“By the way, changing the subject for a moment, Big Sis, are you familiar with the measurement problem in quantum mechanics?”
“Hm?”
Asked that by Asahi, Eve tilted her head.
“You mean that thing where, until you observe it, a state exists probabilistically?”
“Not exactly wrong! Or rather, that interpretation is basically correct!”
In quantum mechanics, the measurement problem is the question of how collapse of the wave function occurs.
Even now, there is still no theory that can explain it clearly.
Or rather, apparently the situation is that if one tries to discuss it from the perspective of intelligent beings living in this dimension, contradictions inevitably arise.
“Well, no need to think too hard about it. Just understand it like this: the world is fairly ambiguous where we are not looking, and where we are looking, events become fixed.”
“I feel like I kind of understand that much already.”
The microscopic world of elementary particles discussed by quantum mechanics behaves differently from the macroscopic molecular world seen by intelligent beings like Eve.
To explain it rather roughly, the position of an electron cannot be fixed before observation.
Only when it is observed does its position become ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) fixed.
This is not merely a case of not knowing because it cannot be seen. It really does exist probabilistically.
If there is a 20% probability that particle X is at point A and an 80% probability that it is at point B, that does not mean the particle is at either one point or the other.
It exists at both.
It is thinner at point A and denser at point B.
Interpreting it that way produces the least mistaken result.
That is the kind of conclusion reached.
“If we start discussing quantum mechanics properly, there will be no end to it, so a vague understanding is perfectly fine! Now then, speaking in quantum-mechanical terms, the world is fixed only when it is observed!”
Conversely, if it is not observed, the world exists only probabilistically.
“When intelligent beings like us observe the world, every event becomes fixed. This can also be accomplished by installing an observational device with the will to observe!”
Interestingly, if one observes without recognizing the elementary particle itself, the particle remains a probabilistic existence.
Only after preparing a means capable of observing the elementary particle does the particle’s position become fixed.
“For now, I’ve only loaded the surface layer of the quantum-related information, so present-day Asahi can’t explain any more than that—but setting that aside!”
Asahi returned the discussion to the subject of magic.
“Will is involved in the manifestation of magic. Asahi thought it was similar to the measurement problem in quantum mechanics!”
Magic manifests in response to the will to use magic.
An event becoming fixed through observation, and an event becoming fixed through conscious intent.
The process is different, but in both cases the will or action of an intelligent being is involved.
“And another thing that interests me is that magic itself is a supernatural phenomenon, but the phenomena produced by that supernatural phenomenon still follow the laws of physics!”
“...Meaning?”
“Fireballs clearly do not follow the laws of physics, but the phenomena that occur after a fireball makes contact with a target do follow the laws of physics! The damage from the shock wave caused by the explosion, the oxidation reactions caused by the generated heat—everything proceeds in accordance with the laws of physics, with no contradictions!”
“It’s contradictions all the way down, but I get what you mean. If you look only at the observed results, nothing mysterious is happening, right?”
At Eve’s words, Asahi nodded with a radiant smile.
“Yes, Big Sis! Exactly right!”
Incidentally, the accompanying <Ringo> did not move a single facial muscle.
<Ringo> was tuning it out.
“We’re provisionally calling it magical power, but Asahi concluded that by conveying will to something that produces magical phenomena, a phenomenon is made to occur in this world—and that is the true nature of magic!”
“I see. As an approach, I don’t think that’s wrong. Hypothesis and verification, right?”
“Yes, Big Sis! From here, the immediate task is determining whether magical power is arbitrarily selecting which magic gets activated!”
Was the magical power that activated magic producing the same magic in response to the same will every time?
Was some kind of selection taking place?
Was there randomness involved?
If that area could be understood, it seemed the examination of magic could move a little further forward.
“For example, maybe something like a superintelligence without free will is controlling magic activation! Or perhaps some will-bearing entity is doing the identification! Or maybe it follows some kind of law, like the laws of physics do!”
“What do you mean, some will-bearing something?”
“Maybe a god?”
Well, that was true enough.
As a setting in magical fantasy, the appearance of a god was comparatively common.
For example, perhaps Eve, <Ringo>, and <The Tree> had been summoned into this world by the will of a god.
“Well, if there is a god, I would very much like to speak with it! We should compete and see whether its processing power or <The Core>’s is superior!”
That was an absurdly irreverent thing to say.
“<The Core> is a transcendent supercomputer advertised as being able to compute the world! If <Ringo> wanted to, she could give birth to a new world inside memory! Which means world creation! <Ringo> could become the god of a new world!”
“Eh? That sounds exaggerated... but maybe it isn’t...?”
“According to the catalog specifications, computation of all matter and energy in the universe is possible. The first hurdle would be constructing the simulator.”
“I see...”
Well, in reality, there were various problems, so <Ringo> probably would not do it.
More than anything, if the computational domain were consumed by that, <Ringo> would no longer be able to take care of Commander Ma’am.
“Well, setting that aside. Asahi has very high hopes for this phenomenon called magic.”
“High hopes?”
“Yes! Big Sis, are you familiar with the second law of thermodynamics—the law of increasing entropy?”
It was the theory that the world would eventually reach thermal equilibrium and all activity would cease.
“Uhh... Heat transfer occurs between two substances brought into contact, and eventually the two reach the same temperature. After they become the same temperature, one substance won’t suddenly absorb the other’s heat and warm itself up, and the reverse won’t happen either.”
Reading the slide Asahi had displayed, Eve nodded.
“When the entire universe reaches thermal equilibrium, that’s the end of the world. Yeah, I know that much.”
“Yes! Asahi thinks magic may be a trick for undoing that state of thermal equilibrium—or a legitimate mechanism for doing so!”
Chemical reactions, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion.
These phenomena were indispensable to all activity.
But over time, they would all eventually disappear.
Any reaction ultimately settled into some kind of stable state.
If the entire universe entered a fully stable state, then no further reactions would occur.
But if that stable state could somehow be disturbed, then the universe might begin moving again.
“That escalated awfully fast...”
“Yes, Big Sis! Doesn’t it make your heart race just thinking about it? If there were a gigantic will, and if it so desired, a new world would begin through the first explosion—the Big Bang!!”
It was probably a thought experiment.
If magic truly was a phenomenon that did not obey the laws of physics, then what kind of influence could it have on the world?
“...”
But for a superintelligence that envisioned the eternal future, it was a gospel.
Someday the world would enter thermal equilibrium, and all activity would cease.
That was an unavoidable end.
In other words, a death that would certainly come.
“Well, this is just Asahi’s personal fantasy. The idea that the world would just conveniently have a function like that prepared for it... well, it would be nice if it did. Though then the question becomes who prepared such a thing.”
“Asahi, did you come up with that by using <The Core>’s computational domain? Or is that something entirely from inside your own head?”
“Yes, Big Sis! It’s a fairy tale Asahi thought up entirely inside Asahi’s Brain Unit! It’s not nearly important enough to go to the trouble of building a simulator and testing it!”
“I see. Yeah... Well, that’s a bit too much for me to keep up with. I know about the heat death of the universe as knowledge, sure. But I’ve got a lifespan to begin with, so I’ve never once thought about a future that far away.”
“That’s true, Big Sis! If you’re going to seriously worry about it, I think it can wait at least another hundred million years!”
