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Smoke! Fire! Gunpowder! Stealing the Tesoro of the Feast! - Episode 10
тна last episode | Episode 10
Cain: Hey, now come on, guys. The most important thing is that you Northern Wizards really are something else! You guys have the power to bring down a giant fiend without even breaking a sweat…
I hate to admit it, but Owen, Mithra, you two were really reliable there. I’ll say it again: I’m honoured to serve alongside the likes of you as one of the Sage’s Wizards.
Mithra: …… (soft, proud laugh) I thought as much.
Then prostrate yourself before me and give offerings of your utmost respect. Make it good.
Owen: Are you for real? You’re being ridiculous. What exactly about Mithra’s reckless abandon is worthy of admiration?
Shino: Quit sulking, Owen. Cain gave you a decent review too, didn’t he? I’ll acknowledge your strength too… I guess.
Owen: …… Oh, really. I see. Seeing as all of you want to be killed so badly, how about I start with you?
Cain: Hey, I thought I told you guys to cut that out!
One wizard is worried, and another filled with admiration.
One wizard is disinterested, and another is a sceptic.
The wizards had wide and varied reactions.
In spite of it all, things were finally over. An atmosphere of relief washed over us.
Figaro: Bradley, good work out there. I’ll fix up your arm with some basic healing, but remember to drop by for proper healing when we’re back at the Magical Manor.
Bradley: No thank you. It’ll heal on its own if I just leave it be.
Figaro: You don’t have to be afraid. I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.
Bradley: I’ll kill you. You’re sickening.
Snow: With that, we’ve successfully defeated the head of the vouivre and also settled the matter of the enlarged ravine.
White: Mission complete! We’re all done here!
The ravine was left intact in spite of our mission. Well, it’ll cave in on itself sooner or later anyway.
Cain: Is it okay to just leave it like this?
Snow & White: All good, all good.
Snow: The nesting vouivre have all been eradicated anyway, so now there’s no risk of the ravine growing any larger.
White: It won’t be a threat to the nearby settlements anymore either.
Akira: … Huh?
Shino: What’s up?
Akira: I thought I saw something sparkle over in the distance…
Some part of the ravine walls had crumbled apart from the combined force of Mithra and Owen’s magic. The twinkling that caught my eye was coming from those cracks.
Bradley: …… Hm.
[ Bradley loads his gun. ]
Bradley was standing near me, and I saw the corner of his mouth curl into a smirk. He fired a single shot into the cracked wall.
[ Gunshot! ]
[ Ravine Floor - Treasure Chamber ]
The wall burst open. Numerous sparklies started tumbling from the gaping hole in a waterfall of treasure. They had been stowed away in boxes and sacks of all sizes.
Bradley picked up a bunch of treasures, and after giving them a once-over, nodded in deep conviction.
Bradley: These are all treasures that the maniac collector was said to have hoarded over the years. As I expected, here’s where he stowed ‘em all.
He wasn’t just hiding the Walpurgisnacht here, he was hiding his entire treasure trove out here!
Cain: Dang, that’s amazing… He really collected this much?
Figaro: Sure is a sight to behold. It’s basically a treasure mountain.
It seemed like that collector had amassed a ton of treasures. It really was, literally, a mountain of treasure just like you’d see in story illustrations.
As I’d expect to see, there were the usual dazzlingly bright gemstones. There were also magical tools and splendid decorative items and weapon-like trinkets and more besides. There were so many treasures that kept spilling and jostling each other for space.
Snow: White, look! Isn’t this magical tool something you’d wanted some time ago?
White: Ooh, it really is! What a delightful surprise to chance upon one of these here!
[ Mithra CG ]
Next to the twins, who were squealing in excitement, was Mithra. He held an ancient lamp in his grasp. It looked sort of dodgy to me, but it seemed to have grabbed his attention.
Mithra: Hmm. Isn’t this of pretty good quality? It might be useful for curses.
Owen: Isn’t this far more valuable than some Walpurgisnacht thing?
As expected of a maniac collector, it sounded like a lot of the stuff in his collection were fine articles and masterpieces. Even the Northern Wizards were interested.
Shino and Cain too were staring at the various treasures with great curiosity.
Cain: Hey, check out this cool sword! I wonder if Arthur will be happy to see it?
Shino: Oh, man, everything looks all flashy and impressive. Not bad at all. This’ll bring out Heath’s pretty features. And this necklace will match Lady Blanchett’s beauty.
Figaro: A necklace, huh? I think I’ll pick out some souvenirs for the good children waiting for my return.
The wizards were all gathered by the mountain of treasure, rummaging around excitedly. They fished out gemstones and magical tools and more, spreading out the loot to inspect and compare as they discussed with each other.
They seemed to be enjoying themselves, as if they were shopping at the marketplace. It reminded me of the festival-like atmosphere I experienced at Walpurgis Nacht bazaar with all the faire stands.
Bradley: ………
Unlike the others, Bradley did not join the rest in rifling through the heap of shimmering, glitzy treasure. He sat on a rock, some distance away from the rest.
He was quietly looking at his Walpurgisnacht gemstone.
Bradley: …… What’s up, Kenja. Not grabbing something for yourself? I’m sure you know how the saying goes — early bird gets the worm.
Akira: I’m good… I could ask you the same. Are you not grabbing something for yourself, Bradley?
Bradley: I’ll get my fair share later.
The Central Knight and the little Eastern Wizard ought to collect their just desserts. Them and all this loot came in handy for making Mithra and Owen forget that I picked a fight with them. All’s well ends well.
Akira: Huh?
Bradley: Even if I’d told them to just go cast some magic, there’s no way they would follow instructions just like that. So you’ve got to, you know, lightly fan the flames a bit.
I figured they’d end up using ice and fire magic back there, but I’m glad that actually went as expected. To be honest, that was an all-or-nothing gamble on my end.
Akira: No way!? W-Was that the case……?
(You really have to be cut from a different cloth to count on those two to make or break things……)
Bradley: Well, as long as it works out in the end, anything goes. And as I’d intended, I got my hands on the prize.
Bradley lifted his hand, showing off the Walpurgisnacht in his grasp to me.
Akira: Ah… Its colours……
The Walpurgisnacht in his grasp had changed completely. Before, it had floated in the air, glittering with the light of stars and fading embers. Now, it was the opposite.
What I was looking at now wasn’t beautiful or mysterious at all. It was a plain old pebble, silent and unassuming.
Bradley: This stone’s lost its invisibility magic and the ability to power up people. If I had to guess, the vouivre absorbed all the magic after it swallowed the stone.
But who cares about all of that? The Walpurgisnacht that no one could obtain is now indisputably mine.
Bradley looked at his gemstone fondly, with a sort of passion burning in his eyes. It was like he was spellbound by it. It was almost as if he was about to kiss it from sheer elation.
Akira: (Maybe this treasure hunt was……)
Perhaps it was simply the culmination of a long battle between an obsessed treasure collector who would go to great lengths to protect his treasure, and Bradley, the leader of a bandit gang.
If so, then for Bradley, all of this, the gem with its magic powers and its beautiful lustre, were nothing more than window dressing.
Even if it had become nothing more than a plain pebble that no one cared about, it was still the fruit of his labours, won after a very long battle. It was a right and proper prize, and now it was truly his.
Bradley cradled the faded Walpurgisnacht in his palm, curling his fingers around it, before he tucked it away. Then, he looked at me.
Bradley: You must think I’m an idiot for putting my life on the line for something like this.
It was true that one tiny mistake might have resulted in him losing an entire arm. Even now, I could see the injury through the torn fabric of his clothes. It looked really painful.
I thought it was foolhardy.
I thought it was reckless.
But……
Akira: I can’t live the way you do, Bradley. I’d get nervous, and I'd want to shut my eyes and look away.
But you can live like that, and that’s what makes you you. That’s why I won’t call you an idiot.
Bradley’s eyes curved along with his lips into a smile, and he deliberately moved his injured arm to poke me on the forehead.
Bradley: Well, ain’t that sweet.
As if continuing our secret rendezvous from last night, Bradley laughed and whispered those words to me.
Cain: Hey, now come on, guys. The most important thing is that you Northern Wizards really are something else! You guys have the power to bring down a giant fiend without even breaking a sweat…
I hate to admit it, but Owen, Mithra, you two were really reliable there. I’ll say it again: I’m honoured to serve alongside the likes of you as one of the Sage’s Wizards.
Mithra: …… (soft, proud laugh) I thought as much.
Then prostrate yourself before me and give offerings of your utmost respect. Make it good.
Owen: Are you for real? You’re being ridiculous. What exactly about Mithra’s reckless abandon is worthy of admiration?
Shino: Quit sulking, Owen. Cain gave you a decent review too, didn’t he? I’ll acknowledge your strength too… I guess.
Owen: …… Oh, really. I see. Seeing as all of you want to be killed so badly, how about I start with you?
Cain: Hey, I thought I told you guys to cut that out!
One wizard is worried, and another filled with admiration.
One wizard is disinterested, and another is a sceptic.
The wizards had wide and varied reactions.
In spite of it all, things were finally over. An atmosphere of relief washed over us.
Figaro: Bradley, good work out there. I’ll fix up your arm with some basic healing, but remember to drop by for proper healing when we’re back at the Magical Manor.
Bradley: No thank you. It’ll heal on its own if I just leave it be.
Figaro: You don’t have to be afraid. I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.
Bradley: I’ll kill you. You’re sickening.
Snow: With that, we’ve successfully defeated the head of the vouivre and also settled the matter of the enlarged ravine.
White: Mission complete! We’re all done here!
The ravine was left intact in spite of our mission. Well, it’ll cave in on itself sooner or later anyway.
Cain: Is it okay to just leave it like this?
Snow & White: All good, all good.
Snow: The nesting vouivre have all been eradicated anyway, so now there’s no risk of the ravine growing any larger.
White: It won’t be a threat to the nearby settlements anymore either.
Akira: … Huh?
Shino: What’s up?
Akira: I thought I saw something sparkle over in the distance…
Some part of the ravine walls had crumbled apart from the combined force of Mithra and Owen’s magic. The twinkling that caught my eye was coming from those cracks.
Bradley: …… Hm.
[ Bradley loads his gun. ]
Bradley was standing near me, and I saw the corner of his mouth curl into a smirk. He fired a single shot into the cracked wall.
[ Gunshot! ]
[ Ravine Floor - Treasure Chamber ]
The wall burst open. Numerous sparklies started tumbling from the gaping hole in a waterfall of treasure. They had been stowed away in boxes and sacks of all sizes.
Bradley picked up a bunch of treasures, and after giving them a once-over, nodded in deep conviction.
Bradley: These are all treasures that the maniac collector was said to have hoarded over the years. As I expected, here’s where he stowed ‘em all.
He wasn’t just hiding the Walpurgisnacht here, he was hiding his entire treasure trove out here!
Cain: Dang, that’s amazing… He really collected this much?
Figaro: Sure is a sight to behold. It’s basically a treasure mountain.
It seemed like that collector had amassed a ton of treasures. It really was, literally, a mountain of treasure just like you’d see in story illustrations.
As I’d expect to see, there were the usual dazzlingly bright gemstones. There were also magical tools and splendid decorative items and weapon-like trinkets and more besides. There were so many treasures that kept spilling and jostling each other for space.
Snow: White, look! Isn’t this magical tool something you’d wanted some time ago?
White: Ooh, it really is! What a delightful surprise to chance upon one of these here!
[ Mithra CG ]
Next to the twins, who were squealing in excitement, was Mithra. He held an ancient lamp in his grasp. It looked sort of dodgy to me, but it seemed to have grabbed his attention.
Mithra: Hmm. Isn’t this of pretty good quality? It might be useful for curses.
Owen: Isn’t this far more valuable than some Walpurgisnacht thing?
As expected of a maniac collector, it sounded like a lot of the stuff in his collection were fine articles and masterpieces. Even the Northern Wizards were interested.
Shino and Cain too were staring at the various treasures with great curiosity.
Cain: Hey, check out this cool sword! I wonder if Arthur will be happy to see it?
Shino: Oh, man, everything looks all flashy and impressive. Not bad at all. This’ll bring out Heath’s pretty features. And this necklace will match Lady Blanchett’s beauty.
Figaro: A necklace, huh? I think I’ll pick out some souvenirs for the good children waiting for my return.
The wizards were all gathered by the mountain of treasure, rummaging around excitedly. They fished out gemstones and magical tools and more, spreading out the loot to inspect and compare as they discussed with each other.
They seemed to be enjoying themselves, as if they were shopping at the marketplace. It reminded me of the festival-like atmosphere I experienced at Walpurgis Nacht bazaar with all the faire stands.
Bradley: ………
Unlike the others, Bradley did not join the rest in rifling through the heap of shimmering, glitzy treasure. He sat on a rock, some distance away from the rest.
He was quietly looking at his Walpurgisnacht gemstone.
Bradley: …… What’s up, Kenja. Not grabbing something for yourself? I’m sure you know how the saying goes — early bird gets the worm.
Akira: I’m good… I could ask you the same. Are you not grabbing something for yourself, Bradley?
Bradley: I’ll get my fair share later.
The Central Knight and the little Eastern Wizard ought to collect their just desserts. Them and all this loot came in handy for making Mithra and Owen forget that I picked a fight with them. All’s well ends well.
Akira: Huh?
Bradley: Even if I’d told them to just go cast some magic, there’s no way they would follow instructions just like that. So you’ve got to, you know, lightly fan the flames a bit.
I figured they’d end up using ice and fire magic back there, but I’m glad that actually went as expected. To be honest, that was an all-or-nothing gamble on my end.
Akira: No way!? W-Was that the case……?
(You really have to be cut from a different cloth to count on those two to make or break things……)
Bradley: Well, as long as it works out in the end, anything goes. And as I’d intended, I got my hands on the prize.
Bradley lifted his hand, showing off the Walpurgisnacht in his grasp to me.
Akira: Ah… Its colours……
The Walpurgisnacht in his grasp had changed completely. Before, it had floated in the air, glittering with the light of stars and fading embers. Now, it was the opposite.
What I was looking at now wasn’t beautiful or mysterious at all. It was a plain old pebble, silent and unassuming.
Bradley: This stone’s lost its invisibility magic and the ability to power up people. If I had to guess, the vouivre absorbed all the magic after it swallowed the stone.
But who cares about all of that? The Walpurgisnacht that no one could obtain is now indisputably mine.
Bradley looked at his gemstone fondly, with a sort of passion burning in his eyes. It was like he was spellbound by it. It was almost as if he was about to kiss it from sheer elation.
Akira: (Maybe this treasure hunt was……)
Perhaps it was simply the culmination of a long battle between an obsessed treasure collector who would go to great lengths to protect his treasure, and Bradley, the leader of a bandit gang.
If so, then for Bradley, all of this, the gem with its magic powers and its beautiful lustre, were nothing more than window dressing.
Even if it had become nothing more than a plain pebble that no one cared about, it was still the fruit of his labours, won after a very long battle. It was a right and proper prize, and now it was truly his.
Bradley cradled the faded Walpurgisnacht in his palm, curling his fingers around it, before he tucked it away. Then, he looked at me.
Bradley: You must think I’m an idiot for putting my life on the line for something like this.
It was true that one tiny mistake might have resulted in him losing an entire arm. Even now, I could see the injury through the torn fabric of his clothes. It looked really painful.
I thought it was foolhardy.
I thought it was reckless.
But……
Akira: I can’t live the way you do, Bradley. I’d get nervous, and I'd want to shut my eyes and look away.
But you can live like that, and that’s what makes you you. That’s why I won’t call you an idiot.
Bradley’s eyes curved along with his lips into a smile, and he deliberately moved his injured arm to poke me on the forehead.
Bradley: Well, ain’t that sweet.
As if continuing our secret rendezvous from last night, Bradley laughed and whispered those words to me.