The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

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“I’m sorry, Ms. Flamel…”

"Don't worry about it."

Fran waved her hand, not dwelling on the minor issue any further. She had only intended to offer a brief reminder.

Their attention quickly returned to Elsa.

"Miss Elsa's condition was stable in the bedroom and in the Fog of the Door, so how did she become like that as soon as she went outside?"

Sigrid was somewhat puzzled by Elsa's sudden deterioration in her condition.

Clearly, something had triggered her fear... but the alleyway had been completely empty, with nothing there.

Is there anything in the alleyway that isn't in her bedroom? It seems impossible to find.

As an excellent doctor, experience in the four diagnostic methods of observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation is indispensable. After a period of observation, Fran had gained a relatively deep understanding of Elsa's condition and its causes.

"Because Elsa's phobia of everything is more unique than typical cases. In terms of her symptoms, it is actually more similar to 'closed space dependency'."

"Look, hasn't her condition improved after returning to the enclosed space?"

Upon hearing this, Sigrid looked at Elsa and noticed that her previous anxious state, as if she were drowning, had dissipated, and her disordered breathing had returned to calm, as if she were asleep.

It even carried a hint of inexplicable tranquility.

"Huh...it really is."

Without using any additional medication, Elsa's symptoms were relieved simply by changing her environment?

Although Sigrid was a craftswoman who spent her days studying casting, she also knew how troublesome mental illness and trauma could be.

Even if the White Cup Cult, specializing in critical thinking, were to take over, most of the time they would only be able to use the most brutal yet most effective "forgetting therapy".

Fran then slowly and methodically explained his medical philosophy to her.

"When treating each patient, the first priority is of course to relieve the most severe symptoms. After that... we need to start to trace the root cause, find the cause of the disease, and then treat it accordingly."

"If it's an endogenous hormonal issue, adjustments can be made in terms of genes and medication. If it's spiritual pollution, we can try to purify and remove it through esoteric rituals. And if it's some kind of traumatic stress, we can try desensitization."

Sigrid followed her train of thought and began to guess based on the information she already had.

"Miss Elsa's 'phobia' stems from that birthday banquet hall in the drainage system. In other words... was it the experience of being trapped in a bloody swaddling cloth that left her with psychological trauma?"

"Very close."

Fran lightly shook his index finger.

"But that's still a long way from the truth... Being swaddled as an infant didn't leave her with any 'psychological trauma,' but rather with an extremely strong 'wonderful impression.'"

“My dearest Sigrid, imagine this. You close your eyes and are enveloped by something warm and soft. A sweet warmth caresses your entire body, and every pore feels blissful and comfortable. A melodious lullaby surrounds you, filled with boundless love.”

"You don't need to think, nor do you need to get caught up in the troubles and worries of the world. Just enjoy the beauty and peace of life..."

Her description was calm and gentle, but it gave Sigrid a strange sense of unease.

"That is……"

"That's inside the mother's womb."

Fran gave a concise and efficient answer.

"Therefore, everything that Elsa fears is the entire 'extrauterine world'!"

Sigrid raised her hand to cover her lips slightly, a look of realization crossing her eyes.

Elsa's bedroom and the fog-shrouded doorway with its extremely low visibility could both be subconsciously perceived as enclosed spaces, like the "womb," thus not triggering her illness. But once she entered the alleyway, it was undeniably the "outside world."

Extreme pain and extreme pleasure possess the same degree of danger.

The former can leave irreparable wounds, while the latter can cause all beautiful things to lose their original feeling. Just like an addict addicted to poppies, even if they taste the finest flavors of life, they will only feel like they are chewing wax.

"I see……"

Accompanying Fran on his house calls gave Sigrid a feeling similar to attending casting classes with an old craftsman when she was a child. How to describe it... she always learned a lot of very impressive knowledge, but it seemed that she could not use it at all.

"Cough, cough."

Elsa coughed lightly twice, her eyelids slightly lifted, and she was about to wake up again.

Seeing this, Sigrid glanced at Fran as if seeking his opinion.

After receiving permission, her body was gradually reshaped by the intense white light, transforming into an exquisite and slender ceremonial sword.

Fran gripped the hilt of the sword, flicked it twice to dissipate the heat, and then tucked it into the skirt-like, moth-gray gauze, fastening it to her waist.

Yes, the reason Sigrid didn't show up at the Lois residence was because she was being carried close by Fran in her sword form. It has to be said, this was the most convenient way to disguise herself.

Elsa looked around and realized she was in a dusty warehouse.

It was dark, deep, and somewhat narrow—not the kind of place where something good would happen. But surprisingly… she wasn’t afraid at all.

“Ms. Flamel, did I just faint? I think I just saw a blonde maid, was it a hallucination…”

"Yes, it's an illusion."

Fran nodded slightly, quickly moving on from the topic.

"After observing you for a period of time, I have come to understand the cause of your illness, and now I can begin the second course of desensitization and trauma recovery. Elsa, do you remember what happened before you were abducted?"

"Hmm... I previously attended a secret gathering."

Elsa pursed her lips, her hands clasped together, rubbing them nervously.

"Because I promised them I would keep it a secret, I can't tell you the specifics... I'm very sorry."

"It's alright, it shows you have a good sense of contract. Besides, I'm not interested in invading patients' privacy."

Fran smiled and waved to indicate that he didn't mind, then took out a brass pocket watch from his sleeve and checked the time.

Silently, an invisible mental beam struck Elsa in the neck.

"Miss Elsa, I am about to ask you a few questions. You may choose to remain silent if you do not wish to answer them."

"First, what is the name of that secret gathering?"

"..."

Elsa was taken aback by Ms. Flamel's direct question and paused for a moment before shaking her head in silence.

Star Chart Study Group.

Through the effect of the swinging heart bell, the most direct and intense thoughts flashing through her mind at this moment will be directly exposed to Fran.

"The gathering is being held at the Mandala Tavern, isn't it?"

There was another moment of silence.

"..."

It takes place every two weeks in a private room on the third floor of the tavern, changing rooms sequentially in the order of the cycle number "142857". Last time it was room number 2. Why did Ms. Flamel ask this question knowing I wouldn't answer?

"If I'm not mistaken, the organizer of the gathering is a disciple of a secret religion who possesses esoteric knowledge?"

Fran tilted his head slightly, a hint of intriguing amusement in his amber eyes.

"I'm sorry, I really can't say..."

Along with Elsa's awkward excuses, her true feelings were also revealed.

The host, "Niclers," has always been shrouded in mystery. However, according to other attendees, he is an astrologer with a certain esoteric Buddhist rank and possesses enlightening spiritual qualities.

Having obtained the information she wanted, Fran did not continue to make things difficult for Elsa. She smiled and gently clapped her hands, ending the question-and-answer session.

"Well, since that's the case, I won't force you any further."

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Seeing that Fran didn't press the matter further, Elsa breathed a sigh of relief.

Fran stepped forward slowly and gently touched the door frame of the warehouse, whereupon a gray and misty veil immediately filled the space.

She led Elsa into the fog, and then gave her instructions on what to do after returning home.

"There are still a few days until the Star Chart Study Conference's mid-month gathering on the 15th. Until then, you should stay at home. You can go outside your bedroom to move around more, but you cannot leave the mansion, and it's best not to get too close to windows or similar places."

"Um……"

Elsa nodded obediently, then realized something was wrong.

"Ah! Ms. Flamel, these are things that only the attendees would know... How do you know?"

Seeing Elsa's astonished expression, Fran maintained his almost eternally unchanging faint smile, his amber eyes clear and calm.

"Because I am the mirror-wiper of the Misty Society, practicing the rituals of light and shadow, peering into the elusive currents of fate..."

"I know everything."

-

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Oh, damn it, God, another day of coding until I'm exhausted.

Chapter Ten Zoparos

Passing through the ripples of mist reflected in the mirror, Elsa returned to her bedroom. The mysterious Ms. Flamel was nowhere to be seen, as if she had never been there at all.

What happened today felt so unreal, so surreal. Her legs felt weak, and walking on the wooden floor felt like floating on clouds.

She turned around and looked at the full-length mirror in a daze, but there was nothing in it except her own face.

Elsa gently stroked the mirror, her fingertips feeling its hard, cold touch.

She even began to doubt whether her condition had worsened and whether everything she had just experienced was merely a hallucination. However, the clarity of her thoughts left no room for doubt; she genuinely felt a significant improvement in her mental state.

The shadows that once enveloped him no longer carried the pungent smell of blood, and the folds of the bedding no longer resembled writhing intestines; reality had returned to normal.

Sishui: "The lamp teaches the mirror-wiping person, the hazy society forms..."

Elsa murmured softly, her thoughts beginning to flow uncontrollably.

As a student at Norlington Central University and a half-disciple of White Cup, the pursuit of knowledge had become almost instinctive for Er.

Although I was almost sacrificed for participating in a secret gathering... as the saying goes, it's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature. A person's habits formed over many years cannot be changed overnight.

At this moment, she couldn't help but feel a strong curiosity about the identity of that Ms. Flamel.

As the daughter of the Lois family, Elsa, despite coming from a collateral branch, was no stranger to the four major churches.

However, it was precisely because of her basic understanding of this esoteric religion that she was surprised by Flamel's appearance.

The disciples of Wu Lantern and Moth are known for their mystery and rarely interfere in ordinary affairs... Moreover, both the Hunters and the White Cup Order have been involved in this incident, and under normal circumstances they should avoid suspicion.

Therefore, there must be some important reason why the person who wiped the mirror would take certain risks to come to Lois's mansion at this time to try to heal himself.

Elsa turned on the nightlight in front of the bedside table, sat on the bed, and began to make assumptions step by step, following this line of thought.

"There were 15 victims like me who were placed in swaddling clothes. Did she only choose me, or did she visit everyone? If it was the former, then there must be something special about me..."

Although her memories were somewhat fragmented, she remembered that there were also students from the academy among those sacrifices, so she wasn't considered special.

Is it because of the Lois family's status? But an ordinary branch family shouldn't be receiving so much attention.

If it were the same level as Meredith's main family, that would be more reasonable.

However, even a long-established noble family like Meredith, with its deep-rooted heritage, could only cower and submit under the pressure of the Hunter Order. Rumor has it that a secret war once raged between the two sides, and this clash... ultimately ended in a crushing victory for the latter.

Who would have thought that the once arrogant and domineering wolf would now be begging for mercy at the hunter's feet?

Elsa didn't really know about the Meredith family's heyday, since they had already begun to decline before she could remember.

However, her father often talked about this past event, and besides feeling emotional, he also seemed to be gloating...

After careful consideration, Elsa became certain of one thing.

I am nothing special.

The reason I survived the birthday banquet was mainly due to the blessing of the goddess of fate. The terrifying monster in the blood-red robe seemed to think it was "high-quality" and therefore stored it in a fleshy swaddling cloth.

Those whom he considered inferior were, without exception, had their throats ripped open on the spot and their blood drunk dry. (Zero↑Five《⊥)

In other words... the reason Ms. Flamel found him must be related to the secret gathering he attended before he was abducted.

According to Mr. Nicholas, the organizer of the Star Chart Study, the original intention of establishing this secluded gathering was to exchange esoteric knowledge and secret information, and to provide some convenience within his power to those who wish to step onto the path of the extraordinary.

Sometimes, attendees would also trade other valuable items, such as relics or ancient books... In that sense, it's not surprising that they were targeted by the cult.

Unexpectedly, the first to approach were not the Hunters of Mysteries or the Exorcists, but the Mirror Cleaners of the Misty Society.