Chapter 23

Episode 23. Mirror, Mirror

***

After joining the Foundation, I collected various supernatural phenomena. These phenomena, in one way or another, were helping me and the Director’s Office.

Supernatural Phenomenon H-1124, me.

Supernatural Phenomenon O-2370, the Crystal Clock.

Supernatural Phenomenon O-714, an ordinary laptop.

Of course, I am me.

The Crystal Clock contains the soul of Dr. Lee, a veteran of the Foundation, and the problematic laptop allows communication with staff from a destroyed dimension.

And today, another supernatural phenomenon entered the Director’s Office. This time, it was a fresh, brand-new phenomenon without even a serial number yet.

The Mirror of Parallels, which had been lying in a museum warehouse in Gyeonggi Province.

If the laptop is to be believed, this mirror could allow us to see beings from other dimensions. Or maybe it lets us see the future?

Currently, the Mirror of Parallels hangs in the center of the meeting room. It hasn’t shown any activity or supernatural characteristics yet.

But the Research Department confirmed its supernatural properties. So, we should at least take a look.

Advisor An, Advisor Cha.

Administrator Lee.

Nanami.

The Crystal Clock.

The laptop.

And me.

Seven of us are gathered in the meeting room. All seven are chattering noisily. My Crystal Clock is ticking away in my pocket.

“This is the Mirror of Parallels.”

The fruit of this operation.

***

“Is this the mirror?”

[Is that it? The mirror that shows the future or the multiverse?]

“The Safe Artifact Management Department’s inspection results are here. Aside from occasionally seeing people inside, no supernatural characteristics have been confirmed, and it’s considered non-hazardous.”

[So, this is what you brought from the museum?]

“Is it a hostile group’s work? I heard ‘Reality’s Image’ is a group of artists who create dangerous works. Couldn’t this be dangerous too?”

“The Research Department confirmed it.”

“They only checked it for a few days. Couldn’t there be elements the Research Department missed or overlooked?”

[It seems to be the supernatural phenomenon I mentioned. If we’re lucky, we might be able to see our counterparts from other dimensions. It could help prevent the apocalypse.]

“Oh, really? I didn’t know Dr. Kim was so good in the field. Do you think so too, Nanami?”

“He was as competent as a Special Forces Science Officer.”

“Administrator Lee, have you seen something like this before? This is my first time. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a supernatural phenomenon without a serial number.”

“Me neither, Advisor Cha.”

“Wait, I think I saw myself in the mirror. Or was it just me?”

“Probably just a reflection. Look again.”

“Dr. Kim, don’t you have any equipment to observe this? Has the Research Department already done everything?”

“Dr. Kim?”

“Dr. Kim, are you okay?”

***

I’m fine, but my head hurts.

“Let’s get to work now.”

I got up from my seat.

Honestly, my colleagues from the Director’s Office weren’t much help.

I shook them off and headed to the lab with the Mirror of Parallels. Maybe things will be different if I look at it alone.

A vintage mirror about a meter tall. Someone had wrapped it in plastic to keep it from breaking.

Hoo.

I sat down and stared at my reflection in the mirror. The reflection staring back at me was quite different from what I remembered.

I don’t even need to go to another dimension.

I am a supernatural phenomenon myself. The reflection in the mirror is also abnormal, fitting for a supernatural phenomenon.

The appearance of a young woman who hasn’t fully shed her youthful look. Of course, that’s not my real appearance.

It’s just a result of the supernatural phenomenon.

After waiting for a while, nothing special happened. A supernatural phenomenon we risked our lives to retrieve turned out to be a dud. Disappointing compared to what I expected.

Especially when I think about how many people risked their lives fighting in the museum.

“Hey.”

“……?”

I was about to get up but turned my head instead.

“Supernatural Phenomenon H-1124. Look at me.”

The voice coming from the mirror was mine.

Not exactly the same. Upon closer inspection, the emblem on the lab coat’s shoulder and the round glasses were different from mine.

But that was definitely me.

Though I didn’t like the look of it.

“Nice to meet you. Shall we talk?”

***

The me from the other side of the mirror had a different personality.

Quite different. More noisy, cheerful, and bold. Seeing my face act like that was a bit annoying.

“Ah, that laptop. The laptop can communicate with other dimensions, but it’s not me. It can’t be exactly the same.”

“True.”

“Anything you’re curious about?”

I thought for a moment.

“Starting with the emblem on your shoulder. You’re not with the Foundation? If not, where do you work?”

“I’m a Science Officer with the International Supernatural Management Organization Peacekeeping Force, under the United Nations. You seem to be with the Foundation.”

I had thought about it.

If there are hostile groups, there must be friendly ones too. Even though the Foundation is large, it must have some agreement with the Korean government to operate in Korea.

A UN-affiliated supernatural management organization existing in another dimension isn’t strange. At least, it’s no stranger than the Foundation’s existence.

“True.”

“The Foundation is the villain. Their methods might be the strongest and most efficient, but they’re not right. You know that too.”

“Could be.”

I’ve thought about it a few times, but that’s not important now. I need to confirm the information about the apocalypse the laptop mentioned.

“The laptop said you could help prevent the apocalypse. Do you know anything about it?”

“Hmm… Here’s the thing. Interdimensional communication or travel is fundamentally impossible. There are subspaces like gardens or studies that act as waypoints. But any form of communication with another dimension means the barriers of reality are thinning.”

“Really?”

“That’s what the Theoretical Physics and Miracle Studies Divisions say. I don’t know if it’s true. But in my experience, multidimensional communication usually comes from dimensions on the brink of destruction.”

“Ah…”

“Same here.”

“What’s going on?”

“The reason my world was destroyed—”

The person on the other side suddenly looked back.

“Hey, sorry, I gotta go. I might come back with helpful information. Next time, bring a recording device.”

I nodded.

“Right. I don’t know what you want to achieve, but if you’re with the Foundation, ask Supernatural Phenomenon L-393, the Wishing Well. It might not give you what you want, but it’s worth asking.”

The Wishing Well?

That name sounds familiar.

The mirror darkened again.

The questions keep piling up. Even after discussing with others, there’s no easy solution. To be precise, no matter how much I dig, the curiosity remains unresolved.

Where does the multidimensional laptop connect to? What about the Mirror of Parallels? Who are the hostile groups, and who were those people in the museum? And the apocalypse other-dimensional beings keep mentioning.

Of course.

There is one solution. Go to the empty Director’s Office and ask that damn phone connected to headquarters.

[Ask the phone?]

The Crystal Clock asked.

[There’s a lot to do. We need to check Popo again, finish the museum operation report as much as possible. Sorry I can’t help much.]

“It’s okay.”

[All good, but let’s start by looking into your past. You said it’s not your first time working with the Foundation, so there must be records.]

Riddles, just solve them one by one.

If we keep searching, someday we’ll reach the truth.

***

[Supernatural Phenomenon Discovery Report]

[Author: Kim Bari]

[Temporary Name: Mirror of Parallels]

[Classification: Object-Type Supernatural Phenomenon]

[Risk Level: Safe]

[It’s an old-looking mirror.]

[When you look into this mirror, your reflection might move. This allows communication with your counterpart from another dimension.]

[Discovered in a museum in Korea, it seems related to a specific supernatural group. But the connection hasn’t been proven.]

[A newly discovered supernatural phenomenon, not much experimentation has been done yet. The following experiments have been conducted.]

[The Safe Artifact Management Department took the phenomenon for testing. No reality adjustment, no spacetime distortion, no tachyon reaction.]

[This mirror doesn’t properly reflect anything except people. It seems to have most of the mirror’s physical characteristics, but confirmation is impossible without destructive methods.]

[Successful communication with something thought to be from another dimension. No significant information was obtained, but it seems possible soon.]

[Will add more as new facts are revealed.]