NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 2 Part 5
In less than ten minutes, the old man emerged from the back of the shop.
“Kept you waiting, huh?”
“So? How is it?”
“I’m afraid… this watch has reached the end of its life.”
The old man slowly shook his head.
“I considered replacing some parts, seeing if I could fix it somehow. But the hands and glass are severely worn, and since it’s so old, there aren’t any replacement parts available. It’s been used for a long time… I don’t think repairing it is an option anymore.”
“Damn, you didn’t hold back at all.”
“I only stated the facts.”
“You know, girls are delicate creatures. Especially beautiful ones. Like me.”
“Hah!”
“What’re you laughing at?!”
As I glared at the old man, Fine let out a quiet “I see…” and lowered her gaze, looking like a scolded puppy. Seeing her like that, we both fell silent.
It was no surprise she was feeling down.
That watch was something she had inherited from her late grandfather, whom she loved dearly.
Her grandfather had passed away when we were still children. I clearly remember the way she clung to his lifeless body, sobbing uncontrollably. I doubt I’ll ever witness such pure, unrestrained grief again in my lifetime.
I knew just how precious that watch was to her.
Because I’m her best friend.
“You cherished it so much. I’m sure this watch was happy, too. I can tell it was well cared for.”
“Thank you… Well, even if I can’t use it anymore, I can still keep it as a memento.”
Fine smiled as she said that.
But her expression was tinged with sorrow.
She was trying to convince herself.
That it couldn’t be helped. That she had to let go.
“Hey, Fine?”
“What is it?”
“I’ve got an idea.”
“A memorial?”
In a small clearing where fallen leaves gathered, I crouched down, drawing a magic circle on the ground with a tree branch. Fine blinked in surprise.
“Yep. A traditional witch’s memorial ceremony. It’s a way to express gratitude to something that has served us well, and to wish it a peaceful rest.”
“There’s a ritual like that?”
“Witches and sorcerers believe that all things have spirits. Since we sometimes borrow their power through magic, it’s only proper to thank them when they’ve fulfilled their role.”
“That sounds kind of religious.”
“Well, magic itself is practically built on religious beliefs.”
I first drew a small circle, then a larger one around it. Next, I filled the space between them with inscriptions—an incantation, divided into phrases to give it meaning. This structure was linked to the chanting that would follow.
As I worked on the magic circle, Fine curiously peered over my shoulder.
“These symbols always look so pretty.”
“You mean the runes?”
“Runes? That’s what they’re called?”
Runes are unique characters formed by combining lines. Each one carries meaning.
Unlike today, people in ancient times lived much closer to nature. These old scripts, born from civilizations that coexisted with the natural world, have the power to interact with nature’s laws.
“You see them in fortune-telling too. Didn’t you know?”
“First time hearing about it. Do you memorize all of these?”
“Well, I remember easy ones like zodiac symbols and runes. For Theban script, I only memorized the ones used in spells. No clue what they actually mean, though.”
“Huh…”
Fine looked at me with admiration.
For some reason, her gaze made me uneasy.
“What?”
“I just realized—Meg, you’re actually pretty smart.”
“Actually? Pretty? You trying to get yourself killed?”
By the time we finished our exchange, the magic circle was complete.
I placed a handkerchief at its center, then gently laid Fine’s watch on top of it.
“So… what now? You’re not gonna, like, burn it, are you?”
“Of course not. Do I look like the kind of person who’d set my best friend’s precious keepsake on fire?”
“Yes. You literally tried to make me drink some weird potion.”
“Enough chatter. Let’s begin.”
With a snap of my fingers, Carbuncle hopped off my shoulder, and the white owl that had been soaring above descended.
The two familiars positioned themselves across from me, forming the points of an equilateral triangle around the magic circle.
This setup allowed magic power to flow evenly among us, using us as conduits.
I raised my hand over the circle. The surroundings dimmed slightly, and the inscriptions began to glow with a soft, warm light.
That was the reaction of the magical energy.
I then began my twelve-verse incantation.
“O gentle, diligent spirit, may you turn, turn within the embrace of eternal slumber.”
As I chanted, the fallen leaves around us were lifted by the wind, swirling into the air as if dancing.
“With boundless gratitude and deep appreciation, I offer this farewell.”
A soft glow enveloped the watch, and a small orb of light emerged from within.
Like a tiny sun, it shone with a pure, beautiful radiance.
“With my thanks, I return thee to the flow of the world.”
The orb of light began to ascend, higher and higher into the sky.
Leaves swirled around it, escorting it upward.
Seeing the fantastical sight, Fine let out a quiet, awed, “Wow…”
“May you travel once more, and in time, return to my dear friend’s side.”
The light swelled.
This was the finale.
“Turn.”
In that moment, the light burst soundlessly, scattering in all directions.
The fragments of light spread across the ground, the trees, and the sky, before gradually fading away.
The dim atmosphere lifted, and the usual sounds of the world gently returned.
“Is… is it over?”
“Yeah.”
“What happened?”
“I returned the spirit within the watch to the world’s natural cycle. Spirits that are released like this will eventually return in a new form, inhabiting something else… and one day, it may come back to you.”
I smiled at her.
“Even if its shape changes, I wanted my best friend, Fine, to be with her beloved grandfather again.”
“Meg…”
“The dead don’t come back to life. Things that have reached the end of their time won’t move again. But… they can always return in a different form. That watch will find its way back to you someday.”
Fine’s lips trembled slightly.
“Yeah… Thank you…!”
Tears spilled silently down her cheeks.
And as they fell, they shimmered like tiny, glistening stars.