"Hmm. Intriguing."
No. 700672 listened to Jin’s explanation in silence before finally muttering those words.
"It is true that there is no guarantee a Space Isolation Barrier can prevent this disaster."
"...I thought as much."
Jin had felt that doubt lurking in the back of his mind, but hearing it stated so bluntly only served to heighten his anxiety.
"However, the theory proposed by this Adriana Tierra is magnificent. My former master held a similar hypothesis."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. It was said that this world—this universe—floats within a much larger universe, or perhaps a larger space."
It seemed their models of the cosmos were remarkably similar.
"Furthermore, he claimed that a 'potential gradient' exists from higher to lower dimensions, and that the hierarchy of space is determined by it... though to be honest, I never truly grasped the concept."
"Same here..."
Jin couldn't quite wrap his head around it either.
"He also spoke of a multiverse, suggesting that worlds were nested within one another like boxes."
Hearing that, Jin wondered if he meant parallel universes.
"Regardless, I do not believe that theory alone can resolve our current situation."
"You're right," Jin agreed. It was all too close to mere academic speculation.
"However, I suspect that areas of high potential are simply more prone to making contact," No. 700672 continued.
To use the paper analogy, it was like how the protruding wrinkles on a sheet of paper were the most likely points to touch another sheet stacked against it.
"Areas of high potential..."
Jin recalled that Adriana Tierra had also referred to such places as singularities.
"What exactly is this 'potential' anyway?"
"Regrettably, I do not know."
Jin shared that disappointment.
"It doesn't seem to be something as simple as a high concentration of free ether."
If it were, then the Free Ether Cloud would logically be a singularity.
"Indeed. If we could identify it, it might provide a hint for a countermeasure."
Jin reflected on the records of Shuuki Tsetse.
When Shuuki had been caught in the accident with the Toden streetcar, the vehicle itself hadn't teleported; only he and the items immediately surrounding him had made the jump. He wondered if there was a clue hidden in that detail.
"Hmm. For example, perhaps the Gate that opened during the teleportation was simply too small for that 'Toden' to pass through?"
"That... might be it."
No. 700672's hypothesis seemed logical enough.
"Even if that explains why only he and his bicycle made it through, why did it happen to him? And why then?"
"On that point, I can only offer conjectures... Perhaps something inherent to humans acts as a key to crossing space."
"Regardless of mana?"
As he spoke, Jin remembered how Reiko had managed to find him even though he lived in a world completely devoid of magic.
Unfortunately, the record of how she had tracked him down was lost. Reiko's control core had been severely damaged at the time, and the sector most heavily utilized—the one containing the logic for locating a Successor—was beyond salvage. If they spent fifty or a hundred years in the same situation, perhaps they could replicate the feat, but for now, it remained a mystery.
"The only commonality between Shuuki Tsetse and me is that we're both Japanese... I think."
Then, another thought suddenly struck him.
"The 'spirited away' phenomenon... perhaps the time axis is distorted as well."
"What was that?"
No. 700672 caught Jin’s quiet mutter.
"Oh, just that the man I mentioned, Shuuki Tsetse, seems to have come here from the same world as me. But while only fifty years had passed in my world since his disappearance, over a thousand years had passed here."
"Hmm... Does that mean the passage of time differs between the two worlds? I cannot say for certain."
"I suppose not..."
With so little data to verify anything, No. 700672 concluded it was nothing more than imagination. Jin was inclined to agree.
"We're completely stuck at a dead end."
"Indeed. It is regrettable."
Seeing that no further progress was likely, Jin took his leave of No. 700672 and returned to Hourai Island.
＊ ＊ ＊
"I see. So even No. 700672 cannot fully decipher the mystery."
After returning to Hourai Island and taking a short break, Jin resumed his consultation with Laojun.
"But I recall you saying before that the range was quite wide, My Lord."
Laojun reminded him that the estimated radius was between one hundred and one thousand kilometers.
"That was just a guess. Even if the effective range of the vibration is that large, the actual area that suffers the 'spirited away' effect might be much smaller."
"That is conceivable. It is possible that within the overall range, a hole only opens at the exact center where the worlds make contact, and that is where the 'spirited away' occurs."
"I'm starting to lose confidence," Jin admitted. "I wonder if the Space Isolation Barrier can really block it all."
Jin feared that he might be trying to stand against a disaster that far exceeded his own power.
"My Lord..."
Even the usually composed Laojun was at a loss for words. However, Reiko was different.
"It is alright. Father, your ideas are not wrong!"
Ever loyal, Reiko spoke up to give Jin the encouragement he needed.
"Thank you, Reiko."
Her words did indeed lift Jin’s spirits.
＊ ＊ ＊
"...Spirited away, parallel worlds, time axes... To be honest, I don't understand any of it."
"I suppose not. That's why you don't need to worry yourself about it."
Once Jin returned to his home on Hourai Island, Elsa insisted on hearing about the situation, so he had explained it to her. He hadn't wanted to burden her with things that might cause her anxiety right now, but she had insisted that burdens were meant to be shared, and he had eventually given in.
"But really, why is this happening...?"
Seeing Elsa looking down in contemplation, Jin felt the urge to offer a different perspective.
"For example... maybe there's an existence watching over the universe, and that being did something."
Jin found himself suggesting something that sounded like it had been pulled straight from a manga.
"What?"
"No, I mean, if you compare a macro-universe made of mini-universes to a fish pond, maybe there's a 'being' watching it who just happened to toss a stone in on a whim."
"..."
"Don't take it too seriously, okay?"
"...Is that existence so large that they don't even notice us? Just like we don't notice microorganisms?"
"Well, yeah. From the perspective of a microorganism, we might be so large that they can't even perceive our whole form."
Jin had voiced a whimsical thought, but Elsa was unexpectedly engaged by the idea. If thinking about such things could distract her from her worries, Jin was happy to play along.
Thanks to the conversation, Elsa's complexion improved. Even if her morning sickness was mild, it was still a strain, and Jin felt that mental relaxation was vital for her health.
Then, Jin made a proposal.
"Elsa, wouldn't it be better if you stayed in Kaina Village instead of here for a while?"
"..."
"I'll make a point of visiting as often as I can."
"...Mm. If you'll be there, then I'll go."
She was hesitant at first, but once Jin promised to show his face in the village as much as possible, she agreed.
"Martha is there, and Sally-sensei is there too. I'll feel much more at ease knowing you're with them."
It wasn't that he didn't trust Laojun or the Golem Maids. It was simply that none of them had direct experience with the monumental event of childbirth. They had data on births in Kaina Village, but data wasn't the same as personal support.
Of course, Elsa's biological mother, Mine, would be going with her. With this arrangement settled, Jin felt a great weight lift from his shoulders.