Chapter: 41

I might be able to return to my original world. When I relayed this news to Arima, his reaction was surprisingly lukewarm.

“Uh-uh♠ So we can go back home?”

“Yes, but I’ll need a little help from the Dragon Heart and you, Arima.”

“Alright, alright-◆ So, what kind of help do you need?”

“First off, the types of magic you possess and their potency. And….”

I started explaining roughly about the magic that Arima could use. Among them was a restoration spell that made me ponder if he might actually return to his hometown. So, according to him, time-reverse magic also appeared to exist.

An extremely unscientific magic that rewinds the time of an object to its original state. Considering that even the technology I knew on Earth had failed to achieve time travel, this was just plain ridiculous.

An individual, no matter how localized, managed to pull off time slip? If the scientists on Earth got wind of this, they’d be red-faced, drooling and charging in like rabid dogs.

“Trying to reverse time by using the Dragon Heart or your own body to go back to Ardenia is….”

“Impossible. It can’t possibly work, right? If we’re being honest, this magic just reverses the state of time in the space-time continuum and can’t be used for too long. Only a few seconds at best.”

“Hmm. One easy path is blocked.”

That’s a disappointment. If it was just a matter of energy shortage, couldn’t we borrow some energy from the sun up in the sky? There’s an abundance of wasted energy in this universe.

But if it’s not just a lack of energy, but a technical issue, then we’re in the realm of science, not magic. What humanity developed out of necessity is the very foundation of science.

“It seems feasible, but I can’t give you a guarantee. This is the first time I’m mixing magic with science.”

“Ahaha. I’m really looking forward to it! Especially since you say there’s a method that I couldn’t find despite searching high and low.”

There was a prick in his statement. Even I, thick as a brick, could sense that much. But it didn’t matter. A suspicious look is actually better. I could easily resolve that.

What’s truly troublesome are those who, without a shred of doubt, come expecting strange things after seeing something odd.

I reached out my hand, hoping to see that glint in Arima’s eyes change.

“Let’s work together.”

“Likewise♠.”

As we exchanged a light handshake, Arima suddenly remembered something and opened his mouth.

“By the way, how are we going to handle the research expenses? Things like this don’t come cheap, do they?”

“Not an issue! I’ve got plenty of money. The research funds I snagged not too long ago still have about 100 million left.”

“……how much?”

“100 million dollars.”

“Wow- You’ve got a lot of money! I can’t even spend that much on a single experiment…”

While Arima was taken aback by the research funds I had pilfered from Schola, it seemed he suddenly recalled something.

“Isn’t that kind of money tied to the boss’s share too? Shouldn’t we not mention this to the boss?”

“Ah… um, well, it is my money for now.”

I thought for a moment. If I told the boss about this research, what would she say? I didn’t think I’d hear anything pleasant.

Otherworlder. This is a super rare collectible, with only two people in this world. Hearing that I’m conducting research to return them to their original world would have Regalia throwing a massive fit…

Just imagining it sent shivers down my spine, so I decided to keep this research under wraps. Let’s face it; it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

“Let’s just try it first and think about the details later!”

“Now that’s the spirit☆!”

And with that, the experiment kicked off.

If someone residing at the top of the same building got wind of what we were doing, they’d definitely be flabbergasted.

*

Arima fretted that this experiment wouldn’t help me at all, but the reality was quite the opposite. This experiment was a huge boost to my scientific capabilities. In fact, it’s likely to be more beneficial than anything I’ve developed up to this point.

Unlike the previous products, which were created solely based on scientific knowledge, this time, I intended to shamelessly incorporate magic and superpowers into the mix.

This is a world where satellite beam weapons and hypersonic fighter jets exist, along with monsters resulting from genetic modification — things that should be impossible with 21st-century science. I know it all comes from the uncensored blending of superpowers with science.

“Ultimately, me developing this technology is because of Sten.”

To be precise, this technique could only be used when utilizing Sten’s abilities to their fullest extent. I called for Sten and introduced him to Arima.

“This here is Sten. He’s famous, right? He’s currently the head of Z City, and I had to bring him in personally.”

“Hey there, Arima.”

“Arima… I know. I once went to see a show with my wife.”

“Oh- really? Thanks!”

Sten seemed quite surprised to learn that Arima, the world’s most renowned magician, was an executive of an evil organization. But the shock didn’t last long; as combatants of said organization, Sten instantly complied with Arima’s orders.

“What can I do?”

“Your task, Sten, is the same as last time. I just need you to use your ability, ah- not right now. I’ll specify how you use it, so there’s nothing to worry about…”

And with a whoosh, the experiment began.

The basic structure was like this: track the corpse of the dragon, presumably the original owner of the Dragon Heart, to find Ardenia’s coordinates.

“How are you planning to find it?”

“I hope for a revolutionary method to suddenly pop up and succeed, but… if that doesn’t happen, we’ll have to stick to very traditional and scientific methods.”

“Scientific methods?”

“Trial and error.”

Experiment 1.

Slice a piece off the Dragon Heart and use magic to return to its rightful owner. Track it down to obtain the coordinates.

Failed.

“Not even a flicker of activation.”

“What kind of case is this?”

“Maybe it’s too far away, or the owner doesn’t exist?”

“In that case, it must be the former. Surely, if it’s a dragon’s heart, we should be looking for the dragon’s corpse to confirm…”

Experiment 13.

I realized that it wasn’t just the distance that was an issue. Just as I couldn’t find any trace of Earth in this world, it became clear that this place was indeed a separate world altogether.

Experiment 27.

I opted to try using the Haven-Kreutz theory to make a hole in the world and from there, search for Ardenia. Selecting just one Ardenia from countless bubble worlds would be as tricky as finding a needle in a desert, but fortunately, Arima had a magic spell to handle this problem.

A spell to find lost items, which Arima casually said could solve this issue with a rather low-level magic. The odds of finding a needle in a bucket of sand had been ramped up to the level of finding a needle in a pile of sand. Honestly, it was a simple grind from here.

Experiment 333.

It seemed the boss was starting to catch on that we were slacking off. Judging by how she hounded us daily asking what we were up to…

Experiment 2531.

I successfully pinpointed Ardenia. While I couldn’t yet influence that world, the mere fact that I could observe it was proof that we could interact with each other.

Now all that was left was simple grunt work. Just trial and error remains.

Experiment 12515.

I succeeded in sending an object the size of a finger to the other side.

A pig’s head, while strolling, was spotted startled by a sausage falling from the sky.

“─Sten! Hold it a little longer!”

“Ungh-!”

As Sten utilized his ability to stabilize the space, Arima cast magic inside that locked space. The newly created material inside the khokd space had to push the space outward by that volume.

Yet it was impossible to pierce through a stable space. Eventually, the space started to tear in the preordained direction. Zzzzzzz — an inaudible spiritual noise echoed through.

The torn space was gripped tightly by a pre-made fissure holder, and the resulting open space brightly illuminated what was supposedly Ardenia, Arima’s homeland.

“Ahh…… my Ardenia-.”

Arima gazed beyond with an expression of incredulity. Perhaps the people who lost their families in North and South Korea did not feel such an intensity when reunited with their loved ones.

They lost family, but this outsider had lost their entire world. Family, friends, loved ones, the life and history they built were all contained in that world.

‘Finally succeeded… and just as the research funds were running low.’

At the feat number 17,321.

At the end of countless experiments.

I had, at long last, opened the door to return to another world.

Magic, superpowers, and science had triumphed.