Snow | The Cost of His Wish

[healingbonds]

MahoYaku Masterpost & Translator's Notes

CHAPTER 1

Akira: I want to see the previous sages’ manuals, but none of them are in Japanese.... Maybe there’s more on the upper shelf?

Snow: I thought I heard something — so it was you, Sage.

Akira: Snow. You’re not with White? That’s surprising.

Snow: That’s right. Ever since White turned to stone, we’ve set aside days to spend apart from each other. Today is that day.

Akira: You deliberately stay away from each other? Why....?

Snow: Ohoho. It’s to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Hm? Why are you standing on tiptoes?

Akira: Ah... I want to grab a book on the upper shelf.....

Snow: Here. Is this the one?

Akira: Woah.... I get surprised whenever you switch to your grown-up form.....

Snow: Fufu. As you should. I could’ve used my broom, but you seem to like this appearance of mine, so.
Go on. You can squeal.

Akira: I-I kind of hate to admit it, but you really are handsome.....

Snow: I can’t just lose to the young ones.

Akira: (Ah, he turned back into a child. Between the two appearances, I....)


Option: Think I prefer how he looks as a child.

Snow: Saaage~. Give me some candy~.

Akira: P-please don’t read my mind!

Snow: Wasn’t that so cute?


Option: Think I prefer how he looks as a grown-up.

(Grown-up) Snow: You... You’re my type. Let’s go get tea together.

Akira: P-please don’t read my mind!

(Child) Snow: Wasn’t that sexy?


Akira: Thank you for getting me the book, Snow. Could you tell me about the "mistake" you mentioned?

Snow: Did that catch your attention? Be warned: the elderly can go on forever.

Akira: Yes. If you don’t mind, could you actually tell me all sorts of things about yourself, Snow?
I want to take notes on all the wizards here, and on this world, so that I can head back to my world at any time....

Snow: You’re a diligent child. What a good, hardworking sage.
White isn’t around right now, so. You should come to our room.

Akira: Thank you!


CHAPTER 2

Akira: So this is Snow and White’s room....


Option: There’s only one table.

Snow: White is a ghost, after all. He often just floats around when he’s in our room.

Akira: I see.

Snow: Plus, we can sit next to each other if we shrink our bodies with magic. Magic is so useful.


Option: Who are the people in these paintings?

Snow: These are portraits we painted of each other. These portraits can speak, you see. Sometimes they relay us messages, and other times, they tell us prophecies.
For example... White, did we have any plans for the future?

White in the portrait: The owl’s eggs will hatch on the full moon next month. Don’t crawl into bed that day; we’re going out for a walk in the woods. We’re going together.

Akira: (It’s like a calendar function.... How handy....)

Snow: But I never expected us to actually get trapped inside a frame because of our injury from the < Great Catastrophe >.....


Akira: Huh...? What’s this sketchbook here on the desk....?

Snow: Oh, that. Feel free to take a look.

Akira: Thank you. ...Woah! What a pretty snow-covered town..... Did you draw this, Snow?

Snow: It’s a design idea for some stained glass. People often rely on us for magic and prophecies, but we’re actually stained glass craftsmen by profession.

Akira: I didn’t know that! Stained glass, huh, that’s amazing....

Snow: We have a little workshop up in Northern Country. People rarely come to us with jobs, but we still just create pieces as we wish.
Experience is everything when it comes to stained glass. There’s nobody more experienced than us — we’re the greatest stained glass craftsmen in the world.

Snow looks at me proudly as I flip through the sketchbook.
"We’re the greatest in the world" — it doesn’t sound unpleasant at all when Snow and White say such things, because of their charm and composed grace.


CHAPTER 3

Akira: Okay then, Snow. Could you give me a brief introduction?

Snow: My name is Snow. I was born in Northern Country. I’d like to say my age is a secret.... But I’ve lived over a thousand, no, two thousand years.
Many years have gone by since I was first chosen as a Sage’s wizard. The < Great Catastrophe > and I go back a long way.

Akira: You’ve been the Sage’s wizard for that long.....

Snow: That’s right. I can’t count the number of sages I’ve met on all my fingers and toes.
But you are my favorite one.

Akira: Eh.... Um.... Th-thank you.....

Snow: No need to thank me. I say that to every sage.

Akira: .......... I blushed because I took you seriously. Snow, you’re actually quite the smooth talker.....

Snow: Ohoho. My age isn’t just for show.
Every sage I’ve met is endearing. The same goes for all the wizards and people I’ve met as well. Every child has their own beauty.

Akira: So I do too....?

Snow: Fufu, that’s what I’ve been saying. There, there, sweet child. Your face, your voice, your heart — they’re all beautiful.

Akira: Haha... I feel like I’m being praised by a grandpa.

Snow: Can you not call me a grandpa?

Akira: S-sorry.

Snow: ‘Kay then, keep the questions rolling. Chop chop!

Akira: I see the previous sage really did teach you some new phrases..... Could you tell me what you’re good at?

Snow: Prophecies and fortune-telling.

Akira: You can see the future?

Snow: Exactly.

Akira: You’ve never been wrong?

Snow: I’ve never been wrong. I’ve seen people resist their prophesied fate, but they always ultimately succumbed.
We’ve actually predicted the fates of two wizards in the magic headquarters as well.

Akira: That means you know what’s going to happen in their futures....?

Snow: Indeed.

Akira: .........

Snow: I see you’re not going to ask who it’s about, or what their futures hold. You’re a wise child.


CHAPTER 4

Snow: I see you’re not going to ask who it’s about, or what their futures hold. You’re a wise child.

Akira: No.... I was just surprised. If possible, I’d like to.....

Snow: It’s better not to ask. You cannot resist your fate — no matter how cruel it may seem.

Akira: .......


Option: But I’m still curious.

Snow: You shouldn’t spend more than a tiny fraction of your thoughts on somebody else’s destiny. You can’t change anything in the end, after all.
This goes for both you and me.


Option: Can I get a hint.....

Snow: You’re being a bad boy. But fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
We’ve predicted the death of a certain wizard, and the future of another wizard who will eradicate all his comrades.

Akira: Death...? You mean someone is going to die? And the other is.... Someone is going to eradicate someone else....?

Snow: Indeed.

Akira: ...No... I can’t let that happen.... Who is this about!? Please tell me!

Snow: You can’t resist your fate. There are those who try — but in the end, it’s meaningless.

Akira: But....!

Snow: I warned you. I guess I have no choice. Forgive me, Sage.
<< Noscomnia >>

Akira: Ah.....
......
....Huh? What am I doing here?

Snow: You were asking me questions. I just talked about what I was good at.

Akira: Ah, right. You’re good at prophecies and fortune-telling, right?


Option: I understand.

Snow: Good child, good child. Spending energy on a hopeless cause will merely chip away at your soul.
At times you must keep your eyes closed for the sake of your well-being.


Snow: Let’s change the topic. I want to talk about White. Ask me anything you like.

Akira: Um... You and White have been together since the day you were born, right?

Snow: Indeed. We’ve never left each others’ sides. Our magical tools also match — look!



Akira: Woah... A doll appeared out of nowhere.... Is this your magical tool, Snow?

Snow: Yes. White and I have been playing dolls like this ever since we can remember.
We don’t know the faces of our parents, you see. This doll is Mother, and White’s doll is Father. Aren’t they adorable?


CHAPTER 5

Snow: We don’t know the faces of our parents, you see. This doll is Mother, and White’s doll is Father. Aren’t they adorable?

Akira: Yes, very.... Has it always just been the two of you? Were there any adults to look after you....

Snow: There may have been, but we have forgotten them. Because we were plenty satisfied with just each other.
Mother and Father. Sisters and brothers. Friends and lovers. Heroes and villains. White alone was enough for all of them.

Snow gives me a smile of satisfaction and puts away his doll.
He sounds like he’s trying to convince me. Snow begins boasting about how close he and White are in an exaggerated fashion — so much so that it feels like a bit of an act.

Snow: I know everything about White. We’re separated for the moment, but I can tell exactly what he’s doing.
Right now he’s preparing dinner for the two of us. It’s been a while since I last ate White’s cooking.

Akira: You know that much? Is it because of magic? Or is it because you’re twins?

Snow: I wonder. We have always shared the same dreams, ever since we were little.
For us, it was normal to wake up in the morning and talk about the continuation of the dream we saw last night.

Akira: The same dream? That’s amazing....

Snow: Is it?

Snow laughs bitterly, his brows furrowed. He seems a bit cynical.

Akira: ...I’ve never had the same dream as someone else, so. I think that goes for most people....?

Snow: You can talk about your dreams to someone else because they’re dreams that only you know about. Alternatively, you can ask someone else about their dreams, or beg for them to tell you more.
Fufu.... In the past, I was often jealous of how Figaro or the Southern brothers’ mother Tiretta would speak about their dreams.
But now I will no longer get jealous. I shared my dreams and my soul; I shared everything.... We will share it all until the near end.
And that is fine.

Snow rests his cheek on his hand and gazes out the window. Contrary to his assured words, he looks as though he is searching for something with his distant gaze.
I think of White, and get strangely anxious.
Because I think White would feel lonely if he saw Snow looking like this.....

Snow: I’m getting hungry.... It looks like it’ll be a while till we can eat White’s dinner. Sage, want to drop by the bar?

Akira: The bar? You mean Shylock’s bar in the magic headquarters?

Snow: That’s right, that’s right. You’re all mine tonight.


CHAPTER 6

Someone is already at the bar when Snow and I arrive.

Oz: Snow.....

Snow: Oh my, Oz. How rare to see you outside of your room.

Shylock: I see I have a lot of customers tonight. Sir Sage, were you with Sir Snow?

Akira: Yes. I had asked Snow all sorts of questions about himself to take notes in the sage’s manual.

Snow: Oz, would you like to hear about me too? I’ll tell you if you let me sit in your lap.

Oz: ...No. The very thought of it makes me feel sick.

Shylock: Sir Snow, what would you like to drink?

Snow: The usual. A blue cocktail that reminds me of a winter wonderland.

Oz: Figaro said it looked like the color of the sea.

Snow: How impudent. Sage, is juice all right for you?

Akira: Yes. Ah... That’s right. There’s something I forgot to ask you; may I follow up later?

Snow: What’s this, what’s this? You can ask me right now.

Akira: But....

Snow: Don’t worry about these guys. I have nothing to hide from them.

Akira: If you insist.... ....Why did White die?

(Glass shattering)

Shylock drops the glass in his hands.
I steal a glance at Oz’s profile; he also looks slightly tense. Snow blinks with wide eyes, and then smiles.

Snow: Shylock. Could I get some stronger wine?

Shylock: You can’t handle much alcohol, Sir Snow. I can’t have you falling asleep here.

Akira: I-I’m sorry! Snow, if it’s a difficult question—...

Oz: Snow killed him.

Oz murmurs, in a low, irritated voice.
I couldn’t believe what I just heard. Snow? Killed White?
Snow awkwardly takes the glass Shylock served him into his hands.

Snow: ....My, excuse me. Come on, Oz. At least say cheers first.

Instead of responding, Oz glares at Snow.
Shylock cleans up the shattered glass using magic. He takes a deep breath, as if it’s difficult for him to breathe.

Shylock: ....It looks like this will be a difficult conversation. Shall I leave the room?


CHAPTER 7

Shylock: ....It looks like this will be a difficult conversation. Shall I leave the room?

Oz audibly places his glass on the counter.

Oz: Stay. You were involved.

Shylock: Now that is a terrible misunderstanding, Oz.

I’ve rarely seen Shylock shrink back like this. Oz looks more frustrated than mad when he glances at Snow.

Oz: You explain, Snow.

Snow sighs deeply as if he’s given up.

Snow: I drove White into a distraught frenzy, you see. White almost killed me, and I killed him in self-defense.

Akira: White was driven into a frenzy....?

Snow: I told him, "We will turn to stone soon enough; before that day comes, I want to part ways with you, White, and try living alone."

Snow mumbles, staring at his empty glass.

Snow: We had always been together since the day we were born. We were happy, and we were satisfied. We never questioned anything.
But then, one day, a certain man asked me this: "Have you never questioned not experiencing solitude till the day you die?"

Akira: A certain man....

Oz: It was Murr.

I can’t help but glance at Shylock in response to Oz’s bitter voice.
Shylock turns towards me with a smile, and tilts his head.

Shylock: Please don’t look at me, Sir Sage. Oz, you too. Don’t make me responsible for his actions. This has nothing to do with me.

Oz: But you brought Murr to my castle to apologize.

Shylock: I was begging for forgiveness. For I knew that you and Sir White were close.
I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night if you’d killed Murr, you see. You said the matter didn’t bother you.

Oz: I don’t recall saying that.

Snow: Stop it, Oz. Neither Murr nor Shylock is at fault. It was all us two.

Snow says assertively. Then he slouches his delicate shoulders and sighs.


CHAPTER 8

Snow: It was all my fault. I was provoked by Murr’s simple inquiry, and yearned for a loneliness without White.
I didn’t realize then how fortunate I was to not know solitude....

Akira: ....Did you say you wanted to live apart from White?

Snow: That’s right.... And White desperately tried to convince me otherwise for days—no, months.
He cried, he yelled, he laughed. He insulted me and called me cold; the next moment, he praised me and told me I was the best in the world.
I pitied White. I felt nothing more than pity. For I spent my time dreaming of a fantastical journey to discover solitude.
I wanted to discover a world that had White never known of, so I could tell him all about it. But White grew worn-out and depressed....
And said he would kill me, and then kill himself too. Then we fought for three days and three nights.

Shylock: How compassionate.

Oz: You are both fools.

Shylock is impressed, and Oz is ruthless. Oz looks like a child who had just watched his parents fight.

Oz: There were plenty of other paths you could have taken instead of fighting each other to the death. You spent your time huddled together for countless years — yet you chose to act like beasts.

Snow: I don’t want to hear it from the simple-minded child who tried to take over the world because he hated dealing with others and wanted to live freely.....

Shylock: Northern wizards tend to rely on brute force when it counts.

Oz: What started it all was your....

Shylock: Oz. I’ve been telling you, I have nothing to do with this. Don’t go around making me Murr’s partner.

Oz: Then will you kill Murr one day, the same way Snow killed White?

Shylock: .........

Shylock is lost for words. Oz isn’t irritated; he’s just confused. Snow roughly ruffles Oz’s hair.

Snow: There, there, Oz. That’s enough. I apologize. I know you two looked up to us.

Oz: .....I did not.


CHAPTER 9

Snow: I apologize to you too, Shylock. Neither White nor I loathe Murr. You don’t have to worry about that.

Shylock turns his eyes downward. Oz brushes Snow’s hand away and falls into a bitter silence.
Snow is smiling peacefully.

Snow: I killed White, and obtained freedom and solitude in return. But I was not happy.
Because there was nothing I wanted more in this world than White......

Snow’s voice sounds more deathly than the dead. I furrow my brows, feeling a pang of loneliness.
Why did such a tragedy have to occur? How could it have been avoided? I think....

Akira: (The one at fault is....)


Option: Snow.

Akira: (If Snow had never said he wanted to be alone, none of this would have happened....)
(If he had never wished for solitude out of sheer curiosity; if he had never taken for granted that he was happy being with White.....)
(Then he could’ve avoided knowing true loneliness.)


Option: White.

Akira: (If White had never tried to kill Snow, none of this would’ve happened....)
(If he had believed in Snow, who wanted to be alone... If he had forgiven him, then Snow would have returned....)
(But he couldn’t forgive Snow for wanting freedom....)


Snow: I cried and cried in a pure white field of snow as I tied White’s spirit to this world. I acted pathetically for my age.
That was enough loneliness for a lifetime. It was more terrifying and painful than turning to stone. Just thinking about it makes me feel like my heart is being ripped to shreds.
Yet we still share the same dreams. That is why we now spend time apart from each other.

Akira: The same dreams...? What kind of dreams....?

Snow smiles, looking a little troubled.
He strokes his own chest with his tiny hand, the same way he ruffled Oz’s hair earlier.
As if smothering the last smouldering embers within a pile of ashes.

Snow: Dreams of traveling alone.

I can’t say anything in response. Snow and White share the same dreams.
They woke up to the same dream this morning. The silence, the longing, the pain that filled the room when they opened their eyes — I can imagine it all. I finish my juice.
It’s sweet and sour. I make a bitter face.


CHAPTER 10

We exit the bar and head towards the dining room. White greets us with a meal prepared.

White: Oh, there you are. I’ve prepared a real feast tonight, Snow.

Snow: It smells delicious. White, you’re such a talented ghost — you can even make dinner.

White: I agree, I agree. Let’s line up Mother and Father.

Snow: Let’s, let’s.

White: Sage. You should eat with us too.

Akira: But.....

White: Don’t be shy. You were speaking to Snow all this time, right? These are my feelings of gratitude.

Snow: Yes, join us, Sage. Take a seat next to Mother and Father.....

I listen to them and take a seat at the table.
Watching the identical twins smile at each other brings a smile to my face as well.
Despite what happened in their past, despite one of them being a ghost....
It simply feels right for the two of them to be together.

Akira: Then I will enjoy the meal, White. Snow talked about you the entire time today.

White: Oh! I see, I see. What kinds of stories did you tell?

Snow: No, no, you can’t ask him that!

Akira: I’ll tell you later.

White: Ya~y!

Snow: Uu, this is embarrassing.....

White laughs joyously as Snow blushes.
Watching their heartwarming exchange, I put my hands together and say...

Akira: Thank you for the meal.

We recommend reading White's story directly after Snow's!