What's wrong, Uzoi?
Your nose is all red.
Well, of course it is!
I cried a lot!
I knew you were a crybaby, Uzoi.
Are you kidding? Is this really the time?!
I won't let you cry again.
Well... you can certainly try.
Yes. I promise I will.
Hey, he made a promise!
I suppose he did.
My dad made a promise to me, too!
He said we'd be together forever!
Right, Dad?
Yes.
Episode 7 The Footsteps That Stalk the Witches
So sweet!
Hang on, how much canestalk was that?
You are leaving enough for everyone, right?
Oh, no!
Okay, I'm confiscating the rest.
No! That's mine!
Cut it out already!
We are several hours past Lakda Rock.
We appear to have come quite far.
Yes. If we continue at this speed,
we should be through the Osuna Desert by tomorrow.
Is something the matter?
Our course was decided based on a rumor that humans had been seen
at the edge of the desert.
However, that seems unlikely.
Although I hope to find pockets of remaining humans somewhere...
Hey, Uzoi...
What is it? Can't sleep?
How come all the humans went away?
Well... because of the war, I guess, and other stuff.
What other stuff?
I don't know much about it.
Why do you ask?
I don't know anything,
even though I'm a human.
It's another early day tomorrow.
Let's get some sleep.
You gotta promise.
You promise, right, Dad?
Yes.
I promise.
The cracks in my body grow larger by the day.
If it continues at this rate...
Haitora.
May I join you?
Thank you for everything you did today.
You've given me the determination to stay with Uzoi to the bitter end.
It's been a long time since I've felt a genuine will to live.
I wish I could keep watch over Uzoi until she grows up.
I genuinely envy that you can be with Somali through the years.
I cannot.
Every golem has a predetermined lifespan.
My life functions will cease in 301 days.
This is why I must bring Somali to humans
while this body still functions.
Have you told Somali about this?
I have not.
I don't have any information about humans, myself.
But I hear that if you head west out of the desert,
there's a village that collects knowledge from all over the world.
If you go there, maybe...
Knowledge from all over the world?
I see.
We will travel to that village, then.
I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.
No...
Even the smallest things are a great help to us.
I am grateful.
I've been traveling for a long time.
I imagine traveling with a human girl comes with its share of trouble.
Human children are indeed driven by exceptional curiosity.
They disappear the moment you take your eyes off them.
Their weak immune systems cause them
to suffer frequent declines in health.
Many times, I have struggled to treat her with my insufficient knowledge.
But I consider these things
to be trivial, so long as they allow Somali to remain in good health.
Somali's a lucky girl, huh?
Please elucidate your meaning.
There's no safe place for humans in this world.
We always have to stay in hiding.
There's no telling what will happen if we're caught.
And yet, she found you.
She can sleep at night without fear.
She can smile her way through the day.
She has peace of mind, and I think you're the reason why.
We are the same, Haitora.
I do not know if I can protect Somali to the end.
But when you say these things to me,
this part of me feels lighter.
I see.
Is this the "peace of mind" you describe?
It is.
It's so nice and cool!
That's how you know we're leaving the desert.
We'll be going our separate ways soon, too.
Really?!
I told you that yesterday.
I was so busy eating, I didn't listen...
Why are you laughing?!
Well, it's just funny.
I wish I could stay with you guys for longer...
Don't be that way, now.
But...
This isn't anything to be sad about.
We'll meet again someday,
after I cure Haitora's illness.
Uzoi...
To be honest, I haven't worked through it all myself.
But the way I feel now isn't a lie.
I know that... someday...
It's within sight now, you two.
A forest!
If you follow this river, you should reach the village I mentioned.
Hey, Dad!
Where are we going next?
To a village where we can acquire information.
Will they tell us more about humans?
It is possible.
That's great, Dad!
Best of luck to you.
To you, as well.
Come on, Dad! Let's go!
That's great news, Somali.
Yeah!
See you later, Somali!
Yeah! See you, Uzoi!
Thank you, Somali.
This is quite an unusual settlement.
Hello there, little traveler.
Would you like to try the witches' special wicca wine?
It's safe for children to drink.
Wicca wine?
Would you like some roseberry jam with that?
And some herb-stuffed wursts, too!
I've got crimson pickles here!
I love this witch village!
All full!
Somali, you are aware that dining is not the purpose of our journey?
I forgot!
Where's the information?!
Are you trying to do some research?
Yes.
In that case...
Over there is a repository of knowledge from all over the world,
the Witches' Crest Library.
I'll show you around.
Dad! Look at all the books!
Indeed. There are more than I had imagined.
There are 10,000 medical tomes alone, I hear!
A person could solve the mysteries of the ages!
This does appear promising.
Somali...
Dad, look! It's a book about food!
Breakfasts of the world!
Afternoon snacks!
A-All the meat you can eat?!
They all look so good, Dad!
It seems there is nothing on your mind but food.
Sorry for the wait, traveler.
This is Hazel.
She's a top librarian here.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
Well, I hope you find what you're looking for.
Take care of them, Hazel.
Certainly!
Now, what brings you to this library?
We are on a journey in search of humans.
We wish to find clues regarding their whereabouts.
Clues, huh?
Just one minute.
There's a biography in the warehouse that talks about humans...
A biography?
I'll read it!
Well... It might be a bit advanced for you, dear.
That's okay! I'll do my best to read it!
I wanna know all about humans!
You're a funny little one.
I'll show you the way, then.
We witches are a clan whose devotion is to the world itself.
In gratitude to the god who created the land and life,
and in remembrance of those great deeds,
we have brought books to this library from around the world since the days of antiquity.
Some leave the village to collect books.
Some—like us—sort the books that are collected.
And some protect those books.
It has been the treasured duty of the witches since ages of old.
It's like an instinct for our clan, so we receive no compensation.
That is why we use our knowledge to sell medicines and food,
and earn money that way.
It was all yummy!
I'll be sure to tell the others.
Now, then...
The book you seek should be in this area.
Let me see...
That's odd... It should be right here.
There's no record of it being checked out...
Has it been lost, then?
No, I think I know where it is.
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but this library is at times plagued by bookworms.
Worms?
Yes. Given past experience...
It's likely in here.
Praline! You're here, aren't you?
Huh?
Yo, Hazel! What're you doin' here?
And there's the bookworm... my big sister.
Heya!
Goodness... How many times must I tell you—
Wow, a golem! What're you doin' here?
He's freakin' huge!
Wow, tough, too!
Say, where'd you come from?!
Desist.
Right...
A book on humans, right?
Talk about obscure requests...
Excuse me, Praline!
Could you please be more gentle with the books?
I will aid your search.
What is the name of the book?
I think it was... The Chronicle of Haraiso?
And its appearance?
Haraiso... Haraiso... Haraiso...
It was super old and falling apart.
Be more specific!
I want to say it was blue,
and had something like an eye on the spine...
Dad, I found the book!
Have you?
I'm bringing it now!
Somali!
Were you harmed, Somali?
That was a close one!
What are those?
Book-eating fish.
Pescafish.
Old paper soaked with ink is their favorite,
so they're witches' mortal enemy.
They get especially prevalent during their breeding period...
But why did this happen?
It's because you leave the room so messy.
R-Regardless!
Go!
Your efforts appear insufficient, however.
Hazel?
Yes, yes...
Magic is cool!
So awesome!
I know, right?
My magic is powerful, but it only affects a small area.
But Hazel's magic works over a huge area!
Which means when we work together, we're unstoppable!
Honestly...
I wish you would calm down.
It does not appear to be over.
I-It's huge!
I've never seen a subspecies like that!
The books!
You big stupid fish!
N-No way!
Dad! You okay?
I am undamaged.
It's looking at the book...
You think it's after The Chronicle of Haraiso?
Somali, release the book.
No!
It's important!
I'll protect it!
Somali!
No!
The information...
Dad...
Foreign hostile detected.
Purge required.
Golems are... something else...
Dad?
Somali, were you harmed?
I'm okay.
But...
You're not okay at all, Dad!
That must have hurt a lot!
It's all my fault!
I'm sorry!
Hazel.
This is The Chronicle of Haraiso.
Can't read it now, can we?
I couldn't keep the book safe.
That is acceptable.
But...
It is not an issue.
As long as you are safe, it is not an issue.
Say, if we check the record of borrowers,
we could find someone who's read it, right?
That's true!
Is it possible?
Yes!
There it is!
Just one person, 304 years ago...
A librarian...
Isolde Nebsolv?
Wait, isn't that...
Yes, it is.
Our head librarian.
Next Time: Meetings and Bonds Prayed For