The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 346

"Hmm... Also, his primary sexual characteristics are parasitic, attaching to the torso and possessing independent mobility. It looks very similar to a 'shriveled-headed louse,' damaging the original organs and then replacing them."

"But we must also consider that perhaps his original organs have been deformed into a parasitic form."

She seemed to want to do some further examination, but the parasite had already turned to ashes under Sigrid's light and flames and could not be found at all.

After the autopsy was completed, Flamel fell silent, resuming his previous state of silence. ∝、si°∵

Sigrid lightly raised her fingertip and stroked her lower lip, her eyes, as black as molten gold, looking at the abandoned house in front of her.

This looks like the woodcutter's dwelling... Since he's dead, this is strictly speaking no man's land, so going to check for supplies shouldn't be considered trespassing, right?

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soup!

Chapter 48 Vinushka [The Last Sacrifice]

The woodcutter's hut wasn't exactly tidy, but it wasn't too messy either.

To put it simply... this place is old and dilapidated, with moldy clothes lying around without being folded, and leftover scraps of food emitting a fishy, ​​sweet, and rotten smell.

The house is filled with the haphazard traces of daily life, suggesting that the woodcutter often rests here, but it's still quite a distance from being a garbage dump. Rather than being sickly squalid, this house resembles the scene of a normal family experiencing some kind of decline.

Sigrid was unaware of what the current environmental characteristics meant.

If Sister Heda had possessed the expertise in trace evidence analysis, she would have reached a conclusion in a very short time: "There was once a mistress here, or rather, the master's partner."

Sigrid listened carefully in the entryway for a while, and then carefully explored the surroundings using her sense of heat. After spending some time, she basically ruled out the possibility that there were any threatening individuals in the abandoned house.

"Apart from the black goat tied up at the door, there shouldn't be any other living creatures here."

She sounded slightly insecure when she said this.

Since becoming an alchemical being, the craftswoman's sensitivity to heat has become almost an innate instinct. However, due to her insensitivity to low heat, this method of detection is inefficient and inaccurate, and therefore is not frequently used.

In comparison, a certain nun's nose is far more reliable than that of a canine.

With a sense of urgency, Sigrid led little Flamel to search the semi-abandoned two-story building. On the first floor, besides long-unused furniture, they could find some everyday items, including clothing, food, and other miscellaneous things.

"Carrots, mustard greens, and a bag of flour..."

Sigrid finished counting her spoils and breathed a slight sigh of relief. ∽． ×‖`→￠▲

Although the supplies weren't much, Flamel didn't have a large appetite either, so for the time being, at least, they wouldn't have to worry about food supplies.

Actually, the craftswoman also found some scraps of meat in this house, but it's best not to give these meat products of unknown origin to children.

Considering everything she had seen and heard on her journey from the train station to here, she was very worried about food safety in Presville.

Besides these common items, Sigrid found an old wooden box that looked quite old, probably from the woodcutter's private collection.

It is obviously impolite to touch other people's things, but fortunately, its owner has lost the ability to protect his property, so he probably won't mind losing anything more.

Sigrid did not hesitate. She deftly conjured a wisp of incandescent heat at her fingertips, melting the lock core of the wooden box.

In Flamel's eyes, who had been nestled behind her, this action subtly stirred "fate." What should have been an intangible and ethereal thing now took on an observable form in an instant, like woven silk threads.

Specifically, it is represented by a brass coin with a human figure on one side and an emblem on the other.

As the initiator, even if Sigrid herself did not have the subjective intention to choose between the two sides, her subconscious and existence itself established the "right" side of the coin, that is, the side with the human figure.

The non-real brass coin began to spin after being turned once, and eventually landed upright with the figure representing the upright position facing up. At the same time, Sigrid opened the box and took out the stored items.

It was a colorless quartz prism with a murky, constantly flickering, dark purple light within it.

"This is……"

Sigrid stroked the prism, her brows furrowing slightly as she assessed its nature using her materials science knowledge.

For a master suncaster, identifying the materials used in casting is the most basic yet essential part of their profession. Although the mysticism here differs considerably from the mysticism she knows, there is still a fundamental logic that allows for cross-referencing.

"Mixed, empty, chaotic."

"It is a soul manifested in material form."

After a moment's examination, she came to a conclusion.

"And it doesn't seem to be an original soul. You can see obvious signs of splicing and fabrication on it, like a stage product of some kind of research, or a semi-finished product."

Studying forbidden alchemy and the mystical art of casting inevitably involves contact with the realm of soul matter, which is why Sigrid can easily know the true composition of the objects in her hands.

As for its specific effects, further experimental time is needed.

She held the artificial soul in her hand, trying to understand its effects, while taking Flamel's hand with her other hand, preparing to lead her to the second floor.

Just as they were turning a corner on the stairs, Sigrid seemed to see something and suddenly spoke up in a short voice to warn them.

"Wait, don't step on it!"

Clearly, little Flamel's reaction speed wasn't that quick. Just as she was about to instinctively put her foot down, Sigrid swiftly reached out and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her up in her arms.

After completing this action, Sigrid immediately squatted down, lifted Flamel's slender ankles, and examined the soles of her feet.

After confirming that the other person was not injured, but had only gotten muddy from walking barefoot, her slightly tense state of mind eased a little.

"Fortunately."

"..." Flamel did not speak, but simply raised his eyebrows slightly, expressing his question with a gaze.

Sigrid then pointed to the spot on the floor where she had originally intended to step, a place hidden in the shadows cast by furniture and decorations, where only careful observation could reveal the tiny refracted lights.

It was a pile of crushed glass shards.

If someone is wearing shoes, stepping on it will only make a slight noise, but if they are not wearing shoes and socks... injury is probably unavoidable.

Sigrid couldn't help but wonder what kind of mental state would lead someone to set up broken glass and similar objects in their home as traps. However, considering the woodcutter's manic, ferocious, and self-contradictory nature... it didn't seem so surprising that he would do such a thing.

"I need to find a pair of shoes and socks that fit properly."

Sigrid had actually considered this problem before, but there weren't any suitable materials on the train. She couldn't very well make a pair of tin boots from the train's metal parts... While there was no technical barrier, little Flamel clearly didn't have the physical ability to move around in them. Zero

The woodcutter's house happened to contain women's clothing, shoes, and socks, which were his wife's belongings.

Although it is a bit old and the size is not right, it can be used after a little washing and alteration.

"Please wait a moment, Flamel."

Sigrid helped Flamel to a square chair, then brought a basin of clean water to wash away the mud and grime that had accumulated on her feet along the way. The craftswoman truly upheld the professional conduct of a maid; she even remembered to heat the water to the right temperature beforehand.

Flamel's feet were small and delicate, with toenails that gleamed with a lustrous sheen. However, the pale, tender skin at the base of his feet was slightly red from walking in the deep forest for so long, like snow-covered plum branches, possessing an almost alluring fragility.

After making sure there was no dirt or debris between her fingers, Sigrid began to disassemble the women's clothing she had just retrieved. After washing and drying them thoroughly and separating them into fabric and leather, she began to improvise shoes and socks for little girls.

Although it was impromptu, she ultimately made a set of black cotton stockings and thick-soled Mary Jane shoes, following Dr. Fran's dressing habits.

How does it feel to wear?

"..."

Flamel lowered her eyes and tried to twist her ankle. The warmth of her skin being wrapped in silk and cotton did make her feel comfortable.

Sigrid originally had little knowledge of tailoring, but after spending a long time observing and learning from Dr. Fran, she had gained some understanding. Of course, her forging skills as a Sunsmith were the foundation of all this.

After a moment of hesitation, Flamel's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

"……Thanks."

"Please don't thank me, it's what I should do."

Upon hearing Flamel's thanks, Sigrid clapped her hands to shake off the bits of fabric between her fingers and gave a warm smile.

The very next moment, Flamel voiced his doubts.

"You've been so good to me, and everything you've done has been done with pure goodwill. But why?"

“Why…” Sigrid repeated the word, considering how to answer.

Should she be completely honest with this little guy and tell him everything? Or should she make up some excuses to brush it off?

Looking into the other person's amber eyes, she pursed her lips and gave her answer.

"It's a long story, but the reason is actually not complicated. Flamel, you seem to have lost your memory of the past. But you may have also noticed along the way that this is not the first time we have met."

“I know you from the past, or you from the future. And I was her patient, and now I am her maid. Even putting everything else aside, protecting you is part of my job under the employment agreement with Fog Street Clinic.”

Sigrid's words were earnest and sincere.

The artisan lady is not accustomed to lying to others, nor does she have the hobby of creating mystery or suspense. If possible, she would like to maintain her current unreserved way of communicating with people... just as the sun never hides its light and heat.

However, if faced with someone whose stance is contrary to hers, all she can do is probably remain silent.

After hearing what Sigrid said, little Flamel did not ask any more questions, but simply nodded slightly, his eyes showing a thoughtful expression.

"……Um."

After this little incident came to an end, Sigrid led her to the second floor of the woodcutter's dwelling. There were still many shards of glass on the ground, but thankfully, with shoes and socks on, there was no longer any worry about cutting her feet.

After a quick search, she found a hastily written letter on a small wooden square table.

Describing it as a "letter" might be inaccurate, as the person who wrote it seems to have never intended to send it to anyone else, but rather to release some pent-up emotion. The writing is messy and full of grammatical errors, as if it were hastily written with the last vestiges of reason.

A wild beast has broken into this house. I have lost my home. The beast has taken my wife, my dignity, and my faith. If it weren't for the full moon, it would have taken my life too… I would have offered it up with my own hands.

"Beast?"

Sigrid frowned, momentarily unable to grasp what he was trying to say.

Since entering the Virgin Forest, she had hardly seen any living creatures other than humans. There weren't even flies or maggots on the corpses abandoned outside.

Hmm... not entirely. There is a strange black goat tied up outside this little house. But that herbivorous creature shouldn't be capable of doing what's described in the letter, right?

Given the woodcutter's unusually robust physique, wielding an axe, he might not have been without a chance against even a fully grown brown bear. Could it be that the "beast" he referred to was actually a person's pronoun? 8

Fortunately, since arriving here, strange and perplexing things have been happening one after another, so one more won't make a difference.

Sigrid put away the envelope, noted its contents, and then stopped investigating, turning her attention to the bookshelf beside her. (Seven)

To obtain highly timely information, one usually needs to go to places like taverns, where all sorts of people mingle. However, when historical context is required, books become the best choice.

At first glance, the woodcutter's bookshelf seemed to contain only some low-value but verbose essays. Fortunately, Sigrid was observant enough to find, after some searching, an old, dusty book in a corner.

[The Skin Bible - The Chapter of Vinushka]

This is a secret canon describing the Old Gods, compiled by Enki Ankarian.

Compared to some ancient sacrificial texts that rely heavily on fables and proverbs while remaining vague throughout, this author's style is rigorous and detailed, resembling that of a professor publishing a thesis.

Vinushka, originally named Ninush, was born from the union of the god of fertility and the god of destruction, and his existence represents "nature." His nature is complex and ever-changing, sometimes as turbulent as the ocean tide and boiling lava, sometimes as tranquil as a deep forest and as gentle as the evening breeze.

Based on the information recorded in the text, this ancient god who symbolizes nature has already died. His passing stems from the imbalance between nature and the explosive development of existing human civilization, as well as from the long-standing struggle between the two.

After His demise, the name "Ninuka" ceased to exist. The god symbolizing nature was given a new name—"Vinushka," meaning sin, the sin of murdering a god.

"Descended nature deities?"

Sigrid was somewhat surprised, a hint of confusion showing in her molten gold eyes.

In her established, hidden worldview, a deity who clearly wields a certain authority should not vanish so easily. Nature still exists, so how could a god symbolizing nature die? But considering the strange state of this forest, what the book says doesn't seem like a lie.

Sigrid gathered her somewhat distant thoughts, closed the leather Bible in her hands, and returned to the first floor of the cabin, arriving at the only area in the place she had not yet explored.

It was a room locked with layers of iron chains.

Normally, such locked rooms require a key to enter. However, it is well known that there is almost no lock in the world that a tube of thermite cannot open... and Sigrid's temperature output is even higher and more stable.

Her standard lock-picking procedure can be divided into three steps. First, she applies intense heat to the tip of her index finger until it reaches incandescence; second, she moves to the edge of the lock; and finally, she inserts her index finger into the lock cylinder, melting all the metal components.

The shackled chain fell limply, and Sigrid pushed open the door to find herself facing a downward-sloping staircase.

At the same time, a strong, pungent smell of blood wafted over, mixed with the stench of rotting flesh and corpses.

Clearly, this is a basement.

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soup!

Chapter 49 Black Karev [The Last Sacrifice]

Sigrid picked up an iron lantern and then led Flamel slowly into the underground chamber of the abandoned house.

The place seemed to have been sealed off for a long time, with poor ventilation and dry, foul air, so much so that Flamel would occasionally raise his hand to cover his lips and cough softly and silently.

If she could, Sigrid wouldn't want to bring the little one into a place like this... but considering that the safest place in this place was right beside her, she would never leave the little one alone out of her sight.