Chapter 217: The Garden of Sinners Episode 5: Paradox Spiral! (Part 15)
The discussion about the "Root" quickly spread among the people of the southern territory. Yet, for most of them, this mysterious concept was too abstract to grasp clearly. After a brief exchange of opinions, the conversation naturally shifted to something more tangible—like the fact that Touko actually knew Araya Souren.
After all, Araya Souren was clearly the villain of the story. So for Touko to have ties with him? That was bound to raise some serious suspicions about who she really was.
However, those doubts didn't last long. Given all the help she'd provided to both Kokutou Mikiya and Ryougi Shiki throughout the previous events, the audience ultimately didn't believe she was in cahoots with Araya. At worst, it just added another layer to her already enigmatic personality.
In contrast, the mage of the Imperial Mage Academy had a far more spirited reaction. Their opinions on the Root varied wildly, sparking a flood of discussion in lecture halls and taverns alike.
"If we're speaking conceptually," one scholar mused, "the Root could be seen as the origin matter of the world itself. The very structure behind all existence. Honestly, it's a concept that goes beyond even that of gods."
"Exactly," another chimed in. "Gods usually only govern a single domain—a concept or power. Anything outside that, they can't touch. But if the Root really does exist, then it would utterly surpass divine authority."
"But seriously, is that even possible?" someone else challenged. "I mean, we're talking about the blueprint of reality—practically the moment of creation itself. Even if it does exist, could any mortal mage actually reach it using just human power?"
"Doubtful," another replied, shaking their head. "Even understanding it might fry your brain on the spot."
"Honestly," one young magus sighed, "I've always thought the worldbuilding in The Garden of Sinners felt... off. Like the whole universe is fundamentally flawed. Everything just seems to be spiraling toward destruction—this constant looming sense of nihilism. It's a bit much, y'know?"
"Right? In most stories, technology or magic advances, breakthroughs are made—but here? Magecraft seems to exist to deny progress. The Root, in a way, cuts off all other forms of development. It's like a built-in dead end. That's seriously unsettling."
"Yeah... it's a cool concept, sure. But it doesn't really align with how we see the world. The values it presents feel really out of step with reality."
"That's why I just treat it like fiction and enjoy the ride," one of them said with a laugh. "It's not like any of it's real. Just entertainment. And hey, even nihilism has its place—it's one possible way of interpreting the world, right? Doesn't mean we have to agree with it."
"That's true, I guess. Still, I personally prefer grander stories. Ones that look to the future. I mean, no matter what, the world is moving forward. One day, maybe we'll break through the boundaries of our current understanding and usher in a whole new era!"
"Haha, now that's the spirit. But in the end, each story has its own flavor. As long as the narrative's good, that's all that matters."
"Fair point."
And with that, the magic academy's conversation came to an end. Since the magecraft depicted in The Garden of Sinners differed fundamentally from the magic of their own world, there wasn't much point in delving too deeply. The logic and systems simply didn't align, making comparisons all but meaningless.
So in the end, the mage was only able to scratch the surface, limited by the framework laid out by the story itself.
As for the Arch Mages, they hadn't said much about the Root at all. For one, they'd already covered similar ground back when they watched Fate/Zero. And more importantly, they had long since grasped the essence of these tales. To them, the deeper lore and metaphysical underpinnings weren't nearly as important as the emotional truths behind the characters and the narrative.
To the Arch Mages, grandiose worldbuilding was all well and good—but what truly fascinated them were the technical intricacies hidden within the details. Those, they believed, held the potential to spark real inspiration.
…
And then, the story picked up pace once more.
After her conversation with Alba, Touko returned to her office—where, waiting for her, were Mikiya and his younger sister, Kokutou Azaka.
At some point unbeknownst to many, Azaka had become Touko's apprentice, taking her first steps down the long path of magecraft.
The three of them exchanged a few thoughts on the distinctions between magic and magecraft. During the conversation, Azaka abruptly turned to her brother with a rather... pointed question.
"Hey, Kokutou. When you're dating Ryougi-san… is it the male personality you're with, or the female one?"
Mikiya blinked, clearly caught off guard. But he only shrugged and answered with his usual composure:
"Either's fine. Doesn't make much difference to me."
His nonchalant reply immediately sent Azaka into a rage. With an indignant huff, she stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her.
And then, without missing a beat, Touko handed Mikiya a new assignment—investigating a certain apartment building by the sea: Ogawa Apartments.
She also explained her reasoning.
"Around 10 PM last night, a woman in her twenties was attacked on the street and stabbed in the abdomen. She didn't have her phone with her, and the area's a quiet residential zone—no stores nearby, not a soul out at that hour. Bleeding heavily, she dragged herself into the nearest building, which is the Ogawa Apartments, and began shouting for help."
"For ten full minutes, she screamed at the top of her lungs. But not a single resident responded. Not one. She died an hour later—at eleven o'clock."
"What…?"
"Weird, right?" Touko said, eyes gleaming. "That apartment building has a lot of strange things going on. I'll explain more later. For now, I want you to focus on getting me the names of the residents and their previous addresses."
"Understood."
The very next day, Mikiya returned with the information in hand. He reported his findings to Touko—joined now by Shiki as well.
And that was when the audience finally understood the meaning behind something Shiki had said earlier in the story: "Kokutou read your name last." So this was where she had first come into contact with Ogawa Apartments.
Without delay, Touko decided to accompany Mikiya to the site in person.
But the moment they arrived, Mikiya was hit by a wave of intense vertigo. The layout of the building made his stomach churn. Just looking at the inner architecture of the place triggered a near-physical nausea.
Remembering a rumor he'd heard from his uncle Daisuke, Mikiya made a point to visit Room 405.
He rang the doorbell.
To his surprise, the one who answered was a cold-eyed, unfriendly man—a man who should have been dead: Tomoe Enjou's father.
Before Mikiya could say much, the man harshly drove him away and slammed the door in his face.
With no other option, Mikiya returned to Touko… only to find her kneeling by the stairwell, carefully sketching something.
She was studying the building's floor plan—and what she revealed left even the most observant viewers stunned.
The internal structure of Ogawa Apartments… was shaped like a Taiji diagram.
Of course, this world had no concept of such a symbol. But still, the audience could feel it. A primal, almost mystical sense emanated from that yin-yang-like shape.
The mage in particular was electrified. The moment the diagram appeared on screen, their eyes lit up.
After all, in the study of magic, symbols were foundational. They were the essence of meaning, the structure of power. And this… this was no ordinary diagram. It was a symbolic root from an entirely different world—one that shattered even their most far-reaching imaginations.
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