I direct a nervous smile at Sadhara.
"Hey, Sadhara...can you describe Melena?" (Mizuki)
Her face scrunches up in thought.
"Uhm...she has long, black hair...brown eyes. Mmm...she's tall...and Big Sis is really pretty!" (Sadhara)
I just stare at her in stunned silence.
That's far from a detailed character sketch, but...it definitely sounds like the bunny girl that runs the night desk at Elmesia's Adventurers Guild. I haven't talked with her since my first day on Azura, but I'm almost certain that her name was Melena. Plus, I always found it weird that she was the only rabbit-kin I've ever seen in human territory.
Still...what are the odds? It seems ridiculous for me to have met both Sadhara and her sister like this. I mean, it's the kind of dubious coincidence you'd expect from a plot ploy in a novel...
I give Sadhara a skeptical gaze.
"Is it common for rabbit-kin to do what your sister did? To choose to leave the village permanently?" (Mizuki)
She shakes her head.
"No, never. Big Sis leaving was a big deal..." (Sadhara)
I feel a conflicted rush of emotions at the information...it makes me all but certain that I've met Sadhara's sister. However, it also means that Melena has purposely avoided coming back to her people – I'm not sure it's right of me to suddenly force parenthood onto her, especially when I don't know how Sadhara's standard of care would be with Melena versus the rabbit-kin village. On the other hand, Sadhara clearly deserves to at least make a plea to her sister, and Melena may very well welcome it given the circumstances.
Still, I should confirm what I suspect to be true first, and be delicate about arranging such an emotionally charged meeting between the sisters. Unfortunately, those plans are quickly dashed by the sound of Zara's surprised voice.
"Wait...I think I've met your sister before. She works at the Adventurers Guild in Elmesia, the city south of here that Mizuki mentioned." (Zara)
Sadhara's eyes light up, her voice suddenly bursting with excitement and disbelief as her head snaps between Zara and me.
"You know where Big Sis is!?" (Sadhara)
I almost groan out loud, casting an exasperated look at Zara. For one, I have no idea when Zara would have even met Melena. She's spent plenty of time at the guild without me, of course, but I don't remember it ever being too late into the night. Also, even if she knew...why would she just blurt it out like that!?
What if she was wrong and gave Sadhara false hope? What if Melena refuses to take Sadhara because we sprung this on her? I was at least going to go warn the poor woman and try to smooth out this reunion. Clearly, that's not an option now.
I meet Sadhara's wild gaze, now fixed on me questioningly. and I nod hesitantly.
"We might, yes. Don't get your hopes up, though...let us check and make sure it's your sister first, okay?" (Mizuki)
Sadhara's demeanor becomes nearly frantic.
"No, that's Big Sis! That has to be Big Sis! You have to take me to her! Please!" (Sadhara)
I wince, trying to keep my smile reassuring and my tone measured.
"It's a long way away, so let us prepare before we do that. After Zara and I visit the other demi-human races, I'll return to Elmesia and see if the Melena we know is really your sister. If she is, then I'll come back and take you to meet her, okay?" (Mizuki)
Sadhara only becomes more animated, her face strained with fear. I feel her little hands grip onto my shirt fiercely as she shakes her head, tears beginning to well in her eyes again.
"No please, that will take forever!" (Sadhara)
I falter, giving her a conflicted look.
"Sadhara, nothing wi-" (Mizuki)
"No, you don't know! You said...sniffle...you owe me! Don't leave me all alone here! What if...what if something happens!? What if I...what if before I get to see her again...sniffle...Big Sis ends up...sniffle...like Mo-..." (Sadhara)
Before she can finish that thought, her restrained tears and sniffles devolve into full-blown sobs once again, choking off her words. I glance to Zara with a conflicted expression, and find her staring at me with a look that's uncharacteristically pleading...full of pain and empathy.
"Mizuki...please?" (Zara)
Those two words hit me harder than anything yet, the context of Zara's plea unnaturally clear in her expression. This has no doubt been a painful reminder of her own loss of her parents, probably at around the same age...except Sadhara doesn't even have a sibling with her like Zara did.
I give her a sad, understanding smile and nod, and Zara's face is instantly awash with relief and gratitude.
I guess our other plans will have to wait.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Percivil sighs.
'Aye, I'm getting old...my fingers are almost too clumsy for this kind of work now.'
He sets the partially assembled Rubik's cube prototype down on the workbench, deciding he could use a break. Which, in his case, just means working on something that bruises his pride less.
He walks through the mansion's third floor space, which Mizuki has let him monopolize for his crafting in the Elven Kingdom, until he arrives at another workbench. One he likes using for more familiar weapon work. On it lies a beautiful sword, its blade in two pieces, clearly severed by unnatural means.
He lets out a low whistle at the sight, a smirk finding its way to his face as he strokes his beard thoughtfully.
"Damn...boy's creation is an insult to dwarves everywhere. No blacksmithing, no style, no regard for the wielder's comfort...but, yah can't argue with the results." (Percivil)
He's, of course, referring to the lightblade that Mizuki made, which he had the pleasure of seeing when Alyse's now broken sword was dropped off with him. To be frank, he was...appalled, by the weapon. Oh, as a tool it was marvelous to be sure – something to envy.
Alas, like most of the things he's seen Mizuki make – like the railcars of the train – it was all function, no soul. Damn near made him want to cry. After badgering the boy for almost half an hour, though, he finally got him to cave to rectifying that mistake.
From now on, Mizuki will let him craft the hilt and design the blade for the lightblades, and Mizuki will just add his magic to them afterwards. So, thankfully he won't have to see such disgraceful versions of the weapon start popping up around Azura.
Percivil's expression grows pensive as he returns his attention to the severed blade.
'Not sure this sword will ever be the same, though...'
Mizuki told him that Alyse's attachment to the sword seemed mostly sentimental, and she doesn't want it replaced. That leaves him with the decision of whether to simply adhere it back together in a way that it only looks like it never broke, but the sword would absolutely not be functional anymore. Given how clean the cut is, that would be relatively easy.
Alternatively, he could try fixing the blade without replacing it. Unfortunately, the only way he could see that working is if he melts down the blade and reforges it into its original shape. Depending on the swordsman, they might still view that as the 'same' sword, or they may not.
Percivil thinks it over for a few moments, stroking his beard absentmindedly, then he smiles.
'Aye...I think I'll put in a little extra work for this one. Mizuki looked like he felt really bad about it...'
He nods to himself, having decided.
He'll adhere the blade back together, leaving any sentimentality definitively intact, but rendering it nonfunctional. He'll let Alyse know about the reforging idea, though, and if she is one of the swordsmen that wouldn't mind that, it'll still be an option for her.
As for the extra work...
'Hmm...I know the boy didn't ask, but I think I'll make her a replica sword with a nice enchantment on it. That way she can at least feel like she's still using her treasured blade by proxy.'
Without any more delay, he gets to work on his task. As he works, he allows his thoughts to wander to the past couple months – his life since meeting the strange boy he knows as Mizuki. He never really expected their relationship to turn into what it has.
At first, he was just repaying a debt...passing along help between two strangers in his life that happened to be stranded on a foreign world, alone. But, he was surprised to find a kindred soul in Mizuki...something he's sure that the boy himself fails to see. Nevertheless, that's how he feels – the truest parts of himself, the values he's guided by the most, he sees reflected in Mizuki's actions.
They both love giving people a gift to lean on, hoping they'll use it as a foundation to build themselves up into something greater. Not to look at a person who's been completely molded and supported by their intervention, but to see a small part of their influence in someone's growth – to be a catalyst for change.
For him, it's mainly about weapons and armor. He wants his creations to have a purpose, to embolden people to make changes in their lives and aspire for something greater. For Mizuki, it seems to be more about providing knowledge and opportunity. But, he can see it in the boy's eyes every time – when someone takes what he gives them and turns it into something more, Mizuki is happy from the bottom of his heart.
Percivil respects that.
Moreover, especially now that he's as close to the end of his life as the middle, he can't help but see Mizuki as someone who will carry on his ideals. He takes a kind of comfort in that. Having no children of his own, given the wanderlust he's indulged for much of his life, he'd even say that he sees Mizuki as...an heir, of sorts. Not an adoptive son, per se, but...someone he wants to leave a legacy to.
Percivil chuckles to himself.
'Wonder if he'll let me teach him blacksmithing. Aye...knowing him, he'll probably have a way to do it all by magic afterwards...create something I'd never even imagined.'
If nothing else, his experience teaching Mizuki how to enchant objects was eye-opening. Even as the boy was still learning, he was already doing more with it than Percivil could. He can't help but feel a rush of anticipation at what would come out of Mizuki learning blacksmithing.
His thoughts once again lose shape, a small smile on his face as he focuses on the rhythmic pounding of metal in front of him, immersing himself in the heat of the process. Eventually, his mind drifts to his conversation with Mizuki from before the nobles' meeting – the offer.
He purses his lips thoughtfully.
'A store in the Elven Kingdom, without having to give up the one in Elmesia...'
Truthfully, though him and Mizuki haven't discussed it again since, he's already decided that he'll accept the offer. Why wouldn't he? At the end of the day, all it requires from him is to regularly hand off some extra merchandise to Mizuki so it can be sold in the elven shop. In exchange, he gets even more money and the opportunity to see his enchanted works spread across a kingdom that's in desperate need of them.
The only thing that should give him pause is taking advantage of Mizuki's goodwill. However, that doesn't concern him for two reasons. The first, is that he understands how Mizuki feels...he gets that, as long as the shop flourishes, Mizuki will consider that its own reward. As for the second reason...
Percivil chuckles mischievously to himself.
Accepting the offer gives him an excuse to insist that Mizuki let him return the favor somehow.
Something like...mentoring Mizuki in smithing.