Huh… who is he?
Sato was stunned the moment he saw Trickster standing in his room. His fingers clenched around his phone, the first instinct being to call for Irina.
"Iri—"
But before he could finish her name, his throat tightened, a cough escaping his mouth. A strange pressure blocked his voice. He reached up in panic, feeling something jammed between his teeth.
His fingers grabbed it—fabric. He pulled, only to realize it wasn't a single piece but a long chain of brightly colored cloths tied together, stuffed deep into his mouth.
While Sato struggled to pull the cloth out, Trickster casually made his way into the bedroom, and stood right beside him.
"Mon ami, there's no need to trouble mademoiselle Irina. After all, I'm only here for a little rehearsal."
With a flick of his finger, the fabric still spilling from Sato's mouth vanished, allowing him to finally catch his breath as sweat began to bead on his forehead.
"A what, now?"
A moment later, Sato sat on the bed to recover a little while Trickster admired his room.
What is the deal with this guy? He's clearly a hero, and yet I can't feel a drop of mana from him. Who is he?
Trickster glanced over his shoulder at him, and seeing that he was better now, he approached him.
"So what do you want?"
"Mon ami, don't give me the cold shoulder. You see, I find it quite… délicat to talk with mademoiselle. Because of that, I decided to talk with you. Alone."
"...Well, I can't really blame you for that. I know very well how hard it is to deal with her, so I'll overlook this… Just don't try to choke me again."
"My humble apologies," Trickster said, lowering his head and tipping his hat.
"...Though I must admit, it was a rather memorable entrance, non?"
"Just get to the point!" Sato said, a little annoyed.
"But of course! Everyone's time is so valuable. Let me first present myself—Mon nom de scène is Trickster, the master of spectacle, who brings the show to its absolute best. And now…" he raised a hand dramatically, "…I am in search of actors for a grand event."
"Aha…"
Sato looked at him like he was crazy, not sure what to take of him but eventually decided to play his game.
"Alright, 'master of spectacle', from what I can tell, you're looking for people to join the next big show, right? What's it about?"
Trickster's eyes sparkled with joy at his words. He grabbed Sato's hands with excitement.
"Yes, mon ami! This is the spirit! Allow me to give you a little peek at what's coming."
Trickster struck a pose as he explained.
"The sky will be swallowed by a thick black cloud, and the battle shall unfold in a worthy arena. Tears will fall as sorrow paints the actors' faces. Bonds will tremble, some breaking while others grow stronger. And in the end, when the curtain falls, a new sunset shall rise… with people born renewed."
"Is that so…"
Sato fell silent, pondering what everything he said might mean.
Even if his words are quite straightforward, I still can't wrap my head around all of them… And that line about some bonds breaking while others grow stronger… It kind of makes me wonder…
"Anything else? I need to say, your explanation about the next event really sparked my interest. Why don't you tell me more?"
When Trickster heard him, a playful grin stretched across his face.
"Ah, mon ami... it seems the cunningness of the Black Witch has rubbed off on you. Maybe if it were someone else, they'd tell you more." Trickster raised a finger and wagged it theatrically. "But non, non, non… you'll get no more from me."
"I guess it was worth a shot," Sato said, scratching the back of his head.
Raising a hand in front of him, Trickster gave it a swift shake, and in the next instant, a white rose appeared in his palm.
"Here, mon ami, for the trouble I caused earlier."
A white rose, huh… it's beautiful.
"I guess I'll take it."
Sato took the rose from Trickster, the latter retreated toward the window.
"And with that, our act came to an end. Until we meet again, mon ami."
Trickster gave a small bow, tilting his hat forward once more. A faint smile curved on his lips, growing wider as he bent lower. Smoke began to pour from his hat, thickening until it swallowed his entire figure. When the smoke finally cleared, he was gone.
Another weirdo to add to the list. At least this rose seems nice and… surprisingly normal. I don't sense any mana from it.
Sato grabbed a small bottle of water he had nearby and placed the flower inside, setting it gently on the nightstand.
Just as he finished, Irina burst into the room, alert, only to find Sato standing there alone.
"What happened here?" she asked, already sensing the faint traces of mana, Trickster had left behind.
"About that…"
The sun had already begun to set, and in another part of the city, in a beautiful Japanese-style garden, Blueblade sat perched on a tree branch, playing a soft tune on a leaf. Asahi walked out carrying a bottle of juice.
"Blueblade, want some?" Asahi asked, shaking the bottle.
"If you could pour me a cup." Blueblade replied, continuing to play his leaf.
"I don't get why you do this every day. Is talking with your sister really that important?" Asahi said as he was pouring the juice, looking at Blueblade out of the corner of his eye.
"I fear Sakura has not yet reached the point where she can stand on her own. For that reason, she resorts to a technique from our lost world, allowing her to reach me even from afar. At times, I truly do not know how to guide her."
Asahi crossed his arms and leaned against a rock in the garden.
"Maybe stop spoiling her so much. If she's always going to depend on you, she'll never grow up."
Blueblade was a little surprised by Asahi's words.
"Who knew my exis could actually speak some words of wisdom." Blueblade looked up through the leaves at the sky.
"Maybe you're right… she'll never grow up, if I'm always there for her." Blueblade said with a calm tone, almost reflecting on what he had done until then.
With that, a final whistle echoed from the leaf before Blueblade clenched it in his fist. He opened his hand again, letting it fall gently to the ground.
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her that I'm going to focus on this competition, and that she should focus more on herself too."
"I see."
"Sometimes, by holding something too close, you can ensure its safety… but in doing so, you stand in the way of its growth. I've always known this, and yet I still hesitated to let her go."
"So, what pushed you to do it now?" Asahi asked curiously.
"If I'm being honest with you, little exis, I'd say your friend inspired me most."
"Sato, huh? How come?" A small smile appered on Asahi's face.
"That boy… even when he's faced with countless hardships, he doesn't just persevere—he changes their course. He's quite remarkable."
Asahi pushed himself off the rock he'd been leaning on and headed toward the house.
"I know. He's a great guy."
"Don't you want to follow his example as well? You've got the potential to become a great person too."
"Too much work for that. I'm fine." Asahi raised a hand lazily in the air, signaling that he was content with how things were.
The breeze whispered through the garden as Asahi disappeared into the house, leaving Blueblade alone beneath the fading light.
He leapt down from the tree, landing with quiet grace. Reaching for his glass, he took a slow sip of juice, letting his eyes drift closed.
"You can show yourself now, Trickster."
From behind a tree, Trickster stepped out, slowly making his way toward Blueblade.
"Monsieur Blueblade, sharp as always."