The next day, Napoli stood alone in the dark Cenere Desert, before the sun is up. |
Napoli |
"~......♪ ~......♪" |
She is drawing geometric patterns on the ground with her wand, which she did not take out when she was with us. |
Quadrilaterals. Triangles. Circles. Ellipses--. |
Napoli |
"'What are girls made of? What are girls made of?'" |
Napoli |
"'Love, friendship, dreams, and--'" |
Termini |
"You're up very early, Napolitan." |
Napoli |
"HEAAAAH!?" |
Termini |
"Ahahaha, your scream sounded just like Anzio." |
Napoli |
"A-n, ji...?" |
Termini |
"There's a girl like that, she's one of us." |
Napoli |
"Uhm, is she a magician too, sì?" |
Termini |
"Um no, she's a nun, a bow-wielding nun. If you call a person who is enchanted by the devil a witch, then sure, she's a witch - still a magician." |
Termini |
"In general, people call me and everyone in Termini's Classroom, and people like you, a magician." |
Napoli |
"........." |
Termini |
"I'm surprised though. I see you're a magician, Napolitan. You're a descendant of 'That girl' who was very skilled, it's not strange that you have a talent for magic." |
Napoli |
"N-No don't have any talent sì, because Napoli, can't do magic properly." |
Lying right behind at Napoli's feet, were several small dolls, seemed to be made of coagulated ash. One of them wore a pointy hat, another one has an eye patch, and - |
Termini |
"Are they us?" |
Napoli |
"Aye. Used magic to collect the ashes, knead them and make them into dolls." |
Napoli |
"Heheheh. Was treated to a very nice pizza yesterday, and was rescued from some scary gangsters before that -" |
Napoli |
"Everyone has been so good to Napoli, so wanted to give something back, sì." |
Termini |
"Gangsters... I think you mean the rough ones who rode those monsters?" |
Napoli |
"Aye. They're the only ones who rule the only town in this place, and they're terrifying, sì. Wise Saggia, If you want to save yourself, don't go against them sì." |
Termini |
"Saggia, you mean me? Indeed I'm called the 'Great Sage Immortal', though..." |
Napoli |
"Aye. Heard something like that before, so decided to call you that." |
Termini |
"You heard about it? Did 'That girl' leave a legend about me or something?" |
Napoli |
"Oh, no... Yesterday Napoli stayed on a.. is it called a train? A big thing." |
Napoli smiled happily, looking up at the nearby Mist Train. |
Napoli |
"Napoli, was so excited until cannot sleep, a lot happened last night... Everyone was so concerned about Napoli that they said, 'Let's chat until you fall asleep'." |
Napoli |
"They said that and talked about many things, sì. About the Train, about the SS, about Termini's Classroom--" |
Termini |
"Ahaha. I wonder if they also talked about their love lives, like on a school trip night?" |
Napoli |
"Eheheh. Don't know what a school trip is, but it was a lot of fun. Napoli's, never been happier since being alive sì." |
Napoli |
"That's why, wanted to give in return." |
Termini |
"So you made dolls to look like everyone else. Mhm, they are moderately ugly, you wouldn't buy them unless you were excited about your trip." |
Termini smiled warmly, holding up one of the dolls lying in the Cenere Desert. |
Napoli |
"Ugh. Napoli, is so clumsy and... really wanted to make it prettier, though." |
Termini |
"Hmmm. It's not so bad for someone who didn't knead by hand and only used magic to make. Besides, you seem to have taught yourself how to use magic without learning from anyone." |
Termini |
"If you can do all this naturally, it's a great talent. More and more, I'm tempted to make you my student in Termini's Classroom." |
Termini |
"I want to develop your talent. You will eventually be an irreplaceable treasure for the world, for humanity." |
Termini somewhat sadly stroked Napoli's head, while holding the doll with one hand as if it were precious. The always supernaturally calm 'Professor Termini' is unusually revealing her true emotions. |
Termini |
"...Even if I may not be qualified to act as your teacher, who couldn't understand the heart of 'That child' and was hated by her." |
Napoli |
"Wise Saggia--" |
Napoli |
"Wise Saggia said that, but, maybe..." |
Termini |
"......!?" |
Suddenly, Termini backed away sharply, interrupting what Napoli said. The wind pressure from her violent movement caused ashes to fly. |
Napoli |
"What's the matter sì, Wise Saggia?" |
Termini |
"What is that?" |
Unusual again, Termini is stunned gazing out into the darkness - There was something huge sitting from a distance. It was a long, thin, cylindrical, huge structure that looked like it was made from coagulated ashes. |
Termini |
"Oh, could that be -?" |
Termini |
"...the Mist Train?" |
Yes - It looked exactly like the Mist Train. It has wheels. It has chimneys. It even has windows. There are differences in detail and the whole thing is grey, but when it's in the dim light, it is almost indistinguishable. |
Termini |
"Napolitan." |
Napoli |
"Aye?" |
Termini |
"Could it be. Did you make that, that Train too?" |
Napoli |
"Ayeee♪ Napoli also uses magic to make the house to live in, much better at making big things like that than little dolls sì." |
Termini |
"Unbelieveble..." |
Napoli |
"Eh? Eh? Is it bad to make the Train sì?" |
Napoli |
"Na, Napoli didn't have any bad intentions. Heard that there is only one Train in the world, and thought it would be better to have more -" |
Termini |
"What is this? Am I dreaming? It doesn't make sense..." |
Termini walked up to the replicated 'Ash Train', having magical light glowing from the tip of her staff. It is a magic she specialises in, analysing objects the light shines on. |
Termini |
"It doesn't just look realistic, the details on the internal structure is quite realistic too... Just using magic? By solidifying ashes? You've created such a huge, elaborate, replica?" |
Termini |
"How much magic and innate sense does such a thing require? A huge undertaking that would require the combined efforts of many magicians, and yet this little child seems to be able to pull it off without a second thought." |
Napoli |
"Uh, um... It, it didn't work, sì?" |
Termini |
"That's not true! You're a wonderful girl, Napolitan!" |
Napoli |
"Hwaaauh!?" |
Napoli panicked as the very impressed Termini hugged her. She's completely unaware of why Termini is having such an agitated reaction. |
Napoli |
"S-Saggia...? Is it painful when you hug so tightly sì?" |
Termini |
"Aaaah--" |
Termini hugged little Napoli in her arms, and she leaked out a few tears. Realizing this, she's completely surprised at her own tears. |
Termini |
"Ah, ahaha, I haven't cried for goodness how many centuries." |
Termini |
"But. I'm happy, this is a miracle. So good things will eventually happen when one's lived for a long time?" |
Termini |
"Ah, 'That girl' is certainly alive inside you, there's no mistake." |
Napoli |
"......? ......?" |
Napoli is left totally confused as she still hugged her. But eventually, perhaps to comfort the crying Termini, she awkwardly hugged her back and whispered. |
Napoli |
"Re-Really don't understand what's happening. But if Napoli, stupid, slow, who can't do anything, can make the Wise One happy even a little, then--" |
Napoli |
"Napoli is happy, too, sì? You are happy to be alive, sì?" |
Termini |
"........." |
Napoli |
"...Wise Saggia? Wahugh!?" |
Termini hugged the bewildered Napoli even tighter, simultaneously also waving her staff furiously and shouted - |
Termini |
"Wake up everyone! I'm the big sister who knows everything, but here's something even I don't know - Some rascal has appeared!" |
Instantly, a huge bone grew out of the Cenere Desert. It appears to be an arm bone, followed by a shoulder bone, a breast bone, spine, a hip bone-- |
Giant Skeleton |
'............' |
A nightmarishly huge skeletal monster stood before Termini and the others. |
Termini |
"What is that thing? Why at this moment, why that thing?" |