["I have no father. I am a test-tube baby created by my mother, a perfect lifeform designed to fulfill the mission you could not complete," the girl replied, her tone as cold and unyielding as her mother's research papers. "Also, I have inherited my mother's title—Dotore."]
[As stated in the letter, the Doctor hoped you would not reveal Dotore's true origins to her. In her words, meaningless emotions would only waste Dotore's precious life.]
[Indeed, to the Doctor, this so-called "daughter" was merely one of her many successful experiments. Even with a blood connection, the Doctor felt no extra affection for Dotore.]
[Thus, she had raised Dotore into a nearly emotionless machine, and her lifespan was the machine's operational limit.]
---
[Age 75: It had to be admitted that the child the Doctor had raised in this almost—no, completely—heartless manner was indeed the perfect "research tool." She had no unnecessary emotions and devoted all her energy to the study of the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.]
[This, however, left the Sustainer quite displeased. Unlike your more "hands-off" approach to research, Dotore's methods were far more rigid and strict. She imposed numerous restrictions on the Sustainer's lifestyle and even reduced her leisure time.]
["You should be grateful I'm here," Dotore said bluntly, showing no courtesy. "Otherwise, by the time you die of old age, there would still be no progress in your research."]
[This wasn't due to Dotore being rude. Rather, this "machine" simply had no setting for "emotions." Every word and action of hers was driven by a single purpose—efficiency.]
[Moreover, her arrival did indeed break through many of the bottlenecks in your research. Though she stood on your shoulders, you knew deep down that this girl, who had inherited the best genes from you and the Doctor, possessed far greater potential than you.]
---
[Age 76: The Tsaritsa's daughter was born. Though this "daughter" was the product of coercion, the Tsaritsa's eyes were filled with maternal love. Just a short while ago, she had sworn to smash the child into pulp the moment it was born.]
[Maternal instinct is a crucial function for the continuation of genes, and this holds true even for gods. In this timeline, the Tsaritsa had set many precedents for gods, becoming the first god to also be a mother.]
[However, you did not allow much time for the mother and daughter to bond. Soon, you forced the Tsaritsa to make a choice.]
[First, the Tsaritsa could stay, and her daughter would become the new Cryo Archon. Second, the daughter could stay, and the Tsaritsa would remain the Cryo Archon. Regardless of the choice, the mother and daughter would be allowed to meet once a year.]
[Clearly, this daughter was a tool for you to control the Tsaritsa. The Tsaritsa quickly gave her answer—she chose the latter, returning to the Ice Palace to continue her life as the imprisoned queen.]
[Before leaving, she asked you one final question: "Will you take on the responsibility of being a father?"]
["Of course," you replied without hesitation. "After all, she is my 'only' child."]
---
[Age 77: You were more like a grandfather than a father in age. In fact, due to the use of the genetic enhancement serum, you had aged even more rapidly than an ordinary elderly person.]
[Age 78: Dotore's research progressed smoothly. She had even succeeded in extracting the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles' egg cells. Meanwhile, your deteriorating health left you almost entirely unable to participate in any experiments or research.]
[This, however, gave you plenty of time to spend with your daughter. Though Dotore was also your daughter, you knew deep down that revealing the truth to her might not be the right choice.]
[You named the Tsaritsa's daughter "Elsa," after the snow queen from a foreign fairy tale.]
---
[Age 79: The Tsaritsa kept her promise. Elsa became her hope for enduring the loneliness of her imprisonment. Even as you grew frail with age, you no longer feared the Tsaritsa harming you. After all, if she did, Elsa would surely hate her for the rest of her life.]
[Age 80: Your health continued to decline, and even your brilliant mind seemed to deteriorate with time. While you were still lucid, you wrote a will, naming your successor.]
[Age 81: You often spent time with Elsa and the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, stargazing and teaching Elsa about the constellations. But more often than not, you found yourself staring silently at Celestia.]
[At times, you even wondered if you had developed Alzheimer's. The sharpest mind of your time had become dull—what a cruel irony.]
[Age 82: You were diagnosed with a terminal illness. Even Dotore's medical skills could only barely sustain your life. According to her estimates, you had at most two or three years left.]
[Age 83: During an experiment, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles suddenly fell unconscious. According to Dotore's analysis, the energy within her body was nearly depleted. This condition was irreversible, and even removing the Jade Chamber's barrier would not restore her.]
[The Sustainer, however, remained calm. Perhaps, for her, annihilation was not such a bad outcome.]
[Age 84: Your condition worsened further. At the same time, Dotore's experiments finally succeeded. She had discovered a method to cultivate offspring of the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. The only thing missing was a sufficiently powerful "seed."]
[Clearly, only you in your prime would have been qualified to provide such a seed. But now, your illness had progressed to the point where even moving was difficult. How could you possibly provide a powerful seed?]
---
[Entering Immersive Mode]
[Mission Objective: Complete the Experiment]
So far, Lucas had experienced many immersive modes.
But this one was undoubtedly the worst.
He lay in bed, his body hooked up to various tubes, the heart monitor beside him showing a weak, struggling rhythm.
Sitting beside him was a woman with a troubled expression—Dotore.
"Isn't there still one last method?" Lucas forced himself to sit up, smiling weakly. "If you can temporarily restore my youth, we can complete the final piece of the puzzle, right?"