LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 5 Part 7
From the next day, Sophie and I began working together.
Sophie constructed the intricate seven-stage magical formula required to open a gateway to the otherworld. Then, we determined the necessary materials and gathered them from all over town.
Though we performed the same ritual every year, we could not simply reuse the previous magical formula. This was because the flow of magic in the town and its environment changed little by little each year. Even a single new building could alter the structure of magical energy.
Creating a gate to the otherworld was that delicate of a process.
“Meg! I brought you some refreshments!”
“Oh, Fine-taso! Thanks!”
I accepted the tea and bread she had apparently bought from a supermarket and bowed my head to my best friend in gratitude.
“I heard that Lord Faust hurt his back this time? Are you really okay on your own?”
“Hah! Prepare to be amazed! I have an extremely powerful assistant this time!”
“An assistant?”
“Zuberry, where did you put the copper?”
Right on cue, Sophie called out, and Fine’s eyes widened in shock.
“W-Wait… is that Sophie? As in one of the Seven Sages?”
“Yes.”
At that, Fine let out a breathy “Ahh…” and wobbled slightly. I quickly reached out to support her shoulders.
“Meg… I think I might pee myself.”
“You okay? Want something to drink?”
“Cut that out.”
And so, a few days passed.
The ritual to open the gateway had progressed smoothly, from the first stage to the second, and now we were nearing the final steps.
Spending time with Sophie over the past few days had taught me something valuable: her knowledge of both magic and academia was the real deal. However, even more astonishing was the realization that my master, Faust, possessed abilities surpassing even Sophie’s.
Sophie’s efficiency and skill made it clear why someone so young had earned the title of one of the Seven Sages. But even so, there were countless moments where my master’s expertise clearly outmatched hers. Once again, I was reminded of just how extraordinary my teacher truly was.
At first, we had been energetic, but by the time we reached the construction of the seventh and final stage, exhaustion had caught up with us. Even Sophie, who rarely showed emotion, had fatigue written all over her face.
“Starting the seventh stage today.”
“Ughhh.”
Sophie occasionally traced patterns in the air with her fingertip, simulating magical reactions. Now that I thought about it, another one of the Seven Sages, Inori, had done something similar when we met before. He had drawn an incredibly complex magical formula in an instant. What Sophie was doing seemed to be on a smaller scale, but there had to be a method behind it.
“How do you even draw magic circles with your fingertips like that?”
“Two main steps. First, focus your magic into your fingertips and imbue it with chanting effects. Second, create a magical flow in the air to construct the formula. If you want to shorten the process, you also need to condense the formula.”
“Got it. …I understand absolutely nothing.”
I tried a few times, but I couldn’t get it to work. I couldn’t even grasp the sensation of gathering magic at my fingertips in the first place.
“This is hard.”
“Repetition.”
“Yessir.”
I figured I’d practice at home later. As I was thinking that, I happened to glance at the magical formula Sophie was constructing and felt something… off.
“Sophie, did you change the magical formula?”
She tilted her head at my question.
“Why do you ask?”
“It just feels different from previous years. Like here, for example—this part stabilizes the spatial connection to the otherworld, right? But if you mix in this element, won’t there be repulsion? It seems contradictory.”
“Hmm…”
Sophie fell silent at my observation.
Having assisted my master with this ritual every year, I had a basic understanding of how it worked. Even if I didn’t grasp all the academic intricacies, I could sense when something was off.
However, Sophie simply shook her head.
“It’s fine. This will work.”
“Are you sure?”
“No doubt. I guarantee it. I’d stake my life on it.”
“Please don’t be so reckless.”
If a world-renowned witch said it would work, then she was probably right. At the very least, she understood magic far better than I did.
With the seventh stage complete, we reached the night before the ritual. Having finished all preparations, we returned home. All that remained was to wait for the gateway opening ceremony at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.
As we walked through the town, bathed in the glow of sunset, we were greeted by the townspeople. By now, word had spread that Sophie would be conducting this year’s Otherworld Festival, and it seemed like the town had accepted her. She no longer bothered dyeing her hair to disguise her identity.
“Hehe, Sophie, I bought croquettes!”
“I’ll eat them.”
We strolled through the town, eating croquettes together. Office workers heading home, housewives doing their shopping, elderly folks chatting in the plaza, children saying their goodbyes—
It was the usual townscape, but something felt different. The festival decorations were up, and an air of excitement filled the streets.
With her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, Sophie suddenly spoke.
“Mfmfmr… mmffmff.”
“Swallow before you talk.”
“There are a lot of people.”
“Well, yeah. The Otherworld Festival is tomorrow.”
The annual exchange with the otherworld had helped Lapis prosper and had also brought numerous blessings to the otherworld. It was a grand event for the town, attracting more tourists and filling the streets with life.
“So, how do you like our little rural town before the festival?”
“I don’t hate it.”
“That’s good to hear.”
As Sophie gazed at the people, her expression was unexpectedly gentle and warm.
“You really do like people, don’t you, Sophie?”
“What do you mean by ‘really’?”
“I thought you didn’t.”
“I never said that.”
“But you want to erase magic, don’t you?”
“I hate magic. But thanks to that hated magic, I’m alive. Thanks to magic, people need me.”
“Aren’t you afraid of losing it? Like you’d lose your place in the world?”
Sophie stared at me for a moment.
“Did Faust tell you something?”
“Well, a little.”
“That gossiping old man.”
“I won’t deny it. …You know, Sophie, I love magic. Without it, there would be no Otherworld Festival, I wouldn’t have met you, and the townspeople wouldn’t call out to me. I bet you’ve gained things through magic too.”
“I don’t know.”
She simply looked up at the sky.
The setting sun mixed with the deepening night, and the moon had already risen.
“Your birthplace isn’t your only home. If you ever feel lonely, come visit. We’ll gather tourists and make a fortune.”
“Zuberry.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll kill you later.”
“Ahaha, looking forward to it.”