Irium 70 Asteroid Realms

A blanket of darkness with white, s.h.i.+ning spots on it – that's how s.p.a.ce looks. And that's how the place around us looks. It's a view I have only seen in fiction before, the view that tells of a lack of atmosphere causing the s.p.a.ce above to not get reflected and be visible easily. However, the lack of atmosphere isn't all that unexpected. After all, we aren't on a planet, at least not completely. What we are on – is a mini-planet, I guess. Danny and Roswaisa called it an Asteroid Realm. In any case, so far, this place has been quite unique but also very empty. I mean, all that we have found here is a path to walk on, and that's it.

This path I mentioned by the way – it's quite something. Imagine if a translucent gold material that somehow sparkles by the reflection of whatever light comes its way was to be the road you stand on – that would put you in our shoes. That's exactly what we are doing.

And we have been doing it for the past five minutes. We have been going at a pretty good pace too. If I were to give an estimate, we would have already travelled a kilometer by now in this realm. And yet, all we have found is more 'golden road' to walk on.

"What is with this ridiculously long path?" I ask, "Is this common for Asteroid Realms?"

"Yes and no." Danny says, "It's common for a particular type of Asteroid Realms but not for Asteroid Realms in general."

"Alright, which 'type' of Realm is it common for?"

"Well, you know how Saturn has a ring around it?" He continues, "That type of realms."

"The realms that have a ring around them?" I question, not really thinking that would be the case. But, Danny nods.

"Just so we are clear, these aren't actually Asteroids or Planets, right? They are just named like that for easier understanding, aren't they?" I question again.

Danny makes a pretty sardonically anime face on hearing that and says, "It's complicated."

Seeing that, Roswaisa continues the explanation, "Well, there are two realities I guess you could say. In one reality, planets and asteroid are, as you know them, ma.s.ses in the s.p.a.ce mostly without life on them. In the other reality, they exist as Planet Realms and Asteroid Realms."

Okay, that's certainly complicated. But, from what I understand, although this might not be the best way to put it, I guess I can say that one is Science Reality and the other is Magic Reality.

"So," I ask, "Am I to a.s.sume Earth is kinda like an intersection point between these two realities where it is the only planet that has both realities combined into one?"

Me making that guess, not gonna lie, is totally courtesy of my anime knowledge.

"That's a good way to put it." Roswaisa says with a smile, "However, one thing you are wrong to a.s.sume is that's it's the only intersection point. There are more like it."

Oh, right, that's a signal for aliens existing in this novel. Anyway, right now, we are in Magic Reality. And in this reality, some Asteroid (that wouldn't have anything to be proud of in Science Reality) has a ring like that of Saturn. Obviously, this ring is not made from moons because an Asteroid having moons will be another level of weird. But anyway, we are in Magic Reality right now and on an Asteroid in this reality, on which we have been walking for a long time and haven't found a single thing.

"All that exposition still leaves this question unanswered though – is this trip worth it?" I ask, looking back at the two of them.

"Well, you are the one who suggested it, remember?" Danny says with a dejected expression. Roswaisa just sighs.

That doctor leaving the mirror to this realm there obviously meant he needed for us to take a look inside. Plus, we had Roswaisa's a.s.surance that nothing would happen to any of us. And so I had thought that it'd be a waste to not check this place out. However, from the emptiness of this place so far, I think checking it out might have been an utter waste of time.

And now that I have said all that, you have a cue to prove me wrong, don't you author-san?

"Welcome!" A voice comes to our ears, a voice so cold that the speaker's characteristics are almost indiscernible. We turn towards the voice, which had come from our back. There, we a see a man and a woman who looked like human-sized dolls giving us a welcome by bowing to us.

"We hope your journey to our realm has been pleasant." The man says.

"If you would, please follow us." The woman says.

"Now what's up with those two?" I ask.

"Usually, how these realms work is that there is a path that leads to the realm like the one we are on now." Roswaisa explains, "On that path, there is a particular point that is not visible to the visitors but the residents know it well. Until that point is crossed, a person is not considered to be visiting the realm. After it's crossed though, they are officially considered a visitor and guards are sent to bring them to the actual realm."

Well … that's all lovely and all but you could have told me that before and I wouldn't have been thinking that this was waste a time a while ago.

"Anyway, it seems like we have crossed that point." Danny says with much color back to his face, "On to the realm now, I guess!"

Someone's excited.

In any case though, it's good to know that all this walking around wasn't a waste of time. Now, let's see what this realm is actually like. Though, for that, I turn to the man and the woman, who came to greet us and ask,

"How long will it take for us to get to the actual realm?"

They answer in coalition, "A second."

Wait! What!?

And then a portal opens right behind me.

"The people of our realm have been granted powers to use teleportation portals. Therefore, while it should take 20 minutes on foot, it will take no more than a second if you step into that portal."

"Hah!" I sigh as I hear that. "Let's get to it then."

*****