Mitile's 4th Anniversary SSR Card Story ā "Between Strength and Kindness"
Part 1
[Manor Corridor]
Akira: (Is that Mitile�)
Mitile: āā¦ā
Akira: (He looks worn out, I wonder if something happenedā¦)
Bradley: āYo, Sage.ā
Akira: āWhoa! Bradleyā¦ā
Bradley: āYou showed up at a good time. Invite the Southern Shortie out for a holiday, wouldāja?ā
Akira: āHuh? Iām happy to do that, of course, but whyā?ā
Bradley: āIāll leave ya to it then.ā
Akira: āAh⦠Heās gone.ā
Akira: (From the way he was talking, it seems like Bradley knows why Mitile looks so tired⦠Well, I guess Iāll just pay Mitile a visit instead.)
[Mitileās Room]
Mitile: āIām glad to see you, Master Sage! I only just got back home, so Iām happy we didnāt accidentally miss each other⦠Was there something you wanted to talk about?ā
Akira: āWell, I saw you going into your room a few moments ago⦠You looked kind of worn out, so I got a little worried.ā
Mitile: āOh, is that all! Well, to be honest⦠Mister Bradley has been teaching me magic recently, and itās pretty tiring.ā
Mitile: āItās a lot more intense than the relaxed classes I used to have in the South, so I usually feel exhausted by the end.ā
Akira: (Oh, I see⦠So thatās why Bradley came up to me earlier.)
Akira: āIs it difficult, thenā¦?ā
Mitile: āA little bit, yeah. It can be hard work, and sometimes I get frustrated or even angry at the way Mister Bradley speaks to meā¦ā
Mitile: āBut itās really been worth all the effort! He did say to me āI wonāt go easy on you as your teacherā.ā
Mitile: āHe doesnāt treat me like Iām just a kid ā I feel like he really sees me as his equal in being a wizard⦠And that gets me fired up about working even harder!ā
Mitile: āThanks to him, I can use my magic in ways I never even thought of before!ā
Akira: āThatās amazingā¦! Bradleyās very dependable.ā
Akira: (Ways of using magic that Mitileās never thought of beforeā¦? I canāt help but feel like that might be dangerousā¦)
Mitile: āStill, maybe I pushed myself too hard today. Iām sorry for worrying you.ā
Akira: āOh, no, itās okay. Just knowing why is a relief on its own. That being said⦠If you have the time, would you like to take tomorrow off with me?ā
Akira: āWe can relax in the Magic Manor together, or go out if thereās a place youād like to visit. Preferably somewhere not too stressful, of course.ā
When I smiled at him, the worried expression on Mitileās face suddenly disappeared. Then, looking a little fidgety, he opened his mouth to speak.
Mitile: āIf you donāt mind, thenā¦ā
[Plateau of Flowers]
So, the next day Mitile and I went to a plateau not very far from the Southern Tower at his request. A number of stalls lined the road beneath the clear blue sky.
Mitile: āThe villagers from around here like to gather in this spot to sell each other some of their own handmade things. There are so many one-of-a-kind items that itās fun to just look at everything!ā
Akira: āThank you so much for bringing me to such a wonderful place. Iām excited to find my own personal treasure here!ā
Part 2
Akira: āStill, thereās really so many stalls here. Iād love to visit all of them if I can, but Iām not sure weāre going to have enough timeā¦ā
Mitile: āWhat if we split up for now, and then when we find some stalls weāre really interested in, we can meet up again and show each other?ā
Akira: āGood idea! Iāll be sure to find some great stalls to take you to you later.ā
ā
Akira: (Theyāre selling things carved out of wood at this stall. The fretwork pattern here is beautiful⦠Oh, that coaster might be nice to get.)
Akira: (I know Mitile has a habit of bringing drinks to his table when heās studying, so Iām sure heād get good use out of something like this.)
Blond-Haired Man: āHmph, how could anyone try and sell such a misshapen ring for a price like that?ā
When I turned to look for the source of those words, I saw a fairly tall man walking behind me with his shoulders slumped.
Akira: (That man doesnāt seem like a citizen of Southern Country⦠Heās being stingy over almost every item on sale here. What a rude guyā¦)
Blond-Haired Man: āThis thing here is free, yes? Iāll be taking it, then.ā
Stall Owner: āW-Well, hold onā¦ā
Akira: āE-Excuse meā¦! If you do something like that youāll be putting this person in a difficult position, so I really think you should payāā
Blond-Haired Man: āShut your mouth!ā
Akira: āWah!ā
ā
Mitile: āOh, wow! These inks made of flowers come in so many beautiful colours⦠And the flower that was used as the ingredient is labelled on each of the jars.ā
Mitile: (Maybe Master Sage could use these for writing in their book? Iāll bring them to this stall later so they can choose the inks theyād like.)
Mitile: (ā¦Now that Iām thinking about it, I was happy when Master Sage spent a lot of time getting to know me and listening to me talk after we met each other for the first time.)
Mitile: (It still makes me feel kind of lonely to think that the only reason they were writing all that down in the first place was to help the next Sage after they leaveā¦)
Mitile: (But I understand how it feels to want to go home, too. Iām sure they must have friends and family waiting for them to come backā¦)
Mitile: āStill⦠I really donāt want to say goodbyeā¦ā
Mitile: (Because the more I get to know about Master Sage, the more I find myself really liking themā¦)
Mitile: (ā¦I wonder how much they think Iāve changed since they first wrote about me in the Sageās Manual.)
???: āShut your mouth!ā
Mitile: āDid I just hear someone starting a fightā¦? Something mightāve happened over thereā¦!ā
ā
Akira: āOuchā¦ā
Mitile: āMaster Sageā¦?! Are you okay?ā
Stall Owner: āYour friend there tried to scold this man for not paying for his things, but they were shoved to the floorā¦ā
Blond-Haired Man: āOf course youāre going to get hurt if you attack someone so brazenly. Itās only expected that I would defend myself as a foreigner here.ā
Mitile: āā¦Grr⦠I wonāt let you bother any of the people here, or Master Sage!ā
Blond-Haired Man: āWhat an impertinent brat. What could someone like you ever do to me, hm?ā
Mitile took out his magic potion jar. At that moment, I saw Bradleyās face flash through my mind.
Mitile: āĀ«Ortonik CealsispilceĀ»!ā
(āBang!ā SFX)
Part 3
Akira: āWah! ā¦Huh?ā
The man was unharmed, despite how the loud bang made him brace himself in fear. Nothing nearby seemed to have been destroyed, either.
Blond-Haired Man: āGah! S-So youāre a wizard, are you?!ā
Mitile: āThatās right! Cause any more trouble here and Iāll do a lot worse than make a loud sound next time!ā
Blond-Haired Man: āS-Shit⦠I donāt need this!ā
Mitile: āā¦Phew. Master Sageā Ohā¦ā
Though there were few humans who held prejudices against wizards in Southern Country, many of the people around us still seemed shocked by the abruptness of the situation. Mitileās gaze wavered with anxiety in the still and silent air.
Standing, up I gently grasped Mitileās hand with my own. I could feel his fingers trembling against my palm.
Akira: āMitile. You did a good job protecting everyone. Thank you. I think weāre all just surprised because the noise was so loud.ā
Mitile: āO-Oh⦠Um⦠Iām sorry for scaring you, everyone.ā
Mitile: āAll I did was make the air vibrate to create a loud sound⦠Itās not the kind of magic that could hurt anyone, really.ā
As he turned to face the people around him, Mitile explained himself with a sincere voice.
Stall Owner: āAh, so thatās what it was. Thank you. Youāve been a big help.ā
Hatted Woman: āAh, so it was like one of those bells that drive away beasts. Itās a relief knowing nobody was hurt just now.ā
Once everyone had realised that things were alright again, the area quickly regained its former liveliness. Mitileās tension was quickly washed away, perhaps relieved by the sight.
Mitile: āā¦That spell I just used was something Mister Bradley showed me.ā
Mitile: āHe told me that so long as my opponent isnāt a wizard, I donāt really need to use serious magic to scare them away.ā
Mitile: āI thoughtā maybe I could use what Mister Bradley taught me to frighten that guy off without hurting him⦠But I ended up scaring everyone around me, too.ā
Akira: āā¦You really havenāt changed at all, Mitile.ā
Mitile: āHuh?ā
Akira: āSince the day I first met you, all youāve ever wanted is to protect others using your own strength. I think itās amazing how that part of you hasnāt changed one bit.ā
Akira: āEven though youāve recently been thrust into a situation where youāre having to learn from people whose values are very different to your own, and youāre growing up at a surprisingly fast pace.ā
Akira: āYouāre really cool, Mitile. I respect you a lot.ā
Mitile: āā¦Thank you so much!ā
Mitile: āTo be honest, while I was wandering around the stalls by myself, I couldnāt help but wonder how you thought of me now, Master Sageā¦ā
Mitile: āSo it makes me feel really happy to hear you say that!ā
Mitile: āOh, thatās right ā I found a really great shop while I was looking around. They sell lots of different coloured inks made out of flowers. Can I take you there after this?ā
Akira: āOh, yes please! Itād be wonderful if I could write about everyone in the Sageās Manual using flower ink.ā
Mitile: āAre you going to write about my hard work and what I learnt today once weāre home?ā
Akira: āOf course!ā
Beaming at me happily, Mitile held my hand in his so that we wouldnāt be separated until we arrived at the stall he wanted to show me. I squeezed his palm gently.
The idea of having to someday leave behind my Sageās Manual is a difficult one ā because I never want to forget Mitileās gentle warmth.
Sub-Episode: Mitile and the Door of Days Gone By
Akira: āApparently, thereās a door that lets people see into the past appearing on the beach of Borda Island.ā
Akira: āSpeaking of the past, I used to get very anxious when I first arrived in this world. Whenever I felt particularly bad, I would calm myself down by recalling a certain memory of mine.ā
Mitile: āA memory?ā
Akira: āMhm. Of an adult I trusted reading me a book when I was a child.ā
Mitile: āMe too! I used to love having my father and brother read to me as a child!ā
Akira: āAhaha. Weāre the same then, huh?ā
Akira: āIf you donāt mind me asking, how do you comfort yourself when you feel lonely, Mitile?ā
Mitile: āOh, um⦠Well, Iām not really sureā¦ā
Mitile: āI have memories of being by myself, and feeling lonely and sad.ā
Mitile: āOf course there have also been times when I was upset or angry, and didnāt want to see anybody at all, butā¦ā
Mitile: āI guess what I mean is that I donāt really understand what loneliness is yet.ā
Mitile: āEven when me and my brother fight, we usually make up really quickly.ā
Mitile: āAnd if we donāt, I still have my friends from school to talk to, and Doctor Figaro, and Mister Leno ā Mister Mithra, too.ā
Mitile: āItās not like I have plans to go somewhere far away all by myselfā¦ā
Mitile: āTo be honest, I donāt think Iāve ever really felt truly alone.ā
Akira: āAh, I see! But you know, I think thatās a very good thing, honestly.ā
Akira: āIt makes me happy to hear that youāre surrounded by people you can rely on. Itās relieving.ā
Mitile: āYou really think so?ā
Akira: āYes!ā
Mitile: āLoneliness⦠I guess what I really think of when I hear that word is Mister Leno.ā
Akira: āLennoxā¦?ā
Mitile: āYeah. Mister Leno never spent much time in or even near the Town of Clouds, really.ā
Mitile: āWhen people would talk about him, Iād always think of this man herding sheep all by himself on some far away mountainsā¦ā
Mitile: āTotally alone with only the sheep and his sheepdog to keep him company. Doesnāt that sound lonely?ā
Mitile: āI remember that it used to make my heart pound. Though, maybe thatās not the right way to put it⦠I just thought it sounded like something I could never do.ā
Akira: āI get it⦠Sheep and dogs are cute, but youād start missing people after a while, right?ā
Mitile: āExactly!ā
Akira: āWhat about Rutile and Figaro, then?ā
Mitile: āMy brother and I have always been together. I know heās got lots of his own friends.ā
Mitile: āAnd Doctor Figaro is a popular person everyone can always rely on.ā
Akira: āMm, I seeā¦ā
Mitile: āMaybe once Iām grown up I wonāt feel lonely living by myself, though.ā
Mitile: āI hope I can stay together with everyone, even when Iām olderā¦ā










