Chapter 322
Chapter 322
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 322
Chapter Title: Side Story 6. The Bird that Drinks Dreams (5)
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"Ah, I got caught!"
"Sita, you little shit...!"
Ronan growled. He'd been chasing so relentlessly that the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth. Iril finally locked eyes with him and let out a bewildered gasp.
"Ro, Ronan?"
"Hey, sis... huff, business treating you okay?"
"Y-yeah, but what happened? You're drenched in sweat... and Sita all of a sudden?"
"Exactly what it looks like—the guy you're holding right now is Sita. In human form."
"What?!"
Iril's eyes went wide. No wonder he'd seemed familiar. Ronan snatched a customer's water glass and chugged it down.
"Eek!"
"Phew... damn, I can breathe now."
He felt the cool water sliding down his scorched throat. It had been ages since he'd sweated this much—not since the war with Nebula Klazier. Ronan wiped his mouth with his sleeve and continued.
"So why's your face so red? Did that Schlieffen punk kiss you or something?"
"Wh-what are you talking about! It's just hot!"
"Whoa, close call. I was only kidding."
Ronan shrugged. Iril covered her flushed cheeks with both hands and turned away. Schlieffen stood frozen, mouth agape. That's when a young man in his late teens stepped through the door.
"Finally found him."
"Yeah. Thanks, Ir."
"I told you not to call me that."
Itargand frowned. Navardoje's youngest son was still enrolled at Phileon Academy.
"Cut me some slack. How am I supposed to rattle off 'Itargand' every time?"
"Insolent fool..."
Wingless Ronan had managed that game of tag with Sita mostly thanks to Itargand—seventy percent, at least. The mage had tracked Sita's position in real-time and tripled Ronan's running speed with magic.
'Lucky we ran into him.'
Ronan sighed in relief. Iril, barely regaining her composure, looked down at Sita.
"You're really Sita?"
"Yeah. Busted."
"Whoa... you're so cute! You look just like Ronan when he was little."
Iril hugged him tight. It was absurd, but somehow believable. Sita purred with his eyes closed, then spoke.
"Thanks for always being so good to me."
"Heehee, what brought this on?"
"I'm serious. Living with you made me so happy. I can't fit in the house anymore now that I'm bigger, but I really wanted to tell you."
Sita buried his face in her chest again. Tears suddenly welled in her eyes. Memories of their days together flashed through her mind.
Meals and bedtime every day, lazy afternoons stroking Sita on her lap as she dozed. Iril dabbed her eyes with her apron.
"What are you saying... you were the one protecting me."
Looking back, Sita had spent far more time with her than Ronan. Guarding Iril in Ronan's stead had been his duty.
And he'd performed it flawlessly. It was a touching scene, but Ronan had no intention of lingering. Polymorph spells weren't permanent. Arms crossed, he spoke up.
"Anyway, hide-and-seek's over. Come here."
"Eeeek... I wanted to play more."
Sita hung his head. He pulled away from Iril and turned toward Ronan. Good, at least I caught him. Just as Ronan reached to grab him—
"Don't! Let's play a little longer!"
"Huh?"
Whoosh! Sita's four wings burst open. His blurring form shot forward.
Ronan's eyes widened. He lunged desperately, but Sita slipped past his fingertips by a hair. In an instant, he blew by Itargand and burst out of the restaurant, skidding to a halt on the main street.
"Haha! You won't catch me this time!"
"Damn it, freeze right now!"
He'd let his guard down. Cursing, Ronan bolted outside. Sita stuck out his tongue playfully, on the verge of taking flight.
No time for aura pulls. It was do or die. Wonder if this'll even work. Switching his power source, Ronan glared and bellowed.
"I said stop!"
"Huh?"
In that instant, Sita's world went dark. Nothing was visible or audible in the shrouded realm. Even the wind had fallen silent around him.
"D-Dad?"
A chilling dread made Sita whimper. The weight of isolation crushed him. This happened once today already, didn't it?
"...?"
Sita whipped around at a stabbing killing intent. He froze. Ronan was gone, replaced by a massive black serpent glaring at him.
"Come down."
"Preeeeek!"
The snake spoke. A piercing shriek escaped Sita as he lost consciousness, plummeting limply. Ronan leaped and caught him.
"Pree... pieeee..."
"Shit, never thought I'd use this here."
Sita thrashed like he was trapped in a nightmare. It'd take time for him to snap out of it. Ronan gave a wry smile.
The Mansa he'd learned from Naviroje. He'd figured it'd come in handy someday, but tag? Never crossed his mind.
'At least I got him.'
Mission accomplished. As he turned to leave, a grotesque gurgle from behind froze him.
"Urgh... kgh."
"Oh."
He turned. People in front of him during Mansa's activation were convulsing on the ground, passed out.
"M-Mother..."
Itargand, right in front, was foaming at the mouth. Behind him, Iril, Schlieffen, and Josef gawked blankly. Ronan swept a hand over his face and muttered.
"Fuck."
Surprisingly, the mess sorted itself out quickly. Ronan's low proficiency with Mansa had been a stroke of luck. After apologizing to Iril and the customers, he slipped away.
"Sorry. Ruined your business."
"No way. For some reason, they weren't upset at all—they loved it. Even said they'd be back."
The fainted patrons had left declaring themselves regulars. They'd all shared a brief stint under Iril's care. Ronan swallowed his retort and turned.
"Not easy... gotta go. Take care, sis."
"You too, Ronan. You show up every other day anyway. Next time Sita turns human, bring him!"
Ronan hoisted the unconscious Sita onto his back and headed for Phileon. The sunset was already painting the sky and streets in amber. He reached the gates just as Sita groaned awake.
"Ughhh..."
"You're up."
"...Dad?"
Sita tilted his head. His mind reeled like he'd flown through turbulence. Grasping the situation, he nuzzled into Ronan's back and mumbled.
"Got caught. I was so sure."
"That's what you get underestimating your dad... wait, why am I your dad? Quit that."
"Can't I call you that?"
Sita drooped. Ronan suddenly felt like the bad guy. He twisted his lips and sighed.
"Hmph, do what you want. You'll be back to chirping soon anyway."
"Heehee, okay."
"If I'm Dad, who's Mom? That fuzzy chirper?"
Ronan asked tensely. Marfez, the Dream Bird Baren raised, had laid Sita's egg, after all.
Am I tangled in bird drama now? But Sita slowly shook his head.
"No. Marfez is a friend. And my successor."
"Successor?"
"Yeah. Not sure the human word. Like... the one who provides the nest to hatch in?"
"Tricky. So who's Mom?"
"No one. You're Dad and Mom, Ronan. You gave me the dream."
Ronan furrowed his brow at the cryptic words. Dream Bird logic clearly diverged from human common sense. Recalling the day's chaos, Sita rubbed his cheek against Ronan's back.
"Heehee, today was the best. Heading back to Baren now?"
"Yeah."
"Umm... Dad, can we make a quick stop?"
"Where? As long as it's not far."
"Can't walk. Hold on!"
Sita spread his wings. Whoosh! Ronan's body lifted into the air. Laughing in astonishment at the sudden flight, he said,
"You're freakishly strong."
"Heehee, right?"
Sita giggled. Polymorph shrank his size but left his strength intact. Gliding smoothly, they landed atop one of Phileon Academy's towers.
"Secret base?"
"Yep! My favorite spot!"
Sita beamed. Black feathers were scattered across the gently sloped roof, as expected.
"...Nice."
Ronan whistled, surveying the view. Vast Phileon sprawled below, the landscape he'd called home for years ablaze in sunset glow.
Buildings and spires silhouetted against the sun resembled shadows thrust from the earth. Cooling evening breeze tousled his hair. As Ronan drank in the vista like a man entranced—
"When I was still an egg, Dad's memories flowed into me."
"What?"
"I remember every one. Back then, you were always drowning in sorrow. While I was still sleeping, you told me this."
Ronan flinched. Sita gazed serenely ahead, eyes softly closed. His tiny lips moved slowly.
"I wanted to save them. I hated watching comrades die right in front of me. If I could just stop the bleeding, heal this wound—nobody would've had to die."
"..."
"I wanted to fly. I was powerless before that giant soaring overhead. If only my sword could reach that bald bastard up there."
Ronan's eyes widened. These were words from his past life's hell, buried deep in his heart after regression.
"I don't care if I'm covered in blood. As long as I can protect everyone, that's enough. So please, don't die in front of me anymore."
Fwaaah...! Sita's body began to glow. The polymorph was wearing off. Undeterred, he continued.
"That's why I was born. To save, to fly, to get bloodied for everyone. I drank your dream, Dad."
It clicked. Sita's powers were all things he'd yearned for: healing to save dying comrades, flight to slay skyborne giants. A perfect fit for a Dream Bird.
"Thanks for the dream. It was short, but so much fun. I'll never forget today..."
Sita trailed off. A long shadow fell across the rooftop. Ronan, silently watching the sunset, finally spoke.
"It was fun for me too, more or less."
"Preeeek."
A familiar cry rang out. Turning, Ronan saw Sita back in his true form. Stroking the bird nuzzling his cheek, he murmured softly.
"You were me, Sita."