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yumemory[Location: Beryl School, night]
Shylock: That aside, you should have requested our assistance sooner.
Shylock: Pretending to be teachers and sneak into a school... Why, isn’t it just the most unlawful and thrilling mission?
Faust: Hey, this isn’t the time to be playing around.
Shylock: Of course. I understand that very well, Master Faust.
Shylock: I can feel the humans’ malice and sorrow simply by standing here. They are swirling together—much like a raging storm.
Shylock: Simply watching it transpire would only leave you standing in fear...
Shylock: But what do you think would happen if we took flight on our brooms amidst this violent storm? We may be met with danger, or be greeted with a pleasant surprise.
Shylock: Let’s enjoy this, Riquet. This school is ours tonight. We shall be there to help you should something happen.
Riquet: ......Okay!
Chloe: Mithra, Owen! You came to help us too?
Mithra: You’re mistaken.
Chloe: What!? Then why did you come along?
Mithra: Because I am a much stronger wizard than Riquet, obviously. I figured I should teach this presumptuous weak wizard a lesson.
Mithra: I will make sure he understands just who the strong one is here.
Owen: And I thought it might be fun to watch just how miserable you'll be after making the stupid decision to help humans.
Owen: But in the end, aren’t you also afraid of them, choosing to sneak in here at night?
Riquet: I'm not, actually! There's a place I want to check during this time.
Owen, Mithra: ...A place?
Adult White: And that is how it is, so quit picking on him.
Adult White: Tonight, I shall be the one to accompany you as your guardian. Make sure to be on your best behavior, understood?
Owen: ...It's bad enough that you geezers came out of the painting. And one of you made it even worse with that unnecessary transformation.
Adult White: Hohoho, I know you will listen to me more attentively when I look like this.
Adult White: Though it's a pity that I couldn't wear the outfit Chloe has prepared.
Chloe: No need to worry about that! You can leave your painting to me!
Riquet: Now, everyone, follow me!
Riquet: Tonight we will uncover the truth about the Nightwalker.
Akira: Yes!
[Location: School passageway, night]
The place Riquet brought us to was a hallway with a huge portrait hung on the wall.
Riquet: During the day, a student told us some of the scary stories surrounding the school. One of them left a deep impression on me from how specific it was...
Riquet: They said that in this long corridor, this painting has always been a portrait of a person.
Riquet: However, one night when the moon was full, a student came this way to retrieve his homework. He passed by this hallway, and said that the portrait turned into a painting of a door.
Riquet: So, out of curiosity, he looked closer, and that’s when he heard the sound of a door opening from inside the painting...
Chloe: Yeah... Out of all the stories, that one in particular sounded pretty realistic, since it was the student’s own experience.
Riquet: Exactly, and that is why I thought there must be some sort of mystery regarding it.
Snow: A strange occurrence during the full moon... If this is another effect of The Great Calamity, then we have all the more reason to investigate it.
Shylock: The painting still shows a portrait of a person for now, though.
The painting, with its eye-catching frame, was a portrait of a woman with a benevolent smile. There was no door to be seen.
Riquet: Maybe the student was mistaken...
Faust: No...
Faust: ...I sense strange magic from it. I can say for certain that there’s something hidden here.
Oz: If it changes with the power of the moon, then it's possible it's not getting enough exposure tonight.
Riquet: Ah, you’re right! It’s hard to see the moon because of the clouds...
Mithra: In any case, we can’t continue any further than this, can we?
Mithra: Should we just burn this painting to dust? Perhaps giving it some kind of shock would trigger the transformation.
Oz: Silence.
Oz: ...Sage. Give me your hand.
Akira: ...Okay!
Akira: (Riquet tried to do his part even when he’s hurt and sad. I should do my best as well...)
Oz took a single breath as he held my hand, and opened his mouth.
Oz: 《 Vox Nox 》
After casting his spell, the moonlight began to illuminate the portrait. He must’ve used his magic to clear up the sky.
The painting slowly began to transform. The colors around the woman in the portrait blended into one, melted, and disappeared.
Over the next few moments, it gradually turned to black from the upper side, as if someone had painted it over.
Chloe: ...Look! The portrait changed, just like the boy said!
Riquet: Wah, you’re right!
In the middle of the pitch-black canvas was a painting of a door, seeming to be made of high-quality wood.
Riquet: It turned into the door painting! Thank you very much for your help, Oz!
Oz: ...............
Mithra: Huh, what an interesting mechanism.
Chloe: But the boy said he heard the sound of the door opening. Maybe the transformation isn’t complete yet...
Shylock: It has only been a few moments since it received moonlight. Perhaps it’s yet to accumulate enough power.
Shylock: Faust, will you lend me a hand?
Faust: Yeah. It looks like it's still locked. You want me to use magic as the key to unlock this door, right?
Shylock: Fufu, how convenient that you got what I meant right away.
Mithra: I can provide some assistance as well, if you'd like. After all, I'm a wizard stronger than Riquet. Wouldn’t you agree, Owen?
Owen: Hey, don’t drag me into this.
Shylock: Then I shall treat you to a sweet drink once we are finished with this mission. Let us begin...
Shylock: 《 Inviebelle 》
The aromatic smoke from Shylock’s pipe covered the painting, and it was everyone’s cue to start:
Faust: 《 Satillquinart Mulcreed 》
Mithra: 《 Arsim 》
Owen: 《 Quare Morito 》
Soon after they cast their spells, the door opened slowly, as if inviting us in.
I shut my eyes from the bright white light that came from the door. That instant, I was struck with a feeling like I was melting into a daze—
And then we were sucked into the painting.
Owen: Hey, Master Sage. How long are you going to be out of it?
Akira: ...Whoa?!
Owen grabbed me by the chin and shook my head relentlessly, and I slowly came back to my senses.
[Location: Library in painting]
Akira: ...Huh? Where are we?
Oz: We are inside the painting from before.
Akira: I-Inside the painting...
The place within the painting was huge. Bookshelves covered the walls, akin to a library. I couldn't believe a place like this could exist inside a painting.
The smell of old books was somewhat nostalgic and soothing.
Shylock: I feel human presence from somewhere.
Faust: Yeah, it seems like we're not the only ones here. There are presences all over the room.
Chloe: Let's split up and search around—they could be the missing students!
Riquet: Then, I will look over there. Master Sage, will you come with me?
Akira: Yes!
Riquet: Ah, Master Sage! Seems like there’s something behind these bookshelves.
Akira: You're right. Could it be another space...?
Riquet: I'll try moving these shelves.
Riquet: 《 Sunrotea Edif 》！
With Riquet's magic, the bookshelves made a heavy sound as they slowly shifted sideways.
What we then found was a space just enough for a person to fit in. On the floor, there we found a boy with his eyes closed.
Riquet: A-Are you okay?
???: Zzz...
Akira: He’s asleep... But it doesn’t look like he’s hurt.
Riquet: Black hair and glasses... Could this be Polly?
Akira: He probably is. Let's bring him to everyone!
TL: yumemory | Proofread: Alle
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