CHAPTER 3 - Lorelei's Tears Dissolve Into the Lake

[yumemory]

 [Location: Manor’s lounge]

Suddenly, Mithra grabbed Chloe by his head.

Chloe: Eh!?

Akira: Mithra!?

Mithra: All we have to do is to assemble, correct? If that is the case, let’s bring this person instead.

Bradley: Exactly. Taking a good look at him, this guy kinda looks like Owen. He has two eyes, and one mouth. 

Bradley: From now on, this guy is Owen.

Chloe was dumbfounded at the absurd idea.

Chloe: W-What do you mean I’m Owen…!?

Bradley: Shut up and go along. We let you take our measurements, didn’t we?

Chloe: Huh!?

Akira: (That’s crazy…!)

Arthur: Oh, right. Speaking of outfits, there is something I must say.

Arthur: We actually received an invitation to attend the postponed wedding of the chief’s son.

Arthur: Depending on the situation, we might have to attend the wedding upon completing the mission.

Arthur’s unexpected information surprised us.

Akira: ‘We’? It’s not just you, Arthur?

Arthur: Indeed. The invitation was for the Sage, and the Sage’s wizards. Although I will also be stealthily participating in the mission…

Figaro: I see. Then we can’t possibly show up in casual outfits.

Snow: We will need an outfit appropriate to bless the new couple.

Chloe: Leave them to me!

Chloe: Actually, I’ve been thinking about everyone’s ceremonial outfits as a pastime. I’m glad if it can be of help!

Arthur: For all of us? That is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Chloe. Forgive me for the sudden request.

Figaro: Then, we’ll depart when the outfits are done.

Figaro: The people participating in this mission… A total of eight people including Rutile and the Sage.

Mithra: Eight? Are we not taking this person along?

Chloe: Whoa!?

Again, Mithra grabbed Chloe’s head like a bowling ball.

Akira: M-Mithra, please stop grabbing Chloe’s head…!

Snow and White: Hmm….

Snow and White looked at Chloe and faced each other with concern.

White: ‘Tis indeed better to have more hands when facing an uncertain situation…

Snow: But we already asked Chloe to be in charge of the outfits. Taking him on a dangerous mission on top of that is rather…

Chloe: ...Um, if you don’t mind, please take me with you!

Chloe: I’m not a strong wizard, but if there’s someone who needs help, I want to be there.

Chloe: Even if it’s a dangerous mission, Rutile and Master Sage will be there too. I need to work hard as well. I’m also one of the Sage’s wizards, after all!

Akira: Chloe….

Bradley: Well said!

Bradley patted Chloe’s head, which was finally released from Mithra’s hand.

Bradley: I like you, kid. Yeah, he should be Owen from now on.

Mithra: Fine by me. He joined our tea party, so he’s already somewhat like Owen.

Chloe: Ahaha, there’s no one who can replace Owen. But I’ll work hard in his stead.

Snow: What a good boy.

White: How admirable.

Figaro: How sweet. No wonder Shylock and the rest of the Western wizards dote on him so much.

Arthur: Chloe’s words firmed my heart. Whatever danger may come, we’ll be alright, and we’ll complete the mission together without fail.

Chloe and I nodded keenly. We were about to depart on a dangerous mission, but somehow we were surrounded with a positive mood.

Snow: Let us enter preparation, and assemble at a later time.

Figaro: Mithra, make sure to come in time, okay? If you’re late, I’ll have Rutile come pick you up.

Mithra: ...Sigh. I do not mind.

Everyone left in a rush. Bradley stayed seated in the lounge and was the last to leave.

Bradley: Lakeside Town, huh…

Akira: Bradley?

Bradley: It’s nothing. Let’s go, Sage.

Bradley stood up, patted my back, and left.

 

[Location: Lakeside Town main road]

We changed into the ceremonial outfits that Chloe made, and traveled to Lakeside Town.

Snow: So this is Lakeside Town….

Akira: I thought there would only be a lake. I never thought it would be a town surrounded by mountains.

Bradley: Hey, we dressed up all merry like this, but don’t cha think we should save it for the actual ceremony?

Mithra: I don’t see a problem. It’s more troublesome to dress up again.

Bradley: Hm, whatever. This outfit suits me, real good.

Mithra: And I look dashing.

Akira: Ahaha. The outfit looks great on you two.

White: Arthur, dear, is the lake anywhere around here?

Arthur: Yes. This town was built around the lake. A small walk should be enough to take us there.

Chloe: A-And the strange fish will be there, won’t it?

Rutile: I wonder what it looks like…. Is its teeth something like a saw? Or will it have ten arms?

Chloe: Ten arms!?

Akira: On a fish!?

Figaro: Eek, so scaryyy!

Mithra: ...Sigh.

Bradley: Gross...

 

[Location: Lakeside Town, lakeside]

Arthur was right. We walked away from the mountain and soon found the lake located nearby.

The view looked different from what I imagined. Its blue color spread like paint on a drawing canvas.

Rutile: Eh….

Chloe: What is this, it’s so… blue….

Everyone looked at the lake, bewildered. It looked too blue to be normal.

Arthur: Actually, the color of this lake is one of the strange things happening.

Akira: Is that so?

Arthur: Yes. I have never seen how it looks before, but from what I’ve heard, this is not how the lake is supposed to appear.

Chloe: Even its color has changed….

Rutile: What was it like before?

Bradley: ….

No one else was around the lake. Most probably because of the rumor about the strange fish.

The blue spread of the lake brimmed with stillness, and looked somewhat lonely.

 

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