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iridesenescenceChapter 3
Heathcliff: I-I can try.
Heathcliff stood up and walked a few steps away, then turned and beckoned to the dog.
Heathcliff: Come here.
The black dog obediently followed behind Heathcliff. Its large body swayed, and its tail swung vigorously from side to side in its good mood.
Akira: (It's so cute...)
Watching the dog made me think of a little chick that had one goal in life: to follow its mother.
Akira: Um... Would it be okay if I patted it too?
Faust: ... You want to touch it?
Akira: I'm sorry... Its fur just looks so pretty and soft, I can't resist...
Faust: Hm, well... It's not harmful, so I think even humans can touch it with no problem.
Akira: Yay! Then, just a little...
Oh wow, it's so soft and fluffy...! You should all try patting it too, it really feels like cotton!
Faust and Nero: ......
Nero: Whoa, you weren't kiddin'. It really is hella fluffy...
Faust: ... I suppose a little won't hurt...
Shino: Ugh, traitors, all of you... Can't believe you were won over so easily.
Akira: Don't you want to pat it, Shino?
Shino, who was walking ahead of us, turned around. His red eyes looked over his shoulder and took in the sight of the black dog for just a moment, before he turned away once again.
Shino: No. Not interested.
——
Even after we left the mansion, the black dog was obedient, walking close to Heathcliff's side. There was no need to worry about it running off somewhere.
Faust: This is quite the loyal dog we've found.
Nero: Yeah, 's not easy to get a dog to be this good even with its owner. This fella's pretty smart.
To an unknowing onlooker, Heathcliff would have looked like an owner on a leisurely walk with his pet. Despite knowing it wasn't a real dog, it looked so spirited as it tried to please Heathcliff that I couldn't help but smile.
Heathcliff: I think it's growing on me, it's kind of cute...
Shino: Don't let your guard down. We still don't know anything about this guy. It could attack you at any moment.
Upon being slighted by Shino, the dog began to bark at him indignantly.
Shino: What, you wanna go?
In stark contrast to its obedience with Heathcliff, the dog still seemed to deem Shino as a threat.
Shino, for his part, wasn't too impressed with the dog's attitude either. They were constantly trying to intimidate each other.
Akira: (I think Shino and the dog have developed some kind of rivalry...)
Villager: He~y, you wizard folk.
Just then, a voice called out to us from the crop fields. A villager was coming towards us, wiping sweat off his brow.
Villager: Didja find anythin' at the mansio... Whoa, what's with th' huge dog?!
The villager's eyes practically bulged in shock upon seeing the dog at Heathcliff's side.
Apparently, this villager was the one who had asked Faust and Nero to investigate the abandoned mansion.
Villager: So you're sayin' this thing was hidin' in that mansion?!
Faust: Essentially, yes. The cries you heard were most likely from this dog.
There's no need to be afraid — it won't hurt you if you leave it alone, and most importantly, it seems to obey one of us.
The villager was initially fearful, but when he saw the dog's affectionate behaviour with Heathcliff, he seemed to relax somewhat.
Villager: I guess you're right...
The villager murmured, and his eyes narrowed slightly. He looked off into the distance, as if trying to recall something.
Villager: ... Lookin' at this dog makes me think back to the past. I told ya that a wizard used to live in that mansion, right?
That wizard's son had pretty blonde hair, just like you over there. He was younger than you are, but...
He was always carryin' a plush black dog with 'im. It looked just like this one, with thick, fluffy fur an' all... I think he said the wizard made it just for him.
Hearing the villager's story, all of us looked in the same direction.
Akira: (... A plush toy of a black dog...)
Faust: Now that you mention it, we did see small shoes and clothes lying around in the mansion... So those were a child's items.
Villager: Most likely. I think I remember the wizard sayin' that child had a habit of leavin' his shoes everywhere.
He was complainin' about how there were lost shoes all over the house, but he was smilin' 'bout it too.
The villager had a smile on his face as he relayed the memory to us, but all of a sudden, his expression grew melancholic.
Villager: He was a good one, that wizard...
Just like you folk, he'd help us prepare for the ritual and lend us a hand whenever we had problems. Havin' him around was a real lifesaver.
Raisin' a kid all on his own can't have been easy, but we never heard a word of complaint outta him.
Shino: ... So where's he now?
Villager: We don't know... His son passed away after catching a disease a few years back, and he didn't stay here for much longer after that.
Said he couldn't bear to keep livin' in that house where he'd shared so many memories with his son, now that he was gone.
Akira: ......
Villager: We wanted to offer 'im our support too, but... How could we stop him from leavin' after hearin' that?
The villager spoke calmly as he told us all about vivid and fond memories before they had faded into sepia.
Akira: ... It sounds like he was a lovely wizard who was kind, friendly, and cared deeply for his son...
Villager: Yeah, he really was... He was no different from us humans.
His son was a cute and innocent kid. We would always see him runnin' 'round the village square with his plush toy on the day of the ritual.
If you tried to warn 'im to take care not to fall and hurt 'imself, he'd laugh and hold the plush high, sayin' the lil' doggy would protect him.
'Course, the wizard would be watchin' out for him too, and he'd nod with a lil' smile... The kid was still so young, it's hard to believe he's already gone.
Faust, Heathcliff and Nero: ......
The villager gazed downwards, looking mournful. The wizards went quiet as well.
A faint breeze cut through the solemn silence.
Shino: ......
The black dog continued innocently wagging its tail by Heathcliff's feet.
Shino stared straight at it, not even pausing to blink.
His sharp, silent gaze was like the moon hanging in the chilly night sky.
——
When we returned to the heart of the village, the roads that had previously been littered with debris were neat and tidy, and the crushed houses were all looking as good as new.
Akira: It was such a mess here before, but everything's back to normal now...
Nero: Yeesh... Hats off to Oz, I guess.
Heathcliff: I wonder where everyone... Oh!
Cain, Chloe and Shylock had spotted us from where they stood across the street, and were waving to us. Oz was with them as well.
Shylock: Welcome back, everyone.
Akira: I didn't think you would all be gathered together.
Cain: Oz finished with the clean-up effort, so we were getting him to help us with the clothes too.
Akira: Thank you for everything, Oz. I'm sorry we left you to handle the clean-up all by yourself...
Oz: That much was nothing.
Oz gave a curt reply before his gaze shifted to Heathcliff's side.
Oz: ... More importantly, where did that dog come from?
Heathcliff: Oh, right. So what happened was...
——
Shylock: I see, so the strange cries that the villagers heard were from him.
Cain: And for some reason, he's taken a liking to Heath, huh.
Faust: It seems to have been living in that abandoned house, but because its presence is so weak, I can't quite identify what it is.
We brought it here in hopes that you might be able to figure it out.
Akira: Do you feel anything from it, Oz...?
Chapter 2 || Chapter 4
Heathcliff: I-I can try.
Heathcliff stood up and walked a few steps away, then turned and beckoned to the dog.
Heathcliff: Come here.
The black dog obediently followed behind Heathcliff. Its large body swayed, and its tail swung vigorously from side to side in its good mood.
Akira: (It's so cute...)
Watching the dog made me think of a little chick that had one goal in life: to follow its mother.
Akira: Um... Would it be okay if I patted it too?
Faust: ... You want to touch it?
Akira: I'm sorry... Its fur just looks so pretty and soft, I can't resist...
Faust: Hm, well... It's not harmful, so I think even humans can touch it with no problem.
Akira: Yay! Then, just a little...
Oh wow, it's so soft and fluffy...! You should all try patting it too, it really feels like cotton!
Faust and Nero: ......
Nero: Whoa, you weren't kiddin'. It really is hella fluffy...
Faust: ... I suppose a little won't hurt...
Shino: Ugh, traitors, all of you... Can't believe you were won over so easily.
Akira: Don't you want to pat it, Shino?
Shino, who was walking ahead of us, turned around. His red eyes looked over his shoulder and took in the sight of the black dog for just a moment, before he turned away once again.
Shino: No. Not interested.
——
Even after we left the mansion, the black dog was obedient, walking close to Heathcliff's side. There was no need to worry about it running off somewhere.
Faust: This is quite the loyal dog we've found.
Nero: Yeah, 's not easy to get a dog to be this good even with its owner. This fella's pretty smart.
To an unknowing onlooker, Heathcliff would have looked like an owner on a leisurely walk with his pet. Despite knowing it wasn't a real dog, it looked so spirited as it tried to please Heathcliff that I couldn't help but smile.
Heathcliff: I think it's growing on me, it's kind of cute...
Shino: Don't let your guard down. We still don't know anything about this guy. It could attack you at any moment.
Upon being slighted by Shino, the dog began to bark at him indignantly.
Shino: What, you wanna go?
In stark contrast to its obedience with Heathcliff, the dog still seemed to deem Shino as a threat.
Shino, for his part, wasn't too impressed with the dog's attitude either. They were constantly trying to intimidate each other.
Akira: (I think Shino and the dog have developed some kind of rivalry...)
Villager: He~y, you wizard folk.
Just then, a voice called out to us from the crop fields. A villager was coming towards us, wiping sweat off his brow.
Villager: Didja find anythin' at the mansio... Whoa, what's with th' huge dog?!
The villager's eyes practically bulged in shock upon seeing the dog at Heathcliff's side.
Apparently, this villager was the one who had asked Faust and Nero to investigate the abandoned mansion.
Villager: So you're sayin' this thing was hidin' in that mansion?!
Faust: Essentially, yes. The cries you heard were most likely from this dog.
There's no need to be afraid — it won't hurt you if you leave it alone, and most importantly, it seems to obey one of us.
The villager was initially fearful, but when he saw the dog's affectionate behaviour with Heathcliff, he seemed to relax somewhat.
Villager: I guess you're right...
The villager murmured, and his eyes narrowed slightly. He looked off into the distance, as if trying to recall something.
Villager: ... Lookin' at this dog makes me think back to the past. I told ya that a wizard used to live in that mansion, right?
That wizard's son had pretty blonde hair, just like you over there. He was younger than you are, but...
He was always carryin' a plush black dog with 'im. It looked just like this one, with thick, fluffy fur an' all... I think he said the wizard made it just for him.
Hearing the villager's story, all of us looked in the same direction.
Akira: (... A plush toy of a black dog...)
Faust: Now that you mention it, we did see small shoes and clothes lying around in the mansion... So those were a child's items.
Villager: Most likely. I think I remember the wizard sayin' that child had a habit of leavin' his shoes everywhere.
He was complainin' about how there were lost shoes all over the house, but he was smilin' 'bout it too.
The villager had a smile on his face as he relayed the memory to us, but all of a sudden, his expression grew melancholic.
Villager: He was a good one, that wizard...
Just like you folk, he'd help us prepare for the ritual and lend us a hand whenever we had problems. Havin' him around was a real lifesaver.
Raisin' a kid all on his own can't have been easy, but we never heard a word of complaint outta him.
Shino: ... So where's he now?
Villager: We don't know... His son passed away after catching a disease a few years back, and he didn't stay here for much longer after that.
Said he couldn't bear to keep livin' in that house where he'd shared so many memories with his son, now that he was gone.
Akira: ......
Villager: We wanted to offer 'im our support too, but... How could we stop him from leavin' after hearin' that?
The villager spoke calmly as he told us all about vivid and fond memories before they had faded into sepia.
Akira: ... It sounds like he was a lovely wizard who was kind, friendly, and cared deeply for his son...
Villager: Yeah, he really was... He was no different from us humans.
His son was a cute and innocent kid. We would always see him runnin' 'round the village square with his plush toy on the day of the ritual.
If you tried to warn 'im to take care not to fall and hurt 'imself, he'd laugh and hold the plush high, sayin' the lil' doggy would protect him.
'Course, the wizard would be watchin' out for him too, and he'd nod with a lil' smile... The kid was still so young, it's hard to believe he's already gone.
Faust, Heathcliff and Nero: ......
The villager gazed downwards, looking mournful. The wizards went quiet as well.
A faint breeze cut through the solemn silence.
Shino: ......
The black dog continued innocently wagging its tail by Heathcliff's feet.
Shino stared straight at it, not even pausing to blink.
His sharp, silent gaze was like the moon hanging in the chilly night sky.
——
When we returned to the heart of the village, the roads that had previously been littered with debris were neat and tidy, and the crushed houses were all looking as good as new.
Akira: It was such a mess here before, but everything's back to normal now...
Nero: Yeesh... Hats off to Oz, I guess.
Heathcliff: I wonder where everyone... Oh!
Cain, Chloe and Shylock had spotted us from where they stood across the street, and were waving to us. Oz was with them as well.
Shylock: Welcome back, everyone.
Akira: I didn't think you would all be gathered together.
Cain: Oz finished with the clean-up effort, so we were getting him to help us with the clothes too.
Akira: Thank you for everything, Oz. I'm sorry we left you to handle the clean-up all by yourself...
Oz: That much was nothing.
Oz gave a curt reply before his gaze shifted to Heathcliff's side.
Oz: ... More importantly, where did that dog come from?
Heathcliff: Oh, right. So what happened was...
——
Shylock: I see, so the strange cries that the villagers heard were from him.
Cain: And for some reason, he's taken a liking to Heath, huh.
Faust: It seems to have been living in that abandoned house, but because its presence is so weak, I can't quite identify what it is.
We brought it here in hopes that you might be able to figure it out.
Akira: Do you feel anything from it, Oz...?
Chapter 2 || Chapter 4
