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Draft 8 11（第5页）

Kagami’sliferesumeditsnormalpace，andshekeptherselffairlybusywithrecipes，kitduty，pigflint，andpractigfracturingstones.

Acoupleofmonthslater，justaroundthetimewhenKagamiwasgettingreadytopracticecuttinglowgradesapphire，hertrainingwiththeswordhadtobehalted.

AssoonasKagamibrokeasweat，usuallyheendofwarmups，shewouldgetanallergicreato，asitseemed，herow.Everyinchofherskinwasredandswollen，aitchyandpainful，asiftherewereantsalloverherbody，bitingandstinging.

[Author’shisactuallyhappeoHitomiwhenshewasinEngland，andtinuedforaboutayearafterwards，whichispartiallyresponsibleforthefactthatHitomiisterribleatsports.Ifyouhaven’tnoticed，muchofthisnovelreferencesreallife.Chapter8and9，forexample，drawsomeoftheirsourcefromhistoryandpolitics.]

Akishiaskedeveryinstructortohelpfindacureorsomewayofprovidingrelief，butherthedepartmentofmagiorthedepartmentofalchemyandpotions，oreventhecellorherself，couldfindthecause，muchlessasolution.

Aftermuchagonizing，Kagamiandtheetintheoffidreachedaclusion:

Kagamicouldnotpossiblytinueherstudyinswordsmanship，despiteherearlierdisplayoftalentandpotential，untilafterthesituationimproved.

Furthermore，duetohermysteriousskindition，itwouldnotbesafeforhertotinueinthecapacityofkitstaff，incaseitwassomehowatagiousdisease.Forsanitaryreasons，Kagamishouldrefrainfromenteringthekituntilfurtherassessment.

Kagamilostherine.

Theheatofsummerdaysdidn’tseemducivetomentalpeace，andKagamicriedherselftosleepeverynight.

（“Yes，AkishiOneeassuredmethatmagiardener，weareallpartofKageyama，butit’sstillpainfultosuddenlyfailateverything.”

）

Kagamiburiedherfathepillow.（“Ilanningonhavingagreatlife，andmakingjewelleryforArashiandAkishi.Whatiseventhepointofjewellerymakingnow?Idon’tknowwhenIpickuptheswain，andIdon’tfeelthecalltomagicoralchemy.Ihaven’thadaspiritualexperiencesinceIwenttotownthatdayforthefirsttime.”

）

Kagamiflippedontoherback.

（“DidIeatsomethingbadthatday?Everythingstartedgoingdownhillafterwards.DidIfetsomething?WhatCOULDhavehappeome?...Domosquitoesandticksinthisworldcarryspecialdiseases?Poisonousspidersorscorpions?DidIreaegrassIwaslyingon?Ormaybeit’sfungalormites?Whatcoulditbe?...）

Ittookafewmoredays，butintheendKagamiwrotetotheladyofthejewellerystorethat，duetothelossofherine，shecouldnotpossiblytihherproject.Shewouldsiderbeingherapprentithefutureifshewasstillopentotheideathen.

Thatdayafterdinner，KagamiknockedonArashi’sdoor.

“ArashiOneesama，Iamverydepressed.Couldyoupleasehelpmesomehow?”

Arashistoodforashortwhileatherdoor，andputonheroutdoorclothes.“e.”

ArashitookKagamitothewestcliff.Thescorgafternoonsunhadbeegeheglowtookonasofterhueasthesunsanktowardthehorizon.Cloudsbecamemorevisibleandvibrant，firstyellow，thendeepeheircolourte.Windblewsomeofthecloudsintofansoffeather，castingshadowstotheskyabove.Thegreyishblueoftheshadowstrastedwiththereddishglowatthebottomofthecloud，andtheskybehindcaughtadyeofindigo.Someoftheshadowsfurtherawayfromthesettingsuntookonahintoflavender，asthecelestialdomecelebratedwiththetintofpinkdiamond.

Thelineofshadow，castbytheearth，slowlyroseinthesky，andinfrontofArashiandKagami，thesunhadbidthemfarewell.Kagamiwaoliedown，butdidnotwanttospeak.SheleanedhtlytowardArashi，yetkeptherdistance，incaseArashiwasedbyherhealthdition.Arashididnotseemtomind.Slowly，softly，butwithationinhermovement，ArashiplacedherhandonHitomi’shead，andguideditontoherlap.Theuniversewentongingitspalette，andthetwostayedtogether，instillness，insilence.

Atlast，athinbandoflightwasallthatremainedoftheday.Slightlyyellowatthehorizon，itquicklymovedthroughthespectrumtothedeepdarkblueofthenight.Lyingthere，withherheadonArashi’slap，Kagamifeltwarmthinherheart;Kagamifeltthechillthatstungeventoherbones;Kagamifelthopeasshehadnotbeeallalone，andshefeltdespair，seeingnofutureaheadofher.

Finally，Kagamilookeddown，shiftingherfocusfromthehorizontoherhandswhichhadbeeingonArashi’slap，“ArashiOneesama...”

shewhispered.

“Kagami...”

ArashipettedKagami’shair.

“Oneesama...Iwon’tbeabletostandshouldertoshoulderwithOneesama...”

“IamstillyourArashiOneesama.”

“Imayhavetoquitallmystudiessomeday”

“YouarestillmyKagami.”

ChapterEleven

WordsofAutumn（akishi）秋詩

Kagamislowlycametotermswithhersaddeate，andbyautumn，sheofficiallywithdrewfromallclasses.

“AkishiOnee...”

AkishisatbesideKagamiatthelunchtable，andheldKagami’sshoulder.SheplacedthesideofherheadagainstKagami’s，andpatientlywaitedforwhatKagamihadtosay.

“Onee，Ifeelit.Magidalchemyarecoldtome.EvenwhenIwatchArashiOneesamagivedemonstrations，myheartfindsitinprehensible...”

Akishislowlyswayedfromsidetoside，rogKagamiverylightly.