The days when I had no time to rest my eyes seemed to fit this description. Lately, I’ve been going back and forth between the lab and my room like a machine, meeting the ‘me’ from another world reflected in the mirror.
Although I occasionally stopped by the cafeteria to eat a lot, this small body has pretty good stamina; once fully fueled, it can go for quite a while without eating. The downside is that I need to sleep regularly.
…Ah, and when I take something out of the bookshelf, I either use levitation magic or bring over some kind of stepping stool. Since my stride is short, I always have to rely on a broom. As a result, my already low stamina gets even worse.
It seems like there are more disadvantages than advantages, but what can you do when born this way? When I get really frustrated, I sometimes use shape-shifting to move around as if I were older, but then the homunculi don’t recognize me, so I can’t do that too often.
Why isn’t there more flexibility in these situations? This must also be something that needs improvement. Since I have plenty of time, I thought that if I stay busy for a year, things might work out.
After receiving another key from the homunculus, I took out recording tools and research materials from the head of the golem made of books and ordered it to return to its original task.
I’m sorry for commandeering someone else’s golem, but since I didn’t use it for long—just about five minutes—what could possibly go wrong? If anything does, I’ll help out, so it’s fine.
The book golem closed its head and moved its heavy frame down the hallway. Still, I wonder if the books forming its feet are intact. It makes me curious.
Suppressing my academic curiosity from spiraling out of control, I recalled why I came here. To use the mirror. For what?
To meet another version of myself. As a result of continuously overworking my heart until I collapsed from magical exhaustion, I managed to meet one hundred and five versions of myself in less than a month.
Among them were dangerous ones, even frightening at times, and others who were simply unhelpful. The former was me, a male descendant of the red dragon, and the latter was just a country girl.
The red dragon heritage within me was indeed terrifying, but there was much to learn: how their world operated and which races dominated it.
Interestingly, in the world where the fire dragon resided, elves ruled. The roots of the World Tree had pierced through the crust. They couldn’t reach the core or grasp the stars, but still…
The country girl version of me was unique because she was human, but that was all. There wasn’t much to extract from her lack of knowledge. I sent her back after about five minutes, I think. I don’t remember clearly.
Anyway, today’s task was slightly different from what I’ve done before. Bringing someone from a parallel world remains the same, but can I summon someone I’ve already called? I wasn’t sure if it was possible since every time before, a different version of me appeared.
So, let’s try. Although the trace in the dimension had become quite faint, akin to a pinhole, I managed to barely connect with it.
The first Alterra I summoned, the one of the earth. A small dimensional rift near her world was visible beyond the mirror. Preparations were complete. All that was needed now was mana.
I gently flowed mana into the mirror. Too much would widen the rift, causing it to close due to self-regulation, so I had to proceed slowly. However, I had to keep the mana concentrated to prevent it from dispersing.
Now, it should be enough. Due to summoning countless Alterras, I needed a way to categorize them. I considered calling her Alterra(1) but decided against it—it lacked personality and fun.
In comparison, Earth’s Alterra sounded far more impressive and intuitive. Categorizing her this way, perhaps I would be… Thunder’s Alterra?
While amusing myself with such thoughts, I wondered how much time had passed in her world. If much time had elapsed, how had she changed? She was the first other-worldly version of me I’d met, so she stood out particularly.
If only there was a way to closely observe her. It’s not that I have an odd hobby of deriving pleasure from watching others. I’m merely curious about how the other-worldly me behaves normally. It’s not out of interest.
“Now, it seems ready. Uh, wait a moment. Why is the rift fluctuating…? Just a moment… What!”
As I was carefully flowing mana, the boundary of the rift suddenly began to fluctuate. Strange, theoretically, there shouldn’t be any problems.
Then, it abruptly started draining my mana forcefully. Dizzy from having my mana forcibly siphoned off, I instinctively realized something was wrong.
“…I need to cut the connection…”
Wait. What happens if I sever the connection? If I interrupt the summoning process, will the person being summoned be abandoned somewhere in the dimensional boundary?
Reaching this realization, I couldn’t bring myself to sever it. All I could do was watch the rift while hoping my mana wouldn’t run out.
Fortunately, there were no signs of collapse, but this rift kept draining my mana endlessly.
Just as my stored mana was about to run out, the rift stopped draining it. Then, as suddenly as it had sucked mana in, it spat something out and disappeared.
In the mirror, I saw myself, drenched in sweat from exhaustion, and the Alterra I intended to summon. The problem was that she was much smaller.
Could she be even smaller than me? Her stature suggested she was underdeveloped, with still petite horns. Unlike the last time I saw her, she was wearing tattered but proper clothes, and instead of appearing confused, she stared blankly ahead like an empty void.
She didn’t seem to be the Alterra I knew, but since she emerged from the same rift that produced the first Alterra, it had to be her.
“…You, Alterra? Why have you suddenly become a child?”
Did she accidentally consume some sort of potion that turned her into a child? What could have happened to make her look this way? Unable to understand, I decided to ask.
When we first met, we fought rather intensely, but that was just bad timing. I know that if explained calmly, we could have a beneficial and constructive conversation.
“Who are you?”
However, her response was completely unexpected. Had she gone through some traumatic experience that shattered her mind?
Then… what should I do? Should I help her? Various thoughts raced through my mind, but I decided to observe her a little longer. Maybe, just maybe, the situation was different from what I imagined.
“Uh, it’s me. Another version of you from a different world who summoned you here before. Do you remember…? If your mind is restrained, please give some signal. Blink rapidly or—”
“Do we know each other?”
“Wha…?”
While confirming if she could express her intentions, I subtly flowed mana into her body to check for any abnormalities.
Her internal organs resisted the mana as if something foreign had been inserted, and the mana flowing through her veins forced its way through turbulent currents.
Had she been poisoned by something unknown? Her blood was murky. Most importantly, if my mana flowed through her body, she should have reacted to the unpleasant tingling sensation, but there was no such reaction.
Except for the natural muscle contractions caused by the electric current coursing through her body, there was no emotional response.
“Are you a comrade of Mother?”
Mother? Did she mean the person who kidnapped her? Speculations and hypotheses flooded my mind, but none of them seemed plausible. More information was needed.
…Ah, there was one possibility. If this Alterra was from before she met me, from her childhood. According to Earth’s Alterra, she endured severe abuse from her mother during her youth. Or rather, experiments.
“I’m sorry, I did something wrong. Please don’t hurt me. I’m sorry…”
Since I hadn’t said anything, she assumed I was an ally of the witch and knelt down to beg.
It seemed accurate. The Alterra in front of me was… young Alterra. Before she reset her memories as a defense mechanism.
Shaking violently, I carefully lifted her clothes, but fortunately, there were no external injuries. Though, considering the mysterious metal fragments embedded in her body, did that matter?
What should I do? Should I help her? Taking her out of the lab and explaining the situation to Father would resolve everything.
…But, what would happen to the Alterra I met if I did that?
If this girl is her past self, then saving her might affect the future Alterra I know.
What about Myungho? Even though they had just met, she seemed happy. Her existence might disappear.
…Yet, leaving the girl behind pained my conscience. It’s fine not to help her. She’ll grow up to kill her mother herself.
So… there’s no problem. There’s no problem, but…
I grabbed the trembling girl’s shoulders. She shrank back, shaking violently. When I gently pulled her up, she obeyed without resistance despite her fear.
…She must have endured unimaginable horrors every time she resisted. Enough to defy her instincts and submit.
Fear, confusion, and sorrow filled her eyes, which moments ago seemed vacant. Why did she have to endure this? Though I couldn’t read her mind, she was probably thinking along those lines.
“Hush. Don’t worry. I’m not an ally of that witch. I’m… uh, another version of you from a different world. I’ve met the adult you.”
The girl seemed unable to comprehend my words and continued to tremble.
“…That you, was strong. And fearless. So… ugh… hold on. Never break, and never do what the witch says. Even if you shatter, don’t bend. Because if you do, it’s all over. If it gets too painful, forget everything. I’m sorry. This is all I can do for you. I’m truly sorry…”
My grip on the girl’s shoulders tightened. I was a coward and could only offer this much help.
She’ll forget everything anyway. Our meeting will likely remain as nothing more than a peculiar dream from her childhood.
Thus, all I could do was embrace the trembling, tearful girl.
—
It was a strange dream.
I can’t remember it clearly.
It felt like meeting a kind wizard from another world.
What was it again?
Trying to recall makes it even fuzzier.
The medication from yesterday still clouds my mind.
But there was one thing I could remember.
If it gets too hard, forget everything.
What did it mean?
The flesh I implanted last week convulsed uncontrollably in my arm.
But I was too preoccupied thinking about what the wizard said to feel the pain.
What did it mean?
…And wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could follow that advice?
If I could forget everything.
How wonderful would that be?
Ah, Mother is coming.
Pain and fear are coming.
