Following that line of logic, Kain re-read most of the notes about Series X in a new light.
He came to a conclusion, the reason why humans can only form a contract with a limited number of spiritual creatures, known as their affinity, seems to be due to some kind of mysterious restriction. Something that this mysterious organization refers to as Heaven’s Will.
If one wants to form a contract with a spiritual creature beyond the limitations of their affinity, then they must find some way of overcoming this so-called “heaven.” Unfortunately, from the moment a living thing is born on this planet, the laws dictated by the planet’s mysterious will seems to be imprinted into their soul.
Kain had always thought that the affinity merely dictates the variety of forms one’s star space can take on, therefore someone with a fire-attribute affinity cannot bind to a spiritual creature with a water-attribute affinity because the star space will be an inhospitable environment to the contract and be unconsciously rejected.
However, it seems like this is only half of the story. Looking at the notes of the Series X experiments, it appears that even when extremely powerful spiritual creatures that should be able to survive an inhospitable environment, for example dragons, attempt to form a contract with someone without the suitable affinity, the souls of both the spiritual creature and the contractor are gradually stomped out of existence within moments.
It seems that this world is making a conscious effort to prevent the unrestricted formation of contracts. Why that is? Nobody knows.
Therefore, when possible solution that has been brought up is binding to creatures not born on this planet… unfortunately, powerful alien spiritual creatures have never been found. And spiritual creatures born in subordinate realms anchored to this one, such as the underworld where infernal creatures reside, seem to have the same restrictions placed upon them.
However, Kain had access to something that the researchers at this organization do not—the System.
And based on his past experiences with the System, he could confirm the existence of other worlds—whether contracts with the creatures of these worlds can be formed, he didn’t know. However, at the very least he has a better starting point to explore this hypothesis than they do.
Making an excuse to Gabriel that he was going to rest his eyes, Kain went to a lounge set up for researchers and staff within the same building.
Closing his eyes as though to take a nap, Kain entered his System, along with the notes of the Series X experiments.
“Vera” Kain called out to his lab assistant. After all, his primary help for going through these notes couldn’t just be an eleven-year-old, “I would like you to help me go through these notes and craft suitable treatment plans for Gabriel.” Kain then shared the data he’d collected on Gabriel using his equipment outside.
Vera, hovered closer to receive the notes with a cheerful hum. The large digital blue eyes, that make up the majority of her “face” flickered slightly as she read through the notes within seconds and tried to complete her master’s request.
“Processing request,” she chirped, her tone light and slightly melodic. “Compiling data on Subject Gabriel. Shall I prioritize physical stability or look for potential long-term solutions first, Boss?”
“Start with physical stability,” Kain replied, distracted as he glanced around his lab. “I’ll explore some other avenues in the meantime.”
Vera nodded—or rather tilted slightly in acknowledgment—and began processing the data. She hummed faintly, her “face” lighting up with graphs and equations as she worked.
As Vera busied herself, Kain took a moment to survey the laboratory. While the number of pieces of equipment he currently had, paled in comparison to his lab on campus, the lab provided by the System was unique in the world in that it had pieces of equipment utilizing technology far more advanced than what currently existed on this planet. Maybe one of them will help him in his quest to save Gabriel?
His eyes fell on the Genetic Reconstructor, a sleek machine that occupied the far corner. It was the only one he felt might be remotely useful, but he doubted that manipulating genes could get rid of the restriction of “Heaven’s Will.”
Maybe he could manipulate Gabriel’s genes to make him better able to contain the massive amount of spiritual power in his body and not explode? But Kain had never used the Genetic Reconstructor on anything more advanced than the single-celled Aether Brewing Yeast, and wasn’t sure how safe it was to use on Gabriel.
“Best-case scenario, I stabilize him,” Kain murmured to himself. “Worst-case…he ends up like those abominations from Series B. Not worth the gamble without more data.”
He moved on, cataloging the various things he’d chosen to store in the System’s laboratory: microorganisms from the relic he entered to save Bridge, rewards granted to him by the training relic prior to the National Tournament, and various rare spiritual materials he’d collected during missions or were given to him as rewards while acting as an Evolutionary Planner for various rich people.
However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing…
“Where’s that egg?” he muttered, once again going through his entire collection in case he’d missed it—which was unlikely considering its bright golden sheen.
He’d received it as a reward from Professor Tameridge for tying with Serena in the relic used for training but hadn’t paid it much attention due to it essentially being unhatchable in any environment with spiritual power—an environment practically impossible to create.
Kain’s brows furrowed as he considered the missing golden egg. He couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that its absence might be crucial.
“Vera,” Kain said, his tone sharper than before. “Where is the golden egg? The one I collected from Professor Tameridge a couple months ago. Did you move it?”
Vera paused her work on the Series X notes, her luminous blue eyes flickering as she processed the query. “Golden egg?” she repeated, her voice tinged with confusion. “Cross-referencing laboratory inventory logs now… Scanning complete. No object matching that description has ever been registered or entered into the system.”
Kain blinked. “What? That’s impossible. I specifically collected it into the lab the day I received it. It vanished right in front of me when I willed it to enter the System’s laboratory.”
Vera tilted her head, her expression shifting into what could only be described as robotic concern. “I have no record of such an event. The lab’s collection protocols would have automatically logged any item entering the system, regardless of form or material. If an item was not logged, then it did not enter here.”
Kain went silent, his confusion growing greater by the second. The egg had disappeared right before his eyes when he’d thought about collecting it. That much he was certain of. Yet, if Vera and the system logs showed no trace of it, then where had it gone?
Kain frowned. “Then where did it go?”
“That,” Vera said, her tone almost apologetic, “is beyond my current database to answer. I suggest expanding your search parameters to external storage objects or re-evaluating the collection process.”
Kain pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to piece the puzzle together. It’s a living thing, despite it not being able to hatch, therefore it couldn’t have been accidentally collected into his space ring…
‘what else is there?’