Cage

"Unbelievable—"

After listening to Dumbledore's account, Amosta frowned and spoke softly.

A soul leaving the shelter of the body and acting on its own sounded sufficiently fantastical even in the world of magic.

"You just said—"

Recalling Dumbledore's words, Amosta pressed on.

"There was only one time?"

"That feeling was beyond what I could endure, Amosta—"

Dumbledore closed his eyes, recalling the terror he had experienced the day he reached that peak many years ago. After a moment, he opened them and looked at Amosta with a solemn expression.

"That experience cannot simply be described as fear. I must admit, the feeling was also wonderfully extraordinary. When the soul leaves the body, the sensation of freedom is beyond words. But precisely because of that, I must warn you: when you truly open that door one day, Amosta, do not become addicted to that freedom. Your soul will have nowhere to rest, yet you cannot truly cast off the shackles of the body. You may very well die because you become lost in that 'freedom.'"

Amosta's expression shifted uncertainly. Dumbledore's words undoubtedly confirmed his earlier speculation about the 'Jellyfish World.'

"Thank you for the warning, Headmaster Dumbledore. I will be careful."

Amosta nodded solemnly.

"In the years afterward, I could indeed make my soul leave my body briefly whenever I wished, but I did not dare do so. As I said, I feared that temptation—that 'freedom' which seemed truly unrestrained, as though nothing in the world could bind me."

Dumbledore said,

"Until later. I mean, as my body began to noticeably age and my magical power began to decline, I discovered that I had lost that ability."

Dumbledore smiled candidly.

"Nothing can contend with the mighty force of time. Everything will eventually march toward death. Of course, you are wiser than