Sugar Apple Fairytale Vol 1 Chapter 6
Chapter 6. Arising Morning
A cold, steady rain fell in the darkness.
Shall carried the corpses of the wolves that littered the floor of the rest stop
outside.
However, as the rain dampened the ground, the stench of blood filled the air.
The silver sugar that was in the middle of being distilled had been trampled
under the feet of the wolves, dirtied with their blood, and was now mixing
with the rainwater. Each drop of rain sent ripples spreading out across its
surface.
Ann was inside the box-shaped wagon Jonas had left behind.
The inside of the wagon was constructed exactly like Ann‟s. It was a
workshop for making sugar sculptures.
The wreckage of several partially-finished sugar sculptures were strewn about.
Pages containing drawings of sugar sculpture designs were scattered across
the top of the worktable. All of them looked like copies of the designs Emma
had left behind.
Inside the wagon there were five barrels, all full of silver sugar.
---- From the very beginning, it was all premeditated. Everything was a lie...
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Jonas was in a position where he might be able to become the leader of the
Radcliffe guild. But for that, becoming a silver sugar master was an
indispensable requirement.
Jonas had said that he partic.i.p.ated in the sugar sculpture festival two times
before and had yet to be made a silver sugar master. And yet, the hadn‟t made
a proactive effort to partic.i.p.ate in the sugar sculpture festival this year.
She should have been suspicious of that.
Perhaps failing twice in the past had cost Jonas to lose his confidence.
However, he wanted to be a silver sugar master at any cost. If he did that, he
might be able to become the leader of the Radcliffe guild. Then he might be
able to become the Silver Sugar Viscount like he wanted.
People who received the royal medal and became silver sugar masters were
sincere about sugar sculptures. Profit was of secondary importance to them. If
this weren‟t the case, they wouldn‟t be able to make fabulous sugar sculptures.
Jonas was concerned only with garnering glory for himself.
That meant that his sincerity was probably insufficient.
Perhaps Jonas didn‟t care about sugar sculptures at all, as long as he could
become a silver sugar master.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Just then, a silver sugar master who was unable to travel due to illness and her
daughter fell at Jonas‟s feet.
There‟s no doubt that he‟d thought about how he could use this mother and
child to his benefit.
First, he‟d secretly snuck into their wagon and copied down Emma‟s sugar
sculpture designs.
However, even if he had the designs, he couldn‟t produce the kind of sculpture
he would have liked. Even if he had faith in the technique, he didn‟t have faith
in the sculptures he created.
“That‟s why he proposed to me…”
The reason he proposed to Ann was so that he could seduce her and get her to
make a sugar sculpture for him, which he would try to use to obtain the t.i.tle of
silver sugar master.
But Jonas had failed at this, as well.
There‟s no doubt that that was when Jonas had come up with the plan to
s.n.a.t.c.h the sculpture Ann made and enter it into the sugar sculpture festival as
his own.
The entire Anders family had cooperated fully with this plan.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Mr. and Mrs. Anders had gone so far as to help Jonas by preparing the wagon
and guards.
If their son were able to become leader of the Radcliffe guild, the benefit to
the entire Anders family would be great.
Then Jonas had caught up with Ann, who‟d left for the sugar sculpture festival,
traveled with her, and stolen some of her silver sugar.
The one who‟d stolen the silver sugar was likely Kathy. Since she could make
herself invisible, there was no doubt that on the night they‟d stayed at the
doctor‟s inn she‟d snuck in through the wagon‟s high window and carried the
silver sugar out bit by bit.
As a result, Ann had been forced to stop and make the sugar sculpture while
distilling more silver sugar.
If Ann made a sculpture, there wouldn‟t be enough silver sugar left. She‟d be
short of the required three barrels.
Jonas had carried that deficient amount of silver sugar into Ann‟s wagon
inside the barrel that he‟d claimed was empty. Like this, the very second the
sugar sculpture was complete he could steal it and the wagon.
Then Jonas put his plan into action.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
He had Kathy lure in the wolves to prevent Shall from chasing after him.
Then he got into Ann‟s wagon and ran away.
Jonas had obtained the full set: one sugar sculpture and three barrels full of
silver sugar.
Lewiston was only half a day‟s travel away.
During the day, Jonas could probably make it that far even without a guard.
All Ann had left were five barrels full of silver sugar, a new model wagon,
and a pair of worn out old horses.
She had enough silver sugar. But the sugar sculpture festival was in two days.
Now that it was nighttime, in actuality there was only one night and one full
day left.
There wasn‟t enough time left to make a sugar sculpture appropriate for a
celebration.
---- I won’t make it in time.
The sugar sculpture festival was held every year. Even if she didn‟t make it in
time this year‟s festival, there was always next year.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
However, this year was the only chance to send Emma‟s soul to heaven on
Soul Ascension Day.
Emma‟s sugar sculpture didn‟t particularly have to be made by Ann. Perhaps
it would be fine to have a splendid sugar sculpture made for her by a more
veteran sugar craftsman.
But Ann wanted to send Emma off with a sugar sculpture she‟d made herself.
She wanted to send her beloved mother off with a sugar sculpture she‟d made
as a silver sugar master.
That was the motivation that had supported her heart after she lost her mother,
and given her the strength to keep going.
Having lost that motive, all of Ann‟s willpower had completely left her body.
She was in shock after being betrayed by Jonas, whom she‟d believed was a
good person. Furthermore, she felt foolish that she hadn‟t noticed Jonas‟s
behavior and intent, and that she‟d been unable to believe Mythrill Reed Pod,
suspecting that he might have eaten the silver sugar. Recalling Mythrill‟s tearfilled
eyes, Ann felt a painful tightness in her chest.
She‟d been so naive and foolish to believe in Jonas. Ann was overcome with
regret, and anger.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
These emotions filled up the empty s.p.a.ces left by the loss of Ann‟s willpower,
making her whole body feel heavy and sluggish.
She couldn‟t move a single step.
The wound on the back of her hand where she‟d been hit by Jonas‟s whip
throbbed painfully, as if mocking her for her own foolishness.
“If I don‟t make it in time for this year, it will be meaningless,” Ann muttered,
setting both hands on the worktable. She hung her head and laughed lightly.
“I must have looked like such an idiot. Enthusiastically making that sugar
sculpture…”
When she aimlessly descended from the wagon, a cold rain was falling.
A liquid that smelled like blood had been dumped over her head, and Ann‟s
body and dress were sticky and gave off a vile stench.
Ann couldn‟t bear her own misery.
Feeling eyes on her, Ann looked around. Shall was underneath a large tree
beside the wall of the rest stop. He had his arms crossed and was looking at
her with his usual arrogant countenance.
After all, she was a naive little 15 year old girl.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
She was all alone, without any power or wisdom of her own nor anyone she
could depend on.
Ann was humiliated to have Shall see her in this wretched state. She couldn‟t
bear it. She didn‟t want him to look.
Violently yanking on the leather string that hung from her neck, Ann pulled
out a small bag.
She walked quickly over to Shall and thrust out the bag.
“I‟m returning your wing.”
Shall didn‟t move. Staring fixedly at the bag, he asked, “Lewiston is still a
ways ahead. Besides, won‟t you go after Jonas? Aren‟t you going to take back
your sugar sculpture?”
“Jonas should have arrived in Lewiston by now. He‟s probably applied to
partic.i.p.ate in the sugar sculpture festival and handed the sugar sculpture over
to the official already. Even if I go now and insist, „I made that,‟ I don‟t have
any proof. I won‟t be able to get anyone to pay attention.”
“Are you fine with just leaving it at that?”
“Of course I‟m not fine with it… But… But… There‟s nothing I can do about
it! Even if you‟re here, there‟s nothing you can do either. So I‟m going to set
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
you free, already. Go wherever you like!”
Ann tossed the words at him, then hung her head.
After a moment, Shall gently took the bag from Ann‟s hand.
“So now we‟re equals?”
Ann shook her head.
“From the beginning, we‟ve always been equals… To the very end, even for
the sake of my goals, I was never able to become a true master.”
“When I saw you in the fairy market, somehow I knew that.”
Shall‟s words were peaceful. They fell like the sound of steady rain.
“That‟s why I told you to buy me. I thought that if it was a naive little girl like
you, I‟d easily be able to s.n.a.t.c.h my wing back and run away.”
“You must be happy. Things went exactly as you planned.”
“...I wonder. I‟m not sure.”
Shall moved his back away from the trunk of the tree he‟d been resting against.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
He pa.s.sed silently in front of Ann, then walked slowly towards the rest stop‟s
iron gate.
---- I’m all alone now. All alone…
Something repeated these words over and over again inside her head. A sob
slipped from her mouth.
The feelings that she‟d been holding back up until now with layer upon layer
of restraint began to overflow all at once. She couldn‟t stop them. The support
that had been propping Ann‟s heart up gave out all at once.
“Mama! Mama! Why did you die?! Why did you leave me alone? You left me
all alone. Why… Why?!”
Ann sunk to the ground where she was. She lay her face on her knees and
continued to be pelted by the rain.
How long had it been since he‟d last held his wing in his own hands?
Seventy long years…
No, it felt like it had been even longer than that.
He stared at the small leather bag in his hand.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
While being pelted by the falling rain, Shall Fen Shall reveled in the tranquil
atmosphere of the wilderness, unadulterated at the hands of men. The rest stop
at his back grew further and further away, step by step.
Further and further… The distance between him and that sweet smelling girl
grew greater and greater.
It was strange. Although his freedom was there in his hands, he didn‟t feel any
joy.
When he wondered why that was, he hit upon the reason instantly.
It was because Shall hadn‟t listened to Ann‟s orders. Although he himself
hadn‟t realized it at the time, he‟d obtained his freedom the moment Ann had
bought him. That‟s why he wasn‟t overjoyed at this point.
His wing had merely returned from Ann‟s hands into Shall‟s.
The only thing that was different since taking back his wing was that he was
no longer carting around the baggage called Ann. That sweet girl who had
done nothing but preciously cradle his wing to her breast.
The freedom to go anywhere.
The freedom to do anything.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
He‟d obtained absolute freedom, and now found himself unexpectedly
questioning himself.
---- I’ve obtained my freedom. Now, what do I want to do? Where do I want to
go?
Darkness was pressing in.
“You‟re about to fall apart,” something whispered suddenly in his ear.
----I won’t fall apart. The one who’s falling apart is Ann. The thing she was
chasing was torn away from her before her very eyes, and now she’s all alone.
“Are you lonely?” that „something‟ whispered again, seeming to see straight
through him.
---- Lonely?
He had nothing and no one he should be protecting, and no where he ought to
go.
It was his moment of triumph, when he‟d finally obtained the freedom he‟d
dreamed of for so long, and yet now he was experiencing a sensation like his
consciousness was being swallowed up inside of him; cut-off and isolated
from the world.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Suddenly he was overcome by a feeling of intense longing.
What he longed for was the memory of something that he‟d lost in the far
distant past and could never get back, right?
--- Wrong.
Memories of the past were empty and fleeting. They only served to chill
Shall‟s heart.
What he longed for was something warmer. Something that he could feel
more certainly.
---- I was feeling it up until just recently. That was…
A sweet scent. The heat of a warm body.
That sweet scent would probably break down and disappear completely in this
cold rain.
The image of a glistening stream of silver sugar falling before his eyes rose up
suddenly in Shall‟s heart. Without thinking, he stopped walking. He found
himself wanting to scoop up that falling silver sugar with both hands.
Ann‟s entire body was freezing cold from being continuously pelted by the
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
rain. Her tears had run dry.
Even when the rain stopped just before dawn, Ann still couldn‟t raise her head.
She was in a daze.
But, when she felt the warmth and light of the first rays of the morning sun on
her back, Ann finally regained her wits.
When she raised her face, the sight of tiny cl.u.s.ters of blue berries growing
from the ends of dried gra.s.ses met her eyes.
Bathed by the rain and catching the rays of morning sunlight, the berries
shined glossily.
That color and shimmer was a stain on her heart, from which absolutely
everything had fallen away.
Without thinking about anything, Ann gazed at the berries.
Suddenly, particles of light came welling out from inside the tiny fruits, as if
wrapping around the surface of the blue berries. It resembled the light that
appeared when Shall materialized his sword. That light gathered at a single
point on the berries and gradually began to solidify into a ma.s.s the size of
Ann‟s thumb. It began to condense, taking the shape of something.
Ann‟s eyes widened.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
The particles formed a tiny head, followed by arms and legs. Although it was
only the size of her thumb, there was no doubt it was shaped like a human.
Two half-transparent wings grew out of its back.
Wrapped in a veil of light, the figure of a tiny, delicate woman appeared. It
was a fairy.
“...How beautiful…” Ann whispered without thinking.
The fairy woman sitting perched on top of the blue berries with her legs out to
the side looked around nonchalantly, then stretched her back and let out a
yawn.
The moment of a fairy‟s birth… Ann was enchanted by the solemnity of the
moment and the peaceful shimmering light.
She wouldn‟t have believed that such a pure light existed in the entire world.
“Fairies are born when something‟s energy condenses and takes form.”
Suddenly a voice sounded behind Ann‟s back. Ann turned around in surprise.
“Shall…? Why…”
Shall was kneeling down on one knee at Ann‟s side.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Ann continued to gaze at the side of Shall‟s face in astonishment.
Without responding to Ann‟s question, Shall said with his gaze turned towards
the gra.s.s berry fairy, “Humans cla.s.sify fairies according to their usefulness, as
either Labor Fairies, Pet Fairies or Warrior Fairies. But we cla.s.sify ourselves
based on what we were born from. Mythrill is a water fairy. I am a n.o.ble gem
fairy. Since this fairy was born from a gra.s.s berry, she‟s a plant fairy. Her
lifespan will probably be about one year. How fleeting... And yet, conversely,
I also envy her… My lifespan is too long.”
It was said that fairies‟ appearances didn‟t change from the time they were
born until the time they died. Shall should have been born looking the way he
did now. It was also said that a fairy‟s lifespan was more-or-less the same as
that of the item from which it was born.
Shall was born from an obsidian.
In that case, just how long would he continue to live in this world, looking
exactly as he did now?
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Just trying to imagine it made Ann dizzy. But at the same time, hearing Shall
say that he envied a fairy with a fleeting lifespan sent a jolt of pain through her
body.
How painful it must be to live almost forever, all alone.
The gra.s.s berry fairy seemed to come to her senses at last. She blinked several
times. Then she tilted her tiny head.
“Oh… You‟re like me. And you, there, you must be a human. It seems I was
just born. I‟m not even wearing a dress. I apologize for my appearance. In any
case, it‟s nice to meet you. I‟m Ruselle El Min. Oh, look at that. It seems I
know my own name.”
Surprising herself, the tiny, tiny fairy flapped her wings and flew upwards.
“You will know the things that the gra.s.s berry from which you were born
knew. That‟s all. The reverberations of the energy that that gra.s.s berry gave
off transformed into sound, creating your name.”
“Really? In any case, first I want a dress. Like that lady.”
Shall gently extended his hand and let the tiny fairy climb onto it.
“Ruselle El Min, don‟t wish for dresses and such things. Don‟t approach
humans, wishing to have the things that they have.”
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
“Why not?”
“Humans are dangerous. They capture fairies and use them as slaves. They
steal freedom from fairies.”
“Really? But what about that lady over there? She‟s a human, isn‟t she?”
“She‟s special. Now, go, Ruselle El Min. Even further into the wilderness. Go
somewhere the hands of humans haven‟t reached, and live as you like.”
“You‟re very kind. Thank you.”
Expressing her grat.i.tude, the fairy unhurriedly beat her wings and flew out of
the rest stop.
After seeing the tiny fairy off, Shall finally turned his gaze towards Ann.
Ann was shocked, and merely stared at him, unable to avert her eyes. Shall
knit his brows.
“What is it? That strange expression on your face…”
“It‟s just… Why are you here? I gave your wing back to you, didn‟t I?”
“You didn‟t fulfill your promise. I came to get you to fulfill it.”
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
“Promise?”
“You promised that you‟d give me a sugar sculpture.”
“A sugar sculpture…?”
He was saying that he‟d come back for a sugar sculpture?
---- I’m all alone. So very alone…
The voice echoing inside her head grew faint.
---- That can’t be true. n.o.body would come all the way back just for one sugar
sculpture.
“Are you going to make it or not?”
Looking at Shall as he demanded this irritably, Ann laughed bitterly.
---- Either that, or maybe Shall really, really wanted a sugar sculpture? I
don’t care which it is.
For this moment, at least, she was not alone. Someone was there with her.
That made her happy, and a smile overflowed onto her face.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
Her dream of becoming a silver sugar master this year and sending Emma off
to heaven had disappeared, and a gaping hole had opened up in her heart.
But Shall had come back. Even though he was under no obligation or orders,
he‟d come back.
If there was something she could do for him in return, perhaps that would
prove her worth.
In her chest, which had become hollow and empty, a single spark began to
burn.
She was happy. More than anything. Ann felt tears br.i.m.m.i.n.g in her eyes,
about to spill over, but she held them back and smiled.
“That‟s right. I did promise. I‟ll make you something unbelievably beautiful.”
Ann stood up. If it was silver sugar she needed, there was plenty of it in the
wagon Jonas had left behind.
“Wait. You can‟t handle silver sugar in that state.”
As he said this, Shall dumped a dry cloth and a set of men‟s clothing on Ann‟s
head.
Accepting the clothing, Ann tilted her head.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
“Where did this come from?”
“It was inside the wagon. That guy left it behind. I don‟t think he‟ll mind if
you use it.”
Ann laughed wryly.
“That‟s true.”
Ann changed her clothes in the shade behind the wagon.
The men‟s trousers and shirt were baggy on her and she had to roll up the
sleeves and cuffs of the pants several times.
“My hands are too cold. I wonder if they‟ll work.”
Ann was cold. Rubbing her chilled body, she wiggled her stiff fingers and
headed for the door to Jonas‟s wagon.
At this, Shall walked up to Ann nonchalantly. He gripped both of her hands in
his. Then he blew his breath onto her hands.
“Shall…?”
Ann trembled under the warmth of his breath.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
“When I give you the sugar sculpture, you‟ll leave again?”
The moment she asked the question she‟d been unable to hold back, Ann was
gently enfolded in a pleasant warmth.
She realized Shall was gently embracing her close to his body.
“You smell so sweet.”
Shall‟s breath tickled her ear.
“Your scent called to me. Make the sugar sculpture. There‟s still something
you can do.”
Ann‟s pulse increased in speed exponentially.
Shall released her, and she climbed into the wagon.
---- For some reason my ears are really hot.
Hot joy welled up from deep inside her chest.
Even if Shall did leave again once she gave him the sugar sculpture, the fact
remained that he had come back like this in order to encourage her. She had to
believe that that was enough.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
For his sake, she would make an astonishingly beautiful sugar sculpture.
Scooping up some silver sugar, she added cold water to it.
Without even thinking about what she would make, Ann began to knead the
silver sugar, seeking only to silence the rapid beating of her heart. Her
fingertips moved of their own accord.
Only the thought that she wanted to make something was overflowing from
deep inside her chest.
What came to mind was the instant of the fairy‟s birth that she‟d witnessed
earlier. She wanted to memorialize that beauty in silver sugar. It didn‟t have to
be large. She‟d make the sculpture small enough to fit in the palm of her hand,
and so delicate that it appeared as if would break at any moment. It would
have slender wings and glossy berries. She‟d capture the fairy‟s fluffy hair and
slender limbs.
At some point, Ann had gotten completely absorbed in her work.
She rolled the silver sugar thinner and thinner, so thin that it was transparent,
then she engraved a detailed pattern.
Ann stubbornly kneaded the silver sugar over and over again to recreate the
glossy gra.s.s berries.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
By the time Ann‟s hands finally stopped moving, the rays of light that came
slashing into the wagon had become slanted and deep orange. The sun was
beginning to set.
Ann was surprised with herself that she‟d worked continuously from dawn
until dusk. Furthermore, she was surprised that the completed sugar sculpture
was so little it could sit in the palm of her hand.
She herself was astounded that she could have spent such a long time working
on such a tiny sculpture.
However the figure of the fairy born from the gra.s.s berries was an exact
replica of the one Ann had seen that morning.
The sculpture caught the eye, and didn‟t let go. It was that magnetic.
Ann was surprised to find that there was something similar between this sugar
sculpture and the ones Emma had made.
The sugar sculpture Ann had made for the sugar sculpture festival had been an
outstanding, impressive piece. But that was Emma‟s design. It was something
Emma had designed because she believed from the bottom of her heart that it
was beautiful.
It wasn‟t something that Ann had poured her feelings into.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
The sugar sculpture that Ann had made using Emma‟s design was not at its
essence truly Ann‟s sculpture.
---- That’s why he said “monkey see, monkey do”...
Something that she thought was truly beautiful… The feelings of wanting to
capture that in silver sugar… Once she had these, she was finally able to
create a sugar sculpture that she was satisfied with, and that had the power to
draw people in.
From this vantage point, you could say that this was without a doubt the
ultimate sugar sculpture that Ann was capable of making at this point.
“This isn‟t an imitation… It‟s my sugar sculpture.”
She‟d put all of her grat.i.tude to Shall for accompanying her this far into this
sculpture sculpture. She would give it to him.
Carrying the sugar sculpture carefully in both hands, Ann descended from the
wagon.
Shall was sitting on a rock, gazing absent-mindedly at the setting sun, but he
turned around when he sensed Ann‟s presence.
“Shall. Here. It‟s your sugar sculpture, as promised. It‟s the best sugar
sculpture I am capable of making right now. Compared to the one that was
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
stolen by Jonas it‟s incredibly small, but… That one was half mama‟s sugar
sculpture. This one really is my creation.”
Ann knelt in front of Shall and extended the sugar sculpture out towards him.
Looking at the tiny sugar sculpture, Shall said, “...It‟s beautiful.”
At his words, Ann‟s cheeks stained with color.
She was even happier than if he had praised her own appearance. She was so
happy that she wanted to cry.
“Thank you. Will you accept it?”
Shall gently, carefully took the sugar sculpture in both hands.
---- With this, Shall too may go away somewhere.
At this thought, the fairy in front of her seemed more precious than anything.
If this was the end, she wanted to touch his wing, which even now was
shimmering beautifully, reflecting the light of the setting sun.
“Your wing… Can touch it?”
There should be no way that he would easily let her touch something that was
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
as dear to him as his own life. If Ann were harboring malicious intent towards
him, it was possible she would try to harm Shall‟s wing.
She knew this, and yet she couldn‟t help but ask.
But Shall nodded.
“Touch it.”
“It‟s really okay?”
After confirming that he‟d nodded once more, Ann gently took Shall‟s wing in
both hands.
The wing was faintly warm. Ann let it slide across her palms, suppressing a
shudder as she felt it‟s texture, softer than the finest silk. Then she gently
kissed the wing.
Shall shuddered almost imperceptibly, and raised his chin slightly, narrowing
his eyes. He breathed in sharply.
“Thank you.”
“Satisfied?”
“Yes. So…”
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
It’s fine if you leave. She tried to say the words, but they got stuck in her
throat.
For a moment, Shall gazed at the sugar sculpture in his hands. Then he asked
hesitantly, “This sugar sculpture belongs to me, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I‟ll have you do what I want done with it.”
After he‟d said this, Shall stood up. Then he unfastened the horses‟ reins from
the tree where they were tied up, and began hooking them up to the remaining
wagon.
Returning to where Ann stood with her head tilted in confusion, Shall jerked
his chin towards the wagon.
“Get on the driver‟s seat. We‟re leaving.”
“Where are we going?”
“To Lewiston. If we run through the night, we‟ll arrive in Lewiston in the
morning. Even if we slide into town at the last minute on the day of the sugar
sculpture festival, we‟ll make it in time, right? You said you wanted to
become a silver sugar master this year, didn‟t you?”
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
“But, Shall… The sugar sculpture was--”
“We have this.”
Shall thrust the sugar sculpture in his hands out towards Ann.
Urged by his expression to take it, Ann once again took the sugar sculpture in
her own hands.
“If this really is an example of your true full potential, enter it in the festival.
If it still proves to be no use, you can give up then.”
All of the sugar sculptures entered into the sugar sculpture festival were large
and impressive. Among such compet.i.tors, no one would take notice of a tiny
sculpture like this, and she would surely lose.
However… Ann finally realized.
Why had she been so frantic about wanting to become a silver sugar master?
Emma wouldn‟t have been happy for her if she‟d won not because her abilities
were sufficient but because she‟d borrowed Emma‟s strength. Emma wouldn‟t
be able to happily go to heaven if she were sent off with the sugar sculpture of
a fake silver sugar master like that.
If this tiny sugar sculpture really did represent her true abilities, then she
should use it to compete. She looked up at Shall.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
“Why are you doing this for me? I already returned your wing to you.”
“You returned my wing. You‟re no longer my master. So now we can be
friends. If that‟s what you want.”
“Is that what you want, Shall?”
At Ann‟s question, Shall shrugged his shoulders.
“Sure, whatever.”
Ann understood the hidden meaning behind his nonchalant words.
The original strong glimmer returned to Ann‟s eyes. Joy welled up inside of
her, filling her with strength.
“It‟s going to be night soon. Can we make it the rest of the way off the b.l.o.o.d.y
highway? Will we be okay?”
Shall laughed daringly.
“Just who do you take me for?”
Striking out through the darkness, Ann‟s horses struggled on. Even though
their breathing was heavy and ragged, they never stopped moving. Together
with the break of day, the wagon finally pulled off of the b.l.o.o.d.y highway.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Vol. 1 - Ginzatoushi to Kuro no Yousei.
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Then, by the time the morning dew had dried, the imperial city of Lewiston
spread out before them.
Chapter 6 - END