Our top story,
the International Magic Conference
of the Seven Sages, being held in North America,
has been dominated by talk of recent changes
in the ecosystem and magical disasters.
The conference concluded with a joint statement
made by the attendees, urging expert field surveys
to be conducted as soon as possible.
Oh? So it's over with?
[NEWSCASTER]...governments have sent investigation teams...
[footfall]
Meg, I'm going to be away from home for a while.
Where are you off to this time?
North America.
The Seven Sages are meeting at the Council of Magic.
[NEWSCASTER] And establishing guidelines for large-scale...
[sighs]
I guess this means my brief respite's already over.
Now, in other news.
[NEWSCASTER] Ms. Sophie Hayter
attended a festival in South America.
The member of the Seven Sages put on an impressive parade,
leaving crowds stunned.
- [crowd cheering] - [Meg groans]
[growling]
It's not fair!
Not only are we both witches,
we are the same age!
But for some dumb reason
the whole world thinks of her as a princess,
and it's all anyone can talk about online!
Would someone tell why I'm not one of the Seven Sages?
You're on my side, aren't you?
[TOGETHER] Hmm.
[screams]
[MEG] Of all the things you could've said,
not saying anything was the absolute worst option!
[groans]
♪
[growls]
Stupid day.
Time to rage sleep.
♪
[birds chirping]
[INORI] Wake up.
Wakey, wakey.
- Or maybe you like this. - [MEG] Hm?
♪
[MEG] [choking] My nose is ruined!
[coughing]
[gagging]
[INORI] Talk about rude.
My feet don't stink that much!
[groans]
[birds chirping]
Is that any way for you to treat your protectress?
ONCE UPON A WITCH'S DEATH
My name is Inori, one of the Seven Sages,
renowned as the Witch of Wisdom.
- The Witch of Wisdom? - Naturally.
It's okay to be impressed with me,
but just don't go and develop
an obsession over me or anything.
It's just, you seem young.
From what I heard, the Witch of Wisdom
was easily over a hundred years old.
So, what are you doing here,
besides sticking your feet in my face?
Huh? Don't you watch the news?
Magic is currently causing changes to the ecosystem.
And your mistress is off investigating the matter.
[MEG] That news story.
Since her return was delayed, she asked me to keep
an eye on things here.
I can see why.
For your information, Miss Genius,
I'm 17 now, I can take care of myself,
thank you very much.
[INORI] It's the house she's worried about.
Yeah, that makes sense.
Short version, I'll be staying for a few days.
Ahh.
Since you'll be here a while, there is something
you can help me with, Ms. Inori.
- Which is? - [MEG] Your feet.
[MEG] Could you wash them? They stink real bad.
I'm going to kill you.
[door opens]
[INORI] Did you prepare all of those herbs?
Oh, yeah, they're mine.
But how did you know that?
It's not Granny Faust's style.
They're pharmaceutical herbs,
so I figured that they were yours.
Yeah, good point.
[MEG] When it comes to my mistress,
she's deeply versed in a variety of magics,
which keeps her busy.
Especially since she's been dedicating her time
to researching time magic lately.
[sniffs]
That smells wonderful.
I made these two recently.
They have restorative agents in them,
so they're good at repairing the body.
I bet you're pretty tired after the conference.
Care for a cup of herbal tea?
[chuckles]
If you're offering.
[cutlery clanking]
It's good.
I blend it with black tea,
cast magic to adjust the flavor, and voila!
Huh.
It turns out you're fairly competent.
Do you already have a nickname?
Oh, not me.
But if you really think I deserve one,
just call me the world's greatest apprentice.
[INORI] You're bragging about that?
When you get to be a skilled mage,
you earn a nickname.
My mistress's and Ms. Inori's monikers were given to them
by the Council of Magic and serve as proof
that they're both first-class witches.
FAUST THE ETERNAL WITCH
[INORI] An apprentice, huh?
Huh?
Now, I'd like to see more.
These herbs are all homegrown, aren't they?
- Show me where. - Huh?
What a coincidence, 'cause it just so happens
I need to go to the garden, too.
Oh, are you going to pick something else?
I'm planning to make an infusion of mint oil
that leaves, no pun intended,
the soles of your feet smelling divine.
[INORI] They aren't that bad, are they?
[both squeaking]
[FAUST] Listen closely, Meg Raspberry.
Starting today, you're responsible
for taking care of the woods.
- Heck, no! - Don't talk back!
This is your job while you're under my roof.
I'm a busy lass with lots of plans,
and they don't include gardening!
The only thing you're busy with is wasting time.
[growls]
[MEG] That was the first job my mistress gave me.
And it wouldn't be the last.
Over the next ten years,
I dutifully tended to these witch's woods.
I welcome you to my herb garden.
Wow, you've taken good care of it.
It takes skill to look after the land.
Especially considering the sad state
the climate and environment are in.
We need more witches like you.
- [birds chirping] - [MEG] How bad can things be?
We've meddled with nature far too much.
♪
[INORI] We've polluted the air
and cut down forests.
The land is no longer how it should be.
♪
Those in charge who've pushed this planet to the brink think
we can instantly fix the damage they've done with our magic.
[birds chirping]
♪
[crying] I can't take this mint anymore!
It's overwhelming the entire patch
and won't stop popping up!
How do I stop it? [crying]
Mint quickly takes a foothold like a weed
when it's allowed to overgrow.
I told you to be careful.
I think the witch's woods are done for, mistress.
We should torch the whole place down to the roots.
[FAUST] No, we won't.
Listen to me.
Every living thing has its own unique features,
and its own way to flourish.
Ah?
[FAUST] Learn what you can.
Understand and adapt to their needs.
Witches recognize the laws of nature
and exist alongside them.
What I'm saying is you don't have to force
your way through every situation.
Ah?
♪
[INORI] When you clear plants away
and reduce their numbers,
it leaves magic in the land with nowhere to go.
♪
As a result,
that magic is forced to flow towards larger objects.
If the power becomes too great, it can go out of control.
Maintaining the world's equilibrium
is a core tenet for mages.
If you had that kind of power, what would you do with it?
[devious chuckle]
Acquire fame, fortune, and my own harem
of only the handsomest of men!
[sighs] You really are hopeless.
I can't help it if discussing heavy subjects isn't my thing.
People can die at any time.
[birds chirping]
Life is pretty short.
And I believe we should fill it with as much fun as possible.
And pray tell, what do you consider "fun?"
[devious chuckle]
Booze, tobacco. Tasty food, women.
Middle aged man.
[water rippling]
♪
[Meg giggles]
[Inori moaning]
[Meg giggles]
Your legs, miss. How did you get them so smooth?
[INORI] Stop that.
You know what?
Besides you perving out, this is the life.
I can't recall the last time I took it easy.
[MEG] You must be exhausted.
Seriously, though.
It's not healthy working too much.
Now that I think about it, I've been so busy,
I haven't bathed the last few days.
I'll draw you a bath later, so you can get washed up.
[MEG] Promise me you will.
If you're too meticulous, you'll end up going bald.
Meticulous?
[chuckles]
Staring at someone's face and laughing
isn't gonna win you any friends.
[INORI] I like you.
Once you finish up your apprenticeship,
you should come work as my assistant.
Really? Ah?
We'll develop medicines as partners.
You and me, finding ingredients.
Researching their effects while pharmaceutical companies
pay for our research.
The only thing I was missing until now
was an assistant who had plant knowledge.
Throwing this at me is all a little sudden.
What would my mistress say when you tell her
you're going to run away with me?
That's why I said after you finish your apprenticeship.
Youth is about going on adventures.
I'll have you know, when I was only ten,
I traveled all around the world.
Listening to you reminisce about your childhood
makes you sound like an old woman.
How dare you!
Going out into the world?
Huh?!
Um.
♪
[INORI] If you have no particular goals
or dreams for the future,
you might want to seriously consider it.
[MEG] I do have aspirations.
What exactly?
World domination.
Wow.
Yeah, sure, go ahead and leave me hanging.
[crickets chirping]
[footfall]
[INORI] A student who meditates at night?
How diligent.
[MEG] Don't you, Ms. Inori?
I never had the need.
After all, I'm the Witch of Wisdom.
A genius who developed her magic
using only knowledge and inspiration.
- Not to brag. - Yeah, not to brag.
[crickets chirping]
[MEG] Let me ask you.
What would you do if you knew you only had a year to live?
[INORI] Why do you ask? Are you dying?
Um! It's a hypothetical question.
You realize I know the truth, right?
Hm?
When we were discussing the future,
your reaction seemed a bit defeated.
[awkward laugh]
Can't get anything past one of the Seven Sages, huh?
[INORI] So... what's gonna kill you?
Hm?
[MEG] A curse.
[owl hooting]
[INORI] I see.
So you need immortality from a seed of life.
That way you can fight the effects of sudden aging.
How many teardrops of joy have you gathered so far?
Take a look at this.
Turns out only two of them are pure teardrops of joy.
- That's not good. - [MEG] Yeah, it's terrible.
[MEG] Since I swore to Granny Flare
that I'd go on living for her,
I've been doing my best, but...
There's no beating around the bush.
I'm a total failure.
Unbelievable.
[MEG] Here's the proof.
My mistress told me all about
how seeds of life are made from joy,
so I should start by gathering fragments of emotion.
Do you think fragments of emotions
are really that powerful?
Hey, it's not like I know,
so your guess is as good as mine.
Wha... But you're the Witch of Wisdom.
Well, as far as modern magic goes,
emotions typically don't enter into the equation.
[INORI] I will say this.
Since the olden days, tears have been said
to possess mysterious power.
Still, it's all dreams and fancy.
Not really my thing.
You stop having dreams when you get older, huh?
You must want to die.
[owl hooting]
Let me have a look at that bottle real quick.
What? Oh, sure.
Though, for the right price, you can break it if you'd like.
Not on my life.
Fragments of emotion, huh?
That's new to me.
But still, I sense power within them.
If someone told you you had to collect
a thousand teardrops of joy in a year,
how would you go about doing it?
Huh, let me think.
I'd gather data and find out precisely
what a "teardrop of joy" is composed of
and how it's made.
Then, I'd design medicines or spells to recreate
those conditions and find willing test subjects.
[MEG] That sounds super mechanical.
[INORI] I think you mean scientific.
It'd probably be difficult to pull off in practice.
Yeah, that's what I figured.
If I'm being honest, when you invited me
to work as your assistant, I was over the moon.
I've only ever lived here in Lapis, so, I...
How do I put this?
I was excited to stand in front of a door
leading to a big wide world.
[INORI] Meg.
[MEG] It's been a few weeks since I started collecting
teardrops of joy, and you've seen how it's going.
People often say how I'm monstrously positive,
but even I'm enough of a realist to know
collecting a thousand tears in less than year
is next to impossible.
- You're giving up? - [gasps]
[MEG] I see now.
I was so close to throwing in the towel.
I don't know when, but at some point
I started working on accepting death
instead of trying to live.
- [Inori laughs] - [gasps]
[MEG] Who laughs at someone when they're talking about
life and death?
I didn't mean to, but you're such an idiot!
- I couldn't help it. - Ah?
You were so close to giving up
and still hadn't figured it out.
No offense, but you're stupid.
It sounds like you really want to go to war with me.
Sorry, all right?
Come on, since you're prepared to die,
I suppose that I can show you something special.
You'll find out why I'm one of the Seven Sages.
Did you know tonight is the peak of the meteor shower?
Sure doesn't look like it.
I'm not seeing a single shooting star.
Even though the sky is clear, the full moon's making it
too bright to see them.
I would've wished upon a star if I could've seen any,
so that's a real shame.
You've accepted you're going to die,
so what would you wish for?
Moolah.
[INORI] No sugarcoating it, huh?
Behold the power of one of the Seven Sages.
[fingers snapping]
[gasps]
♪
[MEG] Wow.
[INORI] You would probably have to travel
to the ends of the world if you wanted a view like this.
But what if told you there's even more?
[MEG] Huh?
[INORI] Come on.
♪
[MEG] This is unreal.
How'd you do all this with a single gesture?
I simply changed the path of the meteors a bit.
Seeing all of these stars in the night sky
makes your worries seem kind of trivial, doesn't it?
They seem so small compared to this,
though I wasn't all that worried about anything anyway.
You sure?
[MEG] I'd given up.
I reached a point where I was just trying
to accept death gracefully.
But after seeing this meteor shower,
something dawned on me.
Magic's potential is limitless.
Whatever it is you desire most,
go ahead and wish for it, Meg.
- You mean world domination? - Not that, goofball.
[INORI] To survive.
To live on.
To become a witch who goes out into the world.
Isn't that what you should ask for?
[MEG] Ah?
Ms. Inori.
All right, here goes.
♪
[INORI] When I first heard the news,
I thought it was strange.
I mean, Granny Faust taking on an apprentice?
Isn't that how it's usually done?
Ah?
Hmm.
[chuckles]
Meg, you'll make a good witch.
- [birds chirping] - [door closes]
[MEG] [mumbling] Mistress Faust.
[INORI] [mumbling] Welcome back.
What's the matter with you two?
Don't greet me with food in your mouths.
Thank you so much for looking after her and the house
while I was gone, Inori.
Actually, I've got to admit, I had a pretty good time.
And by the way, Granny Faust.
I'd like to discuss something with you.
That's a bit out of character for you, Inori.
What is it?
This one here.
I would like to make this girl my future assistant.
[swallows] I submit, Ms. Inori!
Let me go! I need my windpipe back!
She's still an apprentice and has a long way to go.
But should the time come when she's learned
all she needs from me,
perhaps that's not such a terrible idea.
- Perfect, it's decided. - [panting]
- [INORI] Now, listen up, Meg. - Ah?
[INORI] You'd better not die.
As you'll be my right-hand woman,
even if you die, you have to live.
That doesn't sound crazy.
- Promise? - Yes, I swear I won't die.
After all, if I did check out early,
how would I ever become a witch
even greater than you or my mistress?
Uh?
I like your spirit.
- Monstrously positive as always. -[MEG] Huh?
Who said I was monstrously positive?
[INORI] You did. I'm quoting you.
If I didn't know better,
I'd say you two were separated at birth.
Hear that, Meg?
You can go ahead and call me "big sis" if you want to.
I dunno.
[MEG] I believe the Witch of Wisdom gave me a dream.
One waiting for me after this year.
Full of possibilities and a world I haven't seen yet.
For the time being, I'll do all I can
to focus on what's in front of me...
while dreaming of a day that will someday arrive.
SEVERAL WEEKS LATER
[car engine revving]
[indistinct chatter]
[MALE 3A] The Otherworld Festival is a week away.
And already a wave of tourists have made the journey to Lapis
in hopes of interacting with the inhabitants
of the other world this year.
The Eternal Witch, Ms. Faust, who will begin the festival
by opening the gate to the other world,
sat down with Mayor Carter,
where the two discussed the ceremony.
Yes, everything's coming along well.
[thuds]
Why now, of all times?
[MEG] I got in touch with Mr. Hendy.
He says you should rest for now.
This isn't good.
How am I supposed to open the gate next week
in this condition?
[MEG] [gasps] That's right, I almost forgot.
The Otherworld Festival,
Lapis' biggest annual celebration,
is just around the corner.
Maybe they'll cancel it this year.
Then how would we release the magic power built up?
Right, silly me.
[MEG] Magic tends to gather in Lapis.
And the excess needs to be consumed somehow.
Opening the gate to the other world
is an important ritual for doing that.
So, what are we going to do?
[FAUST] Perhaps I'll call a substitute.
[MEG] Huh? A substitute?
[birds chirping]
[shivering] It's freezing cold.
[door closes]
[shivering]
[MEG] Let's get it warm in here.
[chirps]
[fire crackling]
[MEG] Roasty toasty.
Huh?
[fire crackling]
- Hey. - [screams]
What are you doing?
I could ask you the same thing!
♪
[whimpering]
No way. It's an illusion!
Someone's casting a Sophie-ghost spell!
♪
Mistress, was the substitute you mentioned her?
[FAUST] Yes.
In exchange for allowing Sophie to stay here for a few days,
she'll open the otherworld gate.
As for this back of mine,
it should be fully healed by then.
Oh, man, you really must be one of the Seven Sages.
Are you saying you had doubts if I... I'll let it slide.
Ow. [groans]
Listen closely, Meg.
Until I can move again, you will accompany Sophie.
- Understand? - Who? Me? But--
[FAUST] You know more about the town
and the otherworld gate.
Act as her guide.
[groans]
Go, learn what you can from her.
Sophie's a genius.
Uh, yes, ma'am.
Ah?
♪
[groans]
♪
BLESSINGS WITH THE OPENING OF THE GATE