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odorekijin
[Elevator to Western Country]
Several days later, the Western and Southern wizards all gathered at the West Tower.
Chloe: Should we get in the holiday mood, then? I prepared special outfits for everyone!
Chloe cast his spell in a hop, and everyone's clothes changed.
Mitile: Wow…!
Rutile: So stylish!
Murr: If Shylock was an outfit, he would look just like that!
Rustica: Like what, precisely?
Murr: Up to the nines, a bit detached, sweet and spicy!
Shylock: I will let it slide for today and accept that assessment since we were granted this fantastic attire.
Akira: You’re right, everyone looks great!
Figaro: You’re no less, Master Sage.
Lennox: Those clothes do suit you.
Akira: Thank you, you two look nice as well. I can already feel the high-class luxury of these holidays!
Figaro: We will certainly fit in with that refined, privileged city ambiance. What do you think, do I look like an influential aristocrat yet?
Akira: You’ve always looked like one, Figaro. You'll be right in your element.
Rutile: Chloe, thank you so much for this beautiful outfit. It's modern and mature, and I feel so fashionable!
Mitile: When I’ll visit the South next time, I’ll show it to everyone back in Town of Clouds!
Chloe: Ehehe, thank you…! I can’t stop smiling from all your compliments.
Mitile, and everyone else, were so eager to get dressed up that I got just as excited as you were. I’m glad you like it!
Murr: Hey, come on, let’s leave right now! If we don’t move soon, a day will be lost already!
Akira: Ahaha, Murr can barely stay put.
Chloe: He’s been running around all morning. Even Rustica was humming in his sleep when I woke him up.
Rustica: I have been looking forward to this day so much that I was already enjoying the resort in my dreams.
Shylock: Fufu. As a shopkeeper, I'm flattered to be this much requested.
I will open the bar for the first time in a while during our stay.
If we stay closed for too long, our customers would likely forget about us, wouldn’t they.
Rutile: I’m sure your customers will be happy about it. You can count on me to help with the shop!
Mitile: I’ll help out as well!
Chloe: Me too, Shylock!
Shylock: Thank you very much. I’ll be relying on you.
Murr: Me too, let me help!
Shylock: You should refrain from doing so.
——
[Sky]
Enjoying the peace, we rode to the entertainment district in Town of Nectar.
Flying over the breathtaking landscapes of the Western Country was a sight to behold.
But the closer we got to the city, the more uncomfortable I felt.
Akira: (What the...?)
The place wasn’t entirely abandoned, but very few people were out and about. The few silhouettes we could catch a glimpse of seemed to be soldiers in uniform.
Undoubtedly, something made the tension in the air palpable. Even from the sky, we could feel the restlessness rising.
Chloe: ...It’s probably just my imagination, but… Something feels off, right?
Mitile: Maybe something happened…?
Confusion washed over the wizards’ faces as well.
Shylock: …
As we kept on flying, the city center eventually came to sight.
Rutile: ...Huh?
What was before our eyes took our breath away.
The city’s outskirts were surrounded by military forces. Furthermore, some sort of menacing weapons threatened the town.
Lennox: This...
Figaro: What’s the meaning of this? Seems like a war is about to break out.
Rutile & Mitile & Chloe: A war...?
The young wizards went white at that unsettling mention.
Shylock, on the other hand, let out a faint sigh.
Shylock: ...So it seems. From the looks of it, the city has yet again changed, in not too long at that.
At that moment, Chloe's frantic shout made us turn around.
Chloe: Hey!
Murr just flew away! He said something interesting was going to happen, and just went ahead!
Rutile & Mitile: What!?
Chloe pointed to the very place we were looking at, a few seconds ago: it was right in the middle of a crowd of humans, weapons at the ready and sieging the area.
Figaro: The tenser the situation, the more excited Western wizards get, don’t they?
Shylock: While I won’t deny that statement, he is a special case. He would laugh while sticking his head in the mouth of an enraged lion.
Rustica: Murr is a man of action. He may already be chatting with the humans surrounding the area as we speak.
Chloe: Or rather, he's probably surrounded by weapons more than anything!?
Shylock: I suppose we have no other choice. Let us fetch that stray cat.
Mitile: Then, we’ll also...!
Shylock: You will not, the Southern wizards should remain here.
As long as we can't read the situation, it's best not to move in large groups. We will examine the matter first.
Rustica: Even if Murr returns without us, we can rest assured knowing everyone will be waiting for us.
Figaro: Alright, we’ll leave this to those who best know these lands then.
Lennox: If anything happens, call out to us immediately.
Shylock: Well then, Master Sage, you should change brooms...
Akira: Um, can I come with you?
Shylock: Master Sage… While your request warms my heart, I frankly don’t know what may have occurred down there.
So until the situation is clarified, you should remain here with the Southern wizards...
Akira: But it looks like a lot of humans are out there, my role as a Sage may be of help if they were to grow suspicious...
Shylock: ...Fufu, you are quite the reliable one.
Understood, nothing would be more reassuring than to have you with us.
Chloe: Thank you, Master Sage. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you!
Akira: I’ll be counting on you!
Shylock: Well then, we shall go.
Rutile: Be careful, everyone...!
