healingbonds (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
healingbonds) wrote2020-06-23 04:53 pm
healingbonds) wrote2020-06-23 04:53 pm
Etude of the Solitary Bandit | Chapter 6
Chapter 5 << | index | >> Chapter 7
Shylock: Surely the humans in Northern Country must have thought highly of a wizard as powerful as you.
You could have lived a life without working if you so chose — protecting the people who sought your protection, the same way Sir Snow, Sir White, and Oz did.
And yet, you became a bandit. That stance of treasuring your own individuality — I don’t hate it.
Shylock puts his pipe in his mouth, gently puffing smoke. He smiles while looking at the Northern wizards.
Shylock: New encounters and new ways of living may occasionally feel inconvenient and suffocating, but......
It doesn’t mean that you have to discard your individuality: rather, it might become a delightful encounter with a brand-new you.
Murr: You’re talking about evolution! Strong creatures died off, but the weak beings who adapted to their surroundings survived!
Mithra: Are you saying that we’re going to die off?
Murr: That’s if you forget about evolution! Weak fish grew limbs and made their way onto land; weak beasts on land attained wings. That’s evolution!
Putting in the effort to scheme for survival — surely that’s something the Northern wizards would enjoy!
Owen: I’m not going to listen to you. I don’t want to be swayed like the twins, who ended up killing each other.
Snow in the portrait: Ohoho. That’s rich coming from Owen.
White in the portrait: Ohoho. How rich of Snow to take it as a joke.
At Shylock and Murr’s words, I look thoughtfully at the Northern wizards.
Troublesome situations open the door for an encounter with a brand-new version of yourself. Like how a fish chased to the ground by a larger fish turned into a beast, and a weak beast turned into a bird.
As long as they never give up, humans and wizards are both capable of wondrous change.
Bradley: Tch....... That sure killed the mood. I’m calling it a night. Move aside.
(Rustle)
Rustica: Ah......
Bradley bumps brusquely into Rustica and walks away from the bar.
Owen: ......What was that. This is the worst.
Mithra: Who knows......
Mithra and Owen both disappear like smoke. From within the portrait, the twins sigh.
Something about Bradley’s retreating figure bothers me. I say my goodbyes to the Western wizards, and chase after him.
✦✧☾✧✦
When I catch up to him, Bradley is holding something up to the moonlight with one hand.
It is an expensive-looking cuff button, glittering transparently like a jewel.
Akira: Bradley...... What’s that?
Bradley: I swiped it off Mister Bridegroom from the West when we passed by each other. It’s a pretty damn good stone.
Akira: Y, You stole it!? You can’t do that! If you don’t return it......
Rustica: Sir Sage. Bradley.
Rustica’s voice comes from behind us. I turn back in surprise to find Rustica smiling happily.
Rustica: Oh, thank goodness. I just realized that I had dropped my cuff button back there.
So you picked it up for me. Thank you, Bradley.
Rustica holds his hand out to Bradley without a trace of suspicion that his cuff button had been stolen.
Under the moonlight, Bradley laughs mockingly.
Bradley: I’m not giving it to you. This belongs to me.
Rustica: Is that so? I thought it was my cuff button, but......
Bradley: I stole it from you. So, it’s mine.
Rustica looks astonished, and blinks, slowly.
Rustica: You stole it? From me?
Bradley: That’s right. You were spacing out and didn't seem to realize, but when we passed by each other, I, the great Bradley......
Rustica: Why? If you said you wanted it, I would have given it to you.
Bradley catches his breath slightly.
In the hall of the magical headquarters flooded in pale light, Bradley’s eyes are wide as he fixes his gaze on Rustica.
Rustica simply wears the gentlemanly, kind smile that he always does.
Rustica: It makes me happy that you took a liking to one of my favorite things.
I’m giving that cuff button to you. As a mark of our friendship.
Bradley: .....I don’t need it.
Rustica: Huh?
Bradley: I don’t need this damn thing......!
(Shove) (Footsteps)
Bradley thrusts the cuff button at Rustica’s chest and walks away, the sound of his footsteps loud and rough.
Rustica: Cough...... What amazing strength...... I wonder why he got angry?
Still choking, Rustica gazes at the cuff button with a curious expression.
I can’t say anything. The look that I saw on Bradley’s face, right in the moment he turned to walk away — it was an expression distorted with humiliation and rage.
The blue midnight moon looks down at us silently, illuminating the figures of a departing Bradley and a motionless Rustica.
Chapter 5 << | index | >> Chapter 7
Shylock: Surely the humans in Northern Country must have thought highly of a wizard as powerful as you.
You could have lived a life without working if you so chose — protecting the people who sought your protection, the same way Sir Snow, Sir White, and Oz did.
And yet, you became a bandit. That stance of treasuring your own individuality — I don’t hate it.
Shylock puts his pipe in his mouth, gently puffing smoke. He smiles while looking at the Northern wizards.
Shylock: New encounters and new ways of living may occasionally feel inconvenient and suffocating, but......
It doesn’t mean that you have to discard your individuality: rather, it might become a delightful encounter with a brand-new you.
Murr: You’re talking about evolution! Strong creatures died off, but the weak beings who adapted to their surroundings survived!
Mithra: Are you saying that we’re going to die off?
Murr: That’s if you forget about evolution! Weak fish grew limbs and made their way onto land; weak beasts on land attained wings. That’s evolution!
Putting in the effort to scheme for survival — surely that’s something the Northern wizards would enjoy!
Owen: I’m not going to listen to you. I don’t want to be swayed like the twins, who ended up killing each other.
Snow in the portrait: Ohoho. That’s rich coming from Owen.
White in the portrait: Ohoho. How rich of Snow to take it as a joke.
At Shylock and Murr’s words, I look thoughtfully at the Northern wizards.
Troublesome situations open the door for an encounter with a brand-new version of yourself. Like how a fish chased to the ground by a larger fish turned into a beast, and a weak beast turned into a bird.
As long as they never give up, humans and wizards are both capable of wondrous change.
Bradley: Tch....... That sure killed the mood. I’m calling it a night. Move aside.
(Rustle)
Rustica: Ah......
Bradley bumps brusquely into Rustica and walks away from the bar.
Owen: ......What was that. This is the worst.
Mithra: Who knows......
Mithra and Owen both disappear like smoke. From within the portrait, the twins sigh.
Something about Bradley’s retreating figure bothers me. I say my goodbyes to the Western wizards, and chase after him.
✦✧☾✧✦
When I catch up to him, Bradley is holding something up to the moonlight with one hand.
It is an expensive-looking cuff button, glittering transparently like a jewel.
Akira: Bradley...... What’s that?
Bradley: I swiped it off Mister Bridegroom from the West when we passed by each other. It’s a pretty damn good stone.
Akira: Y, You stole it!? You can’t do that! If you don’t return it......
Rustica: Sir Sage. Bradley.
Rustica’s voice comes from behind us. I turn back in surprise to find Rustica smiling happily.
Rustica: Oh, thank goodness. I just realized that I had dropped my cuff button back there.
So you picked it up for me. Thank you, Bradley.
Rustica holds his hand out to Bradley without a trace of suspicion that his cuff button had been stolen.
Under the moonlight, Bradley laughs mockingly.
Bradley: I’m not giving it to you. This belongs to me.
Rustica: Is that so? I thought it was my cuff button, but......
Bradley: I stole it from you. So, it’s mine.
Rustica looks astonished, and blinks, slowly.
Rustica: You stole it? From me?
Bradley: That’s right. You were spacing out and didn't seem to realize, but when we passed by each other, I, the great Bradley......
Rustica: Why? If you said you wanted it, I would have given it to you.
Bradley catches his breath slightly.
In the hall of the magical headquarters flooded in pale light, Bradley’s eyes are wide as he fixes his gaze on Rustica.
Rustica simply wears the gentlemanly, kind smile that he always does.
Rustica: It makes me happy that you took a liking to one of my favorite things.
I’m giving that cuff button to you. As a mark of our friendship.
Bradley: .....I don’t need it.
Rustica: Huh?
Bradley: I don’t need this damn thing......!
(Shove) (Footsteps)
Bradley thrusts the cuff button at Rustica’s chest and walks away, the sound of his footsteps loud and rough.
Rustica: Cough...... What amazing strength...... I wonder why he got angry?
Still choking, Rustica gazes at the cuff button with a curious expression.
I can’t say anything. The look that I saw on Bradley’s face, right in the moment he turned to walk away — it was an expression distorted with humiliation and rage.
The blue midnight moon looks down at us silently, illuminating the figures of a departing Bradley and a motionless Rustica.
Chapter 5 << | index | >> Chapter 7