Chapter 23: Tier 1 Spirit Type Genetic Catalyst
"These Physical Stat restraining bracelets are delicate. They can break if you put even a tiny amount of mana into them.
"It's good for safety since you can simply use mana to remove the bracelet when you are about to get injured due to a heavy weight.
"However, that also means they cannot be usable for restraining anyone."
The workout was mainly Professor Catherine guiding them with better forms. She offered to prepare a diet and the exercise set for them later.
Isaac couldn't help but be amazed by her knowledge and get irritated at the same time.
'So she used to follow me into the gym back in our apartment, see me work out, knew she could've given good advice, and still kept silent.'
He did not show the disappointment on his face, which let down Professor Catherine.
With Professor Catherine's guidance, his Strength increased by 1. He couldn't help but be surprised.
He has a Strength stat of 8 before he used system, or levelled up. His years of hardwork at gym had earned him 8 stat in Strength.
Just a single day of Professor Catherine's guidance gave him +1 Strength stat. The effect of her guidance was as clear as day.
'Maybe the food I ate yesterday has a hand in this too. The food here must be made from monsters meat and vegetables rich in nutrients and mana. Those things are good for growth.'
He told about the stat increase to Professor Catherine.
"You gained a Strength Stat already?"
"Yes, it must be because of the diet."
"The diet wouldn't show it's effect so fast. This must be a result of your talent.
"The higher someone's Talent rank is the faster they grow."
They returned to their rooms after the gym and decided to meet up in Isaac's room.
Professor Catherine brought breakfast for Isaac, Emily, and herself to the room with the help of a dorm staff member.
They used the table in the room and brought extra chairs from Emily's place to have something to sit on for all of them.
Isaac had a full meal, the same as Professor Catherine and Emily.
Emily was given a blood-drop-shaped red gemstone as dessert.
"What is this?"
"Life Stone. It has life force stored inside it. For Emily, it's food."
"You had something like that?" Isaac questioned.
"I got my hands on it quite recently."
"From where?" Isaac pressed.
The blood-drop-shaped gemstone reminded him of the red flower he found in the box on the assassin's corpses.
"From the assassins who attacked the Radiant Crest Academy. This gemstone is a byproduct of the Death Blood Flower.
"It's a rare flower that grows by eating corpses completely, and it used to sell for quite a bit until recently.
"The assassins had it on them. I don't need to explain why, do I?" she said.
Isaac nodded. The flower was a perfect tool to dispose bodies.
"This reminds me, why are you here? Don't you need to do your job at the Radiant Crest Academy?"
"I came here because I missed my dear Isaac and couldn't live without him."
Her words and teasing smile made Emily react.
She dragged her chair close to him and held his hand as if she wasn't going to give Isaac to her.
"Emily, why that reaction? You will refuse your auntie?"
"Yes."
"But I thought we were close?"
A small doubt appeared in Emily's eyes, only for it to disappear the next second.
"I won't share Isaac."
"Not even for a bit? I'm already past my early twenties, and I haven't even had a boyfriend. Won't you take pity on me and give him to me for only a bit?"
Emily seemed to be recalling her time with Professor Catherine.
Her nails dug into Isaac's skin as she struggled between different choices.
She gritted her teeth, and spoke,
"If it's only for a bit—"
Professor Catherine burst into a chuckle, seeing Emily's serious expression.
"Relax, I'm just joking. No one is taking your Isaac away."
Her words stunned Emily. She had a pout for the remainder of breakfast.
Later, Professor Catherine dialed the dorm staff and had them take the empty dishes away.
She then took out an orb from what Isaac believed to be a spatial bracelet. The orb had a ghostly green flame inside it.
"This is a Spirit-type Genetic Catalyst."
"Genetic Catalysts have a type?"
"Yes, they do. Absorbing the Genetic Catalyst that resonates with you, even if it's not for ranking up, brings great benefits. They are precious, though, so people only use them if they are needed for ranking up."
"What if we absorb a Genetic Catalyst that doesn't match our type?"
"Nothing happens. It's normal to absorb any random Genetic-type Catalyst you can get your hand on. These things are hard to find, and you can't be picky when you finally get one."
She turned her eyes toward Emily.
"This Genetic Catalyst is Emily's inheritance and it is a perfect match for her. The Vice Principal said you can use it if Emily gives the green light.
"Though, you will have to sign an agreement that you will help her find a Genetic Catalyst in the future."
Isaac was apprehensive about the idea of absorbing a Genetic Catalyst that was not of his affinity.
If a Genetic Catalyst could only be absorbed once like the Body Strengthening Potion, he wanted to choose the Genetic Catalyst best suited for himself.
Anything else would be harming his future prospects.
After knowing the Genetic Catalyst was for Emily, he made up his mind. He would give it to Emily secretly and have her absorb it.
"I got it," he lied. "But Professor, how do we know what Genetic Catalyst suits us?"
"You don't."
"...?"
"Knowing your affinity needs a rare device. The place where it was... can no longer be visited, so we don't have any way to know if this one suits you.
"But as I said, don't worry. Absorbing a different type of Genetic Catalyst doesn't harm you."
'It doesn't give any extra benefits either,' Isaac thought to himself.
Professor Catherine left after giving the Genetic Catalyst to Isaac, and have him sign the agreement.
She told him to absorb it by evening. They would leave for Akaza Ruin after that.
"Here, take this, Emily."
"What? Why are you giving this to me? Auntie said this was for you."
"She also said it originally belonged to you."
"But you need it for your Class Advancement Quest."
"You will need it in the future."
"You need it now. As for myself, I will find a Genetic Catalyst for myself when I need it."
"'We' will find a Genetic Catalyst for you, not you alone, but that's beside the point. You can take this. I actually don't need it. I asked for it to test how far they were going to go to nurture me."
"Huh?"
"Yes, so take it. Actually, absorb it now; it should give you a good boost. We will find the Genetic Catalyst for your rank-up in the future. This will also be better for us since we won't need to worry about hiding this Genetic Catalyst from others."
Emily looked at the Genetic Crystal, then back at Isaac.
He had to convince her a lot to make her believe he didn't need it for his Class Advancement Quest.
Later, she returned to her room to absorb it, leaving Isaac alone.
He told her she could do it in his room. She refused. It made him wonder if she was worried about stinking like they had after using the Body Strengthening Potion.
"Last night confirmed that I will share the 'benefits' if she consumes the Genetic Catalyst. This means I can still consume a Genetic Crystal myself."
Isaac waited for two hours before he saw a screen pop up before his eyes.
[Your wife, Emily Warren, has absorbed a Tier 1 Genetic Catalyst (Spirit-type). Share?]
"Share!"