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yumemory[Location: Sky, afternoon]
The acid pouring out of the cracks continued to spread over the area.
Not only that, but the ground itself seemed like it was rising, as if attempting to crawl up to the surface.
Even as we flew above the excavation, the sight of the acid devouring all the boulders and stones, melting them away like ice, was a terrifying sight.
Figaro: This is bad. It’s trying to get to the surface. We have to finish off that magical tool now.
Faust: That’s the plan, but with the way the acid is surrounding that thing, I doubt we’d be able to get close enough.
Figaro: Yeah, it’s too risky to try sealing it by force. We need to make it behave a little.
Faust nodded and looked at Nero and Lennox, who were flying behind him.
Faust: Nero, Lennox. Can you keep that swamp at bay? Just for a bit.
Faust: But, Leno, if you need to rest, then...
Lennox: This is no problem. As you know, it would take more than this to prevent me from using magic steadily.
Faust: ...You’re right. Sorry.
Nero: That’s some heavy work you’re giving the chef. Well, I’ll do it anyway.
Mitile: ...Um! Can I do it instead of Mister Leno?!
Mitile flew up beside Figaro.
Mitile: I know I’m not as strong as him, but… it was me who got him injured, so...
Lennox: Mitile......
Rutile: I want to do it, too. Let Mitile and I do it instead.
Rutile: If the three of us work together, I'm sure we’ll be able to hold off the swamp for a while.
Nero: ......Nope, that ain’t gonna happen.
After a short moment of hesitation, Nero shook his head without waiting for what Figaro had to say.
Everyone turned towards him after hearing his firm reply, an action not usually seen from him.
Mitile: M-Mister Nero...
Nero: Sorry, but y’all need to stand back.
Nero: If ya join me and something happens down there, I can't guarantee that I’ll be able to protect you right while also fightin’ off the swamp.
Nero: You saw what happened to Mister Shepherd. Let’s not forget Figaro intended to throw out the whole damn clinic because he didn’t wantcha to get hurt like that.
Rutile and Mitile: Ah...
Lennox: ............
Everyone went silent, after realizing what Nero was trying to say.
Figaro not caring about his clinic, even though it was his place of residence, truly made me feel lonely.
But then I remembered that for the sake of keeping everyone safe, it was the most rational thing to do.
Feeling dismayed, Rutile and Mitile clutched their brooms. But then, as if to quell the negative atmosphere, Figaro spoke in a bright, gentle voice:
Figaro: It’s not like that now.
Figaro: Right now, just like all of you, I’m trying to protect the clinic.
Figaro: That’s why I’m grateful to Mitile, Rutile, and Lennox for convincing me to not go with my original plan.
Figaro: We’ll protect the clinic and all the memories we've made in it, and we’ll work together to seal the Swamp of Acid away again. Leno, thank me later when I treat your injuries.
Lennox: Doctor Figaro...
Figaro: It was you guys who suggested it, and that’s why I know for sure that this is the best way to do this.
Figaro: Don’t you agree, Master Sage?
He turned to me as he asked that, and the first thing I noticed was the brightness in his expression.
I smiled and nodded, feeling overjoyed at the thought that everyone here had been rewarded for all their efforts.
Akira: Yes! Then please take care of us, Figaro.
Faust: Alright. Rutile, Mitile, you two take the rear. Shino and Heathcliff, guard the Sage.
Heathcliff: Yes.
Shino: Let’s go, Mitile.
Mitile: Okay... Mister Leno, Doctor Figaro, we’re off!
Rutile: Everyone, please make sure not to go overboard!
Shino and Heathcliff flew away from the acid spewed by the swamp, urging the brothers to move with them.
Figaro raised his hand to see them off, before turning to the three wizards left with him.
Figaro: We better get started too. Lennox, Nero.
The two of them held up their magical weapons at Figaro's call.
Nero: Let’s go.
Lennox: Yeah.
Nero:《 Adnodis Omnis 》
Lennox:《 Forsettao Meiuvat 》
When they chanted their spells, a transparent film then formed over the entire ground.
Everyone watched closely as the swamp and its mass of expelled acid were forced down by the shield they created.
Shino: Alright!
Heathcliff: We successfully held it back!
But soon after that, the bronze box that was shrouded in black mist glowed brightly, and the ground shook in resistance against Lennox and Nero's magic.
Lennox: Tch...!
Nero: ...Ack!
Their expressions turned sour. Even though they were managing to stop the swamp, its fierceness wasn’t making the task easy.
Nero: ...We got our hands full with this! We can’t assist!
Figaro: Alright, I'll rid the box of that rotten energy. I'll leave it to the professional over here to handle the purification.
Faust: What professional?
Figaro: I have faith in you.
Figaro:《 Possideo 》
He recited his spell, and the black mist around the cursed object dissipated instantly, like smoke that got blown away.
The magical tool, now without the influence of the evil energy, trembled and looked about as if in agony. Without missing a beat, Faust chanted his spell.
Faust:《 Satillquinart Mulcreed 》
He summoned something that looked like a white chain and commanded it to wrap itself around the box.
The tighter the chain squeezed itself around it, the louder the box cried out.
Figaro narrowed his eyes as he listened to the resentment in the noises it made. He then mumbled:
Figaro: You’re still this fixated even after turning to stone. Not gonna lie, it makes me a bit jealous.
Figaro: I wonder if someday I'll also find something I desire so much that I'll scream my heart out so I won't lose it.
Faust: What are you murmuring about? It’s time for the final attack. Do your part.
Figaro: Of course.
Faust:《 Satillquinart Mulcreed 》
Figaro:《 Possideo 》
There was a burst of blinding brightness... and then the stones around us shattered.
Before I could process what happened, a strong wind flew past us, so fearsome that it was almost impossible to open my eyes.
Akira: ...Ah...
And when I tried to open them for a very brief moment, there I found the godlike Figaro, floating with his orb in the midst of the raging winds.
(Bright white flash)
Akira: ...............?
When the wind died down, I opened my eyes and found no trace of the Swamp of Acid or the cursed tool.
Akira: ...Huh...
Mitile: The hole disappeared?
The landscape of the rocky mountains spread out before us as if nothing had even happened.
Rutile: This is...
Shino: Not sure what just happened, but I guess everything worked out.
Faust: Yeah, it’s over.
Figaro: It's okay now. The cursed tool has been purified, and the Swamp of Acid has been thrown back to the deepest pits of the ground once again.
Heathcliff: That’s good to know...
Nero: Ahh, I’m real glad that’s done.
Mitile: ...Um, Doctor Figaro.
Mitile: Was it your magic that did all that just now?
Rutile: I feel like I just saw something extraordinary...
Figaro: ...............
Figaro: No way! I asked Faust for a bit of assistance. Without him, it would have been impossible to seal the curse and the swamp at the same time.
Faust: ..................
Faust: He’s... right......
Rutile: Ah, I see. So Mister Faust lent you a hand.
Mitile: For a moment, I actually thought Doctor Figaro was secretly a powerful wizard.
Figaro: Haha. That’s impossible.
Figaro: Good ol' Figaro is nothing more than a kindly wizard doctor. Right, Leno?
Lennox: Yes. But still, it's thanks to you that we were able to resolve all of this.
Mitile: We don't have to get rid of the clinic now, do we?
Figaro: Yep. I'll be able to keep my clinic exactly where it is, all because of you guys. Thank you.
Rutile and Mitile: Yay!
If we weren't on brooms, I could tell Mitile and Rutile would have jumped for joy after hearing that. Surely, all of us would’ve done the same.
We clapped and celebrated our success together, the sounds of our joy followed by the loud grumble of Shino's stomach.
Shino: ...Hungry.
Faust and Heathcliff: ...Pft.
Rutile: Ahaha!
Nero: Damn, we haven’t even had a proper meal yet.
Mitile: Now that you mention it, I’m really feeling hungry.
Figaro: Alright, let's do something about that. We should hurry back before we starve to death.
A cool breeze blew from the other side of the mountain, gently caressing our extremely exhausted bodies.
And so we departed from the mountain and chased the dusk.
[Location: Figaro's clinic, evening]
After we returned to Figaro’s clinic, we decided to hold a small party to celebrate the success of the mission.
We grouped the clinic’s tables together and set Nero's delicious food upon them.
Rutile and Mitile: Wow, they look delicious!
Lennox: What a feast.
Akira: Thank you so much, Nero.
Nero: Everyone here must be starving after doin’ all that without havin’ a good meal beforehand. It ain’t much, but eat to your heart’s content.
Shino: Seconds.
Nero: So fast?!
Shino: I was starving all day. I'm so hungry I'd rather have the food placed directly into my mouth than on my plate.
Faust: ...Are you a chick?
Heathcliff: Jeez, you'll get burned if you put warm food in your mouth like that.
Figaro: Haha. Young children sure have powerful stomachs.
The Southern and Eastern wizards shared the relief of successfully accomplishing their mission, and the party was celebrated in a relaxed atmosphere.
Everyone freely enjoyed the moment, holding glasses of different sizes and shapes.
Mitile: Brother, do you remember this? Doctor Figaro kept it for us.
Rutile: Ah, I missed that!
Shino: What’s that?
TL: yumemory | Proofread: Alle
