"I can do spells like that, too, you know."
After the village chief had shut himself in his study and Nino had gone back to washing dishes, Emil grew sullen.
You don't have to put on a brave front.
"Oh no, I'm sorry. In that case, you didn't need my help at all."
"No, I did, because I couldn't do anything. Thank you, miss."
"Don't mention it."
"But just so you know, I can do that."
"..."
It must be embarrassing to have your weakness exposed in front of the girl you like.
"You don't really have anything to worry about." I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Anyway, right now, Nino must be very upset. Isn't this your best chance to give her your present?"
"Miss, you're a genius…"
"Oh-ho, do go on."
His hopes rekindled, Emil's mood improved immediately. He's such a simple child. It's adorable, really.
Hiding the bottle behind his back, Emil waited for Nino to finish her work.
"…Ah." Nino trudged out of the kitchen and cringed in surprise when Emil suddenly appeared before her, like a small animal. Maybe she remembered running into him earlier.
Emil took a step toward her. "Nino, I told you that I had a present for you after lunch, didn't I?"
"…Y-yes," Nino answered hesitantly.
"Here. This is your present."
Emil held the bottle out to her. Nino stared, nonplussed, at the squirming white haze inside. She clearly had no idea what this was.
"This here is a bottle that I've filled with happiness." Emil put his hand on the cap. "Inside it's full of happiness. I went all over collecting it from people."
"…People's happiness?"
Nino tilted her head in confusion, and Emil grinned.
"You can only see it once, so watch closely, okay?"
With a satisfying shunk, he uncapped the bottle. Now that it was free, the white mist flew out of the bottle, up to the ceiling. When the ceiling was completely covered with white clouds, small particles began slowly swirling around in the mist.
Like shards of glass, the particles sparkled with reflected light to create a fantastic display. The shining particles were the fragments of happiness Emil had collected, projecting the scenes that had inspired them.
Joy at the birth of a child. The contentment of viewing a picturesque landscape. The subtle delight of finding a pretty flower. The satisfaction of overcoming a hardship. The quiet pleasure of sprawling out in the sunlight to read a book on a day off and dozing
without a care.
"The outside world is full of so much happiness, you see." Emil took Nino's hand. "So don't be so sad all the time. I'll be here to make you happy, too."
As for Nino, she watched the shining lights in amazement, and before long she was silently weeping. She held a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound as the tears trickled down her cheeks. Emil smiled, a little confused, and gently embraced her.
The tears flowing down her face glittered just like the fragments of happiness.
"You could stay a little bit longer."
We were at the two trees that stood in place of a gate. Emil had come to the edge of the village to see me off, and he was pouting like an abandoned puppy. Next to him stood the maid, Nino. She had never been very expressive, so I couldn't tell whether she was
saddened by my departure.
I shook my head. "Sorry, but I can't take it too easy," I said, taking out my broom.
"…Come see us again then, okay? Nino and I will cook for you again, and it'll be even better next time. Okay?"
"Y-yes…we'll be waiting." Nino gave a little bow.
I got on my broom and rose into the air. "Okay. I'll come again. Someday—definitely."
When my travels are at an end, perhaps.
The two of them waved at me as I receded—Emil waving both arms around wildly, and Nino waving calmly and delicately.
"...?"
I accidentally made eye contact with Nino.
Her eyes were like deep darkness, and I mean more than just the color. They were longing, desperate, as if she were in a state of unimaginable despair. As if she were already dead. It was nothing like when we'd first met in the village chief's mansion.
…I wonder why.
I was within sight of the next road when I remembered the ending of that book I read long ago.
The story of a husband who walked around outside, magically capturing beautiful vistas the moment he saw them, and taking them home to show his sick wife, who couldn't leave the house.
I wonder how I forgot about it until just now. It left such an awful aftertaste.
The story ended when the wife, who yearned to see the scenery for herself, forced her weakened body to move and died even sooner than she was supposed to. It was a fable, and the moral was "The things we think we do for the sake of others are not always what's best for them."
What was Nino thinking after she saw the contents of that bottle, I wonder? What decision would she have reached? She couldn't possibly—
"...…"
No, no way. She wouldn't.
When I looked back, the wind was running through the broad meadow of brilliant green. The wildflowers shone in the sunlight, like the surface of still water swaying in the wind.
It really was a beautiful place. But I had no reason to ever return.
If I did, I would just end up feeling sad.