The atmosphere had turned a little heavy after our talk, but Hinata, determio make the best of things, was still ging to my arm, chattering away happily about everything that had happened while I was away in London. Soon, we reached the site of the new Ring Gate, where Miyu and Sakura-sao dance, and everyone fell into sile the sight in front of us. Uh, Okay…

  “Useless. Why will yooou not work?” Hyath was fuming, her hair twisting and writhing like vihe tall ring of red and e mushrooms beside her, the tips glistening with faint purple spots, were shimmering with ruby energies from the geysers on the hill, but that was all, there was no transportation happening. As Hyath stamped her foot, the ground rippled, spiky fungal growths tearing free, rapidly growing, and dying before our eyes.

  As Sakura-san and Mayumi-san flinched back, their bodyguards taking a defensive position in front of them, I ughed nervously. “Don’t mind Hyath, she’s just… passionate about her work?” I said, trying to excuse her. “She certainly wouldn’t hurt you.”

  “That is right.” Motoko agreed. “I believe the pressure of this role is driving her beyoolera is a task of the greatest importance, right?”

  “That’s correct.” Miyu said, smiling a little, again impressih how much she had strengthened her will over the st month or so. “She doesn’t want to let you down.”

  “I’d rather have her on my side than not.” Natsumi agreed. “Hey Hyath, calm down!” she called. “It’ll be fine, we’re here!”

  Hyath cocked her head, turning, and on seeing us she stopped her furious capering, her silver-violet eyes glowing. Smoothing her maid-style Brigandine, she coughed, her face twisting into a smile. “Sooorry you had to see that, mistress Natsumi. And the other mistresses and Akiooo too. It is simply sooo frustrating. It makes me angry! Stupid mushrooooooms should do as I bid them! Akio he Gate to open!”

  “I want the Gate open too.” Hinata giggled. “Visiting London would be exg. But you shouldn’t be too angry. Haste makes waste. Besides… you’re sg them.”

  “I’m not scared.” Mayumi-san said imperiously, though the faint red in her face belied that. “I was just surprised is all. That’s right, isn’t it Sakura-san?”

  “e with me.” Miyu took Sakura-san’s hand before she could answer, and they headed for a ft space that had been cleared, the ground now yered with polished boards. “You’ll feel better when you dance. Besides, hasn’t our teacher praised your progress retly?”

  I see. The transformation of the Territory is really progressing, isn’t it? It wasn’t just the stage for dang, but proper training grounds for the troops as well as a duelling arena had been structed. Of course, most projects were on hold as the café on Asha’s Tree was being destructed, in preparation for ter, numerous ratkin, weaselkin and kobolds, as well as goblins and others taking down the wooden structures. Speaking of Asha, I saw her watg Hyath, and seeing us she came over, smiling at us.

  “Akio, you have returned. Will you be wishing for refreshments?”

  “That would be great. you get the girls something to settle their mood a little? So… Hyath is struggling?”

  Asha brought out a series of cups and filled them with fragrant juices. As the girls took them with pleasure, I waited for her answer. Asha and Hyath exged looks, Hyath looking a little downcast, before Asha shrugged. “I do not feel it is fair to bme Hyath. I am a Dryad, I uand the growth of nature. Though…” she leaned in to fess, her breath hot on my cheek. “… I am not fond of fungi and mushrooms.” She shuddered cutely, and I instinctively stroked her hair reassuringly. Her yellow eyes narrowed in pleasure, and beside me Shiro snorted.

  “Smooth py there, Asha.” For a moment her eyes fred red, and Tan yawned.

  “I see. Yes, I uand the problem. Spatial element is far from my specialty, I am of the thirsty fmes, but you do not reach my level of power without some uanding of the higher elements.”

  “So, care to share a solution?” I asked, and Tan shook Shiro’s head, fiery hair casg.

  “I ot. However, I do believe that with the tools at your disposal you fix it yourselves. I merely wished to savour the taste of this drink. I will be resting now. I have nearly finished iing the Favour I took from that fool Daizen. I must tinue.”

  As Shiro’s eyes and hair returo normal, Mayumi-san snorted. “I still ’t get used to that. Goddesses and Yokai, Faeries and kami. It’s exg though.”

  “It sure is.” Hinata agreed. “Tan’s not terribly helpful though, is she?”

  “I don’t know.” I mused. “I think she gave us a hint. Tools at our disposal. Speaking of… where’s Ixitt with the Lantern?” I asked Hyath, and she pouted.

  “He is making sooomething he says will help. He also returo the Material toooooo ask a question of someohinks might knooow an answer.” She looked at the Ring Gate. “I dooo not know why it will not work. They are all the same mushrooms, it doooes not make seo me.”

  Asking someone huh? I wonder who… “All right. Tools at our disposal?” I frowhinking. “The Ring Gate is number one priority. I’ll help you out. Maybe I even improve my uanding of spatial element as well. I’d love to master Void Motion. Shiro, pick up Arisu-san and bring her over. I o talk to her about her future anyway.”

  “Roger that, Aki!” Shiro saluted. “I want to catch up with her anyway. What else?”

  “Haru-san and the twins too. We’re going in hard on this.”

  “What should we do?” Motoko asked, and I grinned.

  “You’re the priority. I’m learning Tsumura Arts. Motoko, Natsumi, get Ulfurid some other suitable training partners ready. When I’m done here, I’ll be over for some sparring.”

  “I hardly wait.” Motoko smiled entingly. “To think that our husband is eager to learn from us, carry our Arts. It’s like a dream, isn’t it Natsumi?”

  “It is. We won’t let you down! Tsumura Arts will be more than enough to put David-san in his pce again.” She smiled. “After all, I’d not like you to think I support him over you.” She giggled cheekily.

  “And what do I do?” Hinata asked eagerly.

  “Well, if Miyu and Sakura-san are dang to improve the Territory, then you and Mayumi-san… business, obviously. The priority is the pilgrimage.”

  “Oh, you mean the goal to get us blessings from all the shrines and temples?” Hinata said, and I agreed.

  “Yes. We o tour both Tokyo and Kyoto. If that’s not enough, we’ll expand it outwards to the rest of Japan. In fact, we’ll probably do that eventually, but for now it’s the css levels we want. You two, work with Kana and the shrine maidens and priests to work out our route. Identify any shrihat might be a good match as either a local shrine for any of us, or a suitable shrihat act as a trigger. For example, Daikokuten or Ebisu being the gods of erce would probably work for you and Mayumi-san.”

  “Me?” Mayumi-san asked, surprised. “You would put effort into my growth?”

  “Haven’t we just had this versation? This applies to you too, Sakura-san. We’re all in it together. Besides, only with strength we choose our own path, our own goals. Besides, once we have it set up, the pilgrimage trail, as it were, anybody we then iure follow it. Work with Shirohebi, and why not call over Prince Shōtoku from Kyoto?”

  “So, we o pn the route?” Hinata asked, and I agreed.

  “Not just here, but ierial as well. We’ll get the kami’s blessings from the true shrines in the Boundary, then make s ierial, raising the glory of the shrines, growing their adherehat should make it a fair trade.”

  “It sounds fasating.” Mayumi-san agreed. “Expehough.”

  “Money we earn. When Ixitt’s factory is online, we’ll be rolling in cash.” I promised. “Lastly, Cultivation and elements. Though for that, I want Daiyu’s Foundatio first. I must che on her and Shaeu ter, and see if she’s succeeded. There are a few other csses and skills, but… priorities.” I cpped my hands. “All right, everyone knows what they are doing. Get to it!”

  *********

  Klein Bottle – Item Css [Noble], Item Type [Principle]

  A tainer crafted from wood fed with spatial elements, crafted by a genius Mortal Engineer going beyond the limits of Fae uanding. It appears to have rance or exit when viewed without spatial element, but such elements are attracted within and magnified. Coils of specially prepared bluesteel wires form a series of loops that further increase and magnify the spatial element within. How the Lantern ced inside such a bottle is a mystery.

  As I turhe Lantern over in my hands, my Eye bzing, my head feeling fuzzy, the feeling of it incredibly abnormal, I grinned. “I’m curious. The stupid question first. How the hell did you make the wood transparent, like gss? The real question is, just how the hell did you even think of this, let alone make it?”

  “A good question.” Ixitt ughed, pleased at my surprise. Just looking at the encased Lantern now was enough to give me a slight headache, but the violet energy gathering within was noticeably stronger, and the bottle seemed to magnify my efforts at Ether Healing as well, allowing us to push the poor living geor further. It’s definitely a solid shape, but it looks and feels ft, no matter how I hold it, defying what I know to be true.

  I heard a retg noise, and turo see Shiro holdiomach, face pale. At my gaze, she smiled weakly. “Damn, Aki. How you look at that thing? It’s messing with my head. Non-Euclideary should stay in fi!”

  Your Resilience has increased by one. Your Determination has increased by one.

  As I looked back at it, I received some welessages. F myself to tio observe it, despite the disfort, I chuckled. “It’s not fun, but I just got some stat points from it, so… best get looking, you don’t want to miss out on some free gains!”

  As Shiro groaned, a stern voice cut me off. “Do not bully White, Oshiro-san. I do not care for it.”

  “Sorry Arisu-san.” I apologised hurriedly. “But I’m doing it for her own good, I promise!”

  “Yeah, rex, Arisu. I know you’re tense because of what we talked about earlier, but Aki’s not really a bully… ugh, my stomach.” Her gaze crept back to the Lantern, and her face turned pale, a faint tinge of green on her face, her skin-tog Asha’s for a sed.

  “I do not care about that.” Arisu-san sighed, crossing her arms, the deep blue dress she wore making her look like an evil queen with her long dark hair flowing behind her like a cloak. “That decision is made. Now, I grow impatient.”

  Arisu-san was surprised wheold her she would be hosting the expanded charity fundraiser, and that before that we would be releasing all the evidence we’d gathered about her sdal. She was relut, but in the end, if she wants justid revehis is the best way. And she be one of the faces of the Chosen of Japan. We need someoo do our PR, and who better? Objectively she’s stunning, famous, and everyone loves a story of the underdog biting back. Suzu-san was delighted too… the Ameri girl was dang along with Miyu and Sakura-san, though her dance was rather more… Avant Garde, perhaps?

  “It doesn’t feel like it’s really there.” Haru-san said, peering at the Lantern. “Like if you look at it the wrong way it’ll vanish. We have a lot in on.” She chuckled. The twins were behind her, not looking at the strange object.

  “If you would let me expin, I address that.” Ixitt coughed, a bit saddened everyoerrupted his ramblings. “I wonder how many of you are uanding the cept of additional spatial dimensions? It is quite fasating.”

  The twins exged gnces, clearly unsure. Makes sehis is way beyond middle school Physics. Haru-san also shook her head. “I was focused os, not sces. I have heard of the cept, but that’s all.”

  “As a child, I was fasated by such things.” Arisu-san said, surprising us all. “If I had not bee an actress, I would have rather enjoyed being a stist. As, such was not to be. No boratory would take on a sdal-hit pariah such as myself. Although now…” her eyes narrowed, before she shook her head, clearihoughts. “My Room…” she opened a ssh in space, violet energies seeping out. As they scattered into sparks, the ohat passed close to the bottle were drawn in, magnifying the dark indigo fmes that burned within the Lantern. “… it is a three-dimensional space.”

  “Yes, but it exists within that.” Ixitt pointed out. “That is a true two-dimensional spao?”

  “I believe so. One could almost call it a wormhole, if such thi.”

  “That is what she said.” Ixitt said happily. “If two points in space are ected, then they o overp. Otherwise it makes no sense by the ws of the mortal world. Of course…” he admitted. “The Boundary and Astral operate by different rules. But they are surely prehendible. That is the essenortal Engineering. Knowing the overp. But what is impossible there is not here. The Klein Bottle was something she mentioned. It took a substantial amount of aether and some Etherites, but in the end it ossible. Though the… imaging… was challenging.” He snorted.

  “Oh I get it.” I said, uanding. “The clearer the mental image, the easier it is to make, but aether fill in the gaps on things you don’t fully grasp.”

  “Quite.” Ixitt agreed. “But we are getting off track. The Ring Gates surely fun in such a mahe Mushrooms themselves must work simirly to your Room, Arisu.”

  “Then why dooo they not work?” Hyath scowled. “I knooow I grew them right. But uhe ohe treekin grow, mine dooo not pair.”

  “That is what we are here to identify.” I said. “I appreciate everyone ing.” Putting down the Lantern, I shone my Eye. “Shiro, buffing time. My Eye again please.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked, worried, and I nodded.

  “Yes, if I pass out here, it’s no big deal. Besides, that’s why you’re here, right? But I want to see all we about the moment when I pass through the Ring Gate, as well as enter Arisu-san’s room. And not just me…” I looked at Haru-san and the twins. “This is a big ask, it might be unfortable. Hell, just looking at the aberration Ixitt made…” he protested jovially at my phrasing. “…gives us a headache. But it shouldn’t be harmful.”

  “I will moderate the link.” Haru-san smiled. “It ’t hurt my head any more than all the headaches you keep dropping in my p all the time.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that.” I said. “For a while, your workload is only going to increase. But whe all of these tasks squared away, you take a well-deserved break.”

  “I don’t believe you, but I’ll pretend to.” She smiled. “Chiaki-, Chiasa-, are you ready?”

  “We are ready.” “We have dohis a number of times.” The twins chorused, and I was reminded of the praise that everyone had heaped on them for their aid during the period I was in the United Kingdom. I’ll make sure they and Ren-san also get boosted by the pilgrimage…

  “All right then. Here we go…” Shiro sent Anesidora’s blessing my way. My Chakra work weakened as the buff was overwritten, but my Eye shoh a brilliant glow, advisi was temporarily Ranked up. I felt the heavy weight of a distant e, the world around me sh me with information, but I immediately marshalled all my Split Thoughts, hiving off information I didn’t need, and focussed all my will on throttling the e. Silver blood leaked from my nose, and Shiro made a noise of worry, but I reassured her I was fine. Oh hey, a few more points of Resilience… Even with my efforts, I felt like I was going to colpse and fall unscious, so I spoke. “Bring Tan in!”

  With that Shiro’s hair and eyes bzed, and Tan yawned. “I have no iion of giving you any guidance, I believe that would be far above my remit. However…”

  “Yes.” I said, my body trembling from the shog effort, my Split Thoughts starting to waver, even as I ran Body Enhao maximise my mental faculties. “… all I want is for you to spare your strength.” Moments ter I felt the warm brush of Haru-san’s mind on mine, expanding to enpass the twins, and then…

  I knew I wished to drink deeply of you. That Eye… such a delightful power. And those seeds… the sudden stress on my Split Thoughts diminished. Haru-san was trembling with the straiing it all flow through her, while the twins were hugging each other, pale, though their eyes were resolute. Tan licked her lips sciviously, and for a moment I was captivated, before Shiro’s thoughts echoed in our minds.

  No, bad Tan! You know you ’t eat Aki! Just make yourself useful!

  What I want does not mean I shall do it, little princess. You ot deny the power would serve us well. With it, I would certainly be able to cim this world…

  Oh, shut it. We’ve beehis. You’ll still profit, and…

  As Tan and Shirued, their thoughts eg into me, I was surprised to see one of Tan’s crimson orbs close slowly before opening, a small smile on her face. Seriously, did she just wink at me? Well, it doesn’t matter. It was incredible, the differe made, having a being of such power as Tan in the link. My gaze lingered on Haru-san, and I could see her own Resiliend Determination was rising, aelepathy and Mind-Sharing Light had both Ranked up.

  “I’ll bring ihers… ugh, you’re w me to the bone here. Wait, do I have bones?” Haru-san snorted, silver sringing from her brow and dripping to the ground. “Girls, are you ready?”

  “Yes, we endure.” “We know it is important, so do not mind us.”

  Fasating. Such a method is wonderful. Seeing the world through your Eye… for a stist, a mortal engineer, such is a dream. I want one!

  Nooo, that Eye belongs to Akio! He wooould not look good with only ooone eye!

  Enough idle chatter. This is rather off-putting, sharing my mind with others. After all, our private thoughts should be our own.

  Ixitt, Hyath and Arisu-san all tributed their thoughts. Asha too, though hers was more silent amusement. Now that we were all liogether, all the extraneous data that would otherwise drive me into unsciousness being funo Tan, who was more than capable of holding suowledge, all that was left was a narrow focus, my Eye sharper than ever.

  Chiaki-san, Chiasa-san, you share what my Eye sees with everyone else?

  Of course Akio-sama. Yes Akio-sama, we do it. The twins’ thoughts overpped withiheir habit of speaking for each nified ihoughts. I felt gasps of surprise within me as I looked at the Lantern and the Klein Bottle it was noed in.

  That is quite fasating. Yes, I see the simirities… May I? Arisu-san took the Lanterhis does feel odd. pared to my Room… another ssh opened in space, violet energies flowing free.

  Yes, I see it. My thoughts asked Arisu-san if she could show me more of how she maniputed the spatial element to create her Room and manipute the interior.

  Aki, I don’t think that’s wise. Arisu’s room…

  Do you think I would hurt him, White? I am wounded. Arisu-san’s smile was surprisingly amused as she looked at Tan, whed. After he presented you to the world as his woman, doing so now is rather too te. As long as he does not betray your trust and keeps you happy, White, we shall have no issue. Besides… her eyes were distant, as she rocessing my sight that the twins and Haru-san was reying to her, overpping with her own. I do find this fasating.

  She stepped through the ssh, and as we all followed, my gaze took iwo dimensional phat was the opening. Wait, is that…? Physics wasn’t my best subject by any means, I had been into puter Sce, but like most guys into anime and teology, I had a basiderstanding of the cepts.

  That’s your Divine Favour, isn’t it? My thoughts echoed to Arisu-san, who nodded.

  Yes, my gift moulds this space. Beyond it… I could never see, before, but now… she rubbed at her right eye unsciously.

  It’s very pretty. Like an o. Haru-san spoke for us all. It should have made no sense being able to peer through a two dimensional shape into a third dimension beyond, but just like the Klein Bottle, it worked. Beyond the entrao the Room was another space, overpping our world but not visible ordinarily. It was … impossible to describe with words. The closest I could e was that it was without light, yet not dark. Occasionally, a small bright fre of vivid purple energy would form, before scattering to sparks and vanishing, illuminating the space briefly.

  If the o is full of fireflies… Shiro’s thoughts echoed. It makes me mad I missed out on your work trip to Roman-no Mori Kyowakokuin Chiba that Yasu was bragging about.

  Well, you aren’t a graduate yet. When you get a job, then you go to celebrations after a job well done.

  I have a job. I’m your Shirohime. But… that, it’s the Boundary of the Boundary, right? Ta slip… Shiro shared with us. I was surprised that Tan had allowed any information free, but at my gaze, she merely shrugged.

  “The Boundary of the Boundary…” Using my words felt strange and loud, but I rolled them around my tongue, helpihink. “I see. Actually, no, I don’t really see, but…” Arisu-san, you try expanding your Room?

  Very well. At my thought she did so, and as the Room grew spatial element gushed from Arisu, but also some of the short-lived sparks from outside were pulled in, growing the space.

  That gives me an idea… Arisu-san, you manipute the entrance as well? I gave her an idea of what I wahe twins and Haru-san passing the thoughts to her. She sidered it in silence, before nodding regally.

  I uand what you want. With the sight I am borrowing… yes, I believe I do it. Though for safety’s sake, we should be outside while I test this. I would so hate for you to suffer any injury. White would never let me hear the end of it.

  Was that a joke, Arisu? Shiro was shocked. Arisu’s room shrank as we all exited it, and the entrance shuddered.

  A joke? Do you think I am so humourless, White? We formed a ring around the Lantern, examining the twisted space from multiple dires, the twins and Haru-san b to array the images over one another.

  Without the spatial element to work with, I never could have structed the Klein Bottle. inally I was w on a different deviplify the flow, but after getting some advice, I ended up with this. And now… wonderful… Ixitt was looking on in wonder as Arisu was creating a room where the entraself was effectively a Klein Bottle, an object that only had one surface yet was entirely enclosed, yet had her an inside nor an outside.

  This is… immensely challenging. However… Arisu-san was smiling, despite the sweat soakihe dress ging to her skin, her aether and spatial element diminishing. … it works.

  The small room within, able to hold a couple of people, if they were in close proximity, huddled together, was starting to fill with faint spatial element, as the entrance was now teically the Room itself. My Eye exami, and I realised we had achieved something special.

  Paradoxical Doorway – arahat is itself simultaneously a fragment of separated space, dominated by another, and a door between two points, without toug those points. The gap between spaces is folded in on itself, f a four-dimensional space from a two-dimensional one, and spatial element naturally accumutes within.

  I called up a bst of wind, and it struck the Doorway, only to be routed around the outside, before flying back towards me. I warded it away with a casual bad, before trying again with various other elements. Oddly enough, the only element that could pass inside was darkness element, which reminded me again just how poorly I uood that particur one. Darkness really does make no sense as a, but… does spatial element make seher?

  So, what ? Arisu-san’s thoughts came across to me, tinged with curiosity. I looked over at Hyath, and as she met my gaze, she nodded.

  I am prepared. If I o knooow more, I shall learn. I am frustrated that the mushrooms will nooot do what they are supposed to!

  All right then. Though I’m not stupid enough to put Hyath at risk. Time to get some test subjects. When I suggested that to Hyath, she giggled happily, remembering the tests we ran on the degraded kobolds. Watg the slowly accumuting spatial energy ihe Paradoxical Doorway, I g the Lantern again. Spatial element… if we learn to gee it, we won’t o rely on the Lantern any more…

  ShipTeaser