Kays Translations

Chapter 78: Mai sends a message magic to Riyo 

　Today is the twentieth of April, the day when the comet is closest to this planet.

　Henry and I are wrapped in a blanket in the backyard of the hideaway, watching the brightly shining comet with a long tail as it floated leisurely in the night sky.

　According to Henry, the comet is named after the wife of the scientist who discovered the cycle.

　Even after the scholar and his wife passed away, the scholar’s love for his wife remains in the name of the star. I listened to Henry’s voice thinking that it was a lovely story.

“Henry, I’m going to try out some message magic now. I feel like the comet that was closest to us on the day my Grandma disappeared will lend me its power.”

“Go ahead. I’ll be right beside you, watching over you.”

　I began preparing to unleash the message spell with maximum magical power.

　Knead the magic in your body and gather it in one place. The brightest point of a person’s light with sensing magic is about three fingers below the bellybutton, so I gathered the magic power with that point in mind.

　I think of my grandmother as I stare at the big white comet. Grandma sweeping the alleys of the downtown area. Grandma watering the potted plants under the eaves. Grandma cooking in the kitchen. Grandma jotting down recipes while watching TV. Behind her, you can see just a little bit of the Sky Tree. It was so nostalgic.

　Tears welled up in my eyes and started to flow, but I didn’t have time to worry about them.

　I think of my grandmother smiling at me and saying “see you later” as she sees me off at the front door, and I release all my magical power with all my might.

　The skin of my entire body tingles. My hair lifted softly and fluttered like I was underwater. I keep my voice down but put all my emotion into it. I imagine the white warts that would appear in front of my grandmother and speak to her.

“Grandma, I’m doing well. I’m smiling and living my life. I even have a wonderful boyfriend. Thank you so much for sending me here!”

　I poured all the magic I had into it. It was only for a dozen seconds, but I felt exhausted as if I had run a marathon. I tried to regulate my breathing, but it wouldn’t go away. I feel the magic power draining from my body. I have never felt so drained of magic power.

　I put my hands on the bench so that I don’t fall down from my sitting position.

“Mai-san!　Are you okay?”

“It’s okay. I gave it my all. If this doesn’t work, I’ll give up. Ah, I’m tired. I want to go back to the shop and drink something warm.”

“Let’s do that.”

　We started walking hand in hand, and I noticed that Henry’s hand was very cold. Even though it wasn’t the kind of temperature that would make you sweat, sweat was forming on his forehead and neck.

“You’re not feeling well, are you?　That’s a cold sweat, isn’t it?”

“I think it was a tremendous amount of magic power that you released just now. Normally I don’t feel any magic power at all, but it felt like I was being gripped by my internal organs and I …… felt a little nauseous.”

“Wa! Did you? I’m sorry!　Do you feel like throwing up?　Would it help if you threw up right here?”

“No, I’m fine now.”

　I felt so sorry and embarrassed. Henry said, “You probably have a tremendous amount of magical power, more than I thought. Don’t worry. I’m okay now,” and then he gently placed his lips on my cheek. Even his lips were cold.

　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

　Riyo Sasaki was watching TV in her room on the second floor when suddenly the screen became distorted. “Oh, what’s going on?” she wondered, and then the audio started to make a buzzing noise. She changed to another station and the same thing happened. “This TV must be broken,” she thought, but then she heard the familiar voice of her granddaughter coming from the distorted screen.

“Grandma, I am doing well. I’m smiling and living my life. I even have a wonderful boyfriend. Thank you so much for sending me here!”

　Riyo was stunned (Has it finally happened? Have I finally become a geezer who’s started hearing voices?), but it was no hallucination. After Mai’s voice ended, the screen went back to normal. The drama was interrupted and they started broadcasting a breaking news report about “illegal interruption of the broadcast signals.” The anchor was excited.

“I wasn’t hallucinating. It really was Mai’s voice.”

　Riyo became so weak she couldn’t move. Yataro and Shirayuki  came over and looked up at her, worried.

“Yataro, my magic was successful. Mai was alive. All those difficult days I spent immersed in studying magic were not in vain. Mai’s alive. I’m so glad…”

　I covered my face with my hands and cried with joy for a long time. I was able to save Mai. I am just happy about that. If I hadn’t spent my childhood constantly making potions, I probably wouldn’t have become so absorbed in magic like that.

　It’s strange and ironic at the same time that those ten hellish years have led to Mai’s present.

　The study of magic that I devoted myself to in order to divert my mind from the pain, the visits with Mr. Glidden,  when I was finally able to breathe for a few moments, and Sarah, who spoke kindly to me. My late husband, who called out to me on a rainy night as I stood there, frightened by the car.

　Eli, my daughter, who taught me the joy of being a mother. Mai, who always smiled at me.

“If any one of them had been missing, I wouldn’t have reached this moment.”

　I haven’t cried like this in fifteen years. The more tears I shed tonight, the lighter my heart becomes.

　The next morning, Riyo leaves the TV on as she eats her rice, horse mackerel fillet, simmered tsukudani, pickled cucumbers, and miso soup with wakame seaweed while listening to Mai’s voice. She occasionally holds back tears with a handkerchief. Mai’s voice on the TV Is cheerful and happy.

　The majority of scholars and political scientists who were called in at short notice are of the opinion that this was a malicious prank. Some programs are explaining the legal punishment, while others are reading deeper, saying, “This is some kind of code.” One political scientist with an expertise in terrorism is excited, saying, “It takes a lot of preparation to cause an disruption like this.”

　Mai’s cheerful voice was repeatedly playing on the television.

“He was fine. He was alive and well. I’m glad. He’s got a girlfriend now.”

“Even though I kept telling her that, ‘Everything is better in moderation.’ I guess it can’t be helped since she’s still a beginner. That must have been message magic. I didn’t give her any knowledge of that magic, so she must have learned it over there. If she learned it from Mr. Glidden, I couldn’t be happier.”

　She puts the freshly grilled and fragrant horse mackerel in her mouth then took a bite of the piping hot rice as well. Shirayuki sat on her lap and curled up.

“She was fine. She was alive. That’s good. She has a boyfriend.”

　She muttered this and burst into tears again. She was sure that Mai would survive, but somewhere in the back of her mind she couldn’t shake the thought that “Maybe she died an unexpected death in the other world,” or ” I might have sent her to a completely different world.”

“I see. Are you doing well, my dear? I’m glad. I’m really glad, Mai.”

　Yataro is not moving from in front of the TV. He is listening to Mai’s voice, which is repeatedly broadcast from the TV.

I recorded this program, Yataro, so you can listen to Mai’s voice anytime you want. You can listen to Mai’s voice anytime and as many times as you want.”

“Naaaan.”

　Even though it was seven in the morning, her smartphone rang. It was Ryo-kun.

“Riyo-san, it’s Ryo. I heard the voice on TV, and I thought it sounded just like Mai’s. I can’t believe it, but is it really Mai?”

“Hehehe. It sounds just like her.”

“Riyo-san, I won’t tell anyone, so please tell me. Mai is alive, isn’t she?　You know something about that, don’t you, Riyo-san?”

“Ryo-kun, I’ve been telling you all this time, haven’t I? 　She’s doing fine somewhere.”

　Ryo-kun’s voice, which had been a little somber, suddenly became cheerful.

“I understand. As long as Mai is doing well, that’s fine with me. I’ll come have dinner at Café Riyo again.”

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

　I hang up the phone and mutter to myself.

“I haven’t sent a letter in ages because I thought it would be a bother, but maybe I should send one for the first time in fifty-odd years.”

　she opened the store and gave a noncommittal response to the customers’ conversation about “last night’s radio hijacking.” After a day’s work, she finished her meal and put the dishes in the dishwasher. The two cats have finished their evening meal and were asleep.

　Riyo began to write a letter on a sheet of letter paper, filling it to the brim with characters. Thinking of Mai’s bright smile, she wrote the letter in her native handwriting.*

“Dear Mr. Glidden 

　Did you receive the three letters I sent you before? Words cannot express  how grateful I am to you and Sarah. I am doing well. I have gotten married, given birth to a daughter, and have a granddaughter named Mai.

　Last night, Mai’s voice reached me. If it was you who taught her that spell, I can’t thank you enough. You were my older brother and God of salvation back then. Because of you and Sarah-san, I was able to live without letting my heart die.

　Dear Mai,

　I was relieved to hear your voice. It’s dangerous, so please don’t try to come back here. I would be happy if you live happily over there. Please live your life happily with your lover.

　Yataro willingly welcomed a pure white kitten into our family. He is happily spending time with the kitten, whom we’ve named Shirayuki. Don’t worry, I won’t die until I’ve seen Yataro and Shirayuki through. But I’m getting old, so please understand that I won’t be able to send letters very often.”

“Oh yes, I mustn’t forget this.”

　She added a note at the end.

“The Sky Tree is a radio tower. All the TV stations are in an uproar right now about your voice. From now on, when you cast a message spell on me, you must never think of the Skytree, Riyo.”

“There we go. My magic hasn’t returned completely yet, but if I’m lucky, I might be able to send a piece of letter paper.”

　With a white marker, she drew a magic circle on the table. After about an hour of drawing, she sat back in her chair.

“Good. Now if I can just get a response from Mai in some way, …… then I’ll have nothing more to say for my life.”

　She has never wanted to go back to that world. For Riyo, this is her world.

　She folded the letter and placed it in the center of the magic circle. She pours magic power into the magic circle while staring at it. She poured in magic power until the magic circle started to glow pale  blue-white, and at the moment the light shone to the point where she thought it could shine no more, she cast a transformation spell.

　She pictured the old Glidden mansion, and just to be sure, she pictured Mr. Glidden’s study. This time, for the fourth time, she decided to send it not to his desk but to the floor of his study.

　The magic circle on the table was so bright it burned her eyes. Unable to bear the glare, Riyo closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the letterhead and the magic circle had disappeared.

Tl Note:

Tsukudani (佃煮) is small seafood, meat or seaweed that has been simmered in soy sauce and mirin.

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