healingbonds (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
healingbonds) wrote2020-07-05 01:14 pm
healingbonds) wrote2020-07-05 01:14 pm
Main Story | Chapter 14 | A Collapsed Tower and the Shadow of a Bird
MahoYaku Masterpost & Translator's Notes
Chapter 13 << | index | >> Chapter 15
Chapter 14: A Collapsed Tower and the Shadow of a Bird
14.1 Figaro’s Secret
14.2 A Sweet Ceasefire
14.3 Crossroad of Pasts
14.4 Wings of the Magical Technology Corps
14.5 A Twisted Miracle
14.6 Pursuing the Shadow of a Bird
14.7 Failure of a Hero
14.8 Spirits Wandering the Cemetery
14.9 Loathing Emitted by the Necklace
14.1 Figaro’s Secret
Mithra prowls closer towards Arthur, who is still protecting Oz behind his back.
A red-and-black light dances in the palm of Mithra’s right hand, and panic flashes across Oz’s face.
I reach out to grab Mithra’s hand.
Mithra: Hey, that's dangerous.
Akira: Mithra, please wait! If we lose any of the chosen wizards, we might not be able to defeat the < Great Catastrophe >!
Then the world might really come to an end!
Mithra: ......You have a point.
Owen purses his lips in discontent.
Owen: You're so easy.
Mithra: But wouldn't it be a problem for you too, Owen? If the world ends, then we die too.
Owen: Well, true..... Okay, but it's still a good opportunity, so why don't you take an arm or a leg?
Mithra: I don't make a hobby of collecting body parts like you do.
Owen: I don't either. I just happened to like this eye. But I’d want Oz's arm.
Arthur: What are you going to do with Sir Oz's arm!?
Owen: I'll use it to scratch my back.
Mithra: That sounds convenient.
Owen: And I'll make it pet my head.
Arthur: You should just ask him right now! Sir Oz will pat your head. He did many times when I was little......
Oz: Arthur...... Arthur. That's enough. Keep quiet.
Arthur: But Sir Oz......
Oz: ...........
<< Vox Nox >>
Oz mutters his spell in a low voice. When he does, a new figure appears on the scene.
It's Figaro, a Southern wizard.
Figaro: Huh? Oz, did you call me?
Oz: ......Yaaawn...... It looks like I can manage simple magic.... But I am...... sleepy.....
Figaro: Hey now, don't call someone over just to yawn in their face.
Everyone is terrified of Oz, but Figaro lectures him so frankly.
He also shows no sign of surprise at being summoned out of nowhere. Oz continues.
Oz: I've temporarily lost my magic. Protect Arthur from Mithra and Owen.
You can handle them, right, Figaro?
Figaro: .............
Akira: ...."You can handle them, right, Figaro"....? Weren't the Southern wizards supposed to be weak....?
Oz: Figaro is a Northern wizard. He's lived longer than me.
Akira: Huh....!?
I stare at Figaro in amazement.
But I am the only one here who is surprised.
It seems like Arthur, Mithra, and Owen already know of this.
Figaro: Hey, can you.....
Figaro grumbles at Oz.
Figaro: Can you stop getting in the way of my laid-back lifestyle all the time?
Oz: Laid-back lifestyle?
Figaro: I’m talking about my peaceful, quiet life. That’s how the previous sage described it.
Listen, Oz. I want to be a good, average citizen. In Southern Country, I'm just a simple old guy with a naughty streak.
Oz: An old guy with a naughty streak?
Figaro: Rutile and Mitile don't know of my past. They tell me, "Dr. Figaro, you’re no good at anything." Isn't that lovely?
Arthur: But Sir Figaro, you're good at everything!
Figaro: Thanks, Arthur. You're as cute as always. Even though you were raised by such an obstinate guy.
Figaro pats Arthur on the head, and then turns around to look at me ruefully.
Figaro: Man, Sir Sage found out too. I tried to come onto him like a simple, helpless young man....
Oz: You came onto the Sage.....
Arthur: You came onto Sir Sage?
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14.2 A Sweet Ceasefire
Akira: Um, you didn’t seem simple or helpless at all..... You were pretty overwhelming, and I was honestly scared.....
Figaro: No way? Looks like I need to study harder. I wasn’t trying to scare you — sorry.
Figaro apologizes without a trace of remorse and faces Mithra and Owen.
He rolls up his sleeves like a doctor about to inspect his patients.
Figaro: Anyway, this had better be the last time you ask me to do this sort of thing. ...You want me to handle Mithra and Owen, right?
Mithra: Oh, I don’t like this man at all.
Figaro: And I don’t want to do this either. You and Owen are both so strong, and I’m getting pretty old.....
Arthur: But Sir Figaro, you’re always so youthful!
Figaro: Thank you, Arthur. I guess Sir Figaro will do his best for you, then.
The corners of Figaro’s mouth lift into a bold smirk.
Mithra, too, is charged with murderous intent.
And then.....
(Door opens) (Footsteps)
Mitile: Dr. Figaro~.
Rutile: Dr. Figaro~, are you around?
Figaro’s movements pause at the appearance of the Southern brothers.
Abruptly, he turns around cheerfully, all the tension gone from his voice.
Figaro: Ye~s, what is it~?
Mitile: The cake is here!
Rutile: It’s full of chestnuts — your favorite! Let’s eat together.
Figaro: Oh yay~! I’ll totally have some!
Oz: ......Do you ever question your way of life?
Figaro: Shut up. ....Anyway, looks like I can't help you. Sorry.
Oz: ....You're going to leave me for chestnuts?
Figaro: I can steal chestnuts from a merchant at any time. I’m leaving for them, because I want to reciprocate their sincerity with equal goodness. I'm a kind man, after all.
And you should try to get along with Mithra too. Share a cake or two. Love and friendship are wonderful things, you know.
Rutile: Dr. Figaro, were you still speaking to Sir Sage and the others?
Figaro: Oh, no worries. We’re all done—.
Rutile: Would everyone else like some cake too? I’ll bring you slices if you’d like.
Akira: Ah, no, we.....
Owen: There’s cake?
Akira: Woah....! You surprised me, suddenly appearing behind my back......
Owen: Maybe I’ll have some.
Rutile: Then I’ll bring you some. How about you, Sir Oz, Prince Arthur, and Mister Mithra?
Oz: I’m fine.
Arthur: No, thank you.
Mithra: I’ll eat anything but scallop shells.
Arthur: See? They weren’t good after all.
Mithra: But I ate something with a similar shape once — it was soft and sweet and delicious. Perhaps the flavor changes with the harvesting season.
Arthur: Ah, that must’ve been a madeline. I’ll ask the maids to bring you some.
Owen: I’ll eat lots of cakes. Can you pile them up onto a big plate?
Rutile: Got it. I see you really like sweets.
Owen: Yup.
Mitile: What’s your favorite kind of cake? I’ll bring it to you if they have it.
Owen: It's made of utterly crushed up red fruits, loaded with piles of sugar, and simmered down until it’s like an open wound that's just recovering.
Mitile: ..... Huh....?
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14.3 Crossroad of Pasts
Rutile: Maybe he’s talking about jam?
Mitile: Huh. Oh, I see it now. I’ll bring you some.
Owen: I like cream too. The slimy, fluffy stuff that sticks all over your hands. I’d compare it to....
Mitile: Y-you don’t have to compare it to anything. I’m good.
Owen: I want to stuff my mouth completely full with it. So it’ll spill out of the corners of my lips when I close them.
Mitile: I see.....
...Yeah, the Northern wizards are kind of scary..... I don’t think we’ll get along.....
Rutile: Don’t say that. Plus.....
Mitile: Plus what....? What are you looking at — Mister Mithra?
Rutile: ....He might be Mother’s friend.... I’ll ask him later.
Well then, see you in a bit, everyone.
Figaro: Thanks, Rutile, Mitile.
Owen: There’s going to be cake.
Owen looks highly pleased, and even Mithra seems to have lost his will to fight.
Mithra: It's warm here, even at night. Good thing I didn't bring a jacket.
Owen: I like the stuff that's drenched in sweet rum, too. Wonder what that's called.
I look at the two of them contemplatively.
Akira: (These two....... They’re scary, but they can also be really easygoing......)
(Huh......?)
(Is that Nero under the balcony? Is he with someone.....?)
(Or am I just imagining things......?)
✦✧☾✧✦
Bradley: Tch... I finally got my hands on some good food. Don't get in my way like that.
Why'd you drag me out here, Nero?
Nero: Don't give me that shit.
I heard rumors about you becoming a Sage’s wizard, but when did they let you out?
I thought you were supposed to be locked up unless you were fighting the < Great Catastrophe >?
Bradley: Well, I am. Even when they let me out of prison, Snow and White wouldn’t take their eyes off me in the magical headquarters; I never got a chance to escape.
But I managed to break free the other day by chance.
Nero: How.
Bradley: I sneezed and got blasted far away.
Nero: ......You sneezed?
Bradley: Yeah.
Nero: Like, ah-choo?
Bradley: Yeah.
Nero: .............
Hey, stop fucking around.
Bradley: Listen, it sounds stupid as hell, but it's true! Every time I sneeze, I get blasted away.
Nero: Seriously? What are you gonna do when you catch a cold?
Bradley: Well, I guess I'd be stuck taking a tour around the world. Tch.... What the hell’s going on.....? And I ended up getting dragged back by Oz anyway.
Nero: A sneeze, huh....
Bradley: How about you, Nero? Our gang fell apart before I knew it. I thought you'd keep the guys together.
Nero: I went clean. I won't tag along with your bullshit jobs.
Bradley: Hey, don't be like that. Let's work together again. We’ll get outta here and stir up a real storm.
Nero: I’m making an honest living now. Don't drag me into this.
Bradley: An honest living? What are you doing?
Nero: ......I run a restaurant in the East.
Bradley: You're running a restaurant? Ahahaha!
Nero: .........
Bradley: .......Well, I guess that's not a bad idea... Your food was real good, after all.
I see.... That’s disappointing, but I guess that's how it is. Cook meals, watch horses, do whatever you want.
Nero: ........ That’s it.....?
Bradley: What do you mean?
Nero: You said you'd kill me if I left the gang.
Bradley: What's the point in killing a restaurant owner? Plus, I got caught, and now they’ve even got me working as a Sage's wizard.
Nero: ..........
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14.4 Wings of the Magical Technology Corps
Bradley: But there is one thing I want to ask you.
Nero: .....What?
Bradley: Where were you on the night I was captured? If you had been there, I never would've been caught.
Nero: ...........
Bradley: I'm not here to blame you or anything. But I always wanted to know what happened to you.
Spit it out, Nero.
Nero: ......I......
Bradley: Ahaha! Hey, what's wrong? Don't look so serious!
It's not like I got caught because of you. I just wanna hear the truth.
Nero: ...........
Bradley: Nero.......?
Snow & White in the portrait: Eeeeeeeeee!
(Thump)
Bradley: ......!? Ow......!? This thing came crashing down on my head!
Nero: Snow, White......?
White in the portrait: We didn't want to come crashing down on your head either!
Snow in the portrait: Owen threw us off the balcony! Go complain to Owen instead!
Bradley: Tch...... That guy’s creepy as hell. I'm gonna kill him one day.....
Nero: Right, you guys get stuck in this frame because of your bizarre injury....
Snow in the portrait: It's so inconvenient...... Hm......!?
White in the portrait: Look at the sky, Nero, Bradley!
Nero: .....? What are those things....? ......Wizards with wings....?
Bradley: ......No...... Those guys aren't wizards.
Snow in the portrait: They're the Magical Technology Corps of Central Country.
Bradley: Magical Technology Corps.......?
White in the portrait: Those who use machines fueled by mana stones to generate magic.
Snow in the portrait: Now let's see what they plan to do with the collapsed Central tower....
✦✧☾✧✦
Rutile: Sir Sage, Sir Oz, look.....!
Arthur: That’s our country's Magical Technology Corps....
Vincent: I wanted the Sage’s wizards to perform the deed for us, but instead of a miracle, you staged us a comedy.
Oz: ............
Vincent: Let me show you the power of our Magical Technology Corps.
✦✧☾✧✦
Central Country man: Ah..... Look, wizards.....!
Central Country man: No...... Isn’t that the Magical Technology Corps? I hear they obtained the technology from Western Country.
Central Country man: What are they doing...? Maybe they're going to fix the Central tower for us?
Central Country man: That would be great...... It feels awful seeing the tower collapsed like that.
Nicholas: The scene is even more disastrous than I expected...... I have to...... No, I will definitely fix this.
Central Country woman: Lord Nicholas!
Central Country man: It's the head of the Magical Technology Corps, Lord Nicholas!
Nicholas: We cannot repair the Central tower itself, but the power of the Magical Technology Corps is more than enough to repair the gates surrounding the tower.
Witness the power of magical technology!
Central Country woman: ......Woah......!
Central Country man: Incredible! It's just like magic......!
Central Country man: I’m amazed — is this really just technology? We have no need for wizards anymore!
Central Country woman: Ahaha, don't say that! The wizards just went through all that trouble to hold a fancy parade and all, too!
Central Country man: Hahahahahaha!
✦✧☾✧✦
Mitile: So that's...... The power of the Magical Technology Corps......
......Um, what’s this technology they speak of......?
Rutile: Who knows...... I have no idea......
Shylock: .......
How eerie......
At Shylock’s low murmur, I turn to look at him.
He gazes coldly across the expanse beneath the distant skies.
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14.5 A Twisted Miracle
Akira: Eerie.....?
Shylock: It is absolutely chilling. There is no way to resist pleasure that comes without pain.
They do not use their hearts, as wizards do; nor do they use their bodies, as humans do. If humans can simply achieve their wishes through the mere powers of stones....
They will recreate the world like children playing in a sandbox.
Murr: What are you looking at? Something fun? Something amazing?
Shylock: It may be fun and amazing to you.
Take a look, Murr, genius of the ages. The magical technology you invented is creating a twisted miracle.
Akira: ....Murr invented....?
Shylock: Indeed. The previous Murr was the one who invented the magical science technique fueled by mana stones.
Murr was a philosopher, an inventor, an astronomer, a mineralogist, and a monster of intellectual curiosity.
But he never once spared a thought for the consequences of exposing the secrets of this world — of how it would reshape this world.
Even though I tried to stop him time and again.
Murr: I don't get what you’re talking about!
Shylock glances at Murr and smiles cynically.
Shylock: Of course you wouldn't. That's why I hated you.
Murr looks like he’s about to say something.
But his reply is interrupted by Vincent’s voice resounding across the balcony.
✦✧☾✧✦
Vincent: Everything is proceeding as planned. It looks like there’s nothing for the wizards to do here.
Arthur: ......Uncle, surely you didn’t have to phrase it that way.......
Akira: ......
Before I realize it, Shylock and Murr have disappeared.
Instead, Figaro stands close to me, an unusually somber expression on his face.
Figaro: .....The Magical Technology Corps, huh. If that stuff spreads, we're going to be in trouble.
Akira: Figaro....
Figaro: At this rate, they'll start hunting wizards.
Akira: ....Hunting wizards...?
Figaro: Yes.
Akira: What does that mean?
Figaro: I'll give you the details later. I can't explain anything here.
Vincent: Did you say something?
Figaro: Nothing at all, your Highness.
✦✧☾✧✦
Shino: ......Something's going on outside.
Heathcliff: I wonder what they’re doing... I'll go check.
Shino: Yeah.
Young Maid: ....It’s pointless. It's going to collapse again anyway.....
Shino: ......
Young Maid: The tower wasn’t destroyed by an earthquake.....
Shino: What do you mean?
Young Maid: ....It's nothing. Excuse me....
Shino: Wait.
Young Maid: ........
Shino: Don't worry. I won't eat you or anything — I'm already full from that delicious pie.
Young Maid: Was the pie good.....?
Shino: Yeah.
Young Maid: My mother baked it..... She works in the kitchen, you see.
Shino: Your mom is a genius. Please tell her that.
Young Maid: Yes... Fufu, she'll be glad to hear that.
Shino: So what was that about the tower?
Young Maid: The tower wasn’t destroyed by an earthquake. There was no earthquake.
I saw.... I saw a giant shadow emerge out of the cemetery, crawl up the hill, and latch itself onto the tower.
Shino: A shadow?
Young Maid: Yes....
It was the shadow of... A giant bird.
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14.6 Pursuing the Shadow of a Bird
Heathcliff: The shadow of a bird? Are you sure she didn't mistake it for the shadow of a cloud?
Shino: I asked a bunch of people, but they all said they didn’t sense an earthquake. Something else must've caused the tower to collapse.
Heathcliff: Where are you going, Shino?
Shino: I'm going to check out the cemetery.
Heathcliff: Right now!?
Shino: Yeah. You're all staying the night here, right? I'll be back by morning.
Heathcliff: It's dangerous to go alone.
Akira: It looks like everyone’s rooms are ready. Oh, Heath, Shino, is something the matter?
Shino: I'm going to find out what monster brought that tower down.
Akira: A monster...? So it really wasn't an earthquake.....
Heathcliff: You thought it was weird too, Sir Sage?
Akira: There were lots of earthquakes back in my world, so.... Normally, when there's a tremor strong enough to bring a tower down, the surrounding regions also shake quite a bit.
But I didn't feel anything. Even if it happened while we were flying, we should've been able to tell by observing the people and animals on the ground.
Shino: The maid told me that the shadow of a bird crawled out of the cemetery and latched itself onto the tower.
Akira: If it's an ancient creature, maybe Snow and White would know something about it....
Shino: Please ask them about it. I'm headed off.
Heathcliff: Hey, wait!
Shino: What?
Heathcliff: ....... It's dangerous. I'll go with you.
Shino: Heath? Headed to a cemetery? In the middle of the night? Did you forget that you’re afraid of ghosts despite being a wizard?
Heathcliff: Shut up.
Akira: I’m worried about just the two of you going alone. I’ll come along too.
Heathcliff: But Sir Sage, it's even more dangerous for you.
Shino: You're not going to be of any help.
Heathcliff: Shino.
Shino: It's dangerous, Sir Sage. Please get a good night's rest in bed.
Akira: Then you should at least take someone else with you.....
(Footsteps)
Faust: Why haven’t you headed to your rooms? The party should already be over.
Nero: Yeah, it ended while you were napping.
Heathcliff: Mr. Faust, Nero.
Shino: Where were you guys?
Nero: The pantry.
Faust: I missed my meal, you see. I'm about to have a late evening drink with the wine that Nero snagged.
Heathcliff: You’re drinking together?
Faust & Nero: No way.
Faust: Alone.
Nero: You’re supposed to enjoy a late night drink all alone.
Akira: I see the Eastern wizards really love being alone......
Faust, Nero. I apologize, because I know it’s quite late, but may I ask you two a favor?
Nero: Uh......
Faust: No.
Akira: ............
Shino: It's fine. Heath and I will just go together.
Heathcliff: Shino, wait up! .....Ah, Sir Sage, Mr. Faust, Nero. Good night.
Faust: Where are you going?
Nero: Central Country might be a pretty safe place, but you two are still a bit too young for adventures after dark.
Heathcliff: Well, you see....
✦✧☾✧✦
Faust: Oh, please.... How did I get dragged into this mess......
Heathcliff: I'm sorry, Mr. Faust.
Nero: You're the one who said, "It's dangerous for two children to be headed out alone," even before Mister Sage could say it.
For someone who complains about everything, you're a pretty earnest guy.
Faust: And you’re tagging along with us, so that goes for you too.
Akira: You're both very kind.
Nero: You didn't have to come along, you know. If something happens to you, the higher-ups are going to yell at us.
Akira: Who are the higher-ups?
Nero: Like Oz, or Snow and White?
Akira: I'm sorry... I wanted to take a look at the world outside of the castle.
Faust: There’s little to see here; isn’t it a boring sight? Hardly anyone walks through the streets at night.
Akira: It’s quite dark, after all....
Faust: That's right. We fear the < Great Catastrophe >; yet we must rely on its light.
We're such inconsistent, selfish beings.
Shino: I can see the cemetery.
Heathcliff: Shino, don't go ahead on your own!
Faust: Don't raise your voice, Heath. You will awaken the dead.
Heathcliff: ....Ah, yes....
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14.7 Failure of a Hero
Nero: What, are you scared? Did you kill the guys sleeping underneath these grounds?
Heathcliff: I wouldn't kill anyone.....
Nero: Then there's no need to be afraid.
Faust: Shino, where are you headed?
Shino: Isn't that hill also part of the cemetery?
Faust: It is not.
That's the hill of execution, where criminals meet their end. And they are buried nearby.
Heathcliff: The hill of execution...
Shino: What sort of criminals? Like bandits?
Nero: I guess so..... At least they get a proper burial.
Faust: Bandits, murderers, and.... Those who failed to embody the justice defined by their times.
Shino: Those who failed to embody justice.... You mean failed heroes became criminals?
Faust: That's right.
Shino: Why?
Faust: Why indeed.
Shino: ...........
Faust: Let's go. Follow me.
Don't leave my side.
✦✧☾✧✦
Lennox: .........
Rutile: Mister Lennox, are you having trouble falling asleep?
Lennox: Rutile....
This place brings back memories.
Rutile: Memories...? Have you been to this castle before?
Lennox: In the far, distant past.
Rutile: .........
Lennox: "Let's go. Follow me. Don't leave my side."
—He would say, and continue marching forward. And I would ceaselessly follow his back....
We hoped to reach an ideal future.... Yet why did things turn out this way?
Rutile: ....Mister Lennox.....
....Ah... Is that a portrait.... Of a past king....?
Lennox: Alec Granvelle. The first king.
....Why did you condemn him — the wizard, your one and only best friend — to be burned at the stake....?
✦✧☾✧✦
(Hoot hoot)
Akira: The cemetery is scary at night.....
Heathcliff: I agree.....
Shino: The scariest thing about a midnight cemetery isn't ghosts; it’s graverobbers. They'll dig up and sell anything they can find. And if they spot you, they’ll bury you alive.
Heathcliff: You've met one before?
Shino: Yeah. I thought he was a man-eating demon when I saw him.
Faust: .....This cemetery might've been visited by some graverobbers too.
Akira: Huh.....
Faust: The whole place has been ravaged.
Nero: You're right.... You can see where they dug things up.
Heathcliff: How could they do something so awful...? When we’re all suffering from the < Great Catastrophe > already....
Shino: Here we go....
Heathcliff: Shino! Don't just jump into the grave!
Shino: Look at this. They haven't touched any of the valuables. The pearls and money are still here.
Nero: Then why did they....?
Faust: What about the body?
Akira: ....Huh....?
Faust: Is there a corpse inside the coffin?
Shino: I'll check.
Nero: That thing must be heavy. I'll help.
Heathcliff: You're going to open the coffin!? But someone who passed away is resting in there....
Faust: You're right, Heath. The dead deserve an apology; I'll offer them a prayer.
But something is bothering me about this situation. Please check the coffin.
Akira: What's bothering you...?
Faust: As wizards, we harness mysterious powers derived from sources such as our hearts and natural surroundings. The < Great Catastrophe > is one such source.
When it approaches, its mysterious power also grows.
It might sound imprudent while the whole world is in danger, but there are many people who aim for that window in time to perform their rituals.
Heathcliff: ....You're saying that someone performed a ritual by borrowing the power of the < Great Catastrophe >....?
Faust: That's right.
(Rustle)
Shino: ...... This thing is.......
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14.8 Spirits Wandering the Cemetery
Shino: ...... This thing is.......
Heathcliff: Wh-what did you find......
Shino: It's empty.
Heathcliff: Empty?
Nero: There isn't a single bone in this coffin. I’ll bet the other graves are the same, too.
Shino: I'll go check a few.
Heathcliff: I... I'll help you guys.
Shino: Don't force yourself. You don't need to touch a single coffin. Just stick to Sir Sage.
Heathcliff: .....Got it.....
(Woosh)
Nero: ....I don't like the feeling of this wind....
Faust: The spirits are furious.
Don't get the wrong idea. We aren’t here to trespass on your souls.
The eerie wind continues to blow.
Perhaps it’s just my imagination — but I see white wisps, shaped like human faces, flying about the cemetery.
Faust closes his eyes.
Faust: << Satillquinart Mullcreed >>
As he quietly murmurs the spell like a prayer, an old mirror appears in his hands.
Reflecting the darkness of the night and the light of the moon.
Faust: Peace, wandering souls. May you find solace in the quiet of night.
The trees of the cemetery continue to shake in mourning.
But slowly, the wind quiets down.
Faust: .......
Shino: Faust. I checked a bunch of coffins, but they were all empty.
Faust: I see.
Nero: Same here. What do I do with these burial treasures?
Faust: Burial treasures?
Nero: There's a ton of valuable stuff rolling around here, and the owners have headed off to heaven. No reason not to take it, right?
Faust: .........................
Nero: Hey, it's a joke, come on.
Faust: It’s certainly an ill-natured one.
Heathcliff: They’re going to curse you, Nero!
Nero: Sorry, my bad.
Shino: I think Nero is right. I'd rather people give gold to a starving child than leave it to rot with the dead.
Heathcliff: These are precious items filled with memories belonging to the dead. They should stay with them, even after they pass away.
That’s why..........
(Clang)
Heathcliff: ....Did I just hear something fall?
Faust: Nero. Jump in place, right now.
Nero: I didn't take anything!
Shino: Hey, look over there. Wasn’t it that collar on the ground?
Heathcliff: It’s a necklace.
Shino: Right, that necklace.
Faust: Shino, wait. Don't get close to that thing.
Shino: Why?
Faust: ....It wasn't there just a moment ago.
The wind groans as it blows through the cemetery.
And the moon shines brighter than ever in the night sky.
Like a flower that blossoms as it absorbs the light of the sun, the jewel of necklace grows bright as it basks in the light of the moon.
I watch in disbelief as the necklace slowly floats into the air.
Shino: Watch out, Sage.
Akira: Eh....?
Shino: This happened back in Sherwood Forest too. The amount of power coming from that thing is just creepy.
Faust: It must be because the < Great Catastrophe > got too close to this world.
What had once gone extinct comes back to life; what had once been forgotten remembers its name, and old obsessions that had once been quieted are rekindled.
These things absorb the power of the < Great Catastrophe > and blindly run out of control.
(Flash)
Akira: ....!
In that moment, the necklace unleashes a bright light.
(Woosh)
Which illuminates the whole cemetery as we are blasted by a wind as powerful as a hurricane.
Just as I’m about to get blown away, Nero takes me into his arms and leaps into the air.
We land on the branch of a tree and he peers into my face.
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14.9 Loathing Emitted by the Necklace
Nero: Are you ok, Mister Sage?
Akira: Nero! Yes I am, thank you!
Nero: You're welcome. The higher ups will yell at me if anything happens to you, after all.
They're way scarier than that thing over there.
I look down towards the ground through the branches of the tree.
The necklace emits a rippling, rainbow-colored light that swells into the shape of a giant eyeball.
It’s a tremendous, menacing light that looks ready to swallow the entire cemetery.
Amidst the merciless waves of light and billowing wind, Shino recites his spell.
Shino: << Matztzāh Sudipas >>
A giant scythe — unsuited for his height — appears in Shino’s hand.
The silver light of the blade is menacing and ferocious, yet also pure; it reminds me of Shino himself.
Heathcliff: Shino.....!
Shino: Leave it to me. I'll handle it.
Shino leaps into the ominous light.
Like a god of death, he effortlessly swings his scythe around and slices through the light in the blink of an eye.
The ominous light emits a screech and grows weaker and weaker.
Shino then swings his scythe into the air to crush the last remaining jewel.
Shino: And we're done. If you were a tamer collar, I'd have offered you as a gift to Mistress.
But unfortunately, you were too poorly behaved.
Akira: .........
His scythe cuts through the night wind and reaps the jewel.
Which shatters and emits countless beams of light as it disappears into the night.
All that remains in its place is Shino’s silhouette basked in the moonlight, with the scythe on his shoulder.
Nero: You’re pretty amazing.
Shino grins proudly in response to Nero’s awe.
Shino: Well, yeah.
Heathcliff: You're as reckless as ever, Shino......
Shino: Hey, can you praise me before you start complaining? A vassal loves and lives to be praised by his lord, you know.
Heathcliff: Where do you learn these sorts of phrases?
Shino: That’s a secret. Hey Faust, you should praise me too. You're a teacher, right?
Faust: Well done. But you failed to finish the job.
Shino: What do you mean?
Faust raises his palm in Shino's direction.
And a shard that had been flying straight towards the back of Shino’s neck freezes mid-air.
Shino: .......!
Shino turns around in surprise just as Faust snaps his fingers,.
The sound echoes through the cemetery and the shard crumbles like sand.
Faust: See?
Shino: ...............Tch...........
Heathcliff: Hey. Don't click your tongue. You need to say thank you to Mr. Faust.
Shino: ...........Thanks.
Faust: Hah......
Faust releases a short laugh, then turns his narrowed eyes towards the remnants of the jewel being carried away by the wind.
He chooses his words quietly and carefully, as if speaking to whatever had been locked within the necklace.
Faust: .....Get lost. No matter how deep your resentment, no matter how furious your rage....
It is no match for mine.
Akira: ....Faust...?
Faust: .......
....I was just speaking to myself. Let's go. We couldn't find the bird's shadow, but this was a worthwhile trip.
Sage. I'll leave the rest to you.
Akira: Yes.... Huh!?
Faust: I'm a shut-in. I don't particularly enjoy solving mysteries. Ask the other wizards to figure it out.
Shino: Why? Let's come back tomorrow.
Heathcliff: I-I want to investigate what’s going on, too. Mr. Faust, could you please help us out?
Faust: What? No.
Nero: Well, let's report what happened to the higher-ups tomorrow. We're headed home for now.
Shino: .....Got it.
And with that, we leave the cemetery behind.
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Chapter 13 << | index | >> Chapter 15
Chapter 13 << | index | >> Chapter 15
Chapter 14: A Collapsed Tower and the Shadow of a Bird
14.1 Figaro’s Secret
14.2 A Sweet Ceasefire
14.3 Crossroad of Pasts
14.4 Wings of the Magical Technology Corps
14.5 A Twisted Miracle
14.6 Pursuing the Shadow of a Bird
14.7 Failure of a Hero
14.8 Spirits Wandering the Cemetery
14.9 Loathing Emitted by the Necklace
14.1 Figaro’s Secret
Mithra prowls closer towards Arthur, who is still protecting Oz behind his back.
A red-and-black light dances in the palm of Mithra’s right hand, and panic flashes across Oz’s face.
I reach out to grab Mithra’s hand.
Mithra: Hey, that's dangerous.
Akira: Mithra, please wait! If we lose any of the chosen wizards, we might not be able to defeat the < Great Catastrophe >!
Then the world might really come to an end!
Mithra: ......You have a point.
Owen purses his lips in discontent.
Owen: You're so easy.
Mithra: But wouldn't it be a problem for you too, Owen? If the world ends, then we die too.
Owen: Well, true..... Okay, but it's still a good opportunity, so why don't you take an arm or a leg?
Mithra: I don't make a hobby of collecting body parts like you do.
Owen: I don't either. I just happened to like this eye. But I’d want Oz's arm.
Arthur: What are you going to do with Sir Oz's arm!?
Owen: I'll use it to scratch my back.
Mithra: That sounds convenient.
Owen: And I'll make it pet my head.
Arthur: You should just ask him right now! Sir Oz will pat your head. He did many times when I was little......
Oz: Arthur...... Arthur. That's enough. Keep quiet.
Arthur: But Sir Oz......
Oz: ...........
<< Vox Nox >>
Oz mutters his spell in a low voice. When he does, a new figure appears on the scene.
It's Figaro, a Southern wizard.
Figaro: Huh? Oz, did you call me?
Oz: ......Yaaawn...... It looks like I can manage simple magic.... But I am...... sleepy.....
Figaro: Hey now, don't call someone over just to yawn in their face.
Everyone is terrified of Oz, but Figaro lectures him so frankly.
He also shows no sign of surprise at being summoned out of nowhere. Oz continues.
Oz: I've temporarily lost my magic. Protect Arthur from Mithra and Owen.
You can handle them, right, Figaro?
Figaro: .............
Akira: ...."You can handle them, right, Figaro"....? Weren't the Southern wizards supposed to be weak....?
Oz: Figaro is a Northern wizard. He's lived longer than me.
Akira: Huh....!?
I stare at Figaro in amazement.
But I am the only one here who is surprised.
It seems like Arthur, Mithra, and Owen already know of this.
Figaro: Hey, can you.....
Figaro grumbles at Oz.
Figaro: Can you stop getting in the way of my laid-back lifestyle all the time?
Oz: Laid-back lifestyle?
Figaro: I’m talking about my peaceful, quiet life. That’s how the previous sage described it.
Listen, Oz. I want to be a good, average citizen. In Southern Country, I'm just a simple old guy with a naughty streak.
Oz: An old guy with a naughty streak?
Figaro: Rutile and Mitile don't know of my past. They tell me, "Dr. Figaro, you’re no good at anything." Isn't that lovely?
Arthur: But Sir Figaro, you're good at everything!
Figaro: Thanks, Arthur. You're as cute as always. Even though you were raised by such an obstinate guy.
Figaro pats Arthur on the head, and then turns around to look at me ruefully.
Figaro: Man, Sir Sage found out too. I tried to come onto him like a simple, helpless young man....
Oz: You came onto the Sage.....
Arthur: You came onto Sir Sage?
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14.2 A Sweet Ceasefire
Akira: Um, you didn’t seem simple or helpless at all..... You were pretty overwhelming, and I was honestly scared.....
Figaro: No way? Looks like I need to study harder. I wasn’t trying to scare you — sorry.
Figaro apologizes without a trace of remorse and faces Mithra and Owen.
He rolls up his sleeves like a doctor about to inspect his patients.
Figaro: Anyway, this had better be the last time you ask me to do this sort of thing. ...You want me to handle Mithra and Owen, right?
Mithra: Oh, I don’t like this man at all.
Figaro: And I don’t want to do this either. You and Owen are both so strong, and I’m getting pretty old.....
Arthur: But Sir Figaro, you’re always so youthful!
Figaro: Thank you, Arthur. I guess Sir Figaro will do his best for you, then.
The corners of Figaro’s mouth lift into a bold smirk.
Mithra, too, is charged with murderous intent.
And then.....
(Door opens) (Footsteps)
Mitile: Dr. Figaro~.
Rutile: Dr. Figaro~, are you around?
Figaro’s movements pause at the appearance of the Southern brothers.
Abruptly, he turns around cheerfully, all the tension gone from his voice.
Figaro: Ye~s, what is it~?
Mitile: The cake is here!
Rutile: It’s full of chestnuts — your favorite! Let’s eat together.
Figaro: Oh yay~! I’ll totally have some!
Oz: ......Do you ever question your way of life?
Figaro: Shut up. ....Anyway, looks like I can't help you. Sorry.
Oz: ....You're going to leave me for chestnuts?
Figaro: I can steal chestnuts from a merchant at any time. I’m leaving for them, because I want to reciprocate their sincerity with equal goodness. I'm a kind man, after all.
And you should try to get along with Mithra too. Share a cake or two. Love and friendship are wonderful things, you know.
Rutile: Dr. Figaro, were you still speaking to Sir Sage and the others?
Figaro: Oh, no worries. We’re all done—.
Rutile: Would everyone else like some cake too? I’ll bring you slices if you’d like.
Akira: Ah, no, we.....
Owen: There’s cake?
Akira: Woah....! You surprised me, suddenly appearing behind my back......
Owen: Maybe I’ll have some.
Rutile: Then I’ll bring you some. How about you, Sir Oz, Prince Arthur, and Mister Mithra?
Oz: I’m fine.
Arthur: No, thank you.
Mithra: I’ll eat anything but scallop shells.
Arthur: See? They weren’t good after all.
Mithra: But I ate something with a similar shape once — it was soft and sweet and delicious. Perhaps the flavor changes with the harvesting season.
Arthur: Ah, that must’ve been a madeline. I’ll ask the maids to bring you some.
Owen: I’ll eat lots of cakes. Can you pile them up onto a big plate?
Rutile: Got it. I see you really like sweets.
Owen: Yup.
Mitile: What’s your favorite kind of cake? I’ll bring it to you if they have it.
Owen: It's made of utterly crushed up red fruits, loaded with piles of sugar, and simmered down until it’s like an open wound that's just recovering.
Mitile: ..... Huh....?
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14.3 Crossroad of Pasts
Rutile: Maybe he’s talking about jam?
Mitile: Huh. Oh, I see it now. I’ll bring you some.
Owen: I like cream too. The slimy, fluffy stuff that sticks all over your hands. I’d compare it to....
Mitile: Y-you don’t have to compare it to anything. I’m good.
Owen: I want to stuff my mouth completely full with it. So it’ll spill out of the corners of my lips when I close them.
Mitile: I see.....
...Yeah, the Northern wizards are kind of scary..... I don’t think we’ll get along.....
Rutile: Don’t say that. Plus.....
Mitile: Plus what....? What are you looking at — Mister Mithra?
Rutile: ....He might be Mother’s friend.... I’ll ask him later.
Well then, see you in a bit, everyone.
Figaro: Thanks, Rutile, Mitile.
Owen: There’s going to be cake.
Owen looks highly pleased, and even Mithra seems to have lost his will to fight.
Mithra: It's warm here, even at night. Good thing I didn't bring a jacket.
Owen: I like the stuff that's drenched in sweet rum, too. Wonder what that's called.
I look at the two of them contemplatively.
Akira: (These two....... They’re scary, but they can also be really easygoing......)
(Huh......?)
(Is that Nero under the balcony? Is he with someone.....?)
(Or am I just imagining things......?)
✦✧☾✧✦
Bradley: Tch... I finally got my hands on some good food. Don't get in my way like that.
Why'd you drag me out here, Nero?
Nero: Don't give me that shit.
I heard rumors about you becoming a Sage’s wizard, but when did they let you out?
I thought you were supposed to be locked up unless you were fighting the < Great Catastrophe >?
Bradley: Well, I am. Even when they let me out of prison, Snow and White wouldn’t take their eyes off me in the magical headquarters; I never got a chance to escape.
But I managed to break free the other day by chance.
Nero: How.
Bradley: I sneezed and got blasted far away.
Nero: ......You sneezed?
Bradley: Yeah.
Nero: Like, ah-choo?
Bradley: Yeah.
Nero: .............
Hey, stop fucking around.
Bradley: Listen, it sounds stupid as hell, but it's true! Every time I sneeze, I get blasted away.
Nero: Seriously? What are you gonna do when you catch a cold?
Bradley: Well, I guess I'd be stuck taking a tour around the world. Tch.... What the hell’s going on.....? And I ended up getting dragged back by Oz anyway.
Nero: A sneeze, huh....
Bradley: How about you, Nero? Our gang fell apart before I knew it. I thought you'd keep the guys together.
Nero: I went clean. I won't tag along with your bullshit jobs.
Bradley: Hey, don't be like that. Let's work together again. We’ll get outta here and stir up a real storm.
Nero: I’m making an honest living now. Don't drag me into this.
Bradley: An honest living? What are you doing?
Nero: ......I run a restaurant in the East.
Bradley: You're running a restaurant? Ahahaha!
Nero: .........
Bradley: .......Well, I guess that's not a bad idea... Your food was real good, after all.
I see.... That’s disappointing, but I guess that's how it is. Cook meals, watch horses, do whatever you want.
Nero: ........ That’s it.....?
Bradley: What do you mean?
Nero: You said you'd kill me if I left the gang.
Bradley: What's the point in killing a restaurant owner? Plus, I got caught, and now they’ve even got me working as a Sage's wizard.
Nero: ..........
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14.4 Wings of the Magical Technology Corps
Bradley: But there is one thing I want to ask you.
Nero: .....What?
Bradley: Where were you on the night I was captured? If you had been there, I never would've been caught.
Nero: ...........
Bradley: I'm not here to blame you or anything. But I always wanted to know what happened to you.
Spit it out, Nero.
Nero: ......I......
Bradley: Ahaha! Hey, what's wrong? Don't look so serious!
It's not like I got caught because of you. I just wanna hear the truth.
Nero: ...........
Bradley: Nero.......?
Snow & White in the portrait: Eeeeeeeeee!
(Thump)
Bradley: ......!? Ow......!? This thing came crashing down on my head!
Nero: Snow, White......?
White in the portrait: We didn't want to come crashing down on your head either!
Snow in the portrait: Owen threw us off the balcony! Go complain to Owen instead!
Bradley: Tch...... That guy’s creepy as hell. I'm gonna kill him one day.....
Nero: Right, you guys get stuck in this frame because of your bizarre injury....
Snow in the portrait: It's so inconvenient...... Hm......!?
White in the portrait: Look at the sky, Nero, Bradley!
Nero: .....? What are those things....? ......Wizards with wings....?
Bradley: ......No...... Those guys aren't wizards.
Snow in the portrait: They're the Magical Technology Corps of Central Country.
Bradley: Magical Technology Corps.......?
White in the portrait: Those who use machines fueled by mana stones to generate magic.
Snow in the portrait: Now let's see what they plan to do with the collapsed Central tower....
✦✧☾✧✦
Rutile: Sir Sage, Sir Oz, look.....!
Arthur: That’s our country's Magical Technology Corps....
Vincent: I wanted the Sage’s wizards to perform the deed for us, but instead of a miracle, you staged us a comedy.
Oz: ............
Vincent: Let me show you the power of our Magical Technology Corps.
✦✧☾✧✦
Central Country man: Ah..... Look, wizards.....!
Central Country man: No...... Isn’t that the Magical Technology Corps? I hear they obtained the technology from Western Country.
Central Country man: What are they doing...? Maybe they're going to fix the Central tower for us?
Central Country man: That would be great...... It feels awful seeing the tower collapsed like that.
Nicholas: The scene is even more disastrous than I expected...... I have to...... No, I will definitely fix this.
Central Country woman: Lord Nicholas!
Central Country man: It's the head of the Magical Technology Corps, Lord Nicholas!
Nicholas: We cannot repair the Central tower itself, but the power of the Magical Technology Corps is more than enough to repair the gates surrounding the tower.
Witness the power of magical technology!
Central Country woman: ......Woah......!
Central Country man: Incredible! It's just like magic......!
Central Country man: I’m amazed — is this really just technology? We have no need for wizards anymore!
Central Country woman: Ahaha, don't say that! The wizards just went through all that trouble to hold a fancy parade and all, too!
Central Country man: Hahahahahaha!
✦✧☾✧✦
Mitile: So that's...... The power of the Magical Technology Corps......
......Um, what’s this technology they speak of......?
Rutile: Who knows...... I have no idea......
Shylock: .......
How eerie......
At Shylock’s low murmur, I turn to look at him.
He gazes coldly across the expanse beneath the distant skies.
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14.5 A Twisted Miracle
Akira: Eerie.....?
Shylock: It is absolutely chilling. There is no way to resist pleasure that comes without pain.
They do not use their hearts, as wizards do; nor do they use their bodies, as humans do. If humans can simply achieve their wishes through the mere powers of stones....
They will recreate the world like children playing in a sandbox.
Murr: What are you looking at? Something fun? Something amazing?
Shylock: It may be fun and amazing to you.
Take a look, Murr, genius of the ages. The magical technology you invented is creating a twisted miracle.
Akira: ....Murr invented....?
Shylock: Indeed. The previous Murr was the one who invented the magical science technique fueled by mana stones.
Murr was a philosopher, an inventor, an astronomer, a mineralogist, and a monster of intellectual curiosity.
But he never once spared a thought for the consequences of exposing the secrets of this world — of how it would reshape this world.
Even though I tried to stop him time and again.
Murr: I don't get what you’re talking about!
Shylock glances at Murr and smiles cynically.
Shylock: Of course you wouldn't. That's why I hated you.
Murr looks like he’s about to say something.
But his reply is interrupted by Vincent’s voice resounding across the balcony.
✦✧☾✧✦
Vincent: Everything is proceeding as planned. It looks like there’s nothing for the wizards to do here.
Arthur: ......Uncle, surely you didn’t have to phrase it that way.......
Akira: ......
Before I realize it, Shylock and Murr have disappeared.
Instead, Figaro stands close to me, an unusually somber expression on his face.
Figaro: .....The Magical Technology Corps, huh. If that stuff spreads, we're going to be in trouble.
Akira: Figaro....
Figaro: At this rate, they'll start hunting wizards.
Akira: ....Hunting wizards...?
Figaro: Yes.
Akira: What does that mean?
Figaro: I'll give you the details later. I can't explain anything here.
Vincent: Did you say something?
Figaro: Nothing at all, your Highness.
✦✧☾✧✦
Shino: ......Something's going on outside.
Heathcliff: I wonder what they’re doing... I'll go check.
Shino: Yeah.
Young Maid: ....It’s pointless. It's going to collapse again anyway.....
Shino: ......
Young Maid: The tower wasn’t destroyed by an earthquake.....
Shino: What do you mean?
Young Maid: ....It's nothing. Excuse me....
Shino: Wait.
Young Maid: ........
Shino: Don't worry. I won't eat you or anything — I'm already full from that delicious pie.
Young Maid: Was the pie good.....?
Shino: Yeah.
Young Maid: My mother baked it..... She works in the kitchen, you see.
Shino: Your mom is a genius. Please tell her that.
Young Maid: Yes... Fufu, she'll be glad to hear that.
Shino: So what was that about the tower?
Young Maid: The tower wasn’t destroyed by an earthquake. There was no earthquake.
I saw.... I saw a giant shadow emerge out of the cemetery, crawl up the hill, and latch itself onto the tower.
Shino: A shadow?
Young Maid: Yes....
It was the shadow of... A giant bird.
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14.6 Pursuing the Shadow of a Bird
Heathcliff: The shadow of a bird? Are you sure she didn't mistake it for the shadow of a cloud?
Shino: I asked a bunch of people, but they all said they didn’t sense an earthquake. Something else must've caused the tower to collapse.
Heathcliff: Where are you going, Shino?
Shino: I'm going to check out the cemetery.
Heathcliff: Right now!?
Shino: Yeah. You're all staying the night here, right? I'll be back by morning.
Heathcliff: It's dangerous to go alone.
Akira: It looks like everyone’s rooms are ready. Oh, Heath, Shino, is something the matter?
Shino: I'm going to find out what monster brought that tower down.
Akira: A monster...? So it really wasn't an earthquake.....
Heathcliff: You thought it was weird too, Sir Sage?
Akira: There were lots of earthquakes back in my world, so.... Normally, when there's a tremor strong enough to bring a tower down, the surrounding regions also shake quite a bit.
But I didn't feel anything. Even if it happened while we were flying, we should've been able to tell by observing the people and animals on the ground.
Shino: The maid told me that the shadow of a bird crawled out of the cemetery and latched itself onto the tower.
Akira: If it's an ancient creature, maybe Snow and White would know something about it....
Shino: Please ask them about it. I'm headed off.
Heathcliff: Hey, wait!
Shino: What?
Heathcliff: ....... It's dangerous. I'll go with you.
Shino: Heath? Headed to a cemetery? In the middle of the night? Did you forget that you’re afraid of ghosts despite being a wizard?
Heathcliff: Shut up.
Akira: I’m worried about just the two of you going alone. I’ll come along too.
Heathcliff: But Sir Sage, it's even more dangerous for you.
Shino: You're not going to be of any help.
Heathcliff: Shino.
Shino: It's dangerous, Sir Sage. Please get a good night's rest in bed.
Akira: Then you should at least take someone else with you.....
(Footsteps)
Faust: Why haven’t you headed to your rooms? The party should already be over.
Nero: Yeah, it ended while you were napping.
Heathcliff: Mr. Faust, Nero.
Shino: Where were you guys?
Nero: The pantry.
Faust: I missed my meal, you see. I'm about to have a late evening drink with the wine that Nero snagged.
Heathcliff: You’re drinking together?
Faust & Nero: No way.
Faust: Alone.
Nero: You’re supposed to enjoy a late night drink all alone.
Akira: I see the Eastern wizards really love being alone......
Faust, Nero. I apologize, because I know it’s quite late, but may I ask you two a favor?
Nero: Uh......
Faust: No.
Akira: ............
Shino: It's fine. Heath and I will just go together.
Heathcliff: Shino, wait up! .....Ah, Sir Sage, Mr. Faust, Nero. Good night.
Faust: Where are you going?
Nero: Central Country might be a pretty safe place, but you two are still a bit too young for adventures after dark.
Heathcliff: Well, you see....
✦✧☾✧✦
Faust: Oh, please.... How did I get dragged into this mess......
Heathcliff: I'm sorry, Mr. Faust.
Nero: You're the one who said, "It's dangerous for two children to be headed out alone," even before Mister Sage could say it.
For someone who complains about everything, you're a pretty earnest guy.
Faust: And you’re tagging along with us, so that goes for you too.
Akira: You're both very kind.
Nero: You didn't have to come along, you know. If something happens to you, the higher-ups are going to yell at us.
Akira: Who are the higher-ups?
Nero: Like Oz, or Snow and White?
Akira: I'm sorry... I wanted to take a look at the world outside of the castle.
Faust: There’s little to see here; isn’t it a boring sight? Hardly anyone walks through the streets at night.
Akira: It’s quite dark, after all....
Faust: That's right. We fear the < Great Catastrophe >; yet we must rely on its light.
We're such inconsistent, selfish beings.
Shino: I can see the cemetery.
Heathcliff: Shino, don't go ahead on your own!
Faust: Don't raise your voice, Heath. You will awaken the dead.
Heathcliff: ....Ah, yes....
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14.7 Failure of a Hero
Nero: What, are you scared? Did you kill the guys sleeping underneath these grounds?
Heathcliff: I wouldn't kill anyone.....
Nero: Then there's no need to be afraid.
Faust: Shino, where are you headed?
Shino: Isn't that hill also part of the cemetery?
Faust: It is not.
That's the hill of execution, where criminals meet their end. And they are buried nearby.
Heathcliff: The hill of execution...
Shino: What sort of criminals? Like bandits?
Nero: I guess so..... At least they get a proper burial.
Faust: Bandits, murderers, and.... Those who failed to embody the justice defined by their times.
Shino: Those who failed to embody justice.... You mean failed heroes became criminals?
Faust: That's right.
Shino: Why?
Faust: Why indeed.
Shino: ...........
Faust: Let's go. Follow me.
Don't leave my side.
✦✧☾✧✦
Lennox: .........
Rutile: Mister Lennox, are you having trouble falling asleep?
Lennox: Rutile....
This place brings back memories.
Rutile: Memories...? Have you been to this castle before?
Lennox: In the far, distant past.
Rutile: .........
Lennox: "Let's go. Follow me. Don't leave my side."
—He would say, and continue marching forward. And I would ceaselessly follow his back....
We hoped to reach an ideal future.... Yet why did things turn out this way?
Rutile: ....Mister Lennox.....
....Ah... Is that a portrait.... Of a past king....?
Lennox: Alec Granvelle. The first king.
....Why did you condemn him — the wizard, your one and only best friend — to be burned at the stake....?
✦✧☾✧✦
(Hoot hoot)
Akira: The cemetery is scary at night.....
Heathcliff: I agree.....
Shino: The scariest thing about a midnight cemetery isn't ghosts; it’s graverobbers. They'll dig up and sell anything they can find. And if they spot you, they’ll bury you alive.
Heathcliff: You've met one before?
Shino: Yeah. I thought he was a man-eating demon when I saw him.
Faust: .....This cemetery might've been visited by some graverobbers too.
Akira: Huh.....
Faust: The whole place has been ravaged.
Nero: You're right.... You can see where they dug things up.
Heathcliff: How could they do something so awful...? When we’re all suffering from the < Great Catastrophe > already....
Shino: Here we go....
Heathcliff: Shino! Don't just jump into the grave!
Shino: Look at this. They haven't touched any of the valuables. The pearls and money are still here.
Nero: Then why did they....?
Faust: What about the body?
Akira: ....Huh....?
Faust: Is there a corpse inside the coffin?
Shino: I'll check.
Nero: That thing must be heavy. I'll help.
Heathcliff: You're going to open the coffin!? But someone who passed away is resting in there....
Faust: You're right, Heath. The dead deserve an apology; I'll offer them a prayer.
But something is bothering me about this situation. Please check the coffin.
Akira: What's bothering you...?
Faust: As wizards, we harness mysterious powers derived from sources such as our hearts and natural surroundings. The < Great Catastrophe > is one such source.
When it approaches, its mysterious power also grows.
It might sound imprudent while the whole world is in danger, but there are many people who aim for that window in time to perform their rituals.
Heathcliff: ....You're saying that someone performed a ritual by borrowing the power of the < Great Catastrophe >....?
Faust: That's right.
(Rustle)
Shino: ...... This thing is.......
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14.8 Spirits Wandering the Cemetery
Shino: ...... This thing is.......
Heathcliff: Wh-what did you find......
Shino: It's empty.
Heathcliff: Empty?
Nero: There isn't a single bone in this coffin. I’ll bet the other graves are the same, too.
Shino: I'll go check a few.
Heathcliff: I... I'll help you guys.
Shino: Don't force yourself. You don't need to touch a single coffin. Just stick to Sir Sage.
Heathcliff: .....Got it.....
(Woosh)
Nero: ....I don't like the feeling of this wind....
Faust: The spirits are furious.
Don't get the wrong idea. We aren’t here to trespass on your souls.
The eerie wind continues to blow.
Perhaps it’s just my imagination — but I see white wisps, shaped like human faces, flying about the cemetery.
Faust closes his eyes.
Faust: << Satillquinart Mullcreed >>
As he quietly murmurs the spell like a prayer, an old mirror appears in his hands.
Reflecting the darkness of the night and the light of the moon.
Faust: Peace, wandering souls. May you find solace in the quiet of night.
The trees of the cemetery continue to shake in mourning.
But slowly, the wind quiets down.
Faust: .......
Shino: Faust. I checked a bunch of coffins, but they were all empty.
Faust: I see.
Nero: Same here. What do I do with these burial treasures?
Faust: Burial treasures?
Nero: There's a ton of valuable stuff rolling around here, and the owners have headed off to heaven. No reason not to take it, right?
Faust: .........................
Nero: Hey, it's a joke, come on.
Faust: It’s certainly an ill-natured one.
Heathcliff: They’re going to curse you, Nero!
Nero: Sorry, my bad.
Shino: I think Nero is right. I'd rather people give gold to a starving child than leave it to rot with the dead.
Heathcliff: These are precious items filled with memories belonging to the dead. They should stay with them, even after they pass away.
That’s why..........
(Clang)
Heathcliff: ....Did I just hear something fall?
Faust: Nero. Jump in place, right now.
Nero: I didn't take anything!
Shino: Hey, look over there. Wasn’t it that collar on the ground?
Heathcliff: It’s a necklace.
Shino: Right, that necklace.
Faust: Shino, wait. Don't get close to that thing.
Shino: Why?
Faust: ....It wasn't there just a moment ago.
The wind groans as it blows through the cemetery.
And the moon shines brighter than ever in the night sky.
Like a flower that blossoms as it absorbs the light of the sun, the jewel of necklace grows bright as it basks in the light of the moon.
I watch in disbelief as the necklace slowly floats into the air.
Shino: Watch out, Sage.
Akira: Eh....?
Shino: This happened back in Sherwood Forest too. The amount of power coming from that thing is just creepy.
Faust: It must be because the < Great Catastrophe > got too close to this world.
What had once gone extinct comes back to life; what had once been forgotten remembers its name, and old obsessions that had once been quieted are rekindled.
These things absorb the power of the < Great Catastrophe > and blindly run out of control.
(Flash)
Akira: ....!
In that moment, the necklace unleashes a bright light.
(Woosh)
Which illuminates the whole cemetery as we are blasted by a wind as powerful as a hurricane.
Just as I’m about to get blown away, Nero takes me into his arms and leaps into the air.
We land on the branch of a tree and he peers into my face.
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14.9 Loathing Emitted by the Necklace
Nero: Are you ok, Mister Sage?
Akira: Nero! Yes I am, thank you!
Nero: You're welcome. The higher ups will yell at me if anything happens to you, after all.
They're way scarier than that thing over there.
I look down towards the ground through the branches of the tree.
The necklace emits a rippling, rainbow-colored light that swells into the shape of a giant eyeball.
It’s a tremendous, menacing light that looks ready to swallow the entire cemetery.
Amidst the merciless waves of light and billowing wind, Shino recites his spell.
Shino: << Matztzāh Sudipas >>
A giant scythe — unsuited for his height — appears in Shino’s hand.
The silver light of the blade is menacing and ferocious, yet also pure; it reminds me of Shino himself.
Heathcliff: Shino.....!
Shino: Leave it to me. I'll handle it.
Shino leaps into the ominous light.
Like a god of death, he effortlessly swings his scythe around and slices through the light in the blink of an eye.
The ominous light emits a screech and grows weaker and weaker.
Shino then swings his scythe into the air to crush the last remaining jewel.
Shino: And we're done. If you were a tamer collar, I'd have offered you as a gift to Mistress.
But unfortunately, you were too poorly behaved.
Akira: .........
His scythe cuts through the night wind and reaps the jewel.
Which shatters and emits countless beams of light as it disappears into the night.
All that remains in its place is Shino’s silhouette basked in the moonlight, with the scythe on his shoulder.
Nero: You’re pretty amazing.
Shino grins proudly in response to Nero’s awe.
Shino: Well, yeah.
Heathcliff: You're as reckless as ever, Shino......
Shino: Hey, can you praise me before you start complaining? A vassal loves and lives to be praised by his lord, you know.
Heathcliff: Where do you learn these sorts of phrases?
Shino: That’s a secret. Hey Faust, you should praise me too. You're a teacher, right?
Faust: Well done. But you failed to finish the job.
Shino: What do you mean?
Faust raises his palm in Shino's direction.
And a shard that had been flying straight towards the back of Shino’s neck freezes mid-air.
Shino: .......!
Shino turns around in surprise just as Faust snaps his fingers,.
The sound echoes through the cemetery and the shard crumbles like sand.
Faust: See?
Shino: ...............Tch...........
Heathcliff: Hey. Don't click your tongue. You need to say thank you to Mr. Faust.
Shino: ...........Thanks.
Faust: Hah......
Faust releases a short laugh, then turns his narrowed eyes towards the remnants of the jewel being carried away by the wind.
He chooses his words quietly and carefully, as if speaking to whatever had been locked within the necklace.
Faust: .....Get lost. No matter how deep your resentment, no matter how furious your rage....
It is no match for mine.
Akira: ....Faust...?
Faust: .......
....I was just speaking to myself. Let's go. We couldn't find the bird's shadow, but this was a worthwhile trip.
Sage. I'll leave the rest to you.
Akira: Yes.... Huh!?
Faust: I'm a shut-in. I don't particularly enjoy solving mysteries. Ask the other wizards to figure it out.
Shino: Why? Let's come back tomorrow.
Heathcliff: I-I want to investigate what’s going on, too. Mr. Faust, could you please help us out?
Faust: What? No.
Nero: Well, let's report what happened to the higher-ups tomorrow. We're headed home for now.
Shino: .....Got it.
And with that, we leave the cemetery behind.
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Chapter 13 << | index | >> Chapter 15