193 – A heart that beats like a fool.
Immediately after leaving the library, Maiev and Flann boarded the carriage side by side. I didn’t know where my next destination was, but the awkward atmosphere was more problematic than that.
The cause is….
─Today is difficult. I have an important schedule.
It was because of what Plan said to the president’s secretary.
It would have been okay to just roughly refuse, but I didn’t expect him to say it so firmly.
─You decided to send it with me.
Besides, he himself clearly didn’t say that. Her face burned belatedly with shame.
“….”
As a result, an awkward atmosphere flowed between the two people sitting on opposite ends of the seats. Of course, to be precise, Maiev was close to not being able to overcome the awkwardness alone.
Even inside the rattling carriage, Flann remained engrossed in reading with an unwavering attitude. Even though he tried to focus on the scenery outside the window, he had trouble concentrating, and that was why he hated it.
In the end, it was Maiev who broke the silence first.
“Surprisingly, you travel by carriage.”
“A carriage is an ordinary vehicle.”
“That’s right. It’s not that I don’t know that….”
She started talking for no reason and it became even more awkward. Maiev, who was weighed down by her awkwardness, suddenly had a thought.
“Now that I think about it, have you often ridden the carriage? She hates wasting time. “I think it would have been okay to use short-distance teleportation if it was close by.”
“That’s for sure. However, the longer I ride the carriage, the more time I will share with you.”
“Time…. “Sharing?”
Maiev tilted her head in pure curiosity.
In all her life, she had never thought of sharing time with others. This is because she believed that her life and the lives of others were completely separate worlds.
“That’s something I don’t understand. “Time cannot be given or received, and it makes no sense to share it.”
She thought for a moment that she wanted to ask something additional.
Squeak─.
The carriage stopped with the sound of wheels scraping against the road.
“Get off.”
[Fragrant melody]
As soon as she got off, the sign that caught her eye said so. I took a quick look and found that it was a tea room selling various kettles and tea cups.
‘I just can’t figure it out.’
She was like that when she headed to the library, but this time too she couldn’t guess Plan’s intentions. Maiev finally couldn’t get over her curiosity and asked.
“Why are you visiting here?”
“I don’t understand the idea of sharing time. “Didn’t you just say that out of your own mouth?”
“Yes.”
“Today I will give you some space to think about that concept.”
“….”
The more Maiev listened to Flan’s story, the more Maiev felt like she was falling into a labyrinth.
On the other hand, she also harbored a sense of rebellion. This is because she was confident that no matter what she experienced, she would not be convinced by the saying, ‘I share my time with others.’
“Well, just figure it out.”
“Then follow me.”
Plan took the lead and opened the door to the tea room.
I don’t know the name, but it has a very luxurious tea scent. They mixed together and stung Maiev’s nose. Employees who looked mild-mannered lowered their heads.
“Welcome.”
Harmonious greetings follow as if musical instruments were forming an ensemble. The person who appeared to be the store manager asked politely.
“I wonder if the name of the person making the reservation is…” ?”
“It’s flan.”
“hahahahaha, actually I know. Is there anyone who doesn’t know the hero of the Faculty of Magic? Please understand that this question was unavoidable due to procedures. Welcome again.”
The manager continues speaking in a quiet voice.
“Thank you also for visiting. What flavor of tea would you like? Something that increases concentration? Something comfortable to relieve tension?”
“It’s done.”
Plan lightly blocks the manager’s approach.
“I came today to see the teacup, not the tea.”
“Ah, do you mean the teacup?”
“Yes. “You don’t need assistance because you can look after yourself.”
“Confirmed. I would appreciate it if you could take a look regardless of the price range. “It’s none other than Plan, and I wouldn’t dare accept the price.”
The manager rubbed his palms carefully.
“Instead, my daughter is a student at the Faculty of Magic, and sometime…. “It’s a girl named Emily who is in the position of president.”
“I think I’ve seen it before. “She had an armband on her arm, and she always seemed to be writing things down in her notepad.”
“That’s right! She is that child! Really nice-“
The store manager’s boasting about his daughter continued for a long time afterwards. It was only when Maiev looked at me with a straight face that she stopped speaking.
“Hmm, sorry for the delay. “I hope you have a good time.”
“Let me touch the store for a moment.”
Perfect!
Flan snapped her fingers.
Then the shelf moved without proper preparation. Objects unfold in a clearly cascading manner. The internal shape changes to the point of bewilderment.
Although the store structure was changed arbitrarily, no one blamed it.
“… !”
No, I couldn’t blame them, everyone just admired it. This is because the store has improved in every way to an extent that cannot be compared to before.
Maiev was also secretly impressed and played with a few teacups. It was a gorgeous teacup studded with jewels here and there.
Flan asked.
“Did you like that?”
“It’s not good.”
Maiev shook her head.
I was originally not interested in luxury, and above all, this teacup was not very practical. I thought it was for ornamental purposes rather than for drinking tea.
At that time, Flan picked up something else next to him.
A pure white teacup without any pattern. There was nothing special about it and it was the most ordinary teacup in the world.
No, strictly speaking, it couldn’t even be attached to a normal axle. There were ugly crushed parts here and there.
The store manager cautiously opened his mouth.
“Sorry, Plan, but that’s not for sale.”
“Do you mean it is not for sale?”
“Yes. In fact…. Our attempt to make a special teacup failed. If you look at it, the material is Mertile.”
“Okay. “I recognized it right away.”
“It is disappointing in many ways from our perspective. It was a production that really cost a lot of money….”
But Flan nodded his head.
“I like this.”
“Other things we have ambitiously prepared…. Yes?”
The manager’s eyes widen a beat later.
“I want this. “Two please.”
“Are you sure you want this…?” ?”
“Yes.”
From noble mtl dot com
“Oh, yes. Has confirmed.”
The store manager nodded, unable to hide his embarrassment.
After the packaging was completed, the two went out of the store.
The sun was finally setting on the world. It was a warm and perfect scenery, Maiev muttered as she climbed into the carriage side by side.
“In the end, I was unable to resolve any questions.”
He continued talking while casually brushing his bangs.
“I didn’t understand why I visited this teahouse, and I didn’t yet understand the concept of sharing time. “Aren’t precious relationships inherently full of things we can’t understand?”
“Not really.”
“If not….”
“I’ll explain now.”
Flan takes out a teacup made of mertile.
“The store manager called it a failure, but it never seems that way to me.”
“This?”
“Okay. Mertil is an attractive raw material because it can contain the magic power of the caster. For example….”
Flann closes her eyes for a moment and concentrates.
“… “This is also possible.”
The Mertil teacup, which was a mess here and there, now looks as neat as a glass craft. And the next moment, one glows blue and the other glows red.
It contained the magic power of Flan and Maiev.
A blue teacup is handed to Maiev. Flann asked quietly.
“Do you remember, Maiev? “You made tea at the same time every morning.”
“Because you always wake up at the same time.”
“You will continue to do the same after returning to the void.”
Flann’s gaze suddenly landed on Maiev.
“It doesn’t matter what car it is. However, the key is to make the tea and drink it at the same time.”
“Why? The only thing I can’t understand….”
“It’s for us to share time.”
Flann cut off Maiev’s words.
“It’s okay if it’s not a one-day cycle. Even for a week, even for a month, no…. “Even if it’s a few years later, if you happen to drink tea at that time.”
The carriage is still running. That too quickly.
“I will also be drinking tea from this teacup, so we will definitely share the same time, albeit briefly.”
“Short but the same amount of time?”
“Okay. No matter what day you think of me, we do the same thing in the morning. “Remembering each other.”
But at some point, the rattling noise stopped being heard. In a world where sound seems to have disappeared, the only thing is Flan’s voice.
His red eyes sparkled sincerely.
“… That is a gift I can give to someone I cherish. “This is the time that only these relationships can share.”
The inside of the carriage suddenly feels so spacious that it feels far away.
“Ah….”
Across from him, there was Flan.
As always, he was treating himself sincerely.
The scenery seen outside the window was no longer visible. In the wide field of view, only Flan was visible.
His voice surges like a wave.
“Maiev. “Now let me ask you one thing too.”
The tone continues calmly.
“Isn’t there a real reason why you came to see me?”
Precious relationships.
It’s just a one-day experience, it’s just an illusion….
I didn’t feel like lying.
Foolish heart. I started running even more foolishly.