Alptraum of the White Funeral Night Chapter 1

[xuebingcode]

Chapter 1

It was mid-afternoon.

I took a deep breath at the entrance to the tutorial room, a tray in my hands. 

Akira: (Alright. Just be natural…)

Mitile, Riquet. So you were here!

Nero made creampuffs for snacktime~!

On my shoulder Sakitty reacted with an exaggerated meow as if in a variety segment.

The two would usually rush to me with eyes sparkling at the mention of Nero’s creampuffs.

However…

Mitile: Ah…yes. Thank you very much.

Riquet: …We will partake in them later…

Mitile idly stirred a bubbling tin cauldron with his head lowered.

Riquet nodded listlessly with his chin resting on his palm.

Akira: (Mn…still no good…)

–It happened a few days ago.

Mitile and Riquet were assigned a mission to deal with some magic creatures. 

They were like tiny rhinos, weak enough that even a human could drive away one or two. 

The two were chosen because it seemed like a task they could handle. They were careful in their preparations and headed for the irrigation canals that the beasts were occupying…

Mitile & Riquet: …

But it ended up being a bust. 

The beasts charged at them, so Oz, who was accompanying them as Riquet’s teacher, sent the whole herd flying and ended the mission himself. 

Akira: (It sucks when you end up failing something you thought you could do…you feel way more upset with yourself than the regular mistake…)

(Mitile even declined Figaro’s offer to tag along on the mission, saying they could handle it themselves too, so he must feel really bummed…)

They still aren’t in the mood to be excited over sweets. 

Unable to find the right words to say, I place the tray of creampuffs on the table. 

That’s when Sakitty started sniffing at the air like something caught its attention. 

Akira: (Huh, something smells strange. It’s a weird mix of sour and burnt…)

My eyes moved to the cauldron Mitile was stirring. 

Akira: Hey Mitile, what’re you making? Is it a new potion?

Mitile: No, nothing magic. I’m making a pesticide for caterpillars.

The flowerbeds in the garden had tons of caterpillars munching at their roots, so before it becomes a problem I’m gonna spray some on them.

Akira: Wow! You know how to make pesticides too? 

The toxins in those chemicals are really strong, aren’t they? Like if you get the amount wrong it could be a disaster…

Mitile: It’s true that you have to be very careful with them, but handling chemicals is second nature to me.

I’ve been spraying pesticide in the yard of Dr. Figaro’s clinic too. 

He sounded a little more energetic talking about his strengths. Those clouds in his green eyes cleared up a bit. 

Akira: (Phew. He’s cheered up a little talking about what he’s good at.)

Just as I started feeling a little relieved–

Someone broke in through the window with a loud smash. 

Riquet: Woah!

Akira: O…Owen!?

Mitile: It’s, it’s a fight…!

Mitile blew out the stove's flame in a hurry, and carried his cauldron to a corner of the room.

Suddenly, from the forcibly opened window of the tutorial room, appeared a wild Oz.

He took one look at Owen who was on the floor surrounded by broken pieces of glass, and raised his staff. 

Oz: Vox No–

Chloe: Hey, wait wait!

Cain: Oz, put down your staff! I think there’s a misunderstanding! 

Snow: He’s guilty! No questions! 

White: Get him~!

Right when Chloe and Cain rushed into the room, the twins flew in from the window on their brooms. 

The tutorial room became chaotic in a matter of seconds.

Shouting came from all four corners. With a stern look in his eyes, Riquet, who stayed calm, stood up straight. 

Riquet: Silence! Can’t you see the Master Sage is disturbed?

Let’s first look at the wounded. Owen, are you alright?

Owen: …

Cain: He’s passed out. Should we heal him?

Snow: Leave him be. Northern wizards hate to be patronized. 

Riquet: Then we can forego the healing. Now, please explain what happened here. 

Normally, I would ask the first person here in this case, but he’s currently unconscious…so let’s hear what you have to say, Oz. 

Oz: …Owen stole the sweets Nero made for you two.

Mitile & Riquet: Huh?

Akira: Uhm…do you mean the creampuffs?

If so, they’re right here…

I point to the tray on the table. Oz froze in place, blinking twice.

Oz: …

…

Snow: Aw, so he’s innocent.

White: Ya done it, Ozzy.

Oz: You two said he was guilty. To punish him.

Mitile: Uhh, so what happened exactly? How does our creampuffs being stolen lead to a whole fight?

Chloe: Well when we made a ruckus about your creampuffs disappearing, Owen just happened to be passing by with a creampuff in each hand.

There was supposed to be one creampuff for each person in the manor. So when I asked why he had two, he said he stole them…

Cain: Then I asked from who, and he said, “I’ll leave that to your imagination.”. The twins shouted guilty, and then Oz…

Snow: Oh, come on. Of course we’d think of Mitile and Riquet when he says that, right? 

White: Wenny becoming the suspect is totally all his fault, right? 

Cain: Well, sure you can argue that but…I did tell you that one of the puffs he had was taken from me. 

Oz: …So apart from the victim it still stands true that he committed theft.

Akira: Er, well, I think I understand the situation now. I should’ve announced it louder when I took the tray. 

Owen suddenly opened his eyes. With a deep grimace, he slowly got up.

Chloe: You alright, Owen?

White: Your suspicions have been cleared, Owen.

Snow: You still got what you deserved, though. 

Owen: …nh, haha…it must have been very fun for you, Demon Lord, to beat the naive and innocent me to a pulp. 

Akira: It’s all because I took the tray, I’m sorry. You can have my creampuff.

Owen: Shut up. I already ate yours.

Akira: Huh!?

Cain: Hey, so the other one was the Master Sage’s?

Owen: I said cram it. Or should I squash all of you like a smushed creampuff?

His mood was not good in the slightest.

He roughly grasped at the air, summoning his trunk that growled from the inside.

When he saw the glare Oz gave him, he paused for a moment and then flapped his coat.

All while shooting back at him a glare that could kill someone. 

Chloe: Ah! He’s gone…

Snow & White: Aww.

Snow: That was his “I’ll get you back for this” face.

White: The one where he’ll hold a grudge for a bit, and later come back at you full force. 

Oz: …

…Riquet, Mitile. What were you up to?

Akira: (He changed the subject…)

Mitile: Uhm, I…I was making a pesticide to deal with caterpillars.

Riquet: I was…thinking about going to see you, Oz.

Oz: Me?

Riquet clasped his hands together. He looked up at Oz with a fierce gleam in his eyes. 

Riquet: Oz. Please grant me and Mitile a trial. One where we subdue monsters or magic creatures will do.

Mitile: …!

Riquet: I’ve been thinking about it since the day we failed our mission. What we could’ve done to succeed.

But the answer wouldn’t come to me…

So I figured it was not to be found in my head. It must be something I will learn from experience. 

Cain: You got a point there. Experience is the best teacher, as they say.

I remember when the tactics I’d thought up at the training grounds didn’t work out in real battle. 

Mitile: …So that’s why…a trial…

He muttered, a strong light beginning to shine in his eyes.

He clenched his fists together tight, and talked to himself like he was in a daze. 

Mitile: …It didn’t go well last time but, if I build up more experience and overcome a trial, even I…

Oz: No. Training will be too much on you two.

Mitile: …nh. Y-You’re right. I’m sorry…

Riquet: Goodness! Our wounds from that last mission have already healed. 

Now is the time to learn. Your consideration warms me, but you are such a worrywart, Oz!

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