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yumemory[Location: Manor’s bar, night]
Murr: Ooh, so that’s how you’re gonna move your queen.
Bradley: Looks like you saw that one comin’. Aight, come and get it, then.
Murr: Is this a trap?
Bradley: Who knows? Come ‘n see fer yourself.
Bradley, Murr: ………….
(Footsteps)
Rutile: Gooood eveniiing!
Mithra: Could you please not drag me by the arm like this?
Akira: Good evening.
Shylock: Welcome. How unusual, for the three of you to come by together.
Akira: Rutile told me he’d treat me to a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail.
Rutile: Fufu, it’s because I have to thank you for becoming the model for my new painting!
Rutile: We met Mister Mithra on our way here, so I invited him along, too.
Mithra: ‘Met’? You stepped on my toes.
Rutile: I didn’t step on your toes, I tripped on them! Either way, it’s dangerous to sleep in the middle of the corridor, you know?
Mithra: I’ll sleep wherever I want. Please do not disturb other people’s restful slumber.
Akira: Oh, Mithra, were you able to sleep?
Mithra: Huh? There’s no way I could have.
Rutile: Now now, no need to puff out your cheeks like that. I’ll treat you too, as compensation. What would you like to drink?
Mithra: I’m not exactly thirsty. I’d like some thick meat and charcoal to fill up my empty stomach, please.
Shylock: Unfortunately, I run a bar, not a cafeteria.
Bradley: ...Tsk, it’s getting noisy.
I turned around to the source of the sigh, and found a frowning Bradley on the couch, with Murr sitting across from him.
Akira: Ah, sorry.
Rutile: Mister Bradley, are you drinking with Mister Murr?
Murr: Nope! We’re having a match.
When I looked at them, they were facing the table where a chessboard was laid open.
Akira: Is it a chess match?
Bradley: Not just any chess match.
Bradley: Whoever wins gets to take the opponent’s treasures—all of ‘em.
Mithra: Oh, so you’re betting your life.
Rutile, Akira: Huh?!
Murr: Aha, that sounds good! No matter the outcome, the number of Sage’s wizards will decrease!
Akira: I-I don’t think that’s a contest you should be having!
Bradley: Hey, we’re not that fucked up in the head. It’s just some items we’re betting on.
Bradley: But it has to be our most prized possession.
Relief washed over me only for a brief moment. Giving it more consideration, I realized that betting on one’s most valuable belongings isn't really a peaceful gamble either.
Rutile: What did you bet on, then?
Murr: My moonwolf crystal! It’s got some real funny colors!
Bradley: And I bet on this.
Bradley rummaged his pocket and held up a gleaming, polished gem.
When we asked, Murr told us that his moonwolf crystal was a special gem given to him by a friend who holds auctions.
Bradley’s gem, on the other hand, could buy an entire mansion in the best district of the Central capital.
He’s a prisoner, but insisted his wisdom and courage made it possible for him to get his hands on it.
Akira: A-Are you really okay with betting on something that valuable!?
Bradley: You don’t get it. I’m bettin’ on it because it’s valuable.
Bradley: It ain’t worth havin’ a match if yer not risking somethin’ real important. That’s what makes it so exhilaratin’ in the first place.
Both Murr and Bradley wore bold smiles on their faces. To spectators, it might’ve seemed like nothing more than a nerve-wracking and risky gamble. But to these two, it was a match that they both took delight in.
Akira: (They might be more alike than they look…)
While watching their match, Rutile muttered regretfully:
Rutile: If someone gave me something, I’d like to cherish it forever, though…
Mithra: That kind of mentality won’t get you far in the North.
Bradley: Even just ownin’ somethin’ puts a target on yer back. It’s steal or be stolen from.
Shylock: Thank you for your patience.
Shylock served us our drinks and glanced at Murr.
Shylock: Murr, have you told him where you obtained that moonwolf crystal of yours?
Murr: Where I got it? Are you saying this moonwolf crystal is fake?
Bradley: What? A fake?
Murr: The real thing is super duper rare, y’know. It’s not something easy to get a hold of.
Murr: It’s an item that allows the owner to hear the voices of the moon and the stars. But this stone hasn’t allowed me the privilege even once.
Murr: But what if this moonwolf crystal I have is only being difficult? Maybe it’s just not in the mood to let us hear those voices. Maybe it’ll talk when it’s ready.
Murr: So I’m currently waiting for that moment to come. Well, that makes this moonwolf crystal a fake for now, though!
Bradley: Are ya fuckin' with me? I ain’t takin’ that.
The moment Bradley raised his voice, the sound of someone’s footsteps grew closer.
Oz: ………..
Shylock looked alternatingly at the faces of the new and current customers before letting out a sigh.
Mithra: What business do you have here, Oz?
Oz: …Certainly nothing to do with you. I only came to drink.
Mithra: We have no empty seat for the day. Please go back to your room.
Mithra: Or should I make it impossible for you to leave your room? You can’t use magic at night, after all.
Oz: …………
The atmosphere grew tense, the air seething with anger. Mithra’s voice then rose up from somewhere other than the Mithra in front of us.
Mithra's voice: NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Rutile panicked, and took out a familiar lizard doll out of his pocket.
Rutile: Sorry for the interruption. Mister Mithra’s lizard seems to have reacted.
Akira: You still have that!?
Rutile: Yes. This morning, the skin around its stomach got a little torn, so I brought it to Mister Mithra to fix it for me.
Rutile: And that’s why it’s been in my pocket all day.
That lizard was given to the Flores brothers as a protective charm, capable of warning them as soon as it detected any threats. As Rutile once said in the past, ‘it’s annoying.’
Mithra: See, my lizard reacted to you because you’ve become so bloodthirsty.
Lizard: RunRunRunRunRunRunRunRunOzOzOzOzOzOzOzOzOzO—
Bradley: Can’tcha make it shut the hell up!?
Rutile: I don’t know how... Lord Oz isn’t scary, okay? Please calm down.
Oz: Mithra, I don’t recall ever allowing you to order me around.
Mithra: Huh. My empty stomach is bothering me. Maybe I’ll kill you right here and now.
Mithra:《 Arsi…. 》
Shylock: The bar is now closed for the day. I shall see you on your next visit.
[Location: Akira’s room, evening]
With a smile on his face, Shylock kicked us all out of his bar, so I just quietly returned to my room.
Akira: (Things got a little too rowdy. Murr and Bradley also had to postpone their match for the time being…)
I sat on my bed, ready to call it a day, when I suddenly heard a knock on my window.
Akira: …? Who?
I approached the source of the knocking. The second I opened my window, Murr greeted me by leaping into my room.
Murr: Trick or treat!
Akira: !? ...M-Murr!?
Murr: Okay, trick it is!
Akira: Huh? Waah!
Before I could make sense of what was going on, he grabbed my hand, pulled me onto his broom, and took me for a flight outside.
