Millennial Mage

Chapter 433: Purposeful Silence

Tala and Rane stood in the mid-morning spring sunshine, sharing a look after master Lisa had invited them inside.

This side street wasn’t crowded by any means, but there were other pedestrians around. Thankfully nothing that had happened was visibly odd from a mundane perspective.

Tala smiled up at Rane before turning back and speaking to master Lisa. “Thank you, we’d love to come in.”

The two crossed the short distance to come through the door and let the man close the entrance behind them. That left the three of them standing in the seemingly iron-lined room as the doorway that had led outside vanished and a doorway leading deeper in appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

Now that she was more familiar with her threefold sight, Tala could see that the room had somehow reoriented within a four-dimensional axis to allow this to happen, somehow even realigning them to interact with existence at an angle of sorts, rather than simply shifting them either stone- or starward. Though where they stood still appeared to be superficial to her. That was likely because her reference frame had been shifted.

Oh… this is nauseating and mind twisting.

-Don’t consider it. You’ll be fine… well, you’ll be fine either way. Hurrah anti-vomiting scripts!-

May they never lose their power. She grimaced.

Master Lisa glanced her way and gave a knowing smile. “You’re more perceptive than when last we spoke.”

“So I noticed.” They walked through the inner door, but instead of coming into the shop as Tala had thought they would, the three of them entered a sitting room with two human sized chairs and one much smaller seat.

Did he have this room prepared for us beforehand?

-Or he is able to prepare it on the fly.-

Or he has so many spaces that there was one already set up in this configuration that he simply chose to go to.

-That… could be either a huge number or a coincidence.-

Exactly.

The man moved to sit in the much smaller chair, shrinking to fit even as fur sprouted from his form and his face elongated, revealing a fox… without horns.

So… the horns in our previous interaction were a sort of disguise as well?

-Seemingly.-

Master Lisa regarded Tala for a moment before asking something that seemed to be bugging him, “Why did you knock on that particular door?”

She shrugged, seeing no reason to refrain from answering. “Well, your shop was locked up, and it wasn’t the first time that I’ve tried to stop through. So—”

He waved that off. “You misunderstand the question. You knocked on a door located outside of what most would consider standard reality. Why? Why didn’t you knock on the door that was right in front of you while standing on the street?”

Tala opened her mouth to answer but stopped before she did. Oh… Well, that’s funny.

-Yeah, we didn’t actually consider doing that.-

“Well… I suppose I didn’t actually think of it. I was trying to figure out what was going on. Then, I saw what seemed to be a door, and it seemed reasonable to knock.”

The fox gave a wry smile. “So, it was purely an unlikely coincidence then. I see.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I was right in the middle of a rather… finicky experiment. When I do such things, I like to be near an exit hatch to flee in the event of catastrophe. Thankfully, such hasn’t actually happened in years. Regardless, you knocked less than a foot from my head, and it was quite jarring. I did manage to save the process from disaster, though. No harm done.”

“Well, I apologize for any inconvenience. That was not my intention.”

“I gathered that, yes. Thank you for the apology.”

Tala tilted her head to the side in consideration. “Wait… An exit hatch? You have more than one?”

The fox’s ear twitched. “I think we’re getting off topic here. Why have you graced me with your presence, and who is your overlarge friend?”

Tala chuckled. “Very well, master Lisa, keep your secrets. This is Rane, and we’re here to discuss four-dimensional existence and construction.”

The fox looked back and forth between the two of them, lifting a vulpine eyebrow. “Not ‘Master’ Rane? Clearly the boy is a powerful Archon with a well developed gate.” Master Lisa nodded slowly to himself. “I sense no soulbond between you. Thus, there is no marriage to speak of. You two are of an age, so there is no master and mageling relationship. So, if I remember human customs correctly, that means that you are officially courting?”

Tala felt her eye twitch. Why the inclusion of ‘official?’ Why is everyone asking that?

Rane gave a small smile, answering for them both, “Yes, we are.”

The fox grinned broadly. “Absolutely wonderful! It is a joy that I am not so out of touch with human society that I misconstrued the subtleties of language used.”

Rane shrugged. “Well, while you are right in our case, generally, the lack of an honorific is simply a sign of closeness rather than specifically an indication of the pursuit of intimacy.”

The fox’s happy face fell. “Oh, chili powder.” He sighed. “Fine. Well, thank you for clarifying. I do so hate to be left with an inaccurate assumption.”

Tala cleared her throat. “Can we return to the topic at hand?”

“We are still discussing the topic at hand, your lack of honorific with Master Rane, here.”

She sighed. “Yes, which is a topic you shifted to when I asked about four-dimensional existence and construction.”

“Well, of course. One of the topics is pertinent, and the other is hardly relevant to anyone.”

Tala took a deep breath to level herself, then motioned around them. “We are literally sitting within a four-dimensional construction.”

“But of course.”

She gave him a puzzled look, and he grinned in return.

“I did not say which topic was which. Humanity’s emphasis on formality and proper conduct is incomprehensible to me.”

Tala cocked an eyebrow in turn. “Says the arcane?”

The fox opened his mouth, then slowly closed it before nodding in concession. “That’s a fair point, but there is a reason that I am not with other arcanes. Those of us with less… societal inclination find it hard to be within the cities to the south. So, we find ourselves elsewhere, where the authority of the Lords does not seek to worm its way into everyone and everything.”

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Tala decided to delve into one of the myriad things brought up by master Lisa’s response, “Are there many of you in the gated human cities?”

“Many? No. I know of only four or five in all the current cities.” The fox seemed almost sad, but the expression vanished shortly after.

“Then… where?”

“All over.” He gestured around himself. “We have perfected the construction of four-dimensional dens, as you would likely call them. They use a similar concept to the expanded space storages that you humans love so much, without requiring Magic to continue to exist.” He hesitated a moment before conceding. “Though, they are far less portable.”

Rane frowned. “Less portable? You could still move them, then?”

Master Lisa scrunched his nose. “Well, the two of you are just such careful listeners, aren’t you?”

There was a bit of a silence before master Lisa sighed.

“How about I get you all something to drink before we discuss you trying to copy the legacy of my ancestors for your personal gain?”

Tala blinked a few times. “That’s not quite how I would have put it.”

“Oh, I am aware, young Archon. I am well aware.” Master Lisa hopped up, walking to the side of the room and looking at a piece of paper. “I don’t have any alcohol in stock that would affect a Refined, and hallucinogens would be rather counter to having a useful conversation…” He trailed off contemplating. Then, he turned around and smiled. “Would either of you care for a mushroom tea?”

Tala shook her head, fighting back a smile. “No, thank you.”

Rane simply shook his head.

The fox sighed. “Ahh, well, one can always hope.”

Tala stood, feeling like something odd was going on, something that she really didn’t care for. “We can leave, master Lisa. It was only meant to be a question, not an obligation.”

Master Lisa looked her way and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to. We only came in the hopes of getting some help.”

He pointed at Rane. “He was the apprentice of one of your cities. Are you trying to tell me that you don’t know what you are asking? What you are doing?”

Tala frowned. “I’m sorry, but I’m totally at a loss. You and I talked before, and I rather enjoyed the conversation. I thought we both came out well from the exchange.”

He nodded at that. “We did indeed.”

“So, I simply sought you out to inquire on another topic.”

Master Lisa seemed stunned for a long moment. “You don’t know the nature of my allowance here?”

“No? Last time you simply said that you had been allowed to be here, so long as you were not discovered by the general populace.”

The fox man leaned back against the low table, seeming baffled. “I am allowed here so long as I help all those who seek me out with a genuine inquiry of knowledge. I am not required to steer their inquiry, but I must respond to direct questions.”

It took Tala a moment to understand what he meant. When she did, her eyes widened. “So, you are required to answer any sincerely asked question?”

“It is not quite as terrible as that, but on non-personal, general subjects? Yes. On knowledge that can be freely given? Yes. I am not obligated to train you, or trade with you, but to share the basis of the secrets which have kept myself and my kin safe for eons? Yes.”

“Would doing so put you at risk?”

“No, but it is one of our few advantages.”

“And if we ask you have no choice but to share?”

He huffed a laugh. “I always have a choice. As Master Rane’s insightful question alluded to, I can move my den. I could seek asylum in another city, but the terms would likely be similar, if not more onerous.”

Tala shook her head, rising to her feet. “Come on, Rane. We’ve taken enough of the shopkeeper’s time.”

Rane nodded firmly and stood before bowing. “It was a pleasure to meet you, master Lisa.”

The fox regarded them with narrowed eyes. “What are you doing?”

She smiled in return. “I’m not interested in extorting anyone for knowledge… at least not an acquaintance whom I would prefer become a friend. I came to talk with such an acquaintance and hopefully learn something. I would imagine that you are bound to your agreement in some way. So, no conversation on that topic would really be a freely engaged one. I will not have the information gained in that way, not from you.”

Rane smiled. “We can gain the information through trade with someone who won’t be compelled to answer.”

The two of them turned… and found that there was no door out of the room.

Tala frowned. Her threefold sight still showed her a door, but now that she looked closer, it wasn’t quite aligned with their current reference frame at the moment.

Oh, I really hate that.

-It is a bit mind bending.-

She turned back and gave a tightlipped smile. “Would you be so kind as to let us out?”

Master Lisa was regarding them oddly. “I will, if that is what you want, but if you would be willing, please have a seat.”

Tala and Rane shared a look, and the two humans sat once more.

“If you would be so kind as to not speak or ask questions, I will tell you what I am willing to say, then I will let you depart. Is that agreeable?”

Once again, Tala and Rane shared another look. Rane still seemed uncertain. Tala was willing to listen, so she gave a nod. That seemed to reassure the big man, and he smiled in return, and they both turned to look toward master Lisa.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He grinned. “I appreciate the silence.” He set cups in front of each of them. “Tea, not mushroom tea.”

The two smiled in response, accepting their beverages.

It smelled like chamomile and was soothing as Tala took a sip. She smiled and nodded her thanks.

Rane sighed and leaned back.

Master Lisa considered for a long moment. “four-dimensional construction is based upon the truth that we are three-dimensional beings. I would have no concept of how to make a home for a four-dimensional being… meaning a being of four physical dimensions. So, the easiest way to conceive of what we are discussing is to imagine a three-dimensional construct for two-dimensional beings. If you can’t conceive of it fully like that, imagine creating something for a circle of paper.”

He paused then, looking to see if they understood. Neither seemed to understand perfectly, but they gave no indication of outright confusion.

“So, for the paper circle, I could create myriad levels of spaces for it to traverse, each offset by a small angle. Then I would only need a mechanism to align the circle with any given level, be it an elevator or a variable wedge. Using the wedge would allow for each ‘level’ of the space to have more levels further from the aligning wedge as it is effectively taking slices of the three-dimensional space. Don’t forget that even though we might have close to infinite volume of space, the size of each room would be limited by the three-dimensional bounds of the four-dimensional construction.”

He gave another brief pause to let them contemplate. He enjoyed a bit of his own tea at the same time before continuing.

“So, the difference comes in that a piece of paper is a three-dimensional object, unlike a true lesser being. So, effectively, four-dimensional construction can fit infinite wedges—or floors—for three-dimensional creatures into a four-dimensional space. The only caveat comes with people like Mistress Tala, here.”

Tala frowned, but didn’t say anything in response.

“She has… not a fourth dimensionality, but a fourth dimensional shadow for lack of a better word. Your iron is stored offset from you, but it is still not four-dimensional either. So, you are effectively two or more three-dimensional things layered atop one another. This does not give you four-dimensional existence, however. The only reason I bring it up is that when building four-dimensional constructs, you have to take those such as you into account. The way to do that involves conceptualization and math at a level that none of us have the time to dig through.”

When neither human protested by motion or expression, master Lisa grinned.

“That said, the simplification is this: I simply give every layer a bit of fourth dimensionality. It drastically decreases the number of three-dimensional spaces I can tuck into the construction, but as they can be almost infinitely small on the fourth dimensional axis, it is such a marginal reduction that I’ve never known anyone to actually come up against the limit.”

Tala’s head felt a bit like it was being stuffed with cotton, even though she thought she understood everything that he’d said so far.

Rane was taking yet another sip, clearly lost in thought.

Master Lisa seemed to be thinking as well, but finally he nodded. “I think that is as solid a foundation as I can easily sketch out for you two. It’s a bit more complicated than I’d give to a kit, but their education in this regard would start around when you humans teach your children to read, so a bit of simplification for them only stands to reason.”

Kit? …oh! She remembered that a baby fox was called a kit. That’s needlessly confusing.

-Well, I doubt the two definitions for ‘kit’ usually have any sort of overlap. This is just a bit of a funny coincidence.-

That’s… fair. Regardless, it wasn’t like she’d rename Kit.

Master Lisa stood, and Rane and Tala did likewise.

“Thank you both for your approach to this.”

The two humans bowed.

He grinned. “You can speak now. Though I would appreciate it if you'd refrain from questions around the previous topic.”

Rane spoke first, bowing again. “Thank you for your words.”

Tala likewise expressed her gratitude.

“You are both most welcome. Come, let’s get you back to the street before something happens to spoil this foundation we’ve laid for our acquaintance.”

The two agreed, and all three stepped through the door which was, once again, aligned with their current dimensionality.