The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 203

In fact, this is exactly the case.

Fran would never simply give up such high-quality experimental material that was practically handed to him. The trigger mechanism for Fog Street Emergency Room was similar to a "trauma group," requiring extremely stringent conditions.

The last time she encountered him was during a cross-disciplinary medical mission when she first entered subspace a spaceship from the dark age of technology... At that time, she glimpsed the vast and cold black sun in the infinite distance.

At the same time, it also triggered the first emergency call for the Abyss Rating, namely "Revelation".

However, Fran was unable to leave the ship's Geller's Field at that time, let alone travel to the specific location of that subspace projection in the material universe. Moreover, even if he did manage to reach the other's throne, he probably wouldn't be able to completely heal him.

Therefore, I could only watch with regret and tears in my eyes as my clinic hours slowly came to an end...

Banished the unpleasant memories from his mind and spoke again.

“Let’s start with the symptoms that are more intense and easier to detect: ‘Spiritual exhaustion.’ Ms. Shitia, do you always feel weak and tired when you try to awaken your spirituality, and is it always accompanied by a decline in psychic awareness?”

Upon hearing the words of the person before her, Xidia's gaze narrowed slightly, and even the tendrils curled beneath her skirt momentarily ceased their movement.

"You...are you really a doctor?"

Her previously confident tone now carried a hint of wavering.

Her condition had indeed been declining year by year, probably due to being trapped in the Ridge Ridge for so long and having her blood drained by the ritual every full moon. The endless loneliness was almost tearing her personality apart, making her want to split off another being to accompany her.

But she had never shown any weakness in front of the people from the Star Abyss Academy, so there was no way they could have noticed that. Why then could the person before her so easily grasp her situation? Moreover, she reeked of the scent of a shell-like creature…

Fran seemed to have anticipated Shitia's change in attitude. She responded with ease and composure.

"Being a doctor is my primary profession, without a doubt. I can even show you my medical license issued by the Hunter's Order. Oh, but my part-time job there is as a coroner..."

"So, Ms. Shitia, are you now willing to cooperate with me for the first course of treatment?"

As she spoke, she even actually took out the autopsy certificate of the Hunter from her sleeve.

"But... none of this matters."

In an instant, Xitia's gaze, which had been filled with the oppressive aura of a superior, gradually became ethereal and gentle.

She no longer cared about the dignity and image of a noblewoman of Heir, and thus curled up her legs, wrapping her arms around her knees as she squatted on the pale throne made of jagged bone. Her fair ankles, bound by ceremonial shackles, were revealed beneath the floral embellishments of her robe.

She was in the manner of a young girl seeking security.

That was a change in "impressions," and Haida even felt that the Shitia at this moment was not the same person as before.

"A healthy me would only make me a more useful prisoner to the Star Abyss Society. Death is not frightening; countless of my brethren have already embraced it. The only reason I am still alive is to prevent Heil from being completely wiped out."

Fran heard this and his slender index finger trembled slightly as he began to gently coax him again.

"Dear patient, please don't rush to refuse. It seems you have some misunderstanding about me. In fact, when I consider a patient's treatment indicators, I don't only consider physical health; a good mental state is equally important."

"What if I could let you leave the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower? For a prisoner trapped in a cage, freedom would be a good medicine."

Upon hearing the word "leave," the dazed look in Xitia's eyes quickly cleared. She seemed to revert to her previous dignified and solemn demeanor.

"You can't do it."

"This secret realm is composed of the Heil Palace, which has been stripped of reality, and I am the core that sustains the existence of the entire secret realm. If I try to escape, the spiritual elements of the secret realm will become disordered and collapse, burying all living things within it."

Fran's expression remained calm as always, and the smile on his lips did not change in the slightest.

"Before asserting that it is 'impossible,' I would like you to reconsider my proposal."

"This is a gamble with rules that couldn't be simpler. Winners take all, losers die together. Your life, mine, and the lives of my three companions, along with a callbird, will all be wagered. The outcome can only be either a happy ending for all or no one survives."

As she spoke, she could feel a surge of intense excitement coursing up her spine, and her cheeks flushed a light blush.

"...How do I know you're not a madman with self-destructive tendencies?"

Looking at the fervent light in Fran's amber eyes, even Xitia could not suppress her emotional fluctuations.

The pure, unadulterated pleasure emanating from the other person even gave her the bizarre illusion that the person before her was a mythical being.

This fourth-year medical student, who called himself Fran, seemed fearless and genuinely enjoyed the feeling of risking his life.

“Ms. Shitia. If you truly have no fear of death, there is no reason to refuse my offer. Do you wish to be imprisoned here until your spirit is completely exhausted, or… trust a stranger and gamble on this chance to escape this prison?”

Subtly, Fran had already guided Shitia's emotions through words and expressions.

The other party's questioning just now meant that this ancient mythical creature had been moved. Her previously calm emotions had been stirred, and she would eventually agree to cooperate with his "treatment".

Heda, who was quietly listening to the conversation between the two, suddenly felt her clothes being gently tugged.

She turned around and saw Vivian behind her, her lips tightly pressed together and her eyes filled with trepidation.

The Secret Service agent still couldn't understand how an infiltration mission had suddenly turned into a situation where he had to "risk his life"... and that Dr. Fran hadn't even hesitated for a moment when he staked his life.

"Do not worry."

Haida simply stroked her hair to comfort her.

Sister Heda understood Fran far better than Vivian. She knew that the doctor always had an exceptional grasp of events and abhorred taking unnecessary and pointless risks.

If she dared to gamble everything in a high-stakes gamble, it would probably be because she had thoroughly understood her opponent's thinking and cheated with the most sophisticated methods...

After a moment's consideration, Xitia nodded, which was her way of agreeing to the persistent doctor's request.

"So, what do you plan to do, Dr. Fran?"

"It's very simple."

"Since you cannot leave the secret realm, then take it all with you. After that, you will no longer be the core of the secret realm, and you will not need to be trapped in the hall to maintain its stability."

Seeing that she was showing signs of agreement, Fran then proceeded to explain the specific plan in a methodical manner.

In fact, even if Shitia ultimately chose to refuse... she would still do it. Seeking consent was merely a procedural matter.

Although she was mentally prepared, Xitia still couldn't help but feel surprised when she heard Fran's words.

To absorb and transfer a secret realm of this size in a short time, one would need to be at least an apostle of the Six-Eyed Raven… Could it be that she has already stepped into the sixth tier? Is this why she previously gave herself a strange feeling that was not human?

"Let's not delay, let's get started."

Fran cracked his knuckles, then gave a slightly cautionary instruction. (Tumor)

"During this process, I request that Ms. Xitia transfer control of the secret realm to me as much as possible, without resistance, and at the same time maintain the stability of the surrounding spiritual energy."

"Hmm." Si

Xitia responded in a deep voice.

With all preparations complete, the blade-like tailbone of the chimera "Sphinx" emerged from Fran's doctor's coat, swiftly slicing a gash across her slender wrist. Bait

Crimson blood flowed across her fair skin, then dripped to the ground, turning into wisps of pale, cold mist that drifted away.

Almost instantly, the vast abyss palace was shrouded in a thin veil of mist, and the outlines of everything became blurred and indistinct.

A clear and gentle chanting then rang out.

"Doors, riddles, keys. The twilight that shrouds the end never ceases. Stars entwine like eyes, and the dimness becomes thought."

"I wish to bear witness."

"I wish to explore."

"I wish to understand it."

Fran paused slightly at this point, then remained silent. It seemed there was another prayer to follow, but she did not recite it.

As the ritual array in the form of mist began to activate, the entire secret realm began to tremble as if an earthquake had struck.

A small amount of dark seawater even broke through the palace's restrictions and rushed in, but this trend was quickly contained by Shitia.

She could sense that her control over the secret realm was being taken away by an irresistible force.

The "doctor" named Fran was not lying; she did indeed possess the ability to teleport to secret realms, and her methods were even more efficient than those of the Raven Feather Apostles.

As this unnamed ritual began to take effect, the anchor point of the secret realm located at the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower was pried off and moved. As a veil of mist, which should not exist in the abyss, completely enveloped the entire palace, this underwater city of Heil was utterly swallowed by the misty streets.

"call……"

Xitia let out a breath, her gaze slightly unfocused.

During the transfer, the spiritual energy of the entire secret realm was violently disrupted. She almost exhausted all her strength to prevent it from collapsing.

This ancient mythical creature had almost forgotten when it last fought so desperately. And... why it had so hastily agreed to cooperate with Fran, inexplicably using its life as a bargaining chip.

“Ms. Xitia, you are now no longer bound by this secret realm. This is the content of the ‘first treatment’ I promised.”

Fran picked up his index finger and thumb and ran them across the scars on his wrist.

The wound closed up like a zipper, leaving a dark stitch. Then she picked up a handkerchief and wiped away the bright red blood that had flowed down her forearm to her elbow.

"You... are the 'Apostle' of the Moth?"

Feeling a long-lost sense of ease on her spiritual level, Shitia began to take the person before her seriously. Or perhaps... with awe.

The aura of a shelled creature emerging from its molted, downy scales, the steel-cast bone vertebrae shed from its body, and the unpredictable, strange attitude—the person before me might be a creature from an ancient era, just like myself.

“You have too many questions, Ms. Shitia. There is an extra charge for answering these kinds of questions.”

Fran neither confirmed nor denied this.

The Hermit's disguised identity was indeed similar to that of the Moth Apostle. But now, she was in the midst of a formal medical practice, therefore, she would only have one answer to all questions regarding her identity.

That is, "doctor".

"Could you remove the secretary's shackles yourself? I'm not in good condition right now and cannot do it for you."

Fran's face was as pale as paper, and he was once again in that sickly state.

Clearly, removing this massive secret realm had depleted her blood and spiritual energy significantly. Even her voice carried a hint of weariness and dejection. If it weren't for her unwavering determination to continue the treatment, she probably would have fallen asleep on the spot.

Haida noticed her weakness and stepped forward to take her arm, supporting her steadily.

"……Um."

With a sense of unreality, as if in a dream, Xidia gently lifted the hem of her pearl-colored dress.

A nearly transparent tentacle burrowed into the gap between the ankle skin and the secret ritual shackles, almost effortlessly tearing it apart.

The core that sustains the secret realm has now shifted from this mythical creature to the misty city outside of reality, so even if she severs the palace's cryptic connection, it will no longer collapse.

With all shackles gone and no longer bound, an unprecedented sense of comfort enveloped her.

Even the somber spirit seemed to have been revitalized.

Before proceeding to the next part of the treatment, Fran gently brought his face close to Haida's ear and whispered a few words.

The nun then reached into the pocket of her doctor's gown and took out a letter.

She raised her hand and tossed the letter down; it blurred as it was about to hit the floor before disappearing into the foggy street.

……

Sleeping Sand Bell Tower.

Sensing the massive spiritual energy tremors echoing from beneath the tower, the group of Listeners rushed to the location of the Sea Stone Gate at top speed.

During the process, Walter walked hurriedly, his face was ashen, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Damn it, I knew those idiots in the Gallonson court would cause trouble! They shouldn't have tolerated Prince Gunther's quirks and allowed him to harass that Heyel nobleman... He has so many alien monster girls he keeps, isn't that enough for him?

This level of spiritual energy riot is a harbinger of the collapse of the entire secret realm. What exactly did those three guys do to drive her to the point where she had no choice but to perish together with them?

Upon reaching the bottom of the clock tower and witnessing the scene before him, Voltien's expression became one of utter astonishment, and he remained speechless for a long time.

The secret realm beyond the sea stone door... is gone. Only an empty room remains, covered with inscriptions of prayers.

Thinking about the possible accountability afterward, his muscles trembled, and then, as if possessed, he stepped into the room that was supposed to connect to the ruins of the underwater city.

A short letter lay forlornly on the ground. (The letter was written by a dove.)

[To all members of the Xingyuan Society.]

[Thanks to the Preservation of the Pearls from the Age of Dust, which have been passed down to this day, I have now acquired them. Furthermore, please inform the Six-Eyed Raven Order… that at the full moon this month, I will steal the hidden treasure concealed by the ravens beneath its shadow.]

【—Vivian.】2

One can see a glossy black raven feather adorning the letter.

-

——San

Chapter Ninety-Six: The Tears of Heil

After reading this highly provocative letter, Walter's pupils constricted. (5)

All around was silent; even the beating of one's heart in one's chest could be clearly heard.