Owen | Smile Magic

[healingbonds]

MahoYaku Masterpost & Translator's Notes

CHAPTER 1

Akira: Huh....? Owen is in the courtyard. That’s unusual.... And Heath, too....?

Owen: Heathcliff.... I hear you’re the son of a good, refined noble lord.

Heathcliff: Wh... What about it....

Owen: Why do you think a child like you was born to him?
Do you think the master of Blanchett is happy that you’re his son? Do you think he’s never regretted your existence?

Heathcliff: ...Please stop.

Akira: (...! Owen... What is he saying to Heathcliff....)
Please stop, Owen!

Cain: Stop it, Owen!

Before I can reach them, Cain steps in front of Heath as if to shield him from Owen.
Owen grins delightedly and Heath breathes a sigh of relief.

Owen: Hello, Sir Knight.

Cain: Don’t befuddle Heath with your cruel words. Look at him; there are tears in his eyes.

Heathcliff: I-I’m not crying. Don’t make assumptions just because you can’t see me.

Cain: Wait, really?

Owen: I was just asking him about himself. If you feel hurt when someone asks you about yourself — that’s your own fault.

Heathcliff: ......

Cain: Don’t take him seriously, Heath. Owen, why are you so ill-natured?
We’re comrades. Honestly, you get on my nerves too, but I’m doing what I can to get along with you.

Owen: Oh? How?

Cain: What do you mean, how....

Owen: Show me right now.

Cain: ......
Yo, Owen. What’s up? Wanna grab a meal together?

Owen: Ahaha. You look like an idiot.

Cain: ....You really piss me off! I’ve had enough. Let’s go, Heath!

(Footsteps)

Heathcliff: W-wait for me! Cain!

(Footsteps)

Akira: (They left... But he does have a point. Owen has a few too many problems — it makes living with him difficult....)
(I feel like we can get closer if we can talk a bit more....)


CHAPTER 2

Akira: Hello, Owen.

Owen: Hello, Sir Sage. Did you have fun watching us all back there?

Akira: So you noticed.

Owen: I’m a wizard, after all. Now that you’ve quit being an observer, what are you trying to be? Do you think you can be anything else?

Akira: Um....
(I can’t draw back now. I need to get closer to him somehow....)
How have you been lately? I was wondering if you’d like to grab a meal together....

Owen: No.

Akira: Um.... That’s right! You like sweets, right? Would you like to eat some sweets together?

Owen: .......
What kind?

Akira: (Got him!)
Anything you want! We’ll ask Miss Canary or Nero to make it for you. What would you like to eat?

Owen: Cream.

Akira: Eh...? Just cream....?

Owen: I want to fill my stomach with whipped cream and buttercream and nothing else.

Akira: (That description is already giving me heartburn.... But it looks like he’ll spend some time with me now.)
I think I can make whipped cream. Let’s eat some together.

✦✧☾✧✦

Owen uses a spoon to scoop the whipped cream out of a bowl filled to the brim. He’s eating at a ravenous speed.

Nero: Hey, Mister Sage... As a chef, I really can’t stand watching him eat like that.....

Akira: Thank you for helping me make the whipped cream, Nero! Please leave the clean-up to me.

I say goodbye to a rather put-off Nero and sit across the table from Owen.

Akira: How is it? Does it taste good?

Owen: It’s the worst.

Akira: Huh...? Then you don’t have to force yourself to eat it.....

Owen: Hey. It’s mine. Don’t touch it.

Akira: (So it is delicious.... He’s so contrary.....)

Owen continues to stuff his cheeks with the sugary cream.
It’s a bit of a strange sight, but — maybe it’s because of his handsome and attractive face — it looks like a bizarre but charming scene from a movie.
Even the cream on his fingertips and eyelashes begin to look refined and fashionable.


CHAPTER 3

Akira: There’s actually something I’d like to ask of you......

Owen: Nope.

Akira: ..... I haven’t even said anything yet.....

Owen: I’d still say no. But if you want to ask, why don’t you go ahead?

Akira: The Sage might suddenly return to their own world one day. It looks like that’s what happened to the previous sage, too.

Owen glances at me. His mismatched eyes are breathtakingly beautiful.

Owen: And?

Akira: I’m taking notes on everyone here in case I suddenly have to return to my world.
That includes you too, Owen.... Could you tell me more about yourself?

Owen: I was killed by you.

Akira: Eh...!?

Owen’s delicate lips twist at my exclamation.

Owen: What would you do if that was the case? What if your memories from your other world were all false? What if you were a criminal in this world?
Alternatively, what if your lover was someone you happened to hate? What if I was your lover?

Akira: I don’t hate you, Owen.

Owen: I see. You liar.

Akira: I’m not lying. Or I’m probably not.... I don’t understand it myself either.

Owen gazes at me, spoon still in hand.
He squints at me, irritated.

Owen: I hate you.

His blunt words make me feel....


Option: Hurt.

Seeing how visibly hurt I am, Owen irritably combs his fingers through his hair, without his usual smile.


Option: Irritated.

Seeing my frustrated expression, Owen narrows his eyes till they look like waning moons; on his face is a delighted, cold smile.


Owen: Write that down in the sage’s manual. Thanks for the meal.

Akira: Ah....

Then he disappears like smoke.


CHAPTER 4

Even after Owen turned me away, I continued to speak to him every time I spotted him.

Akira: Hello, Owen! I have a few questions I’d like to ask you....

Owen: That question is dead. I killed it.

Akira: Ah... He disappeared again.

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Owen! Tell me what you’re good at, and what you’re bad at—.

Owen: Are you an idiot? Northern wizards never reveal their weaknesses.

Akira: Please wait! Ah.... There he goes again....

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Owen! Which do you prefer, Japanese confectionery or Western—....

Owen: You’re so annoying.

Akira: Ah....!
...Sigh... This is no good. Every time I spot him, he disappears in a blink.
Is it even possible to become friends with Owen...?

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Huh...? Owen and Mithra are together. Are they fighting....!?
Northern wizards start killing each other at the drop of a hat... Please stop, both of you!

I run towards the two of them.
Mithra, who is being held down by Owen, turns his head to look at me.

Mithra: Sir Sage.

Owen: More! More!

Owen’s laugh is uncharacteristically innocent. I blink, confused.

Akira: Wh-what are you doing....?

Mithra: I was napping, and Owen leaned on me out of nowhere.
He was in the way, so I shoved him aside with my legs, which delighted him for some reason....

Owen: Whee~. Do the whee~ again.

Mithra: Please get out of my way. You’re heavy....

Annoyed, Mithra shoves Owen away with his knees.
Owen begins to laugh like an innocent child the moment his body is in the air.
That’s when I realize.

Akira: (Could it be.... Owen’s bizarre injury....)


CHAPTER 5

Because of his injury from the battle with the < Great Catastrophe >, Owen’s personality sometimes turns into that of a child out of nowhere.
I get the impression he doesn’t want other people to know about it.

Akira: (What should I do. At this rate, Mithra will find out....)

Mithra: Anyway, I’m getting hungry. What do you think we’ll have for dinner?

Akira: (Safe...! I’m glad Mithra is absent-minded!!)

Owen: Um, cake.....

Mithra: Cake alone won’t fill your stomach. I want meat..... I want grilled chicken. Birds taste good when they’re slightly burnt....

Owen: Bird? Like back there?

Mithra: Back where? What, did you eat a bird?

Owen: No, I mean. Can you do the bird again? Like, whee~.

Mithra: The what...? Oh, you mean this? You wanted me to shove you upwards with my knees again?

Owen: Bird. I’m flying.

Mithra: Sigh.... But you’re not.

Seeing the two tall Northern wizards play around as if they’re doing eurythmics almost makes me lose my mind.

Akira: Ahh, um, umm.... Hello! Owen, Mithra!

Owen: Hello.

Mithra: Sir Sage. What time is dinner?

Akira: I don’t know, but... May I borrow Owen for a bit?

Mithra: Go ahead. You don’t need to return him.

Owen: I want to do the bird.....

Akira: L-let’s have him do it later. Come here, Owen.

Owen: Bird.......

Mithra: Stop staring at other peoples’ knees. I’ll kick you to death.


CHAPTER 6

Owen is reluctant to move, even as I tug at his hand. I say:


Option: I have some yummy candy for you!

Owen spins around with a bright smile on his face.

Owen: Really....?

Akira: Yes. Here, look!

I reach into my pocket and pull out a piece of candy that the Southern wizards had given me.

Owen: It’s candy.

Owen reaches for the candy, and I pull it away, smiling.

Akira: Let’s eat it together over there, okay?

Owen: Let’s eat it together over there.....

Akira: Say bye-bye to Mithra.

Owen: Bye-bye.

Mithra: Okay.... Bye-bye.

Akira: All right! Let’s go!


Option: That tall man is actually a scary person!

Owen: Eh....?

Mithra: Why are you making that face all of a sudden? How intensely annoying.

Owen: ....Scary.....

Akira: (He’s kind of cute.....)

Mithra: This is kind of pissing me off.... I’m not scary. See. Let’s do the bird. Come here.

Owen: ....I don’t want to.....

Mithra: What was that!?

Owen: .... The scary uncle yelled at me.....

Mithra: Who are you calling uncle? I would understand it from Rutile, but you’re about the same age as me.....

Akira: Let’s go, Owen! Please excuse us, Mithra!


(Footsteps)

I hold Owen’s hand and take him into the magic headquarters.

✦✧☾✧✦

Once we make it inside, I breathe a sigh of relief.

Akira: Thank goodness.... Mithra didn’t find out.....

Suddenly, the fingertips intertwined with my own slip away.
The atmosphere surrounding Owen has also turned cold.

Akira: (Ah... I guess he’s back....)

I turn around fearfully to see Owen glaring at me irritably.

Owen: ....What?

Akira: What do you mean, what.....


CHAPTER 7

Owen: You were holding my hand.

Akira: You turned into a different Owen again. You were with Mithra, and I took you away so he wouldn’t find out about your injury.....

Owen: Mithra? I was with Mithra? If he finds out, it’s the end for me. He’d definitely ridicule me.

Akira: That’s why I took you away. But I don’t think Mithra will ridicule you.

Owen: He will. He thinks I’m weaker than him.

Akira: Are you actually stronger than him?

Owen: ....I mean, I am weaker, but. What are you trying to accomplish?

Owen’s irritation catches on to me, and I begin to feel irritated and sad.

Akira: Then fine. I don’t care anymore. If you’re not going to talk about yourself, I’ll never understand you.
And next time Mithra is about to find out about your injury, I won’t know what to do, so. I’ll leave you alone. Bye.

Owen: Wai....

I turn my back and walk away.
Then, out of nowhere, Owen appears in front of my eyes.

Akira: Woa...h! You surprised me!

Owen: ....Fine, then.

Akira: Huh?

Owen: I’ll talk to you. You want me to talk about myself, right?

Owen says, and then, with an extremely irritated expression, guides me to his room.

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: So this is your room, Owen.....


Option: It looks surprisingly comfortable.....

Owen: What do you mean, surprisingly?

Akira: It has a natural or hotel-like ambience.... I like rooms like this.

Owen: I don’t care about what you like.

Akira: I thought you would live in a crazier kind of room.

Owen: You’re so rude.....


Option: That’s a lovely sofa.

Owen: Really? Not that I care.

Akira: Didn’t you choose it?

Owen: I chose it. It was fluffy and comfortable to sit on. Doesn’t it feel nice against your skin?

Akira: (So you do like it....)


Option: That’s a lovely bed.

Owen: Really? I don’t think so.

Akira: Are the springs stiff or something?

Owen: Hey—.

Akira: They’re perfectly fine. It’s nice and bouncy; this seems like a comfortable bed to sleep in.

Owen: Don’t touch my bed without my permission. It’s where I sleep.

Akira: I-I’m sorry. Did I offend you?

Owen: Yeah. It’s inexplicably annoying.
Like, when someone else’s scent gets all over something, it stops feeling like it belongs to me. Which makes me antsy.

Akira: (He’s like an animal.....)


CHAPTER 8

Owen: So what did you want to ask me about?

Akira: Ah... Okay, first, can you tell me your name, your age, and where you’re from?

Owen: My name is Owen. I’m a Northern wizard. I don’t know my age. I’m younger than Mithra or Murr or Shylock.
But I think I’m older than Nero or Faust. What else?

Akira: What are you good at and bad at? I won’t tell anyone.

Owen: They already know, so it’s fine. I’m good at dying. Because I’ve hidden my soul, I won’t die even if something destroys my physical body.

Akira: Where did you hide it?

Owen: Why would I tell you?

Akira: Then what are you bad at?

Owen: When my heart moves in a weird way. Like right now.

Akira: It’s moving in a weird way right now?

Owen: It’s weird. Can’t you tell?

Akira: Owen, you’re always grinning, but is that a sign that you feel calm?

Owen: Yeah. That’s normal. I like it when I’m like that.

Akira: Why?

Owen: Why....? Because I’m in control, and I can anticipate how the person I’m talking to is going to react?

Owen gazes at me with honest confusion amidst his irritation.
I finally realize why I can’t bring myself to hate Owen. He might be ill-natured, but he doesn’t actually realize why he bullies others.

Akira: Owen, how did you become like this....?

Owen: That question pisses me off for some reason.....

Akira: I-I’m sorry. Could you tell me about your life?

Owen: I lived in the forest. My job involved defeating wolves, but sometimes I befriended them.

Akira: You can speak to animals, right? Is that also because of magic?

Owen: I don’t know. By the time I was aware of the fact, I could already speak to them.

Akira: ...Do you like animals?

Owen: They’re fine. I like humans more. Because their malice is more graphic.

Akira: You like malice...? Why....?

Owen: I don’t know. It’s probably because I’m a wizard.


CHAPTER 9

I’m confused. The wizards I know don’t particularly like malice.
Owen also seems confused. He gazes at me, annoyed, then furrows his brows as if he doesn’t know what to say.
Bitterly, he utters:

Owen: ....I don’t remember.

Akira: Huh?

Owen: I don’t remember anything about my past.
I don’t know where I was born, or where I came from. ...That’s why I can’t answer your questions.

I feel like I’ve finally come into touch with a sliver of his true nature.
Owen has no memories of his past.
Owen smiles scornfully. He conceals his insecurity and turns aggressive, as if he’s trying to look down on me.
I’m surprised by the sudden change in attitude.

Owen: So? Do you understand me now? What are you going to say I’m made of?

Akira: ....I don’t know.

Owen: See? Wasn’t this a total waste of time? Did you just come here to show me how useless you are?
You look like an idiot, Sir Sage. Why don’t you say something?

Owen is at ease when he speaks like a bully; he’s like a child whining in his mother’s lap.
Owen said that he enjoyed being cruel because he could anticipate how the other person would react.
It might be that he can only interact with people by hurting them — maybe that’s the only form of communication he knows.
Maybe the innocent, childlike, other Owen is the true Owen.

Owen: Ahahaha. What, you’re all silent now.

Akira: No.... I’ll continue my questions.


CHAPTER 10

How did Owen become the person he is today? I want to know, but Owen has no memories of his past.
That means Owen’s current preferences are the only hints I can use.


Option: What kinds of wizards do you like?

Owen: The wizards I like? I guess if we’re talking about the wizards in the magic headquarters, I like guys like Heathcliff and Chloe?

Akira: Really?

Owen: Because they’re always frightened and timid, and they go white at the smallest thing.

Akira: ......

Owen: I like all wizards who are afraid of me.


Option: What kinds of wizards do you hate?

Owen: Wizards I hate? There are tons.

Akira: Can you give me an example?

Owen: I hate Oz. Because he gets in my way. I hate Figaro. Because he hinders me. I hate Snow and White, too. Because they won’t stop yapping.
I hate Mithra, too. He’s selfish and makes me follow his bidding.

Akira: He does?

Owen: Even if he never intends to, if a wizard is more powerful than me, he’ll ultimately make me follow his orders.
I hate all wizards who are stronger than me.


Option: What kinds of wizards are you afraid of?

Owen: ...Wizards I’m afraid of?
None.

Akira: Really?

Owen: Why would I be scared? What is fear?

Akira: It’s difficult to answer fundamental questions like that.... But, I guess an example would be not knowing what’ll happen in the future.

Owen: Not knowing what’ll happen in the future....?
I'm not afraid of him, but I guess my answer would be Cain, in that case. Because I don’t know why I took his eyeball either.
Though I am fond of this eyeball.


I gaze at Owen. He’s grinning scornfully, observing me with a haughty attitude.
If I slip up and say something wrong, he’ll leap on the opportunity to bully me — that’s what this feels like.
But at the same time, he’s like a child who just wants to play catch, waiting for me to toss the ball back to him.
As if he can’t wait for me to throw it back — hurry, hurry.

Akira: ...Owen. This isn’t a question, it’s a word of advice....

Owen: What? I never asked.

Akira: You are incredibly pretty, so if you ever want to be with someone, or if you want someone to do something for you, you should smile.

Owen: ..........

Akira: I think that alone would be enough.

Owen blinks confusedly. Then his lips turn down in a pout.
Annoyed, he runs his fingers through his hair, and lays down on his bed.
Then, as if experimenting with me, he breaks out into a smile in front of my eyes.
I’m captivated by his half teasing, half spoiled, brilliant smile.
Using his elbow as a pillow, he whispers with that attractive smile.

Owen: Leave.

Akira: ........

Looks like it’ll take a while to get close to Owen.
But I still think I made a tiny bit of progress today.
Because Owen looked like he was in a terribly good mood when he wished me good night.