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schoenheit
Card: [SSR] (Words that Reveal his Hidden Feelings) Owen
Event: Rhapsody of the Snowy Town Where Prayers Bloom
Characters: Akira, Murr, Owen, Snow, White
Chapter One ✧ Chapter Two ✧ Chapter Three
Training Episode ✧ Bonus
Chapter One
Location: The Town of Ice (Day)
Akira: Ahh... So nice and warm...
We came to the Town of Ice to attend a special festival held here. Clad in the furs and pelts the residents lent me, I decided to stroll around the town.
Akira: (I've never really worn pelts before... I never knew they could be so warm...)
Owen: Well, if it isn't the sage. And look at what you're wearing. How nice.
Akira: Owen! You nearly gave me a heart attack... How long have you been there?
Owen: (Still smiling) Who knows? But that doesn't matter. Tell me about this.
Owen's eyes narrow ever so slightly slightly as he strokes the wolf pelt I'm wearing.
Owen: His fur is so nice to the touch... He must have been alive until just recently.
Did you know wolves live in exceptionally tight-knit communities, Master?
I don't doubt his pack holds a grudge against humans— humans are, after all, the ones who so brutally murdered one of their own. And why? Simply out of convenience. His pack must be plotting their bloody revenge right now.
Akira: I— But...
Owen: I used to be a luparius— a wolf hunter. I understand wolves better than anyone.
You want to know who the real savage beasts are? Humans. They're the ones who rip the skin from the bodies of innocent animals and turn them into coats.
Akira: Please don't say that... You're making it hard to wear this...
(Sound of rumbling)
Akira: ? What's that noise...?
A sudden rumbling of the earth fills the air. Looking behind me, I see a massive snowball barreling toward us fast— and getting faster.
Akira: Ahhhhh!?!?!
Murr: ≪Eanul Lambru≫!
(Sound of snowball shattering)
Murr: Master! You alive?
Akira: Murr! Why are you here?
Murr: I was doing a favor for Shylock! I collected a buncha ice in the forest and I packed it in a buncha snow to carry it better, but I accidentally used too much! Next thing I knew, I'd made a biiiiiiiig snowball!
Then it rolled away! I had to chase it!
Akira: I-I see... But now that you've shattered it, there's ice shards everywhere... Isn't that a problem?
Murr: Ahaha, oopsies! You think Shylock's gonna be mad at me?
... Hmmm? Master, what's wrong? You don't look all that happy.
Owen: Oh, you don't know? They're wearing the pelt of a murdered wolf. Master's scared out of their wits thinking the wolf's pack is going to hunt them down in revenge.
Isn't that right, Master?
Akira: Owen...
Murr: Oh? I mean, sure, they are real mad at you, but they're not actually gonna hunt you down, y'know?
Owen: Excuse me?
Murr: They are thinking of packing up and heading somewhere else so they don't get overhunted, though.
Akira: You understand the language of animals, too, Murr?
Murr: I don't, but when you stare at someone or something for a long time—like this: staaaaare—you learn a lot of things!
Here, I can see how the pack roves through the forest. And now they're circling the entrance to the town! I bet they’d have gobbled you up if they found you! Watch out! Roaaaaar~!
Akira: Ahaha! That tickles!
Owen: (Sighs) You're just using magic to read his memories. Boring.
...? Murr. What do you have with you?
Murr: Whaddya mean?
Owen: Is that a mana stone? Whatever it is, it's not yours. The sheer amount of magic power radiating from it is intense.
Murr: Oh, I get it! You mean this! Ta-dahhhh!
Chapter Two
Murr: Voila!
With a flourish, Murr produces something that appears to be a glass pendant connected to a necklace of sorts.
The pendant itself appears to be a small whistle, with elegant, floral engravings winding along it.
Murr: I snagged this somewhere 'round Snow and White's place. I love things that sparkle and shine!
Akira: Near their mansion, you mean? Then doesn't that mean this is something they los...
Owen: Ohhhh?
Then you should give it to me. My dear, dear teachers lost it, so I'll return it on your behalf.
Murr: Sure! But you gotta play a game with me in return!
Akira & Owen: A game?
Murr: A game. We're gonna wager this whistle. I thought of a special game back when I was packing and packing snow in the forest! Something fun!
Northern wizards are crazy about extremes, right? The more hardcore, the better! So? Whaddya say? You in?
Owen: (Smiles) ... Sure. I'll bite.
✧✧✧
Location: Forest of Ice (Day)
Murr: Aaaall righty! Here's where I was packing all that snow~
Akira: You can say that again... There's so many holes in the ground.
Murr: Yep! I dug up a ton of snow. Oh, hey, this one's perfect. Alley-oop!
Murr jumps into a hole. Then, moments later, his face pops out from the edge.
I'm gonna use magic to move this hole aaaaaall around! All Owen's gotta do is catch me— if he does, he gets the whistle!
Owen: Got it. You put so much effort into coming up with this game, so it wouldn't be fair if I didn't put everything I have into this, either.
Akira: You know, I didn't think you'd agree to play with him.
Owen: It piqued my interest, is all. More importantly, shouldn't you be hiding as far away as possible?
Location: Sky (Day, full moon)
Owen slips onto his broom and flies high into the sky.
Owen: Murr, you're the one who invited me to play, so don't complain if you die, okay?
≪Cur Memini≫
Owen's magic coalesces into dozens of giant icicles around him— and he launches them directly at Murr.
(Sound of icicles striking something; screen shakes; snow blows across screen)
Akira: Murr...!
Snow scatters across my vision and the thunderous sounds of impact deafen me. I could barely register anything. Still, Murr's voice cuts through the chaos, ringing with its usual cheer.
Murr: This is the best! No point playing a game in the North if it's not gonna be this much of a thrill!
Akira: (Are you sure you should still see this as just a game!?)
Nimble as a cat, Murr weaves through Owen's onslaught hailing down from above, as unforgiving as an avalanche.
(Loud sound; screen shakes)
The violent crashes grow more and more ferocious, until, finally, all falls silent. I can't hear Murr's voice, nor see Owen's figure.
(Snow gradually settles, clearing the screen)
Akira: O... Owen...? Murr?
???: (Faint growling)...
Akira: ...?
I turn to face the sound coming from behind me.
(Loud, vicious growling)
Before me stand countless wolves, their growls telling of a deep hunger. I hadn't heard their approach among all the chaos.
Akira: Eek!
Without thinking, I step backwards— they answer my terror with bared fangs, raising their heads to howl.
Chapter Three
Owen: ≪Quare Morito≫
Before my brain had even processed his spell, dozens of icicles pierce the ground around me, fencing me off.
Location: Sky (Day)
Looking up in surprise, I see Owen in the sky, still sitting on his broom. He gazes down at us, his cold expression tinged with annoyance.
Owen: There's no point eating them. It won't bring back your friend, or change that he was turned into a pelt.
You'd be better off finding somewhere else to live. Go, and live in peace.
Owen's voice is sharp. Even as the wolves continue growling, he simply raises an eyebrow and recrosses his legs.
≪Cur Memini≫
Then, with one finger, he sends one of the icicles flying fast— this time toward the wolf pack. It isn't long before the wolves stop growling and, very quietly, leave.
Akira: Y-You saved me...
I hadn't realized how tightly I'd been gripping the pelt to my body. Though my fingertips trembled with such cold fear, this pelt had kept my body as warm as ever.
Akira: (Humans kill wolves to survive, and wolves have to abandon their homes to escape humans...)
The way humans and animals struggle to coexist... doesn't feel all that different from the relationship between wizards and humans.
✧✧✧
Location: Town of Ice (Day)
Murr: Ahhh~! I thought I was gonna die!
Akira: I'm so glad you're safe! Owen's offensive was so intense I honestly had no idea what was happening...
Murr: Ahaha! Not to worry— I'm alive and well! In fact,it was the whistle that reflected Owen's attacks!
Akira: What do you mean?
Owen: (Smiling) Hmph. You got lucky.
Owen snorts with amusement, cheerfully toying with the whistle Murr had given him.
It must have no small amount of magic power if it could repel my magic.
Why don't we try it out now? Oh, I wonder, I wonder... What sorts of awful, terrible things do you think will happen once I blow this?
Akira: O-Owen... Maybe it's better that you don't use tha...
Owen blows the whistle as if to drown out my voice. At once, a magic circle appears upon the ground.
Owen blows the whistle once more. This time, the magic circle gradually begins to glow.
Snow & White: What might you all be doing?
Akira: Snow, White...!
White: Oh? This circle and that whistle... Owen, how-ever did you get your hands on that?
Owen: I got it from Murr. So it's mine now.
To think you'd been keeping a magical artifact this powerful all to yourselves... How unsurprising. I always knew you two were as dangerous as you are unreliable.
Snow & White: ......
Murr: What's up? What're you looking at each other for?
Snow: As it so happens, that whistle is our special-made Whistle of Disciple Summoning. Blow upon it thrice and you may or may not materialize Oz and Figaro.
White: Snow and I would use it to play all those years ago. When it reached our ears that either of them were being naughty in town, swiftly did we summon them with this whistle to administer their punishment.
Owen: Excuse me...?
Murr: Oh, wow! Even better! Owen, let me borrow that!
Owen: Wait! You stupid cat...!
Wholly ignoring Owen's attempts to stop him, Murr merrily snatches the whistle from him and blows it as hard as he can.
The sound of the whistle cuts through the blue sky for the third and final time.
Training Episode: Rumors Regarding a Certain Mischievous Cat
Location: Manor Common Room (Day)
Akira: Owen! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you.
Owen: (Neutral smile) What.
Akira: Thank you for saving me back then! I've been meaning to thank you.
Owen: You must be mistaken— I don't remember saving you.
Akira: Huh?
Owen: I just don't know what would happen if the sage dies, is all. I don't care what happens to you personally.
Akira: Oh... I'm sorry for assuming... Still, there was something I was curious about...
In the Town of Ice, you spent time with Murr, but what do you think of him normally?
Owen: Why do you want to know?
Akira: I'm just curious. I don't usually see the two of you talk, so... is it okay if you indulge me?
Owen: ... I don't want to talk to him too much. He's a lot of things— Too noisy. Too pushy. Too excited when I threaten him.
Wasn't he some kind of scholar before his soul shattered? He can't have been of sound mind or character long before he ever fell in love with the moon.
Akira: That's pretty harsh...
Owen: Well? I answered you. Now it's your turn to hear out my request.
Akira: What kind of request?
Owen: I went through an unbelievable amount of suffering thanks to what Murr did. If I'm going to let go of this resentment, then I need to get him back with a little trick.
And you're going to be my accomplice.
Akira: (I-I don't like where this is going...!)
Bonus
Voiceline (Homescreen)
Owen: If you want me to show you kindness, then bow your head and beg. Whining for someone to take pity on you, without an ounce of shame, like a dog... Only then would I ever consider spoiling you with affection. ... Fufu, too bad. Time's up.
Voiceline (Skill Activation)
Owen: Why don't you try barking for me?
Card Skills
Skill 1. A Blade Turned on the Snowscape
Skill 2. Brighter than the Flowers that Illuminate the Twilight
Thank you haranami_ @ Twitter for proofreading and dotsuitarehompo @ twitter for the raws!
