A deep breath. I closed off the outside world. There was no smell of garbage anymore, I was no longer feeling gravity dragging me down, all that was left was energy. With clear intention I made my effort to ignore the outter energy, to dim it's light, to attain vision where it obstructed me. To make myself momenteraly blind to the outter energy was all but a dream, at least for the time being I was unable to achieve such a state. On the other hand not all my efforts had been for naught as I did managed to achieve my original goal of seeing lifeforms weaker than the outter energy. The simplest way to describe it would be similar to a fog growing weaker, it was still there somewhat obscuring everything but now, like beacons, the signal of my target was visible.

With a smile on my face I approached the corner. Even though realm has returned to its original state I was not worried of losing my target given its nature and behavioral patterns. On second thought despite this 'huge' breakthrough I had no actual way of conferming that I make contact with the target thus rendering all my previous effort nothing more than a note in the back of my mind for later.

In the end should I involve one of the girls? But given the very nature of this expiriment I much rather die than share it with another person, the hypothetical results that I may reach are not be for everyone to stomach. I once again focused on realm revealing the obsured. While in this state I tried to interact with the material world but it was all for naught becuase the moment my mind lost absolute focus over realm my 'vision' returned to its normal. I needed to think of a different approach...

A radar perhaps... A sort of radar but not at all. This could work. This time when I went into focus the subject wasn't realm but much rather my inner energy. The idea was a simple one, simple is always the best after all, shoot out a thin wave of inner energy throughout realm. Maybe 'wave' wasn't the right term as it wouldn't travel from one point to another rather covering anything in between said points. Well the technicality only matters after I succeed. My inner energy grew restless like it knew my intentions and was anticipating to be let out. I must admit that my inner energy does appear have an aggressive nature, if that means anything in the first place.

My energy escaped throughout my entire body, thick at first but thinning the further away it traveled, all the while keeping it's connection to my body. It didn't covered the enterity of realm, boucning as soon as it hit the walls or any furniture but still I did managed to confirm the location of my target, it worked better than intented, going further by giving me the clearest most accurate image of said target. Without losing time I extended my arm, bringing the target at my dorsel. While that move was completed I felt the connection to my inner energy sever as it became outter within realm. My feet lost their strength as I fell to my knees, i tried getting back up but my legs refused to cooporate. Soon followed a shortness of breath, I clearly had lost too much energy far too quickly and now I was paying the price. Only my target had grew restless and was mavuenering to escape, if I allowed that then this current state of mine would be for nothing.

I guided what little energy was left in me into the subject. On the verge of consciousness I saw my energy absolute overtaking the subject's own leaving no trace of the original behind. Resisting to the last second I missported the subject from my dorsel to the inside of my hand for better safety before collapsing to the floor. When I woke up I found myself resting in a bed, my inner energy had yet to recover to a substantial degree and two presences each picked a side of me. I raised myself from the beddings, my movements felling slaggish, foreign to my body, I bet if I had eyes I'd suffer from vertigo also.

Eliza: Don't move just yet.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

Estelle: What happened?

I became conscious of the energy emitting from the palm of my hand.

"You could say I paid the price of... hubris."

Eliza: Hubris? What are you talking about.?

"When you jump into the unknown headfirst you might end up breaking it. I got momenteraly blinded and tried something without weighting the consequences."

Estelle: Is it about the taboo?

"Well if you speak so broadly then my entire existence is breaking their taboo."

Eliza: Don't say that about yourself.

"You see... Enough about this, for how long I was out."

Estelle: For a few hours.

"I see. Well thank you about caring for me but right now I need some space to think, so if you please..."

Eliza: Of course. If you need anything do let us know.

"Yes."

Alone I was left to inspect the results of my experiment. Focusing to dull the outter energy I found that my little test subject had undergone a drastic alteration. The inner energy inside it had changed completely into a new color and was marginally stronger that before. What's more the subject seemed either unwilling or unable to move. I would need to visually confirm its status with a third party. I tried to missport it to the nearby nightstand but I found it had latched itself to me. Not simple glued to my palm, it somehow woven itself under my scarred skin, into my very flesh. This was the reason behind its imobility. The change in the subject inner energy has forced a physical transformation and right now it has been turned into a parasite. Whether this form is temporary, a transitory state, or permanent only time will tell and the effects this connection will have to my body are unknown. There is only a single way to describe this, interesting. Too danm interesting.

If the opportunity to create presented itself bofore one's self would they take it? Even when to create means to destroy, even when they might recoil in fear and disgust over what they created? Would they do it regarldless of how their creation ended up viewing them, or the rest of the world for that matter? The way I see it those are but meaningless question standing in the way of breakthrough, considering even the worst of outcomes time will simple continue moving forward, causality does not wait for anybody. That's right, the cosmos does not care for neither results nor consequences so the only logical conclusion for one is to go right ahead. Taboo? Hubris? Nemesis? Tales told by parents to teach their kids fear and stories to be played in theater, needless chains casted on people, nothing more.

The days passed with nothing significant happening, we placed our remaining orders, the first of the equipment arrived, myself and Estelle spend our time either studying or training while I mostly met Eliza in the kitchen, cooking 'together' for lack of a better word. My inner energy recovered, and the parasite was still there, growing I pressumed. It took a full week before we actually begun production, Estelle was adapting quite well to the job and given the rigorous memorization we did I had nothing to worry about. Still I stayed by her side, mostly to manage the fire needed for the processes to take place. What holds chemistry back in this age is not a lack of imagination, critical thinking, questioning or an arbitrary rule banning all progress, what blocks advancement is exactly what started it all those centuries back, fire. The inability to control the intensity and produce a steady, even flame meant that processes that required such precision naturally could not be performed. Wood, which so reliable worked as fuel all since the dawn of civilazation, could not fill this role due to its wild nature and natural gas simple can not be effectively harvested with current technologies.

That's why I am superior. My control over fire is far greater than anything curenlty achievable through both physical or magical means. Well that also meant that I was bound to the laboratory for the entire duration of those sessions, no better than any of the pieces of equipment present. Apart from aiding Estelle and training I also kept special attention to the parasite while further refining the focused 'vision' granded by realm and that move that send me to the ground. As far as I could tell that the parasite was growing, in terms of inner energy that is, day by day its presence grew stronger, its color paleing. All that continued until one day it moved. The presence that was confined in the half closed palm of my hand was crawling its way out, I made sure to isolate myself before confronting this new life form, this hatchling that parasitized me over the past days that I had created.

It climbed out of my palm and onto my dorsel. Even without my eyes I could feel it looking at me, not like an animal sizing me up but with inteligence, studying, trying to figure me out. I could safely say that it wasn't just a wittle spider anymore. Suddenly it broke the eyeing and rushed up my arm, as soon as it stepped above my elbow I could somehow indentify its form. It retained the arachnoid leg structure but if the size of its presence and leg span are anything to go by then its actual body size should be around an eyeball...

I wonder... No.

It made its way up my arm reaching my neck, if it ended bitting me then negotiations were through, there would be no new life introduced in this world by me. Thankfully for the both of us that didn't happened, instead it rubbed its body against the side of my neck. For some strange reason this action of theirs caused the pit of my stomach to grow warmer. I... don't believe that I posses any memories of a feeling like this. It wasn't bad. More than anything it made me excited to see how this new organism will grow up.

With the spiderling resting on my shoulder I utilized my inner energy spell to burn what left or its cocoon or egg or whatever was left attached to my hand before moving to deal with the last of my problems inside home base. The princess, as usual, was holed up inside her room where no one was to disturb her without a valid reason and even then we were not allowed to enter. I, gently, kicked at the door to grab her attention.

Asteria: Speak.

"I have a few small questions."

Asteria: Can't you send the pink haired one instead?

"Unlike previous interactions this could prove too inefficient a system and Estelle would needlessy tire. It is for the best to work in a more direct way."

Asteria: I shall give you credit, among all you sure know how to be direct.

I let out a deep sigh.

"I do find it in myself that an apology is long overdue. My words were out of line, ignorant and cruel. In anger I lushed out and attacked your person without knowning anything about your life. For all that I do ask for your forgiveness."

Asteria: What happened, heard who I am and got scared for your life?

"DO NOT misunderstand my words. I am simple apologizing becuase I was in the wrong. It matters not from whose inbetween the legs you came out from."

Asteria: Is that so, do watch who you share those words of yours. You wouldn't want them to reach the wrong ears.

I scoffed at her comment.

Asteria: What do you find so funny?

"Nothing, it's just that, to me. there are no such ears you speak off."

Asteria: You should reconsider. Not anyone of my family are as forgiving as I am.

"A family does not make a country."

Asteria: Watch your words.

"I am merely stating a truth. A country is the sum of all it's components. From the farmers, to the artisans, to the merchants, to the military, to the goverment. All of those are equally responsible for the success of a country."

Silence. Broken by her highness jumping out of bed and stumbling her way to the door. At last she half opened as her face pooped out.

Asteria: Are you suggesting that the royal family is of the same importance as any random peasant toiling the ground?

"I am merely saying that they are as essential to the smooth growth of a country as a 'peasant. It is not my intention to offend you with this statement of mine."

Asteria: Then would you mind stepping inside and sharing any more of those thoughts?

"If you insist."