"The reason I want to establish a biological laboratory is to explore the mysteries of the human body…" Alaric didn't hide anything from Frank, smiling as he explained his goal of developing a technological path to advance human evolution. After a moment, he added, "Of course, beyond that, the lab will also focus on research into food and medicinal herbs. I hope one day humanity will no longer suffer from hunger or illness."
"…That's a wonderful thing, truly wonderful." Frank said, clearly captivated by the future Alaric described. His eyes gleamed as if they were glowing. After murmuring to himself for a moment, he seemed to recall something and looked at Alaric, his expression unusually hesitant.
Frank paused before asking, "Are you really sure you want to invite me to join your lab? I… I'm not sure if I can do it well…"
Before today, Frank had never doubted his abilities. Though he knew most people didn't accept him, his resolve had never wavered.
But now, faced with the future Alaric described, Frank felt a rare moment of uncertainty. He wasn't sure if his abilities could help Alaric, if he could contribute to the world Alaric envisioned, or if his ideas might lead to unintended consequences…
"Don't underestimate yourself, Frank. You are a true genius! Your talents are exactly what this world needs to progress." Alaric said, cutting through Frank's spiraling thoughts with a firm tone. "The line between genius and madness is thin. To others, your madness might seem like a flaw, but to me, it's exactly that madness that can carve out a unique path for humanity in this cruel and chaotic world."
"From that perspective, it's not madness... it's talent, a gift, a hope…" Alaric smiled, looking at Frank. After a pause, he said earnestly, "Frank, you are a unique miracle bestowed upon this world by the Mother Goddess of Depravity."
Frank seemed completely unprepared for such praise. Before today, he had never imagined anyone would call him a "miracle."
Until now, the most common descriptions he'd heard were "that freak" or "that crazy Frank Lee." People feared him, rejected him, and couldn't understand him.
Frank could understand why they felt that way, but it still left him feeling disheartened.
Until today, until this moment, Frank realized that not everyone misunderstood him. There was someone in this world who saw him as a "miracle."
"I… You…" Overwhelmed with emotion, Frank struggled to form a complete sentence. He grabbed the hem of Alaric's sleeve, trying several times before finally managing to say, "Please let me join your lab. I can't promise I'll fulfill your vision, but I'll do everything in my power to make it happen."
If one had to describe Frank's feelings at that moment, it would be akin to a warrior pledging loyalty to the one who truly understood him.
"Frank…" Cattleya watched the scene with mixed emotions. She, too, was among those who didn't fully understand Frank's actions, though she had chosen to be tolerant.
In that moment, Cattleya suddenly understood... Frank's ideas might be wild, but perhaps his intentions were simply to make the world a better place.
At the same time, she felt happy for Frank. Finally, someone recognized his abilities, and surely, he wouldn't feel so alone anymore.
Klein's feelings were equally complex. On one hand, he felt a pang of guilt for his earlier fears that Frank might destroy the world. On the other, he was genuinely happy for Frank and for Mr. Lucifer.
As Mr. Lucifer had said, Frank joining the lab would indeed be a good thing.
Bernadette, less familiar with Alaric and Frank, remained the calmest. The chaotic scenes from the Future flashed through her mind, stirring a trace of concern.
Was this really alright?
But regardless of what the others thought, with such mutual enthusiasm, Frank's joining of Alaric's biological laboratory became a done deal.
"Frank, welcome aboard." Alaric said with a smile, then flipped his hand to reveal a box with a scroll of parchment attached.
"As the head of the lab, this is a small welcoming gift for you."
Frank was momentarily stunned. He took the box and parchment, unrolling the latter to find, to his surprise, the formula for the Sequence 5 "Druid" potion of the Planter Pathway. Realizing something, he opened the box, and as expected, it contained an Beyonder characteristic for a Druid.
"This is too valuable. I can't accept it…" Frank's first instinct was to return it.
Alaric gently stopped him, smiling. "If you think it's too valuable as a gift, consider it the first payment for working for me. So, take it, Frank. Don't forget, the higher your Sequence, the more it will benefit our experiments. I'm looking forward to the surprises a Druid like you will bring."
As for where this "Druid" characteristic came from, it was, of course, a tribute from City of Silver. The Druid potion formula was included as well.
Colin Iliad had always been grateful for what Alaric had done for City of Silver and wanted to offer tributes to express his gratitude. To ease his mind, Alaric had accepted some items that might be useful later, including this Druid characteristic and its corresponding formula.
Hearing Alaric's words, Frank no longer refused. He carefully stored the items and looked at Alaric. "Your Excellency Lucifer, when should I set out for your lab?"
"There's no rush. I won't hide it from you... the lab is still in its early stages and far from perfect. Once those issues are resolved, I'll come to pick you up." Alaric said with a smile, mentally considering where to establish the biological laboratory.
First, a bustling city center was out of the question. Given Frank's potential for chaos, to prevent accidents like those on the Future today, the lab should be built in a remote, uninhabited area.
Second, considering the lab's experiments would cover various fields... such as needing large plots of land for growing crops or raising test animals... the location had to be spacious enough to accommodate these needs.
Finally, it had to stay off the radar of any official oversight.
***
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