Bathed in moonlight, the gardens of the Shinonome residence were alive with energy.
I could clearly hear Fuuka-san polishing off mountains of food, while Haruto-san and the others grew rowdy over a game of target practice. As I watched their merriment from a quiet spot on the engawa, my thoughts drifted back over everything that had happened this past month.
Last month, Orun-san traveled to the Phoenix Shrine for a Principles of Magic Investigation, and he apparently reunited with Titania there. I was told I once spoke of her as a dear friend—but I have no memory of her now. Since not only Orun-san but also Pixie says the same, I must have forgotten her.
I know I should feel sorrow for having forgotten, yet I cannot quite find it. All I feel is a hollow sensation in my chest, as if a hole has been bored straight through me. I want to fill that hole. I want to meet Titania and reclaim what I have let slip away.
To do that, I must become a Transcendent.
I have dedicated myself to training since last month, and I have finally reached the point where I can touch the Wall of the Principles of Magic. However, I simply cannot grasp the sensation of breaking through it. I am only one step away from becoming a Transcendent... and yet, I still haven't figured out how to take that final step.
"...Luna, aren't you going to play with everyone?"
While I was lost in thought, Pixie—the fairy who rarely initiates conversation—snuggled against my shoulder. She has been a constant presence by my side since the day I first became an explorer. My days as an explorer haven't always been easy. There were times when I felt isolated, but I was never truly alone. That was only because Pixie was always there.
"I’m more comfortable just watching," I replied.
Seeing everyone laughing brings me more joy than anything else. However, joining that circle and making a fuss simply doesn't suit my nature. Perhaps it is because of the environment I grew up in, but I find peace in being reserved. Simply watching their happiness from a distance is enough for me.
I looked up at the night sky. The moon had risen high, pouring down a clear, soft light that illuminated the garden's festivities.
"...The moon is very beautiful tonight."
When I spoke, the small light perched on my shoulder wavered gently.
"...Yeah. It's clear. I can see it well."
The moon bathed us in its serene glow. But a thought suddenly occurred to me.
"But this sky and the moon... they are merely reproductions created by the Principles of Magic, aren't they? Does that mean they aren't... real?"
Pixie shook her mana slightly, the fairy equivalent of a head shake.
"...It's not that they're fakes. Even if the Principles of Magic brought them into being, they are shining right now. The wind is blowing. They exist... right here."
"...I see."
As I continued to gaze upward, Pixie murmured softly.
"...Because the Queen—Titania—gifted me her knowledge, I know of the Outside World. This sky and moon are beautiful, but compared to what lies beyond, they might be a little... lacking."
"Lacking...?"
"...Yeah. The moon isn't just something that waxes and wanes to light up the night."
Unable to grasp her meaning, I turned my gaze toward her. Pixie's mana trembled as if she were hesitating. She started to say something, then stopped herself, eventually choosing different words.
"...Luna, do you know what a total solar eclipse is?"
"A 'total solar eclipse'...?"
Hearing the words for the first time, I tilted my head in confusion.
"...It's the moment when the sun and moon overlap perfectly, and the moon hides all of the sun's light. It becomes dark like night, even though it's the middle of the day."
"Even though it's daytime... it becomes like night?"
"...Yeah. But you see—the moment they perfectly overlap is very brief, and soon the moon and sun begin to shift. At that exact moment, a single ray of light shines out like a ring. It's a phenomenon called the 'Diamond Ring.' It was one of the sights that captivated the people of the Fairy Tale Era."
I reflexively caught my breath. Does such a phenomenon truly exist?
"...I can't even imagine it."
"Yeah. But apparently, it truly exists in the Outside World. I've never actually seen it myself, so my information is just knowledge."
Pixie's voice was clear as it melted into the night air. As I listened, I felt a slight stir in my chest.
(I want to see a sight like that, too.)
The thought rose unbidden. But at the same time, a cold, logical voice whispered from the depths of my heart.
I don't have the right to go to the Outside World. Not when I haven't even become a Transcendent.
However, Pixie's words refused to leave me.
"The moon masking the sun, and the ring of light born from that shift... Such a fantastical sight must be truly wonderful."
"...Why are you talking like it's someone else's business? If you're so interested, why don't you just go see it for yourself?"
"—Eh?"
"...? I mean, you're going to become a Transcendent, right, Luna? You're going to go to the Outside World with Orun, right? Then you'll have plenty of chances to see a total solar eclipse."
I stared at Pixie, stunned by her casual confidence. She continued in a calm voice.
"...The Queen gave me 'various knowledge,' but knowledge is no more and no less than just facts."
Pixie's mana wavered, dissolving into the moonlight.
"For example, I know what a total solar eclipse is through knowledge. I know the sun is hidden and a ring of light appears at the end. But—what kind of light it is, how deep the darkness feels, and what emotions you feel when you see it... you can't understand those through knowledge alone."
Her realization seeped through her tone.
"...Since I've been by your side, Luna, and we've seen so many things together, I've realized something. Knowing something as a fact, and actually seeing it, feeling it, and experiencing it... those are two entirely different things."
"...Pixie."
"That's why there are still so many things I want to actually see. The sky of the Outside World, the ring of the sun... and everything you'll see from now on, too."
Pixie landed softly on my shoulder.
"...I'm always by your side, Luna, so I can see what you see. From now on, I want to see many things together with you. I want to know everything."
A warmth spread through my chest. I hadn't known Pixie felt that way. I steadied my breath and looked up at the sky once more.
The Outside World, together with Pixie.
"You're right. Let's see, feel, and experience everything together."
The moment I visualized that future, the faint light kindled in my heart began to take a definite shape.
(A total solar eclipse. The moon covering the sun. And the light visible the moment they shift...)
I shifted my gaze slightly to the edge of the engawa. The rain shutters were closed—wooden panels designed to block out the sun. But if you slid them just a little to the side, light would flood into the room.
(Don't break the Wall of the Principles of Magic... shift it.)
A sense of conviction quietly filled me. For a month, I had been able to touch the wall, but I couldn't grasp the sensation of breaking it. Whether I pushed or pounded on it, I was only repelled. It was as if I had been placing my hands on a thick door and fruitlessly trying to push it over, rather than opening it.
But now...
"...Pixie, please step back a little."
When I stood up, Pixie's mana wavered in surprise, but she immediately understood and gave me space. I took a deep breath and turned my awareness toward the spirits drifting around me. I felt them stir in response. It wasn't anxiety I felt from them, but a tremor of anticipation—as if they were saying, "You finally noticed."
I closed my eyes and reached out toward the Wall of the Principles of Magic.
It was there. A heavy, cold presence that rejected the outside. A tangible boundary.
...There was no need to break it. There never was.
"...Shift."
The moment I whispered the word, the spirits surged forward in a unified flow. They touched the wall. The air trembled, and a faint cracking sound echoed in the back of my mind. Not pushing, not pulling—but sliding it aside like a door.
And then, my spirits touched the "Outside."
"—!"
Immediately, it came pouring in like a flood. It was just like the first time I had used Sense Connect. An immense deluge of information beyond human comprehension hammered directly into my mind, and my thoughts were instantly bleached white.
"Luna!! Don't let it pull you in!"
Pixie's shout dragged my consciousness back from the brink of the void.
"...I-I'm... fine... Pixie."
My knees shook, and my breathing was ragged. A sudden, sharp headache throbbed behind my eyes, and my vision wavered. It was similar to the exhaustion of overusing sorcery, but this was a deeper, stranger pain that shook my very core.
But I had touched it. I had reached the Outside World's Mana—the Principles of Mana.
(I reached it... finally...)
As I tried to steady my breath, it happened. Within the torrent of information still swirling in my mind, a single, nostalgic resonance rang out. A precious name that I had long forgotten. My chest tightened with an intense ache, and a single tear traced a path down my cheek.
"...Tita...nia..."
I whispered the name and collapsed, unable to stay upright. As my consciousness faded, the last thing I saw was the light of Pixie desperately rushing toward me, flickering dimly in the dark.