The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 149

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Daily updates are Tsuruko's lie.

Chapter Forty-Four: The Hanover Residence [The Haunted Residence]

[Cross-disciplinary quarterly house call begins. You are about to visit "The Collapsed Hanover Residence," this house call will be conducted solo.]

[Patient: The owner of the mansion, Ferdinand Hanover.]

[Patient File: Count Ferdinand finds himself trapped in an endless nightmare, where every nightfall awakens the things lurking in his mind. He often wakes in convulsions and confusion, only to find himself still trapped in the deep, terrifying dream. Only at dawn does it recede like the tide… a never-ending cycle.]

Symptoms: Hypochondria (severe).

[Note: Ferdinand sought out Doctor O, and Qi also sought out a priest. However, the situation only worsened and did not change in any way.]

[Begin the patient reception process.]

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It was spacious and open, filled with the aroma of a banquet and the scent of burning candles, but also... a faint, lingering, and somewhat eerie atmosphere. It was like the smell of decaying, rotting matter, lingering in the air for a long time.

"The collapsed Hanover mansion... This format seems to be related to 'the collapse of Usher House.' But according to the archival description, the situation is not similar."

Fran's lips moved slightly, uttering a barely audible murmur to himself.

She raised her eyes slightly and looked around at her surroundings.

This was a lavishly decorated banquet hall, with a heavy wooden square table in the center and silver candlesticks on both sides. The dim, yellowish light of the candles flickered, doing nothing to dispel the somber gloom that enveloped the entire mansion.

"cough……"

The man seated at the head of the square table appeared to be in his forties, dressed elaborately yet appropriately. He was thin, his eyes filled with deep weariness, and the dark circles under his eyes had even turned bluish-gray. His mental state had plummeted, and he seemed as if he might collapse at any moment.

Ferdinand rested his chin on his hand, his weary gaze sweeping over the guests at the banquet.

"I am delighted that you have come to my residence because of my illness. However, it remains to be seen whether you can resolve the strange condition I am experiencing. Please enjoy the dinner first."

"As for those requests to learn more about my specific situation..."

He paused here, his gaze drifting into the distance, as if staring at something through the darkness of a corner of the room.

"You will know after tonight."

Having said that, Ferdinand stood up shakily, and the old butler standing nearby immediately stepped forward to help him up. The two then stepped into the dim light of the mansion's corridor, and could no longer be seen.

After the two left, a ramrod-straight male servant approached the group and offered an apologetic explanation.

"The Earl is unwell. He instructed that any medical appointments or conversations with him should be postponed until tomorrow. We have prepared guest rooms in the side hall. Please stay at the mansion tonight."

After speaking, without waiting for anyone else to respond, the servant deftly retreated into the shadows of the banquet hall.

The atmosphere at the banquet table was somber and oppressive, with scattered breaths, some rapid and some dazed, and only the rhythmic sounds of knives and forks cutting meat and chewing echoing softly...

Wait a minute, how come there are actually people who can eat normally in this kind of situation as if nothing is wrong?

Davis cautiously looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman in a doctor's coat sitting gracefully, holding a knife and fork. She was slender, with a paper-white complexion, and her expression was calm and self-assured.

The perfectly seared lamb chops on Fran's plate, glistening with the Maillard reaction, were an enticing caramel brown. The cut surfaces revealed bright red, juicy cuts, exuding the aroma of rosemary and some kind of peppery spice.

She ate slowly and deliberately, her amber eyes glowing like flickering candlelight, seemingly unconcerned about the strange things happening in the mansion.

Fran's quarterly consultations usually start around midnight, about five hours after dinner. Now that it happens to coincide with a late-night snack, how could she possibly miss it?

The dinner at Hanover House was of a very high standard. Although the chef's skills were slightly inferior to Fran's own, they were still quite in line with her taste.

Davis carefully observed Fran, and inexplicably felt a bit hungry. He then picked up a piece of buttered bread, dipped it in the lamb chop sauce, and put it in his mouth.

Judging from her attire, she seems to be a doctor?

Many renowned doctors had already examined Count Ferdinand, but most of the treatments ended inconclusively. One famous psychiatrist even ended up in a mental hospital afterward…

The banquet hall fell silent. As if influenced by Fran, everyone began to eat in unison.

The sounds of clinking knives and forks, slicing meat, and sizzling candlelight mingled together.

A moment later, the dinner party came to a silent close.

A male servant who had been standing in the shadows bowed respectfully and approached the banquet table.

"Please come to the reception room. The host hopes that you guests can get to know each other better. After all, the night is still long..."

As he spoke, his voice carried a barely perceptible, subtle hint of amusement. *Hiss*

Fran nodded slightly, then placed the silver knife and fork across the plate, and then picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corner of his lips.

Led by the valet, the guests entered the reception room. (Six)

The room's decor maintained a nearly identical style to the banquet hall, opulent and grand. The lamps, picture frames, and most of the decorative items were made of silver and inlaid with gemstones such as jade.

"There is still one hour until midnight. You are all free to chat here during this time. I will then take you to the guest rooms in the side hall."

After saying this, the servant left the reception room, politely closing the door behind him.

The door is wide and heavy, decorated inside and out with carpet-like fabric, and appears to have excellent sound insulation.

"call……"

Davis suppressed his somewhat disordered breathing, trying his best to appear less nervous.

The silence didn't last long; after a moment, a deep, resolute male voice broke the stalemate.

"We're all here for Count Ferdinand's secret, and we might need the help of others on this trip. Why don't we all introduce ourselves and get to know each other a little?"

The speaker was a tall man with a thick beard, wearing a heavy black woolen coat, and had a gloomy demeanor.

"Alright."

A tall woman next to her nodded in agreement. Underneath her winter coat was a well-tailored burgundy business suit with fine stitching, and a delicate iris brooch at the collar, giving her a slightly scholarly air.

Judging from her attire, she must have a very respectable profession. Clerk, government official, or perhaps a legal professional…

Looking at the woman's face, Fran couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly.

This girl feels very familiar.

Seeing that no one objected, the man who had spoken first began to introduce himself.

"I am Krull. After retiring from the Kingdom Navy, I became a navigator on the 'Fenrir'. I came here mainly out of curiosity... about what exactly happened in this mansion."

"Although the Earl's mansion said that anyone could come for a visit simply by submitting a letter, I never expected it to be this easy..."

Krull did not produce any identification or similar items to prove his identity, but his tall stature, the tan lines on his skin, and the faint scars on his neck were all very convincing.

Even if he isn't a "navigator," he must be doing some kind of unsafe work...

After speaking, he looked at the woman who had previously expressed her agreement. She immediately understood his meaning and then spoke up.

"My name is Tames. I am a practicing lawyer."

Tames pushed up her thin, silver-rimmed glasses with a rather reserved air, her words concise and clear.

“The Earl of Ferdinand was one of my employers. I was invited to his residence to help him sign several agreements and to record some observations for his later biography.”

Her tone was soft and steady, yet a hint of pride could still be discerned within it, like a peacock displaying its magnificent tail feathers.

Of course, this is just a figure of speech. It's common knowledge that the tail feathers of female peacocks are not particularly vibrant…

According to the seating arrangement, the next person to speak was Davis. The young man's Adam's apple bobbed, and he glanced nervously at the people around him before slowly beginning to speak.

“My name is Davis, and I’m a folklorist. I graduated from the history department at Gross University. I came here at the invitation of my former advisor. This house is very old and of great research value…”

After he finished speaking, Davis looked visibly more relaxed.

The next person to introduce himself was a man wearing a white priest's hat. He was dressed in an expensive black silk robe and wore a silver pendant around his neck that appeared to be some kind of cryptic religious symbol.

“My name is Ghosn. As you can see, I am a priest, from the church in Gulinsne.”

Ghosn had a peaceful expression and a very approachable smile. He exuded a strong scent of cologne.

"I suspected that evil spirits had appeared in this mansion, and since I was invited, I came here to try to purify the evil spirits here."

Fran's seat was at the end of the list, so she didn't introduce herself until everyone else had finished. However, she wasn't in a hurry; she calmly straightened her clothes, showing great patience.

"My name is Fran, and I'm a doctor." (Sole)

"I heard the Earl is ill, so I've come to try and diagnose his specific condition." Q

Her answer was quick and concise, devoid of any emotion.

"...Dr. Fran! Is it really you? I've felt like it's you ever since the beginning... I just never expected to see you here."

Davis gasped, then immediately realized his lapse in composure and raised his hand to cover his mouth.

Oh?

Fran's amber eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.

Judging from this child's attitude... it seems my "status" on this house call is quite well-known? The last time I was this famous, it seems, was back in... (The last part is a fragment and doesn't translate directly.)

Although she often uses Flamel as her second name, she only does so when a disguise is necessary. And since quarterly house calls require crossing boundaries, under normal circumstances… no one would recognize her.

"Genuine, guaranteed."

Fran, with a standard business smile on his lips, responded to Davis, who was sitting on one side of the square table.

However, Fran was currently unfamiliar with the situation at the mansion, and adhering to the principle that too much talk leads to mistakes, he remained silent after a brief self-introduction.

Judging from the words of these invitees, the threshold to enter this mansion is not high. There are roughly three ways to do so. (Six)

Firstly, I received a spontaneous invitation from the Hanoverian residence.

Secondly, one could proactively send a letter, and if the Count of Ferdinand agreed, one could come.

Thirdly... there are those who have recommendations from renowned scholars, like that young man named Davis, who was able to enter the mansion thanks to a letter of recommendation from his mentor.

Hmm~ Come to think of it, the professions of these invitees are all quite unusual.

A lawyer, a sea navigator, a folklorist, and a priest. It's the perfect opening for a suspense story…

Sensing the strange yet somber atmosphere in the reception room, Fran leaned back on the leather sofa, his eyes slightly narrowed like a feline's, his expression relaxed and content.

It took Davis a moment to calm his excitement, but his voice still trembled slightly.

"If it were Dr. Fran... perhaps there really would be hope to cure Count Ferdinand."

"If he really just has an 'illness'..."

When he said the last sentence, his voice was very soft. It was more like a murmur than a warning to Fran.

Fran usually prefers to remain inconspicuous and unobtrusive, quietly observing how things unfold. But judging from Davis's attitude and words just now, he's probably quite famous.

Given this premise, it's only a matter of time before this "identity" is exposed to others, since there's been no disguise in appearance or clothing. Some might even have recognized him from the very beginning, but simply chose not to say anything.

Oh, sometimes being too famous in the industry is a problem. That damn charisma…

Fran sighed softly, feigning distress, then took out the brass pocket watch from his sleeve and checked the time.

There are only a few minutes left until 12 o'clock. The waiter should be arriving soon to conclude this exchange among the invitees.

In fact, Fran was able to use hypnosis to force the people present to ignore him on a subconscious level, thereby removing the sense of specialness brought about by his identity.

But that was too deliberate and went against her usual style.

"Gentlemen, it's getting late... Please follow me to the guest rooms in the side hall to rest."

The servant's respectful and polite voice rang out quietly.

The door to the reception room was thick and wide, but it opened silently. So much so that his sudden appearance startled Davis.

"Thank you."

Tames tossed a lock of her dark satin hair aside and followed the valet out of the drawing room, as if she were already very familiar with the place.

During this time, Fran noticed that Father Gorn's expression was somewhat strange. He was positioned towards the back of the group, his expression hidden in the shadows of the candlelight, making it less likely for anyone to notice anything amiss.

But at such close range, this level of concealment was completely unable to escape Fran's observation.

This guy's gaze... remained fixed on the buttocks and waist of the manservant at the Hanover mansion.

The male servant had a well-proportioned and slender figure, and his servant's uniform was neat and well-fitting, making him quite presentable. Moreover, he seemed to be only about sixteen or seventeen years old. Although his speech and behavior were extremely mature, the childishness of his youth had not yet faded from his fair face.

Perhaps Father Ghosn has some unspeakable little quirks.

Oh, if Sister Heda had been there, this "priest" probably wouldn't have fared so well...

Thoughts flashed by and then vanished, but Fran's expression remained as calm and undisturbed as ever, with only a smile that seemed to never fade from the corners of her moist lips.