(Card Story) The Price

[schoenheit]

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Card: [SSR] (Bewitching Smile) Owen
Event: N/A ( Initial / Main Story )
Characters: Akira, Heathcliff, Cain, Owen, Owen (wound), Shino

Chapter One ✧ Chapter Two ✧ Chapter Three ✧ Training Episode

Chapter One

Location: Manor Courtyard (Day)

Akira: (I’ve never walked all the way over here before…)

???: ... Meow.

Akira: Hm? What was that? I thought I heard a sound. Hmmm... There's nothing here, so I guess I just imagined it...

???: Me...ow...

Akira: Ah, I knew it! Something did make a sound! I think it was coming from over here...

Heathcliff & Shino: ......

Akira: (That's... Heath and Shino?)

(Did something happen? They look troubled...)

Heath, Shino— What's wrong?

Heathcliff: Ah... Master. Actually...

???: Meo~w.

Akira: Ah, that sound... Where's it coming from...?

Shino: Up there.

Akira: Huh? Up this tree? Ah— A kitten.

Heathcliff: It looks like it got lost and ended up in the manor...

Shino: It ran away when I tried to feed it. It's a stray, so it's especially wary of people... even though it's so thin and frail...

Akira: Oh, no, you're right. I feel so bad for it— look at how much it’s trembling. We better get it down sooner rather than later.

Heathcliff: We've been calling out to it for a while now, trying to get it to come down on its own, but it just won't budge an inch.

I guess I really should try and climb the tree—

Shino: There's no need for you to be the one to do it. Leave any climbing to me.

Akira: But you'd have to climb a pretty long ways up… It'll probably be dangerous.

Owen: Hm? What are you all playing?

Heathcliff & Shino: ...!

Akira: Owen...

Owen: Wow. So our great sage is truly so kind as to offer guidance to beasts like that?

Or are you instead, perhaps, just pretending you're going to guide it, when what you're really going to do is put an end to its life?

Heathcliff: Master. Please pay no heed to Owen's words.

Owen: Am I wrong? There's no guarantee getting him down will save him. Look— It's already so weak. If you truly "love" it, shouldn't you just put an end to its suffering now?

Shino: Believe what you want, but I'll stop you in your tracks if you even think about getting in our way.

Owen: Ahaha, how cruel. I was only speaking the truth.

Kitten: Meow~...

Owen: Kuku... Seems like it’s on its guard.

Akira: (... Huh? Why would the kitten be cautious of us—Oh! That's right!)

Owen. Did that kitten say something just now?

Owen: ... So what if it did?

Akira: That kitten is probably afraid of us, so I want you to tell it that we just want to help.

Owen: ......

Akira: Owen, I know you're more than capable of doing that, right...?

Heathcliff: Ah, that's right, Owen can talk to animals...

Shino: That's true, I'm pretty sure I've heard that before.

Akira: I'm begging you. Won't you please ask the kitten to come down from the tree?

Owen: ... Sure.

Heathcliff & Shino: !!

Owen: ... You're probably hungry, aren't you? You should come down.

Kitten: Meow~

Owen: Ahh, guess you are... Well, if you want to stay where you are, you're free to.

Kitten: ......

Akira: Ah!

Heathcliff: It came down.

Shino: Huh. He really can talk to animals.

Akira: Thank you so much, Owen!

Owen: There's no need to thank me. After all, I intend to collect my payment in full later on. Got that, O Great Sage?

Akira: Huh? Your payment...?

Owen: ... (Smiles)

Akira: (I can't imagine what he means by "payment"... I have a really, really bad feeling about this...)

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Chapter Two

Location: Outdoor Market (Day)

Owen: Ahaha. It's teeming with people here, like garbage stuffed into a can. How fun.

Akira: (He told me to come with him to the market, so I came, but... I'm guessing he's going to collect his payment starting now, huh?)

(But what exactly does he want from me here...?)

Owen: Hey, Master.

Akira: Y-Yes?

Owen: Go buy me that.

Akira: When you say "that"... Do you mean the churros they're selling at that stall?

Owen: That's right.

Akira: Understood...

Shopkeep: Hello there!

Akira: Hello. If you don't mind, may I buy one churro?

Shopkeep: Would you prefer a sugar or cinnamon churro?

Akira: (Ah, there's different types. Which kind would Owen prefer...?)

(Hmmmmm... I feel like it'd be better if Owen himself was the one to pick.)

... I'll have one of each, please.

✧✧✧

Akira: I'm sorry I kept you waiting. They had two kinds... Which would you like?

Owen: Oh? So you bought both.

Akira: I did. Please choose whichever you'd like.

Owen: Hmmm... Then, this one. Ahhhh~ (Opens mouth)

Akira: (Ah, so he prefers the sugar churro! This is an exciting new discovery.)

Owen: (Munch) It's so rough and gritty, like skin inflamed with thousands of tiny sores. I can't get enough of it.

Akira: "Inflamed skin"...

(That certainly is a... unique way of putting it, but...)

Owen: ～♪～♪

Akira: (He looks so happy... It feels like I'm feeding a wild animal at a petting zoo.)

(Still, the way he's eating it makes it look really tasty. I should eat mine.)

... (Munch) Delicious!

Owen, the cinnamon flavor tastes good, too!

Owen: ... I don't really care what tastes good to you.

Akira: (Huh? Why is he in such a bad mood all of a sudden...?)

Owen: ......

Akira: Um... I apologize. I just said it was tasty without really thinking...

Owen: Heyyy... I'm really thirsty, so go get me some tea. Something really sweet, and filled with sugar. Okay?

Akira: (Huh? He wants me to buy something for him again...?)

Owen: If you don't buy it fast I'll leave you behind.

Akira: U-Understood. I'll be back in just a second.

✧✧✧

Akira: (So far, we've just been walking around and trying out the food from different stalls... is this what he had in mind for his "payment"...?)

Maybe Owen just wanted someone to sample food with him...?

???: Master!

Akira: (Hm? This voice belongs to...)

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Chapter Three

Cain: Master! Oh, man, I'm so glad I found you!

Akira: Cain... Is something wrong?

Cain: Shino and Heath told me Owen kidnapped you! Are you all right!? Has he done anything to you!?

Akira: I wasn't exactly kidnapped... I guess it's more like I'm expressing my thanks to him for saving a kitten.

Cain: Expressing thanks? To Owen?

Owen: Is it so strange for someone to express their thanks to me?

Cain: Owen... Of course it's weird. You're always scheming something or other in secret.

Owen: Kuku. Is that what you think?

Akira: P-Please calm down, you two. We're in the middle of town—

Owen (wound): (Blushing) ... Sir Knight! (Hugs)

Akira: Huh.

Cain: Owah—!?

Owen (wound): Sir Knight! We got to meet again! You came to get me...!

Akira: Huh? This Owen is...

Cain: Don't tell me, this is Owen's wound acting up?

Owen (wound): Sir Knight, where are we? There's lots and lots of people here...

Akira: Yes, no doubt this is Owen's wound...

Cain: Why do things always turn out this way all of a sudden...

Owen (wound): Sir Knight...? What's wrong?

Cain: Ah, no... It's nothing. Owen, is this your first time at an outdoor market?

Owen (wound): Uh-huh! My first time ever!

Cain: Right, I see...

Akira: I think we'll have this sweet Owen around for awhile, so why don't the three of us take this chance to have some tea together?

Cain: Got it. Owen, do you wanna go to a store?

Owen (wound): A store... Are you coming too, Sir Knight?

Cain: 'Course I am. Our master is coming too!

Owen (wound): Then I'll come. I wanna be with Sir Knight and Master.

Cain: ... (Strained smile)

Akira: (Owen's wound manifesting was pretty surprising, but... At the very least, I'm glad Cain and Owen can get along, even if it's only when Owen's wound acts up.)

✧✧✧

Location: Manor Courtyard (Night)

Owen (wound): Sir Knight, when can I have that sweet drink again?

Cain: If you like it that much, you can ask Nero to make it for you.

Akira: (I'm so glad they've warmed up to each other completely...)

Owen (wound): Can I have it now?

Cain: You shouldn't have anymore today. If you drink too much of it, you'll get sick.

Owen (wound): ... Mm... Nnn... (Tearing up)

Cain: But, I'll go talk to Nero, so you can have it next time.

Owen: ......

Akira: (... Huh? The air around Owen's changed. Wait, don't tell me...)

Cain: What's wrong, Owen?

Owen: ...Tch.

≪Quare Morito≫

Akira: Ah...!

Cain: He disappeared? Wait, did he go back to being the original Owen right then?

Akira: I think that's very likely.

Cain: Sigh... He really switches back all of a sudden, huh.

Akira: He really does. But Owen's the one who's the most confused out of all of us, I imagine...

Cain: He's committed some pretty unforgivable crimes. Getting stuck with a punishment like that is a given.

I'm so relieved his gentle personality was out when he was with you, Master. If you'd been alone with the normal Owen, he'd probably have killed you.

Akira: You... really think so...?

Cain: Yeah. So don't forget to keep an eye out for Owen.

Akira: (But when we were walking around and sampling food together, I didn't really get the sense that his wound was influencing his behavior at all... Maybe I should keep that a secret.)

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Training Episode: Why He Lent a Helping Hand

Location: Manor Courtyard (Day)

Akira: Owen, Cain mentioned you to me earlier... He said you appeared out of the blue when he was talking to Nicolas, I believe?^[1]

Owen: Don't know. Guess I forgot if I did.

Akira: Did you get involved because Nicolas irritates you? Or, did you do it to help Cain?

Owen: I said I forgot, didn't I? Why would I ever help Cain?

Akira: You may have a point, but... Since you did take one of his eyes, I feel like you worry about Cain, in your own way.

Owen: Ahahaha. I was just messing with him.

I just took his eye as a teaching moment. I wanted to show our noble little Sir Knight who knew neither hate nor despair just what it means to feel both hate and despair. That's the whole truth.

Akira: (I knew it... Owen really is terrifying... Is Cain going to be okay...?)

Owen: And yet, when he was speaking to that man...

Sir Knight had his tail tucked between his legs, as if he'd been backed into a corner. Even though that man was just a human. I couldn't stomach it anymore, so I stepped in.

Akira: I knew it— So you do remember.

Owen: ......

Akira: Thank you so much for lending Cain a helping hand!

Owen: ... It's not like I was trying to help him or anything. Shut it. Ugh.

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Translation Notes
1. See the corresponding main story chapter. ↑

Thank you owenchanlovebot @ Twitter for the raws, and haranami_ @ Twitter for proofreading!