darklydivergent

Faust: Sorry, sorry. It’s okay. Just bear with it a little longer.


Nero didn’t seem very aware of his surroundings, but as he looked at the nape of my neck, his eyes opened wide.

I’d made myself into Shino’s sacrificial doll, and it seems the curse I drew on myself from his damage materialized as dark markings on my skin.


Nero: ….ugh…..you.....


As I went to say something, Shino shouted at me again.


Shino: Faust…..!

Faust: …..!?
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Faust: …….I mean, that…..is there some kind of means you use to stop from getting old?

Faust: Or even if you can’t stop it, some kind of method that can make your lifespan longer…..

Nero: Faust, you tryin’ to live a long time?

Faust: No, I don’t…it’s not like it’s me, just that…..


On the verge of faltering, I pulled myself back and stubbornly told a lie.

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17-1: Wizards dying


(flashback starts in front of the tower at the Sage's Manor)


A while back, I’d once asked Nero about something.

About wizards dying.


Faust: Nero, do you know any wizards who lived out their whole lifespan completely naturally?

Nero: Naturally? What’s not naturally s’pposed to mean then?

Faust: Like dying in battle or unexpected disasters. What I mean is, did you once meet a wizard going senile with age?
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Arthur: ….Take him into custody? Our Rustica?

Vincent: Yes.

Arthur: And what was your answer?

Vincent: I told him rather indirectly that I refused. I wasn’t about to antagonize you or the sage.

Arthur: Uncle….

Vincent: Don’t give me that look. I didn’t do it for your sake.

Arthur: Why would His Majesty from the West Country demand something like that from you? I can see if Rustica might know anything.
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Rutile: Today a great deal of people, came around, huh?

Lennox: More than I thought. I’m grateful they didn’t avoid us.

Figaro: Well, you guys were out there working hard with the restoration, and our own Central prince has put his all in too. It’s thanks to your great efforts!

Figaro: They seem to have more affection for us wizards, right?

Rutile: Yep, that’s right. Although when Mr. Nicholas fell from the balcony, they were afraid of wizards….
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No matter how many drinks I had, I just couldn’t get drunk. Even so, my head was still spinning enough to make me sick.

Licking my lips, I let out a sinful laugh. Playing up being drunk, it was easy to link arms with my companion and cling tightly to them.

Despite being a citizen of the West Country, this man who said he was close to Nicholas was fairly unassuming and quiet.

He looked at me scornfully when I repeated my badmouthing of Nicholas. ‘Oh…he’s a good guy,’ was all I could think.
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Cain: What about you then? You ever gonna beat Oz in your lifetime?

Owen: What? What does my relationship with Oz have to do with any of this?

Cain: Just answer the question. Are you ever gonna be able to beat Oz, or are you gonna keep losing forever?

Owen: No way! I’m going to make a throne out of what’s left of him one day, and eat the stickiest cake in celebration.

Cain: Well, isn’t that the same as how I feel? Then we should both keep going at it.
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It was truly absurd; it felt like my mind was burning away in the fire too. How was it that I could still feel lonely after all this time? Despite my hatred, despite everything?

Because I had loved that golden age.

Because I loved that time, those days, and felt it slip through my fingers along with the ashes of time.　

For this reason….

For Shino and Heath-

I want to protect their blue skies.

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Travelers bringing down their luggage are receiving hay across the front counter for, I assume, the stables in the back that held their treasured horses.

Legally speaking, I am obliged to speak to the head of staff about investigating the premises, but that would have made me far too conspicuous.

Instead, while calling to mind an image of a cloudy, pitch black mirror, we made to walk by the front counter.

It was completely opaque, as if saying ‘there is nothing here’ to anyone who perceived it.

Rather than magic, it was better to call it just an ordinary spell that could still affect the East spirits.
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Chap 16.3 – Growing Conflict

Nero: Don’t worry. Let’s leave that kinda blood-soaked fest to someone else. It’s alright for us to just keep collectin’ clues.

Heathcliff: I know…..I’m grateful to Lord Oz and everyone, but for this here, I’ll be relying on you, Nero.
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(outside the hotel)

Shino: Hey, will you stop making weird faces already?

Faust: Yeah-yeah, I got it. Stop staring at me.


The rain was becoming much stronger.

Enveloped in the thunderous roar of a sudden shower, guests in the terrace seats all start moving over to under the awning.

Shino and I ended up following the crowd as the guests whispering in each other's ears multiplied, discussing when best to leave.

Now, Shino is pulling on my arm. While keeping my gaze up, I bend my neck towards Shino and sure enough, he’s there to whisper in my ear.


Shino: What’s a rear guard?


That…was a sudden question.
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Since I became an East wizard, I grew a disposition of not speaking more than necessary. But that is also what makes us East wizards suited for espionage.

Being careful and cautious are our strong points, and rarely do we find a need to go overboard.

Even the normally boastful Shino is like that. Despite his rather lofty ambitions, he’s really not-well, mostly not-in any way reckless.

If he’s facing a strong opponent, he’s the first to turn vigilant, changing his tactics to suit the situation. For a kid that hates tests, he’s certainly running calculations in his head often enough.
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