NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5 Part 2
“Ouch, ouch! Be a little more gentle, will you?”
“Geez, you’re so fussy.”
Under the watchful eyes of the small animals—Master’s familiars—huddled in the corner of the room, I carefully applied a cooling patch to Master’s lower back as she lay on the bed.
It was a special patch infused with magic, handmade for this very situation, but even with that, it would take time for her to recover.
“I’ve already contacted the town doctor, so please take it easy for a while.”
On any other day, I might have teased her with something like, “That’s what you get for overexerting yourself at your age.” But today, I didn’t have the heart to joke about it.
Master had pushed herself too hard because I had neglected my duties.
Someone of her caliber could have easily used magic to move the heavy boxes or clean the room. If she had, this never would have happened.
But Master never relied on magic for everyday chores.
Partly because magic consumes energy, but mostly because she believed that tasks like household chores and shopping should be done with one’s own hands and feet.
With the spread of the internet and the advancement of household appliances, life had become far more convenient. One could live comfortably with minimal effort.
But according to Master, relying too much on convenience would make the body sluggish, hasten old age, and dull the mind.
“Do what you can by yourself.” That was one of Master’s teachings.
It might seem like an outdated, old-fashioned way of thinking for a witch, but I didn’t dislike it.
“Well, this is a problem. What should we do about the Gate Opening in a week?”
“Ah…”
That’s right. The biggest festival of the year in Lapis, the Gate Opening, was just around the corner.
Since Lapis was a place where magic tended to accumulate, it was necessary to release the excess magical energy. The Gate Opening was one of the most crucial rituals for that purpose.
But there was no way I could handle opening the gate by myself.
It wasn’t just about tearing open a portal—it required setting up protective barriers to prevent malevolent forces from seeping into either world.
Even Master, a Sage, had me assist her every year because of how complex the process was. For a mere apprentice witch like me, it was far too daunting a task.
“Canceling it this year isn’t an option, right?”
“If we don’t do it, the magic buildup will have no outlet.”
“Maybe we could replace it with another event?”
“You know how many people look forward to the festival every year.”
Ugh. What should we do?
As I folded my arms and pondered, Master quietly murmured, “Well, I suppose we could call in a pinch hitter.”
“A pinch hitter?”
“You’ll see soon enough. For now, just focus on preparing everything you can. If we’re not ready, nothing else will matter.”
“Uh-huh.”
I wasn’t convinced, but I had no choice but to follow orders. I reluctantly returned to sorting documents and handling paperwork.
Would this really be okay? Something about it didn’t sit right with me, but for now, all I could do was focus on what needed to be done.
“Well, when it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go. If things are doomed, they’re doomed. For now, I’ll just do what I can. Master might drop dead any day now, after all.”
“Quit killing me off so casually.”
—
The next morning, I woke up to an unbearable chill.
Having fallen asleep among piles of paperwork, I groggily sat up. My body felt oddly heavy—turns out, the small animals and Carbuncle had curled up around me to keep me warm.
Even indoors, my breath came out faintly white. If not for these little guys, I probably would have caught a cold.
As I stretched, I made eye contact with the snowy owl perched by the window.
“Morning.”
“Hoo.”
“It’s freezing today.”
Gently moving the animals aside, I grabbed a vial of magic potion and, shivering, made my way to the living room.
The potion was enchanted—it worked as a fire starter, making it easier to warm up the room quickly.
The hallway in the early morning was utterly frigid, the air crisp and biting. Every step on the wooden floor sent chills up my spine. My footsteps echoed in the silence, amplifying the cold that crept into my bones.
I entered the living room, passing by a girl sitting at the table without a second thought. I headed straight to the fireplace, tossing in some firewood, newspaper, and a few drops of the potion before lighting it up.
“Ahhh, finally warm…”
Then, something felt off.
Strange. Something wasn’t right.
“Wait… Wasn’t there a girl just now—?”
“Hey.”
“Wha—!”
I yelped and tumbled backward, landing on the floor.
Standing before me was a girl.
A girl whose face I knew all too well.
“Ah…”
Translucent blue hair, porcelain skin.
Delicate, perfectly symmetrical features, and deep blue eyes.
I had seen that face on TV countless times, the face of the witch I had always admired.
One of the Seven Sages—Sophie—stood right before me.