#mhyk 2024 Halloween event tl

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Event Translation

Translation of 2024 Halloween Event "Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God"

A huge thanks to @clockworkspider for proofreading this whole script.

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 1

One afternoon.

Me, Figaro, and Arthur who had just finished his official duties, were walking through the bustling central market.

Arthur: Master Sage, Lord Figaro, thank you so much for coming to pick me up at the castle.

Arthur: I was planning to return to the magic manor this afternoon, but I'm glad I got to meet you two early!

Figaro: I'm so glad you're happy. We were just stopping by the wizard's house.

Figaro: Since we've come all the way to the capital, me and the Master Sage talked about coming to pick you up.

Akira: Yes! Arthur, thank you for your hard work. It's been a few days since we last met.

Akira: I invited you to the market to change your mood but... Will it be okay to walk around without disguising yourself?

Arthur: No problem. Lord Figaro cast a spell on me.

Arthur: The people walking down the street should be seeing me differently.

Akira: Great! Then you can stroll around with your head high. Are you hungry?

Arthur: A little... Come to think of it, I left without having lunch.

Figaro: We only had tea and snacks. Shall we have lunch first?

Figaro: We can eat as we walk, or we can decide after looking around.

Akira, Arthur: Yes!

Figaro, with his friendly smile, looked just like a doting relative with his younger cousins.

His tall stature and white coat fluttering in the wind made him stand out in the crowd.

As I followed behind him, Arthur and I looked around.

Saku-chan, who was in my arms like a stuffed animal, was twitching her nose slightly.

Street stall owners: These are high-quality violet sugar sweets! They melt in your mouth and have an exquisite taste!

Street stall owners: How about some fresh fruit candy wrapped in starch syrup? They're fresh and delicious!

Akira: Sugar sweets, sounds nice...

Arthur: Candy is good too... The fruits are big and look like they'll be filling.

Figaro: want to buy some? It feels more like a dessert than a meal though.

Akira: Oh, that's right. With so many, it's hard to choose...

Street stall owners: Hey misters! How about some crispy fried chicken?

Street stall owners: Ours is famous for its extra-large size. Look!

Arthur: True! It's so big that it covers your face.

Akira: It's quite impressive, isn't it? Ah, but the spices smell good...

Figaro: Even so, isn't it a bit too big? How many people can eat one of these...?

Street stall owner: Nah, Young people can eat it all easily. I'm sure you can do it too, mister!

Street stall owner: It's well pounded and spread out, so it's soft, juicy, and delicious.

Arthur: Gulp… This is the bold food that you don't usually get to eat...

Akira: It'll be so nice to bite into a freshly fried one...

Figaro: Youth's so nice. Well, let Doctor Figaro treat you this time.

Arthur: Yay!

Akira: Thank you!

Figaro: Owner, I want the spice one and.... oh there's also cheese powder flavor. Can I have one of each?

Street stall owners: Thank you!

Arthur: Is it okay, Lord Figaro?

Figaro: I think a whole one would be hard on my stomach. Just one would be enough...

???: Lord Figaro.

A voice crept up on us. And Saku-chan's tail puffed up softly.

I turned around to see a person with a hood pulled down over his eyes, one step behind us, looking down.

Sacrificium: …….!

Figaro: And you are...

Man wearing a hood: Ah... It's been a long time since I last saw you. Since the Walpurgis Night banquet.

Man wearing a hood: It's an honor to meet you. You're still as noble as ever...

As he bows respectfully, the warmth in Figaro's eyes fades away.

Akira: (Could it be...?)

Now, Figaro is a gentle and kind-hearted wizard who works as a doctor in a southern country.

However, he was originally from the northern country. He had a long and renowned life, and was a disciples of the twins alongside Oz.

If one doesn't know his circumstances, they wouldn't have behaved this way.

Figaro: ...Master Sage, Arthur. I'll be off for a bit.

Figaro: Here's some allowance. Use this and buy whatever you like.

Figaro smiles gently again and places some coins in Arthur's hand.

Arthur is also someone who knows his situation. He looks up at Figaro with intelligent eyes and nods obediently.

Arthur: I understand. If you call me, I'll be back right away, so please take your time to talk.

Arthur: Let's go, Master Sage.

Akira: Y-Yes. See you later, Figaro… I'll save the fried chicken for you!

Figaro: Yeah, thank you.

Figaro shakes his shoulders, waves his hand, and lightly taps the man wearing a hood on the shoulder.

Then he disappears into the crowd.

Figaro: Well, around here is okay...

Man wearing a hood: Lord Figaro… My apologies, was I being rude?

Figaro: Let's see. Well, It's rude of you to come out and talk to me in the middle of the city.

Man wearing a hood: I-I'm so sorry! Please forgive me...

Figaro: Oh, you don't have to kneel. I'm glad it was those kids who were with me.

Figaro: So, is there something you need? I've got people waiting, so keep it brief.

Man wearing a hood: Yes, yes... Do you remember Elijah?

Man wearing a hood: An eccentric, stubborn, troublesome guy… A wizard who devoutly worshipped the god of his hometown.

Figaro: Ahh, It's been a while since I heard that name.

Figaro: He's a devout man, so I remember him. He came to visit me on Walpurgis Night a few times in the past.

Figaro: I haven't seen him in about two hundred years... What happened to him?

Man wearing a hood: There are strange rumors going around near his mansion, deep in the eastern forest.

Man wearing a hood: Ever since the Great Calamity struck, eerie shadows and sounds have been lurking at night.

Figaro: The Great Calamity...

Man wearing a hood: Yes. I have heard that Lord Figaro has been chosen to be a sages wizard.

Man wearing a hood: Rumor has it that you are all working together to solve strange happenings in the world...? If so, I think you should keep that in your ears.

Figaro: Indeed, we are currently receiving requests from all over the world to investigate strange phenomenons caused by the moon.

Figaro: Is there a monster or something lurking around... If he isn't chasing it away, does that mean something might have happened to him?

Man wearing a hood: I'm not sure, but Elijah's actions have been getting out of hand for a while now.

Man wearing a hood: he's been going into not just human lands but other wizards' territories without permission, demanding money and valuables, and proposing strange deals...

Man wearing a hood: When asked why he keeps causing so much trouble, he says this.

Man wearing a hood: "Right now, I'm creating a god."

Man wearing a hood: "I need the materials and the technology to do that.”

Figaro: ………

Man wearing a hood: I don't know what Elijah is thinking.

Man wearing a hood: But I think he needs your guidance before he does something strange.

Man wearing a hood: The way you have always guided us at the Walpurgis Night...

Figaro: ...I see, I understand.

Figaro: I haven't seen him in a while, so if I get the chance, I'll visit him. You can go now.

Man wearing a hood: Yes...! I look forward to meeting you again.

Figaro: There are people like that sometimes, people who are so good at groveling.

Figaro: I wonder if we'll hear more reports like this from now on. If they were actually in trouble, they'd send word.

Figaro: It's not easy to live a long life.  it's so annoying I started to understand why Oz wanted to conquer the world.

Stall owner: That's amazing! Congratulations!

Townspeople: He's truly a sages wizard! He's got luck on his side!

Figaro: That's...

Akira: Great job, Bradley!

Arthur: You drew that card immediately,  it was cool!

Sacrificium: ……..

Nero: You did a great job, Bradley-kun.

Bradley: Damn it, You guys are just screwing with me.

Figaro: Hey, everyone. Bradley and Nero, What a coincidence.

Bradley and Nero: Ugh.

Akira: Ah, Figaro! Welcome back.

Arthur:  I saw them shopping by chance, so I watched the game.

Arthur: Apparently, it is a grocery store that gives out free gifts depending on whether you won or lost a card game. Nero said it was his favorite place.

Nero: Well, one of.

Nero: Bradley encouraged the store owner and won a series of games, so we got a lot of good vegetables.

Bradley: Tch... Nero, you tricked me.

Bradley: You said there's a place I'd like where you can get super fresh and tasty stuff at a reasonable price if you win the game.

Bradley: You'd think that was a butcher, wouldn't you? I wasted my time offering to be your baggage carrier.

Nero: You're the one who agreed right away. You said you were killing time and would come with me to do the shopping, so I went along with you.

Nero: Tonight's dinner is a full course meal with lots of vegetables. Make sure you eat well.

Bradley: I don't want it…

Figaro: You're not too bad too, Nero. Playing Bradley like a fiddle isn't something anybody can do.

Nero: No, it's not like that...

Bradley: Exactly. for a mere eastern cook you got some balls.

Bradley: Besides, even you could easily cheat away with a card like that.

Nero: idiot, what're you talking about.

Arthur: Haha. you two get along well.

Bradley, Nero: No we're not.

Figaro: They're in sync.

There's a certain tension, but strangely, the interaction between them is lively.

Akira: (Come to think of it, these four... They all lived in the north.)

Akira: (I don't see them together much, but somehow they seem to be on the same wavelength…)

Bradley: More importantly, Sage. You've got something tasty.

Bradley: It's so big, you can't eat it all by yourself. I will help you, You too, Prince.

Arthur: You mean this fried chicken? This is for Lord Figaro...

Bradley: Oh, the Sage's is spicy. *bite*.

Akira:  Ahh! I was saving the part with lots of spice..…

Figaro: Sure, if you're hungry I'll share. It's Bradley's favorite food after all.

Nero: Still, don't steal it.

Nero: By the way, what are you guys doing? Arthur is disguised with magic, so are you taking a sneaky stroll?

Arthur: Yeah. I haven't had lunch yet, so I wanted to fill my stomach and looked around the area.

Nero: Then the hot sandwiches over there are tasty too.

Nero: It's stuffed full and the bread is thin and crispy. My favorite is the one with scrambled eggs, mustard, and cheese.

Akira, Arthur: Sounds so delicious...

Figaro: You can't go wrong with a chef's recommendation. If you like, can you show us around?

Nero: Sure. I'll buy some eggs nearby too.

Arthur: Yay, thanks!

Arthur: But it'll be hard for just the two of you to go shopping. As a thank you for the hot sandwich, I'll help you out.

Akira: I'll carry the bags too!

Bradley: That'll be a big help. I'll let you carry this big bag of cabbage.

Akira: Wah So heavy...?!

Bradley: Haha! Don't fall down on us.

Figaro: careful, are you okay?

Nero: Hey, don't bully the sage.

Arthur: Master Sage, would you hand it over to me a little... It's really heavy!

Figaro: I wonder if it will be too bulky if I just lighten it with magic. I'll squeeze it tightly to make it smaller.

Figaro snaps his fingers, and the cabbages that were there once were small enough to roll around in the palm of his hand.

While relieved, my cheeks loosen a little at the light-hearted exchange taking place above my head.

Akira: (they're really on the same wavelength.)

Akira: (Even though They're all wizards in different countries now. It's strange how the environment you grow up in affects you.)

directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 10

Elijah: I'll return these sculptures to the way they should be. Even if it takes time,  I've treated them badly, so I'll do it carefully, one by one...

Elijah: But I want to let Lady Verla rest where she belongs.

Elijah: In the sea of ​​the northern country, where I picked her up hundreds of years ago.

Figaro: …….

Nero: Why? Weren't you the one who asked for her to be pulled up?

Nero: A lot has happened, but Verla is back to normal, and you've been forgiven.

Akira: Y-Yes. You two could live quietly in this mansion again like you used to...

Elijah: ...If you trace it back to its origins, the reason Lady Verla was forced to sleep in the sea was to replace the village's guardian god.

Elijah: We don't know where the god came from, but at the very least, we wanted to return her to the sea, where life was born.

Elijah: With gratitude for all that has been done, everyone in the village carefully polished her, said a prayer, and dressed her in beautiful cloth... We returned her to the bottom of the quiet sea along with offerings.

Elijah: So... in truth, Lady Verla had already completed her role by then.

Elijah: But I was selfish and called her back, and wanted her to become a god once again. When It should have been my role to protect the village from then on.

Elijah:  But because I was weak and cowardly…..

He doesn't seem to be putting on a brave face. I think that's the answer he's reached now that he's faced himself once again.

That's why no one raised their voice.

Elijah: I have nothing left to protect anymore. But I want to set Lady Verla free.

Elijah: I want to let her sleep at the bottom of the dark, deep, quiet ocean.

Elijah: Make sure she never falls into anyone's hands again...

Figaro: Are you sure...?

Figaro: If you let go of Verla, you might turn to stone all by yourself one day.

Elijah: I don't mind that. Even if she goes out of reach, my feelings for her will remain deep within me.

Elijah: So please…

Figaro: ……..

Figaro: ......Got it, if you say so.

Snow flickers in the dark sky, and I can see it falling gently towards the white earth as I look back.

We were transported to the northern country by Mithra's magic, and are now flying through the late night sky.

Below us is the northern sea, illuminated by moonlight.

Arthur: So this is the beach where Verla was found…

Arthur: And the place where Elijah met the deer with mysterious powers.

Figaro: Soon dawn will break. It was also dawn when I picked up Verla.

Figaro: We've come this far, let's wait a little longer.

Riquet: I didn't know the ocean could be so bright at night...

Riquet: Maybe it's the moonlight and the snow on the shore reflecting it?

Arthur: The drift ice on the sea is also shining with light. This scenery of the north is something you can't find in other countries.

Akira: True…It's rough, yet delicate, and you can really feel the power of nature.

Figaro: It's a beautiful place. I've been here a few times, and it's always the same.

Shino: It's almost blinding at times. Are there any fish swimming around?

Shino: Nero said that fishes in cold places are tasty. Think I could catch one and eat it?

Rutile: Hehe. Shino, are you hungry?

Mithra: Is it almost morning already? Tonight was somehow short.

The air was very calm while we waited for dawn.

No one said anything, but everyone stayed on their brooms, admiring the ocean view without going down to the ground.

Nero: ……….

Bradley: Nero, why are you spacing out? you're going to fall off your broom.

Nero: I'm not going to fall, do I look like a kid?

Bradley: Are you thinking of something??

Nero: Well, yeah...

Nero: When dawn comes, Verla will have completed her role and will return to the sea.

Nero: Originally, it was just a beautiful sculpture. It was the humans who sought Verla that gave her her role.

Nero: Figaro also said “who is your God”...

Nero: I wonder if humans and wizards, without even realizing it, sometimes think of someone or something as a god and cling to them in life.

Bradley: That's the kind of escape plan people who are struggling to survive use. It's got nothing to do with me, though.

Nero: ...I suppose that's true for you, I mean, you're the one who gets clung to.

Bradley: ……

Nero: You picked me up when I was about to die in the wilderness, and gave me a ceiling to shelter me from the wind and rain, some rags of clothing, bread and soup.

Nero: I think there were some who thought of you as a god just because of that.

Bradley: Haha! That's impressive. I don't want to be worshipped so grandly though.

Bradley: How lucky I am to have been picked up by a strong, cool, handsome god. Did you think that?

Nero: No.

Nero: I've never had a god. I was just satisfied with you there.

Bradley: Ha... got it.

Soon, the sky beyond the horizon begins to turn white.

We finally landed on the beach.

Verla, who was in Arthur's arms, stepped firmly on the snow and gazed out at the swaying sea.

Arthur: This is our final farewell. Let's all cast a spell of blessing on Verla.

Arthur: 《Pernoctant Nixzo》

Shino: 《Matztzāh Sudipas》

Riquet:《Sanretea Edif》

Rutile: 《Ortonik Setomaouge》

Mithra: 《Arthim》

Bradley: 《Adnopotensum》

Nero: 《Adnodus Omnis》

Figaro: ...May you not be hurt until you reach the bottom of the sea.

Figaro: 《Possideo》

As Figaro chanted the final spell, his fingertips touched Verla's chin.

A pale light covered her blue-glowing ceramic body in a transparent layer of ice.

Figaro: Sleep well, Verla.

With a farewell signal, Arthur picked up Verla, covered in a layer of ice.

Arthur: I offer my heartfelt respect to you, who have continued to answer the prayers of the people for so long.

Arthur: Rest in peace.

As her toes touched the water's surface, he slowly let go.

With a gurgling sound, her pale skin was engulfed in the deep, night-colored waves.

Nero: ...It's beautiful. The air bubbles rise, and it's like snow falling from the depths of the sea.

Arthur: Ah...really. I hope she can sleep peacefully.

Figaro: ……..

Gazing at the rippling surface of the sea, everyone spoke their own words.

Figaro took a step back, quietly gazing out at the sea from a distance.

Figaro: ... Elijah chose to let go of the God he believed in, keeping only his feelings to himself.

Figaro: It's a shame, since he finally got it back.

Akira: Figaro...

Figaro: And what's more, he doesn't mind being alone.

Figaro: Even when he turns to stone one day, his faith in Verla will be with him. He may look lonely, but he's not.

Figaro: He's so passionate, I'm getting jealous.

His calm profile as he says this in a cool voice is just the same as when he's just talking about trivial things.

But then, in the light of the morning glow, his white outline seems to melt into the sky and sea.

In an instant, a strong sea breeze blows through.

Akira: ...Hey Figaro!

—I immediately grabbed Figaro's hand.

Figaro looked a little surprised as my eyes met his and he blinked puzzledly.

Figaro: What's wrong, Master Sage?

Akira: ...Um, well...

Akira: I thought since you'd been touching the ice earlier…  that maybe Figaro's hands had gotten cold.

Akira: A cold wind blew, so I instinctively grabbed them. Sorry for startling you.

Figaro: ...Oh, so that's what it is.

Figaro laughed lightly and stared into my eyes.

His gaze is so direct that it seems to see right through my heart.

Akira: And, well… you were cool. When you pressured Elijah to repent...

Akira: You were kind, but powerful and dignified. Figaro is always friendly, so it made me feel like I had to stand up straight.

Figaro: Oh, what? I thought maybe I was trying too hard to look cool, but did you like it?

Akira: Huh?

Figaro: I guess it was just a case of doing a God play and acting according to the vibes. That mansion was actually in a pretty bad state you see.

Figaro: It was like a complicated curse that was entangled around the statue of Verla.

Figaro: To create a crack in that, I drew out the true feelings of Elijah, who created the root of the problem, and made Verla his god.

Figaro: If I hadn't done that, we might not have been able to create an opportunity to return things to normal.

Akira: Is that so...? It looked so good that I didn't realize it was a play.

Akira: I started to wonder if you used to behave like that.

Figaro: Haha. I don't think I ever did anything so ostentatious.

Figaro: God isn't such a good thing after all. In this day and age, kind doctors are more approachable and trustworthy.

Figaro: If a weak creature begs for help, I want to help them, but...

Figaro: They'd only feel empty one day when they realize that they're worthless.

It was a voice that sounded somewhat resigned and detached, like ice had been dropped into an empty bowl.

I tightened my grip just a little more.

Akira: ... Whether you're a god or a wizard, I love you, Figaro.

Figaro: Thank you, Master Sage. Your hands are warm.

Figaro: But... even though I've cast a spell, it's probably cold here for you too.

Figaro: 《Possideo》

Figaro chanted the spell in a whispering voice.

A warmth spread from his fingertips as if he was in a sunny spot.

Akira: So warm. Thank you.

Figaro: You're welcome.

Smiling a comforting smile, Figaro turned his eyes back to the dark sea.

The breathing bubbles were already almost invisible.

All that remained on the surface of the water was white snow melting into the sea.

Akira: This is a wonderful place.

Akira: Just like Figaro said before, the air is clear and the snow melting between the waves is so beautiful...

Figaro: ...I agree.

Figaro: I like this view too.

Figaro nodded at my words and gently closed his eyes.

Sinking into the sea is a ceramic sculpture that was once a god, just like Figaro had been.

In his prayerful expression, I feel like I can see a trace of him, a face I don't know much about.

Figaro is a mysterious wizard who seems like a compassionate god, but at times seems very human.

Because there may not be many words I can say to him, who has lived for an eternity...

For just now, I wanted to hold his hand.

Until his cool, white skin, like snow melting in the waves, became the same temperature as mine.

previous chapter - directory

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 9

Then, Verla, who had been tightly gripping his neck, stopped moving.

Her long arms slowly let go of his white neck.

Akira, Arthur: ……..

Figaro: …….

Elijah: ...Cough, cough...!

Verla looked down at Elijah, who was choking on the air that had entered his lungs.

He bends down, making a coughing sound. Her many arms and legs slowly stretched out to rub his shaking back.

One of them touched Elijah's cheek, wet with tears and saliva. Elijah flinched, but Verla didn't hurt him.

Akira: Verla is staying by Elijah's side...?

Arthur: His prayer has been answered! Thanks to his sincere repentance...

As Arthur exclaimed in admiration, Verla's arms wrapped around Elijah.

Gently, tenderly holding him close.

Shino: Did his words get through to her…?

Bradley: Nah, it's just a sculpture. It doesn't know what words mean...

There was a clattering noise. The sculptures, which had been motionless, suddenly started to move.

As if they considered Verla an enemy, they surged forward like a big wave, and it looked like they were going to engulf the two of them...

Arthur: 《Pernoctant Nixzo》!

Bradley: 《Adnopotensum》!

Nero: 《Adnodus Omnis》!

Shino: 《Matztzāh Sudipas》!

Riquet: 《Sanretea Edif》!

Figaro: 《Possideo》

Spells from the wizards flew everywhere.

Light bursts of all sizes enveloped the sculptures and Elijah and the others.

As the brightness blinded my vision, I desperately tried to open my eyes. For some reason, that light looked very sacred.

After the light cleared, Elijah was there, protected by the arm cage that Verla had made.

Other than that, there's almost nothing tangible left.

Nero: ...looks like it all worked out well in the end.

Nero: Verla must have had some power within her. Even if it was just a tiny bit, it had the power to protect those who believed in her, almost like a spell...

Riquet: And that tiny power returned! Thanks to him becoming more honest...

Riquet: It hasn't been easy for him to face his own sins. This must be a big step forward for him.

Figaro: Yes. Well said, Elijah.

Figaro: As you say, it was your heart and actions that transformed the statue of Verla. The moon only gave it push.

Figaro: Verla protected you because your faith was true.

Elijah: Lady Verla, you...

Elijah: Will you forgive me? For making you like this... really...

Elijah asks, looking up at Verla timidly.

Verla is a sculpture. She doesn't respond to his voice, but...

It's as if the horrible presence from earlier was a lie, and she seems to have become a benevolent presence, as if she remembered what she had to protect.

No matter how her form has changed, perhaps the memories of when people once adored her, loved her, and needed her remain within her.

She also remembers the time when a young, timid boy pulled her out of her sleep at the bottom of the sea and sought protection once again.

I met Arthur's eyes next to me and nodded.

Akira: I don't think Elijah's actions were worthy of praise.

Akira: But he didn't treat Verla badly with any ill will.

Akira: It's only because she was so important that it became irreparable...

Arthur: It must have been frightening for his desire to make amends to become distorted and uncontrollable.

Arthur: That's a relief… What he loved and believed in wasn't lost.

Figaro: Now, Verla.

Figaro, who had been watching them from the closest position, peered into Verla's face.

He placed his hands on her large back and smiled gently.

Figaro: We won't harm you or Elijah.

Figaro: So you too can return to the way you should be.

Elijah: C-Can you return her? Return Verla to her original self...

Figaro: The missing parts are at the bottom of the sea. I don't think we can return her to the perfect form she was in your village…

Figaro: If it was just to return her to the way she was when you came here, I think we can do something about it. Right, Nero?

Nero: Eh, why me?

Figaro: This kind of delicate magic is the specialty of Eastern wizards.

Figaro: Detecting subtle signs and anomalies, while at the same time filling in what's missing and removing any bad energy that's clinging to it.

Nero: Well, it's not like I'm bad at it...

Nero took a step forward and crouched down next to Verla.

His fingertips touch the wings growing on her back. Her porcelain limbs move a little, but don't resist beyond that.

Nero: ...Yeah, I think I can do it. Shino, can you help me?

Shino: Of course. I was just about to complain that I won't let you get the best part of it all by yourself.

Shino: I've started practicing that kind of magic recently too. I'll show you the results.

Nero: Haha, that you did. I'm counting on you.

Figaro: Thank you both. Once the distorted aura surrounding Verla is gone, let's purify the entire mansion.

Figaro: Not only Verla, who is affected by the calamity, but the sculptures that are moving around should calm down after this.

Figaro: You are okay with this right, Elijah.

Elijah: Yes…..

When Elijah stroked his arm, Verla released the limbs that had been surrounding him like a cage, making a rattling sound.

Elijah slips out of her arms. While the other wizards keep their distance, watching over him, Nero holds Verla close.

As he brings his face close to her porcelain skin, his vibrant hair falls loosely over his face.

Nero: 《Adnodis Omnis》

Shino: 《Matztzāh Sudipas 》

Nero quietly mutters a spell, and Shino follows suit.

Soft light gathers and Verla's large frame begins to change.

The misshapen parts cracked. Like shattering glass, they fell off one by one.

Akira: (The shattered parts melts into particles of light...)

Akira: (It was somehow ephemeral, fantastical, and like a sacred ritual.)

As Verla's body became smaller, one size smaller, Nero muttered.

Nero: ...It's not easy being a god huh.

Nero: Just when you thought you had finished your job and were asleep, you were picked up again and your shape was even remodeled…

Nero: What's more, he's someone who doesn't care about his safety and just does reckless things. If it were me, I'd lose patience with him.

Nero: Thank you for all your hard work. Let's return you to the form you have been striving for for hundreds of years and show him your face for the first time in a long time.

The sound of the popping gradually gets quieter, and the giant that was once so tall could now fit into Nero's arms.

The wizards hold up their magic tools.

Figaro: 《Possideo》

Bradley: 《Adnopotensum》

Riquet: 《Sanretea Edif》

Arthur: 《Pernoctant Nixzo》

Mithra: Oh... it's started.

Mithra: Rutile, please strengthen the barrier. The idea is to swallow the repulsion and suppress it.

Rutile: Yes! 《Ortonik Setomaouge》

Rutile: …….

Mithra: Hold on. See, like this...

Rutile: Oh, it's a little easier now... But if I let my guard down, I might get blown away...

Mithra: Don't get blown away please. Stay focused.

Rutile: Yes!

Rutile: 《Ortonik Setomaouge》!

The engulfing light glowed even brighter as it received everyone's spells.

Slowly, it melted into Verla's body.

When he judged the time was right, Nero gently let go of her hand. The strange figure from before was gone.

It was Verla's original form, with the height of a child, and an androgynous face, wrapped in pure white cloth.

Akira: The sparkling grains on her bluish skin makes her look like the starry sky at dawn...

Nero: I never knew you were so beautiful. You are worthy of being worshiped as a god.

Arthur: The wings around your eyes were originally so delicate.

Riquet: Yes... it has a very sacred atmosphere. It has an air of detachment, but it’s not scary.

Bradley: It's true, the previous one looked stronger, but this one feels more fitting.

Figaro: ......You're right. It brings back memories somehow.

Elijah: Oooh, This is, Lady Verla.

Elijah: It's been a long time, but this is the you I've always wanted to meet…

Elijah knelt at Verla's feet, his strength gone.

He clasped his fingers together in front of his chest, as if grateful that his wish had finally come true.

Verla has returned to her original form and will never move again.

Elijah: Lord Figaro… If it weren't for you and them, I'd have probably continued to commit sins.

Elijah: You gave me light on my never-ending road.

Elijah: Thank you so much...For saving me, and Lady Verla.

For the first time, a smile appeared on his statuesque face.

Like an angel at God's side, he was pure, innocent, and beautiful.

(After some time passed)

Akira: Mithra, Rutile!

Riquet: Welcome back, you two!

Arthur: Thank you for protecting the mansion and the surrounding forest with a barrier. Thanks to you two, this went well.

Rutile: You're welcome. I'm glad everybody made it out safely!

Shino: Rutile, you seem tired. Was it that hard, even with Mithra there?

Mithra: I asked you to work a little extra. Considering you're Rutile, you did pretty well.

Riquet: Mithra, you... Did you slack off?

Rutile: No, he didn't! He was teaching me magic.

Rutile: In the end, I couldn't handle it, and had to ask for help…

Mithra: That was expected. Considering you, I think you did pretty well.

Rutile: Yay! Thank you.

Rutile: Just when I was about to be pushed around, Mithra grabbed my hand from behind and helped me, so I felt relieved.

Mithra: Oh, I see. Actually... This sculpture is pretty small now.

Mithra: It was packed tightly into the altar earlier, so this is just right.

Nero: Ah... that's right. It's back to normal, but we still have to return it to the altar.

Shino: I'll just use magic to pull it up quickly.

Elijah: Um... wait...!

Bradley: Aah? What? Is there still something else?

Elijah: I'm sorry I have to leave everything to you guys until the end but.

Elijah: There's one last thing I'd like to ask you…

Arthur: Oh, of course. If there's anything we can do, please let us know.

Shino: After all this, the rest is just a bonus.

Elijah glanced at Verla after Arthur and the others' positive response.

He made up his mind, and spoke quietly.

previous chapter - directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 8

Bradley: Hey, sculptures. Move out of the way if you don't want to be destroyed!

Shino: Hey, you're that muscular sculpture from before. You wanna fight? I'll take you!

Nero: Such reliable guys...

Riquet: Just by following them, the way opens up...

Nero: This should be over sooner than I thought. Let's meet up with Figaro then.

Riquet: Elijah's nowhere to be seen…

Riquet: it's terrifying to be attacked by someone he admires as a god, but he has to face it head on.

Nero: Mithra and Rutile are watching outside, so I don't think he'll run away.

Nero: But he kept running away from what he did, and now this disaster is the price he has to pay...

Nero: Of course he's at fault, but he chose the wrong target to mess around with. If you do bad things, God won't let you off the hook. That's how it works.

Riquet: Of course. God is always watching us. Nero, please act with dignity.

Nero: Ah, yea-Yes...

Bradley: ………

Shino: Hey! Why are you stopping suddenly?

Nero: Brad, what's wrong?

Bradley: I hear a sound. It's not the sound of sculptures creaking and moving around.

Bradley: It's like ceramics rubbing against each other, it's a grating…

Nero: That long shadow...

Shino,  Riquet: …!?

Bradley: So the big boss came all the way out here…

Arthur: Verla's Not here...!

Figaro, Akira: ………

As Arthur ran in, he looked up to see the center of the altar, which was empty.

The statue of Verla, which had been enshrined there until a moment ago, has disappeared.

Figaro: Has she already left the room? I'm amazed that she can move with such a misshapen and crippled body.

Akira: What should we do? We hadn't met Elijah on the way here, he might have been attacked somewhere...

Arthur: 《Pernoctant Nixzo》!

Hearing Arthur cast his spell so sharply, pulled me back to focus.

He leans closer to me, and a circle of light appears on the floor, enveloping us.

Outside of it, I could see several sculptures crawling around with their limbs and heads partially torn off.

Akira: ….!

Figaro: 《Possideo》!

Next came Figaro's magic. The sculptures, unable to stand on their own, turned into particles of light and flew away.

Figaro: Arthur, take the Master Sage and escape to the pillars above the altar.

Figaro: The sculptures shouldn't be able to reach you there.

Arthur: Understood! Excuse me, Master Sage.

Akira: Y-Yes… .!?

Still holding my shoulders, Arthur kicked the ground.

My body floated up and landed on the column at the top of the altar.

Arthur: I've brought them here, Lord Figaro. I'll back you up from here!

Figaro: Okay. Can you hang in there for a bit?

Figaro: This purification spell requires a magic circle to be placed around the source of impurity. Until we bring Verla back...

Elijah: ...Ahh!

There was the sound of something heavy collapsing.

It was Elijah, tangled up in his feet and driven into the room by countless sculptures.

Figaro: Elijah...

Elijah: Oh, Lord Figaro…! 

His panicked mind meant he couldn't even use magic properly, so he struggled across the floor and crawled to Figaro's feet.

Like a sinner pleading with God for salvation.

Elijah: Lord Figaro, please save me...

However, blocking him is a thick, muscular arm that reached out from behind Elijah.

The rough plaster arm grabbed his thin wrist, slamming him down and dragging him down.

Elijah: Uh, uh, aaaahhh!

Arthur: Ah, No…

I lose my voice in the relentless onslaught. Arthur, who is standing next to me on the narrow pillar, holds my shoulders and watches with bated breath.

The sculptures, whose original forms have been mercilessly stolen and discarded when they were no longer of any use, are now baring their fangs.

Figaro: Aaah….

Meanwhile, the sculptures crawling on the floor approach Figaro.

Akira: Figaro!

The ones piling up to press down on Elijah also lost their balance and fell one after another.

Figaro muttered softly as the evil hands of plaster and ceramic attacked him from above and below.

Figaro: 《Possideo》

A flash of light roared, and a gust of wind and sharp blades of light covered the sculptures.

The parts piled up on Elijah were also torn apart in an instant by the twisting whirlwind of magic.

Then, they collapsed in pieces, as if prostrating themselves.

Arthur: ...Just as you'd expect from Figaro...

Nero: Figaro!

Bradley: Wow, things are getting lively here too.

Arthur: Nero, Bradley!

Bradley: Oh, prince, you are in a good place. Support us from there.

Bradley: It was already wandering around the mansion, so I brought it over.

Riquet: Look, this way!

Shino: Oh, I'm not the one you're dealing with.

As the others spoke, guiding someone, I stared intently at the dimly lit corridor beyond the large open door.

Amidst a sound like the rustling of ceramic, a particularly large shadow passed through the door to the room.

Elijah: Verla...

Verla appeared, dragging her deformed body.

With every step she took, her long arms and wings rubbed against each other, making a high-pitched sound, making her even stranger than when she was at the altar.

The weight of the wings growing on her head caused her neck to bend unnaturally, and her mismatched limbs moved in a disorganized manner.

Her limbs were being pulled forcefully, making her move awkwardly, like a broken contraption or a marionette.

Behind her were countless sculptures.

Arthur: What a number… It's like an army led by Verla...

Elijah: Ah, ah...

Crawling out from the mountain of collapsed sculptures,  Elijah gasped in despair.

Everything that was so beautiful and artificial, that the people at the foot of the mountain had hailed as gods, was now distorted in a more and more vivid way.

Nero: The door is closed and a barrier is set up! Now we just have to kick these guys out.

Arthur: I will help! 《Pernoctant Nixzo》!

Bradley: 《Adnopotensum》!

Shino: 《Matztzāh Sudipas!》!

Shino: It's useless... As soon as these guys entered this place, they stopped so much as glancing at us.

Riquet: They chased after us so much when we were in the hallway…!

The sculptures surrounding Verla crumble under the attack, but they don't stop moving forward.

As a suffocating sense of tension dominates the room, a voice resounds like a revelation.

Figaro: Elijah.

Figaro closes in on Elijah, clearing the way for Verla and the others to advance to the altar, and finally announces.

Figaro: It's time for repentance. You said that you became a god so that you could be forgiven.

Figaro: Did you really want to be forgiven? Are you, your own god?

Elijah: ha.....ha…., My god, is...

Elijah, weak-kneed and crawling on the floor with just his arms, is finally cornered right under the altar.

Verla's arm stretches out awkwardly to the side, making a creaking sound, and the sculptures following behind her stop moving in unison.

The wizards who had been fighting back also stiffen their bodies, with their magical tools at the ready.

After a moment of silence, Verla raises her arm.

Akira: …….

I instinctively closed my eyes, but there was only a loud noise, and no scream.

I opened my eyes slightly and saw long claws piercing the side of Elijah's face.

Arthur: Blood, on his cheek. The claws grazed it.

Figaro looked down at Elijah, whose eyes were wide open under Verla's arm.

Figaro: Repent, to your God.

Figaro: If you want to be saved, spit out the lies from your heart.

Figaro: Who is the one you should beg for forgiveness from?

Bradley, Nero: ……….

Shino: What's wrong, you two? Why are you putting down your magic tools?

Bradley: It's time for that black-clad guy to settle his score. Our turn is over.

Nero: If he can't make up his mind now, he'll fall by the hands of that monster.

Riquet: That's not right…

Elijah: …..ha…

Elijah: My god is...

Verla's claws, which had been stuck into the floor, were pulled out, covered in dust.

They wrapped tightly around Elijah's thin neck, which looked like it could be crushed in one squeeze.

Arthur: Elijah...

Her claws dug into his skin, and red blood oozed again. And that blood keeps scattering like tiny petals.

Elijah: Lady, Verla…...

Riquet: …….!

Shino: He's going to have his head chopped off!

Riquet: Wait!

Riquet: If Elijah has any remorse...

Riquet: I want to watch over him a little longer.

Nero: Riquet….

Bradley: I thought you were gonna jump out too, tiny one.

Riquet: I can't bear to see him get seriously injured either! But just a little longer...

Akira: But... if he's being strangled he won't be able to speak...

Arthur: ...If he's really going to turn to stone, I'll stop it before that happens.

Arthur: But surely, if it were him now...

With the wizards' eyes on him, Elijah writhes in pain beneath Verla.

As his neck is being strangled, he lets out a groan and somehow manages to string somewords together.

Elijah: Lord Figaro and the others are right... You have been my only god since I was born.

Elijah: I wanted to be forgiven so much, I wanted to be desired by God so much, that I lied and kept lying to myself.

Elijah: In truth, I wanted you to forgive me, and no one else.

With tears streaming down his pale cheeks, his trembling voice continued as if offering a prayer.

His beautiful face was distorted in pain, and drool dripped from the corners of his thin lips.

Elijah: That day, when I scooped you up from the ocean, your cold, blue porcelain skin was my salvation...

Elijah: I had lost everything, with nowhere to go back to, and not only was I unable to save you or the village, I had done something I should never have done.

The strength gradually faded from his white, branch-like arms, with blue veins protruding from them, that gripped Verla's wrist.

Even as his crystal clear glass eyes swung upwards several times, Elijah continued to speak with all his might.

Elijah: I offer my sins to you.

Elijah: I have defiled your unsullied self...

Elijah: I will pay, but I don't need to be forgiven. If my end were to be by your hand, I couldn't ask for more...

Offering his all, Elijah relaxed his body.

previous chapter - directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 7

Elijah: This is not Lady Verla. Lady Verla is not this ugly. She's not this pitiful...

Elijah: My god is dead. I, I killed her...

Rutile: Mister Elijah! No, you can't... If you dig your nails into your skin that hard, you'll hurt yourself again.

Arthur: You mustn't hurt yourself. If it's painful, you don't have to say it all at once. It's okay to take it slowly...

Arthur rubs his back as he breathes shallowly. Seeing that, I understand.

The guilt of destroying his God is breaking his heart.

Akira: (He couldn't accept reality because he was so single-minded...)

Elijah: If things stay like this, I won't be forgiven.

Elijah: There's no God left who can forgive me, love me, or lend me a hand.

Elijah: I am, all alone...

His white hands are shaking as he hugs his knees.

Finally, gazing at the palms of his hands with veiny veins, he spoke in a high-pitched voice.

Elijah: So... I've decided to become a god.

Bradley: Huh?

Shino: What did you just say?

Elijah: Verla as a God is no longer here. So I'm going to become a god.

Elijah: If I do that, I'll be forgiven. Good and evil are decided by God after all.

Figaro: What are you talking about?

Mithra: How do you even reach this conclusion? Are you one of those crazy people?

Confusion spread across the wizards' faces.

They all looked at each other, unable to fully comprehend what he was saying, and looked at each other or frowned in disbelief.

Elijah: No way, I'm serious.

Elijah: A god is one who gives and leads. So to show my love, I remade the dead Verla into a new one.

Elijah: If I can't restore her, I'll at least make her more beautiful... I want to make her so noble, so dignified, so god-like that anyone who sees her will bow down to it.

Akira: ...Is that why you collected the sculptures to use as materials?

Elijah: That's right...I didn't know how to get it or how to make the right trades, so I did whatever I was told.

Elijah: When that didn't work out, I stole and threatened, and sometimes I got hurt.

Nero: And that is why you are full of scars…?

Elijah: Yeah. It was hard to get the good stuff, and I was tricked into buying some cursed things, and some things had grudges attached to them...

Elijah: Still, I thought it was better than nothing.

Elijah: I tried casting some purification and protection spells, and tried some magic spells from books I couldn't read well, and somehow I got by.

Bradley: When you can't even do magic that well?

Bradley: You know some of the weirdness was caused by casting some insufficient spells.

Elijah: But still... It's a necessary thing to do to give offerings to Verla.

Elijah: This is my unconditional love... Isn't it the right thing to do for a god?!

Riquet: Elijah!

Riquet interrupted him as if he had lost patience.

He pierces Elijah with a strong gaze.

Riquet: I understand that there are all kinds of faiths in this world, and that there are people who believe in all kinds of gods.

Riquet: ………No, to be honest, I still can't fully accept it, but I don't reject those people.

Riquet: So, if you consider Verla to be a god, then that must be your faith.

Riquet: But... you lay a hand on that god, and you try to become a god yourself to forgive the sins you committed?

Riquet scolded, his fingers clasped together in front of his chest and shaking.

His clear, stern voice rang out, condemning him.

Elijah's reasoning was certainly absurd. But the way he shouted, as if to convince himself, made my heart swell.

Perhaps the only way he could protect his heart was to believe that.

Riquet: To repent, one must offer themselves to God, correct one's actions, and ask for forgiveness.

Riquet: And yet, to become a god and think you've been forgiven... you're just turning a blind eye to your own sins.

Riquet: Selfish, self-centered, and extremely despicable. Extremely blasphemous.

Rutile: Riquet….

Rutile strokes Riquet's back as he trembles with anger.

Nero also puts his hand on Riquet's thin shoulder, and turns to Elijah.

Nero: Sorry, but… I don't think that's love.

Nero: You say it's for Verla, but you're forcing it on her for your own sake.

Nero: That's desire.

If Riquet’s words were the bow and arrow of justice, Nero's words, like admonishment, were like pressing the wound and confirming the pain.

They quietly plead with him that this is what you had done.

Nero: If it were a human or a wizard, they could just cut off their relationship and it would be over. But a sculpture can't speak.

Nero: And if someone takes advantage of that and just throws their selfish desires at it, it'll end up wanting to chase them and raise its hand at them when it is able to move, it's inevitable.

Nero makes a slightly bitter face. He shakes his head uncomfortably.

Nero: And besides... I don't want that. Even if they drag my broken body around and say it's offering for me.

Nero: I can't be happy about that. Even if I were a puppet with no will or ego, I'd still want to yell at him, “stop it, you idiot.”

Bradley: ……..

Elijah: ...But...

Elijah: What was I supposed to do...?

Elijah's voice was awfully self-deprecating.

He just hung his head and stared at the dirty floor.

Elijah: If I have nothing to believe in, what can I cling to in life?

Arthur: Elijah...

Figaro: I know you don't mean any harm, but you can't become a god.

Figaro: I'm sure you know that too, but that's nonsense.

Elijah: …….

Figaro: So, do you want to be saved from this situation?

Elijah lifted his head slightly at the gentle, admonishing voice.

Through his long bangs, his pleading eyes looked up at Figaro, who stood there calmly.

Figaro: What you believe in hasn't been lost.

Figaro: But if you think you've done something unforgivable, it's best to settle that score.

Figaro: You won't be saved while you keep lying to your heart.

Elijah: I, ..I want…

At that moment, we heard a clicking noise.

We looked and saw the arms, legs, and wings of the surrounding sculptures beginning to move.

Elijah: This is bad, it's already dark...!

Elijah raised his head bouncing. The wizards also readied their magic tools.

The sculptures, who had been moving around, rattling and rattling, as if to check the movement of their joints, stopped moving for a moment...

And attacked us all at once.

Bradley:《 Adnopotensum》

Shino: 《Matztzāh Sudipas!》

Arthur: 《Pernoctant Nixzo!》

The three magical tools that rushed out first unleash their powers almost simultaneously.

Bradley's bullets and Shino's scythe shatter the sculptures into pieces.

The light that emerges from Arthur's grimoire engulfs the flying fragments. They disappear like melting snow.

But that is only for a moment, as a new shadow creeps up behind Elijah.

Elijah: Aaahh...! Stay away!

Elijah casts blind magic and slips through the sculptures.

Figaro: Elijah!

At that moment, the door next to us crashes open, making a loud noise.

The sculptures inside come pouring in, separating us from Elijah.

Akira: Wha!?

Nero: 《 Adnodus Omnis 》!

Riquet: 《 Sanretea Edif 》!

Nero, Riquet: That was close!

Shino: This is nothing new but, there  really are so many sculptures!

Rutile: We got separated from Mister Elijah...!

Mithra: That guy dressed in black is a real fast runner.

Arthur: Lord Figaro, what will you do?

Arthur: These things seem to have been affected by the disaster as well, but to have to deal with so many of them...

As the magicians lined up back to back, Arthur asked Figaro.

Figaro, holding his orb, answered calmly.

Figaro: We need a fairly extensive purification ritual. The sculptures are one thing, but the source of impurity... Verla is troublesome.

Figaro: I want to place magic circles in the four corners of the mansion, centered around the altar room where she is.

Figaro: I'll go to Verla's place. Bradley, Nero. Can you make magic circles on the four corners?

Bradley: I guess that's the way it is. I'll do some work for the pardon.

Shino: I'll go too.

Riquet: I'll come with you too!

Nero: Oh, thanks. Don't be reckless.

Figaro: If you find Elijah, please protect him, even if you have to get a little rough.

Figaro: I want Mithra and Rutile to put up a barrier outside the mansion.

Figaro: Make it a strong one so that the effects don't leak out to the surrounding area.

Mithra: Well... it's better than running around the mansion all the time.

Mithra: I'll handle it. Come here, Rutile.

Rutile: Yes, I'll do my best!

Figaro: Arthur and the Master Sage, come with me. Arthur, I'll leave the Master Sage to you.

Arthur: Of course! If you need anything, I'll help you.

Arthur: Let us save the god who resides in this mansion, and her only believer.

Rutile:《Ortonik Setomaouge》!

Mithra:《Arthim》

Mithra: That's about it. Leave the rest to the guys inside.

Mithra: If the barrier isn't enough when the purification ritual begins, I'll back it up.

Rutile: Alright... um, in those cases, how much resistance do you encounter? Is it pretty tough?

Mithra: Not at all? Just a light flick of the finger. Just the feel of “ oh it wasn't enough.”

Rutile: That's probably because you're Mister Mithra. My scale of it is different from yours.

Mithra: Oh, I see. Well, if you were to scale this down...

Mithra: I don't know... Your weakness is bottomless.

Rutile: Oh come on, I'm asking seriously.

Mithra: So, shall we try it together?

Rutile: Are you sure?

Mithra: I'm with you today. So I'll let you try a little.

Mithra: But can you do it...? You don't seem to have as much guts as Mitile.

Rutile: Of course I can! I'm Mitile's older brother, after all.

Mithra: Then, please conserve your strength until then.

Mithra: I'll loosen a part of the barrier a little for you.

Nero: 《Adnodus Omnis》

Bradley: 《Adnopotensum》

Shino: 《Matztzāh Sudipas!》

Riquet: 《Sanretea Edif》

Riquet: ...Alright, this is the third one.

Nero: The last one is in the eastern corner. Let's hurry.

previous chapter - directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 6

Figaro: We can't confirm or solve the strange phenomenon without investigating Verla.

Figaro: You allowed me to meet her a long time ago. Is there a reason why you can't let me meet her now?

Elijah: …no…

He hesitated and his thin lips dropped a little.

For just a moment, the corners of his crescent-shaped mouth seemed to twitch unnaturally.

Akira: ...Elijah?

Elijah: No, no such thing.

The voice sounded as if he was spitting his words out.

His white hair, cut short at his shoulders, swayed as he shook his head, casting a shadow over his handsome face.

His eyes, with a faint smile that looked forced, seemed to shine eerily.

Elijah: Verla is at the altar. Please follow me.

With a creaking sound, the large doors slowly slid open.

The place Elijah had guided us to was built just like a church. Towering before us was a magnificent altar.

Illuminated by the flickering candlelight, what emerges is...

Sacrificium: …….

Akira: (A large, human-shaped... sculpture...?)

I felt a chill.

It sits in the center of the altar, bathed in the light that pours in from the skylight.

Shino, Riquet, Rutile: ………

Long-lived Wizards: ………

Arthur: This is Verla...?

Tall, with a disproportionately thin torso and exposed ribs peeking out from under the cloth she's wearing.

She has large, misshapen wings growing from half of her face, and multiple arms of varying lengths and thickness growing from her back.

Nero: ...The altar and offering table are warped and cracked.

Nero: There are also traces of ceramic rubbing on the floor, like she's been coming and going many times.

Bradley: This statue must be what the humans call a wandering, strange shadow.

Bradley: Gives me the creeps. This thing must be the source of the disturbance in the mansion.

Mithra: ...I thought so, what a terrible taste.

While the long-lived wizards and Arthur frowned, Shino, Riquet and Rutile looked around and exclaimed.

Shino: Isn't that arm on top the same as the one that was discarded on the floor there?

Riquet: The horns growing out of its temple are also identical to those on the statue next to the altar.

Rutile: And the large wings are similar to the ones in the hallway. Only one pair had come off...

Akira: There are tools and files under the altar... Could they have used those?

Figaro: ...I see. So not only this statue, but all the sculptures collected throughout the mansion were materials.

Figaro: The statue of Verla, like the other sculptures, has been remodeled in every way. Some cursed objects and cursed things were used.

Mithra: It looks like a monster that Oz transformed into. No... that was nicer.

Mithra: That one may not look cool, but it was remade to be convenient. But that's not the case with this one.

Mithra: It may look good at first glance, but it's a mix of a lot of things and all logic is broken.

Figaro: Elijah. Did you do this?

Figaro: The Verla I saw before wasn't like this.

Elijah: ...... Haha…

Akira: Elijah...?

Nero: Why are you laughing....?

With unsteady steps, Elijah stepped forward in front of the altar.

He pushed back his long bangs, covered his face with both hands, and laughed loudly.

Elijah: What do you think of my Verla? Isn't she beautiful?

With his back to us, we don't know what his expression was.

He continued, with a voice tinged with ecstasy.

Elijah: Yes... I am the one who did this.

Elijah: I tore off the thin limbs, and was trying out what to do with the torso... I couldn't decide, so I stuck a few parts together.

Elijah: I repainted the scraped skin, white like snow…

Figaro: How Uncouth...

Arthur: Faith in the statue of Verla was what you truly desired. So why…

Elijah: Why? Of course. This is necessary.

Elijah: This is the only Offering I can give to Verla...

Akira: What do you mean by Offering...?

Rutile: Is there some kind of custom that you give to God?

Elijah: ……

Riquet: Elijah, if you keep quiet, we won't know anything.

Riquet: I find it hard to believe but… Is that how you worship your God?

Shino: But it's all gaudy and looks like it was made out of sheer desperation. I'd put more thought into it and make something that looks better.

Nero: I don't really get it… What do you want to do with this statue?

Nero: Are you satisfied with the remodeling? You're just trying all sorts of things and you're losing sight of something.

Elijah looked back, his head bowed and his face covered.

The same innocent eyes of a lost child I had seen earlier peeked out from between his hair.

He shook his head gently and hung his head, as if in repentance.

Elijah: ...I know. I did something unforgivable.

Elijah: But that's exactly why, I had no choice but to do this...

There was certainly something strange about his words and actions. But I couldn't really believe he was a bad person.

Arthur: ...Even if you acknowledged what you had done, there was a reason you couldn't stop.

Arthur: Even though you knew it wasn't going to work, something made you continue...

Arthur carefully chose his words as he looked into Elijah's eyes, who were at the same height as him.

He looked away, but Arthur carried on regardless.

Arthur: Elijah, thank you for letting me meet Verla.

Arthur: You've been repairing Verla by yourself for a long time.

Elijah: Ye….yes……

Arthur: As I said before, we have no intention of blaming you.

Arthur: I simply can't blame you. Not when you are making that face.

Riquet: …….

Bradley: I don't know what you're thinking but. Act like a villain or act like a victim, choose one.

Elijah: …..hah?

Bradley : If you can't become a complete villain, it's better not to get involved halfway.

Bradley: The moment you fled from the north, you're obviously not cut out for that shit.

Nero: Brad...

At that moment, a chill creeps up my spine, and I rub my shoulders.

Rutile: It's cold...

Mithra:  …..?

Rutile, standing nearby, also shivered.

Mithra looked at each of us in turn, blinking curiously.

Mithra: Are you two already being affected?

Mithra: You have Figaro's magic, how are you still so weak? 《Arthim》

Akira, Rutile: Mmgh!?

Mithra shoves the sugar he made into our mouths. It was a rough gesture, but like the receding tides, the chill subsided.

Besides us, Figaro looks up at Verla.

Figaro: The sun is starting to set. We shouldn't stay here for too long.

As we leave the altar room, the air feels a little lighter.

Saku-chan, whose fur had been standing on end the whole time, calms down.

Figaro: You did a foolish thing, Elijah.

We return to the place where we had treated Elijah earlier and look back down the hallway that Figaro had walked down.

The light coming in through the window was a deep orange. Night was approaching, and the sculptures were about to start moving.

Figaro: Simply put, Verla is just a sculpture.

Figaro: She may have the power to cast a spell, having received the thoughts of people in the village where you were born for many years.

Figaro: But even so, with your twisted mind, you kept attaching and detaching bodies, and combining bad things...

Figaro: The power of the disaster has transformed and twisted them, and Verla is on the verge of becoming a monster.

Figaro stopped talking for a moment, sighing.

He didn't seem angry, but after a suggestive pause, he lightly shrugged his shoulders.

Figaro: You wanted to continue believing, so Verla returned to you.

Figaro: It's cruel to take away her form, remake her, and treat her however you like.

Elijah: …It's my fault...

Mithra: Yes that's right. Now that we know the cause, let's get it over with quickly.

Mithra: Maybe it would be solved if we destroyed the whole mansion with that big sculpture.

Arthur: Wait... Mithra.

Arthur: Even if we solve it by force, Elijah's heart won't be saved. And Verla still wont get her body back.

Arthur: There must be some complicated circumstances between them. It would be unbearable if there was any lingering resentment.

Mithra: Circumstances? What excuses is he going to make now after he tried to completely remake everything?

Elijah: …….

I'm sure Mithra just asked honestly. But Elijah bit his lip again in frustration.

Elijah: I also... at first I tried to fix her the way she was.

Elijah: When I picked Verla up from the sea, she was in a terrible state.

Shaking his hair lightly, Elijah stared at his own palm.

His voice was squeezed out, like rubbing smudged ink.

Its limbs are crumbling, its beautiful porcelain skin is peeling off in places, and its wings are broken.

Elijah: Every single day, I gathered materials, scraped them, polished them, corrected any distortions, reattached them over and over again, and prayed.

Elijah: But... it didn't work out the way I wanted it to. The more I tried, the further it got from my ideal form.

Shino: That's what happens when an amateur tries to fix stuff.

Shino: I heard the materials were rare to begin with. If you can't get them, it won't be that easy to repair, even with magic.

Nero: That's true, but... once something is broken, it can't be restored to its original state.

Nero: Even if you manage to put it back together with magic, it feels like there's something different about it compared to the original.

Nero: The more sentimental it is, the worse it gets.

Elijah: ...I agree. But I couldn't just leave it like that.

Elijah: I don't know how many hundreds of years I continued like that, but…

Elijah: One day, I suddenly came to my senses. I saw Verla looking completely different, and I realized.

Elijah: I committed a taboo.

Elijah: I've already reached a point of no return...

Riquet: …….

Elijah held his own shoulders, as if to protect himself from the terrible memories.

His white skin turned even paler, and his beautiful face was distorted in anguish.

previous chapter - directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 5

Bradley: See, there he is.

Mithra: Why is he sleeping in a place like this? What a strange person.

His body is curled up, his messy hair hanging over his face, making it impossible to see his expression.

But his pale lips and pale skin could be seen beneath his silvery white hair, and his fingers were clasped together as if in prayer.

Arthur is the first to jump down to the basement.

Arthur: Are you okay? Ah, your body is cold…

Akira: This is the master of the mansion, right? Why is he in a place like a storeroom?

Shino: What an awful smell...

Nero: It's blood. And his shoulder, Is that a tear?

Rutile: His neck has also changed color, like he'd been hit. He looks pale, too...

Figaro: ...He looks pretty weakend.

Figaro slid into the semi-underground space and crouched down next to Arthur.

He presses three fingers against the man's neck, feeling the blood flowing beneath his skin.

Figaro: 《Possideo》

The pale light that has gathered in his palm melts as it touches the young man's shoulder and then his cheek.

Seeing the slight movement of his thin lips, Figaro's fingertips part his silky hair.

???: …….. Oh, you are...

The young man slowly blinks his white eyelashes.

His silver eyes, as clear as ice, look up at Figaro.

Akira, Rutile, Riquet: Ah… ..

He was a young man so beautiful that he took my breath away.

It was as if an angel or god from a painting had appeared before my eyes.

He blinked blankly a few times, then came to his senses and sat up in a panic.

Elijah: Lord Figaro!?

Figaro: Oh, you shouldn't get up so suddenly. How's the wound on your shoulder?

Arthur: Thank goodness, you woke up...!

Elijah: Oh... I'm fine… But, why were you at my mansion...?

Figaro: I'm glad you're safe. You seem to be conscious as well.

Figaro: We heard that something strange was happening nearby after the Great Calamity, so We came to investigate.

Figaro: This is the Master Sage. And here are my companions.

Elijah: Companions…?

Akira: Nice to meet you, I'm Akira. My apologies for intruding without permission...

Arthur: I apologize for startling you. We are the Sage's wizards, just like Figaro.

Arthur gently held out his hand, but Elijah's gaze quickly became wary.

He looked suspiciously at the others on the ground and took a step back on the hard floor.

Figaro: Don't worry, they're trustworthy wizards.

Figaro: More importantly, you're hiding in a place like this, surrounded by a barrier. Did something happen?

Elijah: Well...

His silver irises, blank from having just woken up, gradually regained their light.

In an instant, he opened his eyes wide.

As if being chased, he threaded his way past Figaro's side and clambered onto the floor.

Arthur: Ah, Elijah...!

Shino: Hey, where are you going?

Nero: There's something we want to ask you.

Elijah: ..Uh…..!?

Nero: Eh!?

Bradley: You just grabbed him by the neck and he stumbled and collapsed. He's so skinny.

Shino: Are you okay? Nero, maybe you were too strong.

Riquet: Don't be rough...!

Nero: I-I didn't mean to be rough…

Mithra: Haha, he's so weak. He looks like a paper doll that will fall over if you push it.

Akira: H-He must have lost all his strength from these injuries!

Rutile: Mister Elijah, Are you still in pain somewhere...

Everyone rushes over to Elijah, who was blocked by Shino and caught by Nero.

As he crawls on the floor, he shouts.

Elijah: W-what time is it now?!

Elijah: Is it daytime?! Has the sun not yet set?!

Arthur: Ah, yes… There's still some time before the sun sets...

Elijah: Ha, ha...

Elijah: I, see...

Elijah, eyes wide and confused, stops struggling when he hears Arthur's reply.

Nero: What's wrong with you...? We're not here to harm you, so calm down.

When Nero rubbed his back, he groaned softly and bent over, clutching his emaciated stomach.

He breathed heavily, shoulders rising and falling like he was frightened by something.

Glancing at them, Figaro and Arthur rose from the floor.

Figaro: Elijah, a moment please?

Figaro reached out and took Elijah's arm as he knelt on the floor.

Then he lifted up the long cloth he was wearing.

Akira: Wha...?!

Bradley: Wow, sick.

What caught my eye were the countless scars.

Cuts, scrapes, what looked like bullet holes, and burn marks...

New and old scars all mixed together, standing out against the pale skin.

Arthur: This looks awful…  he hasn't been able to treat it fast enough, so it must be really painful.

Figaro: Well that's flashy. Were you always such a rascal?

Nero: Rascal doesn't even begin to cover it. What did you do for it to be this….

Elijah: Shut up! Who cares...

Elijah: I'm not very good at healing magic. It's fine even if it's a bit haphazard...

Arthur: ...Elijah, let's move to another place for now.

Arthur: I'm worried about your health, and there are some things I want to ask you.

Arthur: We won't be able to have a peaceful conversation in the hallway.

Elijah: …….

Rutile: 《Ortonik Setomaouge》

Riquet: 《Sanretea Edif》

Rutile: ...Here you go. This should help ease the pain for now.

Rutile: It's a bit difficult for me to heal old wounds...

Elijah: ...I don't mind, just leave it as it is.

Riquet: Shouldn't you at least say thank you? We healed you with healing magic, which you say you're not good at.

Elijah: …..Thanks…..

Shino: That's some terrible manners.

Nero: Well... give him a break.

Nero: He lives deep in the mountains, surrounded by sculptures. He's probably not used to talking to people.

After seeing that wound, Rutile and Riquet volunteered to use healing magic.

As they treated the wounds that were still healing and the painful parts, Elijah seemed to calm down a little.

Now he's giving us a cold shoulder and huddling in the corner of the couch.

Nero: ………So, Putting your wounds aside, tell us why you were holed up here.

Elijah: …….Umm.

Figaro: There are strange rumors going around this mansion. Strange shadows with eerie sounds are wandering the forest...

Figaro: You must know something.

Figaro's voice was gentle.

But there was a definite air of urging him on, closing his escape route.

After hesitating, Elijah spoke in a thin voice, as if he had no choice but to answer.

Elijah: ......Verla.

Akira: …..Eh?

Figaro: …….

Elijah: The shadow's true identity is Verla.

Elijah: On the night the Great Calamity came, she came down from the altar and attacked me...

Everyone's eyes widened when he mentioned the name. It was the name they had heard in the old tale that Figaro had just told.

The ceremic God that the young man had desperately sought, reaching his hands to the sea even as he laid dying.

Akira: ...I heard it from Figaro. Verla is the god you worship, right?

Arthur: And she moved?

Arthur: Verla is a sculpture correct? So something that could never move of its own volition attacked you.

Elijah: Yeah... Verla has been wandering around looking for me every night since that day.

Elijah: I didn't know she'd started going outside the mansion too...

Looking haggard, Elijah let out a rough breath and ran a hand through his hair.

A trembling voice spilled from his pale, rosy lips.

Mithra: You didn't resist with magic? You seem to be poor at using it, but you have quite a bit of magical power.

Elijah: I tried to stop her somehow, but I couldn't. My magic was no match for her.

Elijah: After days of running away, I got a deep wound in my shoulder. I hid under the floorboards and couldn't tell if it was morning or night...

Arthur: And that's why you were in there all this time... What a disaster.

Rutile: Could it be that the other wounds we healed were also caused by Verla...? There were a lot of cuts and slashes, right?

Elijah: That's right. If you've accepted the request, please stop Verla!

Elijah: No matter what I say, she wouldn't listen. She wants to kill me...

Shino: She wants to kill you. Right.

Akira: (Huh...?)

I gradually began to feel something was off.

From what I'd heard, Elijah was a sincere, innocent, and passionate young man who loved Verla...

Figaro: You're really being flippant when talking about God.

When Figaro said that. Elijah covered his mouth as if taken aback.

The wizards, looking suspicious at his behavior, also spoke up.

Riquet: Aren't you being a bit rough with your words?

Riquet: It's just... isn't it rude of you to treat someone you believe to be God like that.

Riquet: I don't like how ​​you are calling her by her name casually...

Mithra: Is that how it is?

Rutile: Yes, I think so, generally speaking...

Nero: In the first place, weren't you adoring Verla? If so, why did she attack you?

Nero: Even if it's the effect of the calamity, it's unlikely that something that was originally harmless should be distorted.

Elijah: …….

He didn't answer any of their questions.

He looked away as if to flee, and his clear eyes flickered in the light that was faintly filtering in through the window.

Bradley: So how is it? If you've done nothing wrong, you should be able to answer.

Shino: You're acting like the victim, but isn't it something you did?

Shino: Maybe you've done something to incur the wrath of that God...?

Elijah: No!

His sharp, cutting voice made my heart beat faster.

But the sharp eyes glaring at me from behind his bangs quickly melted away.

At that moment, I was surprised by the innocent expression I caught a glimpse of.

He looked like a lost child.

Arthur: ……

Elijah: Uh... no, that was...

As if frightened by his own voice being raised, Elijah put his arm around his own shoulders with trembling hands.

Arthur: ...Elijah. Where's Verla?

Arthur : We have no intention of blaming you.

Arthur: If, as you say, something is happening as a result of the calamity, we have come to resolve it.

Arthur: The moon has not yet risen. If there is no danger, could you let us meet?

Elijah: W-Well….

previous chapter - directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 4

Figaro: Right. Apparently Elijah has met the deer before.

Bradley: A deer is a guardian god? If it has mysterious powers, was it a magical creature or something?

Arthur: That seems possible. I read in a book that the idea of ​​worshiping sacred animals dates back to ancient times.

Mithra: I wonder if worshiping animals is useful. Humans tend to worship everything.

Figaro: ...Yeah, they do.

Figaro: As Rutile says, the deer was once the guardian god of a certain village.

Figaro: But one day, the village was hit by a great flood...

Figaro: In an instant, everything was engulfed.

Figaro slowly weaves words, like pulling at a thread of memory.

It was an old story told in a pleasant voice...

Figaro: ...The only one who survived was the deer with mysterious powers.

Mithra: See?

Bradley: Just like I said.

Mithra and Bradley spoke in innocent, proud voices.

As Figaro's voice spoke, I felt a recollection of a certain day, and imagined.

A deer With nowhere to go, standing alone in front of a bleak landscape.

Akira: (...This isn't a deer's story.)

Akira: (I've heard a similar story before.)

In a room on the first floor of the magic house, with sunlight streaming in through a curtained window and the faint smell of chemicals.

Rutile: No matter how many times I hear it, it's a sad story. I feel so helpless and frustrated....

Arthur: ...In the face of the threat of nature, even those with mysterious powers can be taken away without being able to do anything.

Arthur: Indeed, Lord Oz once told me that. Not all wizards are loved by all spirits and nature like Lord Oz.

Arthur: “So be careful.” “The moment of loss can be sudden” he said.

Riquet, Shino: …….

Mithra: It pisses me off that he's assuming that he won't be taken away.

Mithra: But it happens all the time. You never know when a natural disaster will happen.

Rutile: I know that, but it still hurts.

Rutile: To lose something without knowing what's going to happen, without being prepared or ready...

Rutile: It feels like I won't be able to breathe properly, whether I die or survive.

Figaro: The humans sure lost out. They must have been disappointed in the deer.

Figaro: The deer, whom they loved like a god, was unable to fulfill its role.

Figaro: The villagers must have loved the deer so that it could protect them.

Akira: But surely the villagers loved the deer that loved them too?

Akira: I can't say for sure that they didn't feel sad that the deer couldn't protect them... but I don't think that's all there is to it.

Figaro: Why do you think so?

Akira: Why?...

Although the tone was not at all accusing, it left me breathless.

His irises, a strange color that seemed to see right through me, looked down at me.

I don't know if my words will reach him, who has lived for over two thousand years. I can't help it if he thinks they are just the ramblings of a young kid...

Akira: The residents must have been happy living every day loving the deer and being protected by them...

Akira: I don't think anyone can love someone just for something in return. Not even God.

Riquet: Yes... Because people love mysterious powers and seek guidance, God and those who have been given powers by God, teach the people.

Riquet: A selfish, one-sided faith will not save anyone.

Bradley: But I wouldn't be able to rest in peace if I was told that I lost out by believing.

Akira: Bradley…

Bradley: That just means he wasn't all that.

Bradley: I won't let anyone lose or be disappointed. I'll decide what happens to those I have in my pocket. I'll make them happy to die under my command.

Figaro: …….

Bradley: That's what happened with my men.

Bradley: Many of them turned to stone after I was captured... One day I'll get revenge for those who died.

Nero: ……..

Figaro: Anyway... Mithra is right. It's nothing special, just a common old story.

Figaro: A little while later, the deer left that place.

Figaro: I don't know how he lived after that. There is a theory that he wandered around the world, searching for a place to belong...

Figaro: It seems that sometimes he appears on the seashore in the north.

Figaro: Apparently Elijah met the deer on a very cold day during a terrible snowstorm.

Elijah: ......, ha, ha...

Elijah: Why can't I find her...?

Elijah: My hands are numb and I can't move... Where is she...

A deer with mysterious powers: You.

Elijah: ……..

A deer with mysterious powers: Are you a wizard? You're rather young.

A deer with mysterious powers: If you wander around a place like this, you'll be turned to stone by a scary wizard.

Elijah: ...But Lady Verla...

Elijah: She must be sleeping in the sea around here. My, our God...

A deer with mysterious powers: God

Elijah: That's right. A beautiful lady with porcelain skin that had been worshiped in the village for a long time...

Elijah: But then I was born, so she had to return to the sea.

Elijah: Because I was a wizard... The adults said it was time for a change of leadership...

Elijah: Ever since she passed away, the village has been hit by natural disasters one after another. I can't save the village.

Elijah: It wasn't time for a change of leadership. If we could find Lady Verla and bring her back, everyone would be able to live happily again...

A deer with mysterious powers: I see. Where did you come from?

Elijah: ......A few miles across these snowy plains.

Elijah: From the small village marked by a ceramic lantern at the entrance...

A deer with mysterious powers: Ah, that one. I remember that village was wiped out in the snowstorm last year.

Elijah: ……Eh?

A deer with mysterious powers: ………

Elijah: ……Wiped out…... That can't be...

Elijah: ...it is, my fault…?

A deer with mysterious powers: What's your name?

Elijah: …ha……….

Elijah: Elijah...

A deer with mysterious powers: I see, Elijah. This is only if you're willing...

A deer with mysterious powers: Shall I help you find your god?

Figaro: And with that, the deer used his mysterious powers to pull Verla up from the bottom of the sea.

Figaro: Verla was a ceramic sculpture.

Figaro: Perhaps it was made of a rare material, with blue-gray skin with fine sparkling grains and a beautiful human-like shape...

Figaro: But it was just a lump of ceramic with no magical powers. Yet it was still something Elijah needed.

Riquet: Did he worship the sculpture? As a god to guide him...?

Shino: Maybe it was something like a big talisman? I'm not sure…

Shino: When I see something beautiful that I don't usually see, I feel like it comes from somewhere different from me and has something I don't have.

Shino: It's not a thing, but that's what I felt when I first met Blanchett's Madam and Heath.

Bradley: It's not just humans or wizards, there are surprisingly many people who are obsessed with things.

Bradley: I've stolen a lot of things from a lot of people, and sometimes there were people who were so fascinated with things that they were almost worshipping them.

Mithra: That being said, it's also true that there's no point in clinging to things.

Mithra: I wonder if you'll eventually realize that. “Oh, this is worthless.”

Arthur: No... I think it's both. It gives you a sense of security.

Riquet: Is that so? I understand that a god is something that teaches and guides you when you're in trouble, but a sculpture doesn't give you anything.

Riquet: So why do you continue to believe in it? What does that faith mean?

Arthur: Let's see. Just as Lord Figaro said earlier…

Arthur: The north is especially harsh. It can be difficult to survive, both mentally and physically.

Arthur: If you don't have something to rely on when you feel mentally exhausted or anxious about living for tomorrow, you will become exhausted and lose your energy.

Arthur: Even if it's a person, a wizard, an animal, an object, or something intangible...

Arthur: The belief that you will be saved if you believe is what nourishes you. It's important to have it within reach.

Rutile: You have some important things, right Riquet? Like the magical lantern, or the candle that Mitile and I bought the other day.

Rutile: Looking at it or holding it close to your heart calms you down and makes you feel like you can do your best again tomorrow.

Rutile: Like Shino said, I think it's like a talisman for the heart. Maybe that feeling grows stronger and you start to adore it like a god.

Riquet: God and talismans are different things. It's still hard for me to understand...

Riquet: I understand that faith protects the heart.

Arthur: That's good. it's okay to rely on anything and believe in anything as long as it saves your heart, that is my belief. 

Rutile: Me too... If the deer picked up Verla and saved Elijah, I don't think there's anything more to it than that.

Rutile: The deer was a kind person.

Figaro: I don't know if he was kind or not... But I think even the deer saw him, gasping helplessly, and pitied him.

Figaro: He was reaching out his hands to the cold sea again and again, clinging to God, and it seemed like he was going to die before that.

Figaro: That's why the deer told him. “It would be better for you to leave the north country before you get caught up in any more Horrible, pitiful situations”.

Figaro: “it would be good to live quietly together with Verla in a safe mansion.”

Akira: So this place...

Nero: wasn't that the right choice? This place is even more isolated than the eastern countries, where you can live without interfering with others.

Nero: It's the perfect place for a tired, misanthropic guy to find solace.

Bradley: Ha!. Wizards who want to live in the east are always so damp, no matter the era.

Figaro: Oh?

Suddenly, Figaro stopped.

His eyes were calm and collected as he scanned the cracked floor.

The other wizards must have sensed something as well, as all their eyes were drawn to there.

Bradley: Speak of the devil《Adnopotensum》

Bradley formed a finger gun as if he were casually firing a pistol, and chanted his spell.

In a blinding flash of light, the crack in the floor got bigger, then popped.

Akira: It's a hidden door…!

Figaro: Even if it was a weak one, prying open the barrier is pretty violent.

Bradley: And there's a spell that only partially hides the door. If there's someone in this mansion, it's definitely here.

Shino: Ah, that saves us some trouble.

Shino crouches down and pulls up the handle on the floor.

There's a space there, like a semi-underground storage room, just big enough for a few adults to fit in.

On the dark floor, a person dressed similarly to us is lying alone on the ground.

Akira, young wizards: ……….!

previous chapter - directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 3

Rutile: It was cold at the foot of the mountain, but it gets even colder as you climb...

Shino: So this is that mansion. So damp.

Riquet: You mustn't talk about someone else's house like that. But I do think they should clean it up a bit more.

Mithra: Please come out quickly so I can close the door.

Nero: Whoa, stop kicking me...

Rutile: Thank you for coming along today, Mister Mithra. Your teleportation magic is a really great help!

Mithra: What else was I suppose to do if you insist on coming? Well, I'll help you out this much.

Bradley: And? What have you heard from the humans?

Nero: Just as we thought, it doesn't seem to be just a hoax.

Nero: The humans say that the forest around here is usually shrouded in a thick fog all day long.

Nero: If you're not used to walking in it, you can easily get lost and never find your way back in this thick, dense fog.

Nero: But apparently it cleared up completely after the Great Calamity struck.

Thus goes the story 

The clearing of the dense fog was convenient for the residents.

They went deeper into the forest hoping to expand their hunting grounds, which they would go out for several days a month.

Then one night, they heard an eerie sound, and after following it, They found this mansion.

Akira: ...So that's where they saw the strange shadow.

Figaro: A shadow bigger than a human, but not human... Could it have been a hallucination caused by fear or anxiety?

Shino: I thought the same, so I asked. “Was it a dream you had while half asleep, or did you just see it wrong?”

Shino: But, it seems that several other people went into the forest afterwards, and they all saw and heard the same thing.

Arthur: I wonder if something strange is happening...

Bradley: You can just ask whoever's holed up here. Hey, get out of the way.

Arthur: Whoa.

Bradley: Hey, landowner!

Bradley steps forward and stomps the peeling paint on the door with the sole of his shoe.

The door looks fragile, Bradley could easily make a hole in it with a few hard kicks.

Akira: W-Wait, why are you this rough from the start?

Riquet: Let's start with a knock!

Rutile: But, even though it's a bit violent, maybe this counts as a knock…?

Nero: Wait, Brad. I’m not done.

Bradley: Huh? What?

Nero: The villagers said this.

Nero: A god lives in this forest. That mansion must be where the god resides.

Akira: God...

Figaro: ……..

A bone-chilling wind ran down the mountain, passing under my feet.

Looking up at the forest rippling as if breathing, Arthur tucked his flowing silver hair behind his ear.

Arthur: I had been watching the forest from the sky until we got here... Other than the mansion, I hadn't sensed anything particularly suspicious.

Arthur: The spirits are also hiding. If the forest spirits don't appear in disguise, then it's probably...

Rutile: Yes. I think it means it is a wizard who lives in this mansion.

Rutile: Apparently, he has been in the forest for hundreds of years, and has been seen only occasionally.

Riquet: The villagers say that the thick fog that hangs over the forest is what separates the forest from the human world.

Riquet: So when the fog cleared, they were scared that they would be cursed if they dared to enter the forest.

Mithra: I think that fog is just a barrier, though.

Mithra: It's a blinding spell that wizards often use to hide their homes. 

Figaro: There's still a faint trace of the magic remaining.

Figaro: After the calamity struck, something happened that broke the barrier. And for some reason, he still hasn't put it back.

Figaro: There may be a reason why he can't put it back...

Shino: They also said that the strange shadow is the form of an angry god.

Shino: It seems they asked us for help because they were afraid it would come down on the village someday.

Akira: It's like a local belief... I wonder if the wizard himself is aware that people think that.

Figaro: I don't think he has any such intention. But this is a land close to the north.

Figaro: People who live in harsh environments tend to think that the inconveniences of life and the occasional happiness are a gift from God.

Figaro: People in weaker positions keep their minds up by doing so.

Shino: So they worship him for a second and get scared in another. What a nuisance.

Mithra: Oh... the door is unlocked. How careless.

Rutile: Mister Mithra!? Don't open people's doors without permission...!

Mithra: But this story is getting long. Why don't we go inside and talk?

Nero: You're talking like it's your own house?

Bradley: There's no point in talking nonsense. I'm entering.

Mithra: Hey, can you not go in before me?

Akira: M-Mithra, Bradley!

Figaro: Oh, wait.

Figaro: Let me cast a spell of protection and blessing on the Master Sage and the young wizards so that they won't be exposed to the presence inside the building.

Figaro: Master Sage, Riquet, and Rutile come here. Arthur and Shino, can you do it by yourself?

Shino, Arthur: Of course.

Figaro: All right, that's a good boy.

Figaro gently put his hand on my back and sprinkled what looked like magical, sparkling scales on me.

The same glittering powder fell on Riquet and Rutile, and it quickly became accustomed to their bodies.

Rutile: Thank you, Doctor Figaro.

Akira: It's slightly warm... I feel like I can breathe a little easier now.

Riquet: But to have to receive a blessing and protection before you can enter the house. I wonder if the person inside is okay…

Nero: Mithra and Bradley went in first. You guys better be careful.

Figaro: This is...

Bradley, Nero, and Mithra: …….

Mithra turned the doorknob, and the creaking door let us in.

Countless sculptures emerged in the dim, dusty, inorganic, and desolate space.

Akira: What an incredible number of sculptures…

Akira: They're embedded densely in the walls and pillars, and they look down on us from the atrium...

Arthur: ... Master Sage. It might be best not to touch them carelessly.

Akira: Eh?

Arthur: Just as I thought, the air is much more stagnant than it was outside. There's a weight that clings to me...

Shino: It's hard to move without concentrating. All these sculptures have a distorted aura about them.

Nero: Yeah... And there are some that give me the creeps mixed in there too.

Nero: Not all of them are like that, but there are quite a few here and there. You'd better be careful.

Akira: Oh, you're right... Saku-chan seems to be a bit wary too.

Rutile: Oh? When did everyone get changed?

Akira: Huh?

Riquet: Oh.... Everyone's clothes have changed!

Shino: As soon as we entered, everyone's clothes were changed.

Figaro: It must be because the owner's magic has seeped into the mansion.

Figaro: It's harmless, but... we look a bit like  priests.

Mithra: My clothes have changed without asking again...

Bradley: Tch. I hate getting interfered with too, but man is this house creepy.

Nero: I'm sure there's a core somewhere that's causing chaos...

Nero: But the sculptures are muddying my senses, so I can't find it's location or the owner of the house.

Figaro: You'd think they'd notice someone coming in.

Figaro: Elijah! Elijah, are you there?

Figaro's voice echoed through the wide atrium.

But no voice was coming back.

The mansion was enveloped in an eerie silence, and even though the interior was solemn, there was a lonely atmosphere.

Shino: Are they playing hooky?

Riquet: It's a little scary...

Rutile: Even though we're inside the building, it feels chillier than outside...

Figaro: Don't worry. I've cast a spell on you kids, and we have some reliable guys with us.

Nero: Are you talking about us...?

Figaro: Let's start by looking for the owner. Since he's probably somewhere in the mansion.

With Figaro at the front, we proceed through the mansion.

The interior is much larger than it looks from the outside, and perhaps because of the high ceiling, the sound of everyone's footsteps echoes loudly.

Not only on the floors, but also in the corridors and staircases, all sorts of sculptures are crammed together, and sometimes they're rolling around on the floor.

My eyes meet with countless hollow eyes, not just of human figures, but also of animals, plants, and even mythical creatures.

Arthur: There are so many sculptures. I wonder if it's the hobby of the owner?

Figaro: I wonder. If he has found a hobby, then good for him... I'm amazed he has collected so many.

Akira: It's impressive to have so many... You don't often see this many even in a museum.

Riquet: At first I thought they were a little creepy, but when I look closely, there are some cute ones.

Riquet: They're a little oddly shaped, but there's a rabbit and a bird... Is that a pumpkin?

Shino: hmm…

Bradley: What are you competing with? Tiny one.

Shino: I just thought this guy has a pretty good body, even though he's just a sculpture. Well, not better than Lennox...

Bradley: Even though he's just a sculpture? more like because he's a sculpture. Physical beauty is good for art.

Bradley: A good body has vitality and sex appeal. Like mine.

Shino: Is that how it is? Let me see it properly next time.

Bradley: Oh yeah, it's gonna cost ya.

Mithra: Haa, I'm not going to lose either.

Figaro: Hey now, don't compete in someone else's house.

Rutile: You know, all these sculptures look pretty old.

Rutile: Some have missing parts, some are missing arms or legs, so they have a unique feel to them…

Nero: No need to choose your words.

Nero's voice was calm as he answered Rutile's gentle words.

He stepped over a part of an arm that had rolled at his feet and turned it around.

Nero: Anybody can see that these things aren't being looked after.

Nero: They're covered in dust, left carelessly, chipped and broken, and no one moved them.

Bradley: They probably haven't been maintained in years.

Bradley: There might be some good ones among them, but they're in such bad condition. I'm not even interested in stealing them

Mithra: Really, what a terrible taste.

Shino: Even Mithra... actually, you're the one saying that?

Mithra: Of course. I mean, this isn't the shape of a living thing.

Looking up at the sculpture next to him, Mithra frowned.

It was a strange shape, with a human head attached to the torso of an animal, and claws and paws sprouting from all over its body.

Mithra: Each one of them is missing something, has multiple arms or legs of a different kind, or has claws, wings, or tails in strange places.

Mithra: I don't know if they just cut and pasted them together or if there was some thought behind it...

Mithra: I don't have the same tastes as the person in this mansion.

Akira: (Mithra and Rutile are right. I thought the slightly odd shapes were just how art is but...)

Arthur: ...Looking closely, I see that their bodies are patched together in various places.

Arthur: In Most of them, the size and balance of the parts are off.

Akira: Maybe he likes to modify sculptures. His work seems pretty rough though...

Akira: Some seem to have been stopped midway through, and some have limbs torn off, leaving only the torso lying on the floor.

Rutile: Um... the person who lives here is Doctor Figaro's acquaintance right?

Rutile: You called him by name earlier, didn't you? Mister Elijah? What kind of wizard is he?

Figaro: Let's see...

Figaro's profile is reflected in the large window he just happened to pass by.

For a moment, Figaro slows his pace and turns his gaze to the dull glass.

Inside the glass, in a low-saturation world, Figaro's reflection is also gazing at him.

Figaro: This is the story of the owner of this mansion... Elijah, and a mysterious encounter he had long ago with.

Figaro: I told you about this before, Rutile.

Figaro: Long ago, when there were few people, in a certain village, a deer with mysterious powers was worshipped. Do you remember?

Rutile: Yes, of course.

Rutile: You told me the story when we all had a pajama party with everybody in the southern country.

Rutile: The story of the deer that was raised with care, like a guardian god.

previous chapter - directory - next chapter

[srovtl]

Offering A Prayer to the Wandering God Chapter 2

While we were walking around the market and helping Nero with his groceries, the sun was setting.

As we all walked through the door to the restaurant, we could hear the voices of the other customers.

Rutile: They seem really scared... the handwriting is shaky.

Shino: Have they actually suffered any damage? We get a lot of these kinds of requests, and I've had some that were nothing before.

Riquet: They didn't write anything about damage, but if they're in trouble, I'd like to help them.

Riquet: Let’s just go and have a look, and if there's nothing there, that's fine, right?

Akira: Did something happen?

Mithra: Oh, you're back.

Rutile, Riquet: Welcome back, everyone!

Shino: I was reading the request that arrived at the magic manor. check it out.

Arthur: Was there something urgent?

Nero: Is there something scary?

Figaro: Or maybe something related to human life or politics.

Mithra: Who knows? Master Sage, please come over here for now.

Akira: Ah... yes. The tea Mithra is drinking smells nice.

Mithra: It's a new sleeping blend made by Rutile and Mitile.

Mithra: It's said to improve the quality of sleep, so please give me your hand.

I sit next to Mithra, who is sitting lazily in a chair with his long legs stretched out, and take his outstretched hand.

Saku-chan quietly curls up at my feet.

Nero and Bradley, carrying luggage, gather around me and glance at the envelope Shino hands me.

Shino: It's a message from a small village at the foot of the mountains in the eastern country, near the north.

Shino: They want us to investigate an abandoned mansion in the forest and the strange shadows that roam the area.

Figaro: A mansion in the forest, and eerie shadows and sounds…

Bradley: Now that sounds like an exaggeration. Maybe it was just the shadow of an animal? A wolf, a bear, or something.

Nero: There are quite a few requests like that from the central and west...

Nero: Even in the eastern country, would someone from a remote village send a letter with a trivial lie?

Akira: You're right... I don't think they'd rely on us unless it was something really serious.

Rutile: Yes. Also, there's something interesting at the end…

Arthur peers at the end of the sentence that Rutile is pointing at.

While I don't understand the letters of this world very well, I can tell that this is messy handwriting.

Arthur: "Even though it's called a monster, it has a human-like appearance. But it's strangely large, and it looks like it has something that humans don't have."

Arthur: "It's wandering the forest, accompanied by a distorted, eerie sound like ceramic rubbing against each other."

Arthur: "It may be the curse of that person who resides in the mansion in the forest. Please help us.”

Akira: A curse...

The eerie words sent chills down my spine. Arthur's expression was tense.

Then Figaro's long fingers reached out and smoothly traced the letters on the envelope.

Figaro: This place is near the border between the north and east… Even deeper than the Jura Forest.

Shino: How do you know that? Are you knowledgeable about geography too?

Figaro: Well, I heard about it from a certain source. I have a feeling that place might be familiar.

Figaro: If I remember correctly, there should be a wizard living there.

Arthur: A wizard...

Rutile: Oh, is this the home of someone you know, Doctor Figaro?

Riquet: A wizard who curses people...?

Figaro: He's an oddball, but he wasn't the kind of person who would harm others.

Figaro: There may be some misunderstanding. though I myself have only met him a few times...

Bradley: Really? A humble southern doctor has acquaintances in the eastern country? you're pretty well-known.

Nero: I guess that's possible. Figaro is also familiar with Faust.

Shino: Now that you mention it, that's true. But if Figaro knows him, then it's easy.

Shino: I don't know if it's a false accusation by the humans or if he's the one behind it, but let's go and see the wizard.

Rutile: If something strange has been happening since the <Great Calamity>, that wizard might be having some trouble.

Rutile: Doctor Figaro, would you like to come with us?

Figaro: ...Yes, of course.

Arthur: Then I'll come along too.

Arthur seemed to notice that Figaro was gazing thoughtfully at the young wizards.

Without looking at Figaro, he gave me a refreshing smile.

Arthur: Master Sage, may we all accept the request?

Figaro is hiding his identity from Rutile and the others. This is the same for the other young wizards, except for Arthur.

An old acquaintance of Figaro's, he may know at least a little about his circumstances.

Just like the hooded man I met in town today.

Akira: (I think it'll be okay... I'm sure Arthur is worried about that too)

Akira: (It might be a little different if he were to meet someone who knows him in person in front of Rutile and the others... I might be able to help too.)

Akira: Yes, of course. Please let me come with you!

Figaro: Thank you, everyone. It's reassuring to have you.

Riquet: Nero will come with us, right?

Nero: Me too?

Riquet: Yes. We've been on separate missions and requests for a while, so I'd like to go with Nero.

Riquet: Let us work together for the sake of people.

Nero: Sure, that's fine... There are a lot of young people here too.

Bradley: You're all so serious.

Bradley: It's an Eastern Wizard's mansion, isn't it? Aren't they just trying out some gloomy, strange magic?

Shino: Don't say bad stuff about us. Not all Eastern Wizards are gloomy.

Nero: No, most of us are gloomy. You're the rare one.

Nero: First of all, Let's start preparing dinner. It's a nutritious, luxurious meal today.

Riquet: Yay! May I ask what's on the menu?

Nero: Terrine and cabbage rolls with special sauce. Should I also make a vegetable tart?

Rutile: My, what a feast!

Arthur: Today's vegetables should be especially fresh and delicious. I saw Nero selecting them next to him, and they were all beautifully colored and shiny.

Riquet: I'm looking forward to some delicious vegetables! Nero, may I help you wrap the cabbage around the meat?

Shino: Let's put lots of cheese in the tart. I want some potatoes too.

Nero: Sure. Riquet, I'll unpack, so help me in the kitchen.

Bradley: There's a lot of leaves here. I'll just have the meat from the cabbage rolls.

Nero: You dumbass. You've gotta eat it all.

Mithra: Yaawn… Rutile, can I have another cup of tea please?

Akira: What?! Mithra, weren't you asleep?

Rutile: You held the Master Sage's hand and lay face down on the desk, so I assumed you were dozing off...

Mithra: How am I supposed to sleep with so much chattering around me? I just had my eyes closed.

Mithra: So, after I have one more cup, I'll take the Master Sage back to my room and lie down until dinner.

Rutile: Very well, I'll get it ready right away. Let's use the kitchen too.

Everyone goes off to do their own things, chattering away.

As he sees them off, Figaro folds his arms and turns to us.

Figaro: Thank you, Arthur, Master Sage. I'm sorry I made you worry after what happened during the day.

Arthur: No. So... if you have a reason, you don't have to answer of course.

Arthur: Is the wizard from that mansion related to the one who spoke to Lord Figaro in the market?

Figaro: As expected, Arthur is very sharp.

Figaro: The one from the market, and the owner of the mansion, they're acquaintances from when I was in the north.

Akira: I thought so... Figaro, If it seems better for you to go alone, I can convince the rest to stay?

Figaro: No, it's fine. It always works out anyway. 

Figaro: Let's all head to the mansion at a later day. It's cold there, so dress warmly.

A few days later, we headed to a deep forest near the border between the north and east.

It was daytime, yet it was dark and cold. We flew across the sky with our brooms, looking down at the densely vegetated forest.

Saku-chan's fur on my shoulder sways gently, tickling me every now and then.

Akira: The wind is so cold... It's not snowing, but as I'd heard, the temperature is quite low.

Figaro: The air is freezing. As you'd expect from a place close to the north.

Arthur: Yes, it smells like the north. Only the snow clouds are being held back, blowing down.

Arthur: Rutile and the others went to the village at the foot of the mountain to inquire about the news, but...

Arthur: The people of the eastern country are very wary, after all. I hope they can get a good answer.

Bradley: They have Nero. They'll manage.

Bradley, who was ahead of us, recrossed his legs on his broom and looked back over his shoulder.

He skillfully manipulates his broom and rides up next to Figaro.

Then, he approaches as if testing him.

Bradley: You even proposed a deal to keep the guys from the south from figuring out your identity.

Bradley: Does the guy at the mansion hold a grudge against you? Was he the victim of some horrible torture.

Bradley: Hey, Sage. You're riding on the back of a really scary guy right now.

Akira: That's not true…

Figaro: How rude. I told you I wanted to hire you just to be on the safe side. Where's this nonsense coming from?

Figaro: I also offered you a helping hand.

Figaro: Would you rather let the twins drag you on a mission with them and Oz?

Bradley: Hell no. Both options are so bad it makes me sick.

Figaro: Well, now that you've been granted a temporary pardon, why don't you help me out while you're running from trouble?

Figaro: Arthur is a clever boy, but I admire your quick thinking and your way with things. Well, I also don't think you can defy me.

Bradley: Hmm... I wonder. I'll show you someday.

Arthur: Ah... Lord Figaro. There's something in the gap between the trees over there.

Arthur, who was flying a little higher, pointed to the forest diagonally to the right.

In the heavy greenery, I spot something like a pointed roof.

Figaro: ... I thought there was something strange going on.

Figaro: It was the right call to come here. Let's go down for a bit.

We slipped through the gaps between the densely packed trees that seemed to cover the forest, and landed on the dry ground.

Rising from the dark forest was an old, ruined Western-style mansion.

The tattered exterior was cracked and covered in layers of ivy, and the windows were fogged up, making it impossible to see inside the rooms.

Akira: It looks pretty rundown... Is there really a wizard here?

Arthur: Yes... faint as it is, but I feel a presence there. But this is quite…

Figaro: The order of the place is in disarray, with this mansion at the center. A strange presence is leaking from within the mansion.

Figaro: As I heard, there are signs of disaster, but that's not all.

Bradley: For a mansion of an Eastern Wizard it's weird, anyone can see it. There's no blinding magic or barrier either.

Mithra: 《Arthim》

A familiar spell is heard, and a space door appears nearby.

It opens wide, and the wizards who went to investigate appear.

Mithra: Hello. Did you find the mansion?

Mithra: There's something strange going on, is it really okay to let Rutile out?

Rutile: Mmhhhhhh... Mister Mithra, please don't push my face away...!

Arthur: Oh, it's fine. We just arrived here.

Mithra: Is that so? Well, go ahead. Don't wander around on your own.

Rutile: Bwah… Haa, I can finally breathe.

Released by Mithra, Rutile passes through the door, followed by the other wizards.

Everyone exhales white puffs of breath as they look out into the forest.

previous chapter - directory - next chapter