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odorekijin
[Manor, Shylock's Bar]
Figaro: Wow, this one’s good.
Shylock: I'm glad it suits your taste. Due to its peculiar scent, it is not everyone's cup of tea.
Figaro: Well, gotta love you for that. Guess I'll have another cup.
Lennox: Doctor Figaro.
Figaro: I know, I know. I'll watch myself and take it easy.
Murr: They’re here!
Shylock: Hi there, Murr.
Mitile: Ah, Doctor Figaro! You’re drinking in secret again!
Figaro: Mitile?
Lennox: Rutile and Master Sage are there as well.
Rutile: Good evening everyone.
Akira: Sorry to barge on you all like this.
It was late in the evening when Murr led us to Shylock's bar.
Figaro and Lennox were surprised to see us at the entrance, whereas Shylock, the owner, greeted us with a smile.
Shylock: We've got quite the crowd tonight.
Figaro: What are you all doing here? Don’t tell me you came all the way here just to warn me about my drinking.
Don’t worry, I haven’t had that many drinks yet. Right, Leno?
Lennox: Yes. Not yet.
Rutile & Mitile: Not yet…?
Murr: Figaro, are you going to be scolded? Is that why everyone was looking for you, to give you a lecture?
Shylock: That is a rather passionate endeavour.
Lennox: It looks like you’re well-liked.
Figaro: I don’t know how to feel about that though…
Rutile: Ahaha, we’re not trying to lecture you. I didn't understand something during our lesson, so I visited your room, but I couldn’t find you there.
Akira: And I just so happened to walk by.
They asked me if I'd seen you, but suddenly Murr appeared from the ceiling, and…
Murr: “If it’s Figaro we’re speaking of, I know where he’s at!” and I brought them all here!
Like a cat with a mouse in its mouth, Murr's chest heaved with pride.
Akira: So you were drinking with Lennox.
Lennox: Yes, he asked me if I’d like to sit with him.
Figaro: Lennox being with me is my safety-belt against scolding.
Mitile: As if! You always promise that it’ll be "just a little," but you drink way too much no matter what!
Murr: Ahaha, you ended up getting yelled at anyway!
The mellow ambiance of the bar livened up from the outburst of voices. Noticing Shylock's pleased gaze, Mitile grew embarrassed.
Mitile: Ah… I'm sorry for making a racket.
Shylock: No need to worry about it.
Shylock's smile deepened as he poured a gorgeously colorful drink.
Shylock: In any case, would you like a drink? Don’t worry, it's non-alcoholic.
Mitile: Are you sure? If we stay here...
Shylock: We welcome honest and cute customers as well. Why not stay up a little later today?
Figaro: Yup, what he said! Will you forgive your favorite teacher for now?
Mitile: Hmph, well I don’t really have a choice. Just for today then.
Shylock: Fufu. Please everyone, have a seat as well. I will prepare your drinks.
Akira: I’ll take your word for it I guess… I’d like something non-alcoholic too. What about you, Rutile?
Rutile: Since we’re here, might as well join the drinking!
Murr: Me too Shylock, me too! Prepare one I like, you know the one!
Shylock: Understood.
At that moment, a white bird flapped its wings and perched on the counter. As if in pursuit of it, another bird flew in.
Mitile: Wow, what a beautiful bird...! I wonder how it came in.
Perched Bird: Through the door, of course.
Akira: It talks…!?
Perched Bird: My apologies, for we are still birds right now.
Bird: Sorry, did we startle you?
Suddenly, the birds disappeared to reveal Rustica and Chloe.
Rutile: Whaー Rustica and Chloe!?
Lennox: So you two were disguised as birds.
Rustica: Chloe and I were playing with shape-shifting magic. We were having a little promenade in the sky together, when we heard commotion in the distance.
Chloe: Rustica suddenly flew off towards the bar, so I hurried behind him.
Rustica: Everyone seems to be having a wonderful time. Do you mind if we join you?
Murr: Of course not! You don’t need to be invited!
Chloe: Yay!
As if drawn together, the Western and Southern wizards gathered in the bar, enjoying a fun late night.
Mitile: Ehehe…
Rutile: You look happy, Mitile.
Mitile: Yes, I feel like a grown-up. It’s sort of special, since Shylock’s bar is where all the adults gather for drinking.
Rutile: It's a very nice place, isn’t it? Even though I've been here a bunch of times, I still get a little nervous. I always feel like I’m older here.
Chloe: I get you! It's sophisticated and cosmopolitan, right?
Bar Bennett, in the entertainment district back in Town of Nectar, also pays a lot of attention to detail in its decor and accessories.
The whole place has a Shylock feel to it, it's really cool!
Akira: Bar Bennett is amazing. It has everything of an adult atmosphere...
Rutile's glass was quickly emptied, and a new cocktail was presented to him.
Shylock: I'm honored to be the talk of your town. That bar has been in business for hundreds of years, I have fond memories of that place.
Mitile: Hundreds of years?
Rutile: It's a pretty long-running shop.
Shylock: Indeed. It is all thanks to the patronage of my many customers.
Mitile: Could it be that all of them were wizards, maybe?
Shylock: For the most part, yes. It is a place they patronized to lounge and relax without reservation, after all.
Rutile: Does that means the wizards here, in this Manor, were also part of your customers?
Murr: Yup, yup, I was one of the bunch!
Shylock: Aside from Murr, some did indeed pay a visit, even if once.
Shylock's gaze turned to Figaro and Lennox. Figaro sipped his glass with an unconcerned look; only Lennox nodded.
Rutile & Mitile: Mister Lennox too?
Lennox: I stopped there once when I was traveling.
Shylock: You were looking for something, weren't you?
Lennox: Yes, Shylock was very kind to me at that time.
Figaro: That so? Even Leno has his secrets, huh.
Shylock: He was a pleasant customer. He didn't cause any issues with other clients and quietly enjoyed his drinks.
A wide variety of people used to come in and out. Of course, conflicts were sometimes bound to happen from such differences.
Akira: I'm sure some of them had a unique way of thinking.
Shylock: Indeed, there were more than I can count. If you run a place for such a long time, you are destined to encounter countless walks of life and beliefs.
There were those who only spoke to plants, those who changed both their appearance and name a visit after the other...
A most memorable one was a beautiful, innocent wizard with long ginger hair and just as bright, fiery eyes.
He was mesmerized by the view.
——————
TL NOTE; While not specified in the original script, Rustica’s bird form got coined “Perched Bird” for ease of reading, as it isn’t so clear in-game as well.
