ANOTHER LIFE

Tall grass swayed in the gentle breeze as morning sun’s rays glistened over dewed flowerbeds surrounding the steep cliff. Atop it, a wide, flat field sprung open, surrounded by thick forest on sides and a higher mountain behind. Azure sky swayed like a painter’s canvas, encompassing the vast world from above like a shouldering guardian. Lynne stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the endless ocean seething in silence. Y’se stood next to him, her silver hair tied behind her ears, fluttering gently in the wind.

“What do you think?” she asked as she glanced at him, smiling.

“… you’ve really got style, I gotta say.” Lynne replied, grinning. “This place is great.”

“Hm…” Y’se mumbled softly as she sat down onto a ragged rock, relaxing. “I’m told it never snows in these parts.”

“… I don’t think I ever told you I hate winter.”

“Oh, it’s not that,” Y’se shook her head. “I mean, you’re white all over now. We’d probably lose you in the snow.”

“… oi!”

“Ha ha,” she laughed lightly, breathing deeply afterwards. “How’d the meeting go?”

“… eh, it wasn’t bad.” Lynne said, sitting down as well. “What happened to your love, by the way?”

“My love?” Y’se titled her head sideways as she looked at him in confusion. “Oh, you mean Ryon?”

“Is that his name?”

“Hmm… I’m not too sure,” Y’se said. “Grandpa said he’d take care of it.”

“You didn’t think he deserved at least a proper farewell? After all, he did partially orchestrate all of this for you.”

“…”

“That was cruel, sorry,” Lynne said, smiling apologetically. “So, what will you do now?” he asked.

“What do you mean what will I do now? I’m gonna become a farmer, of course!” Y’se exclaimed.

“Eh? Wait… you’re not staying here with me, right?”

“You have a problem with that?” she looked at him as she asked, frowning.

“… eeeeeeh, don’t you have ton of shit to do elsewhere? After all, even if you aren’t a Divine Magus anymore, you’re still among the strongest Mages in the world! Why’d you waste your life planting crop and eating home-baked bread?!”

“Oh? There’s gonna be home-baked bread? Wow, now I can’t wait!” Y’se exclaimed, grinning.

“…” Lynne looked at her oddly for a moment, but sighed afterwards and shook his head with a smile.

“You want some ale?” Y’se asked as she took out two familiar bottles.

“Hell-the-fuck-I-do!!” Lynne exclaimed, immediately taking the bottle, opening it and downing half the bottle in a go. “Aaaah, goddammit, I missed this! Seriously, do you have any plans on telling me how this is made?”

“Nope.”

“Tsk. Stingy bitch.”

“Eeeh, you’re not nice. How can you call a lovely maiden like me a stingy bitch?”

“If you’re not, then tell me how it’s made.” Lynne said.

“Fine, then you tell me what happened to you.” Y’se replied in kind.

“… why do you want to know so badly?”

“Mage’s curiosity?”

“Yeah, right.”

“You will tell me, you know that?” Y’se said, grinning. “I’m rather persuasive.”

“Eh, I’m not that loose-lipped, so don’t worry.”

“… you’ve changed.” Y’se suddenly said, taking a gulp of ale. “And I don’t mean this weird appearance of yours that you think is cool.”

“It’s cool, dammit!!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re the coolest guy ever…”

“Humph, at least you know your stuff.” Lynne said. “So, what do you mean I’ve changed?”

“… it’s hard to put it into words,” Y’se said, glancing at him. “I suppose… it’s in your eyes.”

“In my eyes?” Lynne looked at her for a moment.

“Hm,” she nodded. “Your eyes and your smile…” she added. “Before, every time I’d see you smile, I felt like crying for some reason.”

“Hmm… well, it is true that I do have quite tear-inducing smile. Oi-oi, stop pinching, it hurts!!”

“… your eyes always told the same story,” she continued, ignoring him. “The story of a man who’d rather leap the sword-mounted mountain on his own than ask someone to throw him over. Classic case of a supposed tragic hero.”

“…”

“You don’t think so?” Y’se asked, smiling.

“… I’d hardly call myself hero, much less a tragic one,” Lynne said, looking up toward the azure sky as he took a gulp of Heavenly Ale. “I’m flattered you think so, though.”

“What would you call yourself, then?”

“Just another brainless Magus, I suppose.”

“Eeeh? That’s hardly fitting.” Y’se said. “I mean, you always looked like the brooding, dark, mysterious type who covers everything with a playful smile! It was so cool!”

“… I’ll punch you.”

“Go ahead. Considering how weak you are, will I even feel it?”

“Tsk.”

“… but now,” her playful tone disappeared yet again and was replaced by a somber one. “Your eyes are finally clear.” she added as she smiled at him, her silver eyes half-closed. “And your smile… beautiful.”

“If you were a guy, there’s no doubt you’d be the playboy type.” Lynne said, smirking.

“Like you?”

“Please, how can you slander me so?! I’m the handsome, charming, prince-y type! All ladies swoon upon seeing my smile, their hearts flutter when our eyes meet! That’s who I am!” Lynne exclaimed, puffing his chest out.

“Oh? All ladies?” Y’se mumbled, smiling mysteriously. “I’m a lady, no? So how come I feel none of those things?”

“… yeah, keep stepping on me.” Lynne mumbled, looking away.

“… ah, well, that’s a lie, I suppose,” Y’se suddenly said, startling him. “It looks like being a liar really doesn’t suit me.”

“… eh?”

“What? You have something against an old lady like me falling in love with you?” Y’se added, grinning. “Eh, not like it matters. You have no say in it, after all.”

“Slow down, slow down!!” Lynne exclaimed. “You just steamrolled through fifty chapters worth of content! Where’s the build-up?! This is too sudden!

“Let’s make a bet.” Y’se suddenly said as she got up, leaning forward toward him, their faces inches apart. Her silver hair fell over like gentle waterfalls, giving her face a mysterious glee. “When was it that you managed to captivate me?” she added, poking his cheek gently. “If you guess right, I’ll do one thing you ask of me – no matter what it was. However, if you guess wrong, I get to ask one thing of you – the same conditions apply.”

“…”

“Eh? Don’t tell me that the brave hero Lynne suddenly got scared?” Y’se said.

“… hmm,” Lynne stroked his chin slowly as he observed her smiling face. Despite everything, his gaze still remained even, unchanging, like water. As though nothing had truly happened. “When did I captivate you? Eh, considering my heavenly charms, it had to be the moment you saw me! No, wait, I’m selling myself short there. It’s probably the moment you heard about me! Yeah, that’s it! The moment you heard about me!”

“…”

“Heh, no need to be shy, you can say that I’m right.”

“… it’s not fun if you just give up.” Y’se said, her expression serious. At last, the still gaze wavered for a moment.

“… how can I know?” Lynne smiled, speaking after a few moments of silence. “For all I know, you’re still fucking around. Besides, even if it’s true, what are you doing, falling in love with an ordinary mortal? You gotta aim higher. Even if it’s a mortal, at least go for a Duke or a King or something. Not an ordinary, back-mountain farmer.”

“… it’s after you helped the monkey’s revenge,” Y’se said, pushing forth, placing her forehead on his. “And when you turned your back on us. I swear, right then and there, I wanted to rip your clothes off and fuck you dead. Ah, alas, you disappeared before I had a chance to…”

“…”

“What? Can’t a lady be honest?” Y’se said, pulling back whilst smiling.

“… isn’t it just that you’re horny? Ah, I’ve seen a village on our way over. Maybe you can find a gruff there.”

“Heh, you just play a fool,” she said, her smile unwavering. “I won’t believe that I won’t get you to change your mind with how beautiful I am. I mean, look at me! I’ll have you know that over half the Ancient Clans sent their sons and grandsons and uncles and nephews to ask my hand in marriage! While I may not be the most beautiful woman ever, heh, I know this and that to make up for it.”

“… aii, you just shattered that lofty, otherworldly image I had of you.” Lynne said, chuckling.

“Ah, don’t be like that,” she said, chuckling as well. “Look at us! Me, silver-haired, silver-eyed and you, white-haired, white-browed, white-bearded, white-eyed! Isn’t it a perfect combination?”

“More like the weirdest combination. Aya, imagine our kids! They’d scare all other kids dead!”

“Ah, I didn’t know you’d already planned that far ahead. How cute~”

“Hmm… I’m indeed very, very cute.” Lynne said, stroking his chin mysteriously.

“Right, right,” Y’se said, shaking her head. “So, what will you grow here?”

“Any suggestions?”

“Isn’t it your farm?”

“Weren’t you just saying you’d dip your toes in the business as well?”

“Toes? I meant tits.”

“… I meant farm business, not my business.”

“Oh!” Y’se exclaimed, smiling knowingly. “Well, it’s quite spacious. How about we also rear some cattle? I don’t know about you, but I won’t be able to live on herbs.”

“Oh, good idea! Cows… ah, it’s been so long since I’ve had a proper beef stew. And chicken! Ah, salted chicken wings… and Heavenly Ale… aah…”

“We can also grow some spices,” Y’se added. “Add, well, spice to it all!”

“Oh, right! Wow, you sound like you were born to be a farmer! Or, wait, shepherd? Or a combination of both?”

“… I don’t know whether you’re messing with me or complimenting me.”

“Ah, that’s all stuff for the future,” Lynne said, getting up suddenly. “First, we gotta build a house. Go wake up those maggots and tell them to help us.”

“Why’d you bring them along anyway? I mean, I get why’d you bring the monkey. But why bring that damn narcissistic bird and those two Dragons? Plus, that girl is rather hot. I’m afraid you’ll cheat on me.”

“… right, because I’ve shown the disposition to screwing dragons in the past.”

“Eh, from what I’ve heard you’ve screwed half the brothels in your hometown. I can never be too certain.”

“… aah, why do I have a feeling that the relaxing life I hoped to be having will remain a distant dream?” Lynne mumbled as the two turned around and walked to the other side of the plain.

“Eh, relaxing life doesn’t suit you.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Time is forever charging, pulling forward without caring for anyone’s circumstances. Days, months and years go by in a perfect line, and all are subject to its never-ending whims. With changing seasons, and world which never ceased to breathe… twenty years had soon gone by, as though in a blink of an eye.