The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 256

If he hadn't intervened, Lily would probably be the only survivor in the entire borderland. As for the White Priestess of the Spring, "Fridia"... although she still retains a physical form, her current state is difficult to define as "alive".

Never mind that for now, let's find Heda and Sigrid and reunite...

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soup!

Chapter 153 Funeral Maids [Frontier Country]

The bracelet on Lily's wrist, imbued with memories, was actually a ring belonging to the deceased old warrior, Grote. However, because that warrior possessed the blood of a giant, the ring's size was almost equivalent to a bracelet for her.

As Fran finished retrieving that memory and was about to leave, Lily grabbed her hand.

The girl, slightly surprised, gently stroked the crisscrossing black stitches on her palm and knuckles, her pale blue eyes, like those of a hibiscus, revealing pity and worry. Lily was unaware of her past experiences or the origin of these stitches; she simply expressed genuine concern for her "older sister."

"Don't worry about these lines, they're just traces left from experiments, they won't hurt."

Fran did not pull his hand away, but calmly handed it over for her to observe.

These sutures were indeed left from the experiment; she had no intention of deceiving a kind-hearted little girl. However, both the experimenter and the subject were the doctor herself… This was a preliminary step in the process of personality stripping, and also an ancient ritual for obtaining Enlightenment Essence.

Seeing Fran's seemingly indifferent expression, Lily pursed her lips slightly and stopped examining the stitches on Fran's hands.

In the girl's eyes, this might be a remnant of some forbidden experiment, representing a dark past that she didn't want to relive. She didn't delve any deeper, as that might evoke unpleasant memories for her older sister, like reopening old wounds.

Both sides tacitly avoided bringing up the topic again. Taking advantage of this free time, Fran was able to recall the geography of the border country in order to facilitate route planning.

This is where the remains of the old warrior Grote lie, in "Cliff Village." Lily and the Black Knight came from the direction of "White Parish," and continuing along the main road leading into the interior of the country will lead to "Twin Fortress," which was once the most solid defense line of the border kingdom against the Filthy.

After roughly clarifying her thoughts, she briefly sensed the locations of the Fog Street beacons on Sigrid and Heida. The two were currently inside the White Quarter, but the concentration of filth in the surrounding environment was too high to pinpoint their exact location.

At the same time, when making cross-disciplinary medical visits, the "mist within the door" is also suppressed, making it impossible to freely travel between areas using this technique.

Do you have somewhere you want to go?

Just then, the Black Knight's spirit materialized and uttered a question to Fran, who was constantly looking around.

“I plan to go back to the White Parish; I have two friends there.”

"Your friend..."

Upon hearing her words, the Black Knight seemed to want to say something, but then fell silent.

The White Quarter had long since fallen, degenerating into a dead zone where vile creatures reveled in unbridled depravity. Of course, it wasn't just there; the situation was much the same throughout the entire borderland.

The living have vanished without a trace. The only difference is the density of the undead.

A moment later, the black knight finished speaking what he had been saying.

"We are coming from the White Parish. We may have already met your friends, or we may not. But... without the White Witch's protection, no living being could have endured until now in the rain of filth. I hope you understand."

He didn't know what memories the White Witch had gleaned from the old warrior Grote's bracelet, but he could sense that the person before him was somehow different from the White Witch he had ever seen.

Aside from the suture marks left from the experiment and her amber eyes, what was unusual about her was her demeanor. It was an unwavering composure, like a frozen well, without the slightest ripple.

Although Wu Lili's will is equally firm, she is still a little girl at heart, and her sadness, vulnerability and confusion are obvious.

Fran nodded slightly in response to the Black Knight's warning, indicating that he understood.

“I know that.”

“But my friends come from faraway lands beyond the borders, and possess a certain ability to resist defilement. And even if the worst happens… I must see them.”

Hearing Fran's words, the Black Knight fell into deep thought.

As the sole hope for complete purification of the filth, almost all White Witches are under the protection of parish guardians, as well as the surveillance of the kingdom. Although they enjoy a degree of freedom, their opportunities to come into contact with outsiders are extremely rare.

The secrets hidden within this white-haired shrine maiden with amber eyes... seem to be more numerous than he had originally guessed.

"In that case, let's go. Lily, the warrior who just fought against Cliff Village, is also a bit tired. It would be a good choice to go back to the White Church to rest for a while."

Ultimately, the Black Knight agreed to Fran's proposal, then disappeared without saying another word.

……

Given Lily's current state of exhaustion, it would be quite a stretch for her to walk all the way back to the White Church from Cliff Village.

Although Fran was no longer as weak as when she first woke up, the child's body was clearly not suitable for long-distance travel. Even she herself still deeply abhorred such activities that would significantly deplete her energy.

Fortunately, the return to the White Parish did not require walking; one could take a horse-drawn carriage…

Even though the horse and its driver, who had served the White Witch, were defiled and turned to corpses by the rain of death, they did not forget their mission in life. Carried by the carriage, the two quickly returned to the White Quarter, and Lily fell into a light sleep along the way, resting her head on Fran's lap.

Her sleeping face was not peaceful; her body was tightly curled up, trembling slightly from time to time, causing her snow-white eyelashes to flutter slightly. It was as if any disturbance would rouse her from this rare moment of rest.

Fran simply patted her back rhythmically and gently, humming a melodious and soothing lullaby.

The lullaby's melody flows like the tide, as if the heartbeat of a pale crescent moon is being breathed out.

The shock and restlessness subsided, and all traces of depravity, despair, and the pattering rain seemed to disappear from my ears, leaving only a serene tranquility.

This is "Returning to the Tide" from the mournful elegy for Heyer's Coffin.

Fran had heard Lady Sydia sing it before and had specifically asked her for the score and specific singing techniques afterward. Although he hadn't fully captured her essence... with his talent for the [Shepherd's Song], he could at least reproduce about 80% of the effect.

Besides Lily, the Black Knight and other unconscious spirits within her gradually became immersed in it, experiencing a long-forgotten "tranquility" in a brief daze.

空灵1，淡薄，0悠远，还有一0缕隐于韵调7之下的深切悲6戚…9…这是一曲挽1歌。4缅怀凋3零的逝者，抑6或回望再不可寻的遥远故乡。

"So many mysteries... The white witch with amber eyes."

As the humming subsided, the black knight let out a barely perceptible sigh.

Despite her youthful appearance, this white witch who calls herself Fran seems to possess extraordinary experience and a deeper emotional depth. But... why? Even if the new white witches have differences, they shouldn't be this pronounced, given their similar ages.

In any case, it's a fortunate thing that a friendly white witch has joined the team.

At least, Lily wouldn't have to bear all of this alone.

Upon arriving at the White Parish, Fran did not immediately wake Lily from her deep sleep, but simply waited quietly for her to wake up naturally.

As an experienced general practitioner, Fran knows the importance of sleep for growing children. At the same time, she herself is currently in a childlike state… adequate sleep can effectively relieve fatigue and restore alertness.

After some time, Lily gradually woke up. Fran also opened his eyes.

"If you want to sleep a little longer, I don't mind, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Lily gently shook her head.

Although she felt a pang of longing for the warmth and comfort, she knew there were more important things waiting for her. Since her sister was going to find her friend… it was best not to waste too much time.

She would not give up as long as there was even a sliver of hope to save the survivors.

"Okay, let's go."

Fran then helped Lily, who was nestled against him, to her feet, and stepped off the carriage into the desolate parish filled with filth.

Many people once lived here: guardians of the priestess, monks of the White Cult, parish guards, commoners, and children. But now... without exception, they have all fallen into the filthy, viscous entanglement of evil spirits, filled with malice.

Fortunately, most of the undead will instinctively linger in the places where they were alive, so even if they are resurrected, they will only kill again. Although Lily herself is not good at fighting, she only needs to dodge the attacks and then command the Black Knight to attack.

The knight's sword was broken, just like his tattered armor, but every strike he unleashed was still sharp and deadly. Any approaching filthy creature was often beheaded or cleaved in two in an instant.

Throughout the fierce battle, Lily held Fran's hand tightly the entire time, never letting go for a moment.

The White Witch is incredibly fragile. Although this older sister also wears an amulet, it seems that only her own amulet contains a protective barrier magic. Furthermore, she lacks the spiritual protection of an immortal pact, making her vulnerable to danger if separated from her.

Looking at Lily, who was carefully protecting him, Fran couldn't help but purse his lips, feeling a strange sense of guilt.

Although this doctor consistently adheres to the principle of shirking his duties whenever possible, it was clearly inappropriate to simply stand by and watch without a care in the world when faced with such a sincere girl...

However, she ultimately did not make a move.

Despite her seemingly fragile appearance, Lily showed no fear when faced with those filthy and abhorrent creatures.

With the spirits of the Black Knight and the old warrior Grote, dealing with the scattered ghouls along the way was no problem for her. The harsh environment also fostered unimaginable resilience; this young white witch was no longer a sheltered seedling.

Soon, Fran and Lily entered the cathedral of the White Quarter under the Black Knight's relentless assault.

The window frames were broken, and the flickering candlelight burned out. Gnarled, black vines clung to the walls, and molten, dark green wax flowed across the floor.

The once solemn and majestic sanctuary of the White Church is now nothing but ruins.

A gigantic, albino female corpse stood there, with featherless bony wings growing from her back. Her entire form was highly distorted, almost completely devoid of human characteristics. However, she no longer possessed any foul odor, clearly having been purified.

“That was the guardian of the church…7…Sirid.6 Lily has given her peace.” ∝． ♂≥肆￠‖

Seeing Fran staring at Celeste's corpse with a confused look in her eyes, the Black Knight immediately appeared and explained to her.

The church is located on the only way out of the deep parish. Lily's ability to reach Cliff Village and find Fran must mean she has encountered and defeated the corrupted guardian, Celeste. And Fran, of course, knows this too... The reason she looks confused is because the location indicated by the Mist Veil Beacon is right here.

In other words, Heda and Sigrid were inside the cathedral.

"Click-"

A faint cracking sound.

The next moment, countless spiderweb-like cracks suddenly spread across the already dilapidated stained-glass windows. As the sound of sharp objects shattering echoed throughout the church, a familiar figure appeared amidst the swirling dust and shards.

The deep black nun's armor, the cold, chestnut-grey eyes, and the powerful greatsword in her hand, nearly as tall as a person… without a doubt, the newcomer was Heda. Sigrid maintained the sword's stance, holding it in her other hand.

"...Are there other guardians in the church who have turned into undead?"

The black knight spoke in a heavy tone, taking a small step forward to shield Lily behind him.

The vile creature in the nun's form before him gave him an unprecedented sense of danger, like a thorn in his back and a sword hanging over his head. Even the completely mutated Guardian Celeste had not caused him this kind of oppression.

Seeing this, Fran simply pursed his lower lip and observed Sister Heda with great interest.

Logically speaking, given her physical strength and mental resilience, even if exposed to filth, she shouldn't lose consciousness and go berserk so quickly, let alone be completely corrupted.

The reason why things are in this state right now is probably due to the effect of the boundary crossing.

Just as she herself had awakened in the state of a deceased White Witch, and was therefore nearly dead from weakness, Sister Heda was in the same situation.

However, the person she was succeeding was a White Church Guardian who had been completely corrupted, so she was unable to maintain her rationality at this moment.

"Qiang!"

Haida drew her sword and lunged forward, her figure flashing, almost instantly passing the black knight and arriving in front of Lily. Shards of stone flooring, shattered from her footsteps, could even be seen on the floor.

However, her hunter's instincts prevented her from attacking the young white witch who was nearby. Instead, she swung her power sword "Nirvana" at the black knight with a horizontal slash.

"Don't block it."

Almost as soon as Fran's reminder fell, Lily retracted the Black Knight back into its spirit form. The sword grazed directly above her head, severing the marble statue in the church along with several candles, leaving behind a wisp of gray smoke.

The whole process was easy and effortless, without any hindrance, as if the blade was not cutting through hard stone, but rather through a block of fat under a hot knife.

Looking at the nun who exuded a cold aura, Lily bit her lip tightly, and her breathing became short.

The nun's movements were swifter and more concise than those of the old warrior Grote, yet her power and lethality surpassed his. Had she been struck by that sword... perhaps the barrier on her amulet would have been shattered instantly.

Lily raised her eyes and looked at the tall nun.

Heda merely returned his gaze slowly, refusing to attack as she had with the Black Knight. Her instincts and convictions prevented her from slaughtering an unarmed little girl, a violation of the Hunter's fundamental commandment of the Dust Order.

But this doesn't mean she's conscious at this moment. You can see that there's still a chaotic, fierce light flickering in her gray-chestnut eyes, which is then suppressed.

This left Lily in a dilemma, and she stood still. Reawakening the Black Knight might provoke the nun's aggressive desires, but doing nothing... might just mean waiting for her reason to completely vanish.

The situation reached a stalemate for a moment.

Just then, Fran lightly stepped forward and arrived in front of Heda. With Lily's current strength, it was far too difficult for her to confront Sister Heda head-on. She certainly couldn't remain a bystander any longer.

“You did very well, Haida. Even when corrupted by defilement, you remained true to your principles... You are worthy of the name of a funeral maiden.”

As he spoke, the doctor seemed to want to reach out and gently stroke Heda's cheek, but being a child, Heda was obviously too short, so he had to give up.

"The timing is perfect; let me test how far you've come."

Fran maintained his usual warm smile, and in his hand appeared a slender ceremonial sword etched with the patterns of the primordial sun. It was the "pseudo-sun" that Sigrid had transformed into.

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soup!

The 154th assassination attempt resulted in complete destruction [a borderland].

"Be careful, Dr. Fran... Sister Heda is acting strangely. Her sanity seems to be affected in some way."

The moment Fran grasped the hilt of the false sun sword, Sigrid immediately gave a warning on a spiritual level.

As a pure alchemical life form forged from a fragment of the primordial sun, Zhe possesses a natural resistance to almost all forms of defilement, but she could not prevent Heda from descending into madness due to the corruption.