Chapter 207 Stalling

Marie's delve into the use and application of the Heavenly Eye was controlled, stringently so. She was not allowed to use it without her Master present, nor was she allowed to observe the visions corresponding to Constants in the grand tapestry of Fate. On that note, how can one differentiate between the Transients and Constants when performing Divinations?

One of Marie's subconscious fears was unwittingly gazing into a Constant and accidentally setting into motion a chain of events that led to a deviation, which would inevitably come back to bite her. However, thankfully, the Heavenly Eye made it extremely easy to identify Constants. As she gazed into the emitted waves of fate when divining the answer to a question, the wave would decompose and turn into a net of silver strings extending in all directions, with thicknesses determining their relevance to her question. Amongst these silver strings, she would often find ones that were a pure and lustrous gold shade.

Her Master had expressly warned her NOT to even glance at these gold strings to avoid accidentally triggering their vision. Of course, being told NOT to do something just made her want to do it more. However, Marie's sense of self-preservation was stronger than her curiosity, hence she actively tempered her gaze. One thing she noted during her time divining with the Heavenly Eye was that there were always Constants amidst the answer to any question. Through controlled experiments with her Master, who was uncharacteristically compliant with her requests and observed Constants on her behalf, she managed to put together a workable theory of how fate and future sight worked.

In this world, there are infinite ways in which a single decision can shape the future. For instance, the choice between which hat to wear out of the two stored in the closet can itself change the flow of events down the line. Each of these alternate sequences can be defined as a thread extending to eternity along the time axis. By layering the multitude of alternate sequences over each other, we obtain a bundle that defines how events will transpire across different realities extending to eternity.

However, upon doing so, one quickly finds that the bundle is itself infinitely thick since there are an infinite number of realities due to the infinite combinations and permutations of the various choices every person across this universe is forced to make every minute- every second- of their lives. According to Mister Larks, one particular theory defines these infinite realities as "parallel universes" that are layered on top of each other. But what is stopping these parallel universes from collapsing onto each other?

This is where the concept of Constants and Transients comes in. Marie cobbled up a base theory based on a series of observations and assumptions, given her limited experience on the topic. Constants act as ties that tether the infinitely thick bundle at different points in time. Multiple Constants, spread out over different intervals across eternity ensure that the bundle never gets frayed and is always stable. In a sense, these Constants act as anchor points in time that ensure that no matter how many times the sequence is split due to the minute variations in the chain of events, it will inevitably pass through a Constant. This essentially denies the existence of parallel universes that threaten the stability of reality. It negates the possibility of someone jumping ship to another reality where they don't have to face the consequences of their decision or action at an earlier point in time. Since the moment they do something, say something, or react in a particular way, the sequence of events is set in stone - there is no going back, only forward.

This is also why tampering with Constants is so dangerous. In doing so, one would essentially unravel the bundle at a point in time and tie a new tether. In this process, one may lose a few of the pre-existing strings that were included in the earlier bundle which snowballs down the line.

Marie's practice session with her Master, in testing out Divination with the Heavenly Eye, lasted for another week and a half and threatened to extend for a longer duration even after she had confirmed her satisfactory proficiency in this matter. Marie started to get this itch that her Master was purposefully stalling her progress. But for the life of her, she could not understand why. After a few more days of inactivity and monotonous practice, Marie decided to grab the bull by its horns and confronted her Master.

"We'll be extending the duration of the divination using the Heavenly Eye today," her Master declared right as she entered the cottage.

"Why?" Marie shot back with a slightly confrontational tone.

"What do you mean why?"

"If I remember correctly, you said that using the Heavenly Eye for Divination is pointless given the efficacy and efficiency of my own method. However, contrary to that statement, we have been practising and stress-testing my ability to divine the future using the Heavenly Eye for the past few days," Marie explained. "I don't see the point in continuing with this."

"I-It's to consolidate your abilities," Krish responded hurriedly.

"Consolidate in preparation of what?" Marie retorted. "I thought the purpose of unlocking the Heavenly Eye was so that I could now observe and work with Constants. Yet you've explicitly forbidden me from looking into them, even though I am using my powers only under your surveillance."

Marie noticed Krish's usually calm expression waver as he searched for a reasonable explanation. Evidently, he was failing at it, and quite miserably at that.

"You are stalling, aren't you Master?" Marie probed. Although she did not receive a response, she could read the meaning hidden in her Master's silence and averted gaze.

"Why?" Marie jabbed. "There has to be a reason for your hesitance. Is there something wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you!" Krish denied it vehemently. Marie was convinced of it after noticing the sincerity of the response.

"Then? Why haven't you allowed me to observe Constants?"

Krish pulled his lips flat and exhaled loudly through his nose. He started to weave together intricate answers to assuage the girl's anxiety and also throw her off his trail. But when his eyes met hers, all the lies floating through his head crumbled.

"I'm stalling because I'm stuck," he confessed.

"Do you not know how I can advance to the Foundation Establishment realm?"

"No, it's because I know exactly WHAT the conditions are for you to advance that I am stalling," he corrected.

"Master I won't know unless you tell me," Marie said with an exasperated smile.

"To become a true mage of the Heavenly Eye one must tamper with fate's machinations on a permanent scale," Krish orated. "Do you understand what that means? You've been messing with Transients all this while, but you must be aware that your actions did little to shift the dominoes in any way. To truly manifest a lasting change you need to target the events which keep our reality stable."

"So you're saying that the condition required for me to step into the Foundation Establishment realm is to alter a Constant?" Marie clarified, to which she received a morose nod from her Master.

"That's... unfortunate," she muttered.

"Exactly. All this time, I've been wracking my brain to come up with an alternative. I don't want you to have to suffer through the pain of losing a part of yourself, Marie," Krish reasoned. "The only solution I've found till now, which might work, is if I can redirect the backlash targeting you to me instead."

"Why would you do that?" Marie blurted out.

"You're my Disciple, Marie. This is my duty as your Master," he responded.

"Did your Master do it for you?" She retaliated. The response was another uncomfortable bout of silence. "I take it that they didn't."

"Forget about what my Master did or did not do," Krish said while waving his hands. "This is a matter between the two of us. If you can wait for a few more days, I can perfect the transference process, and we can proceed with your advancement."

"Why do you assume that I'll just let you do that to yourself?" Marie challenged.

"Marie-"

"No! If you're averse to me suffering from the Universe's backlash, why do you assume I would be willing to let you suffer through the same?" Marie interrupted.

"You have so much left in your life," Krish explained. "You're young, hopeful and bright - you are bound to achieve great things! Why would you want to cripple yourself in some way so early? On the other hand, I'm spent. All I need right now is to be able to live to see you reach great heights. I can afford to lose a finger or two at this point."

Marie was floored by her Master's unfiltered sincerity and heartfelt words. She never thought that such a cynical man would have such selfless sentiments. Her mouth bobbed up and down like a fish as she tried to respond, yet her brain failed to form any corrigible words or phrases. As she looked into her Master's eyes, she could see a bloom of warmth that she had only seen in Matron Reva's and Mister Larks' gaze. The feeling was overwhelming and smothered her with giddiness. Those emotions ran rampant around her mind and heart, searching for an avenue for escape. After a hurried search, they found an exit and surged out with gusto. Unfortunately, the exit happened to be Marie's tear ducts.

Marie covered her face and ran out of her Master's cottage without saying a word. Just like that, she rushed up the steps leading to the orphanage while trying her utter best to suppress the whimpers eking through the gaps of her fingers.

Back at the orphanage, Krish observed Marie's behaviour using his mana sense and released a difficult breath. He then chuckled dryly as he realised how his thought process had shifted within a single year. He couldn't recollect the last time he felt so magnanimous in his life. He'd dropped that emotion the day the Universe took his leg. What surprised him was the shift in his circumstances, more specifically his thoughts on the matter. Back then, he was reluctant to lose a part of his body in trying to help others yet now, he was willing to sacrifice his body for another.

"I can't say if this is a good thing or a bad thing," Krish said with a bitter smile. "But all I know for sure is that I don't feel bad about it. Which scares me..."