Laws Broken, Order Reconstructed – Part 01

Success in Sorcery-Based Interdimensional Travel

Groundbreaking Experiment Witnessed by Leading Scientists Worldwide

In a historic first, researchers at a National B University facility in Baku City, I Prefecture, successfully conducted an experiment in sorcery-based interdimensional travel. This pioneering endeavor, which was exclusively covered by this paper, unfolded under the watchful observation of prominent figures.

The experiment was spearheaded by Associate Professor Gensuke Arai, a specialist in quantum mechanics at B University. The university’s newly established research facility, set to open this April, was made specifically available for this ambitious experiment.

While gates (rifts) from another world to Japan had previously appeared, creating a gateway from Japan to another world had never been achieved. This experiment marked a significant milestone, conducted in collaboration with Lavia (14), a self-proclaimed otherworlder.

Note: Although Lavia is a minor, her unique status and consent prompted the decision to disclose her name.

Lavia is the same girl who gained attention last December in Fujinota, Y Prefecture, when she used magic to repel assailants at a civilian residence.

Our paper learned of Lavia’s desire to return to her world and provided extensive support for the experiment, drawing on her knowledge of magic to guide the process.

The experiment utilized mana crystals brought by Lavia, with Professor Arai overseeing both the observation of any occurring phenomena and ensuring safety measures were in place.

Given the experiment’s significance and its potential ramifications for the scientific community, scientists from around the globe, not just Japan, participated online. After several days of trials, many of which ended in failure, the experiment ultimately succeeded, enabling Lavia to return to her world.

Detailed records and data from the experiment will be made public after a thorough review by the Japanese government, National B University, and this paper.

Armed Attack on Research Facility During Experiment

During the interdimensional travel experiment, an unidentified armed group launched an attack on the research facility. Thanks to Lavia’s quick response and use of magic, there were no injuries, and the assailants were swiftly subdued by police, who responded to a 110 call made by this paper’s reporter.

The identities and nationalities of the assailants are still under investigation. However, based on initial observations, this paper’s reporter suspects that Lavia was the primary target of the group.

---

Feeling an imminent threat from the massive magic circle, the reconnaissance team from Jarazack decided to cut their investigation short and return to the fortress. However, their report was dismissed by the Jarazack military, known for its rigid and somewhat aggressive mentality.

“No way, that can’t be right.”
“I bet they just ran away like scaredy-cats. Seriously, enough with the excuses.”
“They should’ve just admitted they couldn’t find the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas.”

Their situation worsened when the military sent a second team to investigate based on the questionable report, only to find nothing. The traces of destruction were buried under snow, and the labyrinth itself had vanished, significantly undermining the credibility of their findings.

Nevertheless, the floating island had been witnessed by many. The information, though marked questionable, was shared through the Forestia Federation. Attention-grabbing news tend to travel fast, and eventually, the Adventurers Guild caught wind of it, causing it to spread through its network until it reached the leaders of various countries about a month later.

Though it was accompanied by a questionable note.

---

Unaware of the exaggerated rumors, Hikaru woke up.

“Ugh.” He felt dizzy and nauseous, but there was no pain in his body.

He lay on a simple bed in a stark room. The absence of doors, windows, and even a roof made it clear he was in the Man Gnome village. It had been comfortably warm during his previous visit, but now it was slightly chilly.

“Hewwo.”

To his surprise, Sara was at his bedside.

Leaning over, she asked, “Are you awake? How many fingers do you see?” She held up a forefinger and waved it in front of his face.

“You’re waving it too fast. That’s not the right speed for checking on someone injured. It’s just one finger, though.”

“Correct! Hey, everyone! Hikaru is awake!” Sara announced.

Selyse rushed in first. Seeing Hikaru propped up with Sara’s help, she froze at the entrance, tears streaming down her face.

“Huh?”

Why is Selyse crying? She was supposed to be the cool, calm, and collected leader of the B-rank adventurer group, the Four Eastern Stars.

“I-I’m so glad.”

“Lord Hikaru!” Paula barged in, barely managing to stop herself from crashing into Hikaru. “How do you feel?! Any pain?! Healing magic doesn’t work very well here.”

“Oh, right. There’s not a lot of magicules here.”

“Yeah.”

The Man Gnome village had some kind of special mechanism that left the air nearly devoid of magical particles.

Hikaru felt fine aside from a bit of lightheadedness.

“I’m all right for now.” Then, he noticed someone standing at the room’s entrance. “Lavia.”

Her oversized black hoodie was clearly not from this world, including her shorts, leggings, and sneakers. She wore them so well, but she was undeniably a person from this world.

“Hikaru.” Lavia rushed to him as he got out of bed, enveloping him in a tight embrace. “Hikaru!”

She was small, with narrow shoulders and a short stature. But she had managed to complete the spell for crossing worlds alone.

“Thank you, Lavia.”

“I’m just so glad to see you again.”

They stayed like that for a while, holding each other. It wasn’t until Sara, feeling increasingly awkward, suggested, “Okay, I think that’s enough,” that they finally pulled apart.

---

The Man Gnomes in the village were in a coma—or rather, a state of suspended animation. They neither ate nor excreted but were faintly alive. Even Hikaru’s Life Detection could sense their presence, though their life force was weak.

Despite Paula’s efforts with healing magic, they did not recover. Those who had collapsed inside the houses were placed on beds, while those who had fallen outside—near the Starwhite Wedge tower—were gathered and laid in the assembly hall.

Getting the researchers down from the top of the tower was difficult, so they were covered with blankets and left there. Hikaru was concerned about bedsores, but since Paula was casting healing magic daily, it seemed to be under control. For now. He wondered about Paula’s ability to heal a thousand residents but decided not to dwell on it.

Hikaru had fully recovered. The wounds from Soaarunay’s strike had healed, and a full day of sleep had eased his fatigue from the non-stop work he’d done after being separated from Lavia.

The next day, Hikaru visited Yoshino at the research facility as Silver Face.

“How did this happen?”

“The Starwhite Wedge is a weapon designed to shoot out soul energy. It seems it absorbed the souls of all the Man Gnomes as well.”

Yoshino, Hikaru, Lavia, and Paula sat around the table. The Four Eastern Stars had escorted the rescued adventurers to the Theocracy of Bios. Selyse was adamant about staying with Silver Face, but after Hikaru personally requested her assistance, explaining that her presence would facilitate communication with the Adventurers Guild, she reluctantly agreed. Despite her initial grumbling, Hikaru’s reassurance that he was counting on her left her in good spirits as she departed.

The Black Wedge Gate was operational but unstable, usable only once a day, presumably because it had drained the earth’s soul energy and needed time to recover.

The adventurers were not informed about the Black Wedge Gate; they were made drunk and put to sleep before being transported through it.

“Granryuk and I were safe because we were confined in the punishment room during the test run. But as for the rest of the villagers, well, you’ve seen them. What a dreadful weapon.”

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Didn’t you call him Rikido?”

“What?!” Yoshino gave a start, not expecting the question. “D-Did I?”

“Not that it matters, I guess.”

“Yup! That doesn’t matter.”

Yoshino had left the village, worked with Granryuk, and then returned, becoming involved in the use of the Starwhite Wedge. Throughout this series of events, she had gotten a better opinion of Granryuk, though she hadn’t yet realized it herself.

Yoshino sighed. “The elders called everyone back to the village, including the Distant Girdle, to boost the power of the Starwhite Wedge.”

“So they were prepared to fight to the death?”

“It was clear that we were up against someone formidable. Did the labyrinth already sink?”

“Yeah. Into the earth.”

Hikaru had gone outside the village through an emergency exit earlier to check the status of the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas, but all he saw was a vast, snow-covered landscape, with nothing else. There were no signs of the monsters that had fled either.

The corpses of the monsters shot down by Hikaru and killed by the Four Eastern Stars were buried under the snow, resembling rocks. These would remain frozen until spring if left alone. Normally, adventurers would collect materials from them, but with no time for that, Lavia’s magic was used to burn them away. Hikaru wanted to avoid leaving any traces when the military from Jarazack arrived. He wanted to keep the home of the Man Gnomes hidden as well.

Due to the Starwhite Wedge, a hole had opened at the mountain’s peak, but Serika had patched it up with earth magic as a temporary fix. From the outside, it now looked like an ordinary mountain, with no more snow getting inside.