Rhapsody of the Snowy Town Where Prayers Bloom ~North & West~ | Chapter Five

[odorekijin]

[Town of Ice]

Chloe: I-Is that why you came along, then?

Mithra: Well, yes, I wouldn’t waste that unique opportunity. Entering the mansion without prior permission seems to end in death regardless of your intent.

Somebody, who was nearly slaughtered there already, said that today was the perfect day for us to outwit the twins, and leave nothing of their treasures behind. By that, I mean Bradley.

Bradley clucked his tongue with a bitter, resentful scowl.

Bradley: Ya damn moron...!

Owen: Congratulations, now our plan is ruined.

Mithra: Ruined? And why would that be?

Bradley: ‘Cause of you, damn it! You opened yer goddamn mouth and schmoozed ‘em with stuff they ain’t even asked ya for.

Mithra: What, I had to keep it a secret? You should have told me such from the very beginning, then.

Snow & White: Mithra, Owen, Bradley!

Snow: Goodness, the lot of you are such helpless, disobedient, naughty boys.

White: I did not anticipate that your eager compliance would be to disguise schemes such as intruding one’s property.

Snow: What do you think this festival is? This occasion is certainly not for you to be sneaking around and committing petty theft!

Mithra: ...Oh, quiet down, would you?

Akin to a grumpy beast, Mithra lazily scratched his head with his hand.

Mithra: This festival is pointless to begin with.

No matter how many times you perform the rites to welcome the dead, what has once passed away will never come back.

It doesn't make much difference whether you hold the celebrations or not. This is simply to satiate the satisfaction of those left behind, isn’t it.

Resident: That’s...

Mithra's words were met with murmurs from the inhabitants of the city. Some of their expressions wavered in confusion, while others lowered their eyes in despair.

Considering his audience carefully, Snow began to speak:

Snow: Many are the people who have been forced to leave their hometowns to settle here, only just reaching the border of this town.

All of them have lost someone dear. Often, such a loss leaves a deeper scar on one's soul than one’s body.

For those gathered here to attend to these wounds, to heal the pain in their hearts—this festival is of utmost importance.

White: …

White listened to Snow's words in silence. Somehow, his peaceful expression caused a lump to rise in my throat.

Snow’s consideration wasn’t only for the residents, but it also seemed to draw from his own feelings.

I wondered if Snow found himself in the same situation—is it to heal the wound of losing White that he holds a festival to welcome the dead?

Akira: (It is true that White is a ghost; he no longer breathes along with us. That's an undeniable fact. And yet…)

(White is still here, by our side...)

Looking back at White, my chest hurt as though an invisible thorn had pierced my heart—it was a sensation I couldn’t pull away from.

Akira: (...Maybe that's why White isn't as active in the festival’s preparations.)

From the very beginning, their opinions on the festival greatly differed: on one hand, Snow was eager to hold the festival; on the other, White wanted to cancel it.

The "Twilight Banquet to Our Lost" is a celebration to welcome back the dead. Inevitably, the frontier between the living and the dead only grows wider.

From White’s standpoint, he probably feels like the odd one out.

Shylock: That being said, and with what little time we have left, we ought to attend to our duties, don't we?

Snow: ‘Tis true, let us head for the mansion, shall we?

We will have our disobedient, sticky-fingered naughty boys harvest the Afterglow Lilies in the Forest of Ice. I’m leaving this matter in your care—Sage, White.

White: Certainly.

Akira: Yes, of course.

After seeing Snow and the others off, White abruptly turned around to face the Northern wizards.

White: ...Now then, this form will be far more effective on you naughty little children, don’t you think?

Come now, boys. You didn’t go out of your way all this time only to disobey me now, did you?

Mithra, Owen & Bradley: Tch…

——

[Forest of Ice]

Thus, in order to collect the Afterglow Lilies, I headed to the Forest of Ice with the Northern wizards.

Naturally, the other three were pretty ticked off after being brought here against their will.

Mithra: To think we could have been breaking into the mansion right about now... Why do we have to come to this forest?

Bradley: Everything’s all yer fuggin’ fault man, get it right. Whatever, we paid our visit, dun’ see why we’re still kickin’ around—let’s scram.

Owen: Mithra, manifest your door and get us out of here, quick.

White: To the triplets over there trying to skedaddle~

Look over here, ta-da!

White took out an ostentatious bell from his breast pocket.

White: Simply ring this, and Oz will appear in only three little seconds.

Bradley: Dafuq?

Mithra: Oz?

Owen: Haha, what’s that now. You’re definitely bluffing.  

White: Oh, you think so? Why don’t you give it a try, then?

The Northern wizards were completely at loss for words. White smiled back at them.

Mithra: Ugh… What a pain.

Owen: Tch, you always threaten us into compliance with Oz.

Bradley: I’ll getcha back fer this.

Akira: (It was super effective…)

White: Don't be so glum; it shan’t take long if we all work together. Besides, I am not asking you to work without compensation.

Whoever amongst the three of you harvests the most Afterglow Lilies shall receive a unique reward I have prepared.

Mithra: A reward?

Bradley: It’s a bunch of crap, ain’t it.

White: That is an answer you will have to wait for. However, I can assure you that it is an exceedingly valuable and extra-superb magic tool.

Let us begin! Which wizard will lay his hands on the grand prize?

Mithra, Owen & Bradley: …

The three of them straddled their brooms one after the other, and flew away at once.

White: Phew, I suppose I am a little more motivated now. At times, I wish they would heed my commands without tediously luring them with artifices.

Well then, we too must look for the Afterglow Lilies. We cannot leave them to their own devices now, can we? 

Akira: Can I come with you, White?

White: Why, of course, it goes without saying. Allow me to escort you, so that you don’t get lost.

——————

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