"…Hmm."

Jaehwan thought about it for a second. Maybe it was very similar to how Adapters became Awakeners.

"The people who lived in the world of cla.s.sical mechanics did not know that time and movement changed depending on the viewer. They also did not know that the apple that dropped because of gravity had a 'possibility' of disappearing somewhere unknown, or penetrate into the ground after millions, or even billions of tests."

"…I guess so."

"To them, the theory of relativity or quantum mechanics are considered to be a complicated magical formula. Haha. Didn't Arthur C. Clarke say this too? That 'Any type of sufficient advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic'?"

Jaehwan listened carefully to Sakmoto but it was hard to understand the point he was trying to make. However, he didn't need to ask as Sakamoto wasn't the type to ask a question and not give an answer. As expected, Sakamoto quickly gave the answer.

"Jaehwan. We are living in an age of cla.s.sical mechanics."

"….What?"

But even after the answer, Jaehwan was still confused. 'We are still living in an age of cla.s.sical mechanics?' What was that supposed to mean? Sakamoto took a sip on the coffee again and continued, "Cla.s.sical mechanics in Newton's era. Theory of relativity in Einstein's era. And quantum mechanics and grand unified theory now… Theories to understand and a.n.a.lyze the world kept evolving. But look at the people now. Most of the people do not care about what those theories are and don't even know it exists. To most people, this world is a simple one where apples still drop from trees and you can pick them up to eat."

Jaehwan then realized what Sakamoto was trying to say. He imagined the Tree of Imagery and the people of who tried hard to get the fruits. He then thought about the people in reality.

"Even with such grand theories, the people's world only exists within their sights -- in their narrow sights where we are not even allowed to examine even an atom."

"…"

"We will never know how the 'real world' looks like. This world is going d.a.m.n well even with the cla.s.sical mechanics after all! Quantum mechanics and all that… you don't need to know that to eat, earn money, or have s.e.x!"

Sakamoto then stopped as he got heated up and took a few more sips of coffee.

"I was too fired up there. I'm sorry."

"No. It was great."

"No-no. I'm sure this wasn't what you wanted to hear. …You're concerned, aren't you?"

Jaehwan answered, "How did you know?"

"People who are interested in parallel universes usually have problems with real life."

Sakamoto smiled as he answered, "Was it because you asked me a strange question? It reminds me of my dream."

"A dream?"

Sakamoto laughed embarra.s.singly.

"I never told anyone, but I often have strange dreams."

"…What kind of dreams do you have?"

"Can you promise that you will not laugh?"

"I promise."

Sakamoto then scratched his face in embarra.s.sment and started, "Dual swords."

"Huh?"

"I am a warrior that uses dual swords in that dream."

It felt like the air had become rigid.

"That world is a world where everything had been destroyed. There was a weird tower over in the sky, and people needed to climb up that tower. I was one of those climbers. Haha, isn't it weird?"

Jaehwan didn't think it was weird. It wasn't weird at all. Because he knew the story already.

"And there, I level up and increase my stats, trying hard to clear the tower. It's funny, but people call me Sakamoto even in that tower. And there are people I know who comes out in that dream. Say for example, Inchan. Isn't it foolish? And…"

Sakamoto's story continued and Jaehwan listened quietly. Just like a man who had been waiting for a long time, or a kid who wished for the story to never end, he kept on listening.

"So, like that… and… huh? Hey! What's going on! Jaehwan!"

Sakamoto pulled out multiple tissues from the box and quickly came up to Jaehwan and waved at him. Jaehwan realized the reason after a short while. He quickly lowered his head and rubbed his eyes.

"Jaehwan… you promised not to laugh so you are crying instead? Are you trying to make fun of me?"

"N-no. It's not that. It's…"

Jaehwan was facing a strange face as if he didn't know whether to cry or laugh. How should this be explained? How should he explain the feeling of facing something he had waited for so long? Without explaining his feelings, Jaehwan asked a different question instead.

"Professor Sakamoto. Do you believe in that dream?"

"Huh?"

"Do you really believe that the dream is happening in another universe? That it really exists?"

Was it an unexpected question? Sakamoto looked down on the ground for a moment at Jaehwan's question. After a while, he spoke.

"Honestly… I think it might be."

Jaehwan wanted to answer. That it might not be a dream. That it existed. In that world, he climbed the tower together with him and tried to protect the world.

In that world. In that world, you…

Sakamoto then rose up from his seat with embarra.s.sment and Jaehwan couldn't say it. Sakamoto coughed toward the window and turned to Jaehwan.

"Anyway, what I want to say is this. It's not important what the world looks like to people after all. A revolution is something that happens inside a small, narrow, and twisty tunnel box, not outside."

Sakamoto tapped on his head as he spoke and Jaehwan couldn't forget that sight for a long time after that.

"Huh? Where are you going now?"

"I'm sorry! I have to go somewhere!"

Jaehwan then ran out of the lab and Sakamoto scratched his face as he turned to the door that Jaehwan had left through.

"…Hmph. You look like you've found evidence to prove the parallel universe theory."