14 A-011

The next day—August 18th, 4:00 PM. Inside Beaumont's Manor.

In the opulent hall that could accommodate more than a hundred guests, Lucas is embracing Vivian as they danced away in a hummed rhythm. Lucas' hand hovers just above Vivian's plump buttcheeks, teasingly close but not quite there yet. But he chose to keep his hand on her lower back, letting it remain there.

"I was really surprised when you asked me to teach you about proper noble etiquette. I was so sure in my mind that you must've come from a prominent family in Eldoria." Vivian says, while taking graceful steps. "You seem so refined already," she added.

"I'm flattered that I left such an impression on you," Lucas gives Vivian a humble smile as he wears a warm, gentle look. "Though, I hope I'm not bothering you too much by suddenly asking for such lessons."

"No, I don't see it as a bother at all. If anything, I'm happy to pass on what I know rather than to let it gather dust in my mind," chuckled Vivian. "Just try not to step on my toes too much."

Lucas grinned. "I'll try my best," He chose his next words carefully, considering that the woman in front of him already had a spouse. "–though it may be a challenge to focus with such a lovely teacher."

Vivian lowered her head and chuckled softly.

"You flatter me, sir." she says before raising her blue eyes and sweeping her gaze across his calm countenance, his graying temples, and his profound blue eyes. "A lady does enjoy compliments from a gentleman. Perhaps that's a lesson the sir could keep in mind."

Upon saying that, she smiled and didn't say another word.

The one and a half hour etiquette lesson ended harmoniously. Since it was Sunday, Lucas and Victoria didn't head to work. And because they've already have found large clues about the Plutonic Research Society, Vivian and him weren't too pressed to search any more.

They had the rest of the day to themselves.

Lucas, however, decided not to share the information he found in the journal with Vivian. He thought that it wasn't a good idea to report everything that he'd found with the Crows. Keeping a trump card for himself might be beneficial.

Plus, considering the low priority they've given for this mission, the Crows wouldn't find it too strange if Vivian and him came back empty-handed. In fact, discovering too much information might result on the Crows increasing the amount of priority they have on his mansion. Thus, Lucas decided to keep things under wraps for now.

As the two of them made their way towards the living room, wanting to continue their conversation in another place, Vivian asked, "I've seen your darling daughters but may I ask about their mother? Is she away on a trip? I would love to meet the lady of the house."

Lucas responded graciously, "That's very kind of you. Unfortunately my wife passed several years ago."

Vivian's expression turned to one of immediate sympathy. "Oh goodness, I'm so sorry to hear that. Please forgive my awkward question."

"There's nothing to forgive. There's no way you could've known," eased Lucas.

As the two of them sat down opposing seats in the living room, Lucas looked at the woman in front of him.

Back on Earth, and even now, he would consider Vivian a MILF. Even now, in his mind, she's registered as a 'voluptuous older woman' or a 'sexy mature woman'. She's got that 'noona' body type from erotic manhwas that he's always had a thing for. Which only increases the incongruity every time he realizes that he's currently older than her.

Suddenly, those 'older women' he appreciated were younger than him and he wasn't quite sure how to feel about it.

* * *

Later that evening, at 10:00 PM.

Lucas was walking through the hallways of his mansion alone in the darkness. Since the journal had mentioned that the owned secretly made a third series of artificial humans in his 'personal laboratory'. Lucas felt that there's a strong chance that this personal laboratory of his is hidden somewhere within this very mansion.

After all, if someone was doing secret experiments, it would be extremely inconvenient having to leave his house. Especially when unexpected mistakes and emergencies can happen all the time. Such infrequent and irregular schedule might also raise suspicions, so it's best that its kept in a place where he could keep a close eye on it.

And that would be his already extremely large mansion.

"Hm..not here either." Lucas said as he finished checking all the wall lamps in this particular corridor.

Nothing seemed amiss along the lavish, deserted hallways of the sprawling residence as darkness swallowed the mansion whole. Yet somehow, Lucas knew the owner's sinister secrets lurked somewhere within those very walls.

Lucas decided he needed to switch up his searching tactics. Based on every science fiction novel and thriller movie he'd consumed, there were certain cliches he could exploit.

For starters, secret laboratories were often hidden behind a large bookcase or fireplace. Lucas began feeling along the walls for any sections that may move or slide aside. He pulled on various candlesticks, statues, and odd knickknacks placed throughout the hall, testing if any would trigger a hidden mechanism.

Next, he explored the idea that the lab may be concealed behind a hidden panel or door, disguised as part of the regular decor. Lucas rapped his knuckles along the walls, listening for any hollow spots. He studied the patterns on the wallpaper, rugs, and tapestries for irregularities that may indicate a concealed entrance.

His search led him to the lavish dining room where he had already checked most of the items, be it the candelabras, wall sconces, even the bricks in the walls.

By this time, it's almost midnight and he was starting to feel a little sleepy.

However, just as he was thinking of retiring to sleep, his eyes landed on the large painting that have always hung above the fireplace mantle.

"Of course, how did I not look at this place earlier?" muttered Lucas. He felt like he was so fixated on the more clever and obscure spots, that he didn't take into account the more obvious locations.

Walking closer to the painting, he examined it a little more closely. He checked if there was anything hidden by it, tried pulling at the painting, flipping it over, but to no avail. However, he didn't give up. With a new avenue of searching, he continued inspecting every single painting on the mansion.

It wasn't until he arrived at an inconspicuous painting by the ground floor. It hung 3rd from the end of the corridor, it was placed correctly. Totally normal. There was absolutely nothing that made it stand out from the others.

However, he should've known from the beginning that if there were to be an entrance to a secret laboratory, then it would be at the ground floor. Otherwise, where would it get the space to fit in such a facility except underground?

I checked if there was anything hidden behind this painting and to my great surprise, there was.

After pressing hard on one of the bricks, it sunk further into the wall which caused a section of it to open up. Again, just like the secret chamber earlier, the newly opened passageway was riddled with dust and cobwebs due to the long time it had been abandoned.

Lucas walked through the newly revealed passageway, wondering what he would find. The dark, stale air suggested the passage had been sealed for a long time. He made his way down a narrow stone stairwell that descended deeper underground.

At the bottom of the stairs was an old wooden door. Lucas slowly pushed it open, cringing as it creaked loudly on rusty hinges. Behind the door was a large laboratory filled with all manner of scientific equipment.

What surprised Lucas isn't the fact that there was really a laboratory under his mansion, but of how advanced the equipment on the laboratory seemed to be. Tables covered in beakers, Bunsen burners, and test tubes lined the walls. In the center of the room stood several metal slabs like operation tables.

Up until now, everything about this world's technology had seemed primitive. Zeppelin-like airships, lack of cars and the continued use of horse carriages, and etc. Yet, entering this place, he almost felt like he had just entered a science lab back from Earth.

"But then again, genetic editing and artificial humans are already unbelievably advanced to begin with," Lucas said, slowly trying to process the absurdity of it all.

Recalling the details he had read on the journal, he knew that the third series, ADAPT, didn't start out as a fetus. But was rather given a complete mature body from creation.

Because on one table lay an artificial human in the early stages of creation. It's unfinished metal endoskeleton gleamed dully in the dim light. Lucas carefully examined the creature, marveling at the technological feat it represented. He wondered how many others the previous owner had created in this secret lab.

Further exploring the lab, Lucas found files and notes containing detailed schematics and formulas.

However, out of all the outlandish discoveries that he had made, none could've prepared him for the next sight he was about to see.

Opening another door within the laboratory, he was taken into a chamber full of medical pods—large cylindrical tubes made of glass. They were framed with metal at both ends, top and bottom, and there is a tag name under each: A-000, A-001, A-002, and so forth. Lucas realized with horror they were stasis pods intended to house and preserve the artificial humans.

Most of the pods stood empty and dark.

Most…

A few glowed with an eerie light from within and Lucas approached the active pods with dread.

Inside floated winged creatures suspended in viscous liquid. Their limbs, twisted and deformed, bore only a vague resemblance to human form. Their faces were twisted in silent screams, mouths gaping open to reveal rows of needle-like teeth.

Lucas recoiled in horror and disgust, as all drowsiness was immediately washed away from his body.

Despite the confidence written in the journal, mishaps seemed to be unavoidable. These were not the artificial humans detailed in the blueprints. The previous owner's experiments had gone horribly wrong, warping the artificial humans into abominations suspended in eternal agony.

He rushed from the chamber, sickness roiling in his stomach. The heavy door shut behind him, sealing the monster-filled pods from view as he spat out the dinner that he had eaten earlier. "How disgusting..." he said as he wiped his mouth clean.

His mouth still wretched with disgust when he finally mustered the courage to go back in.

And so he did.

As he moved towards the corner of the room, his gaze fell upon another glowing pod. The viscous water inside was host to a creature floating within, with metal tubes inserted to assist in preserving its life. It appeared that the pods had been designed to keep the creatures alive for years on end. Despite years of abandonment, the water remained clear and there were subtle signs of life from within the pods.

Upon reaching A-011, he was surprised to find that the creature inside was not a terrifying monster straight out of Lovecraft's stories, but rather a pale-skinned, naked woman with bright silver hair that couldn't have been naturally obtained by normal humans.

"This..." he gasped in shock. This was one of the 'successful' creatures he had recorded in his journal. The woman floated serenely in the clear liquid inside the pod.

He looked at the name tag embedded on the metal rims below her tube: A-011.

His eyes couldn't help but scan the figure floating in the water once again. The previous owner's modifications had not come without its benefits. The woman was in a too perfect of a state, one that could evoke envy by simply looking at her.

Her skin was so smooth and unblemished, her frame was slender and somehow curvy at the same time, she was of slightly above-average height. Even her breasts were perfectly sized, her buttocks pert and firm. She had her proportions down to a T. And when his eyes wandered down to her nether regions, he couldn't help but notice that she was completely hairless, a pristine and perfectly formed masterpiece.

One would have to wonder just how many things would it need to get right for a human to be able to achieve such a body naturally. From the genes passed on by their parents, to the diet, and to the proper grooming needed.

Even back on Earth, it would be difficult to find a woman that could match up to her specs unless it was a model under a strict health and skincare routine, and an even stricter diet.

She was the epitome of perfection, a woman crafted by the previous owner's ideas of what the ideal woman should look like.

"This is an artificial human..." the realization finally sunk on him fully. This is exactly what the Crows are looking for.

However, he then remembered than she isn't one of the 'super-soldier' children that the Plutonic Research Society had developed. TECHNICALLY… she isn't the one they're looking for. She's from a different series, focused solely on fast learning and quick growth, to be able to show results and appease the investors.

"That means I don't have to inform them of her existence, at least, not for now." thought Lucas.

Realizing he could not leave this woman trapped in here forever. He climbed atop the pod and took off the metal rim at the top. Sinking his hands on the viscous liquid, he gently disconnected the tubes from her pod and lifted her limp form from the liquid. She did not stir, remaining in stasis for now.

"She's too slippery..." said Lucas as he struggled to get a firm hold over her.

After a few minutes, he was finally able to fully bring her out of the pod. Lucas then wrapped her naked body in his coat and carried her from the hellish chamber. Climbing the stairs from the laboratory, Lucas emerged into the mansion once more. The woman rested quietly in his arms as he began to ponder how he might help her awaken.

But for now, he decided to secretly rest her on one of the many guestrooms, away from everyone's notice.