Log #35-2:

It is most likely not a human soul within a frost wolf's body. We are almost completely certain that this is not the case. When it first woke up, it went into a panic and only calmed down when everyone had left the chamber. Whenever we enter to bring its sustenance, it immediately retreats to the furthest corner and would only come back once we had left. If it contained a human soul, then we believe that it would not have acted this way. And instead, would have attempted to communicate with us.

So that brings us to what we think it is. A massive jump in the evolutionary tree, to give a significant increase in thinking and processing capabilities. Currently, the reasons for this phenomenon are unknown. Our current theory is that it is just from a mutation that managed to significantly enhance neurogenesis from infancy. But if it is a mutation, then we can infer that it is not just limited to its species.

Due to these new discoveries, I have decided to propose Operation Terrasta. A long-term, country-wide observation on newborn animals and to ensure their survival until maturity. And if necessary, conduct secret observations in other territories. However, I believe that we should not interfere with their actions. Even if they are in a life-threatening situation, to only heal them and leave them where they were. The wolf, now dubbed the subject α-01, was an unfortunate accident, but there is much that we can learn from it.

We have started preparations for our next steps into determining subject α-01’s intellectual capabilities. Our first step would be in determining its learning capabilities. We approximate that it has the mental processing power of a small child, so results may take some time.

Recently, I had brought in madam Conigus to show her subject α-01 for the first time. Its reaction was astonishing. It did not immediately retreat into the corner. Instead, it analyzed her, as it had previously met her. But that was impossible. Granted, she was the one that had brought him in, but he was already unconscious by then.

There are a few possibilities as to why it acted like that, but here are our main two. First, it can recognize and remember scents while unconscious. This one seems the most plausible, but it also is the less interesting one. If we manage to adapt this into other aspects, then we could feed it knowledge while it is asleep, without ever knowing that we had done it. If we can get this to work on humans, then the benefits would be unquestionable.

The second, and significantly more interesting possibility, is that it is capable of acutely sensing and remembering mana signatures. The sixth general was suppressing her mana, to the point where I, who was right next to her, could barely even feel it. But subject α-01 acted as he could. If it is that sensitive in sensing mana, then it could be incredibly useful for several different tasks. Previously, we had believed that all monsters gained their mana and a sense of it when they reached maturity. Unless this is another mutation, which I believe to be highly unlikely, monsters could always sense mana earlier than previously thought.

There have been so many interesting developments, and we have not even started to rigorously test it.

Our blood, for glory, to the Eternal Empire!

~END Log #35-2~

A stunningly beautiful woman with short-cropped blue hair dressed in an older military uniform flew through the air, headed towards the null laboratory. It was by far the most secretive, only the top generals of the Empire knew where it was. But it was so difficult to find and so well concealed that it could only be located if someone was outside. Even worse, it was her first time coming here, and she had no idea what to expect.

She flew through the freezing Boreatic Mountain Range and felt a faint mana signature where the approximate location of the lab was. So inconspicuous in fact that she would not have been able to notice it unless she was actively searching for it. She canceled her wind magic and shot through the atmosphere, before using it again to slow her descent. Landing gracefully in front of the guide, her red and gold cape fluttering behind her.

“Identity?” He said in a monotone voice.

“Frixin Conigus.”

“Occupation?”

“Sixth General of the Eldrissis Empire and the Knight of Eternal Frost.”

“ID?”

Frixin made a small glowing blue symbol on her glove with her mana. It looked like an intricately designed six-pointed snowflake, with the six main branches made out of a claymore. She put her hand out, palm up, and the guide carefully examined it, before nodding in acceptance.

“Reasons for coming?”

She furrowed her brows and replied, “Didn’t you guys ask me to come?”

“That would be correct. Now that I have confirmed your identity, please put this talisman anywhere on your body. It has been keyed into the system to allow passage through all of the wards surrounding this place. Even someone of your caliber would find it difficult to access this place without it. On behalf of the researchers working at the Null Laboratory, we welcome you to our residence. Now, if you would, please follow me.”

The guide turned around and left at a brisk walking pace, with Frixin close behind him. They continued through the snowdrift for a while. Everything seemed copmletely normal, but then she felt the runes. A massive array consisting of hundreds of different formations was inlaid underneath the snow. She recognized most of them, meant to ward her away, using various methods like confusion, barriers, and curses. There were also some meant to conceal its presence so that you would not be able to sense that it was there, even if you were right next to it. And there were also some runes so complex that even she did not know what they did.

“That’s a lot of effort the Empire is going through to try and hide this location.”

“It is a necessity.” The guide replied. “After all, this place contains some of the Empire’s most secretive and dangerous experiments. Wars could be waged over the information that is contained here.”

“That sounds…impressive.”

“Indeed, it is. Indeed, it is.”

They continued through the array for a bit longer. She could feel whenever it would try and scan her, only to sense the talisman and ignore her. The guide suddenly stopped in front of her, almost causing her to run into him. He took off his left glove and placed it onto a barren trunk. A nearby tree swung open and he prompted her to enter.

She looked down and saw that it was a tube that quickly led into a metal room. She tried to hop into the tree but was suddenly lurched back. Her claymore, which was strapped onto her back, had gotten stuck in the doorway. Annoyed, she pulled it off of her back and dropped it into the hole, jumping in afterward.

For her, the fall was relatively short, around two seconds, so she did not need wind magic to slow herself down. And just landed next to her sword. She stood up and pulled her claymore out of the ground. Strapping it to her back again when she heard a squeaky voice with a northern accent.

“My goodness, that was quite frightening.” Exclaimed a short, slightly chubby man in a white lab coat. “I had not expected such a large sword to fall from the sky! I almost had a little accident.”

“That would have been amusing to watch.” She glanced at the blue crown on his lapel. “I assume that you’re the lead researcher?”

“Yes!” He stammered out, “My name is Frederick Moore, the fourth viscount of Whiteport and the…”

“That information is unnecessary for me to know.” She curtly replied, cutting him off. “Why exactly did you call me here?”

“Ah yes…You had expressed your interest to His Imperial Majesty to visit subject α-01 when it awoke…”

“What exactly is this α-01?” She was quite annoyed at the researcher. He was very weak, compared to her, yet he still tried to throw around his weight. She disapproved of people that acted in this way. Believing that they have a lot of power, when in fact they had none.

“The frost wolf.”

“The puppy! Where is he!” Frixin grabbed the short man by the shoulders, absolutely towering over Frederick. A full head, if not more, taller than him.

Frederick hesitated for a moment before stammering out its room number. “Observation chamber 1-12.”

“And you expect me to know where that is?”

“It's umm… Down the left hallway, take the third right, take a left at the intersection, and then the fourth door on the left.”

Frixin grabbed Frederick by the collar and sped off. Flying throughout the center, dodging people who were in the way. In a matter of moments, they had reached the entrance to the observation room. Frederick collapsed on the floor, gasping for air.

“Open the door,” Frixin commanded to the guards on either side.

“They won’t listen to you. They are specifically trained to only listen to me or other people that I have given permission to.”

“How sure are you that they won’t listen to anyone else?”

“Almost completely.”

“I see.” She then turned to the guards again, “I command you: Open the doors.”

This time, Frixin put a hefty amount of mana into her voice. It was no longer a request, but a command, and to most people, you would obey the commands of someone more powerful than you. The two guards faltered for a moment, before moving to open the doors.

“Almost completely, eh?” She chuckled to herself and walked inside, leaving Frederick sputtering behind her.

“Unfortunately, it does not seem to like humans. Whenever we enter to give it food, it always runs away into the corner. Also, please do not approach it unless it approaches you. We would not like to have spooked it even further.”

“Is that so.”

Both of them entered the chamber and stood near the doorway. But to Frederick’s shock, instead of quickly running away, subject α-01 just stood there. Watching them.

“I thought you said that he would try to immediately run?”

“That’s what he usually did. We’ve never seen it act like this before. You were the one that saved it, correct?”

“That I did.”

“Then perhaps it recognizes you. But it would have been impossible for it to have…”

Frixin tuned Frederick out as he started to ramble on. She gazed upon the gray little fluff ball. Lesser people probably would have considered it to be a dangerous animal that could easily kill them, especially once it had grown up. But not to her. She had hunted many more dangerous monsters and people, and even a full-grown frost wolf could barely hold a candle to her. In her eyes, it was just a cute little pet.

And then, he began to approach her. Frederick finally shut up and they both watched in silence as he slowly walked up to her. He sat in front of her and stared into her eyes. As she looked back, she realized that he was much more intelligent than Frederick thought he was. He was analyzing her. Judging her uniform, her weapon, her appearance. Even more shockingly, analyzing her mana. She could feel him carefully observing her mana, the layer, the depth, and the complexity of it.

He broke his gaze and then turned away. Only to lay down on her feet. She reached down to pet him, and then looked to Frederick for confirmation. He nodded and she gently stroked his side. His fur felt bristly, granted it was the guard hair meant to protect him from the elements. But his fur near his stomach felt considerably softer.

“He smells terrible. When was the last time he was given a bath?”

“Never. We have not had…”

“Then give him one! He smells absolutely atrocious.”

“Understood. It will be given a bath before its cognitive tests tomorrow.”

She nodded in understanding, then stood back up.

“I think that that is enough for the day. I will let you continue his observation and testing. It will be back same time next week.”

Without listening for a reply, she turned around and briskly walked out, sparing one last look at the curled-up grey bundle on the ground.