Mahoyaku Mainstory 2 - 6.9

The one trying to summon the Great Calamity, that's the wizard Nova.

If we meet him, we could perhaps understand why the Great Calamity has suddenly gotten stronger.

Ways to cure the Calamity's strange afflictions, Nova's reasoning too.

Clenching my fists, I looked up at Figaro.

Akira: I want to meet Nova.
From both the West and the East…

Figaro: Got it.
Let's arrange it tomorrow.

Figaro: I'll carry Shylock.
Please rest well, Master Sage.

Akira: ……

Figaro: What's wrong?

Akira: I…I couldn't even stand earlier so…I wonder how I can control my power as the Sage.

As if he's encouraging depressed students, Figaro lowered his eyebrows.

Before he could say anything, Snow and White interrupted.

Snow: There there, Dear Sage.
The powers of the Sage have been a mystery since the past.

White: There is nothing that can't be controlled. You are doing a good job so far.

Akira: Is that true…?

Snow: Yes yes!

White: You're a nice kid, Dear Sage.

Hearing Snow and White's gentle voices made me tear up and press my lips together.

Youthful hands patted my head and back, making me feel relieved.

And then, I saw something strange.

Just for a second, Figaro looked at the twins with a smirk on his face.

It may not have been one of mocking.
Disdain, familiarity, and heartbreak...Something like a mixture of that.
Yeah, that's suspicious.

Even here, someone is doubting someone else.

[Kitchen]

Rutile: ……

Lennox: What's wrong, Rutile?

Rutile: I wasn't able to sleep so…
What about you, Mistser Lennox?

Lennox: I'm a little hungry.

Nero: I'll make up a little midnight snack.
A little bit of tasty stuff and a little sweet alcohol.

Rutile: That sounds great!
Is it alright if I join?

Nero: 'Course.

Rutile: Mister Lennox, Mister Nero.
Do you remember what Mister Vincent said?

Lennox: Hm?

Rutile: That wizards can never be together…
I wonder if it's true.

Lennox: That…
You can't really say that was fully a lie.

Lennox: Southern Country is doing good.
But Dr. Figaro says that's only because it's still developing.

Lennox: Once everything becomes stable, and people have their own property, suspicions begin to arise.

Lennox: At that time, if a thief suddenly appears, a wizard is the first person to get suspected.

Rutile: However, will we be able to stay together…?

Lennox: I wonder…
What do you think, Nero?

Nero: I…I can't say I know.
I've always been a loner, yeah?

Nero: To be with someone is to change yourself for them.
Can't really be yourself if ya do that.

Nero: Just trying to stick together, you either distort yourself or distort others.

Nero: I can't really excuse that.
That's why I don't really stick with others.

Rutile: The unchanged you and an unchanged someone else could one day be together though.

Nero: Who knows?
I have terrible luck after all.

Lennox: Wizards can live alone.
The stronger a wizard is, the less the need to change is.

Lennox: With magic, you can manipulate anything and live in a world of your liking.

Rutile: Live in a world of your liking…
Those are some convincing words.

Lennox: …Yeah…
In a world of your liking, if you were there…

Lennox: Rather than staying with someone, living on your own could possibly be more fun.

Nero: Well…There's no need to think so hard about it.

Nero: We can stay together.
Only now can we talk about things late in the night like this.

Rutile: That's right…Cheers~

Lennox: Cheers.

Nero: Cheers.

[Courtyard]

At that time, not being able to sleep, I went on a walk in the courtyard.

The cold breeze of the night, it felt nice.
Looking up at the moon, I notice someone.

It was Rustica.

Rustica: Good evening, Master Sage.
…It's time for a lovely rest.
Are you alright?

Akira: Yes, I'm alright.
Thank you, Rustica…

Rustica: Please, there isn't a need for that.
To soothe Master Sage's heart, shall I play a little, beautiful melody?

Music.
As Rustica was about to say his spell, I remembered something

Akira: …That's right…
The more instruments a symphony has, the harder the song becomes.

Akira: Oz had interrupted us before but, do you remember that conversation?

Rustica: Yes, it was about how music suits wizards well.

Mahoyaku Mainstory 2 - 6.10

Akira: …Did we include that in the conversation?

Rustica: Did I get it wrong?
Each and every instrument has its own distinct sound.

Rustica: You can make a song with just one.
There's no need to mix in other instruments.

Rustica: See. Isn't it just like a wizard?

As he said it, it made sense.
A strong personality, an intense sound, and a timbre next to no other.

In the worst case, I think that's fine. I'm not good at group projects either.

But, when it comes to fighting an incredibly strong enemy…

If there's something I could do to not lose anyone.

Akira: What makes a symphony work well?

Rustica smiled kindly.

His unwavering and call gaze made him seem like a prophet.

Rustica: While there are many elements to it, the most important one is the conductor.

Akira: …Conductor…

Rustica: That's right.
A conductor has to respect each sound, sometimes suppressing and sometimes bringing it out.

Rustica: To harmonise.

Rustica: A conductor needs to know each instrument's strength as well as weakness.

Rustica: In order to make rich music by layering each individual sound over and over again…

Rustica: You must be tolerant but cold to every instrument. Shhh, quietly…Now, loudly!

And then, bam!!
The sound of a cymbal echoed from somewhere, making my heart almost jump out of my heart.

Rustica: My apologies.
I seemed to have startled you.

Akira: N-Not at all…

Rustica: Giving someone orders for someone else, playing a melody for everyone, that's a conductor's job.

I felt my heart pounding, and not just because I got startled.

Isn't the amazingness of a conductor what you need to be a good Sage?

Even if it's impossible for me now, if I had a good conductor as a role model…

Even the wizards that can't coexist could maybe, even if for a second, coexist.

Akira: Rustica, is it alright if I ask you something else?

Rustica: What is it?

Akira: Assuming that everyone in the Magic Headquarters is familiar with musical instruments…

Akira: Who would be the most suitable as a conductor?

Rustica: Central would be Cain, East would be Faust, South would be Doctor Figaro, and North would be Bradley.

The words I wanted him to repeat before.

As I widened my eyes, Rustica titled his head out of curiosity.

Rustica: Oya?
Have I told you this before?

Akira: Rustica, what about West?
Out of everyone from Western country, who would be most suited as a conductor?

He thought about it for a bit before smiling.

Rustica: Perhaps it's me.

Akira: …That's right…
I'm so sorry if this comes off as rude but, what about Shylock?

Rustica smiled confidently.

The confidence wasn't for himself, but for his friends.

Rustica: Shylock, that virtuous friend of mine, so good at many things…

Rustica: I can't boil him down to one single thing.

Rustica: He can find beauty and richness in broken and distorted things.

Rustica: A love of raw and free souls.

Rustica: Completion, victory, achievements... Shylock doesn't put things that make everyone happy and secure on the shelves.

Rustica: Things that are unfinished, defeated, unexplored...

Rustica: All the beautiful things that were not rewarded because they were what they were.

Rustica: Shylock is someone who truly cares and respects them.

Rustica: Perhaps he could swing the baton by himself.

Rustica: But he'll just hurt himself. He doesn't want to decide the correct sound and arrange it.

Akira: Is Rustica good at that?

Rustica respectfully bowed to me.

A little pretentious, but reliable, gesture of a nobleman.

With the charm of a shooting star, Rustica closed one eye, flashing a smile.

Rustica: From a musician~

[Sage's room]

That night I…

I prepared 5 volumes of Sage's Journals.