Ch. 7: The Miasma's Cause
Shoulder to shoulder, Lucien and I went deeper into the forbidden grounds…-.
OO: “…”
In an instant, the dense fog enveloped us, making it difficult to breath. I made a small noise.
Lucien: “You okay?”
Lucien wrapped his wing around me, then held a piece of cloth up over my mouth.
As I felt my breath starting to come a little easier, we kept moving forward and…-.
Lucien: “This is…”
I stopped walking as Lucien froze, and I desperately tried to see ahead through the miasma that clouded my vision.
OO: “…!”
Before me was a dark swamp, the deep waters flickering as if alive.
Just from looking at it I felt myself pulled into the darkness of the abyss. I gulped.
Lucien: “This is…this swamp is the source of the forbidden grounds and the miasma…”
Lucien stood there for a while, his eyes wide in shock…
Lucien: “We have to bury the swamp.”
His eyes shone with a deep, unshakable resolve as he spoke aloud his decision.
Ch. 8: How to Bury the Swamp
Lucien: “We have to bury the swamp.”
———————
Afterwards…-.
Lucien sought help from the people to fill in the swampland.
Noble: “L…Lord Lucien…”
Soldier: “Ee…”
No matter how scared the people were, Lucien desperately tried to appeal to them so they would help stop the miasma.
(Lucien…)
———————
Lucien: “I have to do something…before it can’t be undone.”
———————
I remembered how he looked when he said that.
(I want to help…)
OO: “Please, as a request from me as well, listen to what he has to say!”
Lucien: “OO…”
Wanting to assist Lucien, I also desperately urged the people of Arbitro to take action.
Lucien: “Thanks.”
At last, a diet assembly was called to discuss the problem that Lucien so earnestly spoke of…-.
Then, on the day of the diet meeting…-.
(I know it was an unreasonable request to come but…)
Lucien appeared, and the gathered people began to stir.
Diet Member 1: “Prince Lucien…”
Diet Member 2: “Those are the black wings…”
Diet Member 3: “Ah, how frightening.”
OO: “…”
I bit my lip as I looked at Lucien, but he seemed not to hear their harsh words as he stood calm and dignified.
To me, the glossy ebony wings on his back held a majestic beauty.
However…
(Lucien’s hand is trembling…)
He made a show of courage as he noticed my unobtrusive look, and that filled me with pain.
(You can do it…Lucien.)
I tightly gripped my hands together, sending that thought out with all my heart…-.
…
……
Chairman: “Now then, the diet assembly shall now begin.”
As the assembly started, Lucien immediately brought forth his proposal…-.
Lucien: “A few days ago, I investigated the forbidden grounds. There, I saw that our situation is perilous as the area has spread very near to the barbed wire enclosure.
Diet Member 1: “Wh-what!?”
Diet Member 2: “Preposterous! There have been no reports about any problems with the forbidden grounds.”
Lucien: “Your poor information gathering was just a way for you to avoid causing chaos. I know the cause of the spreading area and the miasma is the black swamp at the center of the forest. If we can fill it in…-.”
Diet Member 3: “What are you suggesting!? Entering the forbidden grounds… are you saying you want us to have our wings dyed black as well!?”
Lucien: “…”
Lucien stood dumbfounded in response to everyone’s refusal.
Diet Member 4: “I-it’s easy for you to say, since the prince’s wings have already turned black, but…!!”
OO: “…!”
As I reflexively stood up in response to what they’d said …-.
Lucien: “…”
Lucien gave me a calm, yet intent look.
(Lucien…)
—It’s alright, thanks—
The gentle look in his eyes seemed to be telling me that, and I swallowed my words.
Then Lucien tightened his expression as if bracing himself and once more turned his gaze back to the diet members.
Lucien: “I’m not the only one. There are others with black wings.”
(Ah…)
———————
Servant: “…yes. Everyone detests and fears those black wings, and views them as unlucky. Those affected by the miasma, and those born naturally… The reasons are varied, but everyone agreed to drive them into the recesses of the country where they now live.”
———————
Diet Member 2: “You don’t mean…you plan to mobilize them?”
Lucien: “I do. I believe if they help, we can do something about the swamp.”
Diet Member 3: “Ridiculous! That group…we have no idea what they’d do!”
Though the unrest was increasing, Lucien was calm and unaffected.
Lucien: “…but it’s something that those of you with white wings would never do right? If not for those that you all chased off to the corners of the realm, we can’t settle this issue.”
Lucien clenched his fists.
(Even though we don’t know what will happen when people with black wings are hit with the miasma…)
Lucien: “So, if we are to take care of this problem…I want to talk to them, and discuss the matter with them.”
Diet Member 3: “…”
Even after that, many different discussions and arguments continued.
There was no other option than Lucien’s proposal to break down the status quo, and somehow the assembly came to an end.
Ch. 9: White or Black
Immediately following the diet’s decision to fill in the swamp at the center of the forbidden grounds, Lucien’s plan to invite others with black wings to join in the cause was put into action.
Lucien: “You alright? Don’t push yourself.”
Lucien stopped my hands as they worked and asked me that question.
OO: “I’m alright. I want to do what I can too.”
Lucien: “Okay…but tell me right away if you start to feel sick.”
OO: “I will, thank you.”
There was a softness in his grateful expression that hadn’t been there when we’d met.
Black Winged Person 1: “Prince Lucien, what should we do about this part…”
Black Winged Person 2: “Prince Lucien! We’re finished over here!”
I saw just how many people had gathered around Lucien.
(Lucien…)
Lucien smiled awkwardly as he spoke with his comrades.
Warmth flooded through me as I saw that.
…
……
Several days after the work had begun…-.
Lucien: “…have we filled it in?”
Black Winged Person 1: “We did it Lord Lucien!”
Black Winged Person 2: “Thank goodness…”
Everyone who had been working cried out in unison and began exchanging words and embracing each other.
Lucien: “Does everyone feel okay?”
Black Winged Person 3: “Yes! Just a little tired from all that work!”
Lucien: “I see…”
Lucien let out a sigh of relief.
Black Winged Person 2: “At any rate, it’s been a while since I’ve felt this refreshed.”
Black Winged Person 1: “We’re always being hated, or avoided…we would wonder if we should never have existed.”
Lucien: “…”
Black Winged Person 3: “But I’m glad we were able to help the others out like this.”
Black Winged Person 1: “Lord Lucien…thank you.”
Lucien: “Everyone…”
Lucien looked at each of the people with black wings in turn.
Lucien: “…I’m sorry. The truth is, even though I should have protected you…From now on, I’ll try to do what I can. It doesn’t matter if we have white or black wings, we should all be united as one.”
A fierce light shone in Lucien’s eyes.
Black Winged Person 3: “Lord Lucien!”
Black Winged Person 1: “Lord Lucien…!”
I couldn’t help but be captivated by his dignified expression.
Lucien: “…OO?”
Lucien noticed my staring, and tilted his head as if mystified.
Lucien: “What are you looking at?”
OO: “N-nothing.”
(I can’t say I was staring at him…)
I looked away and felt my cheeks heat up when…
OO: “!”
I was pulled in close, and he gently wrapped his wings around me.
Lucien: “…it’s thanks to you. Thanks for staying with me.”
OO: “I didn’t do…-“
I could hear the heavy beating of his heart from within his chest.
(I’m glad…)
The cheers of the people around us grew so faint I could barely hear them as Lucien’s heartbeat echoed clearly in my ears.
Ch. 10: A Sight I Longed For
Somehow, the sky before me seemed so much clearer…-.
We returned to the town after having successfully stopped the spread of the forbidden grounds, and the people with white wings surrounded us, though they kept their distance.
Villager 1: “Lord Lucien…”
Lucien: “…”
It seemed as if the information about us obstructing the swamp had spread, and the people of the town looked at us in wonderment.
Lucien: “The thickening miasma is taken care of. But…no one must ever go near that place. I’ve decided to take responsibility for managing the area, so there’s no need for you to worry.”
Villager: “…”
At that time…-.
Little Girl: “Thank you Lord Lucien!”
A single girl came to stand before Lucien and gave him a flower.
Lucien: “You…”
Lucien bent down and met the girl’s gaze.
Little Girl: “You know, my mom and dad went in there, and their wings turned black. So I couldn’t see them…but it’s okay now, right Lord Lucien?”
Lucien: “…”
Little Girl: “I can see my mom and dad, right?”
Lucien: “Yes…I promise.”
Exchanging promises with the little girl, Lucien stood up straight.
Then one after another, the expressions of the townspeople who had watched the exchanged began to change.
Villager: “They just have black wings…what’s wrong with that? Just now, those guys filled in the swamp for us. We…”
Hearing the commotion that was breaking out, Lucien quietly closed his eyes.
Lucien: “…”
(Such a tender expression…)
He once more slowly opened his jet black eyes, and this time they looked at me.
Lucien: “You went into the forbidden grounds back there…and if you hadn’t gone in when we made the discovery, we never would have been able to take this step forward.”
OO: “…!”
Lucien slowly closed the gap between us.
Soon he was beside me, and he placed a warm hand on my shoulder.
Lucien: “Actually, back then, I was scared…but you kept me positive. You woke me up…I think when that happened, I was actually given a fresh start.”
As we stood there like that, he put his arm around my waist and pulled me into a tight embrace.
With a thrum in the air, his beautiful black wings shook.
OO: “U-um…”
At that moment I was worried he would hear the pounding of my heart, so I looked away.
Then…-.
Lucien: “Now, I can spread my wings.”
As soon as he said those words, full of strength, Lucien lightly lifted me up.
As I was in his arms…-.
His beautiful jet black wings spread out wide, and Lucien leaped up towards the heavens.
I instinctively clung to Lucien at the sudden sensation of being airborne.
OO: “Lucien…!”
Lucien: “It’s okay, hold on tight.”
His wings pumped in the air as we lifted up higher, and the place we’d just been standing already looked very small.
Before long, we were far enough away that I couldn’t even hear the noise of the people below…
Lucien: “I’ve always wanted to fly in the sky like this.”
As he beat his gorgeous black wings in that sky that seemed to be just for the two of us, Lucien started to speak.
Lucien: “I’ve always been hiding these black wings, shutting myself up in the castle…”
OO: “…I’m sure you can spread your wings from now on. The people of this country…I believe they’ll soon come to understand it too.”
Lucien: “Yeah. I’ll have to tell Micaela…my little brother.”
OO: “Your brother?”
Lucien: “It always weighed heavily on my little brother, when my wings turned black.”
OO: “…why is that?”
I was nervous about asking, but Lucien’s expression seemed so open now, and he gave me a bittersweet smile.
Lucien: “When my brother, my friend, and I were playing near the forbidden grounds…they both lost their footing and were about to fall in. I saved them.”
OO: “Then that was when you…”
Lucien: “Yeah.”
(To think that’s what his past was…)
Lucien: “I wonder…if we can go back to how things used to be.”
Lucien looked up to the heavens.
Lucien: “But now I don’t feel indebted to them, or inferior to them …This sight that I’ve always wanted to see, I think I could look at it forever and I would be content.”
OO: “Lucien…”
Lucien: “OO…I want to show it to you too.”
OO: “…!”
Lucien: “Please…won’t you stay by my side and support me from now on? Because you’re the one who gave me this step forward.”
His wings that spread out were such a beautiful and deep black, but because of those black wings, he had been a bewitching person who wouldn’t allow people to get near him.
He slowly asked me that question as both of his eyes sparkled.
(He’s kinder than anyone I know…)
OO: “…yes, I’d be happy to.”
Speaking quietly, I buried my face in his chest.
Then…
Lucien: “…”
Suddenly I wondered if his face was drawing closer, and he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.
OO: “!”
Lucien: “To think the day would come…when I could love someone.”
His smile was mischievous and he rested his cheek against my forehead. The place where his hair brushed against me tickled…
As I prayed that Lucien could always be smiling, I controlled the pounding of my heart and smiled at him.
END