Lennox | The Wish Under the Starry Sky

[healingbonds]

MahoYaku Masterpost & Translator's Notes

CHAPTER 1

Lennox: Give up already.

Shino: ....Shut up!

Akira: Huh? Lennox and Shino.... Are they fighting each other!?
Stop! Please don't fight!

Lennox: Sir Sage.

Shino: We're not fighting. I'm having Leno train me.

Akira: Train? Like martial arts?

Shino: Yeah. So I can beat Cain. Lennox is strong because he's a fake shepherd, you know?

Lennox: Don't call me fake.... Shino, that's enough for today.

Shino: Have I gotten stronger?

Lennox: Yeah, you've improved quite a bit. You're a fast learner.

Shino: Of course.

Akira: (Lennox may be quiet, but he's good at taking care of others, and dependable.)
(But why is he so good at martial arts when he's a wizard?)

✦✧☾✧✦

Mitile: Mister Leno, Mister Leno!

Lennox: What's wrong, Mitile?

Mitile: The magic grass I gathered yesterday was blown away by the wind. Could you help me look for it?

Lennox: Sure thing.

Mitile: Thank you!

Rutile: Mister Leno~! I'm going to practice drawing later, so could you be my model?

Lennox: A model for Rutile....

Rutile: Everyone else refuses to stay still. Please!

Lennox: Sure. No weird poses, though.

Rutile: Yay! Thank you! I'll give you a shoulder massage in return!

Akira: (Everyone asks Lennox for favors, and he never refuses, or even makes a face...)
(Maybe that's why nobody is afraid of him—everyone likes him, even though he’s tall and looks tough.)
(Even the difficult Faust listens to Lennox....)


CHAPTER 2

Faust: Shut up. Leave me alone.

Lennox: Sir Faust. You're the one at fault this time.

Faust: What?

Lennox: Sir Figaro may be unreliable at times, but he is simply worried about you now, Sir Faust.

Faust: Hmph. When did I ask for his concern?

Lennox: Now you sound like Mitile....

Faust: Don't treat me like that child! ...... ......W-was I really that immature......?

Lennox: I don't think so, but there might be people who misunderstand you. It would be a shame; you're a brilliant man.

Faust: .................. Fine. I'll talk to him later.

Lennox: Yes, please do. Thank you.

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Lennox, can I have a moment?

Lennox: Sir Sage. Do you need me to lend you a hand with something?

Akira: No; I just want to know more about you, Leno.

Lennox: About me?

Akira: I want to record information about everyone so that you will be able to get along with the new Sage, even if I suddenly have to go back to my world.
That’s why I’d like to ask you about what you like, what you dislike, and what you’re good at, Leno.
Plus, I've grown really curious about you after watching you these past few days.
Lennox, you're...


Option: Kind.

Lennox: Is that so....?

Akira: You are kind. You’re always so good to the people around you.

Lennox: I don’t think I do anything exceptional, but I’m glad that you think so, Sir Sage.


Option: A bit of a mystery.

Lennox: A mystery...?

Akira: You don't get mad, and you're never selfish. On the other hand, I can't tell if you dislike anything, either....
I just want to know what kind of person you are.

Lennox: I'm just the way I seem... but if you'd like to hear about me.


Lennox: Let's go to my room.

Akira: Yes, please.


CHAPTER 3

Akira: So this is Leno's room... Woah, a tiny sheep...

(Baaaa)

Lennox: Hey now, calm down. I'm sorry, Sir Sage.

Akira: No, it's adorable! Your room is lovely too.


Option: What's that branch on the wall?

Lennox: Ah... it soothes me, so I just left it there.
Also, I kind of liked the shape.

Akira: Liked the shape....

Lennox: Yes; I thought it was very pretty.


Option: That’s a cute sheep cushion.

Lennox: Ah... Haha, this is a little embarrassing.

Akira: Did you buy it yourself?

Lennox: Well, Rutile and Mitile suggested I buy it when we all went out shopping for essentials during move-in.
They said they would give it to me as a present if I didn’t buy it, so.... I bought it myself.

Akira: What a cute story!

Lennox: Dr. Figaro was doubling over with laughter.


Option: What a lovely rug.

Lennox: Thank you. It’s a rug made of sheep’s wool.
The wool absorbs moisture in the air, so it keeps the room at a pleasant temperature.

Akira: Huh, I learned something new today!

Lennox: Sheep’s wool has many excellent functions. It keeps you cool during the summer, and warm during the winter. It’s also quite stain-resistant.


Akira: Lennox, you were a shepherd in Southern Country, right? What was that like?

Lennox: What was that like... Well, many people in Southern Country let their animals graze, so I basically do the same.

Akira: What are the options besides grazing?

Lennox: Ah... Um, you can keep them in barns. Nomadic pastoralism involves herding livestock in fresh pastures while traveling. In Southern Country, livestock spend the summer in the mountains, and when winter arrives, they come down to the base.

Akira: Won’t they run away without a fence?

Lennox: That’s what shepherd dogs are for. I owned one too, but he passed away a few years ago from age.
So now I use magic to keep an eye on them while I take care of them. If there's a good dog out there, I'd like to keep one again, but... I still can't forget that old guy.

Akira: ...You’re compassionate... That sounds just like you, Lennox.

Lennox: Really?


CHAPTER 4

Akira: Lennox, may I ask you for your name and age?

Lennox: Lennox Ram. I'm about 400 years old. Just a little older than Sir Faust.

Akira: I see! What do you like, and what are you good at?

Lennox: I like activities that involve moving my body. And nature in general. I'm good at fishing, and crafting things.


Option: Fishing seems fun.

Lennox: It is. Letting my rod dip into the blue depths while listening to the sound of water makes me feel relaxed and at ease.
There’s a nice fishing spot at a distance from the town I was living in. It’s a large mountain stream with very clear water....

Akira: Do you go out by yourself?

Lennox: Sometimes. When I went with Rutile and Mitile, we camped out together.
If you cook just-caught fish on the spot, it’s incredibly fresh and firm and tastes delicious.


Option: Crafting seems fun.

Lennox: It is. I like making my own blueprints...

Akira: That's where you start!?

Lennox: You don't need measurements for simple things, but when a project gets complicated, you need to get it down to the inch.
I think building a giant kitchen cabinet for a newlywed couple was the biggest job I’ve had yet. It required a lot of drawers....


Lennox: Otherwise... I don't dislike household chores. I like cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry, too.

Akira: I see. I'm always a little lazy.

Lennox: Haha. Sir Sage, you're a busy person, after all. I'd be glad to lend you a hand anytime.
I know there are people who hate repeating the same chores day after day, but it doesn’t bother me at all. I like it when day after day passes peacefully and quietly.
When dawn breaks, and my eyes open with the sun's morning rays; when I begin work, alongside my sheep, according to the weather. When I return home, then I get to take care of myself.
Right before I head to bed, I gaze at the stars and take a break, while drinking some tea. That's my favorite time of day.

I imagine how his days go by. The light in the sky; the smell of grass, dirt, and animals — a quiet, peaceful, sturdy green lifestyle.
Those moments — and the way he treasures those moments — seem wonderful to me.


CHAPTER 5

Akira: Lennox, you're a peaceful person, but is there anything you dislike?

Lennox strokes his chin in contemplation.
His hands are very big; the casual gesture has a manly appeal.

Lennox: ......Talking, I guess.

Akira: Ah... I'm sorry.....

Lennox: Ah, wait, don’t misunderstand me. I don't mean to say I dislike speaking to you right now. How should I put it....
I have trouble responding when someone says, tell him something, or please say something.
Because when I have something to say, I always say it... When I'm silent, I really just don't feel a need to speak.

Akira: I see. Do people ask you to say something often?

Lennox: Yes. Like when Rutile and Mitile fight.

Akira: They fight!?

Lennox laughs, and his body rocks back and forth.

Lennox: They do. Rutile tends to space out, so Mitile gets mad about it pretty often.
But Rutile doesn't just take it in stride, so he snaps back, and ultimately, Mitile is the one who ends up crying. That's when he tells me to say something.

Akira: Ahaha. That's some trouble.

Lennox: They're both adorable.
I dislike insults and contempt. I don't like it when people insult me, and I don't like insulting others; I also don't like seeing it happen.

Akira: Yes... that I can understand.
Oh. That's right; Lennox, why are you so skilled at martial arts?

Lennox: I've never learned from a master. It just happened out of habit....

Akira: Habit?

Lennox: Because I was born during an era of social unrest and war.

Akira: Ah....


CHAPTER 6

Lennox: Back when the great wizard named Oz controlled half the world.... Well, I think that was the Sir Oz we know, but.
He disappeared halfway through his conquest. In a world that had lost its dictator — in a scramble for power, war broke out at an unprecedented scale.
Different countries waged war with each other, and civil wars broke out, too. In Central, the royal family that preceded the Granvelles came to an end. The world was a mess everywhere you turned.

Akira: I see... Where were you born, Leno?

Lennox: I was born in a coal mining town. Right along the border between the current Central Country and Southern Country. It was a small town that had nothing but coal.
The local lord forced me to work in the coal mines starting from when I was a child, alongside my father and brothers. I kept it a secret that I was a wizard.
But everyone who worked with me knew. Because it was a dangerous area... people would get crushed by rocks, and the gas and dust particles would poison them, or ruin their lungs...
That's why I secretly used my magic to help them. Everyone treasured me; they kept quiet, so that none of the higher-ups would realize.
But we were forced to labor in such a dreadful environment that people died every day. We were all terrified; we were all angry. That was when....
I heard of Sir Alec and Sir Faust. That humans and wizards had joined forces to defeat the dictator. That they were looking for comrades.

Akira: Faust is... our Faust, right?

Lennox: Well, yes. Ah.... he'll get mad at me if I say too much.

Akira: I-I'll keep it a secret.

Lennox: Please.
Where was I.... Oh. There was a huge uprising at the mines, and that was when my father died.


Option: An uprising....

Lennox: It was a dangerous place, and we were forced to labor like cows and horses, so we were all on the brink of an explosion. It was only a matter of time.
That was when we heard rumors of Sir Alec and Sir Faust, and everyone decided to take a stand.
There were many people who suffered and died because of that, though....
But their eyes, which looked like those of dead fish cracked over in mud while we’d been working—those eyes were burning with hope until their last moments.

Option: Your father....

Lennox: I couldn’t be there when he died, but. After the uprising, after we had chased away the lord's soldiers, I discovered his body.
He had a giant gash on his forehead... and I remember thinking: this man never stopped facing forward; he never stopped fighting.

Akira: He was a brave man....

Lennox: Yes... He's the one who taught me pride.


Lennox: And then.... My comrades and I continued to push back against the lord, and... at the cost of tremendous sacrifices, we triumphed.


CHAPTER 7

Lennox: I joined Sir Alec's forces with my surviving comrades.
Sir Alec was in charge of humans, and Sir Faust was in charge of the wizards, so I became Sir Faust's personal servant.
You know the story from there.... When victory was right before our eyes, the wizards were persecuted, and Sir Alec established the Central Kingdom.

Lennox takes a sip of tea as if he's exhausted from all that speaking.
After hearing about the peaceful way he goes about his day to day, I couldn’t possibly have imagined what an epic life he had lived.
But maybe that's why he’s so peaceful and kind.

Akira: ....Do you loathe him? This man named Alec, or even Oz...?

Lennox smiles bitterly, and shakes his head.

Lennox: I think it's strange, but I don't loathe them. Oz felt like a man out of a history textbook, and Sir Alec was a brave, bright, and compassionate person.
He was kind to us wizards, too; he trusted Sir Faust from the bottom of his heart. I was proud to fight by his side.
.......I think I can't loathe him because I still can't believe what happened.
I don't know how that happened to Sir Alec and Sir Faust....

Lennox falls silent. I don’t know what to say.
I wish I could cast away his sadness and his heavy silence, but I have no idea how.
Lennox raises his head, as if noticing how lost I seem.


CHAPTER 8

He smiles as if it's the most natural thing in the world, the same way he does when he lifts a piece of heavy luggage out of my hands.

Lennox: Thank you for listening to me. Thanks to you, I was able to speak of my past for the first time in a while, Sir Sage.
It's gotten quite late. Let me take you back to your room.

Akira: You're right... Why don't we go on a walk? I'd like to chat for a bit longer!

Lennox: I'd love to.

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: The stars are beautiful tonight...

Lennox: Yes...

Akira: That's right, Lennox. Could you show me your magic weapon?

Lennox: Yes, of course.



Akira: This is a key... right? What's it for?

Lennox: .......

Akira: You don't have to answer if it's a difficult question...

Lennox: It's the key to the prison in which Sir Faust was held. I was supposed to save him before the execution.

Akira: The execution... you mean... when he was burned at the stake....?

Lennox: Yes. But Sir Faust insisted that there was no reason for him to escape. If he fled, Alec would just further lose faith in him, he said.
But in the end.... Sir Alec did not stop the execution. And Sir Faust disappeared.
I couldn't throw this key away, and my feelings sunk into it; eventually, it came to harbor magical power, and... I've been using it ever since.


CHAPTER 9

Akira: ...Do you regret what happened?

Lennox: I do. But to this day, I don't know what exactly it is I regret.
Do I regret not saving Sir Faust? Do I regret trusting Sir Alec? Do I regret not being able to bridge the divide between them...?

Lennox grips the key in his hand and looks at me.

Lennox: Sir Sage. Watching you reminds me of Sir Alec somehow.

Akira: Me...? Not Arthur...?

Lennox: His face is more similar to Prince Arthur’s. But just like Sir Alec, you are a human who the wizards trust and adore.
Sir Alec loved wizards. And we loved him back. I wasn't afraid of turning to stone for his sake.
I think the same goes, more or less, for all the wizards here, too. Even if it's not true yet, it will be eventually.
We will all be proud of fighting by your side; we will all be proud of protecting you.

A multitude of stars sparkle above our heads.
Lennox takes my hand and grips it with his two hands, as if in prayer. His voice is painfully earnest.

Lennox: Please don't distrust us, Sir Sage. Please don't cast a cloud of doubt upon Rutile and Mitile's hearts when they admire you so dearly.
If you ever feel anxious about anything, please, just come to me.
I promise that I will never scare you; I promise to never do anything that will make you suspect me.

Akira: ....Lennox....

I grow nervous at the word "promise."


CHAPTER 10

Because promises are supposed to hold great weight for wizards.
Lennox gazes at me with unwavering eyes.

Lennox: I never want to witness such a tragedy again. I managed to withstand it the first time. But I don't think I could survive a second time.
If it happens again... I think I will loathe humans. I want to love you, Sir Sage; I want to keep loving people.
I don't want to see Sir Faust, Rutile, Mitile, Prince Arthur, or any of the children make such sorrowful faces.
We may have strange powers. But that's it. In the end, we just want to be close to you forever.
So please, I implore you... Do not become like Sir Alec.

His peaceful voice sinks into my heart with painful earnestness.
Lennox is a tall man of great strength. But he wishes for very little, and hates fighting others.
Lennox always tries to put me at ease.
—Because his wish is for us to trust each other forever.

Akira: I promise, Lennox.... I'm easily scared and ignorant, so I get anxious easily, but.
I will never see you guys as my enemy. If I ever feel like I might, I will tell you. I promise.

I lift my hand to his hand and repeat my words emphatically.

Akira: I promise, Lennox.

Lennox weakly furrows his brows. His voice trembles as he smiles softly.
Hoarsely, he whispers.

Lennox: Thank you......