Rhapsody of the Burning Love for the Seaside Town ~West & South~ | Chapter Seven

[odorekijin]

[Beach]

As we followed the footprints, we realized that most had been washed away by the waves. We decided to split up and search the area.

Shortly after, Murr shouted out to us.

Murr: Found you! Over here!

Man: Eek...

A man was hiding in the rock face; he was probably about forty years old. Sunken cheeks and jittery eyes betrayed his nervousness.

Mur: Hey old man, you’re human, right? What are you doing here? 

Up close and personal, Murr scrutinized the man, causing him to leap back.

Man: I was… I was hiding. I thought if the wizards found me, they’d kick me out of town...!

He turned pale, shaking. Even for someone who could be afraid of wizards, his reaction seemed a bit excessive.

The testimonies instantly came to mind:

“A suspicious person”, “Seen near the beach”

Man: Please, I’m begging… Please don’t kill me...

Shylock: Oh, we will have to be the judge of that.

Shylock smiled ominously, as if to fuel the man’s horror.

Shylock: If you’re a good boy and tell us what we want, we may consider sparing you.

 

Figaro: If you’re not too big on chatting, that’s fine by us too. I can simply pull what we want out of your head directly.

Man: Eep..!

The man turned white as a sheet from sheer fear. Blood running cold, he slumped to the ground, chattering his teeth.

Man: A-Alright, I’ll talk, I’ll tell you anything…!

I’m simply a developer… For Magical Scientific weapons...

 

Western Wizards: !?

Figaro & Lennox: A developer?

Rutile & Mitile: For Magical Science...

His forehead drenched in cold sweat, the man began to speak.

Man: I was under a military research institute, and while working on weaponry for them, I was also developing my own Magical Science artillery.

What I had created was a weapon that could shoot fire. I came to this city with it.

Chloe: A Magical weapon that shoots fire...

Figaro: “Developed on his own”, meaning that the military isn’t involved in the end.

Lennox: If the military didn't send you, why did you bring such a dangerous thing into this city?

Man: Business, obviously. The aristocrats would buy them: to kick down an enemy or to defend yourself, you need to have a clear, powerful upper hand.

The man told us that weaponry trade, usually illegal, is frequently carried out behind the scenes.

The gun-like fire weapon was brought in to sell to such wealthy people in similar fashion.

Man: But then, that bright night happened. In order for the guests to witness the weapon’s power range with their own eyes, I placed a mana stone in it.

Suddenly, it rose into the sky and flew away, spitting fire...!

Chloe: ...Uh, so, what you're saying is that your weapon is the reason the city is like this?

Something strange flying in the sky, setting the city on fire. The man’s account exactly matched the previous testimonies of arson attacks.

But he violently shook his head.

Man: You’re wrong! I don't remember ever adding a flight feature, and the firepower shouldn't be as strong as it was!

Akira: ...But you knew these fires were the work of your weapon, didn’t you?

Man: ...

 

Lennox: You knew it was no one else’s fault, but you still kept quiet when the humans were under suspicion and even got chased out of town?

Man: A-As if I’d know...! It’s none of my business!

Rutile: No way... Innocent wizards are being condemned, a majority of the population are forced to leave their homes, and everyone is suffering...

Afraid to admit his fault, he covered his ears with his hands, as if to escape our accusations.

Man: No way, I didn't do anything wrong, it’s not my fault…

Lennox: He’s beyond help.

Rustica: What a poor soul. 

Man: Damn it… I should never have used that stone.

It’s all that damn thing’s fault, everything, I’m sure that mana stone is cursed!

Murr: A cursed stone?

Man: I happened to pick it up on this beach.

It had a strange color, similar to this sea. I thought it would make a perfect fuel source for the weapon, but...

I heard a faint gasp from Shylock.

 

Shylock: It can’t be that this is...

Mitile: Um, that weapon is still in the city, isn’t it?

If we let it be, it will probably set another fire somewhere...

Chloe: Right, we have to stop this before it spreads any further...! Where is the weapon now?

Man: I don’t know.

Figaro: Are you sure about that?

Man: Eek, I swear, I’m not lying this time! Please don’t pull my head off…!

All I know is that the fires usually occur on cloudless nights. Only on days where it shines high up in the sky does it get out of control…

A cloudless night. We all blinked at the phrase.

Akira: ...Perhaps it’s under the Great Calamity’s influence...?

Shylock: That may be the case. If it is guided by the moon, it is very plausible that the Calamity is involved.

Lennox: Whatever the cause, the issue remains that the weapon is currently out of control. We have to find it as soon as possible.

We need to know what it looks like—could you describe it for us?

Man: I-It’s round and about the size of that rock, and it has several muzzles sticking out so that it can burn from all sides.

Figaro: About that size, so it’s something Leno could barely hold? That’s pretty huge. We may find it sooner than expected.

Rutile: Yes, and we may have better chances if we can gather other wizards to search the town with us...

Murr: We won’t need to go after it, you know?

I mean, look! My beloved moon is shining so brightly today!

Behind the roof Murr was pointing at, the shape of a perfectly round moon had risen.

Before we knew it, the city was basking in shades of moonlight.

Akira: There aren’t any clouds...!

Chloe: This is bad! We have to get back to the city, quick!

Figaro: Seems so, and I’ll have you come with us.

Man: Ouch!

With the developer forcibly in tow, the wizards immediately mounted their brooms and headed for the city center.

 

Shylock: ...Could it be...

In the sky, Shylock kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, and whispered in a voice only I could hear.

Shylock: Could it be that the mana stone that human used in the Magic Science weapon was his.

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