nebulancer

💫Tsukino Picatrix

“Golden Light” 🧙

Kensuke and Ryouta powerlessly lay sprawled on the cold stone floor of the dungeon.

The two were “apostles” who had accepted the protection of Jupiter.

The small flowers that bloomed on their hair was proof of such a thing.

——The blessings (mana) of Jupiter had overflowed, causing flowers to bloom.

Those flowers resembled a princess from fairy tales in how they were just so brilliant and terribly eye-catching. They marked the boys as special existences.

However, those flowers did not do much to aid the young boys.

Regardless of what they themselves wanted, they garnered attention because they were different from others.

And even moreso if that reason meant they had much stronger magic power than normal.

Use that power for yourself,

Use that power for business,

Use that power to cure disease,

Use that power,

Use that grace,

Use that love,

There were many, many people who reached out to the two.

One could even say that their current situation was the result of it all.

A faction plotting to manipulate their powers kidnapped them, locking them up underground.

＊＊＊

Suddenly, the doors of the prison rumbled open.

In the spur of the moment, Kensuke positioned himself in front of Ryouta.

Ryouta gripped Kensuke’s clothes tightly.

They had only just met in this dungeon, but through spending the cold, dark nights together, they had formed a definite bond.

Kensuke believed he should protect Ryouta, who was frailer than him. Ryouta had decided that he would be the stopper for the reckless Kensuke.

The two suppressed their breathing. What they saw appearing from the darkness was gold.

“......Huh......?”

Ryouta was first to realize that the identity of the gold was beautiful golden hair.

With a shiver, his whole body shook.

It was overwhelming emotion, deep emotion, thrill... Regardless of what it was, it was proof that something had surged up from the depths of his heart.

The breaths he finally choked out were also shuddering, as if it were a given.

“......So... beauti... ful......”

Did he hear him speak?

The owner of the gold hair laughed lightly.

“Thank you.”

He was a grand magician wearing a white and green robe...... A special existence among special existences, known as one of the “Seven Sages.”

His name, Kouki.

He gazed at the two with eyes filled with love for oneself. Elegantly, he waved his hand.

A warm breeze passed through Kensuke and Ryouta’s bodies, and the cold shackles that had been chaining their legs crumbled away into fine golden grains.

The gold dancing in the wind glittered even more brightly, being shone upon by the light coming from the window behind them.

“I’ve come to get you, my beloved children.”

Kouki smiled as he said so.

“......”

Kensuke gripped Ryouta’s hand.

Ryouta, too, gripped Kensuke’s hand.

And the two of them walked toward Kouki.

It was because they instinctively knew that Kouki was on their side.

Ryouta softly touched the hand that Kouki offered.

Kensuke did the same.

As Kouki smiled satisfactorily, he gripped both their hands.

Facing them, he smiled gently once more.