New chapter of Single Old Man is out! (1/2 chapters)

 

 

Pisces Witch Poisson Pisces

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

The children had resumed their play in the square. The vacant lot next to it seemed perfect as a playground. Perhaps I should just buy the land myself, then the children could play freely without hesitation.

But this was not the time for such thoughts. Before my eyes stood an Elven girl, about six years old,  the Witch of the Twelve Zodiac Signs, Poisson Pisces.

She wore her long white hair tied to one side and was dressed in an adorable one-piece dress. She looked like a young lady from a good family, but as one of the Twelve Zodiac Witches, she was surely far older than I.

Poisson smiled brightly.

“Do not be alarmed. I only wish to talk a little.” (Poisson)

“Ah, all right… then shall we go upstairs?” (Gentoku)

I guided Poisson to the office on the second floor.

She jumped lightly onto the sofa and glanced around the room.

“My, it is well kept. Oh?” (Poisson)

“…Nya.” (Daifuku)

“Mii.” (Shiratama)

“Fufu, what adorable little ones. Come here.” (Poisson)

Daifuku, who lived in the office, and Shiratama, whom Yuki-chan had brought, both went to Poisson. Poisson petted and held the two cats. Indeed, cats and little girls made a fitting pair.

I placed some fruit water on the table, sat on the opposite sofa, and took out a cigarette. Ordinarily, it was not proper to smoke in front of a child, but in this world, smoking was almost encouraged, so it was not a problem.

Lighting it, I inhaled and exhaled. The sweet smoke drifted toward the ceiling.

“Now then, what is your business? Ah, sorry, but could you spare me the formal speech?” (Gentoku)

“I do not mind. A fellow countryman of Atsuko’s… Gentoku.” (Poisson)

While stroking Shiratama, Poisson gazed steadily at me.

“I heard from Raslanuf. Indeed, you have the same scent as Atsuko.” (Poisson)

“Scent? Even if you say so…” (Gentoku)

“Fufu, perhaps I should say the scent of the soul. Elves live long, so we are sensitive to the fragrance of life.” (Poisson)

“I-is that so?” (Gentoku)

So, life has a scent, did it? This other world is truly deep.

I drew another puff, let the smoke out, and spoke.

“You… no, Poisson, you also possess one of Atsuko-san’s keepsakes, do you not? Have you come to ask me to repair it?” (Gentoku)

“I do have one. But it requires no repair. Here.” (Poisson)

Poisson took from her pocket an old book.

Wait… a book from that small pocket? It is far too large to fit. Is her pocket connected to some fourth-dimensional space? Well, it must be magic, then. Let us leave it at that.

She placed the book on the table, and I looked at it.

“This is…” (Gentoku)

A collection of fairy tales. How nostalgic… oh, I know many of these stories.

It was a thick volume, like a dictionary. It was written in Japanese. There were famous fairy tales, and also those that appeared in school textbooks for elementary, middle, and high school students. I even recognized many myself, and the sight filled me with a warm nostalgia.

“So, you can read it after all.” (Poisson)

“Ah… I see. You people cannot read this, can you?” (Gentoku)

The book contained hiragana, katakana, kanji, as well as some roman letters and English. Being Japanese, and having learned four languages from my grandfather, who had been a backpacker, I could read it. Still, I found it surprising.

“Hey, the Twelve Zodiac Witches each received one of Atsuko-san’s keepsakes, right? Did none of you ask her about the usage of the tools, the writing, or about my world?” (Gentoku)

“No, we asked nothing.” (Poisson)

She said it plainly. I was a little surprised.

Poisson smiled faintly, as if recalling the distant past.

“We Twelve Zodiac Witches, two thousand years ago, were women without a trace of learning. All we could do was hunt and eat our prey. It was when elves were still a barbaric race.” (Poisson)

“I-is that so? I did not expect that.” (Gentoku)

“Yes. Even now, those Elves who dwell deep in the forests live that way, the sun-browned people of the mountain woods, called Dark Elves.” (Poisson)

“Dark Elves, huh.” (Gentoku)

A subspecies of Elves. Perhaps there were High Elves too. Truly, this world is fascinating.

“Rather than learn the writings or the use of Atsuko’s tools, what we loved most were the stories she told us. Two thousand years ago, every night before sleep, the twelve of us would gather at Atsuko’s house to listen to her tales. That was our greatest joy.” (Poisson)

“I see.” (Gentoku)

“And when Atsuko passed away, the twelve of us divided her keepsakes. Mine was this book.” (Poisson)

Raslanuf had received a music box, and Aries a pocket watch. They must have truly cherished Atsuko-san.

“…You cannot read this, can you?” (Gentoku)

“No. I can recognize it as magic script, but I do not know what these long passages mean, nor what effect they may carry. I tried carving several characters upon a magic stone, but they produced no effect.” (Poisson)

“This is a fairy tale. It is not magic script, but stories.” (Gentoku)

“…Stories?” (Poisson)

“Yes. This book contains tales, not magic formulae.” (Gentoku)

“…Is that so?” (Poisson)

Poisson looked astonished.

I turned the pages.

“Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman. The old man went to cut grass in the mountains, and the old woman went to wash clothes in the river…” (Gentoku)

“…Wait. That story… could it be?” (Poisson)

“Yes. It is one of the tales written in this book.” (Gentoku)

The magic script corresponded to kanji, but since this book mixed hiragana, katakana, roman letters, and English, to them it would appear as an indecipherable code.

Poisson pressed her hand to her chest.

“I see… The stories we heard from Atsuko came from this book.” (Poisson)

“Yes. I think Atsuko-san must have read them over and over, perhaps even memorized them, so that she could tell them to you Twelve Zodiac Witches.” (Gentoku)

On the last page was the printing date, over forty years ago. Considering Atsuko-san’s age, she might have bought it out of nostalgia, or as a gift for a grandchild or relative’s child. I could not say.

Poisson closed her eyes, as though immersed in memory.

“…Shall I teach you how to read the letters?” (Gentoku)

“…I will decline. Reading the stories would be wonderful, but the ones spoken by another’s voice move me more. If I learned the letters, I would surely lose myself in this book, and then Atsuko’s words and my memories might be overwritten.” (Poisson)

“I understand.” (Gentoku)

I returned the book to her.

It needed no repair. Well, I could not have repaired a book anyway. A memento that required no fixing, that sort of keepsake is good too.

 

—

 

Now then, the conversation had gone far astray.

“So… to the main point?” (Gentoku)

“Yes. Michaela must have come to you earlier, did she not?” (Poisson)

“Ah, yes. Seemed like she came with a job request, but I turned her down. Too busy.” (Gentoku)

“I see. Could it be related to the magical tool I saw downstairs?” (Poisson)

“Very much so. In a word, it is a man’s romance.” (Gentoku)

“…??? I see.” (Poisson)

She clearly did not understand or was just being polite.

Well, I feel a little embarrassed myself.

I cleared my throat lightly.

“Ahem. So, you came to invite me, then?” (Gentoku)

“Yes. I thought that you, who repaired the keepsakes of Raslanuf and Aries and created so many fascinating magical tools, could do fine work.” (Poisson)

“What kind of work?” (Gentoku)

I sensed trouble coming, but after hearing that much, my curiosity was piqued.

“Do you know that I am said to have created the magic script and to be the progenitor of the magical tool?” (Poisson)

“That’s news to me.” (Gentoku)

Seriously? This little girl was the ancestor of all magical tools? Wait… had I been speaking casually to a living legend?

“Michaela is one of my disciples, a genius born once in a hundred years. It was her idea to develop a magical tool powered by a completely new form of energy.” (Poisson)

“A new… energy?” (Gentoku)

“Yes. A wholly new attribute, belonging to neither earth, water, fire, wind, light, nor darkness. Michaela discovered this new attribute and seeks to use it to create new magical tools.” (Poisson)

“…A new attribute, huh?” (Gentoku)

I was starting to have a very bad feeling about this.

“It has no name yet. But to describe the phenomenon, it is both heat and light. Perhaps one might say it explodes. It shines with a violet light.” (Poisson)

“…I–I see.” (Gentoku)

That is lightning. Electricity! Wait, that is the power I use all the time! Now that I think about it, this world has no lightning. It rains, and dark clouds gather, but there is never thunder.

“You know this power, do you not?” (Poisson)

“Ah…” (Gentoku)

“Valen reported it. When you experimented with magic symbols, you crushed a magic stone with a strange violet light.” (Poisson)

“…Ah, well.” (Gentoku)

Right, I had shattered the magic stones of “Unbreakable” and “Explosion” with lightning. So, the secret is already out. Ah, well, no helping it now.

“I admit it. Yes, I can use that power.” (Gentoku)

As I released violet lightning from my right hand, Poisson’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“My… it truly is so.” (Poisson)

“Yes. I do not know much myself, but when I came to this world, I found I could use it. Was it not the same for Atsuko-san?” (Gentoku)

“Atsuko was already elderly when she arrived. She was far beyond the age to wield magic. And that power of yours… what is it called?” (Poisson)

“In my world, it is called ‘thunder’ or ‘electricity’. You do not see it here, but during storms, dark clouds rumble and lightning falls from the sky.” (Gentoku)

“From the sky? How fascinating.” (Poisson)

“Sorry, but I have no taste for troublesome affairs. I have no wish for the state to use my power or to demand I contribute it. That is why I kept it secret.” (Gentoku)

“Fufu, just as Raslanuf said, you truly dislike troublesome things.” (Poisson)

“Yes. I know my place. I have no desire to stand at the center of anything or achieve great deeds. Such things are for the young. I use my power only for myself.” (Gentoku)

“You speak plainly. Do you not wish to use your power for the young?” (Poisson)

“Not in the least. In this world, I do what I want, spend time with my companions, lend a hand if they are in trouble, and that is all. I am a small man.” (Gentoku)

“…It seems persuasion would be useless.” (Poisson)

“Sorry. But I can tell you what I know about lightning, on the condition that my involvement and identity remain secret, and that I am not drawn into anything troublesome.” (Gentoku)

“…Very well. Then, will you tell me what you know?” (Poisson)

“Sure.” (Gentoku)

Thus, I managed to avoid getting entangled in any mess.

Heh. Were you expecting a grand plot where I would join Michaela’s project and become the key to creating a new magical tool? Sorry, but I pass. I only care about my bike.

Still, something nagged at me.

“By the way, what do you plan to do with lightning?” (Gentoku)

“Michaela said, ‘It will change the history of the magical tool’.” (Poisson)

Electricity, lightning… if mishandled, it could be disastrous. Well, never mind that.

At the time, that was all I thought.

 

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(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)