NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 3 Part 5
By the time dinner was finished and the cleaning up was done, the night had fully descended.
I quietly opened the front door.
“Come here, Snowy Owl.”
“Hoo.”
Perching the snowy owl on my shoulder, I sat cross-legged on a tree stump in the yard and quietly meditated.
The air was a little chilly, but the night breeze was still pleasant.
The gentle wind rustled the trees and plants, and the flowers in the Witch’s Forest glowed under the moonlight.
The sounds of insects filled the peaceful night.
Tonight was a full moon.
Meditation refined my spirit.
Deep concentration cleared away unnecessary distractions.
“There sure are a lot of bugs around here.”
A voice suddenly spoke from behind me.
It was Inori.
“Meditating at night? You’re pretty serious about this.”
“It’s easier to focus. I’m exhausted during the day from being worked to the bone, so nighttime is when I have the most time.”
“Well, the night is the time of witches, so I suppose it’s fitting.”
“Do you ever do it, Inori?”
“Never. I’m the Witch of Wisdom, after all. I’ve advanced through discovery and knowledge alone. I’m a genius.”
“You really just say that about yourself?”
I looked up at the full moon.
For some reason, gazing at the moon always lifted my spirits.
Maybe the witch’s blood in me was responding to it.
Though, I didn’t actually know if there was any real connection between witches and the moon.
Feeling uncharacteristically good, I decided to tell Inori something.
Something about my fate.
“Inori.”
“What?”
“There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“What’s with the sudden formality?”
“If—just if—I told you I only had a year left to live, what would you do?”
Inori turned to look at me.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you dying?”
“I said ‘if.'”
“But you are, aren’t you?”
“Well… it seems that way.”
“Why?”
“A curse.”
“A curse?”
“It’s called the Death Sentence.”
“And you’re cursed with that?”
“Yeah. Once I turn eighteen, it’ll activate. Supposedly, I’ll age at an incredible rate.”
“I see…”
Inori muttered under her breath, almost to herself. “I didn’t notice.”
“Even one of the Seven Sages wouldn’t notice this curse?”
“I never sensed anything off about you. Advanced curses are hard to detect, so maybe it can’t be helped.”
“So, does that mean you don’t know a way to lift it?”
“I’ve never even heard of this curse before. If Fausto the Crone noticed it, that probably means she’s the only one who could.”
“Makes sense.”
“So, what did the old hag say?”
“That I don’t even have a one-percent chance of surviving. She told me to collect the joyous tears of a thousand people.”
“The Seed of Life, huh? If it’s an aging curse, using the Seed of Life would be the quickest solution. But wow, she sure gave you a hell of a task. How many do you have so far?”
“Three tears. Only one of them is a joyous tear.”
“That’s pathetic.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty damn rough. About as useful as a fart in a hurricane.”
“Why do you sound like a thug?”
I stood up and stretched.
The snowy owl hopped onto my head, spread its wings, and let out a soft cry.
It was as if it were absorbing the moonlight.
“To be honest, when you invited me to be your assistant, I got excited. It felt like standing in front of a door that led to a vast new world. It made me feel… thrilled, you know?”
“Meg… Hey, it’s not like it’s completely over yet.”
“But it’s impossible, right? Even I, the so-called queen of optimism, know it’s practically hopeless. Gathering a thousand tears in just a year—it’s nearly impossible.”
“Maybe, but… then why do you seem so okay with it?”
“I just haven’t processed it yet. Besides, worrying isn’t really my thing.”
“Even though it’s your own death?”
“Even so. If I’ve got time to worry, I’d rather move my body instead.”
“You’re such a meathead. And you call yourself a witch?”
“Let’s go with ‘athletic witch,’ then.”
When I said that, Inori burst into laughter—loud, open, and completely unrestrained.
It was almost refreshing to see.
“You’re laughing when we’re talking about life and death? Real bold of you.”
“Sorry, sorry. It’s just—you’re such an idiot.”
“You got a death wish or something?”
“Ahh, my bad. But I’ve never met anyone so chill about dying before… Pfft, seriously, you’re hilarious.”
“You want a war, huh?”
As I wrapped myself in an aura of righteous fury, Inori held up her hands in mock surrender.
“Alright, alright. My bad.”
Then she smirked.
“Alright then, Meg-chan, since you’re staring death in the face, let me make it up to you with something special.”
“A peace offering?”
Inori flicked her hair back dramatically.
“I’ll show you why I’m one of the Seven Sages.”