Kaalaa Baunaa: Whuu ... phew ...
First, the child self, then the teenage self, and then the young adult self. Only in the Meditator's Realm can one face so many past selves ...
... and defeat them one after another.
Kaalaa Baunaa: The 20-year-old me was fierce.
Kaalaa Baunaa rubs her bruised cheeks.
Kaalaa Baunaa: hiss That pain feels real.
Kumar: You came here sooner than I expected, Kaalaa Baunaa.
The wind feels like tingling knives on the rooftop. A familiar, if not too familiar, figure once again emerges in front of her.
Kumar: I knew you would come.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Kumar.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Finally. See you again.
Kumar: I miss you dearly, too, my child. I hope you've been doing well while I was away.
Kumar: Hope you're happy with the surroundings I set. I always find it enjoyable here—a place full of memories and perfect for small talks.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I'd rather you suffered, Miss.
Kumar: Ah, someone is having a worse attitude these days.
Kaalaa Baunaa looks around to observe the surroundings.
Kumar: There's no need to look around, kid. I already had a few years of experience in the field before you started your research. And one of the most basic skills one has to master in the Meditator's Realm is to cover up the traces of reality.
The sky is dark, like the surface of dusted glassware.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Even so, you didn't even think about creating a starry sky for yourself here.
Kumar is silent for a moment and then shakes her head.
Kumar: Hmm. That would be unnecessary. You can see it any time outside this Realm if you like.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Why did you "invite" me here?
Kumar: ...
Kumar: I know you've put in a lot of efforts. I understand the difficulty within and sympathize with you, Kaalaa Baunaa. I always do, just like what I did with my younger brother. By the way, that letter has been delivered to him safely, I assume?
Kumar: You're smart enough not to bring the Vishnu statue with you. Did somebody kindly remind you not to do that?
Kumar: Never mind. That's not helpful.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I don't understand. Why involve him?
Behind Kumar, an old finderscope is aiming at the sky.
Kumar: Emm, maybe I was being vindictive out of "hatred," like you said.
Kumar: After all, they precluded me from doing anything even before I gave it a try. Although my misfortune was not my brother's doing, there's no one else left in the family to take my anger.
Kumar: So ask me now. Ask me anything you wish to know. I can tell you everything. What you're curious about, what you're confused about, anything you can't work out in your little brain. I can explain it all.
She smiles warmly, but her words are as cold as usual.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Hasn't the idea that I might locate you bothered you for even a second?
Kaalaa Baunaa takes a tentative step forward.
Kumar: Locate me? Hahaha. You are still as naive as a child, my Kaalaa Baunaa. You little dummy owl. That is simply impossible.
Kaalaa Baunaa: This is the first time you doubt my capability.
Kumar: No, why would I do that? Of all the students, you are the only child who is smart enough to follow my steps this far.
Kumar: You just don't have time on your side and need a better mindset in dealing with the unexpected.
Kumar: I've tried to teach it to you. Remember those impromptu speeches I asked you to give? Those were good practice.
Kaalaa Baunaa: "Don't have ..." What do you mean?
Kumar: Perhaps you have put too much stock in the idea that I will rely on Manus Vindictae in this. Instead, I trust myself more than them. And, of course, I also trust you.
Kumar: What's more, they were never good enough for me. But luckily, I have never been a real arcanist or a real human, only pretending to be either of them when necessary. I can easily act like an arcanist to gain their trust, just like I could act like a human when I was teaching at Banner.
Kumar notices that Kaalaa Baunaa has been staring at the old finderscope.
Kumar: What are you staring at? Take it if you're interested.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...!
Kumar takes off the finderscope and throws it lightly to Kaalaa Baunaa. It lands precisely on her palm.
The surroundings remain the same. Kaalaa Baunaa can't find any loopholes at all.
Kumar: What? You thought it is the key to cracking the Meditator's Realm, like those stone statues earlier?
Kumar: Though it is too late for hints, there is one thing I have to remind you of.
She is indeed as thoughtful as she claims to be.
Kumar: You didn't catch up to "the real me," nor did you improve the situation by entering the Realm. You chased me all the way here, chased the hope of "winning" against me, but you only helped me complete my plan.
Kumar: The moment you entered the Realm, the last step of my plan was done.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I completed what?
Kumar: As you know, exerting influence on reality through the Meditator's Realm is challenging. After all, this Realm is like the shadow of its real counterpart, a reflection of reality.
Kumar: I went to a lot of trouble, even wasted a statue, to finally stick out a corner of the shadow over the boundary of the two worlds.
Kaalaa Baunaa: You mean the statue in the cave ...
Kumar: Yes.
Kumar: What I needed was an outside-in force to break the Realm, which is almost unbreakable from the inside.
Kumar: A mirror can reflect objects, but there's nothing it can do to itself. It can only be shattered into pieces by people not from the reflection, but reality.
Kumar: Whenever there is a shooting star streaking across the sky of this Realm,
Kumar: an equally beautiful star will fall on the real earth!
Kumar: And guess what? YOU are the force I'm looking for.
Kaalaa Baunaa: No. How?
Kaalaa Baunaa: So the fluctuation I detected, the energy of the celestial body felt by the Foundation girl ... are just false alert?
Kumar: Oh, no, I have to admit, that young girl was not part of my plan. But, at least, you are on the right track about what happened!
Kumar: If anything is to blame, it's your ego. You were trying to win, but not by saving people. The idea of proving yourself to me outweighed their lives.
Kumar: You must be wondering, "How could she lay such a trap with her insignificant arcane power"?
Kumar: "She can barely lift a lump of clay. She must have had the Manus Vindictae on her side to help!"
Kumar: All that being said, you don't have to feel yourself to be a lesser version of me. You're still my best student, my best colleague, and my strongest rival—well, with some room to improve.
Kumar: Even this time, you didn't lose the game for lack of wits, but for the fact that I know you a bit better than you know me,
Kumar: and I simply have more experience hunting a prey.
Kaalaa Baunaa: You and the Manus ... I've never, never thought that.
Kaalaa Baunaa feels her explanation is meaningless and stuck in her throat. She's almost choking for breath in the gentle breeze.
Kaalaa Baunaa: That means if I didn't enter the Realm to see you ...
Kumar: Then things are going to be tricky for me. You would be enjoying a happy Dīpa Festival, while I would be crying in a dark corner nobody knows of.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Why? Why would you ...?
Kumar: Well, time's up. Remember to ask the most important question first next time, child.
Kumar: Don't thank me for that suggestion, and don't think too much of my kindness. I didn't explain all these things for your sake. I told you everything, because only by doing so can I enjoy the victory to its fullest. Your desperation is a good prize for me.
Kumar: You know I have a bad taste for entertainment.
Kumar: Go back to the Dīpa Festival. At least there's one good thing left for you—you will get to see that beautiful shooting star with your own eyes, just like I will.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...!
Kumar: Goodbye.
