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Father: You’re the proud son of a magus. // Is it no good, then? // You have no talent for magecraft. // You lack the ability // to meet our expectations—
Text: After the death of his parents, Sakagami—
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Kazuhito: ——Haaa! // Haa // Haa // Haa… // Haa… // Haa… // Haa // Haa
Chapter 52: Sakagami Kazuhito 2
Kazuhito (thought): —Four years have passed since then.
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Kazuhito (thought): Within cities under the jurisdiction of the Western European Conglomerate, all people are treated equally. // Even orphans like us received ample care and protection. // Though father told me to take care of Fumika, // we would have surely ended up on the streets if we had no one else to rely on back then. // I found an abandoned building in town // and I suppose you could say… this is my workshop.
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Tamamo(?): It’s far too shabby to be called a workshop, // but on the other hand, he did do his best to set this place up considering he has no backing of any kind.
Kazuhito: … // Fuu…
Kazuhito (thought): Magic Circuits, // “On”— // I imagined // a staircase. // I descend deep into myself. // Light rises up from the depths.
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Kazuhito (thought): That small light // is the light of Od. // I reach out my hand // and—
Kazuhito: Haa // Haa… // Haa… // Haa… // …Damn it…! // Haa— // Just when will I get used to you…!? // Haa—
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Tamamo(?): Looks like his combability with the Crest is quite bad. // It’s possible to lessen the pain of the Crest at times like this with medicine and the like, but— // …There’s no way this child would have the resources to prepare such things.
Kazuhito: Don’t run away…! // Accept this pain without running away… // Haa… // Haa… // Haa… /// Haa… // Haa… // Haa… // Haa…
Kazuhito (thought): Even without talent, I can improve little by little by keeping up my training. // I figured out that there was a bit of a knack to using father’s memento.
Sound effect: *Ring* // *Ring*
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Kazuhito (thought): I imagine the magical energy gathering together // and match it to the small size of the vessel—
Kazuhito: …Haa! // Haa // Guh // …Haa…
Kazuhito (thought): As I improve, my understanding deepens.
Kazuhito: Haa… // Haa…
Kazuhito (thought): It’s truly ironic. // The more I improve my magecraft, // the more keenly I can tell that magi have no future in this world without Mana—
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Kazuhito: Haa // Haa // Haa // Haa // Haa // Haa // Haa
Kazuhito (thought): With my Od generation rate, // using magecraft once a day is my limit… // Search for the Root? // That’s obviously impossible… // …Just how did father feel, // living in this world that’s reached a dead end…?
Father: Is it no good?
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Kazuhito (thought): I found the virtual diving equipment among the wreckage of my home and brought it here with me. // The damage to it wasn’t light, // but I managed to repair it with time. // Here, I can use various spell programs as magecraft practice. // …I know that I’m mediocre. // Even if I’m called talentless by others, I can’t refute it. // That’s who I am.
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Kazuhito (thought): So, // in that case,
Father: Research, // practice // and training.
Kazuhito (thought): …Yeah // I know. // I understand, Father… // You’re telling me to endure it, right…?
Fumika: Nii-san.
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Fumika: I finally found you.
Kazuhito: F…Fumika! // Why are you wearing your uniform!? Weren’t you taking the day off from school today?
Fumika: My condition improved, // so I went to afternoon classes.
Kazuhito: Sorry… // If I’d known, I would have accompanied you like usual…!
Fumika: It’s fine, you don’t need to worry so much. // I’ve been feeling pretty good recently. // …Right! Listen to this, Nii-san. // The book I read this morning—
Kazuhito: Fumika. // I keep telling, enough of that kind of talk. // You’re the only one of us who should enjoy reading books.
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Fumika: Stu… // Stupid Nii-san!
Kazukito: !? // —Huh?
Fumika: …Today, // I visited your classroom.
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Kazuhito: T-That’s…
Fumika: I asked your classmates. // They said that you often skip school on the days I stay home. // …I don’t know what you’re doing. // But you’re always exhausted and in tatters whenever you come home… // I know that you’ve been working hard all this time! // I know you’re not doing anything strange or bad! // …But. // But…you’ve looked in even more pain ever since that day— // Unless you smile, Nii-san, // I can’t properly smile either…!
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Kazuhito: Ah…
Kazuhito (thought): …I’m such an idiot. // I wasn’t seeing anything…! // Look! // Who is in front of me right now!? // It’s not father. // It’s Fumika! // …I have to smile, // or Fumika won’t be able to move forward from that day either…
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Kazuhito: What kind of book did you read? // Please tell me, // Fumika!
Kazuhito (thought): The scars will remain, as will my sin. // I won’t ask to be forgiven.
Kazuhito: … // It’s fine if I relax // and enjoy myself a little, right?
Kazuhito (thought): But if living with Fumika // can serve as redemption, even a little—
Fumika: …Yes! // Yes!
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Sound effect: Beep // Beep
Kazuhito: Haa… // Haa… // Haa… // Haa… // Haa… // Haa—
Kazuhito (thought): Fumika fell into a coma and has yet to awaken. // I wasn’t even able to protect my promise with my father to take care of Fumika. // The only thing I had left is now……!!
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Kazuhito (thought): Shut up!!
Kazuhito: Damn it… // …Damn it… // Damn it…!
Kazuhito (thought): —I know… // I get it.
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Kazuhito (thought): As I thought, // I can’t let myself take things easy. // I tried to run away just a little, // and I got punished for it. // This pain // is reminding me of my sins.
Sound Effect: Beep // Beep
Kazuhito: Haha… // Hahaha… // I won’t run away anymore… // So please give back Fumika…!
Text: Tragedy continues to befall Sakagami. Even so, he—