shrewd, but the curseworker is an Eastern wizard: they’re a bad matchup for the Western wizards.
He’s cautious and won’t be led astray. And he pretends like he’s some shut-in, but he’s got the resilience and guts to pull through with his objective.
Snow: Oh no, no way. You are ignorant to the terror of the Western wizards.
You might be fooled by Shylock’s exterior air of amicable sophistication, but his inner self is nothing but burning flames of passion.
All that he’s gained and lost in life, the amount of life and death with which he’s made peace — he’s survived all these years on his aestheticism and passion. One cannot fathom the depths of that.
Owen: If you say that, then Nero is strange too. He looks weaker than Shino, but sometimes he feels stronger than Shylock.
He looks like he’d give up immediately, but also like he’ll continue to fight back even after you turn him to stone. Nero is just kind of strange.
Bradley: Yeah.
Owen: Who should we match Nero up against? Murr?
White: If Nero got mad, I think he’d be able to turn Murr into stone.
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4.8 Overlapping Memories
Mithra: Nero seems like he would lose to Mitile. Does he even have the will to fight? He looks like he’d be easy to fight alongside if he were more motivated about it.
Bradley: Yeah.
Owen: Anyway, how would you even make them fight?
Mithra: They’ll start fighting one of these days.
Owen: You say that, but even that conflict hasn’t been settled.
Bradley: What are you going on about?
Owen: Bradley versus Figaro.
The twins turn around to look at Bradley.
There’s a smile on Bradley’s face. He strokes his thin lips as he tucks his chin in.
Bradley: Huh. Who would you bet on?
Owen: Figaro.
Mithra: I’m betting on Bradley.
Bradley: And your reason is?
Owen: Figaro acts like he’s weak, but he can’t fool me. He’s cruel and merciless.
Bradley. You’re......
Owen pauses, his eyes narrowing.
He explains, with an uncharacteristic glint of something like pity and compassion in his gaze.
Owen: One day, you're going to get it wrong. And it'll be fatal.
Bradley: Oh?
Owen: Maybe you’ve already gotten it wrong, seeing how you became a prisoner.
Bradley: I see. Mithra, what about you?
Mithra: What?
Bradley: What’s your reason for betting on me?
Mithra throws Bradley an upward glance from the corner of his eye. He folds his arms, considering intently.
Mithra: I feel like Figaro is getting weaker.
I question my own hearing.
Mister Vincent furrows his brows.
Akira: ......Figaro is getting weaker?
Mithra: Yes. Like a container with a hole in it.
It feels like no matter how much life you pour into his body, it just keeps spilling out.
Bradley: Haha......
Bradley releases a bitter laugh as he raises one shoulder in a shrug.
I can’t tell what kind of emotion lies behind that smile.
Mithra: Right now, I think Bradley would be able to kill Figaro. Why won’t you do it?
Bradley: Do what?
Mithra: Take revenge. Your many comrades — they were essentially all turned to stone.
Thanks to Figaro and the twins. Aren’t you going to take revenge?
Snow: Come now, Mithra dear.
White: Don’t carelessly provoke him like that.
Mithra: I’m not being careless about this.
Mithra’s eyes narrow slowly as he scowls at the twins. It’s a rare expression on his normally languid face.
I search for the words to describe it: I’m not sure, but it almost reads like fury and contempt.
His deep emerald eyes blaze like jewels.
Mithra: I never would’ve dreamed of it — the three of you siding with humans.
The twins smile, their expressions mirror images of each other.
Snow: Why not?
White: We’ve always been fond of humans.
Snow: I don’t know what the humans thought of us, but......
White: Since the distant past, we have protected the people, judging and punishing wizards according to the principles we uphold.
Snow: Ohoho. Under our principles, we have also protected wizards, judging and punishing the people as we saw fit.
Mithra: I don’t care. I don’t care whatever it is you’re trying to do.
But that incident felt wrong.
Owen: That incident?
Mithra: I saw you marching Bradley to Central Country. I forget where I was, but it was in the middle of a blizzard.........
Did you notice me?
Bradley: Yeah.
Snow: We did.
White: Our greatest fear was that you might attack our party.
Mithra: ............ I was undecided. It’s not like we were close.
Mithra murmurs to himself, stroking his chin.
With a shake of his shoulders, Bradley’s expression relaxes.
Bradley: Yeah.
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4.9 His Anger
Owen: What a bizarre story. Figaro, Snow and White — you lot are plenty villainous too.
But Bradley was the one who got locked up. Why did you do that? Hey, aren’t you going to lock Oz up too?
Are you two planning on sentencing us too?
From the faint smile Owen wears, I sense a similar resentment and ire to Mithra’s.
Yet it is Bradley who responds with a mild shrug.
Bradley: It’s not like these guys were siding with the humans. Hey, if you look at the big picture, they’re on the wizards’ side.
Mithra: What do you mean?
Bradley: Civilizations flourished, and humans grew in number. Our lives might’ve been steady and peaceful as ever, but look at the Southern brothers.
If ten humans ganged up and attacked them, they’d die.
Mithra: ............
Bradley: That was when the tragedy in the City of Rain happened. Even now, those criminals still haven’t been caught. The humans there were at a breaking point.
So before they let their mounting fear drive them into taking up arms and beating wizards like Mitile and Rutile to death......
I got captured to set an example. I’m a big shot, after all.
Snow: That’s right. Back then, Bradley was the most famous wizard of all, after Oz.
White: Bradley and his Bandits of Death. A name humans feared, and wizards admired.
Bradley: Hmph...... You can tell by looking at humans, but there’s strength in numbers.
You two and Figaro were probably scared shitless of a giant wizard organization forming right before your eyes.
Even if I couldn’t beat Oz by myself, it wouldn’t have been great for you guys if my gang defeated Oz.
Right? Snow, White.
Bradley laughs jeeringly. The twins’ level ice cold stares at him.
Snow: You fool......
White: Your bandit organization was a mere stroke of luck.
Snow: Even if we’d left you alone, it would have collapsed by itself in no time.
Bradley: You sound awfully sure of yourself.
Snow: Because we are wizards.
White: Wizards cannot live in community.
Bradley’s smile vanishes, while Mithra bites into a fruit listlessly.
Owen: Ahaha, that’s so strange. Then aren’t we all the same?
Owen looks back at me with a thin smile.
His gaze is mocking, but for some reason, he looks like the one who’s hurting.
Owen: Hear that, Sir Sage? They said we can’t live in community.
Then there’s no meaning in us living like this. What are the Sage’s wizards good for?
Snow: It is simply the truth. Throughout our long history, there have been multiple accounts of wizards who tried to form groups.
White: A country, town, a guild of wizards...... And yet every single one of them fell apart within a few years.
Bradley: Because you persecuted them.
Snow: Our natures aren’t that warped. We’re twins: we know the joys of co-existence.
White: We wanted to teach other wizards the joy of living together too. That’s why we simply watched over them in silence, but............
Snow: Every last group fell apart. It could take as little as a few years; the more fortunate ones lasted for decades. It would have been a miracle for one to survive past a hundred years.
Bradley: Then my gang of bandits must’ve been a miracle. We lasted over four hundred years.
White: You’re exceptional.
Even Central wizards, who are used to working in groups, have failed in establishing countries — and yet a Northern wizard like you pulled off quite the feat.
Bradley: Well, yeah.
Snow: Hmph. You wouldn't call that an organization. You were simply the magnet that held the sand together. Hence, it collapsed the moment you were gone.
And returned to mere nameless sand.
Snow’s words might seem like praise for Bradley, but they are also insults that cast his comrades as incompetent.
Bradley, who was listening evenly until now, lowers his voice into a deep growl.
Bradley: .......You were the ones who turned my underlings to stone.
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4.10 In Exchange For Their Mysterious Powers
Snow’s eyes glitter. He bursts into a roar of derisive laughter.
Snow: Ohoho, indeed! But if you're going to direct your loathing at someone, blame it on yourself for failing to raise a successor.
Bradley: You better fucking remember those words. .......I’ll return them to you after I turn all of your disciples into stone, one by one!
My nerves are stretched taut by the tense atmosphere. I’ve never seen Bradley get genuinely angry before.
I don’t really know the story of how Bradley became a prisoner.
But I get the feeling it’s not as simple as "punishing the bandit who committed crimes."
Snow and White’s disciples, Oz and Figaro, attempted to conquer the world.
But neither of them are prisoners. As I puzzle over this complicated question, Mithra speaks up nonchalantly.
Mithra: Who are Snow and White’s disciples?
Owen: Oz and Figaro, right?
Mithra: Hang on. I’m the one who’s going to turn Oz into stone.
Owen: How annoying. I don’t care anymore...... Everything about this is stupid.
Owen tilts his head towards the ceiling in exasperation. He casts magic to steady his hat before it drops to the ground.
Mister Vincent’s brows are knitted together in displeasure; he’s listened quietly until now.
Vincent: ......Wizards love freedom and hate to be restrained. That’s why they can’t work together in groups. Therefore, they are not to be feared.
That’s the old saying that’s been passed down through the ages.
Humans can open their hearts and work to help each other because we don’t possess mysterious powers.
We steadfastly endure, compromise, and respect each other so we can live side-by-side in peace; that’s the foundation of the strength of human societies.
And in exchange for your mysterious powers and long lifespans, you wizards neglected the task of joining hearts and working to live in community.
And that is why wizards are lonely.
Owen: You’re the ones who abandoned him.
Owen raises an eyebrow and levels a deploring glance at Mister Vincent.
Wizards’ expressions are hard to read. His odd-colored eyes are devoid of sadness, and yet they are entirely unsmiling.
A flicker of uncertainty flashes across Mister Vincent’s eyes.
Owen: I’m talking about Arthur. You were the ones who said you didn’t need him to begin with.
You chased him away from the place he would've belonged; how can you claim it's his fault that he can't coexist with you?
You never once taught him how.
Owen’s laughing voice is painful. He looks down at the soles of his boots, disinterested, but the back of his head looks forlorn and lonely.
Mister Vincent looks grim, his lips pressed tightly together.
After a prolonged silence, he lets out a ragged breath and says.
Vincent: There is some truth in what you say.
For a moment, Owen and Mithra look up at him blankly, unsure of what his words mean.
Snow just bursts out in reproach reflexively.
Snow: Silence, boy.
White: Snow dear, you’ve got it wrong. He said there is some truth in what we said. That means he acknowledged us.
Snow: Oh.......
Snow turns to look at Mister Vincent in renewed surprise.
Similarly, I gaze at him, feeling my heart beat faster. He really is Arthur’s uncle, after all.
It’s not like he’s entirely incapable of understanding our efforts. As long as we talk, wizards and humans can come to know each other.
I gaze at Mister Vincent’s curt profile, and cherish that hope in my heart.
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Chapter 3 << | index | >> Chapter 5