Chapter 16: New Blood
The weekend had arrived, but the modest headquarters of Rhine Lab remained as bustling as any regular workday. Since the company was newly founded, everyone worked tirelessly, fueled by a shared ambition to keep their momentum growing.
Over the past half-year, the founders had begun recruiting a handful of exceptional individuals who shared their vision. Among the first was Ferdinand Clooney.
"Given the current state of the Arc Reactor, it's proving incredibly difficult for standard Originium-based electronics to utilize the power source," Joshua said, leaning over a workbench. He sighed, gesturing to a row of blackened, smoking circuit boards that had violently malfunctioned after being exposed to the reactor's output. "The difference in capacity is just too volatile. Any suggestions?"
He looked over at Ferdinand, who was already analyzing the telemetry data on a nearby terminal. Ferdinand had accepted their recruitment invitation without a second of hesitation. Appointed as the Director of the Energy Department, he also served as Joshua's deputy in the Arc Technology division.
"It's a matter of bottlenecking," Ferdinand replied smoothly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Since our current gadgets cannot store or handle the raw output of the reactor at full capacity, why are we forcing them to? We need to step it down. If we dial back the reactor's output and integrate a hybrid step-down power system, we can buffer the energy transfer."
Ferdinand pulled up a rough schematic on the screen. "It won't completely eliminate the need for Originium components in the short term, but it will create a bridge. It gives the general public—and our infrastructure—a chance to slowly adapt to the new power source without frying their appliances."
Joshua blinked, genuinely impressed. "That... might not be the pure Arc tech integration I had in mind, but it's incredibly feasible for our current stage. Thanks for the great idea, man."
"You're just too hasty, as always. You look at the finish line, I look at the road to get there," Ferdinand smirked, waving him off and practically pushing Joshua away from the test chamber. "Anyway, you have other things to do. Leave the integration to me so I can finally put my degrees to proper use."
Smiling at his deputy's eagerness, Joshua left the lab and began his rounds. He strolled down the main hallway, passing by the various newly established sectors: Kirsten was holed up in Component Control, Muelsyses was likely turning the Ecology Department into a greenhouse, and Jara was managing the bustling Human Resources and Business wing.
As he was deciding whether to visit the Structural Section next, someone suddenly rushed out from a side corridor, careening right into his path.
It was a young Liberi girl, and she was carrying a comically tall stack of documents that completely obscured her vision. She wobbled, her steps failing her as the center of gravity shifted. With a sharp gasp, she lost her balance and pitched forward.
Seeing the impending disaster, Joshua rushed forward, catching her by the arm to stabilize her while his other hand shot out to balance the leaning tower of paper. He was mostly successful—though the top few layers of documents slid off the pile, fluttering down to land squarely on his head and horns.
"Ouch. Are you alright, Joyce?" he asked from beneath a sheet of paper, looking into the wide eyes of their new database maintenance staff, Joyce Moore.
Seeing the Director of Arc Tech standing there with spreadsheets draped over his horns, Joyce's face puffed up in sheer panic.
"I—I—I'm so sorry, Prof—Director Joshua!" she stammered, stepping back as if she expected to be struck. Fear and anxiety were written all over her face, her amber eyes swimming with unshed tears. "I didn't see where I was going! I thought the hall was empty, I-I should have checked, I'm so sorry—"
Joshua's first reaction was a soft, genuine giggle. Compared to the robotic, emotionless speech patterns she was known for in the original game's lore, this flustered, human reaction was a breath of fresh air.
"I know, Joyce. It's okay, I'm not mad at you," Joshua quickly reassured her, pulling the paper off his horn and kneeling to help gather the scattered documents.
As he handed them back, he noticed the dark, heavy bags under her bright eyes. It instantly reminded him of the overworked, exploited employees in the black companies of his past life. A wave of concern washed over him.
"You know, Joyce, you're working incredibly hard... maybe a bit too hard. If you need help, or just a break, you can just ask."
"No, no, it's okay!" she replied weakly, her grip tightening on the folders. "Currently, the company is tight on budget and everyone is so busy with their own projects. I couldn't possibly impose on anyone..."
Joshua let out a heavy sigh, his expression softening. He placed a gentle hand on the stack of papers.
"Joyce, we might be tight on budget, but we are never out of kindness. Do you understand?" He met her anxious gaze with absolute sincerity. "Rhine Lab was founded because we wanted to change things for the better. That change shouldn't come at the cost of our people's well-being. Isolation and apathy have no place here. So, if you need help, you ask. We're here to support one another."
This wasn't the cold, calculating Rhine Lab of the original timeline. This was their Rhine Lab.
Hearing his unwavering belief in the company's ideals, the tension slowly drained from Joyce's shoulders. She loosened her defensive stance, a small, tentative smile gracing her lips. "...Could you help me carry the rest of these to the storage room?"
"Absolutely," Joshua smiled brightly. "And next time you have a load this big, let me know. I'll build you a little automated cart."
After helping Joyce deliver the documents, Joshua gently guided the exhausted Liberi to one of the guest lounges, where she fell asleep the second her head hit the couch cushions.
Leaving her to a well-deserved rest, Joshua finally made his way to the Structural Section, headed by Parvis and his recently recruited protégé, Olivia Silence.
It wasn't until the early evening, after finishing a lengthy discussion with Parvis regarding Originium and Arc particles, that Joshua stumbled upon Saria and Olivia talking together in the medical bay.
Seeing Saria looking so comfortable and engaged with the young Liberi doctor sent a strange, irrational pang of unease through Joshua's chest—an intrusive thought born purely from his memories of the fandom shipping the two of them as a canon couple.
That fleeting jealousy propelled him forward, interrupting the pair. "Hello there, Saria. I was looking for you. Oh—sorry for interrupting."
"Joshua, you're here. Excellent timing," Saria said, her stoic face brightening slightly. "Could you help Olivia with this circuit board for her new medical drone? This level of micro-complexity isn't my specialty."
"Of course," Joshua said, stepping up to the workbench. After listening to Olivia's explanation of the drone's malfunction, he quickly diagnosed the issue. Without physically touching the delicate, Originium-laced components, he began instructing Olivia step-by-step, watching her movements closely.
Following his precise guidance, Olivia re-soldered a few connections. Within minutes, the medical drone hummed to life, hovering steadily above the desk.
"Whoa... you fixed the core problem with just a few theoretical adjustments," Olivia said, her eyes wide with amazement. "How did you see the solution so quickly without even touching the board?"
"When you spend your entire childhood building gadgets from scraps, you start to see the patterns in mechanical problems," Joshua said, puffing his chest out just a little. "Plus, considering these hands can't safely touch Originium-based devices without insulator clothing, I had to rely heavily on observation and intuition to make up for my physical shortcomings."
Olivia looked at him, the awe in her eyes melting into something much deeper. "I see... you struggle as well."
Joshua froze. He had expected her to be impressed by his engineering, but the look on her face was a mixture of profound sympathy and quiet understanding.
"Despite all the odds stacked against you, and the limitations of your body, you still persisted," Olivia said softly, her voice brimming with earnest admiration. "You worked your way up from nothing to prove yourself to Columbia. I can't help but truly admire you, Joshua."
Her complete sincerity regarding his unspoken struggles caught him entirely off guard. A flush crept up Joshua's neck, leaving him flustered. (Shit, that damn smile on her face... no wonder people call her 'wife' in the fandom,) he thought, his heart skipping a beat.
Standing just a few feet away, Saria watched Joshua's dazed, blushing expression. She couldn't stop her brow from violently twitching.
Whack!
"Ouch!"
Saria's heavy Vouivre tail whipped out, lightly but firmly striking the back of Joshua's leg. It was just enough to snap him out of his trance and shatter the suddenly intimate atmosphere.
Feeling the stinging reminder of his girlfriend's presence—and her pressuring glare—Joshua coughed loudly into his fist, recovering his composure.
"W-Well, thank you, Miss Olivia. Those are very compassionate words," he stammered slightly. "But like I always say, I was only able to achieve what I have because I was blessed with people who supported me. People like Saria... and you."
Olivia looked down at her hands. "Even... even if I'm Infected?"
"Even if you're Infected," Joshua answered immediately, without a shred of hesitation or pity.
"I see." Olivia smiled, deeply moved by how little he cared about the societal stigma of Oripathy—a trait practically unheard of in Columbia.
Just as Joshua and Saria were preparing to say their goodbyes, Olivia tilted her head, her medical instincts suddenly flaring.
"Joshua... are you sick by any chance?"
The question caused both Joshua and Saria to freeze dead in their tracks. The air in the room suddenly grew very heavy.
"Wh... what makes you say that?" Joshua asked, his voice strained as he fought to keep his panic hidden.
If a doctor began running tests on his physiology, the anomaly of his body—his innate, anti-Originium nature—could be exposed. It was a secret carefully guarded by Saria, Kristen, and Muelsyses; an absolute trump card they weren't ready to share with the new staff just yet.
Seeing his meek response, Olivia sighed, crossing her arms. "Do I really need to spell it out? You're wearing several thick layers of clothing indoors, and there is a highly noticeable, abnormal change in ambient temperature whenever I stand near you."
Before he could step back, Olivia closed the distance and pressed the back of her hand against his forehead.
A surge of unusual, radiating warmth transmitted into her skin. Between his unique physiology and the thick, isolating layers he wore to dampen his nullification field, his baseline body temperature was always running hot.
To a doctor completely unaware of his miraculous condition, it felt like only one thing.
"I knew it," Olivia frowned severely, slipping fully into doctor mode. "You are burning up with a fever. I'm a physician, Joshua, did you really think you could fool me with this 'well-being' act?"
Hearing her conclusion, an invisible mountain lifted off both Joshua and Saria's shoulders. They visibly deflated in sheer relief. She had drawn the completely wrong conclusion.
"Ahh, hahaha... you caught me, Miss Olivia," Joshua chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, I just felt like I couldn't rest yet, knowing everyone is working so hard."
"I tried to talk him into getting some rest, but he is far too stubborn to lay down," Saria chimed in flawlessly, playing along with the excuse to get him out of the medical ward before Olivia decided to draw blood.
"In that case, you had better listen to me and your girlfriend," Olivia scolded, her hands on her hips. "Just because you take a day off for your health doesn't mean the whole company is going to collapse. Go home. Both of you."
With the couple successfully chased out of the lab, Olivia shook her head, a fond smile on her lips as she turned back to her workbench.
However, as she reached for her tools, she noticed a sudden, heavy drowsiness creeping back into her mind. Her limbs felt lethargic, like a battery suddenly losing its charge.
"How strange..." she muttered to herself, rubbing her temples. "I was feeling incredibly energetic just a moment ago."
During the entire time Joshua had been standing near her, conversing and helping with the drone, Olivia could have sworn she was in the absolute peak physical condition of her life. The chronic, dull ache of her Oripathy had completely vanished. It was only now, with his presence gone, that the fatigue was returning.
Well, it's probably just the adrenaline wearing off, she rationalized. Joshua just reminded me of a stubborn patient, making my blood boil.
Deciding she needed a boost, Olivia left the lab to hunt down an energy drink in the cafeteria.
Unbeknownst to the brilliant young doctor, as she walked down the hall, several tiny, deadened flakes of Originium crystal quietly detached from the lesion on her left thigh, crumbling into harmless dust against the floor tiles.
The Director of Arc Tech harbored a secret far more miraculous than any machine—and it was only a matter of time before the newest doctor in Rhine Lab connected the dots.