NOVEL WEB Chapter 8 Part 3
“What is this place…”
I couldn’t help but voice my amazement.
I stood in a strange space that was both breathtakingly beautiful and dreamlike, yet still pulsed with the lively energy of a festival.
As far as my eyes could see, countless people filled the area. I could tell that nearly half of them were witches or magic users.
With every step I took, I felt a powerful current of magic flowing beneath my feet.
I had never experienced such a rich, vibrant circulation of magic before. It almost felt as if power was welling up inside me.
“So? Pretty amazing, right?”
Noticing my expression, Inori spoke to me softly.
I nodded instinctively.
“Where exactly is this?”
“A rather unique airspace in the North American region. It’s still part of this world, but you could say it’s as close to the Otherworld as it gets. Can you picture it?”
“A place like that exists in this world? I’ve never heard of it…”
“That’s because it’s normally sealed off, completely inaccessible. Plus, it’s in such a remote location that people rarely talk about it.”
Sophie added in, and Inori nodded as if to confirm.
“This place only opens once every twenty years. During that time, it becomes the most stable magic hotspot in the world. Just for today, magic can be used here without concern for flow or mass—any spell can be constructed with ease.”
“The sky is night here… is that due to time difference or something?”
“It’s just an enchantment. This is a special facility managed by the Magic Association.”
“Whoa, they can do stuff like that?”
Since arriving here, I’d done nothing but be amazed.
I never imagined a world of magic like this could exist.
It felt as though my perception of reality was being rewritten with every passing moment.
“I thought the Magic Association was just a bureaucratic body managing licenses and paperwork.”
“It’s the organization overseeing all magic worldwide. You should take more interest… though, to be fair, a mere apprentice witch like you probably won’t have many dealings with them.”
“Heheh, that’s for sure.”
“Why do you sound so smug about that?”
“Ignorance is not a crime, but it is a shame. Zuberi is weak. The Magic Association has no use for the weak.”
“Stop acting like you’ve won some grand argument.”
As I glared at Sophie, a sudden barrage of flashing lights went off, taking me completely off guard.
The brightness made me instinctively squint and turn away.
“What the—?! Are we under attack?!”
“Idiot. It’s just cameras.”
“Huh?”
I turned to see a swarm of reporters pointing their cameras at us.
Some had professional-looking equipment, as if for magazine shoots, while others had setups reminiscent of TV broadcasts.
There were numerous reporters and journalists present, and among them, I even spotted a few people who seemed like YouTubers filming the scene.
I had heard that the Grand Magic Ceremony attracted media from all over, but why were they taking so many photos…?
And then it hit me.
The world had finally recognized my overwhelming cuteness.
The world’s idol, Meg Raspberry.
My beauty was simply too much for their cameras to resist.
The flashing lights were nothing less than a tribute to my radiance.
“At last… the world has found me.”
“Inori, Zuberi’s making a really stupid face.”
“She really is hopeless. Learn your place.”
“Zuberi, those cameramen are here for the Seven Sages. No one here has any interest in photographing some no-name, mediocre countryside witch.”
“Oh. That makes sense.”
I let out a small sigh and shook my head.
“How sad, being unable to acknowledge reality. Very well, I shall allow you to walk beside me as my attendants.”
“How should I kill her?”
“It’s already too late. No cure for a fool.”
“Everyone, take a look! The ‘Witch of Blessings’ and the ‘Witch of Wisdom’—two of the Seven Sages—have just arrived at the venue! Inori-san, Sophie-san, can you share a few words about today’s presentation?!”
“Inori-san! Please tell us about the new anti-addiction drug you’ve been researching!”
“Sophie-san! A message for your fans before today’s performance!”
“Yes, I am Meg Raspberry, the world’s—”
“Out of the way! Move!”
I was shoved aside with a thud and sent sprawling to the outskirts of the crowd.
A massive swarm of reporters clustered around Sophie and Inori like ants drawn to sugar.
Left completely outside of the spectacle, I stood alone, watching them from the sidelines.
“Hmph. These clueless reporters. Maybe I should curse them so they all suffer from diarrhea for two months straight…”
As I muttered my dark thoughts, a voice spoke up from behind me.
“Do not utter such ominous things.”
“Huh? And who do you think you are, talking so high and… mighty…”
My voice trailed off as I turned around and saw the person standing there.
A girl with white hair and white eyes gazed back at me.
And in that moment, I fell completely silent.”