Chapter 21. Mage Arlin (1)
“Are you talking about the Arkellis Laws of Space-Time?”
“Yes.”
“…I’m afraid I don’t know them. I’ve never heard that name before.”
“That makes sense. They’re laws from another world.”
Their eyes widened at my words.
I ignored their reaction and continued.
“Among the Mysteries, there is one called the Backroom. It is a Mystery characterized by rooms that continue endlessly.”
“Yes.”
“However, according to the Arkellis Laws of Space-Time, such a space cannot exist. Those laws state that…”
I began reciting a theory that even I still didn’t fully understand.
Even most of the mages in the gallery had failed to understand it.
Yet the longer my explanation became, the more excited their expressions grew.
As my words continued and my breaths grew deeper, their faces became filled with excitement.
Their eyes no longer reflected the scenery around us.
They were looking only at me.
Every gesture I made.
Every word I spoke.
Everything seemed to stimulate their curiosity.
I continued.
“…And that is why the Backroom should be a space that cannot exist. Yet the Backroom clearly exists.”
“……”
“In other words, there exists a Mystery capable of violating the laws I just explained. Does that mean those laws are wrong?”
“……”
“Probably not. The laws themselves are correct. It is simply that Mystery exists above those laws.”
Their eyes trembled.
“Mystery takes priority over those laws, and perhaps over every other law as well. In other words, the laws of this world defeated the laws of another world.”
“……”
“There is also something called the Mirror World Theory. Let us assume there exists a mirror capable of turning whatever it reflects into reality.”
“…My goodness.”
“You have an apple. It tastes so good and looks so beautiful that you could almost say you love it. You want to have two of that apple.”
“……”
“So you reflect the apple in the mirror. Now there is one original apple and one apple created by the mirror. There are two apples in total.”
I continued calmly.
“Their genetic structures are exactly the same. Two completely identical apples.”
“This is…”
“But then… strangely enough, some time passes, and the copied apple ripens into a watermelon.”
Their expressions stiffened.
“The watermelon is also delicious and wonderful. But what you wanted was an apple.”
I finished the example.
“Suppose you had to prioritize one of them—the apple and the watermelon. They share the same origin, yet grew differently and developed their own unique charms.”
“……”
“If you had to love one of them more, which would it be?”
“……”
“The apple, most likely.”
I looked around at them.
“No matter how wonderful the watermelon is, it is ultimately a result you never wanted.”
Their gazes became increasingly intense.
“Now apply this concept to worlds. Suppose countless worlds originated from a single world, but as time passed, each one changed until they became completely different from one another.”
By that point, they seemed to understand not only what I had already said, but also everything I was about to say.
They stared at me with bloodshot eyes.
It felt like there was no need to explain any further.
“Would this be enough for me to take one person with me?”
“…Of course.”
“I have other theories as well. If this was valuable enough, could I take a few more people?”
“No… I’m afraid that would be difficult. Our association’s highest-priority rule is that each person may only receive sponsorship once.”
“Understood. Then who should I take with me?”
At my question, they began moving aside one by one.
Eventually, only a single person remained standing in front of me.
Compared to the others, she had a slightly smaller build.
Her slender frame made it obvious that she was a woman.
She approached me.
The wind brushed past her, gently lifting her robe.
Her bluish-silver hair immediately caught my attention.
Her blue eyes were clear and refreshing like a lake, while her facial features and skin were almost impossibly flawless.
She placed the book she was holding into the air.
The book should have fallen straight to the ground.
Instead, it slowly began floating around her like a satellite orbiting a planet.
A supernatural phenomenon controlled through mana.
Magic.
It had just been performed right before my eyes.
She extended the hand that had been holding the book.
Her hand was smooth and pale white, almost like marble, as she offered me a handshake.
I accepted it.
The moment our hands touched, I felt a cool sensation through her skin.
We introduced ourselves.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Arlin Luzria. You may simply call me Arlin.”
A Western-style name.
It wasn't something I was used to hearing.
I repeated the unfamiliar name in my head before introducing myself.
“I’m Kim Yuhyeon. Likewise, you can simply call me Yuhyeon.”
“Understood, Yuhyeon.”
After exchanging brief greetings, Luzria stepped back.
The man who had been speaking with me earlier approached.
“Arlin is still lacking in experience, but she possesses the potential to become an exceptional mage in the future. Are you satisfied with the gift from our association?”
For a moment, I felt uncomfortable with the way he referred to a person like an object.
Still, I nodded.
“That is good to hear. Since we have received your sponsorship, we will take our leave now.”
They left Arlin behind and gathered together in one place.
Then they each pulled a staff from within their robes.
The man standing at the very front opened a book and began reciting words in a language I couldn't understand.
As each word left his mouth, the surroundings gradually became darker.
The colors of the world seemed to fade.
The boundary between light and darkness slowly blurred.
Shadows vanished.
Light and darkness mixed together.
Eventually, every trace of contrast disappeared from the world.
Everything became painted in a single color, as though the concepts of brightness and darkness no longer existed.
That was when they moved.
