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odorekijin[Akira’s bedroom]
It all happened when I was still in my room, taking notes in the Sage’s Guide.
Akira: Let’s see, today’s mission is near the Eastern Country...
(Wind)
Mithra: Good morning.
Akira: !?
A door suddenly materialized in thin air, wrenching open to reveal Mithra.
He reached out and yanked me by the arm.
Mithra: Do come with me for a minute.
Akira: Wai-!? Wah...!
I couldn’t even manage a reply, as I was already forcibly pulled through the door.
Akira: …? This room...
Next thing I knew, I found myself in an eerily familiar place.
This cozy interior and decoration could only be from Snow and White's room.
Akira: (Why would Mithra bring me here...?)
Bradley: The hell? Sage?
Owen: Suddenly you’re gone, and now you’re here again. Just what do you think you’re doing?
For some reason, Owen and Bradley were also there.
As soon as they noticed me, the two of them shot back an irritated look.
Akira: Eep...
I instinctively flinched, surrounded by threatening stares, unable to comprehend the situation I was in—Mithra, unconcerned, pointed to a corner of the room.
Mithra: Please do something about that, Master Sage.
Akira: T-That…?
Snow: White, you insufferable, single-minded, senseless horrible awful nincompoop! I just don’t know you anymore!
White: Come now, Snow, that is more than enough already.
I looked over at Snow and White, who seemed to be arguing about something.
The way they were readying themselves, their magic tools in hand, proved that they were in a serious dispute rather than simply joking around.
Bradley: They’ve been goin’ at it all damn morning, fucking cluckin’ like a buncha loony geese.
Owen: How can Oz and the others downstairs not hear this? I think I'm going deaf over here.
Bradley and Owen, who live on the same floor as Snow and White, glanced at the twins' quarrel, sick and fed up with the situation.
Owen: Hurry up, Mithra, get to work. I know you'll take care of it.
Bradley: Yer the one who went ahead and said yes anyway.
Mithra: That is precisely why I brought Master Sage with me.
And that’s why I'm asking you to do something about this, quickly.
Akira: What, me?
The three of them stared at me expectantly, as if to say: “You’ve got this.”
I offered a wry smile at their determination to not get involved with the twins' fight.
White: Snow, this is but a mere misunderstanding. Never did I mean to disrespect your feelings...
Snow: What falsehoods. I am persuaded this means absolutely nothing to you, White.
Akira: (...What?)
I tilted my head in confusion.
Most of the time, it is Snow who humours and indulges White when he is upset.
This time, however, the situation was the other way around: White was the one calming down a sulking Snow.
Akira: (That’s something we don’t see very often.. I wonder what happened...)
Is there something wrong, you two…?
Snow & White: Sage?
They both turned around, eyes round and blinking in surprise.
It was only after I called out to them that Snow and White seemed to notice my presence.
Snow: I take it that our boys have summoned you.
Snow looked at Mithra and the others behind me; he nodded, as though grasping only now the issue at hand.
Snow: I am terribly sorry for bothering you.
But rest assured, our dispute was but a trifling matter. It is not something you need to trouble yourself with.
With that, Snow vanished from the room without a word.
Akira: Um...
Owen: Some peace, finally.
Mithra: See, everything went well. My plan worked. You ought to thank me.
Bradley: Aight, case closed. I’mma head back and hit the sack.
Peace now restored, the Northern wizards promptly retired to their rooms.
Akira: (They just strolled out of that delicate situation like nothing happened… That’s insanely cool...)
As soon as everyone took their leave, the room went quiet. My eyes naturally met those of White, who had been left behind.
White: Good grief. I am sincerely sorry you had to come all the way here, dear Sage.
Akira: Please, don’t be... Did something happen with Snow? You two looked like you were fighting...
White shrugged.
White: I have offended my dear Snow, requesting that to not hold any observances this year.
Akira: Observances?
White: Some regions of Northern Country have a tradition of holding festivals every year—it is the same for our protectorate Town of Ice and its inhabitants, who have their own annual festivities.
In order for the festival to take place, our power as wizards is paramount, but alas… This festival is unfortunately held at night.
Akira: Oh. But at nightfall, you…
White: We will return to the painting, indeed.
Due to the “Great Calamity”, Snow and White suffer from a strange injury that forces them into a painting as soon as the sun sets.
Once trapped inside said painting, their magic is rendered useless. White thought holding any festivity would be complicated, thus suggested its cancellation.
White: When I did, his eyes blazed with fury.
He was terribly upset, and asked how I could say such a thing when we had been holding this festival for so long.
I tried my utmost best to settle him down, but to no avail; Snow was still irritated.
Akira: It must be a festival extremely dear to him...
White: It is, for Snow would without fail return to town every single year to perform the rites.
Our Snow is quite senile at times, but he would never forget that day.
White managed a laugh, but a note of sorrow stuck to the echo of his voice.
Akira: ...What sort of celebration is it, then?
White: It is one to welcome and greet our deceased. We call it the “Twilight Banquet to Our Lost”.
