![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Faltering Dreams, or What The Lago Foretold - Episode 3
⭠ last episode | Episode 3 | next episode ⭢
Snow: ...... And that's that. Now, dear Kenja. It seems like a new request for aid has arrived at the Magical Manor.
Akira: Oh?
White: Look over there. Someone's asking for you.
I turned to see who it was, and lo, there was Cock Robin, searching high and low all around him. Finally, he noticed me, and his expression brightened.
Cock Robin: Arthur sama, Kenja sama, you were both here! There’s a matter I would like to discuss.
According to Cock Robin, our request for aid had come from Lake Mizukagami in the Central Country. Something unnatural had been happening recently.
Snow & White: Lake Mizukagami, you say?
Arthur: Would you two happen to have heard of the place?
Snow: Umu. White and I, together, have visited that locale before.
White: That was several hundred years ago. The lake was so incredibly beautiful, it is still a vivid memory in our minds.
Snow: Pray tell, what has befallen Lake Mizukagami?
Cock Robin: The beautiful lake you speak of has, all of a sudden, turned completely black for no apparent reason at all.
Per their request, they would like the Sage's Wizards to make a trip down to investigate the strange happening.
The sudden change has put the nearby settlements on edge…
Akira: (A once-beautiful lake, now completely blackened...)
At Cock Robin's words, the image of a deep, dark lake came to life in my mind. It was too deep to see the bottom of it, and its murky waters were as dark as the blackest ink.
A sense of anxiety welled up within me. The thought of it was frightening. It felt like everything could go wrong.
Akira: (Don't tell me, that ‘devouring black’ refers to… )
I recalled the results of the bone-reading from earlier, and I glanced at Arthur. He was looking at Cock Robin with a pained expression.
Arthur: The people living near the lake must be in need of our aid.
White: What a shame, for that beautiful lake to have been reduced to that state...
Very well. Let us away at once.
Cock Robin: Oh, really? Thank you very much!
Snow: Umu. It just so happens, we have a skilled group of wizards right here.
Mithra, Bradley. Come along now.
Bradley & Mithra: What?
Snow: You heard Cock Robin. We do not know what sort of danger awaits at the lake. There may be monstrous fiends or curses at the root of it all.
If we had wizards as strong as you two with us, there would be far less to worry about.
White: You too, Faust. Won't you come along with us?
Faust: ...... Fine. Having the Northern Wizards with you eases some worries, but it causes just as many more.
Mithra: I am not going. I have plans to eat meat today, so I'm fully booked for the day.
Bradley: Oh, what a rare coincidence! We’re on the exact same schedule.
Akira: (They really don’t want to come along…)
Snow: Ohoho. So be it, if you two wish to stay behind. However, if you don’t come with us, there shall be no meat for you.
Mithra: What? Can you please explain?
White: Nero is joining us for the mission too.
Nero: No way.
Nero was suddenly the focal point of the conversation, and the twins were slowly starting to close in on him from both sides.
Snow: Sweet Nero, allow us to declare that we have elected to have you join us for other reasons, not simply to spite these two of their meat.
White: We highly value your ability to swiftly adapt to situations most dire, you see.
Snow: Moreover, you are a considerate wizard who is used to communicating with humans.
White: We think that our investigation will require no small amount of interaction with the local folk. It would be of great help if a wizard such as yourself were to accompany us.
Nero: No, I... am actually not very good at that kind of thing, and like, you know...
Snow & White: You would be of great help!
Nero: .........
...... (sigh) Okay.
Snow & White: Umu!
Mithra: ...... There's no helping it then. Let's hurry up and get all this sorted out at once, Bradley.
Bradley: If you wanna go so bad, you can go alone. Don't drag me into this shit.
Mithra: But you and I are on the exact same schedule. And come rain or shine or comments from others, we'll be having meat for dinner tonight. This I have already divined.
Arthur: ...... But, Mithra, if you were to go, wouldn't you be in grave danger?
Snow sama and White sama just prophesied that you should beware of water. In case of the worst, perhaps it's for the better if you stayed back…
I remembered then how strong the flames were.
If those flames were representative of the threat that water posed to Mithra…
Akira: Arthur's right... We're going to a lake, right? That makes me worry.
Mithra: Do all of you seriously think that I would be taken down by the likes of water?
I'll face it head on. Let tumultuous water or calamitous fire or any other disaster come face me whenever it pleases. It makes no difference to me. I'll put it all to rout.
Arthur: .........
[ Arthur is smiling. ]
Mithra: ...? What is it? Why are you staring at me?
Arthur: Oh, I was just thinking how cool you are, Mithra.
Arthur's blue eyes shone brightly with genuine admiration as he gushed at Mithra.
I've heard before that Central Wizards are just like Northern Wizards in their admiration of pure strength.
I think that what unfolded before me was a display of that: Mithra spoke with absolute conviction, with words befitting someone as overwhelmingly strong as he was, and that was the reason why Arthur was inexplicably drawn to him.
Mithra: Well, but of course. I am always cool.
Arthur: Yes, you are. The way you stand fearless in front of any threat feels so reliable.
As someone who's under Oz's tutelage, I mustn't lose!
Mithra: Now that you mention it, aren’t you Oz's student? Frankly, I think you'd be better served learning from me than from that absent-minded man.
Mithra languidly scratched his head as he spoke.
Arthur's gaze remained as sincere as ever as he turned from Mithra to the twins.
Arthur: Snow sama, White sama. If you two would have me along on this investigation, I’d love to go.
Right now, it may be only the lake that's affected. We don't know if the damage will extend to the nearby settlements. I would like to solve this matter and return peace of mind to the villagers.
Chloe: Oh, but... Arthur, are you okay going?
Mithra's bone-reading did predict a devouring black, and all that. The lake's all black now, so there's a good chance that—
Arthur: Thank you for your concern. But I would like to be just like Mithra — I want to stand strong in the face of adversity and bravely face it down myself.
Besides, as I'd said earlier, I think that knowing what's in store allows us to be on alert for whatever danger awaits us. I know I won't be letting my guard down, that's for certain.
Chloe: ... Mhm. Then, I'd like to join this investigation too. May I, twins sensei?
Arthur: Chloe...
Chloe: I believe every word you said, Arthur! Knowing that it's you, Arthur, I'm certain you'll overcome anything and everything that comes your way!
That's why... I'd like to help out too. I mean, if there's any way I can even contribute to the cause...
I'm still a long way from being as accomplished as the rest of you, but if there's anything I can do, you can bet I'll give it my all...!
Snow: Umu. Arthur, Chloe, we'll be counting on you two too.
Chloe: Ehehe, you're most welcome!
Snow: Dear Kenja, will you come with us?
Akira: Certainly! I'd be happy to.
Snow: And so we have assembled our party for the mission.
I glanced at each of the wizards, who were all here directly or indirectly by virtue of Mithra conducting a bone-reading divination session.
It was indeed a rare combination of wizards.
Faust & Nero: .........
Bradley & Mithra: .........
Arthur & Chloe: Let’s do our best, everyone!
Akira: (A-Are we gonna be okay......)
Snow: Once we're all set, let's have Mithra bring us to Lake Mizukagami with his space-crossing door.
Episode 4 ⭢
Snow: ...... And that's that. Now, dear Kenja. It seems like a new request for aid has arrived at the Magical Manor.
Akira: Oh?
White: Look over there. Someone's asking for you.
I turned to see who it was, and lo, there was Cock Robin, searching high and low all around him. Finally, he noticed me, and his expression brightened.
Cock Robin: Arthur sama, Kenja sama, you were both here! There’s a matter I would like to discuss.
According to Cock Robin, our request for aid had come from Lake Mizukagami in the Central Country. Something unnatural had been happening recently.
Snow & White: Lake Mizukagami, you say?
Arthur: Would you two happen to have heard of the place?
Snow: Umu. White and I, together, have visited that locale before.
White: That was several hundred years ago. The lake was so incredibly beautiful, it is still a vivid memory in our minds.
Snow: Pray tell, what has befallen Lake Mizukagami?
Cock Robin: The beautiful lake you speak of has, all of a sudden, turned completely black for no apparent reason at all.
Per their request, they would like the Sage's Wizards to make a trip down to investigate the strange happening.
The sudden change has put the nearby settlements on edge…
Akira: (A once-beautiful lake, now completely blackened...)
At Cock Robin's words, the image of a deep, dark lake came to life in my mind. It was too deep to see the bottom of it, and its murky waters were as dark as the blackest ink.
A sense of anxiety welled up within me. The thought of it was frightening. It felt like everything could go wrong.
Akira: (Don't tell me, that ‘devouring black’ refers to… )
I recalled the results of the bone-reading from earlier, and I glanced at Arthur. He was looking at Cock Robin with a pained expression.
Arthur: The people living near the lake must be in need of our aid.
White: What a shame, for that beautiful lake to have been reduced to that state...
Very well. Let us away at once.
Cock Robin: Oh, really? Thank you very much!
Snow: Umu. It just so happens, we have a skilled group of wizards right here.
Mithra, Bradley. Come along now.
Bradley & Mithra: What?
Snow: You heard Cock Robin. We do not know what sort of danger awaits at the lake. There may be monstrous fiends or curses at the root of it all.
If we had wizards as strong as you two with us, there would be far less to worry about.
White: You too, Faust. Won't you come along with us?
Faust: ...... Fine. Having the Northern Wizards with you eases some worries, but it causes just as many more.
Mithra: I am not going. I have plans to eat meat today, so I'm fully booked for the day.
Bradley: Oh, what a rare coincidence! We’re on the exact same schedule.
Akira: (They really don’t want to come along…)
Snow: Ohoho. So be it, if you two wish to stay behind. However, if you don’t come with us, there shall be no meat for you.
Mithra: What? Can you please explain?
White: Nero is joining us for the mission too.
Nero: No way.
Nero was suddenly the focal point of the conversation, and the twins were slowly starting to close in on him from both sides.
Snow: Sweet Nero, allow us to declare that we have elected to have you join us for other reasons, not simply to spite these two of their meat.
White: We highly value your ability to swiftly adapt to situations most dire, you see.
Snow: Moreover, you are a considerate wizard who is used to communicating with humans.
White: We think that our investigation will require no small amount of interaction with the local folk. It would be of great help if a wizard such as yourself were to accompany us.
Nero: No, I... am actually not very good at that kind of thing, and like, you know...
Snow & White: You would be of great help!
Nero: .........
...... (sigh) Okay.
Snow & White: Umu!
Mithra: ...... There's no helping it then. Let's hurry up and get all this sorted out at once, Bradley.
Bradley: If you wanna go so bad, you can go alone. Don't drag me into this shit.
Mithra: But you and I are on the exact same schedule. And come rain or shine or comments from others, we'll be having meat for dinner tonight. This I have already divined.
Arthur: ...... But, Mithra, if you were to go, wouldn't you be in grave danger?
Snow sama and White sama just prophesied that you should beware of water. In case of the worst, perhaps it's for the better if you stayed back…
I remembered then how strong the flames were.
If those flames were representative of the threat that water posed to Mithra…
Akira: Arthur's right... We're going to a lake, right? That makes me worry.
Mithra: Do all of you seriously think that I would be taken down by the likes of water?
I'll face it head on. Let tumultuous water or calamitous fire or any other disaster come face me whenever it pleases. It makes no difference to me. I'll put it all to rout.
Arthur: .........
[ Arthur is smiling. ]
Mithra: ...? What is it? Why are you staring at me?
Arthur: Oh, I was just thinking how cool you are, Mithra.
Arthur's blue eyes shone brightly with genuine admiration as he gushed at Mithra.
I've heard before that Central Wizards are just like Northern Wizards in their admiration of pure strength.
I think that what unfolded before me was a display of that: Mithra spoke with absolute conviction, with words befitting someone as overwhelmingly strong as he was, and that was the reason why Arthur was inexplicably drawn to him.
Mithra: Well, but of course. I am always cool.
Arthur: Yes, you are. The way you stand fearless in front of any threat feels so reliable.
As someone who's under Oz's tutelage, I mustn't lose!
Mithra: Now that you mention it, aren’t you Oz's student? Frankly, I think you'd be better served learning from me than from that absent-minded man.
Mithra languidly scratched his head as he spoke.
Arthur's gaze remained as sincere as ever as he turned from Mithra to the twins.
Arthur: Snow sama, White sama. If you two would have me along on this investigation, I’d love to go.
Right now, it may be only the lake that's affected. We don't know if the damage will extend to the nearby settlements. I would like to solve this matter and return peace of mind to the villagers.
Chloe: Oh, but... Arthur, are you okay going?
Mithra's bone-reading did predict a devouring black, and all that. The lake's all black now, so there's a good chance that—
Arthur: Thank you for your concern. But I would like to be just like Mithra — I want to stand strong in the face of adversity and bravely face it down myself.
Besides, as I'd said earlier, I think that knowing what's in store allows us to be on alert for whatever danger awaits us. I know I won't be letting my guard down, that's for certain.
Chloe: ... Mhm. Then, I'd like to join this investigation too. May I, twins sensei?
Arthur: Chloe...
Chloe: I believe every word you said, Arthur! Knowing that it's you, Arthur, I'm certain you'll overcome anything and everything that comes your way!
That's why... I'd like to help out too. I mean, if there's any way I can even contribute to the cause...
I'm still a long way from being as accomplished as the rest of you, but if there's anything I can do, you can bet I'll give it my all...!
Snow: Umu. Arthur, Chloe, we'll be counting on you two too.
Chloe: Ehehe, you're most welcome!
Snow: Dear Kenja, will you come with us?
Akira: Certainly! I'd be happy to.
Snow: And so we have assembled our party for the mission.
I glanced at each of the wizards, who were all here directly or indirectly by virtue of Mithra conducting a bone-reading divination session.
It was indeed a rare combination of wizards.
Faust & Nero: .........
Bradley & Mithra: .........
Arthur & Chloe: Let’s do our best, everyone!
Akira: (A-Are we gonna be okay......)
Snow: Once we're all set, let's have Mithra bring us to Lake Mizukagami with his space-crossing door.
Episode 4 ⭢