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Chapter 10

We ride up towards the sky on Shino's broom.

Akira: Amazing...

The view of the Blue Rose Garden from the sky is incredible. The countless shining blue flowers gives off a sense of mystery when seen from far away.

Even though night has fallen around us, the Blue Rose Garden continues its blue blow.

Akira: The blue roses look like stars, so one could almost mistake it with the night sky...

Akira: Shino, thank you for showing me this beautiful view!

Shine: That's not all.

Saying this, Shino grins.

Suddenly, Shino's broom rapidly accelerates towards the stars.

Akira: Wow...

The ground becomes more distant as I glance down, I feel a bit scared, even if I know I'm safe.

Sage: Sage, look over there.

The voice encourages me to look up.

Shino points overhead. The stars above twinkle so close to us that I feel as if I could reach out and touch them.

Shino: Why don't you try grabbing one?

Akira: A star...?

Shino: Yeah.

I think I can reach one from here.

I keep trying to glance down, but Shino keeps gazing at the starry sky. My eyes are drawn to the shining stars.

Akira: ... Alright!

The stars glimmering ahead of us and Shino's fearless smile make my fear fade away. What rises up instead is curiosity.

Akira: Ah, I'm so close to getting one.

Shino: Haha, don't fall, now.

Shino's broom continues onward towards the stars.

[Later…]

Akira: Shino, thank you for such a wonderful time!

Shino: That had to have been the best form of hospitality.

Chloe: Welcome back you two! Shino, did everything go well with the Master Sage?

Shino: Of course.

Cain: The food's ready, they want us to come to the garden.

Figaro: Now, let's see what sort of delicacies they have lined up for us.

Rutile: Speaking of delicacies, the food in the fantasy world was quite amazing, wasn't it!

Akira: I know what you mean! It may be an illusion, but it tasted so good...

Akira: However, it'd be a waste if we don't eat most of the food Ms. Rosa had prepared for us...

Shino: In the real world, we should eat every bite. And then what I don't eat, I keep as a souvenir. I'm a man who keeps to my word.

Mithra: I'll eat all the food.

Murr: Then I'll watch you eat it all! I want to pay close attention and see how you look while eating it!

Mithra: Please refrain from doing that, it's irritating.

They proceed towards the door leading to the garden, chattering pleasantly amongst themselves.

Akira: (Huh? Come to think of it, I haven't seen Shylock...)

Shylock: ...

Rosa: ...

Shylock is talking to Rosa up ahead. I can't seem to hear their conversation, but Shylock's expression looks calm.

Rosa is also smiling.

Akira: (I wonder what those two are talking about.)

Shylock makes eye contact with me. Shylock glances towards Rosa, who looks at me and smiles.

Her face looks as if she could've been laughing or crying.

Akira: (Ms. Rosa...)

But it only looks that way for a moment. Her face returns to how it appeared when she first welcomed us.

She bows her head towards me and turns away.

It was as if she decided to cut off any last lingering regrets and keep moving towards the future.

Without a step of hesitation, she returns to her guests.

Then, numerous people surround me to the point where I can no longer see her.

Shylock: Rosa seems to have really taken a liking towards you.

I hear a voice nearby and turn my attention to it.

Shylock: It seems that by accepting her selfish request, she longed to please you in her own fantasy world.

Shylock: However, by seeing the deepest wounds of her heart and accepting it, her feelings ran wild and locked you inside her fantasy world.

Akira: The deepest wounds of her heart...?

Shylock: ...Her history is a little complicated. She was born to a human couple.

Shylock: She told me her mother had blonde hair that looked as if it dripped with honey, and her father had fiery red locks.

Shylock: Rosa ended up having blue hair, as you can clearly see. She was also a wizard. She claims her parents were quite wicked towards Rosa, as she looked nothing like them.

Akira: （Come to think of it……）

When I was talking alone with Rosa, she seemed to grow scared when I talked about the monkey's appearance.

Maybe she was asking me a question about herself rather than just the monkey.

Akira: Even if she looked different, she was their own child, and more importantly, it wasn't Rosa's fault...

Shylock: Yes, you're correct. If someone like you had been there for Rosa all those years ago, she may have led a very different life.

Shylock: She was always denied by her parents, even as she grew into an adult. Additionally, she never knew how to interact with others and lived a very lonely life because of it.

Shylock levels his gaze at me. Hope glitters in his red eyes. I watch Shylock, holding my breath.

Shylock: There was one event that changed her life forever. It was the encounter with the blue monkey.

Shylock: She saw it displayed in a shop window. It was so bizarre that it remained unsold.

Shylock: She said that by interacting with the monkey figurine, an unknown feeling began to bloom inside of her.

Shylock: It was a feeling of love towards that monkey figurine. Additionally, it was also the desire to have it be seen and praised.

Shylock: The feelings grew, and she put her plans into action.

Shylock: However... Her hopes fell flat.

Shylock: I'm not even sure what was said to her...

Shylock: She was so hurt, she looked as if she might throw herself overboard.

Shylock: Therefore, I chose to approach. I asked her, why don't you come to Bar Bennett to vent your feelings?

Akira: I see... That's how you met Ms. Rosa.

I remember seeing the two meet again when we first entered the salon. From how Rosa saw it, Shylock saved her life.

Shylock: She gradually developed her social skills by conversing with guests at Bar Bennett.

Shylock: However, she had a certain habit that never changed.

Akira: Habit...?

Shylock: Whenever she asks someone a question, she quickly grows anxious, anticipating their reaction.

Akira: Ah...

[Flashback]

However, Rosa seems lost in thought, almost unsure.

She then pulled the monkey from her shoulder and held it tightly.

Staring at Rosa, I am reminded of the infantile gesture behavior she depicted earlier when Cain asked to shake her hand.

[Present Day]

Akira: Thinking back on it, no matter what you said, you would never deny Rosa of anything.

Shylock: ...At one point long ago, she said this to me.

Shylock: She said, I want to create my own place like Bar Bennett, where all different kinds of people can gather.

Shylock: But I'm not confident enough to interact with others, so I want to make a place where only people with "loved ones" like me can visit.

I gaze again at the salon around me. This is the place Rosa wished for, and her wish has come true.

Shylock: Master Sage. Just like Rosa changed when she met the monkey, we all are changing little by little by having met you.

Shylock: I adore change. I don't know how I will change in the future. However, I'm still looking forward to it.

Akira: That is a very Shylock-like thing to say.

The words came out naturally, which surprised and delighted me at the same time.

After all, it meant that I've bonded with Shylock enough to truly feel that way.

Shylock: When we return to the Magic Manor, shall we throw a party in honor of our Master Sage?

Shylock: I am sure everyone in the Manor is still thinking of ways to repay you.

Shylock: Moreover, our hospitality is not yet over.

He whispers sweetly in my ear. His sex appeal makes you feel pressured to not say anything other than "yes".

Akira: P-Please...

Shylock: Of course.

He gives a brief nod and pulls away from me as if accepting a drink order.

I take a gulp of air to quiet my thundering heart.

Akira: (Alright. When we get back to the Magic Manor, I'll be sure to express my gratitude to everyone and return their hospitality.)

I want to make my loved ones happy.

Because I know I’d want the same.

End.