Compared to causal delay, causal acceleration is far more challenging.
Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that the technique itself is simple, but the magic power it requires is immense.
The act itself is straightforward:
Reel in the threads of causality and bring a result meant to occur ten seconds later forward to just one second away. Choosing a single possibility from countless potential futures is far easier to visualize than delaying or erasing the result altogether.
However, this “acceleration” consumes an absurd amount of magic power—far beyond what delay requires.
I don’t fully understand the theory. It feels more like causal delay involves “not choosing,” whereas causal pull involves “choosing.” That seems to be the difference. Choosing requires effort—far more than not choosing. For instance, the protective barrier I subconsciously activate is the ultimate “not choosing.” It simply discards undesired futures, flinging them far away as if they never existed.
And so—
The spell’s construction was simple, requiring no incantation.
But the magic power and determination I poured into it were far greater than usual.
「Here goes… Reimei Kasoku(Dimming of Dawn).」
I swung the sword, casting the chain of causality forward.
The chain, tipped with a weight resembling a plumb bob, wasn’t strictly necessary. It was more of a mental image—a tool to help aim. In practice, the chain responded to my will, extending with precision toward my intended target.
I’m terrible at fishing, but I’ve never once missed when casting this chain of causality. It’s as if all my luck is reserved for this.
「…!」
But any room for idle thoughts vanished instantly.
The scene was deceptively quiet. The chain arced in a parabola, reaching toward Alice-san, only to freeze partway.
The future I desired was for the chain to reach Alice-san and ensnare her.
The future the barrier enforced was a postponement—delaying the chain’s movement.
「Tch…!」
A tug-of-war began:
「—————-」
I accelerated the causality, while the barrier delayed it.
I pulled the causality closer, while the barrier pushed it farther away.
I forced the causality forward, while the barrier made it stagnate.
I reeled in the thread of causality, while the barrier deferred it further—
A clash of wills, a struggle between causality and causality.
I could feel my magic power draining rapidly—a sensation I was experiencing for the first time. Until now, no matter what spell I cast, I had rarely felt any sense of using up my magic. My magic reserves had always been vast, so vast that even the most intensive spells barely made a dent. But now, it was as though the plug had been pulled on a massive pool, and the chain was greedily siphoning it away.
Magic, by its nature, is an omnipresent force. Organic or inorganic, every material in this world generates magic power. From living beings to plants, rocks, water, air, and even the stars themselves—all things possess magic and emit it continuously to varying degrees.
In my case, I was born with an exceptional capacity for producing magic. To make matters worse—or perhaps better—I was raised on Earth, a world far richer in magic than here, further amplifying my potential. Until now, no matter how much magic I used, my reserves always regenerated faster than I could deplete them.
And yet now…
Now the balance had tipped into the negative. It had to, given how overwhelmingly powerful this barrier’s causal delay was.
「As expected… of a spell woven by the progenitor…!」
I couldn’t help but grimace. My clenched teeth ground together audibly as I struggled to resist the waves of exhaustion threatening to overtake me, clinging to my focus as I reeled in the threads of causality.
We were at a stalemate—barely. The delay and acceleration canceled each other out just enough for the chain to creep forward, ever so slowly, toward Alice-san.
But the closer I got, the farther she seemed!
It was the tortoise-and-hare paradox. The closer I drew to the center of the barrier, the stronger its causal delay became. The magic cost and time required to traverse each successive fraction of distance kept compounding. The first five meters were hard; the next two and a half meters were harder still. The closer I came, the more insurmountable the distance became.
What now?
Do I gamble everything? Pour all my magic power into this one attempt? But what if it’s not enough? If I fall short by even a millimeter, it’s over. And it’s not just the way there—I’ll need enough strength to pull her back, too. The tug-of-war doesn’t end with reaching her.
A blind gamble in this situation…
No.
There was a way. A means to amplify my magic.
I shifted Ridill from both hands to one, freeing my left hand to grasp at my collar.
「Color-san… I’m borrowing your strength.」
The pendant around my neck.
I seized the gemstone in my palm.
Since the incident in Sidera, when I accidentally terrified the Ejetia twins, I’d unconsciously restricted its use, fearing I might activate it again by mistake.
But if not now—when?
The jewel that amplifies magic power in my hand—the Fairy’s Tear. A crystallized drop shed by Color-san, tears borne of her sorrow for this world and her dearest friend, Alice-san.
A fragment of their feelings, their love and longing.
Such emotions could never lose to the flow of time.
I channeled the surging magic power within me. My power, amplified manyfold, fueled the spell with overwhelming force. The acceleration of causality sped up at an unprecedented rate, pushing the boundaries of what I thought possible. My vision blurred and shimmered, either from the strain of concentration or the sheer density of magic coursing through me.
And then, I felt it—the chain’s resistance breaking.
With all my strength, I shouted,
「There are people waiting for you! People who want to see you again! So come back to us!!!」
Pouring every ounce of magic and willpower I had, I pulled on the sword and the chain with all my might.
And finally—
※※※
「Bark! Grrrr…! Bark!!」
Chocola barked ferociously, baring his fangs to stop the members of the Elder Council from rushing over.
Thank you, Chocola. Just moments ago, you were curled up yawning, but you really know how to read the room.
It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the Elders’ urgency, especially Miyako-san and Moata-san. To them, the Progenitor Elf wasn’t just an important figure; she was the foundation of their ideology. For Miyako-san, she’d been an object of devotion for over a century. For their nation, she was a key figure, a treasure they couldn’t afford to lose.
But still—
Right now, they needed to wait.
Because if Miyako-san’s devotion spanned a hundred years, then ours stretched back two thousand.
「I’m checking for any magical aftereffects! If you’re careless, you might get caught up in unstable causality. Don’t come closer yet!」
I called out, my voice firm.
It wasn’t true, of course. There were no lingering effects, and I’d already confirmed through Appraisal that her health was intact. She had only fainted, likely overwhelmed by the sudden flood of sensations after two millennia of frozen time collapsing back onto her.
In my arms, the elf with a Japanese face and jet-black hair lay limp, breathing softly.
Her delicate hand rested gently against a cheek.
Her large, glistening eyes gazed at the woman before her.
Her small, trembling body clung tightly to the figure she had longed for.
「Haa……aahh」
The voice cracked with emotion. Mother sniffled audibly, while Karen turned her head away, her shoulders trembling.
As for me, torn between exhaustion and a profound sense of accomplishment, I tilted my head back, willing myself not to cry.
「Thank you, Sui-kun.….Truly, thank you.」
Four Seasons-san smiled as she placed a comforting hand on her wife’s back. With her husband standing beside her, supporting her, Color-san’s voice was soft and trembling.
「Welcome back, Alice.」
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