Chapter Eight: The System.

The sudden blare of an alarm sent a shockwave through the entire research institute.

"What’s going on? Is there an enemy attack?"
"Who would attack a fertility research institute? And why does this alarm sound so different from the others?"
"This sound... it sounds like it’s coming from the monitoring room, doesn't it?"

As the staff buzzed with speculation, Link, who was on duty in the monitoring room that day, ran toward the office of Samson, the director of the institute, like a madman. He didn't even bother to knock; he shoved the door open and burst inside. "Director, I have a report!"

"Report what? And what is that sound outside?" As the door swung open, the fading alarm chime drifted in, prompting Samson to rise from his chair and frown.

"Director, I was on duty in the monitoring room today. Data just came through. The natural conception monitoring system has been triggered. This alarm is the notification."

The composed expression on Samson’s face cracked instantly. He stared at Link, eyes wide with disbelief, his voice tightening as he asked, "What did you just say?" He did not even notice the tremor in his own voice.

Even though Link had recovered from the initial shock, his heart was still pounding. He repeated his words quickly.

Natural conception!

He hadn't misheard. Samson pinched his own thigh hard, verifying that this wasn't some chaotic dream.

"Quick! Retrieve the subject's identity information immediately! We must find them as soon as possible!" Samson had shaken off his shock, replaced by an irrepressible surge of excitement.

Good heavens, natural conception! After a void lasting hundreds of years, the Empire had finally witnessed a natural conception!

However, Link, who should have left immediately after receiving his orders, remained standing there. Samson couldn't help but ask, "Why aren't you going?"

Having regained his composure, Link’s brain began to function again. "Director, we haven't upgraded the natural conception monitoring system. Even though we received the signal, we have no way to capture or record the subject's identity. In other words, we know that a female in the Empire has successfully conceived naturally, but we have no way of knowing who it is."

It was a maddening sensation, like seeing money on the ground but finding a sheet of glass between you and it when you reached down to pick it up.

Samson immediately recalled that a few years ago, all systems in the institute had undergone a massive upgrade, except for the natural conception monitoring system. Many had opposed maintaining it at all, arguing that since the Empire hadn't seen a naturally conceived female in centuries, it was impossible for one to appear in the future. Keeping the system was merely a waste of the institute's budget.

However, the conservative faction felt that natural conception was the only hope for the beastmen; even if the system served no functional purpose, it should be kept as a reminder to inspire researchers to keep searching. The system remained, but it was never upgraded.

And now, when such a momentous event had occurred, they were powerless.

Realizing this, Samson slammed his fist onto the table, a gesture that perfectly captured the depth of his frustration. Natural conception! That was natural conception! If they could have identified the subject immediately, they could have secured primary data. But now, because of the opposition back then, they had missed a golden opportunity.

This would become a major obstacle to the evolution of fertility in the Empire. Indeed, countless scientists believed that the bottleneck in genetic fusion lay in reproduction; because natural conception was impossible, the birth of a perfect genetic hybrid would remain forever out of reach. Humanity would never achieve true evolution.

"Call everyone to the conference room now."

***

Lu Xia had no idea that the institute responsible for overseeing fertility in the Empire was holding a conference on her account, and even if she did, she wouldn't care.

She had discovered that there wasn't a single place in the entire Empire that sold pregnancy test kits. Apparently, since no one had the need or the trouble associated with such things, the products didn't exist. But for her, this was a major problem.

If she went to a hospital for a check-up now, she would surely become a rare specimen and be hounded, wouldn't she?

To this day, she couldn't understand how she had become pregnant. She and Grace had only been intimate on the first night. Although it had happened several times, wasn't Grace a "defective" with no reproductive capabilities? The only reason she had gotten involved with him was to establish a submission contract, and the second reason was precisely because he couldn't reproduce!

So what was going on?

She looked down at her flat stomach, still unable to accept the reality.

In fact, it wasn't just Lu Xia who couldn't accept reality; the old butler, who was driving the vehicle, was questioning his own existence! Duchess Lu Xia was pregnant! Natural conception! Good heavens, if this got out, who would believe it? Yet, it was all real, and he had witnessed it with his own eyes. He had endured many shocks lately, but none as staggering as this.

Wasn't it said that the genes for natural conception had completely vanished from the human body? How could this happen? And wasn't Grace a "defective" male from the Duke of Leslie's house? How could a "defective" get someone pregnant? He didn't understand! It was a massive puzzle!

The master and servant, sitting in the same hovercar, were, at this moment, united in their confusion over the exact same thing.

By evening, when Grace returned home from work, he sensed that the atmosphere was different. Whether it was the old butler or Lu Xia, the looks they cast in his direction were filled with an indescribable strangeness.

"Grace, do you have time tomorrow to get a physical check-up?" Lu Xia finally spoke first. She didn't believe the issue was with her, so it must be with Grace.

Grace paused, confused as to why she wanted him to have a check-up, but he didn't refuse. He nodded. "I can. What exactly needs to be checked?"

"Just... the genetic aspects." She suspected that this guy might not be a "defective" at all, but perhaps a heavyweight with a high genetic fusion rate. They had all been deceived!

Hearing this, Grace pursed his lips. "May I ask why this check-up is necessary?"

Lu Xia didn't answer directly. "We'll talk when the results are out. Butler, you accompany him tomorrow."

The implication was clear: have the old butler keep an eye on him so he wouldn't have a chance to fake the results.

The old butler gave Lu Xia a look that said he understood perfectly.