Chapter 293: Crown of the Mundane and Divine 『 Part Seven 』
「 Stelle led the clowder of Critter Picks into a chamber deeper within the facility, discovering a section dedicated to botanical cultivation. After settling all the cats, a concealed door on the second floor suddenly slid open.
Arriving at the threshold, a nearby small robot indicated that this was Madam Ruan Mei's hidden sanctum. Through the automaton, Stelle proceeded to review Ruan Mei's cultivation logs.
"I conceived of a lifeform sufficient to compel my acknowledgment of the unfathomable. That is… an Emanator."
"What an Emanator truly is, I do not fully comprehend. Scholars view them as proxies for the Star God's power. So, from when, and at what precise point, do they become closer to the 『Star God 』 than any other lifeform?"
"Initially, I attempted to cultivate a Genius. But I failed; that equation remains unsolvable, with a long road of exploration yet ahead. However, the Paths of the universe are not limited to 『 Erudition 』 alone. If rationality is discarded, does there exist a more primal, purer Emanator on other Paths?"
"—Of course there does."
"Tayzzyronth. Through the Simulated Universe, I was able to glimpse the beginning and end of the Swarm Disaster, seize data on the Imperator Insectorum and its progeny, then replicate and cultivate them, thereby opening a brand-new branch of research. A very logical judgment; I am certain to succeed. The 'It' that I reconstruct will bloom with unprecedented life."
"Will Screwllum and Herta appreciate this experiment? Likely not. Therefore, before they notice… I must hasten my actions and find a suitable [assistant]."
Stelle finally understood the sequence of events. However, when querying the visitor logs, the small robot indicated that a "man with a plaster head" had been here previously.
A man with a plaster head?
Where did this weirdo come from… 」
「 ..... 」
〜Runeterra World〜
Inside a laboratory in Piltover—
"Some powers are born untamable; this Madam Ruan Mei is undoubtedly touching upon a taboo."
Heimerdinger shook his head with certainty.
"Such research is simply too dangerous. Replicating an Emanator in a laboratory… the slightest carelessness means burying the entire Herta Space Station along with it."
"Professor, on this point, I believe in Madam Ruan Mei."
Viktor's voice held a faint note of admiration.
"—You also said that knowledge has no boundaries. Hextech was once viewed by you as taboo, until we proved its value. To refuse evolution is, in itself, a regression."
"Hmm…"
Heimerdinger lowered his head in contemplation for a long while, then suddenly asked,
"So, Viktor, do you view 'researching Emanators' as an evolution?"
"Of course. If this experiment allows humanity to step closer to the mysteries of the Star Gods, it is undoubtedly an evolution worthy of the annals of history."
Viktor's tone grew increasingly agitated, a fervent heat in his eyes bringing a faint flush to his otherwise pale cheeks.
"Every Path contains unspeakably vast power; it is a miracle far surpassing the arcane! Professor Heimerdinger, imagine… if the boundless power of different Emanators' Paths could be harnessed, what kind of scene would that be?"
"Disease, famine, poverty… all of humanity's suffering could be answered anew! And Madam Ruan Mei's research would absolutely bring unprecedented assistance. Given time, if Runeterra were to be pioneered by the IPC—"
"Viktor."
Heimerdinger interrupted him calmly.
"I do not wish to dishearten you, but in my experience… as long as human nature exists, none of what you say will change—this has nothing to do with technology."
Heimerdinger looked at his most prideful student before him, a millennium of wisdom condensing into profound worry within his eyes.
"Even if the power of 『 Propagation 』 could be controlled by human hands, it would only become a tool for those above to exploit those below… Viktor."
—
「 Before the passage to the cultivation pod, Stelle saw a figure standing in the distance.
The man wore a bizarre plaster bust over his head and sat poised before a chessboard, deeply contemplating his next move. While playing against himself, he muttered soliloquies, marveling at every brilliant maneuver.
The sound of Stelle's footsteps interrupted his monologue. The plaster head slowly lifted; the pale, gypsum eyes offered no focal point, yet gave Stelle a chilling sensation of being seen through completely.
"You look distressed. Run into trouble?"
The man rose elegantly, a book of considerable "heft" slowly unfolding in his hands.
"If that is the case, figure it out yourself."
"…" Stelle stared at him, completely dumbfounded.
"Why are you staring? Do you have a lot of time? I think not. Take the elevator down; what you are looking for is there," the plaster head said.
"Who are you?"
"Think before you ask. Better yet, consider whether the answer is beneficial to the problem you need to solve. If not, it is best not to ask; obviously, both your time and mine are precious."
He suddenly sighed. "…Forget it, consider this a demonstration: I know who you are, and I know you are working for Ruan Mei. I was merely a visitor to the Space Station who wandered in by mistake and witnessed her experiment."
"My objective is roughly the same as yours. Since you have arrived, I will not interfere; but if you fail, I will intervene forcefully to prevent unnecessary trouble."
"Knowing this is sufficient—two sentences in total, very effective communication." He seemed extremely satisfied with his own answer.
Stelle: "Why are you wearing a plaster head…"
"Because I cannot stand the sight of idiots. Naturally, they do not wish to see me either." 」
「 ..... 」
〜Genshin Impact World〜
Teyvat—
"Alhaitham! Listen to this—that guy with the plaster head on the sky screen, the way he talks is exactly like you! Just as caustic!"
Alhaitham turned a page of his book without lifting his head.
"First, I never wear accessories that obstruct my vision. Second…"
He lifted his coffee for a sip.
"If you consider clear logic and efficient answering to be caustic, then perhaps you are better suited for work at the Grand Bazaar. After all, the logical requirements there match your academic level perfectly."
"That's not the point!"
Kaveh mimicked the tone of the man with the plaster head.
"When that person said, 'Because I cannot stand the sight of idiots. Naturally, they do not wish to see me either,' I imagined your face saying it, and it wasn't out of place at all!"
"Your imagination is indeed impressive; no wonder your design proposals always exceed the budget."
Alhaitham finally closed his book, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
"However, while he and I may reach a consensus on certain issues, his tolerance for 'foolish statements' is clearly higher than mine."
"What foolish statements… Hey, Alhaitham, you aren't implying me, are you?"
Kaveh said huffily.
"I am stating it explicitly."
Alhaitham stood up to pay the bill.
"But the fact that you realized this indicates that my linguistic expression has finally broken through the lower limits of your comprehension. Congratulations."
—
( Translator-kun: Dr. Ratio's first appearance is here! )