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centralgoldstarCard story: To save the memory of today’s smiles
Akira: Thank you for your hard work during our mission today, Cain.
Cain: You worked very hard too. There was nothing dangerous, but the mission was taxing mentally.
Akira: That’s true.
Cain: The residents of that province were pretty unfriendly to wizards. We had no choice but to deal with that. Oh, I have an idea. If you don’t have any plan for tomorrow yet, shall we go to Seth’s Paradise to relax? Even if we can’t take a long vacation, let’s drink juice, ride sandboard, and forget our missions for a moment.
Akira: That would be nice! May I use the ‘Book of Sceneries’ for this occasion?
The ‘Book of Sceneries’ was a magical tool devised by Murr. By holding a blank page to a scene and apply magic, what one was seeing would be painted on the page. With this book, which Murr tossed to me with ‘I’m bored with it already so I’ll give it to you, I was preserving my memories with the wizards.
Akira: I’d like to save the scenery of Seth’s Paradise in this book as my memory with you. May I?
Cain: Sure. Let’s take the Book of Sceneries with us tomorrow.
Akira: I will! I can’t wait for the trip!
The next day, Cain and I asked Oz for help to take us and the Central wizards to Seth’s Paradise. Riquet and Arthur wanted to go to the ice-cream shop in town, so Cain and I parted way with them and Oz to have a walk around the lake.
Cain: Have you decided where you want to use the Book of Sceneries for yet?
Akira: Good question. Uhm…
Akira: (Looks like I’m still tired from the mission? I can’t come up with anything right away)
Cain: We still have lots of time. No need to decide in a hurry. Let’s play to our heart’s content first. You can make up your mind later. Come.
He gave me a leaf a size bigger than a fan that fell around nearby and some kind of fruit that looked like a walnut.
Akira: What an amazing leaf! How are we going to play with it?
Cain: You hold the leaf like this and pass the fruit to the other player by hitting it. It’s important to work together and keep the fruit up as long as possible in a rally.
Akira: (That sounds like badminton, I suppose?)
Cain: Among the Knights, this game is called ‘Off-duty Reward’. I used to play it when I had a day off. Want to give it a try?
Akira: Sure! That sounds fun!
Cain: Great! For this game, it’s the more the merrier, but playing in pair is nice too. Let’s go.
Brown-haired youth: Oh, you’re about to play ‘Off-duty Reward’?
As we just started our game, the young people who had been around in the nearby streets watched we play and called out.
Cain: You guys know this game too?
Black-haired youth: Most of us do. The Knights play this game whenever they come to our town. They look fun so we pick it up from them.
Brown-haired youth: When we heard that the Knights managed a rally of 300 turns, the game became very popular. Huh?
Akira: Uhm, what’s the matter? Why are you staring at Cain’s face like that?
Brown-haired youth: You with the red hair… Can it be you’re Knight Captain Cain of that great record?
Black-haired youth: That’s right. I think I’ve seen you play Off-duty Reward before.
Cain: Ah, you mean that time we kept the rally going on and on! Yeah, that’s me. I was indeed the Captain of the Knights then.
Brown-haired youth: I can’t believe it! I meet the star player of that great record! Allow me to shake your hand!
Cain: Ahaha, my pleasure.
Black-haired youth: Let me shake hands with you too! Oh, may we join you guys for a game?
Cain: Fine by me. How about you, Akira?
Akira: Sure! Since we have the chance, I’d like to try playing in a big group.
The youths: Thank you!
Resident: I just heard what you were talking about. You’re really that Cain?! Let me join you if you don’t mind!
Residence: Me too!
Akira: (So many people are coming all at once! Cain is just like a sport superstar, with how people gather around him like that)
Cain: Let’s all play then! Since we have the fortune to meet each other here, let me shake hands with all of you first.
We formed a big circle and began our game of Off-duty Reward.
Cain: Let’s start then! Here I go!
We used the big leaf to hit the fruit back and forth and had fun with our rally.
Akira: Whoa, it’s coming this way!
Akira: (It’s hard to guess where the fruit may fall because it’s too light. The ground is full of sand so it’s hard to keep my balance too!)
Akira: I got this!
Cain: Nice, Akira!
Thus we kept our rally running through many counts.
Residents: Oh, sorry! I let it fall!
Cain: Don’t worry about that! Let’s try one more time.
Cain: Ah, before we start though, please come here for a bit, Master Sage?
Cain: It looks like you had an easier time to return the fruit when it came from your right side, maybe it’s a good idea to keep some space on your right side.
Akira: Oh, I get it now!
Akira: (Oh he’s right. I can return the fruit easier than before. I wouldn’t have noticed it by myself.)
Cain: You with the brown hair, I think you hit the fruit when it comes down better if you hold your racket like this.
Brown-haired youth: Oooh. Thank you!
With Cain’s advices, the rally kept getting longer and longer. And then…
Everyone: 47, 48, 49, …50!
We matched each other’s movements and completed a splendid rally of 50 turns.
The residents: Great! This is the first time we manage a rally like this! It’s all thanks to you, Cain!
Long-haired youth: This feels great! Thank you!
Cain: Oh!
Cain was surrounded by smiles as everyone jostled him until even the tip of his hair was in disarray. He smiled awkwardly.
Cain: It wasn’t all because of me though. All of you did your best together too.
Cain watched everyone congratulating each other with a smile. Then he suddenly looked at me.
Cain: That’s right! How about we use the Book of Sceneries now?
Akira: Ah! I was having so much fun with the game that I completely forgot about that.
Cain: Hahaha, my greatest wish is granted if you enjoy yourself so much. In that case, I’d like to keep the memory of your smile after playing to your heart’s content.
Akira: (Oh… Maybe he invited me to come here to play so that I forget what happened yesterday and cheer up).
Akira: Thank you so much, Cain. May I save the current scene in the Book of Sceneries as a souvenir? I’d like to have us in the view too.
Cain: Sure, I’d be glad to!
With a hearty nod, Cain opened the Book of Sceneries. He casually cast his spell and the book floated in front of us.
Cain: Shall we stand together? With this, we can look as many times as we like and remember how much fun we have today.
Akira: Sure! I’ll leave it to you then!
Residents: What are you two doing?
Akira: Uhm, this is… Oh, I have an idea! How about everyone here join us as a memento of today?
Cain: Good idea! Guys, please look and this book. And smile!
Cain: Gladius procella!
Cain cast his spell on the Book of Sceneries. Glowing with a faint light, the book vividly drew the image of all of us.
The youths: Oooh!
Akira: Thank you, Cain! The smiles of everyone here are so beautiful!
Cain: I’m glad. With this picture, no matter how much you look at it, you’ll remember today and be full of good cheer.
Cain gently caressed the cover of the book with a soft smile.
Cain: There’re all kinds of hard work and troubles that wear us down every day. In times like that, let’s look at this picture together and have a chat about today.
My heart was filled with warmth by the kindness in his voice.
Akira: Sure! I’ll keep the Book of Sceneries carefully, so that I can look back at this memory I have with you every time I want.
He and I smiled at each other, as I nodded resolutely and hugged the book, which was like a treasure to me.
Card episode: What he read when he was with the Knights?
Akira: (Oh, Cain is reading a book by the fountain. I wonder what it’s about.)
Cain: Huh? I feel someone is looking at me. Is that you, Master Sage? This is the first time I meet you this morning.
Akira: Sorry if I bother you. You seem so engrossed in your book. What is it about? It looks pretty thick.
Cain: It’s a story about a clever young man resolving an ancient mystery related to the legend of a hidden jewel. I lent Arthur a novel that I recommended to him, so he let me borrow this book in return.
Akira: Nice! If Arthur thinks you should read this book then it must be interesting. I’ve seen you read books a couple of times. Do you have any favorite story or legend?
Cain: The first thing that comes to my mind is the legends about Roland and Seth.
Akira: So stories about a knight and a warrior! You’ve told me about them before. Their stories are very cool.
Cain: Ahaha, I know right? They are stories that every knight would love. Oh, speaking of knights, there are certain stories that the guys in the Chivalric Order often pass around to each other.
Cain: …Ah no, that’s not the kind of thing fit for telling you.
Akira: Eh? You’ve just made me even more curious. Could you at least describe for me the general vibe of those stories?
Cain: Uhm.. They are naughty. Chloe and Rutile would love them, but Mitile and Riquet shouldn’t be allowed around them yet. Things like that.
Akira: ….Oh. I think I know what you mean.
Cain: Good thing you’re so sharp. If you want to know about those stories no matter what, try asking me again when I’m drunk.
