Wishing You All the Best on This Blooming Summer Night’s Journey Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

We opened the door to a bright living room where the sunlight easily poured into.

From the walls and ceiling to the window frames were vibrant colours and designs drawn, and examining all of them made my heart beat faster.

Mitile: What a cute home…! I can’t believe we’re gonna be staying here!

Arthur: The sunlight is so warm! Let’s open the window and let the breeze flow in. It’ll be more refreshing that way!

Riquet: I think we can make great progress in our studies here…achoo!

Mnn…it’s a bit dusty though. I don’t think Bradley could stay here long.

Shylock: Oh dear, I must apologize. I only remind myself to put up a new protective barrier and clean the place whenever I visit, per my friend’s request. 

Faust: And the last time you visited?

Shylock: Well the last time I came here was to drink some luminescent alcohol I had obtained…so that was about, hmm, thirty or so years ago.

Akira: Thirty years?! You wizards really are in no rush…

Snow: It appears our first order of business is to clean the rooms.

White: Today it was going to be Oz’s turn to teach, so why don’t you make your class on cleaning.

To wizards, cleanliness is essential. Just one chip of your fingernail can make for a catalyst in a nasty curse against you. 

Faust: You do have a point, but shouldn’t Oz have plans for his class already? We should be prioritizing that. 

Oz: …I have no plans. 

Faust & Mitile: Eh?

Mitile: B-But, Riquet said he invited you the day we decided the dates for the study meet…

As Mitile stood there confused, Riquet let out a sigh of disappointment. 

Riquet: Goodness me Oz, you must’ve spent those days stuck on what to teach and couldn’t decide until it was class time again, didn’t you. 

Arthur: How hard of a decision it is to him proves how much he cares for our learning. Thank you, Lord Oz. 

Akira: (These two seem used to this…it must happen a lot during the Central wizard’s classes…)

Arthur: Well then, Lord Oz. If you’re okay with it, why don’t we accept their proposal and conduct today’s class on cleaning?

You have already taught me lots on cleaning when I was a child…so I’ll be taking this as a chance to review!

Mitile: I want to learn about cleaning too! I often forget to do it, so…

Riquet: Cleaning it is then. Teach us your wisdom Oz. 

Oz: Alright.

Vox Nox.

Akira: Eh, already…woah!

With a burst of a breeze, the air in the room instantly became clearer. 

I could breathe in without the smell of dust up my nose. The flooring and the furniture texture was smooth and glinted as if it was freshly polished. 

Arthur: Fast as usual!

Riquet: Hoo, haa…I’ve stopped sneezing! Now Bradley can safely stay here too. 

Mitile: That was amazing, Lord Oz! So, will you teach us how…

Oz: You do it the way I did. Now try and do the same for the other rooms.

Mitile: Uhm?

Arthur & Riquet: Yes!

Riquet: Mitile, Prince Arthur, let’s do our best together!

Mitile: W-Wait a second, is that all for the explanation?

I know you guys are a watch and learn kind of classroom, but are there any pointers like what kind of feeling to cast this spell with or…

Oz: …It is difficult to express this feeling in words. 

All I can tell you is to do it like that.

Mitile: Like…that…?

He knit his brows like he reached the difficult question on the test. Quickly trying to brainstorm the answer, his bright eyes scanned the room.

Akira: (Figaro prefers detailed explanations, so Oz’s teaching style is very different to what he’s used to…)

With a pat on his shoulder, Arthur woke the rigid Mitile.

Sympathizing with his confusion, he gave a kind smile. 

Arthur: Lord Oz’s classes are very trial-and-error orientated. First, we try it on our own to get a feel for it, and when it doesn’t go well, we simply ask for advice. 

I know it must be unnerving being so different from Lord Figaro’s classes, but how about you try it together with me and Riquet first!

Riquet: We’re used to his style of teaching, so please don’t worry. We’ll be here for you if there’s anything you don’t understand.

Mitile: Ah…thanks, you guys. I’ll try my hardest! 

White: Don’t forget you have us teachers here. Feel free to rely on us as you please.

Snow: In place of the boring Oz, we’ll be sure to give you easy to understand advice!

Oz: …

Shylock: I entrust the cleaning to you then. And will you gentlemen help me with restoring the barrier? 

Faust: Got it. What about the lake or forest? Do we need to put up any anti-human or anti-beast barriers? 

Shylock: Yes, I was thinking of some sort of smoke-screen like barrier. We’re here on vacation after all, so it wouldn’t do to have any disturbances. 

Snow: Then in addition, let us put up a cloud in the shape of a stethoscope. That way it will be a symbol for Figaro to know where to go.

White: You can stay here and observe the students as they clean, O Sage. Be sure to keep an eye on the kids for us, Oz.

Oz: Of course I will.

Arthur: Great! Alrighty, it’s time to start cleaning, guys!

Mitile & Riquet: We’re gonna make it squeaky clean, yeaaah!

Mitile: O…Ortonik Sealsispilce!

All right! I did it…

Ahh! There’s still dust on top of the shelf…ugh, so it’s a fail…

Arthur: You didn’t fail. Look, the window’s much cleaner than it was before.

Riquet: How about we work together, Mitile. If we do it like Lords Snow and White and say our spells at the same time, it might be stronger.

Ready…Sanretea Edif. 

Mitile: Ortonik Sealsispilce!

…We did it!!

Arthur: Yeah, not a speck of dust left! Mitile, Riquet, good jobs you two!

Oz: You did well.

Mitile & Riquet: Yay…!

Thanks to the support of Arthur and Riquet, Mitile went from feeling out of place to becoming a little more used to the Central wizard’s way of learning.

Mitile: I’m sorry Riquet, you had to help me out again.

Riquet: Don’t apologize for that. I’m just happy to be taking classes with you!

To his dejected friend he gave a shake of his head and wore a cheerful smile.

Though it was supposed to be class time, that expression was so joyful that you’d think they were in the middle of playing. 

Riquet: I wish it was always like this. Won’t you become a Central wizard, Mitile?

Mitile: Uhhhm, I don’t think I can…I love the Southern wizards after all. 

Riquet: But because we’re from different countries, our classes are separated. It makes me sad to think about how the only time we get to be in the same class together is at this study meet. 

Mitile: Hmm, I think if we ask the teachers about it, they might hold a joint class session for us.

And as for the study meet, if all our schedules work out again, we can have another one!

Riquet: …Another one…

Like he heard something unthought of, the Riquet who was just smiling to the brim a minute ago slightly widened his eyes.

At that moment, a wizard on a broom stopped by the window we left open. 

It was Shylock.

Shylock: Pardon me for intruding in on your class, Lord Oz, but could we ask for your help in putting up the lake barrier?

Oz: Did something happen?

Shylock: I wanted to put up the usual barrier, but we have that special event to think about…ah, if you could lend me your ear, please. 

Oz leaned over the windowsill a bit for Shylock to move his broom close and come up to his ear. From then on I couldn’t hear what they were saying.

Akira: (Special event…?)

Oz: …Understood. I will head there now.

Shylock: Thank you for your help. Everyone, I’m sorry for the interruption. I’ll be sure to make up for it. 

Oz: You can move onto the next room.

Arthur: We got it! See you later, Lord Oz. 

Oz gave a slight nod to Arthur before he turned to Shylock like he was about to follow after him, and vanished.

In place of Oz, Arthur was the one in charge.

Arthur: The next room is…that one down the hall! Let’s go!

Mitile: Wow, this one’s big…!

Beyond the door was a room with four beds.

Akira: The other bedrooms only had one or two beds, but this big one’s for four! This really does feel like summer camp…!

Mitile: It’s like an inn! These kinds of rooms always get me super pumped.

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