CHAPTER 6 - Stellato of Overflowing Dreams

[yumemory]

Mitile carefully inserted the stardew gem into the Mirror of the Past handed to us by Shylock.

Shylock: « Inviebelle »

After softly chanting his spell, the mirror rattled, and the interior of the bar changed in an instant.

Mitile: Huh?

Shino: What’s going on?

The ceiling, the floor, the walls… They were all enveloped in a glittering starry sky. The sight felt oddly familiar.

Akira: (Wait, this is….)

Faust: ............

Mitile: So cool...

White: How impressive...

While everyone was astonished at the spectacular view, the Mirror of the Past exploded.

The starry sky disappeared, and the bar returned to its normal and quiet interior. Smoke rose out of the Mirror of the Past.

White: ...Seems as if it malfunctioned.

Mitile: D-Did it break because I put the gem in?

Mitile's face turned pale, and Shylock shook his head with a sigh.

Shylock: It is because Murr fixed it so half-mindedly. He was treating it carelessly.

Shylock: So please do not let it weigh on your mind. Murr can fix it quite quickly, I’m sure.

Shino: We only got to see the transmission for a short moment.

Snow: Nevertheless, it was a gorgeous view.

White: Why, it seems to be a starry sky that the stone beheld.

Owen: So foolish. This is a waste of time.

Owen left an irked remark before disappearing.

Mitile: There didn't seem to be anything that hinted at the origin of the gem…

Shino: We were close. I thought we'd get some kind of lead.

Nero: Now, now, chin up. We’ve got lemon pies, remember? I’ll cut up a big one for ya, special for today.

Inside the lingering disappointment and excitement in the bar, I kept thinking about the view the Mirror of the Past showed us earlier.

Akira: (...That starry sky…)

Mitile: Master Sage, is something wrong?

Akira: Ah, sorry, it’s nothing.

Shylock: Still and all, that was a pity. The mysterious gem was about to recount its stories.

Rustica: It was truly an intriguing and enticing moment. I had hoped that we could enjoy it a little more.

ーーー

[Location: Faust’s room]

I paid Faust a visit that night.

Faust: What brought you here? ...Don’t tell me my dream overflowed again?

Faust: I don’t think there’s any problem with the new talisman, though…

Akira: Ah, I’m glad the barrier is working well now.

Faust: ...Well, yeah.

Akira: (Why does he look troubled?)

Akira: Of course, I was concerned about your barrier as well, but that’s not why I came here tonight.

Akira: I wanted to ask you about the gem’s memories that we saw in Shylock’s bar this afternoon.

Faust: ...That’s just the starry sky that the gem saw in the past.

Akira: That’s probably it, but I can’t help but feel that what we saw was extremely similar to that dream you had.

Faust: ............

Feeling slightly flustered under his gaze, I steeled myself and told him what I honestly thought.

Akira: Those specks of light, and the feeling of being surrounded by the stars in the sky…

Akira: It felt like seeing your dream once again.

Akira: So then I thought, maybe you know where the stardew gems came from…

Akira: I might be wrong, but…

Akira: There are instances where we dream of old memories, and maybe that’s what you saw…

Faust: ...Yes. The dream I had yesterday….

As Faust was thinking, we were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.

Faust: Who is it?

Mitile: Ah, good evening, Mister Faust. I’m sorry to intrude this late at night. Um, I wanted to tell you something…

Faust: ...The door’s unlocked.

Mitile: A-Alright. Excuse me.

Mitile: Huh, Master Sage?

Mitile looked surprised when he saw me.

This situation felt strangely familiar to me, with it so much like the night before. Faust smiled faintly, and welcomed Mitile in.

Faust: What brings you here today? The medicine worked well, by the way. I’m feeling better now.

Mitile: Ah, I’m not here on Doctor Figaro’s errand. I actually came here on my own.

Mitile: Mister Faust, thank you for defending me from Owen this afternoon. 

Faust looked surprised for a brief moment. He tugged his hat down, abashed.

Faust: ...There’s no need to thank me for that. I spoke up simply because I didn’t like what he said.

Mitile: Yes, and I was happy that you did, so I want to properly thank you.

Mitile casted his gaze down, fidgety, before looking up again.

Mitile: ...Actually, when we were talking about what wish to make on the stardew gem, I silently wished that I could get closer to you.

Mitile: Maybe it’s the gem that urged me to thank you like this.

Mitile: Ehehe, tomorrow I’ll tell Shino that my wish also came true!

Even though he’s a little embarrassed, Mitile still mustered up the courage to say everything he wanted to tell us.

Faust’s eyes turned crescent at the warm words, and gently caressed Mitile’s head. 

Faust: That’s right. You should tell him.

Mitile: But it was a pity that we didn’t get to know where the stardew gem came from. And Mister Owen seemed like he wanted it too…

Faust: Do you still want that gem? But you said your wish already came true.

Mitile thought for a while before nodding.

Mitile: I want to try wishing on it once more, if I can.

Mitile: If it can help cure everyone’s curious afflictions, then I want to try it. Of course that includes your affliction too, Mister Faust.

Faust: ............

Mitile: And I also want to show it to everyone. I know they’ll be able to imagine it if I describe it to them, but...

Mitile: With Riquet, especially. I want us to see the same thing, and I want us to share the feeling of seeing something beautiful together… because he’s my precious friend.

Mitile: If we get to see it together, then even after time passes, we will be able to look back and remember how pretty that gem was.

Faust: ...Hehe. I can't tell if you're selfless or greedy, wanting a stone to make someone else's wish come true instead of your own.

Mitile: I-I wonder which it is, I’m not sure if I understand it myself…

Faust: Sage, do you have any wish— ah, why did I even ask. You want to go back to your world, right?

Akira: Yeah...

Faust: Sage, Mitile, listen. That gem can’t grant wishes.

Faust: But if you still want to see it, if you want to share this beautiful thing together with a precious friend, then…

Faust: I’ll show you where to find those stardew gems.

 

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