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yumemory[Location: Excavated grounds, afternoon]
Time continued to pass without us managing to find what we’d been searching for… Before we knew it, the western side of the sky had already turned red.
Heathcliff: I’m starting to lose strength...
Nero: ...Heath, stand back for a while. I’ll take care of the rest.
Heathcliff: But, Nero...
Faust: He’s right. We’ll still need to fly back, so save your energy for that. What about you, Shino?
Shino: I’m good.
Wizards get tired from using magic continuously, just like how humans get tired from doing physical labor.
Even the wizards who courageously tried to match Figaro's efforts and worked without rest had also become exhausted as well.
Mitile: ...Haa, haa...
Lennox: Mitile, are you okay? You should rest for a bit.
Mitile: I’m… fine… Anyway, we need to find it fast...
Shino: You’re barely able to bring out your magic. I’ll take care of the rest.
Rutile: Mitile, you’ve only recovered just recently, so you can leave this to me, okay?
Lennox: ...Everyone, please don’t push yourselves too hard. I’ll take over for now and we’ll go on break in turns...
Akira: (They must be really exhausted after using so much magic...)
But even so, none of them said they wanted to stop.
And they continued to dig fervently in search of the cursed object...
All because they wanted to keep Figaro’s clinic where it is, not just for now, but even long into the future.
Figaro: ......I really can’t win with them.
I looked up after hearing a sigh.
Figaro watched as the wizards encouraged each other to continue digging.
Figaro: Something like this happened before. Those two once brought me something... Ah, I think it was flower seeds. They told me they wanted to plant them in a flower bed.
Figaro: But they weren't the type of seeds that would grow in the soil around the clinic. So I stopped them, and told them the flowers would only wither.
Figaro: They planted them anyway. And you know what they said to me?
Figaro: They said that even if they couldn’t visit me, I wouldn’t feel so lonely because the flowers would be there to keep me company.
Akira: ............
I felt like I understood what Rutile and Mitile were feeling. They wanted that person to be happy they were doing things for him.
And they wanted him to feel lonely when they weren’t with him.
Figaro sometimes makes me feel like that too—the way he doesn’t seem to be present even when he’s right beside you.
The clinic is no different. The brothers believed Figaro would miss it if it disappeared.
And that was why they chose to go through the trouble of doing all this instead. The adults understood their sentiments, and went along with them.
But perhaps, this entire time, all we really wanted was for Figaro to miss such a precious place, if he were to someday lose it.
Figaro: ...As I expected, eventually the flowers withered and they got upset over it. I felt bad about it, too.
Figaro: But I've lived for a long time. And frankly, I wouldn't really feel too lonely, with or without some flowers.
Figaro: There are only a handful of things I’d regret letting go of. But to see someone else try so hard to protect something I hold dear in my stead, well...
Figaro: I guess it makes me feel sort of happy.
Akira: Figaro...
Lennox: Doctor Figaro, I just found a different type of soil. I think it’s time.
Lennox's voice came from behind as we were talking, and Figaro turned around to respond with a nod.
That was the signal. Nero and Faust looked at each other with relieved expressions.
Faust: Alright. Let’s dig there, then.
Lennox: Understood. Everyone, please move over there for now.
Shino: ...I’ll join you guys.
Rutile: I can lend a hand, too.
Nero: Your legs ought’ve come to their limits by now. Just sit down ‘n chill, will ya? It’s time for the adults to take center stage.
Nero: Pacing the strength of your magic is also a skill. This is where the wisdom of age plays a big part.
Rutile: Mister Nero...
Shino: Nero, that’s cool.
Heathcliff: Yeah, you sounded really cool just now.
Nero: No need to repeat it like that. It’s embarrassin’...
Nero: But diggin’ fer this long wasn't no joke. Y’all did a real great job.
Upon hearing Nero’s words of gratitude, the younger wizards exchanged modest smiles with each other.
As soon as Lennox returned from evacuating the children, the adults went down on one knee to touch the excavated ground.
Figaro: Alright, I’ll start. Faust, Nero, and Lennox, will you help me out?
Nero: Help? I thought this is where you’ll take the reins?
Figaro: Well, yeah. But the kids have been stressed enough for today already. I just want to get this over with.
Faust: Of course. Let's give them some peace of mind as soon as possible. Figaro, take the lead.
Figaro: Alright. Here I go...
Figaro:《 Possideo 》
Faust:《 Satillquinart Mulcreed 》
Lennox:《 Forsettao Meiuvat 》
Nero:《 Adnodis Omnis 》
(Crashing sounds)
Rutile, Mitile and Heathcliff: ......Huh?!
Lennox, Faust and Nero: !?
I felt my body float, like I was in an elevator dropping straight down.
The sky seen from the round cut of the excavation was now far off into the distance. In a split second, the hole became ridiculously deeper, and it all happened before any of us even realized it.
Shino: ...What just happened?
Mitile: ...Was something like that even possible with just four people?
Nero: Hey… Ain’t you guys overdoin’ it?
Faust: I could say the same thing to you… We ended up putting in too much power. Are the kids okay?
Lennox: Doctor Figaro… You said you don’t want them to know, but...
Figaro: Ah, sorry. I just wanted to make up for all that time earlier. Thanks, guys, you really helped me out back there.
The four of them laughed and wiped the sweat off their foreheads. Figaro knew all of them put in a lot of magic to pull it off.
Perhaps they were all just worried about the children who only wanted to make a difference, no matter how small.
When the tremors subsided, the younger wizards rushed towards them.
Mitile: Doctor Figaro! Just now...
Figaro: Mitile, did any of you get hurt?
Figaro: It was a pretty loose soil formation, and it all just fell apart after we used our magic. Lennox did a great job finding it.
Heathcliff: So that’s what happened…?
Rutile: Mister Leno, you’re amazing!
Shino: Not bad.
Lennox: ...No, it happened because everyone worked hard.
Mitile: But even after digging this deep, we still haven’t found the wizard’s cursed tool...
Faust: But I can feel its presence. If we dig more, we’ll probably find it soon.
Nero: You mean we still gotta keep goin’, huh.
Akira: ...You’ve all worked hard, so how about taking a break?
Heathcliff: Shino, how about you bring that out now?
Shino: The what? ...Ah, you’re right!
Shino: Drink up, everyone. These should relieve your fatigue.
Lennox: Thank you.
Rutile, Mitile and Heathcliff: ...So bitter!
Akira: T-This is more bitter than Figaro’s tea!
Faust: ...How many herbs did you put in?
Shino: About twice as much. Is it working?
Nero: Well, it got rid of my drowsiness alright.
Mitile: Ehehe, I feel more energized now. I’m ready to start working again.
Lennox: We don’t have much time left. Let’s keep digging, until the end.
Rutile: Okay, let’s go!
Shino, Mitile and Heathcliff: Let’s go!
(Sheep cries)
Mitile: …Why is the sheep crying?
Lennox's sheep suddenly started bleating as we continued to dig the hole.
Lennox: It looks scared...
Mitile: Maybe it’s sensing something?
Mitile tilted his head and looked around.
Mitile: Huh, what's that? Over there...
Akira: Over there?
Mitile pointed at something strange and colorful on the wall.
Mitile: ...Could that be the wizard’s cursed tool?
He tried to take it out by using his magic to remove all the soil around it.
Then, the object glowed malevolently before bursting out of the wall.
Akira: .........!
Nero: There it is!
Faust: It’s the curse’s true form!
Lennox: Doctor, it’s...
Figaro: A small blackened bronze box, huh… It smells horrid, with all the user’s teeth and nails in it. I’m guessing it was the wizard’s magical tool before he turned to stone.
The small box floated in the air, a thick black mist forming around it.
It glittered and glowed wickedly, letting out a deafening growl. Then, as if in response, the ground we were standing on shook violently.
(Rumbling sounds)
Rutile and Heathcliff: ...Ack!
A fissure began to form in the ground, and something akin to a mud poured out of it.
The liquid had the same color as the bronze box, and just like a human hand, it seemed to move with will as it progressed towards us.
Shino: Hey, what’s that thing? It’s coming after us!
Figaro: It's the Swamp of Acid, absorbed and controlled by the curse.
Nero: It'll get t’ ya if you just stand there! Y’all better get outta here!
Heathcliff: Master Sage, get on my broom!
Akira: Okay!
Just as we were about to fly away, the swamp tried to attack Mitile.
Mitile: Waah!
Lennox: Mitile!
Lennox immediately flew into the air and reached out, catching Mitile in his arms.
[Location: Sky, afternoon]
Lennox: ...Tch.
Rutile: Mister Leno!
Akira: Lennox, your shoulder!
A burn spread over his shoulder after the acid made contact with it.
Mitile: A-Are you okay?!
Lennox: Yeah, don’t worry.
Lennox: I just wanted to look cool, like Nero did earlier.
Mitile: Mister Leno...
TL: yumemory | Proofread: Alle
