Chapter 31：Conversation Between Mother and Daughter (1/2)
”Mom, you are suffocating me.” Heima tapped her hand on Henrietta's back, trying to extricate herself from the hug. Henrietta didn't relent, slightly loosening her hold, remaining in a hug.
”I was really scared when you were undergoing your Induction Ceremony. The survival rate for it is after all, abysmal.” Henrietta spoke, her voice a small whisper. She felt Heima's figure, etching it in her memories. It was unknown when she would be able to return from the Raid, so she wanted to spend quality time with her daughter.
”Well, Dad said my Sync Rate is quite high. So, I never faced much danger during the Induction Ceremony in the first place.” Heima said, finally getting the chance to break free from her hold.
”If your Sync Rate is below 50%, then your body initiates a rejection, trying to eliminate the Wisdom Parasite in your body. The Wisdom Parasite will retaliate, trying to take over your body. This would lead to death or a loss of control as your ego gets erased, replaced by the ego of the Wisdom Parasite.” Henrietta said, giving a light knock on Heima's forehead.
”But, my Sync Rate is very high. So, I would probably never experience…” Heima was interrupted as Henrietta's expression turned sour. She let out a self-deprecating laugh, motioning for Heima to sit.
”Well, there are two cases where your Sync Rate can decrease,” Henrietta sat beside Heima, placing the book she read before on her lap. ”The first is when you breakthrough; you would fight against the Wisdom Parasite in your body for control, all while elevating its level. The higher your Tier, the greater the decrease in your Sync Rate; have you studied about the process one experiences during a breakthrough?”
”I haven't; Madam Rizenne said she would talk about it next month when our practical lessons begin,” Heima said, lifting the luggage on the table and putting it in the shelf overhead. Her actions obtained a slight nod of approval from Henrietta, a sign that she was learning to take care of herself.
”Well, I'll leave it to her to explain. It is a complicated concept and she should have enough material to facilitate the explanation.” Henrietta shrugged. It would be a long time before Heima could attempt a breakthrough, so she wasn't worried. ”The second is when you get injured. You know that the body of the Wisdom Parasite has fused with our Central Nervous System, right?”
Seeing Heima nod, Henrietta continued, ”Suppose you sustain an injury that damaged a part of your Central Nervous System, it would directly decrease your Sync Rate. Even though our healing methods are capable of regrowing the nervous system, the fusion between the Wisdom Parasite and our nervous system cannot be recovered.”
”But, don't we have the Frenzy Fruits. Father mentioned that eating a Frenzy Fruit can increase the fusion between the Wisdom Parasite and our Central Nervous System.” Heima tilted her head, confusion plastered across her face.
Henrietta said with a chuckle, ”That is true, but Frenzy Fruits are a scarce resource. The production cannot keep up with the demand. You should know, thousands of soldiers get injured on a daily basis, making their Sync Rate approach critical levels. Moreover, each Frenzy Fruit can only increase the Sync Rate by a small fraction depending on its Tier.”
”But, mother, have a look at this list,” Heima said, fishing out the pamphlet containing the treasures that could be exchanged for by merit points. ”There are many Frenzy Fruits here, from Tier 1 to Tier 5.”
Henrietta gazed at the list, curious about how the rewards had changed since her time. The rewards usually consisted of some Artifacts and Frenzy fruits; they were desirable products, but from the perspective of the students who hadn't faced the reality of the Wilds, they wouldn't be excited by them.
Seeing the top of the list, at the two rows printed in golden, Henrietta almost dropped the pamphlet in shock. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she had misread it, taking another glance, feeling her jaw opened wide. Looking further into the list, her hands were trembling in excitement.
Jumping from her bed in excitement, she held Heima's hands, exclaiming, ”The Trait Fruit of Temperance, you must ensure you get that no matter what. If possible, you must get all the Trait Fruits. Also, the Relics; they would help you a lot, raising your chance to become a Shifter.”
”Dad also mentioned the same,” Heima said, recounting everything he had explained till date. Henrietta listened with patience, never interrupting until the end.
”So, he has already thought through all your requirements. Honestly, we preferred you never had such a high Sync Rate in the first place.” Henrietta said with a sigh, pouring a glass of water for herself from a nearby jug.
Heima helped her mother, raising a question that had plagued her till now, ”Father also mentioned it before. But, he never explained the details when I asked him. Why?”
Henrietta gave a wry laugh, changing the topic, ”Have they mentioned the Tiers for both the Warriors and Espers in your classes?”
”Yes, we learned about them in detail on the second day itself. Madam Rizenne also conducted a mock test today, giving us a shock. Thankfully, I studied it beforehand to satisfy my curiosity.” Heima placed a hand on her chest, looking like she had safely avoided a crisis.