Dance of the Shining Stars on the Shore of Memory

【Flashback】

[ext: starry sky]

Child Chloe: Rustica-san! Rustica, look! There's so many shooting stars! Over there... and, look, over there too!

Rustica: So there are.

Child Chloe: Rustica, are you giving me these shooting stars, too?

Rustica: ...

Child Chloe D-did I say something wrong...? It's just that... ever since I met you, Rustica-san, you've only ever given me such lovely things...

Rustica: They're not a gift from me, I'm afraid. But you can have as many stars as your heart desires.

Child Chloe: Really?

Rustica: Indeed. They are a gift to you from the world. What do you think of that, Chloe? Don't you think the world is lovely?

Child Chloe: It's a gift for me...?

Rustica: Indeed it is.

Child Chloe: That can't be true, Rustica. I'm not a prince, or a noble, or anything like that. I'm not even a good kid.

Rustica: You don't need to be. The world is a gift for everyone who lives in it. From the morning sun to the silence of the night, it all belongs to you. They all exist to fill your life with their beauty.

Child Chloe: ... ... I see... that makes me happy, but...

Rustica: Is something troubling you?

Child Chloe: Um... it's just... I love you more than the entire world, Rustica... because you've made me feel more at ease than the world ever has. I don't need to have the morning sun or the silence of the night. I don't need the shooting stars, either. The only things I need are the things that you've given me, Rustica.

Rustica: Is that so?

Child Chloe: Yeah! ... I love you, Rustica. You'll always stay with me, right?

Rustica: Of course.

Child Chloe: ... please, don't forget about me and leave me behind...

【Flashback Ends】

*

[int: Chloe's room, morning]

Chloe: --! ... I dreamed about...? ... ahaha... how nostalgic. That meteor shower I saw with Rustica... ... ... wait, what time is it!? I've gotta go wake up Rustica! We're supposed to go out with the sage, so it wouldn't be good to oversleep!

*

[ext: The City of Affluence, evening]

That day, we were in the City of Affluence. Rustica and Chloe had invited me along with them to see a play that was being performed there.
The play was entitled "A Love Torn Apart by Water". It was about two people who had been turned into political enemies by the circumstances of their families, but who continued to rendezvous in secret.

Akira: That was such a sad story. I was really close to crying a few times throughout it...

Rustica: Indeed. I too was very touched by the way that they strove so hard to continue their love even when it became harder and harder for them to be together.

Chloe: I know, right? In that last scene, where they were trying to cross the river that divided their families and they were just about to meet was really so--! I mean, I feel like crying just remembering it!

As Chloe spoke with great passion, Rustica smiled gently and held out a white handkerchief to him.

Rustica: My dearest Chloe, if by chance the tears do start to run down your cheeks, you can catch them with this handkerchief.

Chloe: Eheheh... thank you, Rustica!

Chloe's smile was like a blooming flower that Rustica kindly watched over and tended to. Just watching the two of them automatically brought a smile to my face as well.

Akira: (Watching Chloe and Rustica just fills me with a sense of relief like no other.)

Before they became Sage's Wizards together, the two of them had traveled together for a long time. They always had an atmosphere between them that was like sunshine in the spring.

Chloe: But anyway, you know that scene where the snow was falling softly all around them as they embraced each other? That part was really beautiful, too...

Rustica: My, my, would you look at that? Just as you say that, Chloe, it appears that it has indeed begun snowing.

Chloe: Huh? Where??

Rustica: From that brown rooftop over there.

Our gazes traced the direction that Rustica was pointing, and sure enough, there were a mote of something that looked a lot like snow coming down from the roof.

Akira: It's coming down really softly...

Chloe: Doesn't it look really big for be a snowflake?

Rustica: It does, doesn't it? Perhaps it's pollen? Though we're quite a ways away from any grasslands, it must have traveled quite a ways.

Akira: It's still pretty big even if it's pollen, though. But I guess maybe in this world there are plants that give off pollen that big? Or...?

Like it was riding on the wind, the snow-- or rather, the Little White Creature (Placeholder Name) was slowly drifting down and losing altitude and getting closer to us. The bit of fluff was a little bit smaller than a daifuku, and it was headed right for...

Chloe: Wah-- it's coming over to me! What should I do? Should I just let come what may, or--!?

Acting on instinct, Chloe held out both of his hands to catch it, and the Little White Creature suddenly dropped into his cupped hands, as though it were exhausted.

Little White Creature: Myuu....

Chloe: Huh!? It made a sound!?

Akira: That little thing was a living thing all along...!?

Rustica: It certainly has lovely eyes. It's staring right up at us.

Chloe: Ah... this little thing looks like it's really beat up... it seems really weak.

Rustica: It certainly does. But, if it's injured, then I don't think it's anything a little curative magic can't mend. You'll be alright; I'm going to heal your wounds now. 《Amorest Viesse》

Little White Creature: Myuu....

Rustica: ... alright. All of its injuries should be healed now.

Chloe: Thank goodness... thank you, Rustica.

Even so, the Little White Creature remained practically deflated, laying dejected in Chloe's hands.

Akira: It didn't... seem to get its energy back, huh?

Chloe: Yeah... its injuries have been healed, but I'm still worried about it.

Rustica: Perhaps it's hungry or dehydrated or something of the sort. We're the same way; even if we're not physically hurt, if we don't have enough food and drink, we'd hardly be in high spirits either, right?

Akira: Then maybe we should take it back to the manor for now? We can give it food and water there, and moreover, there might be another wizard at the manor who knows what this little guy is.

Chloe: Sounds like a plan! Let's hurry up and get back to the manor! ... little guy, we'll make you feel better, just hold on a little bit longer, okay?

Little White Creature: ... myuu.

*

[int: Magic Manor, night]

As soon as we got back to the manor, we headed straight for the dining hall. By chance, we happened to run into the quartet of Arthur, Cain, Heathcliff, and Mitile, who had just finished eating dinner. We told them what had happened, and together with Chloe they picked out things that the Little White Creature might want to eat.

Chloe: Master Sage, I brought some honey and nuts!

Arthur: And I brought some water. I hope it begins to feel better, even if only a little bit...

Mitile: What I really wanted to do was call Doctor Figaro, but... it seems like he's out doing something else today. But! I had some nutritional medicine that I made with him, so I brought that instead!

Cain: Well, then we can mix some of that medicine in with its food, once we figure out what it wants to eat, yeah? Back when I was with the Knights' Order, that's how we'd give medicine to the cavalry horses that had gotten hurt.

Akira: Everyone, thank you for your help!

All eyes were on the Little White Creature, who was resting now on a fluffy towel that Rustica and I had prepared for it.

Rustica: Well, shall we administer it now, then? Little Mister Light-And-Fluffy-Like-Fresh-Fallen-Snow, Chloe is going to give you some honey now, okay?

Chloe: ... alright, here you go. You don't have to be scared, okay?

The Little White Creature sniffed curiously at what was being offered to it. After a moment, a tiny little tongue poked out and it began licking the honey that Chloe had brought.

Arthur and Cain: Phew...!

Akira: It really seems to like the honey!

Chloe: Yeah! I'm glad it likes it!

Heathcliff: Well then, shall we mix a bit of Mitile's medicine in with the honey?

Mitile: Yup!

Little White Creature: Myuu...

Mitile: ... alright! Make sure to eat up!

Chloe: If it keeps on like this, I'm sure it'll be all better soon.

After it finished eating, the Little White Creature leapt right into the air with a flutter and jumped onto Chloe's shoulder. It rubbed up against his cheek as if to thank him.

Little White Creature: Myu~!

Chloe: Ahaha! That tickles!

As Chloe laughed, the creature flitted over to Cain's shoulder, and shook its body all around as if it was saying hello.

Cain: This little thing is like a dandelion fluff!

Arthur: Aah, it's really cute, isn't it?

Akira: But we still don't know what in the world this little guy actually is yet.

Heathcliff: We don't know if it's wild or if it might have been owned by somebody...

Mitile: And we don't really know what kind of creature it really is... how are we going to get this little guy back where he belongs?

Chloe: ... I've got an idea! Let's go ask Murr! He knows about a lot of stuff, so maybe he'll know what this little guy is.

Rustica: That sounds like a plan to me. Considering the time... he should probably be at Shylock's bar right about now, yes? Let us all unveil the mystery of our little silver traveler's trajectory together.