-17- [ Otherworld ]

What is the world?

Time is the world.

Space is the boundary.

It is everything.

It is all.

Although in general, the so-called world refers to the planet on which humanity lives, in different time and space, it is still a world.

Heaven and earth.

The human world.

The mortal world.

Even all things.

These are all worlds.

Therefore, the term "Otherworld" naturally refers to a world different from the current time and space where Rozen currently resides.

It could be a parallel world that is similar but with a different historical development from the current world.

It could be a completely different world, not even observable by Chaldea, a world that magicians can't even imagine.

Even the existence of the "human body" can be considered a microcosmic world that cannot be sensed by the individual.

In Buddhism, there is even the concept of "one grain of sand, one world."

From this, we can see how vast the concept of "world" is.

And the existence of the "Miracle," apart from imparting all the knowledge of summoning arts from ancient times to Rozen, its only other function is to open the gate to these Otherworlds.

"Otherworld, huh..."

Rozen touched the ring worn on his finger, already feeling like an extension of his flesh, soul, and self, and couldn't help but doubt.

"Are there really other worlds?"

If it refers only to parallel worlds, Rozen wouldn't find it strange.

Chaldea occasionally observes the existence of parallel worlds besides different eras.

If they had the intention, with Chaldea's technology, it wouldn't be impossible to transfer through Spiritron to parallel worlds.

At least theoretically, using Spiritron transfer could achieve the goal of reaching parallel worlds.

However, the information imparted to him by 〈Miracle〉made Rozen realize that this ring's capabilities were not limited to that.

Even if it was a completely different world from the current one, a world that magicians couldn't even imagine or observe, it was still possible to reach it.

Therefore, Rozen couldn't help but doubt.

"Are there really worlds like that?"

That is what Rozen doubted.

As for the ability of 〈Miracle〉to open the gate to the Otherworld, Rozen did not doubt.

Because...

"Opening the Otherworld of 'Souls' has already been done..."

Yes.

Opening the Otherworld of "Souls" had already been accomplished.

That happened three years ago.

〈Miracle〉bestowed Rozen with knowledge of various summoning arts throughout history, including ancient and even divine-era magic, as long as it belonged to the "summoning" system, it was all included.

For example, during a simulated battle, Rozen used the magic of 〈Bird Summoning〉that could summon avian familiars and 〈Wolf Summoning〉that could summon wolf familiars.

Although both were only low-level summoning magics, if Rozen had been studying magic for more than three years, he might have already learned high-level summoning magics, possibly summoning fantastical creatures that only existed in the past ages.

In fact, even now, Rozen can only use three types of magic to summon middle-level familiars. But the knowledge obtained from 〈Miracle〉is enough to support him in honing his skills to the extent that he can summon top-level familiars, and even eventually learn 〈Heroic Spirit Summoning〉, achieving a miracle that only he can accomplish single-handedly, surpassing the mysterious powers of Chaldea.

If modern magicians were aware of this, it would drive those desperate for magical knowledge and mysteries insane.

Given this, except for Roman, no one else, including Mash, knows that Rozen possesses 〈Miracle〉. This was Roman's instruction to Rozen.

Rozen remembers that when he showed Roman the existence of 〈Miracle〉, Roman stared at the ring with an unusual seriousness and solemnity for a long time before giving his instructions.

"No matter what, you must not let a third person know about the existence of this ring, understand?"

That was the first and last time Roman instructed Rozen with such a commanding tone.

So, Rozen did not inform even Mash, and he always wore gloves to conceal the existence of 〈Miracle〉, keeping it hidden until now.

From this, it's evident that if the existence of 〈Miracle〉were revealed, the resulting consequences would be disastrous.

And three years ago, after Rozen received all the knowledge from 〈Miracle〉and began to learn summoning magic, summoning his first familiar, the power of the ring manifested.

"By opening the gate to the 'Souls' and treating the familiar as a pure record, like a magical circuit, inscribed within my body..."

Rozen murmured, revealing this miracle.

This is the power possessed by 〈Miracle〉.

Rozen is also very familiar with a similar phenomenon—the Heroic Spirits.

Heroic Spirits are records inscribed on the Throne, existing outside the world.

What 〈Miracle〉does is quite similar.

Any successfully summoned familiar by Rozen will be recorded in his soul due to the power of 〈Miracle〉.

In other words, Rozen's soul acts as the Throne for the familiar he summons.

Thanks to this, any familiar successfully summoned by Rozen can be summoned again with ease by expending a certain amount of magical energy, even if the familiar dies. He can continue to summon them by expending magical energy and has absolute control over them. No matter how absurd the orders, the familiar will unquestioningly obey.

In contrast, other magicians, even if they can successfully summon a familiar, might not necessarily be able to control it. And once the familiar dies, except for certain exceptions, they lose it forever.

This is the only effect displayed by 〈Miracle〉, and after that, every time Rozen successfully summons a new familiar, this effect automatically occurs.

According to Roman's explanation...

"Perhaps 〈Miracle〉is a symbiotic existence with your soul, which is why it cannot be taken off, lost, or destroyed. And because of this, only the 'Souls' world is continuously open without needing your effort."

This was Roman's speculation, which he told Rozen after knowing about this matter.

Apart from that, if Rozen wants to open the gates to other parallel worlds, he would need to use the power of 〈Miracle〉himself.

Rozen already knows the method of using it.

However, Rozen has never used this power even once.

Not only because opening the gates to other parallel worlds would come with different costs depending on the world, but also because Rozen still cannot fully believe that completely different worlds from this one truly exist.

Even if they do exist, what kind of worlds are they?

Is it really safe to go there?

Such considerations have kept Rozen from deciding to use the power of 〈Miracle〉.

"Being able to summon various familiars and even being summoned by various worlds... The 'Summoner of Miracle'... is that me?"

Recalling Roman's teasing and bittersweet evaluation of himself, Rozen rubbed his forehead.

"The current world is already enough for me to handle. Who knows what it's like in other parallel worlds?"

After saying that, Rozen put the gloves back on, hiding the unique miracle of the world once again, and lay back on the bed.

This Rozen was unaware of one thing.

On this very day, fate began to turn.