As part of everyday life (1)

From Shirone's perspective, not much time had passed. After entering the Immortal Function, he met the woman and escaped through the black hole. However, in reality, ten days had already gone by.

Shirone awkwardly raised his hand with a smile.

"Haha. Hello?"

"Hello? Idiot!"

"Ouch!"

Amy slapped Shirone in the face. Although there was no real impact, Shirone, who was pushed back onto the bed by the force, looked back with a tearful expression.

"Ouch! Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

Amy shed tears like raindrops.

"Bad boy, making us worry like this... Bad boy!"

Shirone had an expressionless face. Everything was urgent and confusing. But soon he realized something and gave a warm smile. Amy's tears told him what had happened during that time.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault..."

"Shirone's back!"

Neid and Eruki pushed Amy forward and buried Shirone in the bed. Amy, unintentionally embraced by Shirone, screamed with a flushed face.

"Kyaa! Hey, get away!"

"Ouch! It hurts! It hurts!"

Shirone also screamed in pain. In fact, it was more embarrassing than painful. Feeling that he wouldn't be able to look at Amy later, he twisted his body forcefully, causing his friends to fall to the ground.

"Phew, what's going on?"

Sitting on the bed, Shirone looked like a refugee who had been bombed. On the floor, Amy, who had fallen, rubbed her sore back and scolded Neid and Eruki.

"What a welcome. Youth is truly amazing."

Shirone looked at Alpeas and noticed his expression. The fact that he was there alone demonstrated how serious the situation had been.

Shirone curiously asked Neid a question.

"What happened to Arcane? And the others? What the hell happened?"

Neid, who had been scolded by Amy, shouted with a ridiculous expression.

"That's not the issue right now! You've been dead for 10 days."

"What? 10 days? Dead too?"

"Of course, idiot! How can you be alive if your heart doesn't beat? Explain what happened."

Shirone couldn't speak for a while, as if in shock. He knew he had to tell what he had experienced, but he didn't know where to start.

The infirmary door opened, and the teachers entered. Siena was surprised to see Shirone awake. Of course, she had been desperately praying for him to come back to life, but the shock was still great when she saw it actually happen.

She couldn't wake up from the infinite like Shirone, but she vaguely guessed how terrible and painful it was for a human to return from a state of mental disintegration.

"Thank you for coming back anyway."

Siena looked at Ethella with a smile. She had been tormented for ten days by a huge sense of guilt. As expected, she approached Shirone with a face that seemed like she would cry at any moment.

"Shirone."

"Teacher, I'm sorry. I did it again..."

Without giving Shirone a chance to finish, Ethella hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault. If I had paid more attention, this wouldn't have happened again."

For his friends, it seemed like a beautiful hug between teachers, but from Shirone's perspective, it was unbearable. Ethella hugged him so tightly that he couldn't breathe. Besides feeling embarrassed, he felt like he was actually suffocating.

"Um, teacher..."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, but please forgive me."

"Oh God!"

As a choking sound came from Shirone, Ethella quickly let go.

"I'm sorry. I was too happy and didn't realize..."

Shirone gasped, his face turning purple. However, this sensation was also part of being alive. He smiled, realizing that he had truly come back.

"Now it finally seems like I'm back."

Seeing his friends' narrowed eyes, Shirone realized his mistake and quickly waved his hands.

"No, I didn't mean that. I mean, this is..."

"You little rascal, what's with that?"

Amy ran up and pinched Shirone's cheek.

"Why? Am I not realistic enough? Huh?"

"No, I didn't mean that!"

Neid and Eruki burst into laughter. Alpeas observed Shirone interacting happily with his friends and then secretly sneaked out of the infirmary. From now on, he would be the busiest person.

"Director."

When Shirone closed the infirmary door and approached, Alpeas turned around.

"What's wrong? You should rest for a while. Listen to your friends about the progress. Anyway, the academy will most likely be closed for a while."

"Thank you for caring. But... there's something I'm curious about."

"What? Why are you curious?"

Shirone recounted everything he had experienced, from the moment he entered the realm of infinity to the return to the original world through the black hole.

At first, Alpeas listened with interest. However, as the narrative progressed, his face hardened. Especially when Shirone explained the woman's ability, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Did that woman say she knew me?"

"Yes. She told me to send her regards, director. It's a vague memory, but I think that's what I heard."

Shirone wondered if he had brought up something unnecessary. Alpeas' expression was much worse than he had expected.

"I see. I think I know who she is."

"Really? Do you know her?"

Shirone widened his eyes in surprise. Although Alpeas was an exceptional mage, the woman had been in a place beyond life. It was a strange coincidence that both, living in different worlds, had met.

However, Alpeas' thoughts were different. It wasn't a coincidence but a necessity. Shirone's encounter with her had been predetermined from the moment he realized the Immortal Function.

"Who is she exactly?"

"Arias Miro. Back then, she was called Miro, the Mage of Space and Time. She was my student and specialized in Scale Magic."

Shirone had an expressionless face. He never dreamed that he would be Alpeas' student. He was especially surprised to learn that his ability, which he thought was a divine power, was actually magic.

"What is Scale Magic?"

As Alpeas chose his words to explain, he scratched his eyebrow.

"Shirone, in magical society, those who have reached the Immortal Function are called Unlockers."

"Yes, I've heard of that."

"Then the story will be easier. Miro is also an Unlocker. From a very young age, she had an incredible curiosity. She delved deeper and deeper into a world larger than the universe and smaller than particles. Scale Magic is a magic that only those who have realized the infinity of space and time can use."

Shirone remembered his encounter with Miro. Indeed, her main ability, the crystal sphere, freely expressed the relativity of space and time.

"Miro said she had been watching me all the time. Is that possible?"

"You don't have to worry. Miro is in a different dimension from yours. However, when the Immortal Function is opened, she can momentarily reach the same dimension. Miro must have been waiting for that moment."

"But why did she specifically choose me? Unlockers are rare, but according to Arcane, there aren't so few. There must be many Unlockers with more talent than me."

Alpeas stroked his beard and hesitated. What he was about to say was an ultra-secret matter known only to teachers who had been working for more than 20 years.

"Miro is the founding president of the Supernatural Psychic Sciences Research Group."

Shirone remembered Miro's face. It was surprising that the person who founded the research group he belonged to had almost unchanged age, despite being a figure of almost 20 years.

"Miro wasn't obsessed with phenomena. She saw too many things that couldn't be explained through knowledge. She and her colleagues worked together to establish the research association in Istas. The current president of the Thormia Magic Association, Mikea Gaold, was also one of the founding members."

Shirone imagined the members at that time. According to Neid, the master key of the Istas Magic Warehouse was made by a Savant ability user, just like Eruki. It wasn't Miro or Gaold. He had an approximate idea of the talent of the founding members.

While Shirone lost himself in his thoughts, Alpeas recalled the events from 18 years ago. Miro was a kind girl. If it weren't for the incident that day. Realizing that there was a forgotten fact, he looked back at Shirone.

"Shirone, by any chance, do you know how many students there are in total?"

As if not expecting an answer, Alpeas continued.

"Of course, the total number always changes. Someone graduates, takes a leave of absence, or is sanctioned. But no matter how many students there are, there is always one person missing in this academy."

Alpeas turned his head to look out the window.

"Miro hasn't graduated. She's still in this academy."

Shirone swallowed hard. It was like hearing a ghost story passed down by the academies. But what did it mean that she was still there? Hadn't she said she lived in another dimension?

At that moment, the concept of Scale Magic came to Shirone's mind.

"So, could it be...?"

Alpeas nodded and said,

"Yes. Miro is in Istas. Of course, it's a higher dimension created by Scale Magic. People who know her call it the Upper Level."

Alpeas patted Shirone's shoulder.

"Shirone, promise me. Don't tell anyone what happened today. The Upper Level is not something you should get involved in. Never, ever get involved with the Upper Level. It could plunge the world into chaos."

Shirone couldn't immediately respond. The unknown world. Unlocker. Scale Magic. All that information shook his heart. Of course, he had no intention of recklessly venturing into dangerous places. However, saying that he would never get involved would be a lie in one way or another.

Alpeas sighed, as if he expected it.

"If you really want to know about Miro, I'll allow you to investigate the Kergo ruins. I'm not suggesting it just to appease you. Going directly to the Upper Level is too dangerous. So please, keep this promise."

Shirone finally nodded. There must have been a reason for Alpeas to be so adamant. And he also wanted to address things step by step.

"Okay. But it's creepy to think she's staying in Istas. I don't think I can sleep at the research group. She might appear suddenly."

"Don't worry. Miro will never leave the space she created."

Shirone tilted his head. This level of certainty meant that there must have been a way to prove it.

"But she's a person with incredible talent. Is there any special reason?"

Alpeas looked out the window with a sad expression. It wasn't a confident statement. But he knew that Miro would never return.

"For Miro, this world is... too painful."

Alpeas, Kanis, and Arin set off for the capital, Bashka, to be investigated by the Magic Association. According to the professors, the temporary suspension would continue until the Association made a decision.

Shirone was admitted to the infirmary. The medical staff decided to monitor his progress since his heart had been stopped for ten days. Shirone didn't want to do anything for a while, so he spent time with his friends.

"Shirone, I'm sorry. You must have been very upset."

Cerielle said with a tear-filled face. What she regretted most after recovering her memory was coldly pushing Shirone away when she bought him coffee.

"No, it's okay. It was because of the magic. You didn't do anything wrong, Senior Cerielle."

"Even so, how could I forget you?"

"It's okay. Don't worry too much."

Cerielle's eyes softened like a deer's.

"Shirone is very kind. What are we going to do now? Are you going to ask for my body?"

"Huh?"