The Mech Touch

5936 Difficult Wish

Though Ves hadn't felt the Superior Mother's presence as of late, he had a hunch that she was always keeping an eye on his children.

This was especially the case when they engaged in cultivation in any fashion!

It was dangerous for children to practice cultivation methods. Not only were they too young to properly understand complicated theories and subjects, their restlessness and lack of precision drastically increased the chance of accidents!

Furthermore, their bodies, minds and spiritualities were often far too weak to withstand the pressure of the changes wrought by rapid growth.

His children were an exception to this rule, but only to an extent. He was sure that if they were on the verge of harming themselves due to harmful practice, the Superior Mother would step in and prevent them from getting truly harmed.

This gave him a bit more confidence in devising custom cultivation methods for his children.

That said, trying to improve one's genetic aptitude for mech pilot was so far beyond his expertise that he did not have any confidence that he could fulfill Andraste's request by himself.

As much as his mother wanted him to become more self-

sufficient, there were times where he needed to recognize his own inferiority and enlist the aid of a true expert.

This was one of those times.

The Superior Mother evidently agreed with his judgment, because she sent down a manifestation.

"Grandma!"

Andraste did not act with any restraint and ran towards the manifestation of a True God with her arms spread open!

The Superior Mother immediately softened her harsh and matronly expression and picked up the giggling girl like any other ordinary grandparent.

It became clear to Ves that his mother placed a lot of importance in this meeting. A part of her consciousness descended onto her incarnation.

Andraste babbled to her grandmother for an entire minute. Ves watched with a bemused expression as he contemplated the odd family dynamic.

Due to the Great Severing, it was impossible for any of his children to visit their paternal grandparents in the flesh.

This was a great shame. The only way his kids could maintain direct contact with their grandmother was by using the Superior Mother as a medium.

This caused his children to grow up thinking of the Superior Mother as their real grandmother.

They did not regard the ancestral spirit as a completely different existence from the likes of their other blood relatives.

In their eyes, there was no fundamental difference between the Superior Mother and Benjamin Larkinson!

Both of them were family, and that was all that mattered as far as they were concerned!

Ves also believed that Aurelia, Andraste and Marvaine also failed to make a distinction between Cynthia Larkinson and the Superior Mother. Both of them were one and the same, even though that was technically not the case.

He gave up on any further attempts to clarify their misconceptions. They weren't all that important, and given how the Superior Mother acted around her own grandchildren, they might actually be correct.

It just became a little more difficult to present this family dynamic to outsiders. Most people still considered the Superior Mother to be a made-up Hexer myth!

"Ves." Her incarnation spoke in a more serious tone. "You are correct to seek my consultation. I have already devoted my time to researching what can be done. I even went as far as exchange theories with the Evolution Witch on this matter."

That was incredibly helpful!

Although god pilots weren't scientists by nature, their intelligence and learning ability reached absurd heights once they fully merged with their mechs.

Out of all of the god pilots in the Red Ocean, the Evolution Witch was probably the smartest or the second-smartest among them. She may be a lot younger than the likes of the First Flame, but she had dedicated a part of her life to studying biotechnology in order to save her life and to seek continuous evolution.

As a god pilot, she already knew far more about the piloting profession than practically anyone. Her impressive expertise in biotechnology further strengthened her understanding on how mech pilots worked.

Ves looked hopeful at the Superior Mother.

Unfortunately, she did not have good news for him and his daughter.

"What you are asking for is absurd." She flatly told him. "Genetic aptitude is a biological aberration that is produced through a confluence of many supporting factors. There is no single solution that allows humans to become more adept at interfacing with mechs. There are no powerful genes, superfoods, planetary environments or training methods that can guarantee that a child will develop the desired genetic aptitude grades. Since we do not understand how it can be formed, it is not possible to devise a cultivation method that increases the chance of turning someone into a potentate."

Both Ves and Andraste looked dismayed when the Superior Mother brutally explained the truth.

"Didn't the Chosen Human manage to find a way?" He asked.

"The willpower of a god pilot is strong enough to rewrite reality, even in defiance of the heavens. This makes it possible for god pilots to break the rules that we take for granted, but only in exceedingly limited cases. Before you ask, the Evolution Witch cannot replicate this feat."

"Why not? Her domain is based on evolution. Even if this is not her core specialization, shouldn't she be able to figure out a different way to develop one's genetic aptitude?"

His mother shook her head. "God pilots are not miracle workers, even though it is tempting to see them that way. They are supreme warriors first and foremost. They are much more adept at destruction as opposed to creation. At most, the Evolution Witch can harness her power to forcibly mutate Andraste into a biologically superior organism. The changes may or may not affect her genetic aptitude, but there are so many factors affecting this parameter that it is nearly impossible to make your dream come true."

Ves frowned. This was a huge setback, but he did not give up right away.

"What about coming up with a more abstract cultivation method? The properties of E energy makes it so that it can make ideas come true if you think about them hard enough. Andraste's spirituality is pretty strong thanks to her companion spirit. Is it possible to teach her a method that is solely concentrated on conjuring genetic aptitude into existence?"

"You are overestimating the effects of the power of heaven." His mother said in a disapproving tone. "Your approach is doomed to fail. There are several reasons why this is the cause. Taking the abstract approach is too vague and has a much higher likelihood of producing a backlash. Many serious cultivation methods are dense and filled with obscure texts because they put their practitioners into the exactly right mindset. Your suggestion tries to do the opposite. Cultivation is not equivalent to making a wish come true. There are many many constraints imposed by reality. Genetic aptitude is subject to so many of them that only the Chosen Human can guarantee that Andraste can become a potentate."

Damn. So even that wouldn't work. Ves knew it was too good to be true. He still felt obliged to make the suggestion, if only to learn exactly why it was unfeasible.

Though the news crushed Andraste's mood, she was not that weak.

"It's okay, papa. I will have to wait until I am 10 before I find out whether I can pilot a mech like any other kid. I don't need special treatment. I will have as much of a chance of becoming a potentate like everyone else."

The Superior Mother smiled and stroked her ethereal hand on Andraste's head. "That is the right mindset towards this matter. Fate is impartial. Only 3.5 percent of all humans are able to develop genetic aptitude. This statistic may have changed since we entered the Age of Dawn, but I doubt it has created serious deviations. Andraste here should actually have a slightly higher chance of developing genetic aptitude on account of her Larkinson bloodline, but even then there is a strong possibility that she will be denied this profession."

"That… may not necessarily be the case."

There was always the Carmine System, which the Red Association wanted to roll out in the near future.

The only concern was that Ves had no idea whether pure Carmine mech pilots were able to undergo apotheosis.

What if it was impossible for Andraste to become a high-

ranking mech pilot?

That would invalidate many of the reasons for piloting mechs for his daughter!

She may as well become Ketis' personal disciple and become a swordmaster. At least there was no requirement for genetic aptitude for this profession.

Cynthia was well aware of the existence of the Carmine System. She gave her own opinion on the subject.

"Genetic aptitude is a central aspect of the mech piloting profession. It has become such a strong totemic belief to a huge swathe of humans as well as strong mech pilots that it is hard to eliminate it. You should know that any attack on the importance of genetic aptitude will be met with intense opposition from nearly every existing mech pilot. To devalue this requirement is to deprive this class of warriors their unique gift."

So that was why the mechers repeatedly insisted to Ves that he should not spill the secrets related to the Carmine System ahead of time.

He could truly envision the entire body of mech pilots getting pissed at Ves if he botched the rollout of his powerful invention!

It was stupid and selfish, but mech pilots were never famed for being rational in the first place.

Ves let out a tired breath. "Okay. I won't push this matter any further. I still don't think it is as impossible as you claim. We just haven't found the right solution yet. However, I recognize that it may be for the best to wait until Andraste is 10 years old before determining her future trajectory."

In other words, Ves accepted that he could do nothing but to let 'fate' run its course.

He hated the complete lack of control. Ves knew that a huge amount of parents felt likewise about it, but they hadn't been able to do anything either.

Andraste continued to cling to her grandmother as a moment of silence ensued.

"So how do we proceed?" Ves asked. "Can we do something else for my girl?"

The Superior Mother lightened up a bit. "We can. If we want to preserve Andraste's chances of developing a genetic aptitude for mech piloting, then it is better if she does not engage in any active form of cultivation. That does not preclude her companion spirit. Yaika is sufficiently separated from Andraste that she can develop by herself."

That led to a discussion on what sort of cultivation method they should devise for Yaika.

Perhaps Cynthia felt regretful that she was not able to help Andraste develop the right genetic aptitude, because she readily offered her assistance this time.

Ves did not have to do all of the work himself. It was incredibly helpful and reassuring that his highly knowledgeable mother made suggestions and offered corrections.

The biggest point of contention was the domain that Yaika should be working towards.

"Death is not a pleasant element to work with." Cynthia said as she lifted the black companion spirit and studied her carefully. "If Andraste does not make any special adaptations, then her health will begin to decline if Yaikia ever grows powerful enough. We need to plan ahead and nip this problem in the bud."

"Agreed." Ves said.

The problem was not as serious as it sounded, as Yaika was still a part of Andraste.

Still, who knew what sort of problems might occur if their strength ever became mismatched. IfYaika became a lot stronger than her principal, then a strong death domain might make Andraste's life miserable!

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