Awo weeks had passed since Aleph woke up. A month had already passed sihe Nagazora i.
“This is too unreasonable… Did I really learn something like this before?”
Aleph simply tio “grind” knowledge—retrieving the things he had fotten in the past. He couldn’t be discharged due to his near-death state before, plus the fact that he is one of Fire MOTH’s talents assured that he was given high priority when it es to his recovery.
“Just like the martial arts thing… There’s a lot of things that don't match up.”
Withiwo weeks, all Aleph did was to read and practice his ratio teique. He didn’t expect to ‘fully recover’ his teical knowledge in such a short span of time, but he mao recall the majority of it.
Not only that, he could recall various knowledge that should’ve been different from the field of resear this world emerged in his mind. It was as if these memories came out of nowhere.
With such a recovery time, he could fidently assert himself as a schor once again. Of course, part of it came from the books that the bck-coated man brought to him.
‘The theory about another world… it bees more firm.’ He thought. ‘A different teological tree. With these theories…’
Aleph’s musings were cut short when he finished pag his things.
Today was his discharge date. He was supposed to head into the Third Researstitute—a pce that focuses on robotics teology. Its director was the one who showed favor to him once he was able to help with their anonymous research papers.
To that, he icked up by several suited men. He could easily tell that their car was built bulletproof, at the very least.
Along the way, nobody spoke much except for the man who extehe olive branbsp;
“Fire MOTH currently has five researstitutions with their own dires. You are currently assigned as the Assistant Institution Director, the position under only the Institution Director. Director Einstein personally requested for this position to be granted.”
“...It seems like the director trusts my abilities a lot.”
“There’s o doubt it. I personally saw a lot of personnel gain the ability to sleep with your assistance. Your arrival would definitely make them rejoice.”
As they talked, Aleph learhat the suited man’s name was Morris. He is the current Security Head of the Third Researstitute, therefore he had personally seen the “help” that the previous Aleph provided to dozens of researchers.
Through his casual talks, he subtly hihat there was nothing to worry about his sudden employment to a high position. Normally, there would be dissidents wanting to see a proof of skill, but that became unnecessary with Aleph’s tribution before he even became an Assistant Institution Director.
In a sense, his indu to the Fire MOTH was even smoother than Mei’s.
By the time he arrived and stepped into the institution, he was greeted by a surprise.
[Wele, Doctor Ainsworth!]
The sound of fetti along with a banner was hung first thing orance.
“Our savior!”
“We owe you a big one, Morris!”
“I already see the bigger funding approag us!”
Aleph was truly loved by the Third Institute.
*****
Fire MOTH is an anizatioed to fight against the Honkai. Many brilliant minds gathered in its five institutions, yet there are aleople who shihe brightest.
A month ago, it was the Fourth Institute’s Dr. Mei who showed exceptional talents to her field. Moreover, she was shown to be able to uand and give better research dires to other researstitutions.
Oher hand, Aleph had made his mark by stantly giving feedback to the “unknown research papers” that turned out to be “fidential studies” released by the institution director.
That was the major factor h was found swiftly after his battle with the Chariot-css. He was already under surveilhough his watcher died due to the suddeion on the Nagazora City, leaving him in a near-death state if not for the ‘miracle’ that happened.
Whehing was sidered, it was luck that brought him back to the third Institute.
“I believe this is our first meeting, Doctor Ainsworth.”
“...Well, I believe it to be so.”
‘Doctor Einstein is a woman… I thought she was an old guy in a suit…’
Ihe director’s office, Aleph faced the woman with light-blue hair. She wore the usual white coat along with the eyebags that apanied a usual institution researcher.
“How is your dition?”
“It’s good. I mao recover most of my knowledge when it es to robotics. I should be fih handling tasks.”
“How about your memories?”
“That… I still haven’t remembered much.”
Ever sihe day he woke up, Aleph kept on remembering ‘objective’ knowledge, but there weren't any ‘memories’ reted to his being. That was the reason why he became vastly different from the Aleph before.
“If you’d like, I could ask the Fifth Institute to take a look at your problem.”
Einstein’s wave off a strange feeling to Aleph.
“No, no, there’s o. At least, I should work for some time now, no?”
This time, Aleph denied Einstein’s reendation to the fifth institute. Based on what he heard, it specialized on examining the biology of honkai beasts.
Who knows what they might discover in his body, especially the purple lines from his APS. He is more than aware that it was actually honkai energy. He doesn’t know what to do about it for now, thus he decided to hide it temporarily.
“I will respect your wishes.” She replied. “For now, there are some pending research proposals. I will appreciate your help from that side.”
“No problem. What is the main research dire now?”
“The automation of…”
Their versation quickly turned into a work-reted one.
*****
“Automated maes to fight on humanity’s behalf… Dr. Einstein is looking far ahead. Other than that…”
It has been two weeks since Aleph’s indu as the institute’s assistant director. He had fully adapted to the workload that came with his position.
Ever since his arrival, most research dires that were met with a blockade progressed smoothly—to the point that everyone was literally g tears of joy.
To these researchers, what they sought wasra sleep, but the opportunity to go farther in their studies. The thrill of ‘disc’ new knowledge is their main reason as to why they joihe institute. That, and their will to tribute against the honkai.
Aleph, who solved their research bottlenecks that sted for months, was theed as aremely talented’ person.
Currently he made much progress when it came to his theoretical knowledge, which was affected by the “new” memories in his mind.
In the process of iing to this researstitute, it was iable that Aleph unlocked several achievements at once.
[Definitely Not ism: Asd to a high societal position at one go.]
[Reward: Subtle Charm]
[Bottleneck Breaker: Destroy research bottlenecks five times secutively.]
[Reward: Clear Mind]
[Messiah of the Third Institute: Gain a huge positive reputation ohird researstitute.]
[Reward: Positive Charm]
These three major achievements were something he gained as he went through the work of an assistant research director. It was more important to hat the rewards seem to be reted to the achievement done.
That, and the fact that two of his rewards merged into one.
[Subtle Charm and Positive Charm merge into Amicable Charm.]
[Amicable Charm: People will look at you in a positive light.]
Aside from that, he also got another metaphysical reward.
[Clear Mind: Allows you to keep posure better as well as to not be greatly affected by external factors.]
The rewards were not only limited to these three. There are also ‘minor’ achievements resulting from small events. They were pletely random, thus most of them were achieved uionally.
[Spider Senses: Catch falling objects from your desk imes.]
[Overworked, Overtime: Work fhteen hours straight.]
[Keyboard Master: Write ten thousand words in a digital medium uwo hours.]
A total of ‘fourteen’ minor achievements were unlocked. Most of its rewards were miseous items such as [Invisible B] aric Toothbrush]. Though, the most beneficial rewards were her than [Minor Random Energy Box].
[Minor Random Energy Box: Grants an increase of 1~10 energy units when used.]
With five of them, Aleph got a total of twenty seven energy units.
[Cursed Energy (verted): 120 → 147]
Seeing the increase reminded Aleph of some things.
“Ugh… Am I missing the sensation of battles?”
Somehoh was missing the ‘adrenaline rush’ that his battle against the Chariot-css honkai brought. Aleph was still polishing his usage of the ratio teique everyday, but he reached the point of wanting to try it against practical enemies—honkai beasts.
“If I joined as a soldier… no, that was quite pointless.”
Aleph has enough awareo see that the promotional dder of a researcher is much better than being a normal soldier. That roven by Mei, who at the span of a month and a half, mao gain enough status within Fire MOTH. Despite her busy schedule, her status was increasing at a visible pace.
It is only a matter of time before she could affect the deaking body of the anization itself.
If Aleph joined as a soldier, he wouldn’t have as much bargaining power as a researcher—more so when he became the assistant director in one fell swoop.
Although, it came with the price of not being able to tact her through all these times. heless, he still missed the path of developing his bat ability.
“They will find it strange…”
Aleph thought of the diced chariot-css honkai beast when they found him. They will definitely find it strange, yet there aren't any movements to affirm his thought.
Either they were in the dark or they aowledged that strangeness from the start.
Sihe one who rescued him was Director Einstein’s people, Aleph was more or less ined that the director should know about it, yet she chose not to mention it again.
“Enough of that… The director seems trustable enough.”
Somehoh had a strange feeling to the word “trust”. It was something he should have kept closely with him prior to his amnesia. Yet, this was what made him more distant from others.
Oheory of Aleph was him suffering from some sort of betrayal. As to the reason why he could open up to a select few such as Kevin, Mei, Su, and now, Einstein, only he knows it himself.
Beep-!
His phone suddenly rang.
Looking at the caller, Aleph khat his busybody friend finally had the time for a meet-up.
