The Third Incarnation - (1)
Central Avatar Research Institute Director Vivian. A genius who ascended to the director's position without contracting with any constellation. During my descent ritual, I'd gleaned from the reactions of those around her that she was exceptionally talented. A pride befitting someone who rejected contract offers from countless constellations.
"Uh... Ms. Vivian? What brings you all the way to my house?"
"It's been a while, Yuna the Incarnation. I have a message I'd like to deliver directly to the Whispering Star Cluster."
"If it's the constellation, you've been watching us until just now-wa yo. You could just say it directly-wa yo."
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, requests message delivery.
Vivian cleared her throat briefly after hearing the incarnations' words. What on earth could she want to say?
Was it something related to me, now publicly known as a Galaxy Spirit?
"Ahem. Ahem. The constellation is known as a noble Galaxy Spirit from another dimension."
"...?"
"Are you aware of the recent cosmic insect swarm's abilities, or that the monsters discovered by the Federation are growing stronger by the day?"
The monsters' power levels are gradually increasing. They haven't posed a major threat to the Super Galactic Empire Federation yet, though.
"I may not look it, but I'm known as the foremost authority on superpowers. Recent trends show monsters exhibiting adaptive superpower evolution based on irregular wave patterns. They're evolving beyond simple genetic mutations, gradually building an information-based evolutionary system. Especially the 0213-A cosmic insect corpse found on Ratan Planet—it completed Meta-Phase Compensation after just 30 minutes of exposure to our institute's superpower suppressant. For a typical biological species, this adaptation would be impossible even over several generations..."
The incarnations' faces went blank. My own reaction, staring at her, was probably much the same. I get that she's a specialist researcher, but I have no idea what she's talking about.
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, grumbles that it wants a simple explanation.
"The constellation says it would prefer if you got straight to the point."
"Ah. My apologies. I wanted to showcase my superior intellect to the constellation, but the timing wasn't right."
"Why show it to the constellation?"
"Because I believed it would give the great Galaxy Spirit constellation merit to consider contracting with me."
Yuna's eyes widened at her words. Beatrix looked shocked too. To come all this way just to...
Request a contract with a constellation? Of course, throughout the long history of the space age, there had been plenty of cases where people sought out constellations to request contracts. But no one expected the haughty Vivian to humble herself like this.
"Since the Whispering Star Cluster is watching over this place, I'll be direct. I, Vivian, wish to form an incarnation contract with the constellation."
Her voice carried a hint of arrogance, a bluntness that suggested poor social graces. Yet her intellectual eyes gleamed with faint expectation and confidence.
"I am the Federation's foremost superpower researcher and director of the Central Avatar Research Institute. If the constellation wishes to exert influence in this dimension, I am confident I can be of great help."
She's not wrong. Her abilities are exceptional, as befits someone known for rejecting countless constellations' advances, and her social standing is incredibly high. No matter what I do in that dimension, an incarnation like Vivian would be useful.
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, asks why she wants to become an incarnation.
"I seek in-depth research into the recent monsters' superpower issues. Of course, I also have a personal interest in the superpower dubbed Cosmic Power."
"...Do you think the constellation will contract with you-wa yo?"
"I believe someone of my caliber can be a fitting incarnation for a great Galaxy Spirit."
Her eyes trembled slightly, but an undercurrent of confidence lingered. Yuna and Beatrix waited for my response to Vivian's request. There was no need to deliberate further. I projected my will into a constellation message.
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, says no.
"...Wh-what?! Why?!"
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, says it just refuses.
Her eyes shook wildly. Had she never imagined rejection?
"Oh-ho-ho-hot! I had a feeling it would be like this-wa yo! If the constellation contracted based on ability alone, it would have messaged the High Strategic Secretary or the councilors by now..."
"Yeah, it doesn't seem like the constellation contracts based on ability..."
I'd wondered if the incarnations were overly favored. But Beatrix's guess was spot on. The reason I chose Yuna and Beatrix as incarnations was my personal interest. No matter how capable a mortal, they're still just mortals. They might help with my goal of creating life, but it was something I'd succeed at eventually with time. It wasn't urgent. And seeing her overconfidence made me want to tease a bit.
"If you made me your incarnation, I'd surely be of great help. Among humanity, I'm one worthy of the constellation..."
"Ahem. Ms. Vivian, perhaps you should approach another constellation..."
"Th-this... benefit...!"
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, asks if she wants the incarnation contract that badly.
"Of course!"
Watching Vivian nod vigorously, pride cast aside, stirred an odd feeling in me. The drive of research truly moves people.
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, says it might give her a chance if she wants it that much.
If she could help with birthing lifeforms in that dimension, I could accept her as an incarnation. That's all an incarnation contract meant to me now.
"Information on lifeforms that can survive in environments laced with intensely hostile superpowers? Why would you want something like that..."
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, says it's related to creating life in that dimension.
"Life creation... I see. As a Galaxy Spirit, it's beyond my common sense. And from another dimension, no less..."
She began muttering to herself at my simple reply. Her expression turned grave, then brightened again.
"Understood. If that's a chance to prove my abilities, I'll pass the constellation's test and demonstrate that I possess humanity's greatest intellect."
"Uh... good luck?"
"Then I'll send periodic reports."
Vivian's retreating figure, bowing her head, radiated uncontainable joy. With the third incarnation candidate Vivian gone, I turned my gaze to Beatrix and Yuna.
I was curious why the two incarnations had gathered here.
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, is curious about the second incarnation's recent status.
"Recent status? Ah, you're asking why I'm at Yuna's house-wa yo?"
Originally, Beatrix should have been dispatched to a medieval civilization planet. I was wondering why she'd come all the way to Yuna's house on Ratan Planet.
"Well, with the revelation that our lord is a Galaxy Spirit spreading far and wide, I came to discuss things with Yuna-wa yo! Like a unified policy on how we should act from now on..."
I see. A policy. In this dimension, apostles—or incarnations—were strongly seen as a god's kin. They might worry I wouldn't aid the Federation per my will, or that I'd cause trouble.
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, says to just act as usual.
"Hmm. If our lord says so, then I understand-wa yo."
"Yeees... You're leaving it to our judgment? But things are gonna get noisy for a while."
"Yuna's right-wa yo. After the Federation announced our lord as a Galaxy Spirit, investment in our Balhar Planet has multiplied several times."
Once I was announced as a Galaxy Spirit, it seemed hordes wanted even scraps from the table. Beatrix slipping away from the incarnation dispatch team so easily was probably fallout from that. Come to think of it, that ultra-long-range spatial jump coordinator had a real bootlicker vibe. There must be experts analyzing constellation tendencies, figuring I'm pretty lenient.
"Because of it, I can't even do my regular broadcasts... I'm pondering what to do now that I've heard our lord's policy."
"You're super popular. Must be nice."
"Yuna should join my broadcasts too-wa yo. If you come as a guest incarnation, the planet's people would love it-wa yo!"
Broadcasts. Broadcasts, huh. In a world with advanced internet, it made sense... A good idea suddenly struck me.
Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, requests a communication broadcast from the second incarnation.
"Hello-wa yo, everyone! It's been so long-wa yo!!!"
"Ah. Hellooo..."
This was pure chaos. With my status as a Galaxy Spirit public, eyes were glued to Beatrix's galactic tube account. It made sense—after all, she was one of only two incarnations of a Galaxy Spirit in the galaxy.
Beatrix smiled satisfactorily at the viewer count.
"Today, our lord has a message for you all, so I turned on the broadcast-wa yo!!!"
"The constellation said it will make whoever brings [satisfactory information on lifeforms that can survive in environments extremely hostile to living things] its third incarnation-wa yo!"
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds of silence.
Then the chat exploded, and viewer numbers skyrocketed exponentially.
"I stake the honor of the Whispering Star Cluster—it's absolutely true-wa yo!"
I couldn't rely on Vivian alone. Naturally, if someone else brought more helpful data than her, I could make them the third incarnation instead.