Piling Up, Accumulating, and Now
Nov. 3rd, 2021 10:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
runarunesSpecial thanks to @SWEET_N1GHTM4RE for the raw!
Chapter One
On that day, we were investigating around the school based on the request that we had received.
Akira: Hmm... We have looked all around the school, but there’s nothing that seemed suspicious yet.
Snow: Indeed... Then, our next course of action shall be to split up and investigate as two teams.
Snow: Oz and Riquet, we shall leave the top floor to the two of you. Master and myself shall investigate around this floor.
Riquet: All right. Then Oz, let’s hurry-
Dark-Haired Students: Whoa!?
Just as Oz and Riquet were about to turn at a corner of the corridor, two students suddenly came running at them, bumping into Oz.
Brown-Haired Students: Uh...Well, you see... Uhm...
Oz: .............
The Two Students: .....!!!
Riquet: Wait, and just where are you two going!?
Akira: And they’re already gone... Are you alright, Oz?
Oz: Yes.
Riquet: Even though they’re the ones who bumped into us, why would they just run off without even saying a word...?
Snow: Well, the answer is obvious.
Snow: There’s no doubt about it! They were afraid, since our Oz here looks dreadfully scary!
Riquet: No way... Well, it’s true that Oz always has a dreadful look on his face, as if his sweets had been stolen by someone... Still...
Akira: (Come to think of it, at the beginning I used to get nervous whenever I met Oz, too...)
Riquet: Oz, let's go after those two. They're the ones who bumped into you, so the least they should do is to apologize to you.
Oz: There’s no need.
Riquet: Oh, come on, why would you always say something like that! You should tell them clearly that you didn't mean to scare them like that.
Oz: .....
Riquet: ...Fine. If Oz won't go, then I'll just go by myself!
Akira: Ah, Riquet...! And he’s gone...
Snow: Hohoho. Riquet is always an energetic one, isn’t he? On the other hand, Oz. you have never changed.
Snow: Well, you could say that northern blood ran strong within you. But really, you have always lacked even the letter “a” of amiability.
Oz: I just couldn’t care less about what humans think about me.
Snow: Still, should you show even a glimpse of your smile. For I have no doubt that if you do, they wouldn’t find you as frightening as what happened just now.
Oz: .....
Snow: Hmph, really, Ozzy! And you’re always quick to sulk like this!
Snow: You've always been like this, even from our first meeting! In our quest to make you remember our faces, we went to see you a number of times. And yet, you wouldn’t even spare a smile for us even for all that trouble!
Snow: Well, I suppose you did grant us your smile… When you went to attack us, trying to take our lives, that is.
Akira: Wha…!?
Chapter Two
Akira: We- were you both fine, then? Since Oz has attacked you...?
Snow: But of course we were fine. That I am here in front of you should have proven that enough.
Snow: And naturally, we have punished him for that. Well, White was still alive back then... And thus, with our full twins’ power, we have disciplined him thoroughly.
Snow: At that time, Oz received it with nary an expression on his face. He did neither let out even a peep of cry nor scream…
Akira: (Snow and White are usually kind, so sometimes it just slipped out of my mind that they really are, honest-to-good, northern breed wizards…)
Snow: Then again, I would think that Oz was the most expressive of himself back when he was raising Arthur, even if you compare him to the present. That period gave me quite a scare, so it left a lasting impression on my mind.
Oz: It's not that I have changed compared to then. It's just that young Arthur was really a reckless one, and I was at a loss at what I should do with him.
Snow: Nope, nope, nope. You would frown, and even if only for the slightest bit, the corner of your mouth would turn up too… For us both, it was really obvious that you looked pretty expressive, then.
Oz: It was only your imagination.
Snow: Hmmph, we did not imagine it!
Akira: Now, now, let's keep it down, okay...? Doesn't that just mean that the days Oz has spent with Arthur has enriched him in more ways than possible?
Snow: ...That's right! How about if I am to cast a magic and make Oz smile his brightest smile as of now?
Akira: Huh, by using magic? Won't you think that it'll be a bit too forced, then…?
Snow: 'Tis of no problem. For as long as Oz is smiling, the children here won't feel as frightened. Indeed, it shall be quite a challenge, but fear not, for I'm going to put my all so that he shall be smiling oh so brightly.
Akira: (Oz, smiling all the time…? To be honest, I can't quite picture it...)
Oz: I refuse.
Snow: And you shouldn’t refuse without a second thought like that! Master, you would like to see Oz smile too, right?
Akira: Uhm… Well, it’s true that seeing Oz smile will make me feel really happy, but… Still, I don’t think that Oz should force himself to smile.
Akira: I mean, it’s true that I was a bit scared of him at first. But now, I know that even if Oz won’t smile, he still has a lot of good sides in him.
Akira: I think, Riquet is also like me. He also knows that Oz is more than just a scary-looking person, so he didn’t want you to keep being misunderstood like this, Oz.
Snow: I see...
Snow: Well, since Master has said that much, I suppose that I shall take a step back for this matter.
Snow: ‘Tis really wonderful. Won’t you agree, Oz? Since you have such kind-hearted children around you that care about you like this.
Oz: ......
There was no reply from Oz, but Snow looked really satisfied. At that moment, we heard Riquet's voice rang out to us.
Riquet: Everyone...!
When we turned around to face him, Riquet and the two students that had bumped into Oz earlier appeared before us.
Chapter 3
Black-haired Students: Um... We want to apologize, since we bumped into you earlier...
Brown-Haired Students: We thought we'd get scolded, so we ran away without thinking… But just as what this boy told us, we should have apologized to you…
The Two Students: We're really sorry...!
Riquet: Now, don't you have something to say to these students too?
Oz: .......
Riquet: Why would you keep silent...? Ah, could it be that you’re still thinking about what you're going to say?
Riquet: Please wait for a moment, both of you. I think now he's still thinking about how he should respond to you.
Oz: ….. Don't run in the hallway.
The Two Students: Eeek…!
Akira: Ah, there’s no need to be afraid! He's just worried about you two, since it'll be dangerous if you run around and trip somewhere!
The students then looked fearfully at Oz's face. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Oz’s unchanging expression, as he did not deny my statement.
Black-haired Students: Ah... Thank you very much. You're right... We'll be more careful from now on.
Brown-Haired Students: You too, thank you! Turns out it’s just as you said, this teacher is actually a nice person.
Riquet: I’m glad that the misunderstanding is resolved. He may look scary, but he’s not just that. He's also a kind person!
Riquet then happily continued to talk about Oz with the students. Oz kept his eyes fixed over them as they continued with their conversation.
Snow: ...My. To think that Oz would bestow such words to humans...
Snow: And not to mention that he was being told off by such a young lad as Riquet.... Indeed, what a miraculous sight it is.
Akira: Probably, it’s because of how straightforward the central wizards are in facing Oz.
Snow: Hohoho. Yet, usually people would be too frightened to even think about facing Oz, not to mention directly facing him.
Snow: Well, it's the kind of conduct that you'd expect from the central wizards, with their fearlessness and flowing sense of justice.
Akira: ...That might be right. Still, I think that Oz’s words just now are also thanks to you guys.
Snow: Ours...?
Akira: Yes. I mean, picking up Arthur when he was young and then raising him might be the most important turning point that has changed Oz’s life. But...
Akira: It’s only because you guys have always, always kept directly facing him… Because of how you guys keep trying to connect with him, that then made Oz be able to directly face everyone, too. Or, that’s what I thought.
Snow: Master, you sure said such amusing things sometimes.
Akira: Haha. I just said the thought that passed my mind as it is.
Snow: But if that is true, then I suppose that there’s worth in the many times when we've risked our lives in our quest to get through Oz.
Snow: 'Tis is true that I've chosen to take a step back this time. Yet, I'll be looking forward to it... To the day when I will see Oz smile, from the bottom of his heart.
