Obituary (4)
"Who is it?"
Maya stepped to the door and peered cautiously outside.
"Ah, um… well."
A man's voice answered; he sounded painfully nervous.
Who could it be?
She was a graduate of a prestigious magic school, but Palmers had always told her to stay alert.
Especially when she was alone in a hotel.
"I'm sorry. I don't really have a proper explanation. I just happened to see you from outside, I guess? Anyway—"
The man babbled, and another voice cut in.
"Idiot, move aside."
He cleared his throat and steadied himself before speaking.
"We're fans of Ms. Maya. We happened to see you… could we get an autograph?"
Normally, with Palmers watching, she'd have gladly signed, but this felt awkward.
"Sorry, but—"
Maya was about to decline politely, then stopped.
"I can't keep living like this."
It wasn't so much that she expected anything to come of it—she just wanted something new to stir in her heart.
"Just a moment."
Maya, wearing her coat, cracked the door open. Two men about her age took a small step back.
"Wow, it really is Maya."
Even from a VIP box at a show you wouldn't get this close a look.
"She looks unreal." The aura of someone idolized turned her from a mere person into something like a deity.
"Hello! We're your fans!"
They didn't seem dangerous, so Maya released the lock and opened the door fully.
"Nice to meet you. Um… the autograph?" Her offhand invitation had left her unprepared to actually sign.
Thinking on his feet, one man turned his friend around and gave him a slap on the back.
"Please sign here. I'll never lick it—I'll treasure it forever!"
Maya chuckled.
After signing for them, she snapped the pen cap closed and reached for the doorknob.
"Take care, then."
"Oh, um—"
The man who'd rushed forward extended his hand, then, realizing the rudeness, drew it back and scratched his head.
"If you haven't eaten yet, would you like to join us? About the autograph and all—we'd like to treat you."
"Excuse me? Eat?"
"If it's inconvenient, feel free to refuse. It's just… this feels like a dream, and I was anxiously waiting for an answer—"
Maya's eyes clouded with sadness as she looked at him.
Shirone—
If the person standing there had been the one who, with a single word, could send her from heaven to hell—if that person had been Shirone—
She would have been so happy she'd be speechless.
But that would never happen; it was, as always, just a daydream in her head.
I have to break free.
After a long pause with no reply from Maya, the man bowed, taking it as a refusal.
"I'm sorry. I said something foolish…"
Maya smiled.
"No. Meeting like this is fate—let's eat together. I happened to be hungry."
"Huh?"
He'd assumed a 99 percent chance of rejection, so his face went blank.
"R-really?"
Maya hurriedly stopped herself from superimposing Shirone onto the man's face again.
"Why would I lie? What's wrong with eating?"
"But Ms. Maya, you're famous…"
"Ha! Do famous people never get hungry? Let's go. And treat me to something delicious." See that, Shirone?
I'm popular too. Even this handsome nobleman's head over heels for me.
A little burst of vanity.
"All right! I'll take you to the best place!"
With the faint hope that maybe she could forget Shirone, Maya left the hotel.
At a tavern two hundred meters from the hotel where Maya was staying, Shirone and Bishop sat facing each other.
"How much can you drink?" Bishop poured his cup as a plate of sliced meat was set between them.
"I don't drink much."
If you're talking about the limit his mind could endure, Shirone's capacity was effectively infinite.
"I see."
Bishop gave a wry smile and raised his glass. Shirone lifted his in return with both hands.
Staring into his cup, Shirone said, "Lord, about Gai—"
"There's no need."
This wasn't a drinking session put together merely for consolation.
"How was he? Gai. I hope he wasn't disappointing. I wanted to see how far the eldest son of the Ozent family had gone against an Infinite mage."
"He was strong."
Shirone could say that without hesitation.
"Not just with his swordsmanship, but in spirit—there wasn't the slightest hesitation in carrying out his convictions."
"I see."
Bishop recalled Gai.
"You're wrong, Shirone. Gai was weak. That's why he died." Shirone drank in silence.
"If strength is just fighting and surviving, then there's no one strong in this world. Humans are fragile. They die if struck by lightning."
"It must have been a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes."
"There's no excuse. If that boy had truly been strong, he wouldn't have been obsessed with outward displays of strength. Fear ate him. He was defeated by it—by you and by Rian."
Bishop turned to look out the window.
"…As the eldest son of the Ozent family, he must have had burdens to bear. Turns out the weight was heavier than expected. My responsibility grows."
His head was turned away so Shirone couldn't see his face, but Shirone had the sense Bishop was crying.
The mood was heavy but not hopeless, and they drank in memory of Gai.
Near sundown Bishop stood.
"I'm heading back. Reina will be thinking about this too. Give her a day?"
"Of course. I'll go in tomorrow."
"I'll pay."
Not long after Bishop left, Shirone also rose from his seat.
This is hard.
As he walked to sort his thoughts, he noticed people peering through the tavern window.
"Isn't that just someone who looks similar?"
"You call that similar? That's the real Maya."
Shirone stopped in his tracks.
"Maya?"
"So that's the backstory. No wonder the lyrics hit me the moment I first heard them."
"No, it's not that the lyrics were especially well written—"
Maya waved her hand hurriedly.
"No need for modesty. Sincerity shines through. Hearing the story made me an even bigger fan."
Mason, one of the two fans who'd come to the hotel, topped up Maya's glass.
"Unrequited love? Hard to believe. It's painful to listen to."
Tito, Mason's friend, chimed in.
"Yeah. There's a line of people who like Ms. Maya. You've had lots of confessions, right?"
"Confessions? No, not really…"
A man suddenly came to mind.
Caiden.
When life got difficult and she thought back to the graduation exam, one question always followed her.
Why did he give up the exam?
At first she'd simply chalked it up to luck.
But living in the world taught her such improbable events didn't happen.
He was strong enough to be in the Golden Wheel. He must have given up. And I passed.
Maybe there had been a reason after all.
Is he doing well?
If she met him at Pisho's funeral, she wanted to ask him about that day.
"That's right."
Maya smiled.
"I've forgotten it all now. What good would it do to know such a man? I want to meet someone new."
Mason brightened.
"Ha! Good decision. Now, a toast to Ms. Maya's new love!"
"All right! Cheers!"
Tito, watching Mason's overblown excitement, snorted and stood.
"I should get going."
"What? Leaving already?"
"I forgot I had plans with my girlfriend. Sorry, Ms. Maya. Next time we'll have a drink together."
Mason's eyes were watering.
"Thanks, friend."
Tito winked.
"Take good care of Ms. Maya. See you next time."
After paying the bill and opening the door, Shirone brushed past Tito.
Do they really need to drink that much?
From a distance he could see the empty bottles on the table.
"Maya, you're here?" Shirone approached the table, and the smile on Maya's face froze.
"Sh-Shirone."
She looked as if she'd committed a crime.
"I was passing by and saw you. Who are these people?"
Sensing the mood, Mason stood and offered his hand.
"I'm a fan. I like her so much I wanted to treat her."
"Nice to meet you. I'm a school friend."
"Oh, I see."
Mason realized immediately; as expected, a shadow fell over Maya's face.
Right—just a school friend. That's all.
"Want me to walk you home? I can see you off."
After all, Maya was a famous performer, and the glances from outside made her uneasy.
"Why?"
His tone was colder than usual.
"Why would you walk me? I'm having a great time. Don't fuss—just go ahead."
"No, I'm worried—"
"Worried about what? I wasn't grabbed by some bad person, was I? Can't I drink as I please?"
"You're drinking too much." Maya's eyes narrowed.
"Don't look down on me. I'm a certified mage who passed the graduation exam. I don't want you meddling in this."
Shirone, lost in thought, nodded.
"All right. Get home safe."
When Shirone left, Mason sat back down and watched Maya.
"You okay?"
Maya took a long, reckless swig and laughed.
"I did it! That was perfect, right? I finally let it go. Oh, I feel so much lighter."
"If Ms. Maya says so, that's fine. But are you really all right?"
"Yes! Let's drink some more!"
She drank until midnight, and with Mason supporting her, she reached the hotel.
"Ms. Maya, pull yourself together. Your legs are wobbly."
"I'm fine. I'm a mage. Know the Spirit Zone? If I concentrate, drinks like this wear off fast."
She simply didn't want to sober up.
"Mason, want to come in for one more?"
"Huh? No, that's—"
Maya stared at Mason.
"I don't want to be alone. I feel like I'll go crazy."
After a moment, Mason set his jaw and guided her inside.
"Let's go up. The lobby has people coming and going."
They climbed the stairs and reached Maya's room. He let go of his support and exhaled heavily.
"Phew. Ms. Maya, where's the key?"
"Hic. Hic."
Her shoulders shook against the door.
"I told you to forget it…"
When Mason turned, Maya's face was streaked with tears.
"There's no way I can forget!" "Ms. Maya…"
Shirone heard the plaintive sobs echoing down the corridor from behind a wall.
Mason found the key, opened Maya's room for her, and handed it over.
"Go in, Ms. Maya. I'll head off now."
Maya hurriedly wiped her tears.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I—"
"I might be presumptuous, but there's something I want to say."
Maya lifted her tear-glazed face and Mason smiled.
"Unrequited love is still love. If forgetting is harder than enduring the pain from afar, don't force yourself."
"Mason."
"Stay strong. I'll always be cheering for you."
He clenched his fist in encouragement, then left without looking back.
Sigh.
The spring wind outside was cold.
"So this is how it goes again?"
Tito stood in front of the hotel.
"You didn't go in?"
"I just came by. Is this the first time? That's why you're going to be single all your life."
"Cut it out. I already regret it so much I feel like I'll go mad."
"Heh heh, you'll regret it forever."
"Still… she'll remember me, right?"
Mason, looking up at the hotel, said proudly.
"At least I didn't look pathetic. Honestly, I was pretty cool. Can you imagine that?"
Tito snorted and tapped the back of Mason's head.
"Let's go get a drink."
Someday spring will come.