A Meal with the Eccentric Scientists
Amon and the scientist—rat and man alike—had bumped into each other on the street and accepted their invitation. The two headed to the scientist's home, which doubled as his lab. It was a cramped one-room apartment, typical of Paris's impoverished underclass. There, with Amon and Sonia seated at the table waiting, the scientist placed a steaming pot on the table.
"It's nothing fancy, but I hope you enjoy it," said Dant, the man with the hamster perched on his shoulder. To be precise, it was Muare speaking through Dant's mouth. This bizarre scientist duo went by the name Henri Muare & Dant. The hamster was Muare, the human Dant.
Amon stared silently at the ratatouille Dant had set on the table. The hamster spoke up, addressing him. "Can't eat veggies?"
"No, it's not that," Amon replied, gazing at the vegetable-tomato stew—ratatouille, as it was known. He felt an odd mix of emotions. Swallowing his long-held question without a second thought, he let it out. "Did you make this, Doctor?"
"Doctor? You're calling me Doctor?"
"Yes. Who else here deserves the title?"
"Doctor! Haha! Doctor!" The hamster squeaked with delight, and the human voiced that joy. Then, remembering Amon's question, he regained his composure. "Ah, sorry. It's been centuries since anyone called me Doctor on first meeting. Folks usually went with 'Hamster' or 'Sir.' Not wrong, mind you—I don't have a degree!"
"Doctor."
"Got it, Dant. No need to nag about manners in front of guests. Anyway, to answer your question... terribly sorry, what was it again?"
Amon, mesmerized by the two voices emerging from one mouth, chuckled and repeated himself. "Did you make this ratatouille, Doctor?"
"Afraid not. I'm versatile, but I don't waste brainpower on inefficient pursuits like cooking! That's my assistant Dant's domain. But I guarantee the taste—his home cooking rivals any star chef!"
Amon looked subtly disappointed at the answer. But after one bite...
"This is amazing. Never imagined these ingredients could taste like this."
"Right? He's got centuries of housekeeping experience! Entrust him with any home cooking—even scones from cardboard biscuits!"
"Isn't that alchemy?"
"Cooking's rooted in alchemical principles, after all!"
"Makes sense. I'd love to learn sometime."
"Take my assistant's recipe book if you want."
"Really, Doctor?"
"Of course! A polite young man like you deserves it!"
Amon and the hamster hit it off like old friends. Sonia alone struggled to keep up. Hiding her bewilderment poorly, she whispered to Amon. "You know them?"
"Nope?"
"Then how are you...?"
"I've got a knack for this." Amon flashed a grin. Strictly speaking, it was just flattery drawn from his past-life knowledge. The Doctor was a fan-favorite character from Punk City 1 onward. Saying what he wanted to hear wasn't hard—just a bit of lip service calling him "Doctor" from the start, and treating the hamster with the same respect kept things smooth. Knowing this, Amon never belittled him as "just a hamster." The hamster sensed that attitude and warmed to him in turn. Amon concealed it all behind smiles and charm. His looks make it believable, Sonia thought, accepting it with a twinge of unease. She picked up her fork. That unease vanished with one bite of ratatouille.
After a satisfying meal, bellies full, they got down to business.
"You know why I invited you two, right?"
"Divine Power, yeah?" Amon didn't hide it. Life had eased up enough to let Sonia's school know, and he trusted the Doctor wouldn't misuse it. Psychological games wouldn't work against someone who'd lived nearly a millennium anyway.
The Doctor nodded, as if expecting that. "So... I made a reagent that boosts Divine Power density. Perfect timing for clinical trials."
Amon tilted his head at "Divine Power density"—a term he'd heard from Sonia's friend. All he knew was higher was better. Sonia, who understood it well, lit up. "For real?! If this works, it's revolutionary!"
She reacted like a martial artist stumbling on a heavenly opportunity, pondering the experiment seriously. Amon calmed her. "Hear the side effects first."
Only then did she compose herself—though excitement over boosting density lingered. What's density even mean to get this hyped? Amon, clueless on its value, stayed nonchalant. Turning to the Doctor with a sharp edge, he asked, "You weren't planning to rush us through this, were you?"
"Perish the thought! I have pride as a Doctor! Don't lump me with those quacks out there!" The human bellowed in a thick voice. Back in assistant mode, he nodded agreement. Then, as spokesperson again: "No worries. I won't start till you've heard and understood the side effects. I didn't live a millennium idly!"
The hamster shrugged (or seemed to) and continued. "To recap, this just needs injection to raise Divine Power density. Side effect, though..."
Gulp. Sonia swallowed dryly. What could it be? Mana drain? Muscle atrophy? Immune suppression? But if it boosted density...
"Your Divine Power converts to fat—especially belly fat."
It raised density by storing Divine Power as physical fat. Sonia responded firmly. "Pass."
For a woman, weight was serious business.
*
Amon followed suit, rejecting outright. "I'd end up waddling." With his overflowing Divine Power, who knew how much fat it'd become? Shock death, maybe. The Doctor looked glum, pocketing the vial. Then, perking up, he turned to Amon. "One small favor, then?"
"Let's hear it."
"Out of sunflower seeds—my assistant usually stocks them, but forgot today! Shops close soon; mind taking me?"
"Pay?"
"Cash or one research paper. Your pick."
"Paper, please."
"Knew from the start you get my value." Amon just smiled sweetly. The hamster hopped from the assistant's shoulder to Sonia, who gently picked him up, stroked him once, and pocketed him. Glancing at Amon, she said, "Shall we?"
The assistant grabbed Amon. "You wanted the recipe book, right? While Sonia's out, I can share the secret sauce—more efficient."
Amon met the assistant's eyes, then nodded. "Sonia, hurry back with the Doctor. I'll learn sauce from the assistant."
Sonia wasn't stupid; she caught their glance. But she respected her lover's independence. We promised that day. The day Amon soloed a dungeon and beat the boss, he'd vowed to rely on her when needed. Bluntly put, sending her off meant a good reason. At least, he trusted her. She nodded readily, ever the naive, carefree girl—or so she played it, oblivious to his thoughts. "Okay, be back soon."
With the plump hamster in her pocket, she dashed out. Alone with her gone, Amon gave a wry smile. Thanks, always. He knew her consideration. He'd repay it with deepened affection laced with debt.
The assistant eyed Amon. "You two suit each other."
"Thanks."
"Then, thanks to Sonia's consideration, straight to business." Clearing his throat, the assistant shifted to Doctor mode. "Young man, I've been thinking—you're... off."
"How so?"
"The girl feels typical... well, for a Divine Power user. But you..."
"Call me Amon."
"Amon feels unlike a standard Divine Power user."
"What do you mean?"
The Doctor lowered his voice. "Sadin. Drop the act."
His eyes sparkled with anticipation.
*
Henri Muare & Dant were human and hamster—simultaneously hamster and human. They shared one consciousness and memory. The hamster was the Doctor, the human the assistant. Yet they shared thoughts fully. If one fell, so did the other—like conjoined twins. How it happened? Never explained in-game. But the community had a popular theory:
The Doctor appeared from Punk City 1. Back then, the hamster just squeaked, the human translated loosely:
By Punk City 2, centuries later, the hamster's consciousness dominated the human fully, like now. The theory explained their longevity and bond perfectly, gaining near-canonical status.
Just like now. The assistant didn't need to stay by the hamster. Distance—even opposite sides of Earth—didn't matter; consciousness linked them. Sonia taking the Doctor out posed no issue for Amon's talk.
Amon pondered this, staring silently. Interpreting the quiet, the hamster Doctor pleaded earnestly. "Sadin! It's you, right? Tell me it is!"
Amon got who he meant. Max affinity with the Doctor in 2 and 3 unlocked this exchange. He'd blurt it at the protagonist:
"Sorry, no idea who."
Amon matched it. "Sorry. I'm not who you're looking for."
The Doctor's disappointment showed—hamster and human alike. Sullen, he recited the familiar line. "Sorry. Your Divine Power fooled me. You're... the successor, right?"
Amon nodded quietly. "Successor." The Doctor always defined protagonists thus. It was a true ending prerequisite; Amon knew it well.
With wry bitterness: "No parents, then? Summoned here as a babe? Right?"
Nod.
"You know me."
Nod.
"How's inheriting another's memories feel?"
Amon shrugged. Inheriting memories was just screen-deep. The Goddess confirmed: no special secrets in past or prior lives. He wasn't the Doctor's "Sadin."
The Doctor knew too. He murmured lowly. "Yeah... figured."
Twisting his lips, he asked Amon: "World's about to upheave again?"
"Probably."
"Yeah. Got it." Sighing, he stood. "Yeah... of course..." Watching the mumbling middle-aged man, Amon felt uneasy. In-game, it ended there.
But the next question grounded him in reality. "What's your plan?"
"...?"
"I know. You're planning to die once, right?"
Amon startled. How'd he know? The Doctor smiled bitterly. "I'd know—I was reborn that way."
"...Keep it from Sonia."
"No point stirring trouble when you'll revive anyway."
"Thanks."
"Take this." He handed a vial of swirling purple liquid. Amon knew it.
"This is..."
"For rebirth, right? Keep it even if you have one. More spares, the better."
Amon pocketed it carefully, bowing. "Thank you."
"Nah. Grateful you even talk to this era's relic." He waved it off. Glancing Sonia's exit: "Three minutes till she returns. Fast one."
Shared consciousness enabled that. He'd pass control to the assistant for "secret seasoning" pretense. "Gotta at least pretend."
Then Amon spoke. "Doctor. I'm not Sadin."
"I know."
"But..." Amon recalled a line he'd always wanted to say seeing this in-game. One only deep lore masters knew—theory originator on the Doctor's state. No option existed; fans modded it in. The line he could finally voice: "Before ascending, Sadin surely wanted to tell you this."
Clearing his throat: "The warm memories you gave on that hard journey—they were the 'light' you sought."
"...!"
"So lay down the guilt of killing me, old friend."
Moisture welled in hamster and human eyes. Amon wondered: Why the desperate search? Why craft wild reagents for protagonists' spectacles over centuries? Blaming his drugs for Punk City 1's hero mutually destroying the final boss? Denying the death, hoping for return—punishment or comfort? Only he knew. But his face said enough.
"Thanks, Sadin."
"I'm not Sadin, Doctor."
"I know. Sadin's a title, not a name."
"News to me."
"Yeah. I made it up."
Amon noted the new lore. Soon, Sonia returned—with the hamster munching sunflower seeds. His cheeks looked damp, but Amon ignored it.
"Back, Sonia?" Amon grinned welcomingly.
"Learned tons from the assistant. I'll cook when we get home."
Sonia sensed something but smiled. Everyone in the room smiled—hiding truths, yet utterly sincere.