The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

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Taking advantage of this brief moment, Fran turned his gaze to Shitia beside him.

"Speaking of which, regarding some specific details of the 'War of Annihilation' in the Lost Era... I currently have some questions. If Ms. Shitia's condition improves, I hope you will not hesitate to answer them."

"Please speak."

Xitia did not refuse or decline the doctor's question.

After all, she provided him with a safe enough place to stay and the "freedom" to escape the cage... Compared to the power and sincerity she showed, rewarding him with some secrets about the old days was really too insignificant.

"First of all, the Heir remnants do have 'Apostles'. So, facing the Star Abyss Society, which is unable to enter the sixth tier, you should have a certain advantage in terms of strength on paper. How could you have suffered an overwhelming defeat?"

“The gap at the hidden level cannot be bridged by ‘deception’ and ‘betrayal’ alone. While it’s not impossible, I don’t believe the Star Abyss Society is capable of constructing such elaborate schemes.”

Fran's question, though somewhat pointed, was indeed based entirely on practical considerations.

The Heir descendants were favored by the Abyss and possessed a certain degree of special spiritual affinity, while the "nobles" among them could almost be called pure mythical beings.

With this quality, the Heir descendants, after ascending the sixth step symbolizing the apostles, should be stronger than their ordinary counterparts. Such beings should not die so easily that they leave no trace in history.

Upon hearing this, Xitia's clear blue eyes subtly narrowed, her thoughts seemingly drifting back to a certain moment in the past.

“Dr. Fran, the matter you mentioned… happens to be related to Morion.”

“As I have said, in the last epoch of the Lost Age, the ‘Prophet of Desire’ Karmion performed a sacrifice in this city. At that time, he had successfully absorbed the life and soul essence of tens of thousands of Morion and transformed them into plants and nutrients for the Flower Garden Feast.”

"Although the late king eventually killed him, that battle also caused him considerable damage."

Upon hearing her description, Fran touched her face, already guessing what would happen next. However, she did not interrupt, but simply listened quietly.

After a slight pause, Xitia continued speaking from where she left off.

"The Listeners of the Star Abyss Society keenly observed this, and then launched a betrayal without warning. At that time, no one knew that they had already obtained a portion of the Abyss Remains, possessing the power to corrupt the Apostles."

"The late king was assassinated by the head of the academy, and died as a result. After that, the 'war of destruction' followed one after another."

"Mollion was the first human settlement we encountered after landing on land, and the first city jointly built by humans and Heir. We brought unprecedented prosperity to this city, but its suffering and destruction may also be due to us."

Indeed, no matter how detailed the documents are, they are not as good as the oral accounts of those who experienced them firsthand.

It's a pity that Shitia spent most of her life imprisoned in the Ridge Recesses, and knows very little about the modern history of the last hundred years. Otherwise, she could be considered a walking, hidden historical document...

After a moment's thought, Fran inquired about another point that puzzled her.

"Then... what kind of secret ritual principle is behind the song within the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower that can immerse the evil creatures of the Abyss? Since Hail possesses a secret ritual that targets and dispels sea-born evil spirits, going ashore may not be necessary."

Upon hearing this question, Xitia pursed her lips slightly and quickly gave an answer.

"The ballads depicting the moon and the tide evoke the sharp, chilling radiance of the crescent moon... That is our reliance as we return to the abyss. In the peaceful moments after landing on land, we completed the construction of the first type of superior arcane art, [Elegy for the Coffin]."

"This secret technique can calm most low-level Abyssal evils and burn and expel higher-level marine holy offspring. Once this secret technique is fully perfected, we will be able to return to our homeland beneath the Abyss."

After saying this, she fell into a long silence and did not continue to explain.

Clearly, shortly after the completion of this secret technique, the Star Abyss Society launched the destructive war that tore up the oath. And this secret technique, into which the remnants of the Heir race poured countless years of effort... was ultimately plundered by the Listeners of the Tide.

　er♂匛肆零⊥↑4傘$≈5∑｀六≤咝索索《『: “Hmm… Thank you for your answer, Ms. Xitia.”

Seeing that Shistiana was visibly downcast, Fran neatly ended the conversation.

In fact, the reason she would occasionally ask such questions about the history of Heyer was not only because she was curious about that hidden history, but also to help this mentally unstable patient gradually desensitize.

Since escaping the cold, empty Ridge prison, Shitia's condition has been recovering at a visible pace. However, it's still a stretch to expect a complete recovery within this month... Illness comes like a landslide, but recovery is slow and gradual, not to mention the elusive nature of mental illness.

In most cases, Fran prefers to cure patients gradually through multiple courses of treatment. However, in special circumstances, she does not mind using a sufficiently potent and effective "drug."

This is a secret chamber at the base of the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower, dark and quiet in all its surroundings. After confirming that there were no threats or valuable clues in the room, Haida reached out and pushed open the door leading to the corridor.

"There's something there."

Almost the instant the door opened and closed, Haida frowned and pursed her lips tightly.

With a swift flick of her wrist, her dark nun's robe billowed in the wind, and the wooden-handled folding knife that had been hanging at her waist pierced straight into the lurking creature hiding in the corner.

Even though she hadn't gotten a clear look at the guy's exact appearance, Haida wasn't worried about accidentally hurting him.

After all, the rustling sound was all too familiar... it was the sound of an arthropod-like evil offspring moving its limbs. Disorganized, dense, and subtle, accompanied by an unsettling sense of alienation.

"Peng—"

As Sigrid gently rubbed her fingertips, a smoldering incandescent bulb appeared in her hand, slowly radiating a halo-like glow. The monster struck by Sister Heda's wooden-handled folding knife was forced to reveal its form.

That was... a human head.

A folding knife inscribed with the Hunter's Prayer pierced through both of its cheeks, across its mouth, and pinned it to the floor.

As for the earlier thrashing of limbs, it came from where it should have been located on the neck. Now, that area is filled with dozens of tangled, disorganized fingers, blindly and frantically grabbing at the air.

"Ouch, ouch...it hurts...it hurts so much..."

A childish female voice emerged from the head's throat, almost hysterical, filled with heart-wrenching pain.

"A derivative secondary evil offspring? No, no corrupted spirituality was observed..."

Haida's gray-chestnut eyes suddenly became serious, and she placed her hand on another wooden-handled folding knife, ready to throw it at any moment.

Even though she was a highly experienced funeral maid, the scene before her still left her somewhat perplexed. It wasn't that she felt threatened or overwhelmed; it was simply that the enemy's form was far too strange…

It is common knowledge that humans can be mutated and deformed by impure spirits, and is not surprising. But this head was not contaminated, yet it also showed a form that was highly similar to that of the evil offspring.

The reason for its existence is unknown, which gives rise to a sense of bewilderment and absurdity.

However, one of the doctors present was extremely enthusiastic about solving such puzzles... No matter how disgusting or incomprehensible the object before her was, it only increased her research interest.

"Oh, a 'sample' full of life... Is this the research of the Star Abyss Society? Perfect, it seems like it's been a while since I've done any dissection work. I wonder if my skills have become rusty."

Fran gently licked the corner of his lips, his amber eyes sparkling with undisguised curiosity.

As the jet-black tentacles of [Reaching for the Moon] burst forth like a spiderweb and then closed up again…&棱＊≤跉企琉☆啾◇□吚￥▲司&「傘琉SｏＵSuO：回，France deftly and lightly placed the strange head into her palm. For hygiene reasons, she had put on surgical gloves beforehand.

Only now did they have the opportunity to observe the head's specific shape up close.

"The frontal bone is steep, and the brow ridge is small and inconspicuous... Although there are no primary or secondary sexual characteristics, making it impossible to directly determine the sex, based on the voice and skull features just now, this is a female skull."

Fran cradled the head in one hand, then shifted his gaze to examine the severed area at the neck.

It can be seen that more than thirty constantly moving fingers are completely embedded in the broken ends, giving it some mobility. In the center of the clustered fingers, there is a strange organ that is constantly contracting and expanding, resembling a heart or a lung.

"An organ that can both deliver oxygen and blood... is it really necessary to be so rigorous in this kind of place?"

Fran was indeed somewhat interested in this organ with its complex functions.

However, its form is full of visible defects and flaws, and it can only barely maintain its operation with the support of external cup-shaped spiritual elements, so it is not worth studying in depth.

As Fran continued to fiddle with the head, Shitia narrowed her eyes slightly.

The doctor in front of me usually appears gentle and rational... but it seems that as long as she finds something that interests her, her amber eyes will only be filled with pure and intense excitement.

The same look in her eyes, it seemed, was something she had shown when she looked at him before, but with much stronger emotions.

“Ms. Shitia, looking at this head… does it seem familiar?”

Noticing that Shitia was looking at him, Fran smiled and turned to her, then playfully showed her the head in his hand.

"familiar?"

1 Her question made Syldia tilt her head slightly, falling into deep thought with a hint of confusion.

Although various evil creatures and marine holy offspring exist in the Neighboring Abyss Sea, most of them possess streamlined bodies that allow them to easily navigate the waves. But this thing... looks exactly like a human head.

She could assert with certainty that there was absolutely no such thing in the Abyss Sea.

Despite her thoughts, out of caution and trust in Fran... after a slight hesitation, Shitia still extended a long, translucent tentacle to deeply sense the spirit contained within the head.

The next moment, her azure eyes suddenly narrowed, becoming like pinpointed pupils.

Although extremely faint, almost imperceptible, Shitia still sensed the unique aura of the Heir remnants emanating from this head.

In other words, this disgusting, mutated creature before her... flows with the blood of her compatriots.

Fourth

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(Get back into shape soon!)

Chapter 121 Touching the Forbidden Zone

It's absurd, ridiculous, and incomprehensible.

The shock was like an electric current coursing through her brain, causing Xitia's gaze to freeze for a moment, and her entire expression to suddenly stop.

This horrifying object, a composite of a human head and numerous fingers, surprisingly possessed the aura of the Heir remnants within its shell. So real, so familiar, it was almost impossible to fake.

The feeling was bizarre and absurd, like... embedding a real human face into a cheaply made doll. And that face, at that moment, was making various expressions according to emotions, just like a real human being.

The life form of this head was so rudimentary, so lowly, so incomplete, riddled with visible flaws. Yet, Shitia genuinely sensed the presence of "kindred spirits" emanating from this repulsive and abhorrent creature.

"Well……"

She had forgotten when she last experienced this physiological phenomenon of nausea, but the wisp of spiritual essence belonging to the Heir clan within this skull did indeed cause her an instinctive discomfort.

"...What's wrong, Ms. Shitia?"

Sigrid approached with a hint of concern and inquired.

The maid has been taking care of Shitia's daily needs recently and has come to know her to some extent. She is dignified and self-possessed, possessing the elegance inherent in ancient mythical creatures, but she is not arrogant, and her emotions are gentle and calm.

At this moment, her turbulent emotions were undisguisedly reflected on her face, as if one could glimpse the raging waves beneath the deep blue sea in her dark blue eyes.

"I...I'm fine."

After several long, deep breaths, Shitia gradually calmed down. However, her confusion did not disappear; instead, it intensified.

"Dr. Fran, do you know why this head contains the aura of my compatriots?"

As she spoke, she looked up at Fran, as if trying to glean more hidden secrets from the enigmatic doctor's eyes.

Fran simply waved his hand dismissively.

　"We don't yet know the full picture, which is why I'm specifically asking you for confirmation. Hmm... this head does indeed contain Heir's spiritual essence, right?"

"Yes."

Xitia nodded slightly, confirming this point deftly.

"Although that aura was faint and broken, I could feel that it was of the same origin as mine."

"Oh... I knew it."

As he spoke, Fran's gaze shifted to Sister Haida, who was holding a sword and standing guard.

“Hyda, I need you to sense the aura emanating from this head again. I want to know if you find it familiar, and whether you have smelled it elsewhere before.”

"Ah."

Haida stepped forward and took the severed head. Upon realizing that it was in the hands of the funeral maid, the fingers that had been struggling violently around its neck almost immediately fell silent.

After all, her killing intent was undisguised, as if she would crush him into dust at any moment...

Haida pulled out the wooden-handled folding knife that pierced both sides of the head's cheek, then placed the blade to her nose and gently sniffed the crimson blood clinging to it.

After a moment, she frowned slightly, as if she had already made up her mind.

“This aura… I have indeed smelled it before. Some of the residents of Mordway and that raider named Detricka both carry this aura, though it is much weaker than the one on this head, but it is undoubtedly of the same kind.”

Upon hearing this, Xitia pursed her lips slightly, unable to suppress her surprise.

"You mean, the aura of Heir also exists in humans?"

“That’s right. But the aura was very faint, and I can’t guarantee that my perception was completely accurate.”

Given the importance of this matter to Shiodia, Haida used a more rigorous way of expressing it. The psychic profiling talent was by no means infallible; most of the time, the revelations she experienced were extremely vague.

"Since that's the case, Sister Haida, please allow me to help you confirm your judgment."

Xitia lowered her gaze slightly, and then a translucent tentacle slowly emerged from beneath the hem of her dress, gradually approaching Haida's face.

"My 'whiskers' allow for the sharing of feelings and thoughts between two people through physical contact. This enables you to quickly gain the ability of the Heir descendants to accurately distinguish their fellow tribesmen."

"However, you humans may find it difficult to accept the way the tassels are inserted... it needs to be done through the nasal cavity."

"It doesn't matter."

Haida did not express any objection to this.

Having worked at the Fog Street Clinic for quite some time, this nun was very familiar with the procedures for various physical experiments. Moreover, she was the subject of these experiments... which made her views on this matter less conservative than most of her colleagues at the Funeral Home.

Moreover, with Dr. Fran present, she can guarantee that the special contact will not pose any unexpected dangers.