["Stelle leads the group of cat pastries to a deeper room and discovers a plant cultivation cabin segment. After settling all the cat pastries, a hidden large door on the second floor suddenly opens."]
["Arriving at the doorway, a nearby small robot informs her that this is Ms. Ruan Mei's hidden room. Through it, Stelle continues viewing Ruan Mei's cultivation records."]
[""I have thought of a form of life that is enough to make me acknowledge its elusiveness. That is… an Emanator.""]
[""What exactly an Emanator is, I do not fully understand. Scholars regard them as proxies of an Aeon's power. So, from what point onward, and at which moment, did they become closer to an [Aeon] than any other lifeform?""]
[""At first, I attempted to cultivate a genius. But I failed. This question remains unsolved, and there is still a long road of exploration ahead. However, the Paths of the universe are not limited to [Nous] alone. If we set aside rationality, might there exist more primitive—and purer—Emanators along other Paths?""]
[""—Of course there are.""]
[""Tayzzyronth. Through the Simulated Universe, I was able to glimpse the full course of the Swarm Disaster, seize data from the Swarm King and its offspring, replicate and cultivate them, thereby opening an entirely new branch of research. It is a perfectly reasonable judgment: I will surely succeed. The 'it' I restore will bloom with unprecedented life.""]
[""Would Screwllum and Herta like this experiment? Probably not. So before they notice… I must accelerate, and find a suitable [assistant].""]
["Stelle finally understands the whole sequence of events. But when checking the visitor log, the small robot states that a "plaster-head man" had previously been here."]
["Plaster-head man?"]
["What kind of weirdo is this now…"]
—
Arcane.
In a certain laboratory in Piltover.
"Some powers are born untamable. This Ms. Ruan Mei is undoubtedly touching something forbidden." Heimerdinger shakes his head with conviction. "This kind of research is far too dangerous. Replicating an Emanator in a laboratory… one misstep and the entire Herta Space Station becomes collateral damage."
"Professor, on this point I believe in Ms. Ruan Mei." Viktor's voice carries a faint note of admiration. "—You yourself once said knowledge has no boundaries. Hextech was also considered taboo by you until we proved its value. Refusing evolution itself is a form of regression."
"Hm…" Heimerdinger lowers his head in thought for a long moment before suddenly asking: "So, Viktor, do you view 'researching Emanators' as a form of evolution?"
"Of course. If this experiment can bring humanity one step closer to the mysteries of the Aeons, it is undoubtedly an evolution worthy of being recorded in history."
Viktor's tone gradually becomes excited. The fervor in his eyes brings a faint flush of color to his originally pale cheeks: "Every Path contains vast, indescribable power—miracles far surpassing arcane arts! Professor Heimerdinger, just imagine… what would it look like if we could harness the immense Path powers of different Emanators?"
"Disease, famine, poverty… all human suffering could be rewritten! And Ms. Ruan Mei's research will undoubtedly bring unprecedented assistance. In time, once Runeterra is opened up by the Company—"
"Viktor." Heimerdinger calmly interrupts him. "I'm not trying to discourage you, but from my experience… as long as human nature exists, none of what you describe will change—this has nothing to do with technology."
Heimerdinger looks at the student he is most proud of. A thousand years of wisdom condense into deep concern in his eyes.
"Even if the power of [Abundance] could be artificially controlled, it would only become a tool for the powerful to exploit the weak… Viktor."
—
["In front of the cultivation vat passage, Stelle sees a man standing far ahead from a distance."]
["The man wears a strange plaster head and sits properly in front of a chessboard, seriously contemplating his moves. While playing against himself, he mutters aloud, marveling at each brilliant play."]
["Stelle's footsteps interrupt his monologue. The plaster head slowly lifts. The pale plaster eyes show no visible focus, yet they give Stelle a chilling sensation of being completely seen through."]
[""You look troubled. Ran into some difficulty?""]
["The man rises elegantly. A book that appears quite "substantial" slowly opens in his hands."]
[""In that case—figure it out yourself.""]
[""…" Stelle stares at him in complete bewilderment."]
[""What are you standing there for? Do you have a lot of time? Doesn't look like it. Take the elevator down. What you're looking for is right there." The plaster-head says."]
[""Who are you?""]
[""Before asking, you should first consider whether the answer will help solve your problem. If not, it's better not to ask. Clearly both our times are valuable.""]
["He suddenly sighs: "…Fine, consider this a demonstration: I know who you are, and I know you're working for Ruan Mei. I was originally a visitor to the space station, stumbled into this place, and witnessed her experiment.""]
[""My goal is roughly the same as yours. Since you've arrived, I won't interfere. But if you fail, I will intervene forcefully to prevent unnecessary trouble.""]
[""Knowing this is enough—two sentences, very efficient communication." He seems extremely satisfied with his own response."]
["Stelle: "Why are you wearing a plaster head…""]
[""Because I cannot stand fools. Naturally, they also prefer not to see me.""]
—
Teyvat.
"Alhaitham! Listen to this—the guy on the Celestial Screen wearing the plaster head speaks exactly like you! So sharp-tongued!"
Alhaitham doesn't even lift his head as he turns a page in his book: "First, I never wear anything that obstructs my vision. Second…"
He takes a sip of coffee: "If you consider clear logic and efficient answers to be 'sharp-tongued,' then perhaps you'd be better suited working at the Grand Bazaar. The level of logical rigor there matches your academic standards perfectly."
"That's not the point!" Kaveh imitates the plaster-head man's tone: "'Because I cannot stand fools. Naturally, they also prefer not to see me.' When he said that, I could totally picture your face saying the exact same thing—no dissonance at all!"
"Your imagination is truly impressive. No wonder your design proposals always go over budget." Alhaitham finally closes his book, a flicker of interest in his eyes. "Though on certain matters he and I would indeed reach agreement more easily, when it comes to tolerance for foolish statements, I handle it far better than he does."
"What foolish statements… Hey, Alhaitham, you're not subtly referring to me, are you?" Kaveh says indignantly.
"It's an explicit statement." Alhaitham stands up to pay the bill. "But the fact that you realized it means my language has finally broken through your lower limit of comprehension. Congratulations."