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The Fatalità's Kiss - Episode 1
Episode 1 | next episode →
[ In the past… ]
Owen: …?
Where… am I…
(huff) … It hurts……
Last I remember, Mithra had just knocked me out of the sky… Tch, did I die?
???: … Well, well, a talking corpse? What a surprise. Pretty sure you ought to be dead dead.
But I know who you are. You — you’re Owen.
An unsettling man whose heart lies hidden away somewhere. He can come back to life again and again, just like some kind of monster.
Owen: A monster? Haha… I like the sound of that.
But you don’t have any right to call other people monsters. I know who you are, too.
You — you’re the young wizard who devoured every last person in his birth village, aren’t you?
You ate the dead and the living alike. Just like a voracious monster that eats and eats, until everything’s gobbled up into its stomach.
???: ………
[ Present day ]
[ Northern Country ]
Owen: « cur memini »
Mithra: « arsim »
It was a fine morning, and we were just starting about our day.
Mithra and Owen were already embroiled in a fierce battle in the freezing cold of the Northern skies.
Murr: Ooh! It’s like watching shooting stars collide!
Rustica: Our Mithra and Owen must be feeling energetic today. Maybe it’s because they’re in a better mood when they’re home in the wintry North.
Cain: Akira, are you doing okay? Not too cold?
Akira: I’m doing great! It’s all thanks to the spell that everyone cast to keep me warm and toasty.
And besides…
Mithra: Your attacks are weak. Don’t you have anything else left in you?
Owen: I could say the same about you. Your attacks are clumsy. I’ll kill you in the next blow.
Akira: (They’ve been dueling really really intensely… It doesn’t look like they’ll be wrapping up anytime soon.)
It all started when Mithra and Owen met each other over breakfast, and they started a quarrel over one insignificant thing or another.
They didn’t stop at just arguing with words, and soon they reached out and started trading blows. Snow and White rushed over to mediate, or they tried to at least, but those two weren’t listening at all.
[ Magical Manor - Cafeteria ]
Snow: Isn’t the manor a little too small for a battle of attrition~?
White: If you two are going to rampage about, then why not consider the nice and spacious Northern Country~?
[ Northern Country ]
And so, that’s how we all ended up here.
Akira: Cain, thank you for coming along today.
All of a sudden a door opened up next to me, and before I knew it, I’d already been tossed through…
Cain: Well, I’m just glad you weren’t dragged into this alone. We’re lucky that we have Murr and Rustica with us.
Well, I guess it’s not like these two were ‘dragged in’ exactly, they kinda just went ‘Hell, yeah!’ and waltzed through the door themselves.
Murr: We sure waltzed right through!
Rustica: With such a beautiful landscape covered in silvery snow right before us, how could we not?
Sacrificium: !
Cain: …! An attack’s coming our way. Behind me, Akira!
Akira: O-okay!
Rustica: Oho, how thrilling. … Hm, what’s this?
Rustica had been watching Mithra and Owen duke it out as if he were watching a fireworks show, but now he quietly blinked in surprise.
Rustica: I hear music coming from somewhere.
It sounds like the jingling of bells, like the sound of a light rain passing by… Like a breeze, fragile and clear.
Akira: Erm…? Music, you said?
Murr: Ring-a-ring! Ting-a-ling! What a curious sound!
Cain: … You’re right. It’s faint, but I can tell it’s coming from the east…
Rustica: It must’ve been carried to us by the wind. Such a beautiful sound, it pulls at the heartstrings…
Perhaps someone is performing somewhere off yonder way. Who’s playing the music? And what sort of instrument is it? Oh, how I wonder so.
Murr: You know, it might not even be an instrument! Maybe it’s the voice of a person, or even a beast!
We need to do some recon, stat! Let’s get to the bottom of this!
Besides, I’m getting a lil bored of watching Mithra and Owen fight, anyway.
Akira: You’re bored already!?
Cain: Well, if we stick around here, there’s a non-zero chance we’d end up swept into their fight, so I do think it’s a good idea to move somewhere else, but…
Isn’t it kinda dangerous to move around in Northern Country without a plan? We’re not exactly locals around here.
Rustica: But, look, we have Owen and Mithra as our landmark.
With how dazzling they are when they fight, we won’t have any problems finding our way back here even from a distance away. So much the better, because I’d feel quite rude if I had to track them by following their malice and bloodthirst.
Cain: When you put it that way, I guess that makes sense?
Murr: It’s decided then! Let’s go, let’s go!
Akira: Okay, let me tell those two up there that we’re leaving, and then we can set off.
Mithra: « arsim » !
Owen: … Guh!
Akira: Owen, Mithra!
Owen: What do you want! I’m busy right now.
Akira: We’re going to head over that way for a bit!
We’ll be right back, so you two, please stay where you are—!
Owen: Yeah, whatever, leave me alone.
Owen: « quare moritor » !
We flew towards the snowy plain on broomsticks, following the sound of music that faded in and out.
Earlier, it was hard for me to hear it at all, but if I focused hard enough, I could hear faint chiming.
Akira: (It sounds like a bunch of windchimes all sounding at once. What would make a sound like this…)
Murr: Look, there’s people there! Heeeeeey!
Man in Grey Scarf: (yelps)
Man in Black Fur: Flying on broomsticks… They’re wizards!
After we flew a while, we saw two lone figures in the vast, white expanse of snow.
They were wrapped snugly in thick clothing to protect against the cold. When they saw us, they turned pale with fright and practically jumped out of their skins.
Rustica: Hello there. What wonderful weather we have toda—
Man in Grey Scarf: A-are we trespassing on a wizard’s territory?! Please, accept our deepest apologies!
Man in Black Fur: Please, have mercy! We had no idea this land belonged to you. We meant no disrespect!
Rustica: Oya…
The men were pale, and their voices quivered with fear. We exchanged glances amongst ourselves.
And then we decided that, first things first, we should approach them.
Man in Grey Scarf: T-they’re making for us…
Man in Black Fur: Please, I beg of you! Spare us our lives…!
Akira: Oh, er, hiya! We’re actually just passing through.
We didn’t mean to scare you at all, so please, you’ve nothing to worry about!
Cain: What she said. But yeah, sorry for giving y’all a heart attack like that.
We’re the Sage’s Wizards. Which means we’re wizards that won’t do any harm to people like you.
Man in Black Fur: Sage’s… Wizards?
Cain: Yeah, standing right here is our Great Sage. If you guys don’t mind, you could shake her hand on it. And mine as well.
Murr: Shake mine too!
Rustica: Me three, if you please. And might I compliment you on those lovely jackets you’re wearing? They look so fluffy and wonderfully warm.
All four of us extended our hands. The two men appeared confused by the gesture.
After some hesitance, they timidly reached out and shook my hand. Then, they shook each of the wizards’ hands in turn.
Cain: Thanks. Are the two of you travellers?
Man in Grey Scarf: Not exactly… We’re from a village that’s back some ways from here.
Man in Black Fur: We’re settlers looking for a new place to relocate our village, while trying to get some foraging done too.
Murr: Now that’d explain all the stuff you have on you! The wood you’re carrying looks like it’s meant for lumber, not firewood.
Rustica: Relocating must be quite the arduous task. By the way, did either of you hear someone playing music nearby, perchance?
We’d heard beautiful notes of music, and we wanted to know where it came from, so we were following the sound…
Man in Black Fur: …!? Do you mean, you’re looking for the sound of the jingling bells?
Man in Grey Scarf: The ones that go ring-a-ring, ting-a-ling, like a light rain passing through—
Akira: Y-yes, that’s the one. It’s refreshing and clear, like a breeze…
Man in Grey Scarf: Oh, oh no…!
The man asked his question with an intense expression, and I responded with a nod. They stared at us with eyes wide as saucers, and then they spoke in barely audible voices.
There was relief in their expressions, like they were about to shed tears of joy, and some sort of excited hope.
Man in Grey Scarf: Oh, Sage’s Wizards…! Could it be that you received our letter, and came all the way out here to help us!?
Man in Black Fur: Our village has to escape from that sound. That’s why we’re searching for a safe location to move everyone…
Cain: Wait, hold up! Calm down.
By ‘letter’, you mean you filed an official request to the Magical Manor? Guys, did we have a report about any strange phenomena in this area?
Man in Grey Scarf: Er… No, we didn’t send anything, it’s just, I thought there was a slim chance that might’ve worked… Damn.
Man in Black Fur: Even so, something terrible has awakened together with that noise!
He’s back again, that Voracious Heine…!
[ Back in the open skies… ]
Mithra: « arsim »
Mithra: Huh… Where’s Kenja sama? I brought her along so I could go to sleep right after I was done killing you.
Owen: She went east. You didn’t hear all her screaming just now?
Mithra: Now that you mention it, she might’ve been saying something… Hope everything’s okay.
Owen: Why wouldn’t it be okay?
Mithra: That forest over there is that guy’s territory, right?
Who was it again? I forgot his name, but he was a pretty young guy.
Owen: Oh, yeah……
But that area’s been magically sealed off for ages now. You couldn’t go in there even if you wanted to.
Mithra: Really? But when I passed through this area recently, it looked like I could go in just fine.
Remember how I wanted to get some fresh Northern air, so I opened up a door that led here? That was just a few days ago.
Owen: Are you telling me that the seal’s been broken?
Mithra: Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. Do you think they’re going to get eaten by accident or something?
Owen: ………
Well, then… maybe they’re not okay.
next episode →
[ In the past… ]
Owen: …?
Where… am I…
(huff) … It hurts……
Last I remember, Mithra had just knocked me out of the sky… Tch, did I die?
???: … Well, well, a talking corpse? What a surprise. Pretty sure you ought to be dead dead.
But I know who you are. You — you’re Owen.
An unsettling man whose heart lies hidden away somewhere. He can come back to life again and again, just like some kind of monster.
Owen: A monster? Haha… I like the sound of that.
But you don’t have any right to call other people monsters. I know who you are, too.
You — you’re the young wizard who devoured every last person in his birth village, aren’t you?
You ate the dead and the living alike. Just like a voracious monster that eats and eats, until everything’s gobbled up into its stomach.
???: ………
[ Present day ]
[ Northern Country ]
Owen: « cur memini »
Mithra: « arsim »
It was a fine morning, and we were just starting about our day.
Mithra and Owen were already embroiled in a fierce battle in the freezing cold of the Northern skies.
Murr: Ooh! It’s like watching shooting stars collide!
Rustica: Our Mithra and Owen must be feeling energetic today. Maybe it’s because they’re in a better mood when they’re home in the wintry North.
Cain: Akira, are you doing okay? Not too cold?
Akira: I’m doing great! It’s all thanks to the spell that everyone cast to keep me warm and toasty.
And besides…
Mithra: Your attacks are weak. Don’t you have anything else left in you?
Owen: I could say the same about you. Your attacks are clumsy. I’ll kill you in the next blow.
Akira: (They’ve been dueling really really intensely… It doesn’t look like they’ll be wrapping up anytime soon.)
It all started when Mithra and Owen met each other over breakfast, and they started a quarrel over one insignificant thing or another.
They didn’t stop at just arguing with words, and soon they reached out and started trading blows. Snow and White rushed over to mediate, or they tried to at least, but those two weren’t listening at all.
[ Magical Manor - Cafeteria ]
Snow: Isn’t the manor a little too small for a battle of attrition~?
White: If you two are going to rampage about, then why not consider the nice and spacious Northern Country~?
[ Northern Country ]
And so, that’s how we all ended up here.
Akira: Cain, thank you for coming along today.
All of a sudden a door opened up next to me, and before I knew it, I’d already been tossed through…
Cain: Well, I’m just glad you weren’t dragged into this alone. We’re lucky that we have Murr and Rustica with us.
Well, I guess it’s not like these two were ‘dragged in’ exactly, they kinda just went ‘Hell, yeah!’ and waltzed through the door themselves.
Murr: We sure waltzed right through!
Rustica: With such a beautiful landscape covered in silvery snow right before us, how could we not?
Sacrificium: !
Cain: …! An attack’s coming our way. Behind me, Akira!
Akira: O-okay!
Rustica: Oho, how thrilling. … Hm, what’s this?
Rustica had been watching Mithra and Owen duke it out as if he were watching a fireworks show, but now he quietly blinked in surprise.
Rustica: I hear music coming from somewhere.
It sounds like the jingling of bells, like the sound of a light rain passing by… Like a breeze, fragile and clear.
Akira: Erm…? Music, you said?
Murr: Ring-a-ring! Ting-a-ling! What a curious sound!
Cain: … You’re right. It’s faint, but I can tell it’s coming from the east…
Rustica: It must’ve been carried to us by the wind. Such a beautiful sound, it pulls at the heartstrings…
Perhaps someone is performing somewhere off yonder way. Who’s playing the music? And what sort of instrument is it? Oh, how I wonder so.
Murr: You know, it might not even be an instrument! Maybe it’s the voice of a person, or even a beast!
We need to do some recon, stat! Let’s get to the bottom of this!
Besides, I’m getting a lil bored of watching Mithra and Owen fight, anyway.
Akira: You’re bored already!?
Cain: Well, if we stick around here, there’s a non-zero chance we’d end up swept into their fight, so I do think it’s a good idea to move somewhere else, but…
Isn’t it kinda dangerous to move around in Northern Country without a plan? We’re not exactly locals around here.
Rustica: But, look, we have Owen and Mithra as our landmark.
With how dazzling they are when they fight, we won’t have any problems finding our way back here even from a distance away. So much the better, because I’d feel quite rude if I had to track them by following their malice and bloodthirst.
Cain: When you put it that way, I guess that makes sense?
Murr: It’s decided then! Let’s go, let’s go!
Akira: Okay, let me tell those two up there that we’re leaving, and then we can set off.
Mithra: « arsim » !
Owen: … Guh!
Akira: Owen, Mithra!
Owen: What do you want! I’m busy right now.
Akira: We’re going to head over that way for a bit!
We’ll be right back, so you two, please stay where you are—!
Owen: Yeah, whatever, leave me alone.
Owen: « quare moritor » !
We flew towards the snowy plain on broomsticks, following the sound of music that faded in and out.
Earlier, it was hard for me to hear it at all, but if I focused hard enough, I could hear faint chiming.
Akira: (It sounds like a bunch of windchimes all sounding at once. What would make a sound like this…)
Murr: Look, there’s people there! Heeeeeey!
Man in Grey Scarf: (yelps)
Man in Black Fur: Flying on broomsticks… They’re wizards!
After we flew a while, we saw two lone figures in the vast, white expanse of snow.
They were wrapped snugly in thick clothing to protect against the cold. When they saw us, they turned pale with fright and practically jumped out of their skins.
Rustica: Hello there. What wonderful weather we have toda—
Man in Grey Scarf: A-are we trespassing on a wizard’s territory?! Please, accept our deepest apologies!
Man in Black Fur: Please, have mercy! We had no idea this land belonged to you. We meant no disrespect!
Rustica: Oya…
The men were pale, and their voices quivered with fear. We exchanged glances amongst ourselves.
And then we decided that, first things first, we should approach them.
Man in Grey Scarf: T-they’re making for us…
Man in Black Fur: Please, I beg of you! Spare us our lives…!
Akira: Oh, er, hiya! We’re actually just passing through.
We didn’t mean to scare you at all, so please, you’ve nothing to worry about!
Cain: What she said. But yeah, sorry for giving y’all a heart attack like that.
We’re the Sage’s Wizards. Which means we’re wizards that won’t do any harm to people like you.
Man in Black Fur: Sage’s… Wizards?
Cain: Yeah, standing right here is our Great Sage. If you guys don’t mind, you could shake her hand on it. And mine as well.
Murr: Shake mine too!
Rustica: Me three, if you please. And might I compliment you on those lovely jackets you’re wearing? They look so fluffy and wonderfully warm.
All four of us extended our hands. The two men appeared confused by the gesture.
After some hesitance, they timidly reached out and shook my hand. Then, they shook each of the wizards’ hands in turn.
Cain: Thanks. Are the two of you travellers?
Man in Grey Scarf: Not exactly… We’re from a village that’s back some ways from here.
Man in Black Fur: We’re settlers looking for a new place to relocate our village, while trying to get some foraging done too.
Murr: Now that’d explain all the stuff you have on you! The wood you’re carrying looks like it’s meant for lumber, not firewood.
Rustica: Relocating must be quite the arduous task. By the way, did either of you hear someone playing music nearby, perchance?
We’d heard beautiful notes of music, and we wanted to know where it came from, so we were following the sound…
Man in Black Fur: …!? Do you mean, you’re looking for the sound of the jingling bells?
Man in Grey Scarf: The ones that go ring-a-ring, ting-a-ling, like a light rain passing through—
Akira: Y-yes, that’s the one. It’s refreshing and clear, like a breeze…
Man in Grey Scarf: Oh, oh no…!
The man asked his question with an intense expression, and I responded with a nod. They stared at us with eyes wide as saucers, and then they spoke in barely audible voices.
There was relief in their expressions, like they were about to shed tears of joy, and some sort of excited hope.
Man in Grey Scarf: Oh, Sage’s Wizards…! Could it be that you received our letter, and came all the way out here to help us!?
Man in Black Fur: Our village has to escape from that sound. That’s why we’re searching for a safe location to move everyone…
Cain: Wait, hold up! Calm down.
By ‘letter’, you mean you filed an official request to the Magical Manor? Guys, did we have a report about any strange phenomena in this area?
Man in Grey Scarf: Er… No, we didn’t send anything, it’s just, I thought there was a slim chance that might’ve worked… Damn.
Man in Black Fur: Even so, something terrible has awakened together with that noise!
He’s back again, that Voracious Heine…!
[ Back in the open skies… ]
Mithra: « arsim »
Mithra: Huh… Where’s Kenja sama? I brought her along so I could go to sleep right after I was done killing you.
Owen: She went east. You didn’t hear all her screaming just now?
Mithra: Now that you mention it, she might’ve been saying something… Hope everything’s okay.
Owen: Why wouldn’t it be okay?
Mithra: That forest over there is that guy’s territory, right?
Who was it again? I forgot his name, but he was a pretty young guy.
Owen: Oh, yeah……
But that area’s been magically sealed off for ages now. You couldn’t go in there even if you wanted to.
Mithra: Really? But when I passed through this area recently, it looked like I could go in just fine.
Remember how I wanted to get some fresh Northern air, so I opened up a door that led here? That was just a few days ago.
Owen: Are you telling me that the seal’s been broken?
Mithra: Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. Do you think they’re going to get eaten by accident or something?
Owen: ………
Well, then… maybe they’re not okay.
next episode →