After experiencing a period of academy life,
one day, a field investigation mission was suddenly assigned from above.
Rene knew this very well.
Alain had an assistant named Carter.
Unlike others, Carter bore no malice toward Rene and Jakob.
This field investigation was nothing more than an excuse for Carter to take them out to play.
Seeing that Mary-Ann was very happy, Rene gladly accepted.
The group arrived at Petrichor Town. Although there was nothing much here, the scenery was indeed nice, and they could see the great waterfall.
Carter had also borrowed a camera and took many photos of the four of them.
Especially of Mary-Ann.
As Alain's assistant, Carter knew that Alain was always immersed in his work and could not accompany his younger sister to watch her grow up.
If he took more photos, then in the future when Alain regretted it, he could look at the photos and see how she had changed in different periods.
It could at least make up for some regrets.
[Wait, Carter, Caterpillar?]
[Ah? Isn't he a Hilichurl?]
[It couldn't really be him, could it?]
[I feel like Carter won't live long. His consciousness was transplanted into a Hilichurl body. Call me a prophet.]
From Alain's notebook, it could be seen that he did not know Carter's kind intentions.
Regarding this field investigation, Alain only used three words to evaluate it:
Interesting mechanical statues.
Other than that, he only cared about primal energy machinery.
He didn't even have time to receive his foster father when he came over.
In this regard, Rene was similar to him, except Rene was researching the large stone figures in the ruins.
Those were Remuria dynasty ruins.
However, Rene was a bit more attentive than Alain.
During this investigation, he learned about Carter's physical condition.
Carter seemed to have contracted an incurable disease.
He often needed time to rest.
Alain had also recorded this, but only wrote that his assistant needed to take leave.
After Rene learned about Carter's situation, he felt he could no longer indulge in mechanical research together with Alain.
He had to find the ultimate solution as quickly as possible.
That way, there might still be time to cure Carter's illness.
[Was I really right?]
[It's too cruel. No wonder Caterpillar is so gentle. He wasn't imitating at all, was he?]
Thus, Rene confessed his research and plans to Alain, hoping to receive help from his good friend.
Unfortunately, Alain did not believe in Rene's research.
He was too smart.
As fellow geniuses, he would only believe in himself.
Unless he also calculated the same conclusion.
Rene was not discouraged. By this time, he and Jakob had already won over quite a few people in the academy.
As long as they further persuaded them, it would still be a considerable help.
The two created the [Book of Revelation]. This book could write down the scenes closest to the apocalypse in people's hearts.
Relying on this book, Rene indeed attracted more people.
[Is this the book from the later side story?]
[It feels a bit like Enkanomiya]
[Same feeling. After all, it was made using abyssal power, right?]
Afterward, Rene applied to the academy director for his plan to research the abyss.
Considering the pollution widespread across Fontaine, the academy director approved his application.
Rene thus obtained his own laboratory.
In the laboratory, he researched things related to the abyss such as Scarlet Stone and black mud.
Currently, the only sample that could absorb abyssal power and evolve was Jakob.
[The one on Dragonspine is Durin, right]
[Talents emerge one after another from the Institute]
Rene urgently needed a large number of samples to recreate Jakob's miracle.
However, he could not conduct human experiments arbitrarily.
Fortunately, the previous Book of Revelation had played a great role.
Combined with some tricks Jakob helped perform using abyssal power,
they had already gained quite a few loyal followers in the academy.
Once there were many followers, the organization needed a proper name.
Rene gave this society a name — the Narzissenkreuz Ordo.
[Here it comes, here it comes. Goosebumps rising. So excited.]
[It has the feeling of a villain organization gradually growing stronger]
[This is basically a religion…]
While Rene was conducting these studies, Carter's condition worsened.
By this time, Carter had opened his heart to the four of them and become their friend.
Therefore, no matter how important the research Alain and Rene had on hand, they would always go to the hospital to visit Carter.
It was only as their exchanges deepened that Carter learned the four were juniors from the Narzissenkreuz Institute.
From the tone in his notes, it was not difficult to see his excitement.
[So you too!]
[It's all the choice of Steins;Gate]
Everyone gathered together and talked about the past.
The familiar life, the familiar director, the familiar adventure games.
The only detail that didn't match was the cakes made by the vice director.
In Carter's impression, eating the vice director's cakes felt like being punished for doing something wrong — hard to swallow…
["A large amount — how much exactly?"]
[So someone was carrying the burden all along haha]
When talking about the vice director, Jakob secretly turned his head to the side.
At this time, Carter still did not know that that person had already left them forever.
The others also tacitly did not mention it.
Because with Alain present, changing the topic was still very simple.
Soon, they started talking about research in the mechanical field.
Carter suggested that Alain could make a camera with thinking ability.
That way, it could take photos of cherished people for busy people like him when he was not around.
Alain neither agreed nor disagreed.
But we all know that he eventually did make it.
[Seymour, right]
[This feeling of piecing things together thread by thread is so satisfying. Thank you to the blogger who made the video.]
Carter was discharged from the hospital.
At this time, Alain had made a major breakthrough in his research.
A controllable Arconic Annihilation Reaction successfully appeared in his laboratory.
Rene and Jakob rushed over upon hearing the news. Alain, who usually never smiled, excitedly rushed toward them.
Carter had the honor of witnessing this scene.
Actually, for Alain, this breakthrough was nothing remarkable.
He even felt that applying for a patent was too troublesome and simply dropped it.
What made him happy was being able to share it with Rene and the others.
Compared to this breakthrough, he cared more about Carter's condition.
He suggested that Carter go to Sumeru, where medical technology was more advanced, to take a look.
Rene held the same view.
He quickly obtained Carter's blood and skin samples and had the nimble thief deliver them to Sumeru to find someone to help examine them.
Everyone was doing their utmost to try to save Carter's life.
But it was all to no avail.
[Meaningless, meaningless. Traditional medicine is meaningless. We need to think of other ways…]
Even though Sumeru at that time possessed the most advanced medical knowledge in Teyvat, they could only observe Carter's symptoms.
They could not find the root cause.
[Could it be Scale Disease?]
[It seems the God of Dendro also passed away around this time period]
[It's too difficult]
While everyone was busy with their own affairs, they still tried to find ways to save Carter.
Even a workaholic like Alain wrote down his concern for Carter in his diary.
The academy director urged him to change to a larger laboratory, but Alain refused.
His reason was that if Carter was discharged and couldn't find the new laboratory, it would be very troublesome…
[Tears]
[Not good at expressing himself, but very loving and gentle Alain]
Compared to Alain and Rene, the most radical person at this time had become Jakob.
He wanted Carter to use the power of the abyss to survive, just like himself…