Chapter 18: Architect Cyril Comin
After having a satisfying meal, we came across a small fountain in the square on our way back to the inn. The fountain was spraying water along with golden powder.
As the square began to darken, the golden powder sparkled and stood out, radiating a particularly beautiful glow.
“Victor, this fountain too.”
“Is it flowing?”
“Yes. It’s spraying along with the water. Whoever made this fountain must know about the golden powder. The person who made the fountain should be able to see it, just like the statue of the goddess. I believe there are others who can see it besides me.”
“We have time, let’s investigate.”
“Yes!”
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The next morning, we went to the municipal office first. We asked the receptionist who designed the fountain.
“The person who made the fountain?”
“Yes. Not the one who constructed it, but the one who decided its location.”
The male receptionist at the architectural division of the municipal office looked puzzled.
“I was impressed by the lovely fountain, so I would like to know who made it.”
“I see. Please wait a moment.”
Eventually, the municipal employee returned with documents in hand.
“It’s Cyril Comin-san.”
“Do you know where he lives?”
“What is your business?”
“We were thinking of requesting some work.”
Victor smoothly lied. I nodded in agreement. The staff member said, “Just in case,” and took note of our names before providing us with Cyril-san’s address.
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Cyril Comin’s house was located just before the forest of the Sloane territory. There were no other houses around, and it was a small wooden house with a neat and tidy appearance.
As we stood on the roadside, admiring the house, the front door opened, and we were called out to.
“Do you need something?”
“Hello. We came here after seeing the fountain in the square.”
Cyril-san hurriedly approached.
“The fountain in the square? I think it’s just an ordinary fountain with nothing special.”
“Although the design is ordinary, it was spraying golden powder along with the water.”
“Oh, Haru!”
No, I don’t think we should hide it here.
“What? What? What?! I had given up already. To think I would meet someone who can see it in my lifetime. Oh, God. I am grateful!”
Cyril-san, who appeared to be around fifty years old, invited us into the house, pulling us by the hand. Then he asked how the golden powder appeared to us in as much detail as possible.
So, I explained in detail about the golden powder I had seen up until now.
“It’s the same. Exactly the same. I wasn’t going crazy! Ah, I wish I could tell my mother. She worried about me until her dying moments.”
Cyril-san gradually teared up and eventually covered his face with both hands, crying.
“Cyril-san, you’re not going crazy. I can see it clearly. It must have been lonely for you without anyone believing what you saw.”
Nodding in agreement, Cyril-san kept his face covered for a while. I can somewhat understand his feelings. In my case, I was summoned, so Victor believed in me, but I can imagine how anxious I would be if no one around me believed what I saw. I can understand the doubt that arises, questioning if there’s something wrong with oneself.
“I feel like I become energetic when I bathe in that powder, but Cyril-san, have you ever had such an experience?”
Then, Cyril-san laughed and guided us to the backyard.
“Oh…”
In the center of the backyard, there was a small fountain made of assembled stones, and only golden powder was vigorously spouting from its center. With permission, I led Victor to the chair placed next to it. Victor sat quietly as a large amount of golden powder showered over his entire body.
“That’s why I built the house here. Is he sick?”
“Well, something like that.”
“I see. Take your time and bathe in it.”
Once Cyril-san seemed to have calmed down.
“I’ll make some tea.”
He stood up.
“I’ll help too. Victor, stay there. Hey, Cyril-san, have you ever been to the inn called Aura in the capital city?”
Cyril-san was startled again.
Ah, Cyril-san placed it, right? The statue of the goddess.
“I made that shrine.”
“I thought so.”
“I made it so that whenever people pray to the goddess statue, the people at that inn would be showered with the powder. It was almost twenty years ago. The people at the inn were all friendly folks.”
“Modal-san, the current owner, was a good person too. The employees as well.”
“Like father, like son, they say. Ah, sorry, I don’t have any sweets.”
“That’s alright. Tea and conversation are enough.”
Victor sat in the chair with a somewhat ecstatic expression. Even when I said, “The tea is ready,” he replied, “Just a little longer,” and didn’t move. He seemed to be in a state of bliss, as if he were soaking in an open-air bath.
“Is his condition really that bad?”
“He says he’s gotten much better. I’m sorry, I can’t go into too much detail.”
“Don’t worry about that. I too have plenty of things I don’t want to touch.”
That’s right. I feel the same way.
“I feel like I’ve known Cyril-san for a long time, even though I just met him. It’s strange.”
“Me too. It feels like we’ve had a long relationship.”
I want to talk about the whirlwind.
I want to converse with someone who can see.
But what should I do?
“Wait here for a moment,” I declined and ran over to Victor.
“Hey, I want to talk to Cyril-san about the whirlwind. He might know something.”
“Oh, I think that’s fine. He can see it, so there’s no need to hide it.”
“That’s right. That’s right!”
I ran back into the room and sat down in the chair opposite Cyril-san.
“Cyril-san, I have seen a whirlwind that doesn’t create wind at Heartfield twice. One of those times, the lord of this territory was involved. When the whirlwind approaches someone with magical power, golden powder bursts out from their entire body, and that person enters a state of magical deficiency. After that, the whirlwind turns into a golden pillar and rises into the sky, disappearing.”
“That’s a mysterious story. . . But unfortunately, I have never seen such a whirlwind. I’m sorry for not being helpful.”
“I see.”
Conveniently, the mystery isn’t solved yet.
“Hey, can’t we have dinner here tonight? There are still things I want to talk about. You never know what life has in store, so it’s my motto to talk when you can.”
“I’d be delighted! Actually, I was thinking the same thing. Oh, I’ll cook.”
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