-736- Glimpse the essence of the world

"Shin!"

Watching Shin kneel on the ground with a face full of shock and humiliation, appearing as if he was submitting to Rozen, Alice, who appeared like a phantom from another direction, was equally shocked.

Alice naturally didn't think that Shin did this voluntarily.

In other words, Rozen must have used some means to force him into submission.

"Magic...?"

Alice was completely dumbfounded.

To make this strategist show such an expression was something that was considered impossible in the past.

However, Alice was undeniably stunned.

No way...

"Impossible..."

Exactly.

Impossible.

"How could there be magic that directly influences Automatons...!?"

This was the reason why Alice stood there dumbfounded.

In this world, magic that directly influenced Automatons was usually impossible to use.

Because of the absolute rule of this world—the "Principle of Incompatible Magic Activity."

"In a single individual, two types of magic cannot coexist simultaneously.

So, attempts to directly intervene with magic will be easily countered by the opponent's magic, rendering it ineffective.

Because you can't use magic to directly burn an opponent's Automaton, you have to use flames for an attack.

Because you can't use magic to directly freeze an opponent's Automaton, you need to use cold air to achieve it.

This is common knowledge in Machinart, and it's the natural way of thinking in this world.

In such a situation, even slight magical influences are usually ineffective against Automatons, let alone forcibly controlling an enemy Automaton. Apart from the puppet's master, others simply can't achieve such a thing.

However, now, before Alice's eyes, this absolute truth is being overturned.

Alice can feel that Shin's "Fragarach" is in effect.

However, even so, Rozen's unknown magic is still invading Shin's body, penetrating his heart, and exerting a coercive effect on his spirit stored in "Eve's Heart."

This is simply impossible.

So, Alice is stunned, unable to comprehend.

This Alice has no idea that with the transformation of "Mind's Eye," Rozen can now peer into the world's operations and principles. The so-called "Principle of Incompatible Magic Activity" has already been overcome by him.

After all, even on individual "humans" and "Automatons," two types of magic cannot coexist. However, on the level of the "world" as an entity, countless magics coexist, proving that the reason magic cannot coexist on a single individual is simply because the laws of this world don't allow it.

Just like Earth having gravity, and fire being extinguished by water, this world naturally exists with such a principle.

But now, Rozen can peer into the world's operational principles, so finding ways to make magic coexist is not difficult.

This is why Kinu and Gyokuto can ignore the 'Principle of Incompatible Magic Activity.'

Ultimately, gods are embodiments of nature, transcendent spiritual beings. As part of the world, they can naturally accommodate various magics, just as the world itself can host countless types of magic.

Now, Rozen's 'Mind's Eye' can be considered to have reached the realm of the divine, allowing him to glimpse the essence of the world. Consequently, the so-called 'Principle of Incompatible Magic Activity' is naturally resolved by him.

At this moment, Rozen is making his magic interfere with Shin's 'Fragarach' in a way that won't clash. This compels intrusion into Shin's heart and dominates his spirit.

The magic Rozen is using is none other than the imperial-style jujutsu - 'Kotodama.'

Seeing Shin humiliated before Rozen, Alice, who knows nothing about all this, has lost all reaction.

The result of this leads to...

"Tap!"

Alice's shoulders are suddenly strongly gripped, pushing her entire body towards the ground, slamming her down forcefully.

"Thud!"

Alice's knees instantly go weak, forcefully kneeling on the ground, causing her knees to ache.

"I got you!"

Yaya directly controls Alice, forcing her to kneel, her voice filled with joy.

Only now does Alice realize it and tries to struggle forcefully.

Unfortunately...

"You should also kneel."

When this voice enters Alice's ears, carrying a force that penetrates her mind, coercively controlling her spirit, Alice finds that her knees no longer respond to her commands, unable to leave the ground.

"Ugh...!"

Alice bites her lip, unhesitatingly using the magic of 'Brocken' on herself, making her body flicker like a mirage, constantly swaying.

Usually, the simultaneous action of two types of magic would immediately result in mutual cancellation. However, this time, no matter how Alice used magic, the spell on her remained unbroken, forcing her to obediently kneel.

"..."

Alice had stopped struggling, but her inner turmoil was far from calm.

"Rozen."

Yaya, without any doubt, saw that Alice had stopped struggling and immediately understood that Rozen had done something. She returned to his side.

Rozen then raised his gaze and looked at Alice.

Then...

"Release the magic affecting you."

Rozen said indifferently, and a new 'Kotodama' entered Alice's mind.

"No!"

Alice's delicate face turned pale, emitting a scream that hadn't been there before, showing an unprecedented intensity of reaction.

Unfortunately, even so, Alice still couldn't resist Rozen's 'Kotodama.'

"Hum..."

With a trembling sound, numerous petals flew out from Alice's body. These petals originated from Alice's skin. A part of Alice's skin began to rupture, turning into petals and scattering.

The next moment, something hidden by Alice's magic was finally exposed in the air.

Only to see that Alice's left half had completely changed.

From fair and alluring rosy skin to steel-made armor.

Yes.

Half of Alice's body is entirely a mechanized prosthetic.

"This is...!?"

Yaya covered her mouth in astonishment.

Rozen stared closely at Alice's completely mechanized left half, his expression unchanged, only his eyes showing a slight fluctuation.

"As expected..."

Rozen, as if he had already guessed this appearance, spoke lightly.

"What you've been hiding all along is the fact that your body has been mechanized."

Loki and Frey have mechanized hearts.

Shin and the other machine soldiers are fully mechanized.

And Alice has half of her body mechanized.

This is the reason Alice has been using magic all this time, disguising the truth.