Wishing You All the Best on This Blooming Summer Night’s Journey Chapter 9

[xuebingcode]

Chapter 9

Mitile & Akira: Woaaah…!

Riquet: Wow, wow! There’s fireworks shooting in the water! 

Bubbles of light gushed forth from the shallows and bloomed on the water’s surface into the colours of the rainbow. 

Stirrings of movement gently swayed the water, and burst into dazzling lights. Just as Riquet said, they were like fireworks.

Arthur: It reminds me of sitting on my broom and looking down at the fireworks shooting up into the night sky…it’s stunning.

Flowers of light sprouted and scattered, leaving behind a vibrant imprint as they went.

Red, orange, yellow…numerous colours lighted up my face, and I see Mitile look up to Shylock.

Mitile: Uhm, Mister Shylock…is this the King of Water’s…

Shylock: Precisely. This is the phenomenon talked about in Faust’s class, the King of Water spreading its wings. 

I actually invited you all here to this cottage to show you this.

Mitile: Wha…!

Snow: And it was we who predicted the time of its evolution!

White: Wanting to show this sight to you, Shylock came and discussed it with us. Of course, our prediction was right on the button!

Shylock: I planned for this moment to be the finale of our vacation, which I unfortunately could not change for Figaro. 

All of a sudden, Oz turned his gaze on the centre of the lake. We all face him.

Oz: …It’s time.

Mitile: Ah! Master Sage, it’s the duckie!

Akira: The little duckling…! It really is the King of Water…

As it swam to the middle of the lake, the duckling flapped its feathers and made a splash in the water. A stiffening silence fell over us.

And in an instant, the lake began to let off an intense glow.

Riquet: Woah, bright…!

Arthur: There’s a huge light coming from where it swam to…!

From the lake’s centre spouted those glittering rainbow lights that glowed bright with every beat of a heart. 

The lake surface begins to continuously swell up with power, the same way a cicada breaks out of its shell, writhing with all the strength of its newborn life.

Today of all days, the King of Water ends its youth and becomes an adult.

Mitile: …You can do it…

You can do it…!

He held his hands tight and the lake shone with light. At the blinding brightness I close my eyes.

And when I opened them…the overflowing light was gone. As if in celebration, the lake’s surface blew up with more fireworks.

Riquet: Look! The King of Water became a huge swan…!

Faust: Yeah. It safely spread its wings and evolved. 

What lied where Riquet’s finger pointed was a single, breathtakingly beautiful swan. 

It trembled, sending droplets of water, and its lustrous wings began to glisten in seven colours. Even such a casual action looked graceful and divine.

Arthur: So dignified and majestic…an appearance that truly fits the title of King. 

Oz: Indeed. It’s been some years since I’ve seen a King of Water with this much power. 

Shylock: Maybe it has to do with its prolonged youth. Flowers that take longer to bloom give out the largest fruits, as they say. 

Mitile: …So that’s its adult form…just a few moments ago it was a tiny duckling…

He stared at the great swan sitting in the waters, and like it was a sight too bright to see, he gently lowered his eyelids.

Mitile: Me too…

I’m gonna, one day…

Akira: Ah…

The King of Water spread open its wings. Calm and composed, it flapped its wings, soaring high into the sky.

Snow: Time to leave the nest.

White: To a far, far away place. No matter where it goes, I’m certain that one will make a fine protector of the waters.

Solemnly, we all watched the King of Water as it flew when…

Mitile: Huh…?

Riquet: Oz, what is it doing? It keeps flying back and forth between the forest and the lake.

Oz: …I am not sure. Usually it should be flying off into the horizon by now. 

Arthur: It flies above the same places over and over. Is it trying to communicate with us, or is it searching for something…

Mitile: Searching for…ah!

A sudden look of realization on his face, Mitile dug his hands into his satchel.

Mitile: Could it be that it’s looking for this?

Faust: That’s the cloak it used to gather twigs and rocks…they normally discard it right before their transformation…

Shylock: Knowing their habits it would be strange to be searching for it…but this King is the strange one. 

White: Should we want to hide ourselves, I can cast some cloaking magic.

Snow: It should give up its search and leave after some time. Mitile, you have no need to let go of it. 

Riquet: …It can’t take them with it…

He stopped his words. His eyes started to waver at the King of Water.

And for some reason, Mitile’s gaze was turned more on that expression of Riquet’s than the King itself. Mitile’s hands gripped the red cloth that contained the leaf boat.

Then, he looked towards the great swan flying in the sky. 

Mitile: I want to give this to the King of Water…I want to give this back to it. 

It’s probably…something very precious to it after all. 

So precious that even though it’s grown into a strong and proper adult now, it doesn’t want to leave it behind.

Riquet: …Let me help you, Mitile.

He took out his magic lantern, and stood by Mitile’s side.

He didn’t say a thing on why he was helping Mitile. Instead, he simply held his hand. 

Those grasping hands held a meaning to Mitile that he understood and I could not, and he squeezes Riquet’s hand in return.  

Riquet: Sanretea Edif.

The lantern glowed with a light strong enough to guide your path. However, the King of Water that was flying by the forest did not notice it. 

Beside him, Arthur stepped up.

Arthur: …Pernoctant Nixzo.

Mitile: Wah, a firework…!

Arthur: When I was younger, and left for a new home…I was also comforted by the simple memories I had. 

I would run my hands over the cover of my magic tome, and search for traces of the Aurora in the night sky…

So I’m certain that the memories of its time at this lake, even as an adult, is bound to give it the strength to make its new home in unfamiliar waters.

Oz: …

At the loud burst of Arthur’s firework, the King of Water turned around, and it seemed to notice the red cloak illuminated by the lantern’s light.

With a single leap of flight, it made its way towards us, and landed nearby. Mitile held his hands out with the cloak within.

Mitile: I…picked this up. Please take it with you wherever you go.

Ortonik Sealsispilce. 

He gently recited his spell, like when he would cast a spell of blessing.

Controlled by Mitile, the red cloak of long held memories floated up, taking off on its own journey. 

Not wavering in the slightest, it made its way to where the King of Water stood and took it with its beak. 

Mitile: …! I did it…!

Shylock: Congratulations, Mitile. That was flawless magic you’ve performed.

Snow: Mm? It’s doing something weird again. Shaking its butt and flapping its wings…

Mitile: That’s the dance it does when it’s happy! Ahaha, I’m glad you’re happy!

Riquet: …Ah! The King of Water…!

Leaving us with a bow, the King of Water once again spread its wings wide and flew into the night skies. 

With a flap, many white feathers dislodged, and came fluttering down. 

Tracing a peculiar path as they gently fell, they circled right into Mitile’s hands, a parting gift from the King of Water.

He quickly picked them up, eyes widening.

Cheeks red with blush, Mitile shouted to the King of Water in the sky. 

Mitile: Thank you!

Be well…!

It circled around in response, and then disappeared off into the vast horizon where the stars twinkled bright.

The teachers who stood behind the students and watched over them warmly came up close.

Snow: You did a good thing. 

White: And received a good blessing.

Mitile: Blessing? Do you mean these feathers?

Faust: Yeah. Try pointing the end of a feather to the fireworks in the lake.

Shylock: You’ll be able to see something phenomenal.

As instructed, Mitile took a giant feather and brought it close to the water’s surface.

And as if pulled by the feather, the fireworks floated up out of the water, sticking to the end of the feather like a ball of light.

Mitile: Wow, the firework’s dangling from the feather…!

Riquet: Amazing…! It’s like you’re fishing fireworks, Mitile!

Silently sparkling, the balled up firework reminded me of sparklers back home. With long shadows dragging behind them, the twins explained.

Snow: Interesting, isn’t it. The King’s power left behind in the feathers attracts the spirits and water sprites to create this miracle. 

White: As long as you don’t shake it too hard, the firework should cling to it for a while.

Snow: Though once the spirits and water sprites have calmed down, the fireworks will disappear. So until then, play until your heart’s content. 

Arthur: A kind of play that can only happen for a limited amount of time!

Riquet: I want to try too! Mitile, can it be my turn after you?

Mitile: No need for turns when we can use them together! Here, Riquet, a feather for you. And everyone too!

He returned the firework to the water, and handed out the feathers to everyone.

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