Mirac placed his hand on the rough wooden door, his palm brushing against its cracked grain.
He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of the decision he had just made.
After taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and thought:
'Multiply by zero…'
Suddenly, his consciousness plunged into a vision that had become familiar to him: a starry sky—infinite and unfathomable—a dark and mysterious abyss dotted with flickering lights that pulsed as if they were alive, perfectly in sync with the rhythm of his breath.
He was suspended in that nothingness, a silent observer of a universe that seemed to exist only for him.
But as always, in addition to the dreamlike vision, he could still perceive the real world, as if his mind were tuned to both dimensions—the dreamlike one and the real one.
In front of him, the wooden door still loomed, weathered by time, with a small porthole barred by rusted iron grates.
Beyond those bars, Carmen's face stared at him, her delicate features distorted by an expression of pure confusion, as if searching for answers in a riddle she couldn't comprehend.
Even when Mirac was captivated by the vision of the starry sky, his senses remained firmly anchored to the real world around him.
At that moment, he could still feel the biting cold of the cell gnawing at his skin, the acrid smell of mold saturating the air, and the dry crackling of torches—a sound that broke the oppressive silence like a persistent whisper.
Shortly after immersing himself in the dreamlike dimension, glowing white symbols began to form and float before his eyes.
They moved slowly, as if carried by an invisible wind, tracing hypnotic paths that captivated his gaze.
'It worked!' thought Mirac, a wave of excitement sweeping over him. 'I thought multiplying by zero was impossible, but apparently, I was wrong! If that's the case, then maybe… maybe what I have in mind will actually work…'
At that thought, his first instinct was to smile, but he almost forgot that in this dreamlike world he couldn't move a single muscle.
In the real world, however, he still could.
And so, for a fleeting moment, Carmen saw him smile.
She frowned slightly, confused, but held back from saying or asking anything.
She decided to wait patiently in silence for Mirac to finish whatever he was doing.
She had the distinct feeling that perhaps he was trying to do something to the door, though she had no idea what it was. But in any case, she sensed that the boy needed absolute concentration to carry out his plan.
Mirac caught that understanding in Carmen's gaze, and without offering her any further explanation, he simply waited for the writings to complete their ethereal dance.
It took longer than usual—an anticipation that seemed to stretch into the still, silent air—but in the end, the numbers and symbols intertwined gracefully, merging into a single figure: an equation.
It hovered before him, pulsating with its own light, as if silently awaiting his response.
'Wait, what-?!'
His initial rush of excitement faded quickly when he realized that the floating equation before him wasn't just a simple arithmetic operation.
It was something slightly more complex, something he had only recently begun to tackle: a second-degree fractional equation.
Luminous and imposing, the equation stood in the air before his eyes:
[ (𝒙² - 1852𝒙 + 857476) / (𝒙 - 314) = 0 ]
Mirac felt a lump tighten in his throat.
'It's not a simple multiplication or division… It's a fractional equation!'
Mirac hadn't expected this at all.
Sure, the door was a fairly large object, but it was also of a rather regular shape—roughly a parallelepiped.
Why, then, bring up an equation like that?
'Damn it!' he said to himself, with a mix of anxiety and determination. 'It's been a while since I last solved a quadratic equation. I just hope I can remember how to do it…'
Taking a deep breath in the real world, Mirac mentally prepared himself:
'Okay, Mirac, think! Remember Professor Warnock's lessons. How do you solve a fractional equation equal to zero?'
After mulling it over for a bit, a flash of clarity crossed his mind:
'Oh, right! First, I need to find the values of 𝑥 that make the numerator equal to zero, but I also have to make sure the denominator doesn't become zero. So, let's start with that!'
Mirac mentally noted the equation, visualizing it clearly in his mind as if it were written on an invisible blackboard:
[ 𝑥² - 1852𝑥 + 857476 = 0 ]
Then, with a quick thought, he added the condition of existence:
[ 𝑥 - 314 ≠ 0 ]
'Good, now I need to solve the quadratic equation,' he thought, as a hint of confidence began to emerge within him. 'The quadratic formula is 𝑥 = [-b ± √(b² - 4ac)] / (2a). In my case, a = 1, b = -1852, and c = 857476. So, I'll plug the values into the formula!'
Mentally, he imagined inserting the numbers into the formula:
[ 𝑥 = [-(-1852) ± √((-1852)² - 4 × 1 × 857476)] / (2 × 1) ]
'Damn it! Now I have to calculate this whole mess!' he thought, intending to huff. 'But it doesn't matter. Complaining won't help. It's just a waste of time…'
Recalling Professor Warnock's lessons in his mind, Mirac made his decision:
'Let's start with the discriminant.'
The numbers in front of him were daunting, and the calculations promised to be long and laborious.
But despite that, Mirac didn't let himself be intimidated.
It was precisely in moments like these that he could rely on a special ability, one he had honed over time: the mental abacus.
For all these years, he had practiced mental calculations daily, refining a fast and precise method, as if moving invisible beads on an imaginary abacus: a technique inspired by the instructions for using a real abacus, contained in the book written by the one he believed to be the father of his previous life.
But one night, after an exhausting session of mental calculations using this technique, Mirac was unexpectedly drawn into a dreamlike vision to be rewarded:
[ Congratulations! ]
[ You have learned to use: the Abacus ]
[ Abacus: It is a manual calculation tool used since ancient times to perform arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction. It consists of a frame with rods or wires along which beads or disks slide, representing numerical units. There are various types of abacuses, such as the Chinese (suanpan), Japanese (soroban), and Russian (schoty), each with specific characteristics ]
[ Math is very proud of your constant effort! ]
[ Math wants to reward you… ]
[ Congratulations! ]
[ You have obtained: Immaterial Abacus ]
[ Immaterial Abacus: You possess a mental abacus with which you can solve your calculations ]
That night, Mirac was delighted to have gained such a useful skill, which he discovered—through some experiments the following day—he could also use during his dreamlike visions.
And so now, faced with that complex equation, he didn't hesitate.
With a resolute thought, he declared:
'Abacus!'
In an instant, a translucent abacus materialized before him, suspended in midair above the equation. It was ethereal, almost made of silvery smoke, with beads that glimmered faintly, ready to slide under his mental command.
'Good! Let's get to work now!' Mirac thought, his mind ignited by a spark of determination. 'First, let's calculate 1852². If I break it down, it'll be easier. So I'll use the formula (a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b², where a = 1800 and b = 52. But I can break down 1800 further, turning it into 18 × 100. And if a² = 1800², then a² = (18 × 100)² = 18² × 10000. So, I just need to calculate 18². To do that, I'll break this calculation down too: 18² = 18 × 18 = 18 × (10 + 8). So, I'll solve 18 × 10 first, which is trivially 180. And now, I need to solve 18 × 8 and then add that result to 180. So, 18 × 8 = (10 + 8) × 8 = 8 × 10 + 8 × 8 = 80 + 64 = 144. Adding the two results, 180 + 144, I get 324. Multiplying this result by 10000, I find that 1800² equals 3240000.'
Mirac felt satisfied, but he hadn't finished the calculation yet:
'Now it's time for b² = 52²,' he thought.
It didn't matter that Mirac was immersed in a dreamlike world, because he didn't need to move a single muscle to use the abacus anyway.
A mere thought was enough, and the beads sprang to life, obeying his telepathic commands.
With a clear image in his mind, Mirac arranged the number 52 on the abacus: 2 beads for the units, 5 tens.
'I can break it down again! (50 + 2)² = 50² + 2×50×2 + 2².'
Having thought this, he began to calculate:
'For these calculations, I don't even need the abacus. 50² is pretty straightforward and equals 2500. Also, 2×50×2 is very simple and equals 200. Finally, 2² = 4, obviously. So, adding all three results, I get that 52² equals 2704.'
Mirac didn't waste time and moved on to the next step:
'Now let's calculate 2ab, that is, 2 × 1800 × 52. I'd better start by doing 1800 × 50.'
With a quick thought, he made 1800 (8 hundreds, 1 thousand) and 50 (5 tens) appear on the abacus.
The beads moved on their own, guided by his will: 8 hundreds × 50 = 40 thousands, 1 thousand × 50 = 5 tens of thousands.
At this point, Mirac easily added the two results:
'So 1800 × 50 = 40000 + 50000 = 90000. To this, I need to add the product of 1800 × 2.'
The abacus reacted once again to Mirac's mental command:
'8 hundreds × 2 = 1600, 1 thousand × 2 = 2000, making the total 3600. And now, doing 90000 + 3600, I get the result of 1800 × 52, which is 93600. Good! Now I just need to multiply it by two!'
The beads danced under his telepathic guidance, aligning into a new configuration: 0 units, 0 tens, 2 hundreds, 7 thousands, 8 tens of thousands, 1 hundred thousand.
Total: 187200.
Now he had to perform the final sum:
'3240000 + 187200,' he ordered.
The beads arranged themselves precisely at his command: 0 + 0 = 0 units, 0 + 0 = 0 tens, 0 + 2 = 2 hundreds, 0 + 7 = 7 thousands, 4 + 8 = 12 tens of thousands (carry 1), 2 + 1 + 1 = 4 hundreds of thousands, and 3 millions.
Total: 3,427,200.
But the calculation wasn't finished: he still had to add 2704.
So he moved the beads for that final sum: 0 + 4 = 4 units, 0 + 0 tens, 2 + 7 = 9 hundreds, 7 + 2 = 9 thousands, and the rest remained as it was before.
Total: 3,429,904.
'So, 1852² = 3,429,904,' he concluded. 'Now I need to calculate the other part of the discriminant: 4 × 857476.'
Mirac represented 857476 on the abacus: 6 units, 7 tens, 4 hundreds, 7 thousands, 5 tens of thousands, 8 hundreds of thousands.
Taking care to avoid errors in carrying over, Mirac began multiplying each digit by 4:
6 × 4 = 24: 4 units, carry 2.
7 × 4 = 28 + 2 = 30: 0 tens, carry 3.
4 × 4 = 16 + 3 = 19: 9 hundreds, carry 1.
7 × 4 = 28 + 1 = 29: 9 thousands, carry 2.
5 × 4 = 20 + 2 = 22: 2 tens of thousands, carry 2.
8 × 4 = 32 + 2 = 34: 4 hundreds of thousands, carry 3.
The beads aligned: 4 units, 0 tens, 9 hundreds, 9 thousands, 2 tens of thousands, 4 hundreds of thousands, 3 millions.
Total: 3,429,904.
'Wait a minute…' Mirac realized. 'Δ = 3,429,904 - 3,429,904 = 0. So the discriminant equals zero?!'
He paused, almost in disbelief.
'Damn it! All these useless calculations when I could have simply done -b ÷ 2 to find the result immediately!'
Frustration prickled at his nerves for wasting all this time, but Mirac ignored that feeling and pressed on anyway.
He represented 1852 on the abacus again with the beads: 2 units, 5 tens, 8 hundreds, 1 thousand.
Then, he divided each number by two:
18 hundreds ÷ 2 = 9 hundreds (900).
5 tens ÷ 2 = 2 tens (20), remainder 1.
12 units ÷ 2 = 6 units.
Total: 926.
'Great!' he exulted in his mind. 'And since this doesn't cancel the denominator, I'm even more certain: 926 is definitely the right answer!'
A small wave of pride washed over him.
After reviewing the calculations and confirming they were all correct, with a firm voice in his head, Mirac declared the solution:
'Nine hundred twenty-six…'
As soon as the number took shape in his mind, the vision faded.
The stars, the glowing equation, the entire dreamlike sky dissolved like mist in the sun.
But they weren't the only things that had vanished…
'I-I can't believe it…!' Mirac thought, as the sensation of the rough surface of the door suddenly disappeared from his palm.
All of a sudden, he was no longer touching wood, but only cold, damp air.
The moment he realized this, Mirac opened his eyes wide, his breath caught in his throat—his lungs paralyzed for a second.
At first, he couldn't even believe his own eyes, but then he understood it wasn't an illusion at all:
The cell door… was gone!
It was no longer there.
In its place, there was only an opening, a rectangle in the wall that led to the corridor.
There had been no warning of its disappearance: no sound, no vibration, no flash or trail of energy.
Nothing at all.
Just a moment before, the door had been there, solid and imposing, and the next instant it was gone—vanished the very moment Mirac had mentally declared the solution to the equation.
And fortunately for him, no explosion had erupted, nor had raging flames devoured the cell.
It was exactly what Mirac had hoped for.
Thanks to "Multiplicative Touch"—one of the abilities granted to him years ago by his Syntony with Math—Mirac could multiply objects by a number of his choosing, producing that exact number of copies.
Thus, by multiplying the door by zero, he had aimed to make it disappear entirely.
And so it had!
But there had been a risk, an unknown factor that had made him hesitate until the very last second: the Magical Fire Runes etched into the door.
Mirac had feared that by multiplying the door by zero, it would vanish but leave the Runes intact, as separate entities.
In that case, without their physical support, the Runes might have triggered a devastating explosion, reducing the cell—and surely himself—to ashes.
But that hadn't happened.
The Runes had disappeared along with the door, dissolving into nothingness.
That outcome revealed something crucial to him: the Runes etched onto an object were not independent entities but an integral part of it, like a drawing on a sheet of paper.
So, his mathematical powers didn't just affect physical matter: they also worked on Magical Runes!
And potentially, on magic itself…
Yet, despite having succeeded in his intent, Mirac remained frozen for a moment, destabilized and momentarily dumbfounded—staring at the void where the door had loomed just a second ago.
'Incredible…' he thought, as the initial shock gave way to a surge of excitement. 'It actually worked!'
A faint smile brushed his lips but vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Then, he slowly raised his gaze towards Carmen, who was watching him in silence.
In her dark eyes, astonishment, admiration, and a subtle unease mingled.
"My plan worked," Mirac said in a cold, almost detached voice, masking the tumult of emotions roiling within him. "We can go now."
Carmen didn't respond immediately.
Her eyes were still fixed on the spot where the door had vanished, her expression frozen in a state of pure shock.
"B-But… what happened?!" she stammered finally, her voice trembling. "The door… it didn't explode, it didn't disintegrate… it just… vanished. Disappeared into nothing!"
Mirac looked at her, torn between pride and a vague sense of unease.
'As I thought…' he reflected, stepping forward and exiting the cell. 'Carmen doesn't know what I'm in Syntony with! Otherwise, she'd have figured out on her own that I multiplied the door by zero. So, she only knows I'm a Chaotic. But now that I think about it, I wonder how she found that out…'
Mirac sighed, deciding to keep his reserve.
"I'm in Syntony with a mysterious entity that has granted me some powers. Among them, there is the ability to erase things. That's all," he said simply. 'For precaution, I won't tell her I'm in Syntony with Math. I don't want her to know too much—or even EVERYTHING—about me…'
Carmen scrutinized him for a second, her wide eyes filled with disbelief.
"E-Erase things?" she repeated, as if struggling to believe his words. "Even magic?"
Mirac shrugged, his tone deliberately vague.
"I don't know," he replied. "It's the first time I've used this power…"
A shiver ran down Carmen's spine.
'Incredible!' she thought, studying the boy with care and curiosity. 'I wonder who this entity he's talking about is. He didn't tell me outright, so I guess he still doesn't trust me. But how could I blame him, after everything I've done to him…'
Carmen clenched her hand into a fist, a shadow of remorse crossing her face.
'I'm so sorry. But maybe, one day, you'll understand me…'
With a deep breath, Carmen relaxed her hand and turned, giving him her back.
"I'm pretty impressed…" she admitted, still visibly shaken but with a newfound respect in her eyes. "Anyway, there's no time to lose. Follow me: the exit is this way."
Mirac said nothing.
With one last glance at the cell that had been his prison, he stepped forward, silently following Carmen down the long stone corridor.