There was no way to interact with a world that was not your own. This was why the visitors only came once a year for the Celebration of Worlds and would return home when it finished.
There were, however, a select few who wished to stay in this world, and for them, there was the contract. These interlopers needed to wear shackles that monitored them so they didn’t do anything wrong in this world. Those shackles, however, also allowed for this world’s laws to recognize their existence and gave them the power to remain here.
“I’ve learned that these two fell in love during this year’s festival and have applied to live together in our world. I thought I would bring them here to introduce you.”
Well, look at that. Those two wanna live here, eh?
My teacher, as if she could read my mind, turned to me.
“I trust you have something to do with this, Meg.”
“Oh, yeah…”
Hearing this, the mayor responded, “Well, that should make this easy, then. If Miss Raspberry is involved with their relationship, then there’s no need for me to explain it.”
“Whatever the case may be, it does not change what we shall do. The contract is simple, so long as both parties agree to it,” my teacher said, Wuf and Marie watching quietly as she stood before them. “However, a man and woman brought together by fleeting emotions are liable to come back, begging me to end their contract… I’ve seen it before. I cannot bind you two so flippantly. Whatever happens, you will be in this world for a minimum of one year. This is a serious commitment, and it is one I trust you are both willing to make?”
My teacher said this as if to prod the couple’s feelings. Her gaze was stern—she would see through any lie or deception. If either of them spoke without thinking, my teacher would know.
“Faust.”
It was Sophie who broke the mounting tension.
“These two will be fine. You have my word.”
“It’s awfully rare for you to say such a thing.”
With Sophie’s unexpected remark, the tension in my teacher’s expression eased.
“But if Sophie insists, then I have no reason to doubt her judgment.”
“Well then, Lady Faust. I take it this means…”
My teacher nodded at the mayor’s words.
“Yes. I will bind them via the contract.”
The smiles on both Marie’s and Wuf’s faces looked genuinely happy when they heard this. They looked at each other and exchanged those smiles. My teacher observed them and then took out a pair of reading glasses before scanning the parchment.
“Now, who will be their witness?”
“T-Teacher… If you would allow me…”
I barely managed to say this but was rejected by my teacher. “Don’t be foolish. Look at yourself; you’re a wobbly blob. To form the contract requires a certain amount of mana, I’ll have you know. In your current state, you would probably flub it up.”
“Nooo…”
“It’s fine. I’ll do it.” Sophie gently took the parchment out of my teacher’s hands. “I want you to let me do it.”
“Oh? That’s fine by me, but are you sure?”
“I am.”
“Well then, go ahead.”
I watched with awe as Sophie filled out the parchment, then used a knife to cut her finger and stamped the page with her own blood.
“I have one request.”
Sophie turned to Wuf and Marie with a stern look on her face.
“I want you to promise me you’ll both be happy.”
“Yes… We can promise that.”
Hearing this, Sophie gave them a big smile, then held her hand over the parchment and chanted her spell.
“Upon my name I ask thee to act, bind these two souls by contract.”
When she said this, a ring that fit perfectly appeared on the ring fingers of both Wuf’s and Marie’s hands.
“What’s this…?” asked Marie in confusion.
Sophie nodded to her.
“It is proof of the contract. It is proof that you swore to the world that you would be together, and it has accepted your promise.”
“Proof…”
“You need to take care of your rings. So long as you keep them on, you can always be together.”
The couple looked at each other’s rings. Even though they’d thought they would never see each other again, the world had accepted that they could live together.
For Wuf and Marie, this must’ve felt like a lifelong dream coming true.
The large tears that ran down each of their faces spoke more to this than anything.
“Finally… We can be together.”
“I’ll never let you go. Never.”
The two shared the heartfelt, tearful moment together.
And they shared two tears with me, which fell into my bottle.
“I’ll be off, then.”
Soon after Wuf, Marie, and the mayor left, Sophie decided to leave for London. She had another parade there waiting for her.
My body had finally recovered, and I accompanied my teacher to the door where we saw her off.
“You really helped out this time. Thank you.”
“Come by anytime you want to hang out. I’ll make sure to have some delicious treats on hand.”
“I look forward to it.”
Just as she was about to go, something occurred to me, and I called out to her, “Sophie. There’s something I want to ask you before you go.”
“What?”
“Why did you decide to be Wuf and Marie’s witness?”
My question seemed to catch her by surprise, as she looked back at me.
“What do you mean?”
“You just don’t seem like the type to get involved with that kind of thing.”
“Well… It’s your fault, really.”
“My fault?”
“I figured if I took a page from your magic-loving book, maybe I could learn to love it, too. That’s why I used my magic to help them.”
The expression on Sophie’s face as she said this made her seem like a different person from when I met her. She was trying to change, taking baby steps to face her past.
“So how’d it feel? Do you like magic now?”
“Nope. Actually, it was kind of a pain. I still hate magic, but…” She smiled. “I don’t think I want to remove it from the world anymore.” Sophie’s eyes were locked with mine. “Just as you said magic was a way for you to connect with people, I’ve connected to my friend with magic.”
“Sophie…”
“Spberry. I want you to promise me one thing. You’re not allowed to die until I say it’s okay. If you die before that, I’ll kill you. Even if I have to chase you into the afterlife.”
“That makes no sense…”
You know, Inori said something similar. Maybe all Sages think alike?
Well, that aside.
“That’s what I intend to do anyway.”
We watched Sophie go until we could no longer see her, then my teacher remarked, “And there she goes. Perhaps what Sophie needed most was not an adult who understood her, or a teacher, but a friend her own age.”
“Is that why you asked for her to be your replacement?”
“That, my child, shall remain a mystery.”
My teacher had a way of shrugging off the big questions.
Would it hurt to entertain your apprentice once in a while?
I was giving her a mean stare from behind when she changed the topic once more. “About that wolfman. It seems he’s pursuing a career in fireworks.”
“He’s going to be a fireworks maker?”
“Yes, he told me it was what he did in his own world, too. It seems that with our town’s fireworks maker gone, he wants to take up the mantle.”
“Wait, do you think…?”
“That he became a fireworks maker because of the fireworks here? That’s precisely the reason.”
I removed the bottle from my belt. There were two more tears in my collection. They were Wuf’s and Marie’s.
“It’s funny how things come full circle, isn’t it?”
“Oh, is that all you collected during the celebration?”
“Huh?”
“You were talking as if you were going to acquire all one thousand during the festivities.”
“Oh crap! Darn it! This is nothing!”
I’d completely forgotten about my scheme to use Sophie to collect one thousand tears during the festival. I slumped over in dismay but soon felt a sympathetic tap on my shoulder.
“Thanks to you, the town will have fireworks again next year. I must admit, you did quite well.”
With a smile, she continued. “Not bad. Not bad at all.”
With the festival over, everything was back to normal in the town of Lapis—save for a few small details.
A young girl who hated magic had begun to accept it.
Two souls long separated managed to reunite and were now determined to live together.
And I had a new, precious friend.
I closed my eyes tightly, and I could see a clear new vision. It was of next year’s festival, and I was there.
I went back to my everyday life with an even stronger desire to live on.