Mizuki's Adventure Plan / Gladiia's Family Education

"These discoveries alone are enough to secure your place in the history of science in Columbia and even Terra."

Loken doesn't deny that sometimes science is like that. A bit of luck leads to the discovery of a pattern, like finding the end of a thread while tidying up. After that, many things become simpler. You might get stuck in certain places for a long time, but at least it's a good start.

Watching the researchers leave with obvious delight, Loken's mind began to ponder this unexpected discovery. It was indeed valuable for the research, and more importantly, it revealed another possibility.

"So, Originium and E Cells aren't actually opposed; they might even share the same origin. Wait... am I overlooking something?"

Loken Williams's scientific intuition told him that he was always missing some crucial information, which was important, so he wouldn't casually put it off until later.

Then he suddenly realized that this wasn't the first time he'd felt this way. Yesterday afternoon while eating, the night before last when he was sleepy, and even last week when he was looking at data reports and last month when he actually took over the job, his consciousness gradually became clearer, followed by a wave of inexplicable fear and lingering apprehension.

"What exactly are my memories...?"

Looking up and around, Loken felt a pang of panic. Even though there was no one there, it felt as if someone was watching him from all directions. His will tightened uncontrollably, even excessively.

The air was damp and chilly, much like Loken's heart at that moment, but he felt a sense of peace in it, like a wanderer returning to his long-lost homeland, familiar and comforting.

When he came to his senses, Loken noticed some water stains on his hands. Looking up, he realized that the fire sprinkler head was broken and dripping water.

"I finally remember."

Without saying a word, Loken picked up his pen and notebook, wrote down the questions that had just come to mind, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Every question should have an answer, every river should have a source, so what is the origin of the E Cells, and from whom did it come?"

Mizuki could answer Loken Williams' question, but Mizuki didn't have an answer to his next question.

"Then, in contrast, what is the origin and essence of Originium?"

Returning her attention to the present, Mizuki looked at the chipped knife in her hand, then at her unharmed fingers. She had almost cut the cutting board and thrown it into the pot because she hadn't controlled her strength; thankfully, she had only cut her hand.

What is the origin and essence of Originium? Mizuki realized that he had been ignoring this question all along. He regarded Originium as an issue that he had to deal with seriously, as his antagonistic counterpart.

However, it now seems that this idea was just his own opinion. He knew that the Originium memories originated from Priestess's ideas, and he believed that Priestess had a good starting point. The Doctor was also a part of the composition of Mizuki, which is why he dared to say that he also understood Priestess.

"Originium... Could it be...?"

Mizuki suddenly recalled her conversation with the remnant consciousness of Priestess within Amiya's body. It was brief but contained a wealth of information, though Mizuki hadn't paid much attention to it at the time because she was too busy trying to contain the pollution.

But this leads to another question: why does Loken Williams keep forgetting about this?

Chapter 241 Mizuki's Adventure Plan

Actually, there's something I've always been curious about.

While eating, Croissant looked up at Mizuki and Exusiai, who had already registered their marriage. Although they were married, they were still the same as before, and there was no awkwardness when they ate together. However, there was now an atmosphere that made it difficult for people to stand between them.

"Hmm?" ×2

The couple looked up together. Mizuki had a piece of pork rib in her mouth, Exusiai had a cabbage leaf in her mouth. Lemuen and Mostima simultaneously kicked Mizuki's shin.

Mizuki is somewhat innocent; why is she jealous over something like this? Wasn't Fiammetta supposed to be the most upset person today? It seems like these two are the ones who are more jealous.

"Although Exusiai is pregnant, your child was conceived in that... Sea of Life, right? And that Sea of Life is equivalent to the Mizuki. So, which of you is the mother of the child?"

The question was so tricky it was like asking why you don't take the first step with your other foot when you're walking, leaving both Mizuki and Exusiai speechless.

This kind of question was completely unnecessary, because Mizuki had always considered himself a boy and most of the time he appeared as a male, so the two of them had never thought about it.

A bit stunned by Croissant's question, Mizuki took a while to react. Exusiai did the same; she swallowed the food in her mouth and stared at Mizuki for quite some time.

"The child's mother?"

"Just eat your food!"

Lemuen grabbed a chicken leg from the table and stuffed it into her younger sister's mouth; the girl's brain was malfunctioning again.

"That might depend on which of us the child is willing to call 'Mom' in the future."

Mizuki pondered for a moment, not particularly concerned about the issue, but after he said that, everyone's eyes invariably turned to Lemuen. Everyone felt that if Mizuki and Exusiai's child were to have to call someone "Mom" in the future, it would most likely be Lemuen.

After all, we 'Exusiai for so long, it's hard to imagine what she would be like as a loving mother. Hopefully, her daughter will inherit more of Mizuki's personality in the future.

Are we going back to Rhodes Island tomorrow?

"Hmm, let's pack up and head to Siesta. Is Mizuki going to Kazimierz?"

Exusiai remembers that Mizuki promised to do something for Nearl, which will probably happen sometime soon.

"Yes, but don't worry, I'm not confined to one place anymore. I'm having dinner with you guys right now, and at the same time chatting with people on Rhodes Island."

"Not a clone?"

"No, it's like one person managing multiple accounts; each account represents me."

At this very moment, Mizuki is sitting here, beside the bar in Kazimierz, and in the palms of Huang and Gavial's hands, not to mention the others.

Lying on the Victoria grasslands watching the stars, drifting in the streams of the Sargon Rainforest listening to the chirping of insects and birds, hanging from a tree branch looking at the Great Yan —the benefits of multitasking become apparent at times like this. Mizuki is essentially experiencing different lives simultaneously.

"Doesn't that mean Mizuki, you can actually go on dates with both of us at the same time?"

Empty's thought process was no less complex than Croissant's, a possibility that made the girls glance at Mizuki. After thinking about it, she realized it was indeed feasible, but that would require everyone to separate a bit, otherwise seeing several versions of themselves, even though they all knew it was themselves, would still feel very strange.

Mizuki doesn't feel awkward about multi-threaded operations now, mainly because in his field of vision, there is usually only himself. These days, nobody opens two accounts and chats with each other.

"That actually makes it quite convenient. It's not just for dates; it seems like it could be used for other things too..."

Mostima's words immediately drew everyone's attention to Mizuki. He felt incredibly uncomfortable; was he the only one in the house with a relatively normal thought process?

If this continues, I feel it could develop into a very bad situation.

"Ahem, stop talking, let's eat first. We have guests coming tonight."

"Acquaintance?"

"Yes, old friends, we met back in Bolivar." Mizuki was referring to the Raffaella siblings, guessing that they would come looking for her after dinner.

Bolivar's changes were indeed beyond his expectations, or rather, Terra's changes were subtly slipping out of his and the Doctor's control. As Mr. K pushed him to accelerate his fusion with the Sea of Life, Terra's pace began to accelerate.

This was especially evident in Kjerag and Bolivar, probably because some people had already realized the changing situation and the impending crisis. Without a keen sense of crisis, it would indeed Tai He to be in that position.

"A girl?"

"And boys..." Mizuki bit his chopsticks, suddenly remembering a very important issue: strictly speaking, he was now married. If Raffaella found out about this, it was hard to say what the girl would think.

He wasn't exactly a slow-witted harem protagonist, well, I'd say he wasn't slow-witted at all; he was quite aware of what Raffaella thought of him.

Mizuki actually liked Raffaella very much, but he simply admired her natural personality and pure heart. He rejected quite a few people in the past. After meeting Friston, he realized what he should do. He traveled all over Terra, from north to south, and it was impossible for him to accept other people's feelings. He couldn't even guarantee that he would be able to return from the Icefield.

The key point is that besides being naturally naive and innocent, Raffaella also has a yandere and dark side. Back then, this girl saw Mizuki chatting with another girl and drove her away with a murderous look. Needless to say, Mizuki and Exusiai have already gotten their marriage certificate.

(Hopefully, a fight won't break out.)

Mizuki put down his chopsticks and continued with his daily work while connecting with his entire self in Terra. As the Sea Siren confirmed that Aegir's Matrix was out of control, he had one more thing to guard against.

It's always good to be cautious when you don't know what the Matrix is. The key is Originium. If Columbia Institute's conclusion is correct, then he and Originium might not be in an adversarial relationship. However, many worldlines that make up the Sea of Life were destroyed because of the Originium Cataclysm.

What caused the Originium to awaken and riot? There are too many possibilities. Mizuki's previous actions could have caused the Originium to riot, but the Sea of Life suppressed it very well.

In retrospect, it seems that his and the Doctor's thinking was flawed from the very beginning; in their busyness to prevent various unforeseen events, they overlooked a crucial person.

"Priestess."

Looking at the palm-sized Mizuki in front of her, the Doctor instinctively told her that Mizuki herself was now in control of the end of this offspring.

Mizuki gritted his teeth slightly. This familiar name always stirred up the restless part of him that belonged to the Doctor, even causing his Sea of Life to churn. They had already witnessed the consequences that the Originium might cause once it awakened.

"You mean... you're planning to take a risk?"

"I'll take a gamble. I want to see what this part of Originium Sea of Solaris is like."

After Theresa's reminder and Columbia's research, Mizuki realized that his mastery of the Sea of Life didn't require time to adjust, but rather... the Sea of Life might inherently possess some kind of flaw, a flaw he took for granted, a flaw he couldn't discover on his own.

What are you planning to do?

"You can't hit me after I tell you."

A hint of unease appeared on the tiny, palm-sized Mizuki's face. This was probably the first time the Doctor had noticed such an emotion on his face. To reassure everyone, Mizuki always wore a calm and composed smile.

"Okay, I won't hit you."

"Just... try becoming Infected!"

Mizuki instantly turned back into a puddle of water, avoiding the Doctor's slap. He knew that the Doctor would definitely be unhappy after he said that.

"I disagree!"

Regardless of whether Mizuki could still hear her in this state, Doctor slammed her hand on the table.

"Given your current condition, who knows what might happen if you become Infected? I can't let you take that risk."

Water dripped down the table. Mizuki didn't answer. The Doctor lady sat in her chair, deep in thought, and finally closed her eyes, lost in thought.

There was a very brief pause in the act of clearing away the dishes. Mizuki's smile carried a hint of helplessness. He understood the Doctor's worries, of course. It was hard to say what the consequences would be if two completely different Sea of Life came into contact.

If you're lucky, nothing will happen; if you're unlucky, it could trigger the awakening of the Originium or damage the Sea of Life —either way, it would be extremely disadvantageous.

However, sometimes you won't reap any rewards without taking risks. Mizuki needs to try, and she can't use this body, otherwise the Originium will be completely suppressed by the Sea of Life. Fortunately, many of her offspring have parasitized humans, and many of them are Infected. Mizuki should be able to achieve her goal by relying on them.

However, we should prepare more backup plans in case we really have nowhere to retreat when the time comes.

"However, Rhodes Island is bound to get a lecture from the Doctor this time."

The only person on Rhodes Island who could frighten Mizuki was the Doctor. In the past, Mizuki would wonder why she cared so much about someone she had never met. Now he understood.

It was an agreement that, regardless of the world or her identity, Mizuki would always reach out to the Doctor, responding to all the wishes and expectations of the individual named Doctor.

This promise is engraved in the deepest part of the Sea of Life, transcending the constraints of time and space to connect all the Mizuki with it. Therefore, the individual named Mizuki is destined to be bound to the Doctor.

"What's wrong, Mr. Mizuki?"

For the first time, Viviana saw a sense of helplessness in the person in front of her. Although they hadn't known each other for very long, she felt that Mizuki wasn't the type of person who often had worries on her mind.

Martin was used to Mizuki's presence, but he was a bit annoyed because Viviana frequented his bar, so people always wanted to come and see if they could run into the famous Candle Knight of Kazimierz. However, those guys never managed to catch Viviana before they arrived.

Martin originally opened the bar to make his retirement life less boring, but unexpectedly he's been incredibly busy. If it weren't for politeness, Martin would have told Viviana not to come anymore.

"I just suddenly remembered something not so pleasant. Miss Viviana, aren't you going to training?"

Mizuki didn't seem to be in a good mood, Viviana thought to herself. However, it was quite unexpected that she would appear here every night during the Knight Tournament.

"Training and matches are already exhausting; we can't let this last bit of personal time be disrupted."

Viviana appeared exceptionally quiet, making Mizuki sigh that he wished his own group of Sea Siren were half as gentle and quiet as her. Unfortunately, these girls were really too noisy and gave him no peace of mind. Fortunately, most of the Sea Siren had been assigned to work.

As for why Viviana comes here so often, to put it nicely, she wants to chat with Miss Sea Siren and Maria, but the main reason is that Mizuki is also in this bar. Maria is currently busy with training, and Miss Sea Siren is also helping her.

Of course, this wasn't Viviana had any ulterior motives towards Mizuki; it was simply because she found the bar exceptionally quiet when Mizuki was around. Fans and gossip reporters wouldn't show up, making it an incredibly peaceful place to escape the hustle and bustle.

"It seems being a celebrity is tough, especially for someone like you."

"I'm used to it. I used to worry about whether I'd get any gossip, but now my biggest hobby every morning is checking the Kazimierz newspaper to see what kind of boyfriend they've made up for me."

When chatting with Mizuki, Viviana couldn't put on her usual airs at all. She just felt very relaxed. Mizuki was perfect as a conversation partner. He never interrupted others and always listened patiently with a smile. At least she could talk to him about small problems at work.

Of course, they couldn't have any privacy about their personal lives. At most, they were just drinking buddies, Mizuki doesn't drink.

"People who slander and defame others behind their backs are really unpleasant."

Mizuki and Viviana chatted casually, but she never explained why she showed up at the bar every night without fail. No one knew where she went after she left, or why she only ordered a glass of water every night.

Having learned of the Sea Siren's extraordinary nature, Viviana was curious about Mizuki, who was revered by the Sea Siren. Her intuition told her that Mizuki's appearance was definitely not as simple as a tourist trip.

Perhaps this man called Izumik had his own plans for Kazimierz. Viviana was still hesitating whether to report it to the Kazimierz Oversight Committee when she heard Mizuki speak.

"Miss Viviana, do you know someone named Mackey?"

Chapter 242 Gladiia's Family Education

Mackey, one of the spokespeople for the Kazimierz Knight Tournament, is in a sense Viviana's manager, and the two are often rumored to be dating.

Viviana knew that Mackey liked her, but she didn't have those feelings for Mackey. The two always maintained a proper distance. Mackey also knew that he wasn't good enough for her yet, so he just did his job well and clarified those rumors so as not to affect her career.

She hadn't expected to hear Mackey's name from Mizuki's mouth, and a sense of unease flashed through her mind for a moment, because she knew that Mackey, who was originally scheduled to be the spokesperson for this Knight Tournament, was missing.

Mackey's status isn't high, but unless the forces behind him want to take action, no one in Kazimierz should be able to touch him. From this perspective, it's not hard to imagine that Mackey probably has something to do, and it's something very secretive.

"Looks like you know her... Hmm... that seems a bit silly." Mizuki then remembered that everyone in Kazimierz knew that Mackey was Viviana's person in charge of the Knight Tournament. "Sorry, I didn't think of that."

"No, it's nothing, Mr. Mizuki..."

"Just call me Mizuki." Mizuki shook her head. "I'm always the one using honorifics when addressing others. I'm not used to you using this."

Although Viviana was being polite, Mizuki still preferred that others be more casual. Besides, Viviana was significantly taller than him, and Mizuki could accept her calling him "little brother," but he preferred to avoid any honorifics.

However, if Viviana really dared to call her that and Skadi found out, she would definitely be very unhappy. Even though Exusiai and Mizuki are now a done deal, Skadi still wouldn't allow anyone to shake her position as the older sister, not even Lemuen!

"Mizuki, do you know where Mackey went?"