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---
Chapter 65
For six days, Link did not allow anyone into his room.
On the first morning, Subaru had taken it as a sign that his brother wanted some privacy after what had happened with Rem during the party.
On the second, Ram concluded that he was hiding something.
On the third, Beatrice began entering and leaving that room carrying books, metal sheets, toolboxes, and an expression of steadily increasing regret.
On the fourth, a noise resembling a wardrobe collapsing woke half the manor.
Link explained that he had dropped a spoon.
Nobody believed him.
On the fifth night, Emilia heard wings beating.
Not lightly.
Not the fluttering of a trapped bird.
Two deep impacts made the glass in her window tremble.
When she asked, Link replied that he was practicing how to fold sheets.
Emilia did not know much about household chores.
Even she understood that sheets did not roar.
The sixth day began with smoke coming out from beneath the door.
Rem arrived first.
She knocked three times.
—Link.
The smoke stopped coming out.
Several impacts followed.
Something metallic fell.
A voice muttered a curse.
Then came silence.
—Everything is fine —Link answered.
Rem looked at the black line beneath the door.
—There is smoke coming out.
—Not anymore.
—Because you closed something.
—That demonstrates control.
—Open the door.
—I'm changing.
—You have been working since before dawn.
—I change clothes a lot.
Rem left one hand on the doorknob.
She did not try to enter.
They had agreed to respect certain private spaces.
Link could not use that agreement as a shield for manufacturing weapons inside his bedroom.
Although that had not been written down yet.
They needed to add it.
—You have five minutes —she said.
—I need more.
—Four.
—That is not negotiating.
—Three.
—I'm coming out.
Another impact sounded inside.
The door opened just enough for Link's face to appear.
Soot covered one cheek.
His hair stuck up.
A small metal plate was caught between two strands.
Luci floated behind him, already maintaining her little humanoid shape made of light. Both hands were pressed to a head she did not actually possess, imitating someone in despair.
—Good morning —Link said.
Rem looked behind him.
She could only see part of the room.
The bed.
A table covered with tools.
Charmander's empty body sitting on a box.
And a large dark cloth covering almost the entire back wall.
Something moved beneath it.
The cloth rose.
Fell.
A current of air struck Rem's face.
—What is under there?
—Clothes.
—It breathed.
—The clothes are thick.
—Link.
He stepped into the hallway.
Closed the door with his back.
—It's a surprise.
—Your last surprises made Subaru scream, Emilia-sama freeze a room, and Beatrice-sama attempt to destroy a wall.
—This one will be better.
—For whom?
Link thought.
—Me.
The answer was too honest.
Rem raised one hand and removed the metal plate from his hair.
—You need breakfast.
—Yes.
—A bath.
—Yes.
—And sleep tonight.
—Probably.
—Link.
—Yes.
Rem wiped the soot from his cheek with her thumb.
Link turned his face slightly and kissed the tip of her finger.
She maintained a calm expression.
The blush appeared anyway.
—That will not change the conditions.
—It wasn't a bribe.
—It seemed like one.
—It was romantic gratitude.
—Then you may express your gratitude after resting.
Link smiled.
—Lots of gratitude?
—An amount.
The door behind him was struck from inside.
Both went still.
Another impact.
Deeper.
Rem looked at the handle.
Link spread his arms to block it.
—Surprise.
—Something wants to come out.
—It doesn't know what it wants.
Luci passed through the door.
The quasi-spirit stopped in front of them.
—Big —she said.
Rem looked at Link.
—Big?
—She's learning adjectives.
—Big —Luci repeated.
She stretched her arms as far as her tiny form allowed.
—Very.
—Luci —Link murmured.
She pointed toward the room.
—Fire. Wings. Big.
Rem opened her eye wider.
Link took Luci between both hands.
—My supervisor has trouble keeping secrets.
—She does not appear to be supervising.
—She's reporting me.
The door trembled again.
Rem took one step forward.
Link quickly kissed her forehead.
She stopped from sheer surprise.
He used the opportunity to start toward the stairs.
—Breakfast.
—Link.
—I'll show you later.
—When?
—Today.
—One hour.
—Two.
—One.
—One and a half.
Rem followed him.
—One hour.
—You're terrible at negotiating with your partner.
—You are going down the stairs.
—That has nothing to do with it.
—I could make you go back to the room.
Link sped up.
The visitor arrived before the hour was over.
He was the same merchant who had traded a lagmite for several liters of hot chocolate during the Snow Festival.
His wagon stopped in front of the manor.
Two assistants began unloading boxes nobody had ordered.
The man climbed down.
He wore a new cloak, boots cleaner than during his previous visit, and the expression of someone convinced he was about to make the deal of his life.
Link saw him from the garden.
Charmander walked beside him.
It had recovered full mobility after the festival, although its right arm still made a clicking sound every time it raised its thumb.
The figure pulled a small cart carrying tools.
Luci sat on its head.
The four lesser spirits floated around them.
—The chocolate boy —the merchant greeted him.
—The man who tried to charge me for a dented lagmite.
—It was an aesthetic mark.
—It was a dent.
The merchant looked at Charmander.
His professional expression transformed into desire.
The stone eyes were glowing.
Its tail burned.
The automaton stopped in front of the visitor and raised its thumb.
The click sounded.
—That —the man said.
Link looked at Charmander.
—What about him?
—I want to buy it.
The thumb lowered.
Luci looked at the merchant.
Her light turned red.
—He doesn't seem interested —Link replied.
—I wasn't asking the statue.
—He was here first.
The merchant crouched.
He examined the joints.
The shape of the plates.
The tail channel.
The eyes.
—Everyone is talking about this creature. It served drinks during the festival, chased people through the manor, took photographs, and fired snowballs.
—Most of those are accusations without evidence.
Charmander raised its thumb.
—Stop confirming them.
—I want to use it as a display piece —the man continued—. Nobles pay for curiosities. A little stone dragon that walks on its own will attract customers.
—It doesn't walk on its own.
—Technical details do not interest people with money.
Link crossed his arms.
—He's not for sale.
The merchant named a sum.
Link did not react.
He named another.
Subaru appeared at a window.
—Sell it!
Charmander turned its head.
Its eyes glowed.
Subaru closed the window.
The merchant increased the offer.
Link looked at Charmander.
He had built five bodies before making that one work.
The first could barely hold up its head.
The second had breathed fire backward.
The third lost both legs.
The fourth exploded inside the chimney.
The fifth was the one still standing there.
It had walked.
It had learned sequences.
It had terrorized the entire manor.
It had been buried.
It had served chocolate.
It had raised its thumb after every disaster.
It was not a living creature.
Link knew that.
It was stone.
Metal.
Channels.
A lagmite.
Patterns created by the spirits.
But it was also the first thing he had built in that world that had truly worked.
The amount increased again.
Link stopped reminiscing.
—Keep going.
The merchant smiled.
The negotiation began.
Rem appeared seven minutes later.
Ram arrived two minutes after that, drawn by the sound of money.
Roswaal came down when he realized he could collect part of Link's debt.
Subaru emerged when his fear of Charmander lost to his fear of losing money.
Emilia came because everyone else was gathered there.
Beatrice opened a door in the middle of the garden, saw the merchant, Charmander, and the bags, and decided she regretted coming before even learning what was happening.
—Then —said the merchant—, that is my final offer.
Link looked at the coins.
Then Ram.
She did the calculation mentally.
—It would completely pay off a significant portion of the chains.
Link's happiness diminished.
—A portion?
—The chains were expensive.
—How valuable can metal be if I can break it with my shoulders?
—Its value does not depend on your inability to respect it.
The merchant looked at the account book.
—What chains?
—Private matters —Link said.
Subaru raised a hand.
—We tied him up like a dragon.
—You didn't help.
—I suggested rope.
The merchant looked at Charmander again.
—The offer stands.
Rem positioned herself beside Link.
—Do you want to sell it?
He took a moment to answer.
—The body.
Charmander turned its head.
Link crouched in front of it.
He placed a hand over the pale chest plate.
Beneath the central plate was the original lagmite.
The core.
It was not the most powerful.
Nor the most valuable.
Without it, the body would not retain its learned sequences or respond to Luci in the same way.
—The body is no longer useful —Link said.
The merchant frowned.
—It is walking.
—Today.
—I am looking at it.
—Tomorrow it will be an old model.
—I don't understand.
Link opened the panel.
A red light appeared inside.
Charmander remained motionless.
Its thumb was still raised.
—I'm selling the structure, channels, joints, and external design.
—I want it to walk.
—Then you'll need to manufacture your own core.
The merchant stepped backward.
—The offer was for the functioning object.
—I never said the lagmite was included.
—Everyone would assume it was.
—I wouldn't.
—You built it.
—Exactly.
Ram closed the book.
—The gardener employs questionable commercial practices.
Rem looked at the merchant.
—Link specified that he would sell the body.
—After agreeing to the price.
—Before receiving any money.
The man pointed at the panel.
—Without that, it isn't worth half as much.
Link closed the plate.
—It is the original Charmander from the Snow Festival.
Subaru peeked out from behind Emilia.
—And the one that terrorized the manor.
—That adds to its history —Link said.
—It reduces its safety —Emilia replied.
—Not without the core.
The merchant studied the statue.
Its fame did have value.
He could place it in a shop window.
Charge visitors to see it.
Claim that he had purchased the creature that attacked the Mathers residence.
Even motionless, it remained unique.
—Three quarters —he offered.
—The full amount.
—Not without the core.
Link picked up Charmander.
—Then there's no deal.
He started walking.
The merchant stopped him.
—Wait.
Link did not turn around.
—The full amount and a box of precision tools.
The man clenched his teeth.
—Half a box.
—Complete.
—Used.
—In good condition.
Rem leaned toward the merchant.
—You will also transport the statue. Link will not cover damage during transport.
The man looked at her.
He once again recognized the danger of negotiating with her.
—The full box —he accepted.
Link turned around.
—Deal.
They shook hands.
Charmander continued raising its thumb.
—You don't look sad —Subaru said.
—He isn't leaving.
—You just sold him.
Link smiled.
Opened the chest.
His fingers closed around the lagmite.
—I sold the shape.
He removed the core.
The red light remained between his hands for a moment.
Charmander's eyes went dark.
The flame on its tail diminished.
Disappeared.
The arm fell.
The little orange body became motionless.
Luci floated in front of it.
Touched the stone forehead.
—Charmander.
There was no response.
Emilia approached.
—It turned off.
—Yes.
—That looks sad.
Link looked at the core.
The light pulsed.
Once.
As though recognizing the mana in his fingers.
—Charmander was no longer useful.
Subaru frowned.
—That sounded cruel.
—The body was no longer useful.
Link closed his fist around the lagmite.
—As long as I keep this, he can come back.
The merchant pointed toward the dead statue.
—Come back as what?
Link's smile grew.
—Or evolve.
Subaru's eyes widened.
—No.
Link walked toward the manor.
—Yes.
—What did you do?
—Wait here.
—Link.
—Everyone wait.
He went inside.
The main door closed.
The garden fell silent.
The merchant looked at Subaru.
—What does "evolve" mean?
—Bigger problems.
—That does not explain anything.
—It is the most accurate explanation I can give you.
Inside the manor came an impact.
Then another.
A vibration ran through the ground.
A lamp in the entrance hall rattled.
Rem looked at the door.
—That was inside his room.
Beatrice closed her eyes.
—Betty refused to ask, I suppose.
—You went in there for six days —Subaru said.
—To correct circuits. Not to understand his decisions.
Something scraped against the inside of the door.
The sound moved downward.
Stopped.
The handle turned.
The entrance opened.
Link appeared first.
He walked backward.
He held a thick chain made of leather and metal.
—Slowly.
He pulled.
An orange foot crossed the threshold.
It was larger than Charmander's entire body.
Three black claws scraped against the stone.
Then came a leg.
A massive torso.
A draconic head emerged, lowered to avoid the frame.
Two short horns extended backward.
Its jaws were closed.
The eyes remained dark.
The wings appeared next.
Folded against its back.
Each ran almost the entire length of the body.
The tail came last.
Thick.
Long.
It ended in a metal housing designed to hold a flame far larger than the previous one.
Link pulled again.
The entire creature emerged from the manor.
It straightened.
Three meters of reinforced stone, metal, enchanted wood, and magical channels towered over everyone.
Its shadow covered the garden.
Subaru looked at Charizard.
Then at the door.
Back at Charizard.
Then at the door again.
—No.
Link released the chain.
—Yes.
—It doesn't fit.
—It just came out.
—The door is less than three meters tall.
—It crouched.
—The wings are wider than the hallway.
—It folded them.
—Its body can't turn on the stairs.
—It didn't turn.
—Your room is on the second floor!
Link shrugged.
—I had it hidden there.
Emilia looked toward a window.
Then at the enormous body.
—How did you get it upstairs?
—Carefully.
Ram examined the walls.
No damage.
No holes.
No recent repairs.
—The gardener did not build it outside.
—No.
—It did not pass through Door Crossing —Beatrice said immediately—. Betty did not help with that.
Everyone looked at her.
—I only corrected the channels, I suppose.
Subaru walked around Charizard.
—Is there a secret room?
—No.
—A hole in the roof?
—No.
—Did you build it small and enlarge it?
—No.
—Did you dismantle the wall and rebuild it?
Link smiled.
—Mystery.
Subaru pointed toward the manor.
—You cannot answer "mystery" to an architectural impossibility!
—I just did.
The merchant approached slowly.
The Charmander statue no longer seemed quite so extraordinary.
—Is that also for sale?
—No.
—I haven't even said how much.
—No.
—I could—
Charizard tilted its head.
Although its eyes were still dark, the merchant stepped backward.
—Not for sale —Link repeated.
Rem examined the construction.
Not the size.
Not the fangs either.
Her attention settled on the top of its back.
There was a seat.
No.
Two.
A primary saddle near the neck.
A smaller one behind it.
With belts.
Footrests.
And a space designed so the second person could wrap their arms around the first.
Rem looked at Link.
He pretended to inspect a joint.
—Why does it have two seats?
—Balance.
—A second person would not improve its balance.
—Depends on how they hold on.
—Link.
—Future testing.
Rem smiled.
—I understand.
Subaru looked at the seats.
Then at Rem.
Then Link.
—The siege engine has a romantic seat.
—Shut up.
Ram examined the figure.
—The tail would destroy a wall with one swing.
—It's limited.
—How much?
—An amount.
Everyone stepped slightly farther away.
Charizard's chest contained four spaces.
One large slot in the center.
Three smaller ones arranged in a triangle around it.
Link opened the plates.
The internal channels became visible.
Beatrice approached.
She had corrected the distribution.
The central structure connected to the entire body.
The three auxiliary systems followed separate routes.
One toward the wings and pressure channels.
Another toward the bones, tail, claws, and plates.
The last toward the limbs, eyes, and transformation circuits.
—The main source is still the fire lagmite —Link explained.
He raised Charmander's core.
The red stone glowed between his fingers.
—It isn't the strongest. It's the first. It retains the sequences Luci learned, the response patterns of the four spirits, and the basic movements.
Luci positioned herself beside the core.
—Charmander.
—Yes.
Subaru approached.
—So it's the same one?
—Close enough.
—You skipped Charmeleon.
—I didn't have time for an adolescent phase.
—That isn't how it works!
—My money. My evolution.
Link placed the core in the center.
The stone fit into place.
A red light spread through the torso.
The eyes did not illuminate yet.
He took out the second lagmite.
Pale green, crossed by nearly transparent lines.
—Wind.
He inserted it into the upper cavity.
The wings trembled.
The surrounding air changed.
—Wind powers the Flying- and Bug-type move families. Fly, Wing Attack, Air Slash, Steel Wing when combined with Earth. Later, I might try X-Scissor.
Emilia raised a hand.
—Why Bug?
—Classification from my homeland.
—Bugs fly?
—A lot of them.
—Then it makes some sense.
Subaru covered his mouth.
He could not start explaining Pokémon in front of everyone.
Link pulled out another stone.
Ochre.
Denser.
Tiny metallic flecks floated inside it.
—Earth. Ground-, Rock-, and Steel-type moves.
He installed it on the left.
The tail lowered.
The claws closed.
A deep sound traveled through the plates, as though the entire body had become heavier.
—Iron Tail. Steel Wing. Avalanche. Stone Edge. Dig, if I ever manage to make it tunnel without burying us.
Ram looked at the size of the feet.
—It will not dig near the manor.
—I wasn't planning—
Everyone looked at him.
Link sighed.
—It will not dig near the manor.
The final lagmite was golden.
Not exactly yellow.
The light shifted between white, gold, and a faint violet shade.
—Yang.
Beatrice frowned.
—The most unstable one.
—The most interesting.
—When you say that, it means dangerous.
Link placed it in the third slot.
—Electric-, Fighting-, Dragon-, and Fairy-type moves.
Emilia raised both eyebrows.
—Fairy?
—It's complicated.
—Charizard doesn't look like a fairy.
—Subaru didn't look like a lady either, and we saw Natsumi.
Subaru pointed.
—That has nothing to do with this!
Ram closed her eye.
—The argument is surprisingly solid.
Link continued.
—Thunder Punch. Brick Break. Dragon Claw. Dragon Rush. Maybe Dazzling Gleam if I figure out how to distribute the light without blinding the rider.
—No —Rem said.
—I'll put it on the list of future ideas.
—You'll cross it out.
—We'll discuss it.
Beatrice raised her book.
—It will be crossed out, I suppose.
Link closed the plates.
Each lagmite was now in place.
The body remained motionless.
—Now it needs mana.
Rem took his arm.
—An amount.
—Moderate.
—The real word.
—Quite a lot.
—Link.
—I can't calculate it before trying.
Roswaal studied the construction.
—I can provide a controlled amount.
Link shook his head.
—It has to recognize me.
—Why?
—Because it's mine.
There was no joking tone in the answer.
He placed both hands on the central plate.
Manifested his horns.
Red lines appeared across them.
Luci descended onto his shoulder.
The four lesser spirits positioned themselves around Charizard's torso.
The red flame beside the central core.
The green presence near the wings.
The ember bird over the chest.
The golden sphere near the Yang lagmite.
—Slowly —Beatrice warned him.
—Yes.
Link opened the gate.
Mana flowed out.
Not as a spell.
It entered directly through his palms.
The central core lit up.
Red.
The other three lagmites responded.
Green.
Ochre.
Gold.
The lights advanced through different channels.
The chest filled with lines.
The plates vibrated.
The tail rose.
A spark appeared at the end.
It became flame.
Not Charmander's little candle.
The fire reached the height of a person.
The merchant ran toward his wagon.
The Wolgarms began barking from their enclosure.
Charizard opened its eyes.
Blue-green.
Light filled the pupils.
Its head lowered.
It looked at Link.
For one second, it did nothing.
Then it lifted one claw.
Closed two fingers.
The third remained raised.
An enormous and anatomically questionable version of Charmander's thumbs-up gesture.
Subaru put both hands on his head.
—It still does the thumb thing.
Link laughed.
—You're back.
Charizard opened its mouth.
The roar shook the garden.
It was not the voice of an animal.
It was fire passing through metal, stone, and air.
The windows trembled.
Several birds fled the trees.
The Wolgarms hid behind the largest member of the pack.
Emilia clung to Puck.
Beatrice opened a barrier.
Ram held Crimson Heart.
Rem did not step backward.
She looked at Link's face.
The emotion there was so pure that she could not have dragged him away from the creature even with her mace.
—Charizard —he said.
The machine tilted its head.
—Take one step.
Its right foot rose.
Came down.
The ground trembled.
The left advanced.
The joints rotated with a deep, regular sound.
The tail swung.
Roswaal had to step back to avoid it.
—Limited —Ram repeated.
—I'm still adjusting the distance.
Charizard stopped in front of Charmander's empty statue.
Lowered its head.
Looked at it.
Luci floated between the two bodies.
—Before —she said.
Link touched the former shell.
—Yes.
Charizard raised its thumb.
The smaller figure did not respond.
The merchant stared at the scene.
—I want to renegotiate.
—No.
—The original piece has historical value.
—We already closed the deal.
—I could pay less.
Rem looked at him.
—You could pay more.
The man shut his mouth.
Roswaal moved the test away from the manor.
Not out of selfless caution.
He wanted to see its full range.
The chosen clearing lay beyond the garden and far from Arlam. It was wide, surrounded by low hills, and safely separated from the fields.
Charizard walked there.
Every step left a mark.
Link walked alongside it, checking the flow through his horns.
Rem remained on the other side.
From time to time she touched the metal leg, checking its temperature.
Subaru walked behind them, talking without breathing.
—Can it turn in the air? How much does it weigh? How fast can it fly? Can you make it use Seismic Toss? Can it carry three people? Can it use Hyper Beam? Can it Mega Evolve? Does it have an Ability? Blaze? Solar Power? Why is it three meters tall? Why did you skip Charmeleon? Why did nobody consult me?
—Because you don't build things.
—I provide cultural knowledge.
—You shout names.
—That's directing!
Charizard turned its head.
Looked at Subaru.
Its eyes glowed.
Subaru hid behind Emilia.
—It kept grudges from the previous body.
—Core memory —Link said proudly.
—You should not be happy about that.
Puck floated above Emilia.
—What do you need?
—Targets.
—How many?
Link looked toward the sky.
A smile appeared.
—A lot.
Rem held his sleeve.
—A few first.
—I need to test the limit.
—A few first.
—Puck can control them.
—A few first.
Link looked at his partner.
—Six.
—Three.
—Five.
—Four.
—Deal.
Puck raised one paw.
Four discs of ice appeared in the air.
Each was the size of a carriage.
They floated at different heights.
—They're nowhere near the manor —Puck said—. If you miss, they'll fall into the clearing.
Beatrice raised a barrier around the spectators.
—If anything tries to come back toward us, Betty will stop it, I suppose.
Roswaal created a second layer.
Ram took the Wolgarms behind both.
The animals did not want to be there.
The one wearing the blue ribbon stared at Charizard with its ears lowered.
Charmander had been small.
That thing looked capable of eating Wolgarms without even opening its mouth.
Link walked toward the saddle.
Rem adjusted the first belt.
Her movements were precise.
Slower than necessary.
—You can still stop —she said.
—Yes.
—You won't.
—No.
Rem tightened the fastening.
—If you feel yourself losing control, you will descend.
—Yes.
—If Beatrice-sama or Puck orders you to stop, you will obey.
—Yes.
—If Rem orders you—
—I'll obey first.
She lifted her face.
—Good.
Link took her hand.
Kissed her knuckles.
—I'll come back.
—You must.
—I want to take you afterward.
Rem looked at the second seat.
—After it works?
—After it works.
—Then make it work.
Link climbed up.
Placed his feet in the supports.
Charizard's back was broad.
Its folded wings rose on either side like walls.
The saddle sat behind the neck, protected by two plates that would prevent the wind from striking the rider directly.
Link grabbed the handles.
They were not reins.
Charizard did not need its head pulled.
They functioned as conduits.
They allowed Link's mana to reach the cores without removing his hands.
—Subaru —he called.
The Japanese boy stepped out from behind Emilia.
—What?
Link smiled.
—Watch carefully.
Subaru understood.
All caution vanished.
He threw both arms up.
—DO IT!
Link poured in mana.
The Wind core lit up.
The wings spread.
Their shadow covered the clearing.
Each wing measured several meters.
The first movement generated a gust that struck the barriers.
The trees bent.
Old snow and dry leaves went flying.
Subaru pressed his face against Beatrice's protection.
—That already counts as too much wind!
—IT HASN'T EVEN TAKEN OFF YET! —Link shouted.
Charizard lowered its body.
Its legs tensed.
Link felt the central core.
Wind in the wings.
Earth in the joints.
Yang distributing the command.
Fire burning like a heart.
—Let's go.
Charizard jumped.
Its claws left the ground.
The wings came down.
The air exploded.
The machine rose.
Not elegantly.
It climbed like a stone launched from a catapult.
Link screamed.
Not from fear.
From pure happiness.
—YES!
Charizard beat its wings again.
Its body tilted.
For one second, it seemed ready to fall sideways.
Link corrected it.
The Wind core responded.
The tail shifted in the opposite direction.
The body recovered its balance.
They climbed.
Ten meters.
Twenty.
Fifty.
The manor appeared in the distance.
The clearing became small.
Link laughed.
Wind struck his face.
His horns absorbed ambient mana and sent it toward the four cores.
Luci flew beside him.
The quasi-spirit could barely keep up.
—It flies!
—Flies —Luci repeated.
Below, Emilia applauded.
Subaru jumped.
Beatrice shouted something about reducing the flow.
Ram watched with her eye open.
Rem held both hands against her chest.
Roswaal did not look away.
Puck raised one paw.
The first ice disc moved.
Link saw it.
—CHARIZARD!
The mechanical head turned.
—AIR SLASH!
The green core glowed.
The right wing moved forward.
A compressed line of wind shot from its edge.
It crossed the disc.
The ice split into two perfect halves.
They fell.
Puck dissolved them before they reached the ground.
Subaru shouted:
—IT'S ACTUALLY AIR SLASH!
—NEXT!
The second target moved in from the left.
Faster.
Link leaned his body.
Charizard turned.
Its wings partially folded.
They dropped several meters.
The disc passed overhead.
Link pulled the handles.
—WING ATTACK!
Both wings lit with green mana.
Charizard climbed.
The edge struck the ice.
Destroyed it in a shower of fragments.
The machine passed straight through the center.
Pieces bounced off its plates.
Link lifted one hand.
—THIS IS INCREDIBLE!
Rem did not entirely share the opinion.
—He is smiling too much —she said.
Ram watched the altitude.
—The gardener usually does that before producing an accident.
Beatrice tightened her grip on her book.
—He's feeding too much mana into the Wind lagmite.
Puck followed its movement.
—The machine can tolerate it.
—He can tolerate alcohol too. That does not mean he should drink an entire cellar.
Roswaal smiled.
—An appropriate analogy.
The third disc appeared in front of Charizard.
Puck added a layer.
Then another.
A column of ice formed in the air.
Link saw the target.
—FLAMETHROWER!
The central core burned.
The tail flared higher.
Charizard opened its jaws.
A red circle appeared inside.
The flames erupted.
This was not Charmander's flame.
A thick, concentrated stream crossed the sky.
It struck the column.
The ice turned white.
Then transparent.
It exploded into steam.
A cloud enveloped Charizard.
Link lost visibility.
—Hold course!
The wings continued beating.
They emerged through the other side.
Sunlight passed through the vapor.
Charizard roared.
Subaru raised both arms.
—FLAMETHROWER!
Emilia shouted too:
—Flamethrower!
Puck looked at her.
—You don't have to imitate him.
—It's exciting.
Rem tightened her hands against the edge of the barrier.
—Too exciting.
Puck stopped limiting himself to four targets.
Link had provoked him.
Not deliberately.
That was what he would claim later.
As he flew past the Great Spirit, he shouted:
—MAKE THEM HARDER!
Puck smiled.
—All right.
Beatrice turned.
—Nii-cha.
Ten projectiles appeared.
Spheres.
Discs.
Spears.
A wall.
An ice creature shaped like a bird.
They spread throughout the sky.
—That is too much —Rem said.
Puck raised his tail.
—He asked for it.
Charizard turned.
Link surveyed the field.
Excitement accelerated his pulse.
He did not need to worry about alcohol impairing his judgment.
He did not need alcohol to make questionable decisions.
—Let's go!
The first spear descended.
—IRON TAIL!
The Earth core lit up.
The tail changed.
The orange plates became covered by a bright gray layer.
Not actual metal.
Hardened mana with properties similar to steel.
Charizard turned in midair.
Its tail struck the spear.
The ice exploded.
The momentum sent its whole body into a complete rotation.
Link ended up almost sideways.
—THAT WAS STRONGER THAN CALCULATED!
—DESCEND! —Rem shouted from below.
—I'M FINE!
—THAT WASN'T THE ORDER!
Another sphere approached.
Link sent mana toward Yang.
—DRAGON CLAW!
The right claw became coated in violet and golden energy.
Its fingers appeared to grow.
A draconic shape extended beyond the stone.
Charizard swung its arm.
Three marks tore through the sphere.
The fragments hung motionless for an instant.
Then fell.
Link shouted again.
—ANOTHER!
—He has become completely stupid —Beatrice said.
Subaru shook his head.
—He became a Trainer.
—There is no visible difference, I suppose.
The ice bird descended.
Its wings occupied almost as much space as Charizard's.
Puck moved one paw.
The figure opened its beak.
Several needles shot out.
Link saw the attack.
—STEEL WING!
Two cores responded.
Wind.
Earth.
Charizard's wings took on a metallic surface.
The machine crossed them in front of its body.
The needles struck.
Shattered.
Charizard violently opened its wings.
The shockwave destroyed the remaining projectiles.
Then it advanced.
The right wing cut through the bird's body.
The left completed the motion.
The figure split apart.
—PERFECT COMBINATION! —Subaru shouted.
Beatrice looked at him.
—Do you understand anything?
—EVERYTHING EMOTIONALLY!
A wall of ice appeared in front of Charizard.
Tall.
Thick.
Puck had added several meters.
Link judged the distance.
He could go around.
Climb.
Descend.
He did none of those.
—BRICK BREAK!
The Yang lagmite glowed gold.
Charizard closed its claw.
Its right arm pulled back.
The machine beat its wings.
Accelerated.
Its fist struck the wall.
One crack appeared.
Then a hundred.
The structure exploded.
Charizard flew through the center.
Ice fragments covered Link.
One struck his forehead.
It did not hurt.
—YES!
Rem closed her eyes.
—Rem is going to kill him when he lands.
Ram touched her collar.
—If he lands.
—Nee-sama.
—The gardener has a difficult relationship with gravity.
Roswaal was examining the cores.
—Yang is coordinating multiple parts of the body.
Beatrice nodded despite herself.
—The command isn't passing through each individual joint. It is transmitted as a complete intention, I suppose.
—Like a spirit? —Emilia asked.
Puck watched Luci flying beside the machine.
—More like a very clumsy imitation.
—It works.
—For now.
Puck created the next target at close range.
A compact block.
Link raised one hand.
—THUNDER PUNCH!
Yang changed shade.
Gold.
White.
Small bolts traveled along the left arm.
Charizard closed its claw.
Struck.
Lightning passed through the ice.
The discharge illuminated the whole structure.
The block exploded from within.
—ELECTRIC! —Subaru shouted.
His excitement became so great that he forgot the barrier.
He struck both hands against it.
—IT CAN USE FOUR CORE TYPES!
—Four elements —Link corrected from the sky, although nobody below could hear him clearly.
Another projectile descended.
Charizard dodged.
Link was beginning to understand the movements.
The machine did not think.
Not like a person.
But the core remembered.
Every new command was added to the previous ones.
The spirits' corrections refined its balance.
Luci transmitted intent.
Charizard responded.
It was not a Pokémon.
Not really.
It did not matter.
—DRAGON RUSH!
Yang mana wrapped around the entire body.
The light took the form of a draconic head around Charizard.
The wings folded.
The machine charged.
It passed through two discs.
Then a sphere.
The energy dissolved into violet fragments.
Link pulled the handles.
The wings opened.
The fall stopped at an altitude far lower than Rem would have liked.
Far higher than Link considered concerning.
—LINK! —she shouted.
He heard her.
Turned his head.
Rem stood by the barrier.
One hand tightly pressed against her chest.
Her face was pale.
The excitement remained.
So did the guilt.
He had promised to stop when she told him.
Charizard climbed.
Link reduced the flow.
The machine stabilized.
Rem saw the change.
Her hand lowered.
She did not smile yet.
Link raised one arm.
—ONE MORE!
She could not hear the words.
She recognized the gesture.
Raised one finger.
Only one.
Link nodded.
—One.
Puck understood.
He created the final formation.
Not one target.
An entire field.
Thirty spheres of ice formed a circle around Charizard.
Above.
Below.
On every side.
A suspended cage.
Subaru stopped jumping.
—That looks difficult.
Beatrice studied the trajectories.
—Nii-cha will close the circle, I suppose.
Puck moved his tail.
The spheres began closing in.
Link looked around.
He could destroy them one by one.
There was no time.
He felt the cores.
Fire.
Wind.
Earth.
Yang.
Four currents.
The central core burned.
Wind could give shape.
Earth stabilized the body.
Yang synchronized everything.
The idea had been inside the notebook for six days.
Beatrice had crossed it out three times.
Link had written it back in four.
—Charizard.
The machine roared.
—RING OF FIRE!
The Fire core opened.
A current erupted through the chest, tail, mouth, and channels along the wings.
Wind caught it.
The flame did not scatter in every direction.
It spun.
Formed a circle around Charizard.
A ring of fire several meters wide appeared in the sky.
Charizard flew in its center.
The flames rotated faster.
The ring expanded.
The first spheres touched its edge.
Vanished.
They did not explode.
They turned into steam.
The ring continued expanding.
One.
Five.
Ten.
Every form of ice was reached.
The sky filled with white clouds illuminated from within by red and gold.
Charizard opened its wings.
The ring split in two.
One moved upward.
The other descended.
Puck raised both paws.
Contained the heat before it reached the ground.
Beatrice reinforced the barrier.
Roswaal added another layer.
The steam dispersed.
Charizard appeared in the center.
Wings spread.
Tail burning.
Eyes glowing.
Link on its back.
Both outlined against the sky.
For one second, nobody spoke.
Subaru threw both arms up.
—CHARIZARD!
The roar answered him.
The Wolgarms howled.
Emilia applauded.
Puck smiled.
Beatrice pretended the result had not impressed her.
Roswaal looked at the machine as though an entire army had just appeared before him.
Ram touched Crimson Heart.
—Siege weapon —she said.
Rem was not looking at Charizard.
She was looking at Link.
He had kept his word.
One last attack.
Now he was descending.
The landing created a trench.
Not a small one.
Charizard's feet struck the ground.
Its momentum dragged it several meters.
The claws opened four furrows.
The tail rose to avoid striking the earth.
The wings angled backward.
Finally, it stopped.
Link remained in the saddle.
His hair was ruined.
His face covered in droplets of water.
His jacket bore several marks from the ice.
His smile seemed incapable of disappearing.
—It worked.
Charizard raised its thumb.
The joint still made that clicking sound.
—It worked.
Subaru tried crossing the barrier before Beatrice removed it.
He bounced off.
—Open it!
—Wait, I suppose.
—MY BROTHER BUILT A CHARIZARD!
—Everyone saw.
—IT FLIES!
—We saw that too.
—IT USED DRAGON CLAW!
Beatrice closed her eyes.
The barrier disappeared.
Subaru ran.
Link climbed down from the saddle.
He did not manage to touch the ground before Subaru hugged him.
—BROTHER!
—You're getting me wet.
—YOU SKIPPED CHARMELEON, BUT I FORGIVE YOU!
—I didn't need forgiveness.
—RING OF FIRE!
—Yes.
—THUNDER PUNCH!
—Yes.
—IRON TAIL!
—Yes.
Subaru shook him.
—WHAT ELSE CAN IT DO?!
—If you keep going, hit you.
Charizard turned its head.
Subaru released him.
Rem arrived.
She did not run.
Her steps were controlled.
So was her expression.
Link recognized danger.
—I came back.
—Yes.
—I stopped.
—After going through a wall.
—It was made of ice.
—And diving toward the ground.
—There was plenty of room.
Rem stopped in front of him.
She examined his face.
Hands.
Torso.
Horns.
There were no injuries.
—I'm fine.
—Rem can see that.
—Are you still angry?
—Yes.
—Very?
—An amount.
Link opened his arms.
—You can check from closer.
Rem tried to maintain her serious expression.
Failed.
She stepped into his arms.
Held him tightly.
—It was beautiful —she murmured.
—The flight?
—Link.
He went still.
Rem rested her forehead against his chest.
—Also terrifying.
—I can do it more slowly.
—You will.
—Does that mean...?
She lifted her gaze.
—You promised to take Rem.
The smile returned.
Ram approached.
—Rem.
—Only a short flight.
—That artifact just opened a trench.
—It will land better.
Link raised a hand.
—I can practice one more time.
Rem grabbed his ear.
—With her.
—That's what I was going to say.
Ram looked at the double saddle.
Then her sister.
Then Link.
—If something happens—
—Nothing will.
—If something happens —Ram repeated—, the gardener will discover whether he can regenerate after being split lengthwise.
Link swallowed.
—Message received.
Beatrice inspected the cores.
—The flow is still stable.
Puck flew around the wings.
—It can support two people if it reduces speed.
Roswaal raised one hand.
—I would suggest—
—No —Ram, Rem, Subaru, Emilia, Puck, and Beatrice said together.
The margrave lowered his hand.
—I merely intended to offer supervision.
—Supervise from the ground —Link said.
Rem climbed up behind Link.
Not in front.
Link had considered both positions during construction.
Strictly for balance purposes.
He repeated that to himself.
Rem placed her feet on the supports.
Link fastened the first belt.
Then the second.
The strap passed around her waist and connected to the saddle.
Even so, when Link tried to pull away, Rem wrapped both arms around his body.
—The belt is already fastened.
—Additional safety.
—Of course.
—You don't want it?
—I didn't say that.
Rem pressed her chest against his back.
—Then look forward.
Link obeyed.
His heart had remained steady throughout the battle.
Now it was beating far too fast.
Puck floated in front of them.
—One lap over the clearing.
—No projectiles —Rem said.
—No moves —Ram added.
—No fire —Emilia said.
—No rings —Beatrice ordered.
Subaru raised one hand.
—A romantic fall could—
Everyone looked at him.
—No falls.
Charizard spread its wings.
This time, the movement was slow.
Controlled.
Link poured in less mana.
The machine walked.
Accelerated.
Its feet left the ground.
It did not launch itself like a catapult.
It took off.
The ascent was smooth.
Rem tightened her arms.
—Everything all right? —Link asked.
—Yes.
—Tell me if you want to go down.
—No.
Charizard climbed.
The clearing grew smaller.
The wind moved Rem's hair.
The blue ribbon remained tucked away, but several strands escaped her headdress.
Link reduced their speed even further.
The flight became a glide.
The manor appeared beyond the hills.
Arlam farther away.
The fields.
The forest.
Roads that seemed long from below became lines.
—It's small —Rem said.
—What is?
—Everything.
—From up here.
She rested her cheek against his back.
—The manor doesn't look that large.
—It still has too many rooms.
—Arlam doesn't look far either.
—No.
—The forest looks peaceful.
Link looked down.
The same forest where he had died.
Where he had eaten demon-beast meat.
Where Rem had nearly lost herself inside her rage.
From above, it was a green sea.
It erased nothing.
It merely allowed him to see it differently.
—Do you like it? —he asked.
Rem took a moment.
—Very much.
Charizard tilted one wing slightly.
Its body turned.
Rem tightened her arms.
Link laughed.
—I've got you.
—Rem knows.
—He does too.
Charizard raised its head slightly.
The tail left a streak of fire behind them.
—Someday we'll fly to the sea —Link said.
Rem's arms went still.
—You promised beside the stream.
—I remember.
—We don't know where it is.
—We'll find it.
—With Charizard?
Link looked at the wings.
—With a version that doesn't need to stop every hour for mana.
—Then you will have to improve him.
—I will.
Rem brought her lips close to his ear.
—Rem will go with Link.
The wind nearly stole the words.
Not the feeling.
—Yes.
—Without a clock.
—Without a clock.
Luci appeared beside them.
The quasi-spirit flew while sitting on a current produced by the wing.
—Rem —she said.
—Here.
—Link.
—Also here.
Luci spread her arms.
—Fly.
Rem laughed.
—We're flying.
Charizard continued over the clearing.
One lap.
Only one.
Link would have liked to extend it.
He kept his promise.
He began descending.
The second landing did not create a trench.
Only two deep marks.
Beatrice still considered that excessive.
Rem climbed down.
Her legs remained steady.
Link helped her anyway.
She did not need to keep holding his hand for so long.
She did.
—How was it? —Emilia asked.
Rem looked at Charizard.
Then Link.
—I want to go again.
Subaru raised both arms.
—My turn!
Charizard turned its head.
Its eyes glowed.
It opened its mouth.
No fire came out.
Only smoke.
Subaru was covered in soot.
The thumb rose.
Everyone fell silent.
Link started laughing.
—He remembers.
Subaru wiped his face.
—I helped invent his species!
—You hit him with a frying pan.
—Because he tried to kill me!
Charizard tilted its head.
—See? He denies it.
—HE ISN'T DENYING ANYTHING!
Emilia raised one hand.
—Can I ride later?
Puck examined the cores.
—After another inspection.
—All right.
—I'll go with you.
—Can you keep up while flying?
Puck puffed out his chest.
—Of course.
—Then it'll be fun.
Beatrice crossed her arms.
—Betty will not ride.
Subaru looked at her.
—Nobody asked.
—Exactly. Betty is clarifying beforehand.
Charizard lowered its head until it was in front of her.
Beatrice stepped backward.
—No.
The machine raised its thumb.
—No.
Luci sat on one of the horns.
—Beatrice.
The little spirit tensed.
—Do not use my name to manipulate me, I suppose.
—Fly.
—No.
Puck approached.
—You might like it.
Beatrice looked at Puck.
Then at the saddle.
—Betty will consider it solely because Nii-cha requires responsible company.
Subaru smiled.
—You agreed.
—No.
—You considered it.
—That is not the same thing.
Ram touched the lagmite on her collar.
—Ram will not ride.
Link pointed toward the sky.
—You aren't cold.
—Temperature is not the objection.
—Height?
—The gardener.
—Fair.
Roswaal walked toward Charizard.
—In military terms—
Link stepped between them.
—No.
—I have not yet made my proposal.
—No.
—It could strengthen Emilia-sama's candidacy.
—He will help when I decide.
Roswaal's smile remained.
—Then you acknowledge his usefulness.
Link looked at Charizard.
The wings.
The four cores.
The tail capable of melting an entire formation of ice.
The claws that had destroyed targets larger than a carriage.
—He's a siege engine.
Rem squeezed his hand.
—He is also Charizard.
The central core pulsed.
The head lowered toward her.
Rem touched the stone snout.
—And he is not for sale.
The merchant, who had watched the entire demonstration from behind his wagon, closed his bag of money.
—Not even for twice the previous amount?
—No.
—Triple?
—No.
—I can obtain more lagmites.
Link hesitated.
Rem looked at him.
—No.
—I was considering the materials.
—Link.
—I won't sell him.
Charizard raised its thumb.
The merchant sighed.
Then looked toward Charmander's smaller shell.
—Then I'll advertise this one as the original form.
Link turned.
—First edition.
—The creature that preceded the flying dragon.
—Exactly.
—The only authentic body.
—Yes.
The merchant began smiling.
—Its value just increased.
Ram opened the account book.
—House Mathers receives a percentage from any commercial use of stories that occurred on its grounds.
The man's smile vanished.
Link looked at her.
—Do I get anything?
—Your debt decreases.
—How much?
—An amount.
—I hate that word when you say it.
Charmander's old body was secured inside the wagon.
Before the merchant closed the crate, Link approached.
He touched the stone head.
The eyes remained dark.
The thumb stayed lowered.
—That form suited you.
Luci floated beside him.
—Before.
—Yes.
The quasi-spirit looked toward Charizard.
—Now.
—Now he's bigger.
—Big.
—Very big.
Charmander was covered.
The crate closed.
The wagon began moving away.
Charizard watched until it disappeared down the road.
Then it turned toward Link.
Raised its thumb.
—You don't need your old body.
The tail flame grew.
—But you are never frightening Rem again.
The claw lowered.
Rem approached.
—Or anyone else.
Charizard lowered the arm completely.
Subaru pointed.
—He's disappointed.
—He will learn healthy ways to have fun.
Luci touched the dragon's head.
—Fire.
—With supervision.
—Fly.
—With supervision.
—Photo.
Link looked at Rem.
She raised one eyebrow.
—With permission —he corrected himself.
Luci nodded.
—Permission.
Charizard raised its thumb again.
—Good.
Subaru walked around the machine.
—Now we have to solve the most important issue.
—You aren't riding today.
—Not that.
He pointed toward the manor.
—How the hell was it inside your bedroom?
Everyone looked at the main entrance.
Then Charizard.
Three meters tall.
Enormous wings.
Long tail.
The doorway appeared even smaller with him standing in front of it.
Emilia approached.
Measured it with her eyes.
—He really doesn't fit.
Ram studied the windows.
—There is no damage.
Beatrice crossed her arms.
—Betty did not open a special door, I suppose.
Puck examined the roof.
—I didn't sense spatial magic either.
Roswaal smiled.
—I would like to know the answer.
Link took hold of the chain.
—I'm putting him away.
Subaru stepped in front of him.
—No.
—He needs rest.
—He can stay outside.
—It could rain.
—He's made of stone.
—The joints are delicate.
—We'll build a shelter.
Link walked toward the manor.
Charizard followed.
Its head lowered.
Its wings folded.
Subaru ran beside them.
—He isn't going inside.
The first foot crossed the doorway.
The torso bent.
One wing disappeared into the entrance hall.
Then the other.
The tail passed through the frame without touching it.
Charizard entered.
Link followed.
The door closed.
Everyone remained outside.
Subaru stared at the facade.
—No.
He ran.
Opened the door.
The entrance hall was empty.
No tail.
No claws.
No marks.
Only Link walking toward the stairs.
—Where is it?
—In my room.
—IT COULDN'T HAVE CLIMBED THE STAIRS IN THREE SECONDS!
—It's fast.
Subaru ran toward the staircase.
Ram followed.
Emilia behind her.
Puck.
Beatrice.
Roswaal.
Rem came last.
She did not look worried.
She recognized Link's expression.
He was enjoying this far too much.
Subaru reached the bedroom.
Opened the door without knocking.
The bed was in place.
So was the table.
The tools.
The notebook.
The closed window.
Charmander was not there.
Neither was Charizard.
Only a large black cloth covered part of the wall.
Subaru approached.
Pulled it away.
There was nothing underneath.
A wall.
Normal.
He knocked.
Solid.
—Where is it?
Link leaned against the frame.
—Hidden.
—WHERE?
—Inside my room.
—WE ARE IN YOUR ROOM!
Link smiled.
—Mystery.
Subaru fell to his knees.
—I hate this house.
Beatrice examined the wall.
Found no magic.
Neither did Puck.
Roswaal looked at the ceiling.
Ram opened the wardrobe.
Emilia crouched and looked under the bed.
Rem approached Link.
—Will you tell Rem?
—You.
She smiled.
—Now?
—Tonight.
—In private?
—Yes.
Rem took his hand.
—Then Rem can wait.
Subaru lifted his head.
—YOU CAN'T REWARD HIM FOR THIS!
Ram closed the wardrobe.
—Rem has chosen her priorities.
Link kissed his partner's cheek.
—Good priorities.
A deep vibration passed through the wall.
Everyone went still.
A muffled roar came from somewhere impossible to identify.
Subaru pointed around the room.
—IT'S HERE!
Link took Rem's hand.
—I don't know what you're talking about.
Luci appeared through the ceiling.
She descended onto his head.
—Big.
—Don't help.
—Charizard.
—Luci.
The quasi-spirit pointed toward the wall.
—There.
Everyone turned.
There was nothing.
Link closed his eyes.
Rem began laughing.
Subaru struck the wall.
—OPEN IT!
—There is no door.
—THEN MAKE ONE!
—That would damage the manor.
Ram raised one eyebrow.
—The gardener has developed architectural respect at a convenient moment.
Link stepped into the hallway with Rem.
—Charizard needs rest.
—CHARIZARD NEEDS TO EXPLAIN PHYSICS! —Subaru shouted.
The roar sounded again.
This time from beneath the floor.
Emilia looked down.
Beatrice looked up.
Puck looked toward the window.
Roswaal continued smiling.
Nobody found the answer.
Link walked with Rem.
Their fingers remained intertwined.
—Will you really tell me? —she asked.
—Yes.
—How did he get inside?
Link brought his face close to her ear.
Whispered.
Rem opened her eye wide.
She looked back.
Then at Link.
—That is...
—Yes.
—But then...
—Exactly.
—Beatrice-sama didn't notice?
—No.
—Nee-sama?
—Neither.
Rem's smile grew.
—It's ridiculous.
—It worked.
—Rem will keep the secret.
—I knew I could trust you.
She rested her head against his arm.
—In exchange for another flight.
—Deal.
From the bedroom came Subaru's shout:
—LINK!
Charizard roared from somewhere inside the manor.
Link smiled.
Charmander was gone.
The core remained.
And now, hidden inside a house that should not have been able to contain it, a three-meter siege engine waited for its Trainer's next command.