The Bennett Bar | Main Episode

[healingbonds]

MahoYaku Masterpost & Translator's Notes

CHAPTER 1

Akira: We’ve arrived at the Western tower. Today I’d like the Western wizards to head to the entertainment district in the Town of Nectar.

Murr: The Town of Nectar? That’s where Shylock’s shop is!

Shylock: What kind of mysterious incident is going on there?

Akira: Apparently a group of wizards has been gathering in the sky night after night.
They refused to respond when the Western Country soldiers asked them what they were doing, and the humans were all scared, so the authorities want us to figure out what’s going on....

Chloe: A wizards’ assembly.... I wonder what they’re doing....

Rustica: Have you heard anything about it, Shylock?

Shylock: No.... I haven’t been to my shop in a while, after all.
But I may know some of the wizards at the assembly. Let’s visit them and ask around.
While I’m at it, I will open shop tonight. I haven’t had the chance ever since the night the < Great Catastrophe > approached.

Akira: I’ve been wanting to visit your shop in the Town of Nectar, Shylock. I’ll help you out if you need an extra hand.

Shylock: Thank you very much. I will try to open shop every once in a while from now on; when I do, could I ask you to provide service to the guests?

Akira: Provide service?

Shylock: Yes. Different kinds of wizards will visit the bar depending on the shop’s ambience.
I’m sure the wizards will become quite lively and joyful if the Sage provides them with service. They might even leave you with a lovely gift every now and then.

Akira: I see. Providing service — I’ll do my best!

Shylock: Well then, let’s head to the entertainment district in the Town of Nectar.


CHAPTER 2

(Woosh)

Akira: Wow... What a lovely town, atop a cliff by the sea. It looks like a scene from a movie!

Rustica: The entertainment district in the Town of Nectar is a high-class luxury resort in Western Country. Many nobles have vacation homes here.

Murr: I like the Town of Nectar too! Huh? Isn’t that the wizards’ assembly?

Chloe: You’re right! There’s a bunch of wizards on their brooms! Ah... They’re chatting away—....

Wizard on broom: How was the Bennett Bar tonight?

Witch on broom: It’s still closed. But he always used to go back to regular hours once the < Great Catastrophe > had been pushed away.

Shylock’s face stiffens at the wizards’ exchange.

Shylock: ....They’re my regulars.

Akira: You mean the wizards at the assembly are your regulars?

Shylock: Yes. My shop was also a place where wizards exchanged information, so they might be gathering in the sky instead....

Akira: (Kind of like drinking in the park when the izakaya is closed....?)

Witch: Ah! Shylock! It’s Shylock!

Wizard: Why is your shop closed? We were all worried about you.

Shylock: I apologize for making you worry. But gathering in a place like this will only make humans suspicious.

Wizard: We know! We pulled pranks on them for fun!

Chloe: Ah... Soldiers are gathering below.

Shylock: Let us save the chatting for later. I’ll open my shop.

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: The Bennett Bar.... So this is your shop, Shylock. It has a mature, refined ambience.

Shylock: It’s usually a bit less noisy, but we have many guests tonight.....

Shylock says this with a smile. He’s right; the place is filled with wizards.


CHAPTER 3

Some wizards are expressing relief and delight that their friends are alive; some are exchanging tales of the various incidents occurring throughout the world. More than anything, everyone looks happy to be drinking Shylock’s wine again.

Rustica: I guess wizards were just as anxious as humans about the effects of the < Great Catastrophe >.

Chloe: Talking to Shylock really puts you at ease, after all. I bet everyone here was just looking to have a drink with Shylock and their friends, and get a sense of relief.

Shylock makes cocktails with magic while chatting away with the guests; he must be busy, but he doesn’t show it in the slightest.
Shylock must love his job, his shop, and his guests — and he loves being able to comfortably protect them all.
Business is roaring all night. Chloe and I jump in to help, but the guests keep pouring in.

Wizard: It’s been a while, Shylock! I dropped by because I sensed that your shop was open. Oh wow, is there any room for me?

Shylock: Welcome. I’ll clear up a spot right now, so please wait just a moment.

Wizard: You know, I ran into a human who was looking for the Bennett Bar. He was a tall, well-built young man with amber brown hair. He had a mole by his mouth....

Witch: Oh? I saw him yesterday.

Wizard: I saw him five years ago.

Akira: Five years ago?

Wizard: He was a childish boy at the time. I suppose he’s been looking for this bar all these years. Maybe you know him?

Shylock: I do not. I avoid telling humans about this place, after all.

Akira: Why is that?

Shylock smiles. It’s a soft, yet bitter expression like a gentle rain.

Shylock: Because humans break their promises. Even if I ask them to keep it a secret, they’re bound to tell others about this shop.
And if humans rush in to visit this bar out of curiosity, it will cease to be a place where wizards can come to feel at ease.

Shylock’s words make me feel....


> Option: Apologetic.

Akira: (Shylock must be so cautious because he’s been betrayed by humans.)
(I’ll do my best so that he can feel comfortable trusting me....)


> Option: Offended.

Akira: (But that’s not true.... I’m sure there are humans out there who think of wizards fondly.)
(Does that mean he doesn’t trust me, either....?)


Shylock casts a concerned gaze my way. But before he can say anything, a witch at the bar opens her mouth.


CHAPTER 4

Witch: That’s right. There’s no reason to tell humans about this place. But if he were a beautiful boy, I’d love to invite him in just to tease him.

Wizard: He didn’t seem like a dishonest man, though. He said he travels to the entertainment district in the Town of Nectar every year using his sparse earnings.
He said he wanted to drink wine at the Bennett Bar just once before he died. Maybe he heard a rumor about this place?

Shylock falls silent. Murr leans forward and says teasingly.

Murr: Just once before he dies — how passionate of him. You’re into tales like this, aren’t you, Shylock?

Shylock: I certainly can’t say it makes me feel bad. But I like this bar as it is. And in order to protect this place, I refuse to make any dangerous gambles....

Rustica: You’re not going to make a dangerous gamble? Even though you’re a Western wizard?

Chloe: I want to meet him — he’s the kind of person who’s that desperate to drink your wine, Shylock.

Shylock strokes his chin as he ponders their suggestions.

Shylock: ....You have a point. I suppose we can meet him.

Shylock decides within ten seconds. He really is a Western wizard, brimming with curiosity. He utters his spell and opens the door.

Shylock: << Invibelle >>

—And the scene just outside of the door suddenly shifts into a back alley of the entertainment district.
A tall young man carrying luggage the size of a young child stares at us with a look of complete surprise. His hair is amber brown, and there’s a mole by his mouth.

Tall young man: ......ah.....

He’s so surprised that he has lost his voice. Shylock bows to him politely.

Shylock: Good afternoon. I am Shylock, the master of the Bennett Bar. Would you like to drop by for a drink?

The look of surprise in the young man’s eyes slowly turns into deep amazement and delight.
It’s the face of a man who has finally found the precious thing he has spent ages looking for — an expression that cannot be replicated by trickery or acting. I even see a faint trace of tears in his eyes.

Tall young man: .....The Bennett Bar...... So you are Shylock.......


CHAPTER 5

Tall young man: .....The Bennett Bar...... So you are Shylock.......
Yes, please, do let me..... I’ve been searching for you for ages..... ....Ah, to think that my dream would actually come true......

The young man is so moved that he looks like he has just passed through the gates of heaven. Shylock smiles, his browns turned down as he puts his hand on the young man’s back and beckons him into the shop.
The moment Shylock’s hand touches his back, the young man trembles as if he’s been struck by lightning. He can’t hold his tears back any longer — he covers his face and begins to cry.
Murr decides to put a damper on the moving scene.

Murr: You’re such a heartless man, Shylock. How did you break his heart?

Shylock: Oh please, I’m not you. —Don’t cry, good sir. We’ve never met before, have we?

Lorenzo: W-we have not..... My name is Lorenzo. I heard about this shop from my late grandfather.....

Shylock: Your grandfather?

Lorenzo: On a freezing cold winter day.... When my grandfather felt like he was on the brink of death, the master of the Bennett Bar offered him a glass of wine.....
"I would have died had he not offered me that glass of wine.... It was the most delicious wine I’ve ever had."
"I’ve searched for that shop many times since then, but never came across it again.... I wish I could taste that wine just one more time..." he said, as he passed away.
A series of unfortunate events broke my family apart after that... But I could never forget the story of the Bennett Bar......
......I finally found it......

Shylock hands Lorenzo a handkerchief and smiles at him gently.

Shylock: I remember your late grandfather now.... Well then, let me offer you the same wine I offered him on that night.
A cocktail of snow and a crescent moon on a blue night. Do take a seat.

Chloe: I’m so happy for you, Mister Lorenzo. You dreamed of visiting this bar, right? I’m so glad your dream came true.

Lorenzo: Yes...... Thank you........

Shylock offers him an ultramarine cocktail in a martini glass.
The light of the moon and the whiffs of powder snow flicker amidst the deep blue like a cozy view from the windowsill.
Lorenzo carries the glass to his lips like a treasure as quiet tears spill from his eyes.


CHAPTER 6

Lorenzo: It’s delicious..... I’ve never had such delicious wine. So this is the taste that my grandfather spoke of.....

Watching him makes my heart grow warm. I smile at Shylock over the counter.

Akira: He’s truly moved.... I hope I can taste this delicious wine of yours one day too, Shylock.

Shylock: He wasn’t moved because of the flavor of the wine I offered him. He’s drinking to his memories of his family — that is what truly brought him to tears.

I glance at Shylock in surprise.
There’s no trace of sarcasm or acrimony in his eyes; he’s simply watching over Mister Lorenzo with a gentle expression.

Shylock: That is what a cocktail does. My job is to simply offer him some delicious wine that will not taint his beautiful memories.
I hope you too one day find a cocktail that becomes a precious memory.

✦✧☾✧✦

Lorenzo departs after thanking Shylock over and over again. Shylock asks him to keep this shop an absolute secret.

Chloe: Thank goodness; Mister Lorenzo doesn’t seem like the kind of person who will go about telling people about your shop.

Shylock: No, he will tell people about it. For I once asked the same of his grandfather. But he ultimately told his family.

Akira: ....Are you angry about that?

Shylock: That’s simply how humans are. For us wizards, who we make a promise with is of great importance, but....
For humans, who are bound by countless ties to others — perhaps the most precious people are the ones they can break promises with.

Shylock shrugs with a bright smile upon his face.
He harbors a deep love in his gaze, like a tasteful wine that allows you the bliss of forgetting.
Smoking his pipe with a peaceful expression cast across his profile, the master of the bar loved by wizards gazes at the hours of the night as they flow past us.