Director Edward

Chapter 217: Episode 5 · Paradox Spiral! (15)

Discussions about the Root quickly spread among the people of the Southern Region, but most of them lacked any clear understanding of the concept. After brief exchanges, the topic often shifted to the connection between Aozaki Touko and Araya Souren.

After all, Araya Souren, a figure who was clearly the primary culprit, being associated with Aozaki Touko inevitably raised suspicions about her identity.

However, considering the earlier storyline where Aozaki Touko helped Kokutou Mikiya and Ryougi Shiki, the audience did not genuinely believe that Aozaki Touko was an accomplice of Araya Souren.

In contrast, the mages from the Imperial Mage Academy held a variety of opinions about the Root, sparking heated debates.

"If we interpret the Root as a concept, it might be akin to the primordial material from which the world originated—a force that constructed everything in existence. It surpasses even the notion of gods."

"Exactly. After all, the powers of gods are often confined to a singular concept. They are unable to control anything beyond their own domain. If the Root truly exists, it would far exceed the gods in power."

"But is it even possible? Such a concept, one tied to the birth of the world itself—setting aside whether it really exists—can mages even hope to reach it through human effort?"

"Probably not. Even if it does exist, merely trying to comprehend its essence would likely be enough to burn out most people's minds."

"To be honest, I find many of the settings in 'Kara no Kyokai' worldbuilding quite strange. It gives off the impression that the birth of the world was a mistake and that everything is heading toward destruction, as if the entire narrative subscribes to some kind of nihilistic end-of-the-world philosophy."

"Exactly. Under normal circumstances, technology should advance and continuously break new ground. Yet the concept of magic fundamentally denies the path of progress, and the Root essentially cuts off the possibility of other technological developments. It's rather unsettling."

"Yeah, while the setting is intriguing, it completely clashes with how we define the world. The values it conveys feel deeply dissonant and uncomfortable."

"So just treat it as a story. It's not real anyway—just enjoy it for what it is. On the other hand, while nihilism isn't something worth promoting, it is one possible interpretation of the world. Keeping an open mind is always a good thing."

"Well, that's true, but I still prefer stories that are more grand and uplifting. After all, this world is moving forward no matter what. Someday, we might break through all the limitations of our current understanding and usher in a brand-new era!"

"Haha, that does sound nice. But different stories offer different flavors. As long as the story itself is compelling, isn't that what matters most?"

"That's true."

"…"

The conversation among the magicians ended there. Given that the concept of magic in The Garden of Sinners/Kara no Kyokai is fundamentally different from the magic in their own world, they didn't delve too deeply into comparisons.

After all, when the logical foundations are inherently different, making comparisons becomes meaningless.

The mages could only discuss superficial aspects within the framework established by the story of The Garden of Sinners.

In contrast, the sages hadn't delved much into the concept of the Root from the beginning.

This was partly because they had already discussed such topics while watching Fate/Zero, and partly because they had long since grasped the essence of the narrative and didn't pay much attention to the larger background.

For them, the grand world-building was less interesting than the intricate technical designs.

It was in those details that they could find inspiration and meaningful insights.

...

The film's pace quickly picked up again, and the story began to unfold at a rapid tempo.

After finishing her conversation with Alba, Aozaki Touko returned to her office, where she encountered Kokutou Mikiya and Kokutou Azaka.

Azaka, Mikiya's younger sister, had somehow become Touko's apprentice and was now learning magic under her tutelage.

During this meeting, the group exchanged thoughts on magic and sorcery, and Azaka posed a rather personal question to Mikiya: was Ryougi Shiki dating him in her male persona or her female persona?

To this, Mikiya casually replied, "It doesn't really matter, does it?"

This nonchalant response infuriated Azaka, who stormed out of the room in frustration.

Following this, Touko tasked Mikiya with investigating a small seaside apartment complex known as Ogawa Apartments and explained the reason for the investigation.

"Around 10 p.m. last night, a woman in her twenties, an office worker, was attacked on the roadside and stabbed in the abdomen. The victim didn't have a phone, and since the area is mainly residential, there wasn't even a small shop nearby. By 10 p.m., the streets were completely deserted. She managed to stagger to the Ogawa Apartments and cried out for help. She shouted for about ten minutes, but none of the residents noticed her. In the end, she died at 11 p.m."

"What?"

"Strange, isn't it? That apartment has had several other bizarre incidents. I'll explain the rest later. For now, investigate the residents, particularly their names and previous addresses."

"Understood."

The next day, Mikiya swiftly completed his task and reported his findings about the Ogawa Apartment residents to Touko, with Ryougi Shiki also present.

It was then that the audience realized the meaning behind Shiki's earlier cryptic statement: "Mikiya called your name last." It turned out that this was the moment Shiki first became involved with the Ogawa Apartments.

Later, Aozaki Touko took Kokutou Mikiya to the Ogawa Apartments herself.

The moment they arrived, Mikiya experienced a wave of dizziness. The sight of the building's interior architecture made him so nauseous that he almost felt like vomiting.

Driven by a rumor he had previously heard from his uncle, Daisuke, Mikiya deliberately headed to Room 405 to investigate. When he rang the doorbell, he was met by an unwelcoming and surly man—none other than the supposedly deceased father of Enjou Tomoe.

Startled, Mikiya was promptly driven away by the man without a chance to probe further.

Frustrated, Mikiya regrouped with Touko, only to find her meticulously analyzing the building's structure.

Through Touko's clear explanation, the audience was finally able to grasp how bizarre the layout of the Ogawa Apartments truly was—it resembled a Taiji diagram.

Although the concept of the Taiji diagram didn't exist in this world, most viewers instinctively felt a sense of profound mystery from the shape. For the magicians, in particular, the sight of this diagram immediately lit up their eyes.

After all, in the realm of magic, geometric patterns are foundational concepts. The Taiji diagram, rooted in a completely different cultural tradition from another world, far exceeded the magicians' wildest imaginations.

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