Pièce of the Singing Garden of Delusions Chapter 9

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Chapter 9

Owen: Hahaha…what an eyesore. 

Surprisingly, despite having interrupted his show, Owen wasn’t that pissed at all.

The burning paper scraps and bits of small props that he threw at the audience seats changed targets to his fellow wizards, leisurely tossing the objects at them.

Shino: Yikes, a fireball. Nero, pass.

Nero: Woah! What do you mean by “pass”, dude! Don’t toss that stuff over to me!

Rustica: I’m so happy, all my friends are here. Let’s have fun at this party together. 

You’re invited too.

Wrinkly Shirt Person: M-Me?

Rustica: Yes, you sir. This musical will continue in the next tent. May the melody I play guide your path.

Shino: Hey, you too. Follow this stuffed dog, and you’ll get to see something amazing outside.

Chloe: Yeah! Hey, you over there! Won’t you join me for some card tricks?

Faust: You’ll want to head to where that tall man is waiting. He can point you to the next show.

By various means of magic, simple words, and certain objects, the wizards guided the guests to the outside.

The heckling and commotion of the crowd wouldn’t die down, but with our improv acting they did seem to calm a bit.

Akira: Everybody, over here! These flames aren’t actually real, so please don’t panic.

They’re magic flames…ouch!

Person with Bracelet: Haha, liar! You felt the heat just now, didn’tcha!

Hooded Person: Ahaha, if they keep spreading like this, the ceiling’s sure to fall!

Lennox: …Shh. Let’s quiet down now. It’ll be alright.

Hooded Person: Whuh? W-What..

Lennox: Aah, you poor, poor soul. Look at how frightened you are. 

Don’t look to the flames, but to me instead. Gaze into my eyes, and give me your hand…

Forsettao Meiuvat. 

Person with Bracelet: W-Wow…all the stiffness has gone away…

Lennox: Feeling relaxed now? That’s a good girl.

Beyond here is a secret passageway. Follow these little ones and you’ll find your way there.

Lennox’s Sheep: Baa!

Person with Bracelet: What small sheep…! Hehe, sooo cute…

Hooded Person: Wait for us…!

Akira: You handled that really well…this sort of stuff is easy for you, huh.

Lennox: Much easier than herding my sheep. And they can communicate.

Akira: (He sees crowds in disorder the same as a herd of sheep…)

Lennox: Ah…I forgot to put on my mask. Even though we’re in the middle of our play…

Better late than never.

Nero: We’ve got no more guests in the back.

Akira: Only a few more over here!

I said, as the flames reached the ceiling and swallowed the chandelier, dropping its burning body in the middle of the audience seats with a giant crash. 

Lennox: Master Sage…!

Akira: …!

Swiped into those sturdy arms of his, I managed to avoid the sparks of the crash.

Except, those flames invited a new wave of fires throughout the theatre.

Owen: La la la~

I heard a beautiful singing voice amidst this scenery that looked to be the end of the world. However, there was no one on the stage surrounded by fires. 

Instead I found its owner sat atop a signboard above the stage, casting down a gaze of authority on us like he were hell’s guardian.

Owen: “The night where wizards make the most merry  A tale of tragedy that will be our little secret”

Lennox: Over here, Master Sage…

Akira: …

Although he held onto my hand and tried leading me out, I couldn’t move from that spot.

It wasn’t just me. Iris, and the younger wizards too…

Owen: “Feast on my broken pieces”

“If I am to be eaten by someone, let me offer myself to the iris-coloured you”

He sang alone.

With no audience to jeer or cheer at him.

The only ones watching now were the billowing blazes. Their crackling noises his applause as they continue to eat up the theatre.

In his hands jittered the tin doll, whose clothes had caught the sparks of the fire.

The cloth burns away and scatters, much like the blossoms in the wind. Like its role has finally ended.

Owen took off the mask he was wearing and bowed, miming an actor before the curtains closed on their performance.

Owen: “Bring an end to this tragedy with me…”

His final lines were graceful, bewitching, heartbreaking, and dreadful as they were tender.

Despite being engulfed by flames, his beautiful smile was ice-cold.

Lennox: The flames have finally died out…

Faust: Yeah. Everyone okay?

Shino: I’m fine. We went and looked outside.

Mitile: The guests and the troupe members are all alright!

Akira: Thank goodness they’re okay…can’t say the same for this theatre though…

Having finished the evacuations, the wizards used up all their magic in preventing the theatre from crumbling down.

Faust: We somehow managed to make it out of those flames with no injuries. Great work, everybody.

Nero: Haah, you can tell me twice…those Northerners sure are three handfuls.

I feel for those twins, having to let ‘em do as they please ‘til they're satisfied.

Chloe: Iris, you’re not hurt are you?

Iris: No…

She nodded, her head in a daze, staring at the burnt state of the theatre. Coming up beside her was Rustica, with a gentle smile on his face.

Rustica: It was a wonderful stage, Owen. You’ve no injuries?

Owen: I wouldn’t get hurt from fires of that level. Anyhoo, you’re quite the vulgar bunch to be disrupting a play.

Shino: That’s because you were on a rampage. It was a tall order getting the guests out.

Owen: Hmph, ‘that so. I had fun though. I got to take in all kinds of screams.

Though he was within the flames up until the very end, Owen’s face was sootless and refreshing.

He turned to Iris, and threw a bundle of papers and the tin doll at her like it was trash to be thrown out.

Iris: This is…

Owen: The script I burned up.

If you say you don’t believe me, why don’t you check for yourself?

Timidly, Iris turned the pages of the script, and read lines here and there.

Hearing it from her mouth now, it really was that kind of play.

A pierrot who was looked down on everyone around him, in order to let a single girl run free, sang a song of revenge as he set fire to a theatre. 

The flames would eventually swallow him, and as the curtains closed on his life he would sing with a smile, and quietly wish to himself,

for that girl to find happiness in the right place. And that she would find his broken pieces in the burnt remains.

Iris: …

Her eyes traced every written word as she examined the pages, and her iris-coloured eyes began to tear up.

Finally, she had reached the final page, and read out the authour’s name that was credited in a slow and trembling voice.

Iris: The Lying Pierrot…Liebe.

Clink, clink clink, moved the tin doll who appeared to answer to her call.

Tin Doll: …s…, Iris…

I…love you. You…are very, very…dear to me…

So do you, love the me…who isn’t, a pierrot…?

Chloe & Mitile: It’s talking…?

Akira: This voice must be Liebe’s…it’s like what I heard in my dream…

Faust: I think so too. It’s not exactly the doll speaking.

It’s a part of Liebe’s spirit, residing in this doll. 

These words are probably like the songs he sang, words that he spoke to this doll who he must’ve talked to countless times.

And this doll now is repeating the words of its dear owner to us. 

The doll once again trembled with a clink, and to that beat it opened its little side door.

And what rolled out was a tiny, glowing blue, piece of rock.

Chloe: Is this…a mana stone?

Owen: His mana stone. It likely smuggled its way in when his body broke apart. 

I thought there’d be a secret stash of savings hidden in there, but it was just a crude little piece of rock, meant to be a memento of him.

The mana stone that twinkled softly remarkably resembled a teardrop, and reminded me of a tiny gem. 

Staring at the stone with a heartbroken face, Iris seemed to remember something, and muttered quietly.

Iris: “Feast on my broken pieces”...

Her words were that of the lyrics Owen sang on the final stage. 

Akira: “If I am to be eaten by someone, let me offer myself to the iris-coloured you”...

Lennox: Those were the lyrics. So he wanted his stone to be eaten by Iris.

Iris: Huh…? You can eat these?

Lennox: Some wizards do it in mourning for each other.

That’s why he wanted you, who was his dear friend, to eat him.

Iris: Mourning…

Faust: When wizards eat mana stones, they take in a portion of the power the owner of that mana stone wielded. 

If it’s a mana stone of that size…you could probably swallow it.

But to humans it’d just be an indigestible object, like any other rock you’d find on the road.

Iris: I don’t mind. If that’s what Liebe’s wish is, then.

She didn’t hesitate for a second. She cupped the stone in her hands like it was a gem. 

And after gazing upon its shine once more, she swallowed it whole.

Iris: …It’s sweet.

Like sugar candy…do all mana stones taste like this?

Owen: No, they don’t. 

He slowly opened his palm, and within it lay a mana stone as small as a shard. 

Owen: What you ate was a piece of sugar I created. The real stone’s here.

Iris: …Huh…?

Nero: Hey, don’t you dare…

A smug smile on his face, Owen stuck out his tongue for us to see the sage’s sigil, dropped the mana stone upon it, and with a lick it entered his mouth.

Akira: Owen!

Iris: …No, how could you…why…

As if to shove it into her shocked face, he deliberately made a loud gulping noise.

Owen: Aah, how pitiful. This really makes for the best tragedy.

Iris: …Ugh…!

Give it back! Give him back right now!

Nero: W-Wait…! He’s not someone you should just grab at like that!

Nero quickly pulled Iris back who jumped at Owen. It was then when we heard stomping footsteps coming towards us.

Assistant Manager: You damned clown!

What were you thinking, setting fire to the stage! Just who do you…

It was the assistant manager. His entire body trembled with rage, and he yelled aloud, about to punch someone.

When Owen turned around and gave him that intense stare however, his enraged face immediately paled. 

Assistant Manager: The Lying Pierrot…?! Have you become a ghost now?!

I try to get rid of you through an accident, and now you’re back even in death…you repulsive vermin…!

Akira & Mitile: …What…?

Chloe: Rid of him…what do you…

Lennox: Didn’t the Pierrot die from an accident? 

Assistant Manager: That’s what I call it. The chandelier that wasn’t supposed to fall just happened to land directly on his head…

Iris: …! You, did you mess with the chandelier…

Assistant Manager: It was what he deserved. He’s a murderer. I saw with my own eyes that he murdered the manager!

And he was planning something suspicious for that performance of his…

I already received the money, so why not fool the traders and the crowd by giving him an early ending!

The broken stones sold for quite a sum of money too. He was useful to the very end!

Iris: You…it was all your fault…

Her face was pallid. Lennox and Rustica supported those shoulders of hers that shook in anger.

Assistant Manager: You were an eyesore too, Iris.

I always figured that if I officially took over as the head of the theatre in place of that tyrannic wizard, you would eventually rebel against me.

That’s why I stayed quiet about the manager, and made do all these years…

It’s over now, though. There’s no money to be made in fixing this dump of a troupe and theatre. 

He spat those words, and carrying a safe box, got onto his horse carriage.

Assistant Manager: You can starve and die on the roadside for all I care. Bye bye, you washout clowns!

Akira: …He’s terrible…

Faust: How wretched can you be…

Lennox: Should we chase him?

Shino: If we go on our brooms we can surely catch up to a horse. 

The two stepped forward. Their voices were colder than normal.

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