SWNOVELXO Chapter 6 Part 1
One of the world’s greatest sorcerers, Faust, known as one of the “Seven Sages,” had his house filled with strange laughter for the past few days.
Gufu… gufufufu… gufu…
An eerie voice, as if echoing from the abyss.
Day by day, it spread.
Yes, like the encroaching night.
“Fuhihihi, gufuhihihi.”
“Ugh, enough already! Shut up, Meg!”
As I was laughing in my room, my master suddenly barged in, yelling.
She looked furious.
“What is it, Master? Can’t I enjoy my leisure time in peace?”
“You’re the one making creepy noises in the middle of the night!”
“Creepy noises…? You mean the refreshingly beautiful laughter of a seventeen-year-old maiden?”
“You sound like a forty-year-old man, what are you talking about? And it’s not just me. Even the familiars have been complaining.”
“Even the little critters?”
Master pulled out a letter from seemingly nowhere.
I casually opened it and found, written in slightly wobbly but clearly legible letters, a request: “Meg is too loud. Please do something.”
“Huh, impressive. I didn’t know animals could understand writing. Well done, truly… Don’t you think so, Snowy Owl?”
As I called out, the white owl shuddered.
“There aren’t many creatures wise enough to understand letters, are there? I remember you were studying them quite diligently before. By the way, Master, did you know that in the East, there’s a dish called yakitori? Skewers of grilled chicken—wings, skin, tail—apparently, they’re quite delicious.”
Speaking in a cold, detached tone, I watched as the owl began trembling violently.
Just as it seemed about to convulse and pass out, Master intervened with a quiet, “Stop it.”
“What’s the point of scaring your familiar? Besides, you’re the one at fault for laughing so creepily in the middle of the night.”
“I thought I was laughing normally, though…”
Master’s eyes drifted toward a small bottle sitting on my desk.
A familiar sight—my usual bottle of joyful tears.
“Wow, you’ve collected quite a lot. So, this is what you were laughing at?”
“Well, that’s correct, Your Honor.”
Inside the bottle on my desk were thirty shimmering droplets of tears.
Master picked it up and swirled it gently, making the liquid slosh from side to side.
“Hmm, looks like twenty-two joyful tears, and eight of… something else.”
“I’ve been wondering, does that mean those eight are unusable?”
“Who knows… All of the tears you’ve gathered are pure, so if needed, you might find a way to use them. Fragments of emotion hold immense power. For now, just focus on gathering a thousand of them before worrying about the details.”
“Oh, good. If I had to collect a thousand and only the joyful ones counted, that would be impossible.”
“Hmm…”
I sighed in relief, but Master didn’t seem entirely convinced.
She kept swirling the bottle, as if trying to confirm something.
“How exactly have you been collecting these tears?”
“Huh? Well, by helping people around town, listening to their worries, you know, a mix of things. I put in a lot of effort, you know.”
“Still, you’ve been collecting them at an unusually fast rate.”
“That’s because I’ve gotten better at it.”
“Better… at it?”
I nodded smugly.
“Lately, I’ve developed a keen sense for it. I can spot people likely to shed tears easily—parents with mischievous kids, frail old folks, troubled office workers—I pinpoint them and strike when the moment’s right. I even console overworked employees. Tear collection has become a breeze.”
“You’ve started talking big.”
“That just means I’ve grown. After all, I pulled off a major job with Sophia, the world-renowned mage.”
Ever since the Otherworld Festival Parade in Lapis City, my magic control had visibly improved.
Back then, I exhausted myself by overusing spells, but through practice, I learned how to manage my magical output more efficiently.
Even if I still needed to study the theories behind magic, having solid technical skills made up for it.
That confidence had become my greatest strength.
Master studied me with a serious expression before finally speaking.
“Meg, from now on, you are forbidden from using magic for a while.”
“…Huh?”
I blinked in shock.
But Master remained composed, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
I struggled to find my voice.
“W-why?”
My words trembled.
“Because at this rate, the fragments of emotion you collect will become worthless.”
“Why?”
“Put your hand on your chest and think about it. This is something you need to realize for yourself. If I just tell you, it won’t mean anything.”
With those words, Master left the room.
Leaving me alone.
“Huh…?”
My voice echoed softly.
“Huh…?”