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odorekijin“Hide-and-Seek with a Swallow”
chapter one
[West Country, City of Glory—Barn Swallow Festival]
With the incident now behind us, we could finally enjoy our time in the City of Glory, and the festivities of the “Barn Swallow Festival” Luke had initially invited us to.
Akira: There are so many stalls here, I don’t know where to look. What would you like to eat, Bradley?
Bradley: Meat, duh?
Akira: Aha, figured as much; another pair of eyes can’t hurt in our hunt for it!
(Hmmm… Ouh! That stall’s signboard has a… roasted chicken? I think that’s what it is.)
We could try that—
Murr: Howdy doodly-dooo~
Akira: Oh, hi Murr.
Bradley: I’ll stop ya right there: we ain’t interested in yer shenanigans. We’re busy.
Murr: Cool! I’m not, so let’s play hide-and-seek!
I’ll hide, an’ you guys find me, m’alright? Three-two-one, go!
Akira: Wa-wait…!
I couldn’t even get a word in… What do we do, Bradley? Shall we look for him?
Bradley: Nah, ignore him, he’ll be fine.
Let’s move; I’m hungry enough to eat a horse an’ then some.
Bradley paid no heed to Murr, and pushed his way on through the crowd.
Akira: (But, he’s running loose on his own… I hope Murr won’t get himself into trouble.)
(He’s probably hiding already... Looking for him can’t take that long, can it? I could totally go on my own—)
Murr: Boo!
Akira: Uwargh?!
Murr leapt from behind me, his abrupt appearance stopping me in my tracks like a brick wall.
With a mischievous grin plastered on his face, he leveled a finger at me, chanting:
Murr: 《 Eanul Rambul 》
Akira: Twiii- tweet tweet…?!
Murr: Bwahaha! Ladies and gentleman, our Master Swallow-Sage!
Akira: (Swallow?! Don’t tell me…)
My eyes snapped downwards.
Where my hands once were, wings now fluttered, the rest of my body covered in a magnificent, dark blue plumage.
His towering form only confirmed my suspicions: Murr had shrunk me to the size of a swallow, now cradling me into his hands.
Akira: Chirp!! Twee-tweet?!
(I can’t speak...! Turn me back right now, Murr! Please!）
Murr: I know Brad doesn’t surrender easily, even less if I ask him something.
So I called upon my genius, and came up with a brand-new hide-and-seek game!
You will hide from Brad, and I’ll have to find you before he does!
That way, none of you can turn down our playtime. Best of both worlds, right?
Akira: Twee?!
???: Hey, watcha fussin’ about over ‘here?
Akira: !!
The man I’d lost in the crowd just a few moments ago trailed after his question.
Murr: Brad! Just the man I wanted to see! Feel like playin’ with me yet?
Bradley: Hell no. I dun’ see ya hidin’ either, so what’s up? Found a new playmate with that bird, chirpin’ in tongues?
Bah, I knew you’d find a way to busy yerself elsewhere if we ignored ya, but this ain’t what I came here fo’…
You seen the Sage anywhere?
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chapter two
[West Country, City of Glory—Barn Swallow Festival]
Murr: Our Master Sage? Nope, not at all! Maybe they got inspired by yours truly, and went to play hide-and-seek on their own?
Bradley: I dunno why I even asked you, freak… I’d have better luck askin’ yer li’l friend over here, for all I know.
Akira: …! Chirp! Chirp, chirp…!
(Bradley, it’s me! It’s Akira! Over here...!)
Still in Murr's hands, I beat my wings along with my desperate pleas, only to be translated into pitiful chirping.
Murr: You won’t know if you don’t try! Looks like it's trying to communicate with you, too; you just gotta listen close!
Bradley: Wuh?
Murr lifted me closer to Bradley’s ear.
Summoning every shred of courage not to waste this opportunity, I hopped onto Bradley’s shoulder. Then, I gestured to him:
Akira: (It’s me! I swear! Murr transformed me into a bird, and…!)
Twee-twee! Tweet!
Bradley: … …
Murr: So? What’s it saying?
Bradley: Hell if I know, but that dun’ sound like no ordinary bird chirpin’ away.
Now… Keep on squawkin' in my damn ears, an’ I’ll roast’cha up for lunch like this here chicken, ya hear?
Akira: Twee…?!
Bradley reached into the bag he was carrying as he spoke, pulling out a mouthwatering, golden-brown roast chicken.
Akira: (A-Am I cooked…?!)
Murr: Hehe, I wonder what swallows taste like.
Bradley: Ain't never had meat like that before, but I definitely could go for some right ‘bout now… Feel me?
Murr: Your greed knows no bounds. You've got this entire chicken all for yourself already, and you want a bite of that swallow too? No sharing? Not at all?
Bradley: Hmph, don'tcha go thinkin’ I ain’t got an appetite. I got a li’l extra to share with the Sage, but that much sure ain’t gonna fill me up none.
Murr: Oooh, so that one’s for the Sage. Lucky them!
Bradley: You bet. They were eyein’ that stall when we were talkin’ snacks; figured I’d kill two birds with one stone.
Akira: …!
(Oh… He noticed that I wanted to try the roast chicken food stall before I could even finish my sentence...)
His unexpected act of kindness made my heart flutter.
Bradley: A real shame the protagonist vanished on me. Where the hell are they...
Murr: Hmmm, I wonder!
Who knows, maybe they spotted a cute kitty and chased after it!
Bradley: …Hah! Yer right, that sounds like sum’n they’d do.
Bradley's piercing gaze locked onto the swallow resting on his shoulder—or, more accurately, his eyes skewered right through me.
Bradley: But, what if… They were tricked by a nasty cat instead, an’ it hid ‘em somewhere I wouldn’t find ‘em?
Akira: (Huh…?)
Murr: … …
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chapter three
[West Country, City of Glory—Barn Swallow Festival]
Bradley: …Anyways, like I was sayin’, I ain’t got time fo’ yer nonsense. I’d hate to see my chicken gettin’ cold, so you best find somebody else to mess with.
Murr: Whaaat? D’aw, too bad then!
Just as Bradley started walking away, with me still perched on his shoulder...
Murr: Wait, Brad! Didn’t you forget something?
Bradley: What, that? Too bad, a li’l birdie jus’ told me it liked it better up here. See ya.
We settled on a bench, now a good distance away from Murr.
Bradley: … …
Bradley didn’t say a word since the incident, rather set on eating his roasted chicken.
Akira: (Bradley… Did he notice that something was off? Or maybe he was referring to something else…?)
Bradley: Y’know...
Akira: Twee?
Bradley: It ain’t easy enjoyin’ this chicken when another bird’s givin’ me the eye. Makes things sorta uncomfortable for the both o’ us, don'cha think?
Bradley set down his half-eaten chicken, inviting me to perch upon the finger he held out for me.
Bradley: C’mere.
I tip-toed, timidly landing on his index. Then, he lifted me up to meet his eyes, his nose but a breath away from the end of my beak.
Akira: Pew?!
Bradley: Bwahaha! Now that’s sum’ good singin’, birdie.
…But birdsong ain’t givin’ me the kinda kick I like to see.
Akira: !!
Bradley: 《 Adonopotensum 》
His spell barely rose above a murmur, that the world around me dissolved to a blinding white; and before I could realise what had happened...
Akira: …Ah! Finally…!
Bradley: So, what’s better? Being a swallow, or being a human?
Akira: Human, one hundred percent! Thank you so much for turning me back…!
Bradley: Those damn westerners seriously got fucked up hobbies...
I managed to find ya at the end o’ the day, so technically we played right into that bob-weirdo’s plans. Bah, at least that’ll keep him off our backs for a while.
Akira: Mhm, he got what he wanted… Um, when did you figure out I was turned into a bird?
Bradley: Wouldn’tcha like to know.
C’mon, eat up; yer food’s gettin’ cold.
Akira: …Right!
(Bradley went out of his way to get some for me, and even brought it back…)
I tucked into the chicken without missing a beat, savouring with delight his thoughtful act.
Akira: …It’s sho good…
The skin is crispy, and you get all the flavor of the meat juices in a single bite… Bradley, this is to die for! I could eat ten of these!
Bradley: Aha, that’s what I like to hear.
You an’ yer simple ways… Turnin’ ya back to normal mighta been worth the fuss, after all.
Satisfaction punctuated his lingering attention on me, before biting into another generous piece of his golden-brown chicken.
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episode story
“One of Your Kind”
[Wizards’ Manor–Manor’s Courtyard]
Bradley: Look, Sage, one o’ yer sidekicks.
Akira: Sidekicks…? Oh, a swallow!
(I almost forgot Murr transformed me into a swallow during that festival…)
Bradley: Man, I coulda kept you like that for hours. There ain’t never a dull moment with ya.
Akira: And what’s that supposed to mean…?
Bradley: Ya still had that unique kick about you, even as a birdie.
If I teased you, you’d get all flustered an’ flail around tryna hide it; an’ when you had sum’n to tell me, you’d just stare at me ‘til I noticed.
Akira: That’s what my whole ordeal looked like to you…?! Gosh, that’s so embarrassing…
Bradley: But more than anythin’, y’had that look in yer eyes… Ain’t no mistakin’ it.
Akira: My… eyes?
Bradley: Yeah. Yer probably the only person that can lower their guard enough to doze off ‘round someone that coulda ended ya with a snap of his fingers.
Those are the eyes of someone fearless, sure, but with a heart full o’ kind, too. Maybe a tad too much fo’ yer own good, though.
Akira: Well, uhm, that’s because…
I long placed my trust in you, Bradley; I think that’s why you interpret my ease around you as fearlessness.
Your presence is a great comfort; I know I can sleep soundly when you’re around.
Bradley: …Haha, that’s gotta be it.
Don’tcha worry one bit then: so long as you keep that spark in yo’ eyes an’ that attitude aboutcha, I’ll manage to find ya no matter the form ya might end up in.
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voice line
“This ‘White Day’ business… I get that it’s all ‘bout givin’ somethin’ back, but there ain’t no rule sayin’ it gotta be sweets, yeah? So, whether it’s candies, trinkets, or sum’ o’ my time… I’m gon’ hand-pick whatever I think is the perfect li’l gift fo’ ya.”
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