Mugen-san's story sounded like something from another dimension to me, even after my own experiences with that other world.

I mean, talk of the future is even more uncertain than talk of another world; to put it bluntly, one can "say whatever they want" about it. There is no guarantee it is the truth.

And yet, the content rang true.

Part of it was because I had already heard, back when I first met Diana, that the "Special Guidance" draws fate toward itself.

But if that was the case—

"But, Mugen-san, you cleared that 'Special Guidance,' didn't you? Aren't you living with your High Elf wife right now?"

He had certainly said as much.

If it was achieved, then wouldn't the wish of "Kaguya," the First Generation A.I., have been granted?

"Mmm... well, that's the thing. It was different. The Guidance was achieved, but that didn't mean the 'wish' was granted. It was only in a limited sense... only my wife's wish took form and was granted."

"What does that mean?"

Were there different types of Special Guidance?

Then again, even if they say a High Elf is the same person, they are technically different individuals...? No, are they different? I didn't really get it.

"There's a young High Elf with you right now, isn't there?"

"Yes. She says she's 21. Though she claims it herself, so it might not be reliable."

"No, her age is likely accurate. The 'Special Guidance' usually appears while they're still young."

"Is that so?"

High Elves are born from the same individual.

So that means that right now, there is a female High Elf who served as the basis for Diana somewhere.

"This is just my own theory, but if the 'Special Guidance' were truly achieved—if 'Kaguya's' wish were granted—then a new High Elf shouldn't be born. The wish would already be fulfilled, after all. There would be no point in continuing the cycle."

Is that so?

I don't really understand, but... it made sense.

"However, a new High Elf was born. Or rather, after the 'Special Guidance' of my time was cleared, the High Elf powers returned to my wife's Predecessor Body."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"In other words, my wife became independent as a separate line from the main High Elf lineage."

If that's the case, then Diana would be an individual born anew from Mugen-san's wife's previous body...

Does that make Diana and Mugen-san's wife sisters? Or, strictly speaking, are they the same person? Or clones? No point thinking too hard about it.

"So, at that moment, there were two female High Elves in that world. Well, we came over here within a few years, so it was only for a brief period."

"Does that mean independence was the dream? Your wife's dream?"

"No, that's not it. A High Elf's dream is fundamentally 'to live for eternity with the one they love.' It's because that wish was granted that I've continued to live with her all this time."

Was Mugen-san a man with literal infinite life? Because his name was "Mugen" (Infinite)?

"That's exactly why I want to warn you. About the meaning of having an infinite life. Though, personally, I'd be happy to have a comrade."

Infinite life.

Considering Mugen-san's youth, he must have stopped aging ever since the Guidance was achieved.

I had no way of knowing what immortality was truly like.

"...Just kidding."

Mugen-san chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Huh?"

"Sorry, the truth is, it's not an infinite life. There's a proper limit."

"Is that so? But didn't the Guidance make it that way?"

"In that world... perhaps. I likely could have lived forever there. But on the Earth of this era, Spirit Power and Magic Power are almost non-existent. Especially Spirit Power. In reality, I'll probably be able to die in another 300 years or so. In fact, I've aged quite a bit over these last 150 years."

"Even so, 300 years..."

"Just knowing it isn't eternal makes it completely different."

If that was the case, an "infinite" life didn't seem so bad.

Wait, Mugen-san has already lived here for 150 years, so if I were to obtain infinite life now, it would be 450 years? That's too long...

"Well, in any case, your situation is different from mine. The High Elf with you probably won't be able to come to this world."

Right. That's a fundamental problem.

"I mean, how did you come to this world in the first place, Mugen-san...? I know you said you went back a thousand years, but did you come back another thousand years from there?"

He had said he made a mirror and came through... That much I understood.

But beings from the other world couldn't pass through that mirror.

Even being able to see this world or not made a difference.

Leaving Mugen-san aside, his High Elf wife wouldn't have been able to cross so easily.

There were still too many things I didn't understand.

"Well, that's a long story too..."

We had already been talking for two hours.

For me, the most important thing was whether the mirror could be repaired, and it seemed that would somehow work out.

Still, I wanted to hear Mugen-san's story.

Partly because he's the only person in this world I know who has been to that other world.

After thinking for a moment, Mugen-san spoke.

"Well, let's save the details for when my wife is here. For now, you should be convinced that I'm the real Archmage. Besides, either way, the mirror can't be fixed without my wife's power."

"I don't mind that at all. When would be convenient for you?"

"Let's see. A night when the Spirit Power is strongest would be best. The night of the next full moon would be ideal."

"The full moon? Is there a connection between Spirit Power and the full moon?"

What exactly is spirit power again? He said something about manipulating causality, but I don't really get what that means.

Magic power is magic power, so I can sort of grasp that.

"Spirit power is the force that twists causality. Spirit magic is magic that twists causality. Doing something that troublesome is best left to the night... right?"

"Huh? That's the reason?"

"Just kidding, of course. I can't tell people of this era the truth. Even if I did, they'd probably have a hard time understanding."

"I see..."

Well, if it's a technical issue from the future, I suppose I don't need to be taught.

The only important thing was that the night of the full moon was supposedly good. I pulled out my smartphone.

The next full moon was...

"...It looks like it's in 5 days, the next full moon. It's soon; will that work for you? I have no plans, of course."

"Yeah, that day works. For me and my wife, it'll probably be the most important business we've had in a hundred years."

That much? I guess immortality really is boring.

No, they're probably living in hiding... I mean, what do they do about their family registry and stuff? Well, I could leave those questions for next time.

Besides, 5 days was incredibly soon, and I was glad he agreed. If I had to wait for the full moon after that, I might not have been able to stand the wait.

"...By the way, there's one last thing I want to ask."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Why are you being so kind to me?"

He had come all the way to Shizuoka, and now he and his wife were going to come again just to fix the mirror.

Of course, I was prepared to pay for travel expenses and such, but even so.

Mugen-san started to say, "It's nothing like that..." but then he grew slightly serious.

"It's because it happened with a mirror I made. Besides, you showed me a lot of nostalgic scenery. There were also things I wanted to convey regarding the High Elf... More than anything, I just wanted to talk about that world like this. For the past 150 years, I could only talk about it with my wife. If you want a reason—let's just say I'd like to extend some courtesy to someone who knows my homeland."

Homeland, huh...

It might be rude to say, but Mugen-san had abandoned his home planet and come to Earth. And while living a long life, he couldn't return to that other world.

He had said life in this world wasn't bad... but since he had arrived 2,000 years earlier than the era he was aiming for, he must have faced many hardships.

In the midst of that, knowing there was someone who had crossed over to the other side and was apparently in trouble, he might have felt like doing them a favor.

* * *

When I got home, I plopped down heavily in my room.

First, I wrote a letter.

—That I had met the Great Archmage of Phantasms.

—That the mirror might actually be fixable.

—That we needed spirit stones and magic crystals.

—That it was scheduled to be fixed in five days.

I wrote all of that.

But I couldn't bring myself to write anything more.

Rather, I lacked the confidence to explain it well in a letter, and it would have ended up filled with words that were still too difficult for Aurica to understand.

When I sent the letter, Diana immediately ran to deliver it to Aurica.

Aurica, who was in the middle of cooking, stopped and began deciphering it. She still has many words she doesn't know. It takes her some time to read.

After reading the translated letter from Aurica, Diana started sobbing again.

It seemed Aurica was holding the mirror, positioning it so that Diana's figure was reflected back at me... To think that the identity of this Diana—who cries and rejoices for my sake—is that of an android.

"Yeah, it doesn't matter at all..."

It didn't matter one bit.

Not even enough to stop me from swearing eternal love to her.

* * *

By evening, everyone had returned, and the news that the mirror could be fixed was announced.

I watched everyone celebrate through the mirror.

Perhaps because of Mugen-san's story, the world reflected in the mirror felt even more distant...

A mirror connected to a planet that isn't Earth, 2,000 years into the future... It's a world so far away that it's almost dizzying. So much so that it felt like a miracle the connection still existed at all.

I looked at Diana in the mirror.

For the first time in a while, she had a bright expression. Her profile was beautiful, even with the spirit crests glowing across her skin.

Talking with Mugen-san had left me with one major question.

—Why me?

I had no basis for it. The reason was a complete mystery.

Maybe it was just a coincidence. But he called it destiny.

Wheel of Fate: 9/10.

The "Special Guidance" that would be achieved with just one more step.

I don't remember when this guidance first appeared.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't there at the very beginning... when I first received my blessing.

Back then, it wasn't called the "Wheel of Fate"; it was displayed as something mysterious like "???:???."

Then... I think it was after the bet with Efta involving the Elves, and after the party gave a gift to the mayor (technically Bill-shi giving the necklace to Milkpearl-san), right when we finally had a moment to breathe.

Come to think of it—

I wrote another letter. It was addressed to Diana.

"When was the first time you saw me?"

I sent the question through.

The reply came immediately.

"As I told you before, it was at Erishe's 50th anniversary party. You had the face of someone who had accomplished something, nodesu. At that moment, I was certain you were my destined person."

Now that I think about it, she did say long ago that the first time she saw me was at that party. And back then, she used an indecipherable word, saying she was certain I was her "something."

Were the words she mumbled back then "my destined person"...?

And at that moment—when Diana first saw me—fate must have connected us.

* * *

The five days until the next full moon passed agonizingly slowly, yet also in the blink of an eye.

I successfully gathered the ten Spirit Stones, and I had the Magic Crystals ready.

Finally, on the evening of the promised day.

Mugen-san arrived at the meeting spot in a car.

"A Land Cruiser 60... seriously?"

The Toyota Land Cruiser—one of the most famous SUVs in the world. And it was an old 60-series... I'm pretty sure those were from the 1980s.

Wait, does he have a license? Or is there a chance he's driving without one...?

Mugen-san hopped out of the car with a flourish.

He looked incredibly wild. He didn't look like someone about to use magic to fix a mirror at all.

And then—

"So you're Ayase-san."

A woman stepped out from the passenger seat.

A beautiful woman with skin so pale it seemed translucent, platinum-blonde hair cut neatly at her neck, and a knit cap pulled low enough to hide her ears.

"Nice to meet you. I believe you've heard about me from him... I'm Selene, the High Elf. I'm looking forward to working with you today."

Selene-san smiled gently.

The sheer unreality of being introduced to a High Elf in this corner of Shizuoka made me feel like I was about to burst out laughing.

That's how much of a High Elf she was.

Not just "elves exist"—she was unmistakably an elf, no matter how you looked at her.

If the denizens of the Fairy Board saw her, they'd probably keel over.

"Ah, um, likewise, pleased to meet you."

"Fufu, you look surprised. I could have used a magic tool to change my appearance, though."

Selene-san laughed mischievously.

She was supposed to be the same entity as Diana, and while they looked alike, they were definitely different people. A large part of that was probably because I'd never seen Diana's face without her spirit crests. But if someone told me they were sisters, I'd believe it.

"...I wondered why you were chosen. But now that I've met you, I understand. You resemble him... No, rather, he resembles you."

"Him...? You mean Mugen-san?"

No way, we don't look alike at all.

Mugen-san is clearly a handsome guy with foreign features.

And I have a completely ordinary Japanese face!

"Ah... no, sorry. Not him. I mean someone else. I call him 'the Lord of Memories'. There's a commemorative photograph at my family home. You should take a look sometime."

"Uh... sure..."

By "family home," she probably meant the High Elf residence in the elven village.

Well, I intended to go there eventually anyway, so I'll try to remember to look for it.

* * *

After that, we rode in Mugen-san's car to my house.

My mother was out on the night shift, so the timing was perfect. We parked the Land Cruiser in a nearby coin parking lot and headed inside.

Inviting people I didn't know well into my home felt somewhat scary and uncomfortable... It's not that I didn't trust them, but that's a separate issue.

Maybe it's because I'm bad at communication, or maybe I'm just afraid of people.

Either way, I invited them into my room.

"It's a bit cramped, but please sit wherever. Ah—this is the mirror."

I handed the mirror to Mugen-san.

Diana was reflected in it.

"This is our High Elf... Diana."

Mugen-san picked up the mirror, and Selene-san peered in from the side.

"I see. She looks just like Selene did."

"Well, obviously. She's my sister... Though I can't see the other side myself."

Apparently, Selene-san couldn't see through it.

"You can see the other side, Mugen-san?"

"Only see it, that's all."

He said that coming to this world required considerable strain.

Apparently, he deceived the god who governs that world and somehow slipped through the mirror.

"...So, how is it? Does it look like it can be fixed?"

On the other side of the mirror, Diana and the others should have all been gathered.

When I sent the letter, I had instructed them to place the mirror in its original spot in the basement.

"Yes. This should be fine. The domain of the mirror has simply shrunk; the function itself remains intact."

"For real!?"

"For real. Though it's been a long time since either of us has used magic. Still, I think it'll be fine."

Despite her words, she had a confident look on her face.

It was currently 10:00 PM.

We opened the window so the full moon was clearly visible, and the preparations for the spell began.

"I'm just providing simple support with sorcery, so we're almost entirely dependent on Spirit Magic."

"Is that so? I thought you'd fix it with that skill of yours?"

Didn't he say he made the mirror using a skill and spirit magic?

"I can't use skills anymore. I discarded my blessing."

"Oh. Right..."

"Yeah. One of the conditions for an NPC to leave that world is abandoning their blessing."

I see...

Well, that makes sense... Receiving a blessing means being tied to a god. It would be difficult to deceive a god under those conditions.

Mugen-san was a Unique Vocation holder with five different Vocations, so that must have been an incredibly bold choice.

"You've probably never heard the name of my skill, right? I kept it secret because revealing it would halve its power."

"A skill? The Unique Skill of 'The Archmage of Phantasms'?"

"Correct. The skill name is 'Skyscraper of Mirages: The Fata Morgana.' A skill that can produce infinite illusions. In short, it's a skill specialized in pure bluffing."

Mugen-san laughed self-deprecatingly.

I thought it sounded like a pretty amazing skill, though.

"This mirror is my realistic mental image of a 'Login Port to Earth,' anchored by Spirit Magic. In other words, it's an illusion made real. That's why, now that I don't have the skill, it would have been over if the port function had died... but we were lucky."

Lucky—or unlucky.

I suppose it was a blessing in disguise. If the end result was meeting Mugen-san, then maybe it was for the best.

"All right, preparations are complete. Let's get started."

Selene-san took off her knit cap, revealing her long ears.

She even rolled up her sleeves—completely fired up.

"Let me absorb just one spirit stone first. Pure spirit power for the first time in 150 years..."

Come to think of it, don't Elves have "that day" if they're left alone?

I wondered if Mugen-san was attacked every time that happened...

"Fufu, Elves are mostly fine as long as they don't use spirit power. In this world, there's no problem as long as I get plenty of moonlight. Though... I did use spirit magic occasionally."

As if seeing through my thoughts, Selene-san spoke up... That was a bit embarrassing.

Emitting a faint light, Selene-san drew spirit power out of the Spirit Stone.

In the other world, spirit power is replenished naturally, so she said this was her first time using a Spirit Stone in such a luxurious way. It was like a story about using bundles of cash for warmth because there was no firewood.

"All right. Now we're really ready. Jean, you good?"

Jean? Oh—Mugen-san.

"Ready. It's been a really long time since I drew mana from a Magic Crystal, though."

"Then, here we go."

In front of the mirror fragment, the Spirit Stone "Heavenly Lapis Ultramarine" was placed to form a path.

The other stones were all for replenishing Selene-san's spirit power.

Mugen-san's job was apparently to adjust the mirror's frame with sorcery. If he didn't do that, there was a risk the size would explode to massive proportions.

Selene-san chanted an incantation, and a cherry-blossom-colored light filled the room.

A massive spirit spell, powered by ten Spirit Stones, was cast.

Magic that twists causality brought back what had once been lost.

After a long, long time.

After a flash of brilliance that was especially blinding.

There stood the mirror, restored to its original form.

—And inside the mirror, I could see everyone jumping for joy.