Elen confidently claimed that she had received the relic of the Sun God as if it had been a lunchbox from her mother.
The situation was so absurd that it was almost comical.
"Was there no Alicion?"
At my question about the absence of the relic of Riter, the God of Courage, Elen brought her index finger to her lips and tilted her head.
What's going on?
Usually, her actions would make her look cute, but today was different.
"I don't know. I don't know if they had it but didn't give it to me or if they just didn't have it."
What on earth is she talking about?
"Isn't your house in a rural area?"
"Yes."
Why would there be a relic in some remote village in the countryside of Kernstadt?
"Why would there be a relic in some remote village in the countryside of Kernstadt?"
Realizing that it wasn't an unreasonable question, I just blurted it out.
"I'm not sure. My mom and dad just gave me this one and didn't explain anything."
A hero and the hero's sister.
I had thought there might be some backstory, and it seemed clear that there was a mysterious background to it all.
Come to think of it.
She had said before that her family was naturally powerful.
Was that a foreshadowing of sorts?
Seeing that I was too bewildered to speak, Elen began to pout.
"I'm more curious. I'm not saying I can't tell you because I can't, but I really don't know."
Elen made it clear that it wasn't that she didn't want to tell me, but that she couldn't. She seemed hurt.
She made me feel guilty.
"No, no... I'm not angry... I just don't understand. Would you believe it if you were me?"
A rural village with two heroes.
Well.
The original story did have some settings that defied logic, so it might be possible that this became even more illogical now that it had materialized.
Perhaps this was added to make it more plausible.
Anyway, the cloak of the Sun God.
On the collar of the flaming cloak that Elen was wearing, as with any other relic, there was a phrase that only I could read.
[Burn with hatred.]
Hatred.
The chilling word froze me in place for a moment.
I now knew what the phrases etched on the relics meant.
The inscription on Tiamata.
[Purify the world with rage.]
In my anger, I was able to draw out the true power of Tiamata.
Even though I was not a priest, I could use divine power.
Then hatred.
Was the cloak of the Sun God a relic that responded to hatred?
And another thing.
I wanted to see it again with my own eyes.
"… Show me Lament."
"Okay."
At my request, Elen summoned Lament into her right hand.
The Moon Sword Lament.
[Forged with tears.]
Tears represented sorrow.
The Sun God's cloak Lapelt
And hatred.
"…Why Lament?"
Sorrow and hatred.
Can the two coexist?
"Just, I was curious how cool it would be if I had both."
"…?"
They can coexist.
If anyone can, I can evoke both emotions in Ellen at the same time.
Faced with the new topic of Ellen's hometown, my ominous imagination was growing.
Last time, during the Demon War, Ragan Arthurius left Lament for Ellen. Since I hadn't set that intention, I couldn't know why Ragan Arthurius left Lament for Ellen.
However, in Ellen's hometown, there was even a relic called the Cloak of the Sun God.
Considering how much more could have been given, it's rather odd that two relics were left behind for the battle against the Demon King.
What kind of place is Ellen's hometown?
I can guess that it too, ultimately, belongs to some kind of secret organization.
Because Ellen is still young and may not be able to keep secrets, her parents didn't tell her the truth about the village.
Well, it makes sense since she brought this from home and told me directly. Of course, I don't know if she would tell others.
I have a bad feeling.
Cantus Magna.
There's no law that says they only collect magic.
In some sense, they might need relics, and in fact, powerful forces are embedded in relics, even if they're not magic.
Ellen's hometown…
It might be Cantus Magna.
If so,
What am I supposed to do?
Ellen looks at me and speaks quietly.
"Did you…miss me?"
"…Huh?"
Her question was so sudden that I couldn't help but be startled. As I remained stunned, a slight pout formed on Ellen's lips.
"I…missed you."
She looked at me as if urging me to answer quickly.
Her expression seemed to want something else instead of asking questions.
I don't know why she's acting like this.
"Of course I missed you…"
At my words, Ellen smiled bashfully.
It was a brief moment, but her smile erased all of my worries.
Ellen obtained a new relic, the Sun God's Relic, Lapelt.
With this, she became the only person on the continent to possess two relics since Ragan Artorius.
"It's better to keep this a secret. If it becomes known that I have it, it'll only cause more trouble."
"…Yeah, you're right."
Ellen seemed to be contemplating something, then she unsummoned Lapelt.
The Empire had arranged for Ellen to enter the temple, knowing that she came from Ragan Artorius's birthplace.
If I think about whether the Empire knows that Ellen's hometown is an unusual place, I lean towards them not knowing.
If it became known that Ellen had brought the Sun God's cloak from her hometown, there was a possibility that the royal family would unnecessarily pay attention to the matter.
If her hometown were Cantus Magna, it would be best not to meddle, as it would be better for the empire not to know this fact; and if not, it would still be better to leave it alone, as it was a place where there was nothing good to be gained by stirring things up.
In the end, Ellen's parents didn't tell her much.
Ragan Artorius originally hadn't intended to go on an adventure, but rather to search for something. As a result, he learned too much about the world and could no longer leave it be, according to Ellen's explanation.
It was clear that Ellen's hometown did not interfere much in the affairs of the world. Thus, her parents did not provide any special assistance when their son went off to fight the Demon King.
An unknown secret organization and Ellen's hometown.
Despite feeling an ominous premonition, they had no choice but to remember it for now.
Ellen returned, bearing the Sun God's cloak.
Charlotte began researching a way to recover her condition using the Soul Absorption magic she had discovered in the Demon King's bunker.
And then there was Harriet de Saint-Touan.
The next day, I received a shared report from Harriet about what we had learned so far.
"An imaginary dimension?"
"Yes."
Listening to Harriet's explanation, I couldn't help but tilt my head.
"It's a theory about a dimension that doesn't actually exist. It's like a virtual map set up to maintain the warp gate system."
"…I don't quite understand?"
"Ah, you blockhead."
"…Suddenly?"
I was taken aback by the sudden jab, and Harriet seemed satisfied with her surprise attack, grinning mischievously.
No.
Did she really have to do this now?
"No, but isn't this unfair? As soon as we start talking about magic, there's no way I won't be a blockhead!"
At my words, Harriet snapped back.
"So you're saying I'm really a blockhead, huh?!"
"No, I didn't mean you were stupid when I called you a blockhead… Um, yes, I'm sorry."
It wasn't my place to tease her endlessly about being a blockhead.
"Listen carefully, I'll explain it properly."
With newfound confidence, Harriet began her explanation.
Knowing I wouldn't understand even if she used technical terms, Harriet explained everything in a simple, step-by-step manner that I could comprehend.
As I listened to her explanation, it was surprisingly easy to understand.
It was like a subway map.
Subway maps are drawn without considering the actual distance and terrain between stations. They are created solely for the convenience of the viewer, regardless of the actual terrain.
Although the imaginary dimension was for the designer rather than the user, making it different in that aspect, it was not much different from a subway map in that it was a map created for the sole purpose of being convenient to view, regardless of reality.
"Do you understand what I'm saying now?"
"Ah, I understand."
"..."
Harriet glanced at me with a skeptical look, as if to say, 'There's no way you understood.'
No.
I couldn't explain the subway map properly, but I did understand!
"Anyway, this imaginary dimension doesn't actually exist, but there are many formulas and magic spells created based on the assumption that it does. That's why magicians involved in the maintenance of warp gates have to first understand the imaginary dimension."
A new concept called the imaginary dimension.
"Wait, so if one becomes familiar with all these imaginary dimensions and such, could anyone interfere with the warp gate system?"
"Well, in a way..."
At my ominous words, Harriet also muttered quietly, as if she felt an ominous premonition as well.
"But there's not much to worry about because even if someone understands the imaginary dimension, interfering with the warp gate system isn't easy. Constructing warp gates themselves isn't too difficult, but only a select few magicians, chosen from the entire empire, can interfere with the core operation of the gates."
It's not difficult to build or manipulate machines, but meddling with the system itself is a challenging task.
"So only the elite of the elite, and a carefully chosen few royal magicians, have the authority to interfere with the warp gates themselves."
Considering how convenient and dangerous the warp gates are, it makes sense that the empire had to be diligent about security.
That means that Harriet's access to the concept of the imaginary dimension this time was quite extraordinary.
And it was not her request, but mine.
As the bearer of the royal crest, I have access to the empire's top secrets. It seems that trustworthiness checks were deemed unnecessary since I had saved the princess's life.
"But it seems that even among specialized researchers, opinions are divided."
"Divided?"
"Some people think that the imaginary dimension might actually exist."
"What?"
At those words, I felt a chill run down my spine.
"But this hasn't been studied extensively, so it's only conjecture at this point..."
Harriet furrowed her brow as she spoke about what she had heard.
"People wonder, where do the gates actually exist? It seems that this question is the source of the divide."
"Where do they exist? Aren't they right in front of us?"
"The gates themselves are both the entrance and the exit. But they don't actually exist in either the entrance space or the exit space. It's as if they exist somewhere in between, but where exactly is that?"
The gates exist simultaneously in both the exit and entrance spaces.
A gate, by nature, has two states in a single space.
"So the question is, which dimension does the gate we see actually belong to? And when we pass through the gate, we experience a slight delay. You know that, right?"
"...Huh."
For a brief moment, one can feel as if they are passing through something while going through the gate.
"During that transition, researchers call it the 'space's byway.' Even the experts don't know where that space actually is."
Though people use the warp gates, it seems that even the researchers don't have a complete understanding of the magic behind them.
"So, they hypothesized a virtual dimension called the 'imaginary dimension' and created the warp gate system. But now, there are claims that it might actually exist. Whether it came into existence due to the increased use of warp gates, or if it was always there, we can't tell."
Harriet crosses her arms and looks at me.
"So, even though this is all just idle talk and more of a guess than actual research, if there is another world, and it's the imaginary dimension, wouldn't you think that neither people nor anything else would live there?"
The byway of space.
If such a thing truly exists, it would simply be a space of nothingness that exists only as the concept of the imaginary dimension. Harriet seemed to conclude that while it could be another world, there could be no existence of otherworldly beings.
"Anyway, there's nothing certain, so I'll look more into it. In the end, I think we'll only learn more about the warp gates, whether it's about another world or not. It's not like I want to become a warp gate technician."
Harriet explained the purpose and method of the warp gates she'd discovered, but the things she actually needs to understand likely require a higher level of intelligence. And it seemed quite clear that she was grasping that at an incredibly fast pace.
"Is it boring?"
"No? Who said it's boring?"
Harriet spoke as if there was no reason to dislike the situation, where she could access the empire's greatest secrets as easily as eating a snack.
Although she doesn't want to become a warp gate technician, Harriet is an honor student who believes that the more magical knowledge one has, the better.
"Anyway, I don't think the warp gate system has much to do with the other world you're curious about."
No.
I felt like I was actually getting closer to finding the right thread.
However.
There were too many clues, and each event carried its own risk, so it was impossible to be certain which was the real issue.
Warp gates.
The imaginary dimension.
Cantus Magna.
Akasha.
Black Order.
Valier Junior.
Ellen's hometown.
There were so many scattered clues everywhere that my head felt like it would burst. Harriet stood up, as if she'd explained everything she needed to.
"I'm going to check on the progress at the Magic Research Society. Want to come with me?"
"Why not."
Since it would be quite an accomplishment if either the power cartridge or Moonshine were completed during this winter break, I got up from my seat to follow Harriet.
As we left the dormitory to head towards the Magic Research Society, a familiar face was waiting at the entrance.
"…Professor?"
With a look of mild surprise, Harriet greeted Professor Epinhauser, who had come to the dormitory.
Although she knew that the teachers in charge of the Royal Class didn't necessarily have time off during vacations, she wasn't too astonished by his visit.
As always, the cold and aloof Professor Epinhauser glanced at me and gestured with his chin toward the dormitory exit.
"Reinhardt, come with me for a moment."
Harriet looked at me with a hint of regret and whispered quietly,
"I'll fill you in on the research club's matters later."
"Uh… okay."
What could he possibly want with me during winter break, especially when there are no classes?
Is it something to do with Saviolin Turner or Charlotte's problem? Those two had just returned to the Spring Palace to continue their research on the Soul Manipulation Magic. My assistance might be needed if Charlotte's power causes an outburst, but for now, the research is the priority.
Stepping out of the Royal Class dormitory, Professor Epinhauser walked quietly beside me.
The instincts of a problem child.
"Did I… cause any trouble, by any chance?"
I couldn't help but be nervous when my homeroom teacher called for me.
But I haven't caused any trouble lately, right? The last time was with the incident involving Oscar de Gradias.
Although it wasn't exactly trouble.
Would participating in the cross-dressing contest be considered as such?
As I pondered,
"Why did you cross-dress?"
"!"
I felt as if my head had turned to stone at the sudden, piercing question.
No way, was it really about that?
Did Bertus tell him?
Or did he naturally know since he's a teacher?
Could it be those student council jerks?
Professor Epinhauser didn't seem to be scolding me or prying into the matter.
It seemed he was just genuinely curious.
"Well, that's… um… about that."
As the professor watched me silently, he shook his head.
"Never mind. If that's your idea of fun, I don't need to worry about it."
"No, no?! It's not, um, fun? It wasn't like that?"
I was going crazy!
When will they stop tormenting me over the cross-dressing contest?! Now that I've gained magic mastery talent, do they want to punish me more?
"If it's not for fun, then what's the reason?"
"Ah, no. There was, um, a situation. Well…"
In the end, all I had was a pathetic excuse that it was for money!
"Forget it. What I really wanted to ask you wasn't about that."
"Then what…?"
"Have you prepared the information on Cantus Magna?"
"!"
At those words,
It felt as if all the blood in my body had turned ice-cold.
