The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 89

Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Spine of the Sphinx

With Fran's patient and meticulous guidance, Sigrid has completed the basic parts of the crème brûlée. Now only the final step remains.

She inserted her index finger into the mouth of the quartz bottle, which contained a solidified pudding. As her fingertip glowed with intense white light, the thin layer of frosting sprinkled on the pudding quickly melted into a light brown liquid.

An enticing sweet fragrance rises quietly, a wisp of warm smoke lingering around the tip of the nose.

Once the liquid has completely cooled and solidified, forming a sealed sugar shell, this simple yet exquisite dessert is complete.

Sigrid let out a soft sigh and wiped away non-existent sweat from her forehead.

After melting six quartz containers and four silver spoons in succession, she finally became somewhat more skilled at manipulating flames at low temperatures.

“Please try it, Dr. Fran.” Sigrid looked at Fran with a hint of hope.

Most cooks hope to receive feedback after completing a meal… preferably praise, of course. Just like an angler proudly showing off their catch.

Fran smiled and nodded, then picked up a spoon that had not yet melted into silver syrup, cracked the sugar shell, and scooped a spoonful of the crystal-clear pudding into his mouth.

"Hmm... it's a little overcooked, and the sweetness is also slightly too high."

Fran's standards for cooking are picky and demanding, and this dessert certainly didn't meet them.

"But the appearance and overall quality are already good, and the taste is also quite good. It just needs a little more time to work on the details. Maybe you actually have a real talent for this?"

However, this person only applies this standard to herself. She almost always offers encouragement for meals prepared by others.

"Thank you, Dr. Fran."

After receiving Fran's praise, Sigrid's slight unease slowly disappeared, and she instead smiled brightly.

“When I was little, I always admired the baker across the street from the Tower of the Suncast and often wanted to try cooking myself... but later I became obsessed with alchemy and casting and never had the chance.”

"Has Sigrid never cooked before?"

Fran scooped up another spoonful of pudding and asked casually.

"Not really... I can still do simple cooking like making soup and baking bread."

She scratched her cheek, a hint of shyness flashing in her eyes, which were as dark as molten gold.

“Although the cult provides three meals a day, sometimes you still have to take care of yourself. I’ve only had colleagues of similar age around me since I was a child, so I’m actually quite used to living alone…”

When talking about her past, Sigrid hesitated slightly.

Although Fran's recent psychological counseling has improved her mental state to the point of almost returning her to normal, the tragedy at the Tower of the Sun remains a painful memory.

Seeing that Sigrid did not mention her parents, Fran's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze carrying a hint of understanding.

Among the four Orthodox priests in Norrington, there are more or less some children like this. They have lived alone in the church since they can remember, and it seems that the role of "parents" does not exist in their lives.

Because most of their parents died in the black plague that swept through the city—perhaps believers, perhaps those who fought against it. And the cult accepted their final entrustment…to their still-young children.

"So... your insensitivity to temperature only occurred after you underwent that alchemical process."

Fran took out a small booklet and began to record her symptoms with great interest.

"I've had this question before too: why would the artisans who forged the sun struggle with even something as simple as controlling the heat? It seems that life, while undergoing alchemy, also brings about some changes at the level of common sense..."

"But you still remain sensitive to metals and high-temperature flames, right?"

"Ah."

Sigrid thought for a moment, then readily agreed.

While participating in the forging of the power sword "Nirvana" and the ring "Ascending to Stardom," she was unaware that her common sense had changed in any way. In fact, her perception of the raw materials' smelting process had become much more acute.

"Becoming sluggish when manipulating low-temperature flames... a strange symptom, the cause of which is currently unknown."

Fran gently bit her moist lower lip, her amber eyes subtly gleaming.

Clearly, the more difficult and complex the illness, the more interested she became.

"Let's see if we can restore this part of our perception through practice, consider it as rehabilitation training."

"Ok."

Sigrid had witnessed Fran's superb yet bizarre medical skills firsthand more than once, so she certainly wouldn't question her in this regard.

"But... what exactly do we need to do?"

"Let's start by baking some common desserts and practice some simple temperature control techniques. For example, the vanilla cookies in the Hunter's Guild's preparation room... Don't worry, it won't take up much time."

Fran lifted his silver spoon, scooped up the last piece of golden pudding, and put it in his mouth.

She lifted her sleeve and glanced at the brass pocket watch.

"It's a little past five, we should go. Put the prepared kiwis in the refrigerator. Hmm... we need to tidy up a bit before we leave, otherwise Olive will be unhappy."

"Please leave it to me."

Having arrived in her most familiar territory, Sigrid patted her chest with considerable confidence.

She picked up the silver spoon and quartz container that had been melted into a paste and began to melt and shape them on the spot. Her palms went from red-hot to incandescent, and the objects that had been burned beyond recognition gradually began to regain their original shapes.

Normally, the third-category ritual, [Remelting and Reshaping], requires inscription of arrays and preparation of relevant spiritual materials. However, due to the unique nature of her alchemical life form, Sigrid can achieve the same effect by hand.

In a way... she was subordinate to that "holy heir" who forged the sun.

As night falls, the first light of day begins to appear.

Dawn had not yet broken, but a clear, faint light was already appearing on the horizon.

Just another ordinary day.

……

Olive hurriedly stepped into the "Skylark" shop.

She usually arrives at the shop around six o'clock to start preparing baked goods. But today, for some reason, she slept straight until almost eight o'clock... She didn't wake up at night, nor did she have insomnia; her sleep quality seemed to have returned to that of her youth.

Fortunately, the dessert shop doesn't open until 11 a.m. She doesn't actually need to speed up the preparation process to finish.

Olive tied on an apron and skillfully pushed the cookies and cream puffs into the oven.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, she vaguely sensed something odd about the silver spoons and glass containers in the shop. Hmm…were those sun-like patterns there before?

After preparing the regular desserts, Olive opened her ever-present notebook and turned her gaze to the "New Seasonal Products".

The ingredient list and recipe for the kiwi sundae are prominently displayed on it. However, besides kiwi, many other fruits are also needed. Therefore, calling it a mixed fruit sundae would not be unreasonable.

She had a vague feeling that something was wrong, so she casually opened the refrigerator and found it full of peeled and diced ingredients. They looked very fresh, as if they had been prepared just last night.

Half a month later, Rosalie returned to Norrington after reporting back to the Elder Council of the Moon Familia, and unintentionally passed by "Skylark".

I then discovered that the new product for December was indeed a kiwi sundae, and I couldn't help but marvel at the amazing divination techniques of the moth; Dr. Fran was right.

-

Foggy Street Clinic, Operating Room.

December is drawing to a close, and the new year is about to begin.

Fran also finally began to work on the final stages of the "chimeric spine" research project.

Through this period of experience accumulation and prototype testing, she has completely overcome the seemingly insurmountable technological gaps and chasms between several technologies. These include the Bloodwalker's terrifying flesh-and-blood techniques and the awe-inspiring necromancy technology.

Now only the final step remains... assembling this "final version" that can be called perfect.

【Sphinx】 (Matching Ridge)

【Quality: Flawless】

[Effect 1: This product can attach to the recipient's spine and ribs, replacing and strengthening some of the structure. Simultaneously, she can operate autonomously independently of the recipient, but cannot leave the recipient's 50-meter radius. (Specific combat modules should be designed independently.)]

[Note: "Do you want to summon a noble, three-blocking melee guard and deal massive true damage? Do you want to forge your own spine into a powerful monster for close protection? Do you want to stay young and never decay? Hmm... it seems quite possible."]

"Flawless!"

Fran admired the mechanical skeleton gleaming with a cold metallic sheen on the operating table, his amber eyes narrowing into slits as he smiled.

This means that she has no problems, either in theory or in practice.

[Dear Dr. Fran, you have completed the advanced experiment for '40k Medicine'. The resolution acquisition cap has been increased to 60%, currently at 40.5%.]

The finished product is complete; now only the final step remains...to insert it into the body.

"Haida, we need your assistance with the work ahead."

Fran turned to look at Heda, who was quietly observing the whole time.

Although the experience of the last "Future Norrington" gave Haida a deep understanding of the dangers lurking in cross-disciplinary clinics, on the last day of this quarter... she still came to the Foggy Street Clinic as if by muscle memory.

Then, at Fran's invitation, he witnessed the entire process of making and assembling this mechanical spine.

"I'll do my best."

Heda didn't know what Fran needed her to do, but she just had to follow her instructions.

It shouldn't be too difficult...

Fran placed the chiasmatic spine on the side table, then removed his upper body clothing and lay on the operating table, revealing his smooth, white back and one side of his chest.

Several black stitches crisscrossed her back, as if trying to tear her slender body apart. One of them, in particular, was quite conspicuous, running from her cervical spine all the way to her tailbone.

"Um...please wait a moment, I'll remove the head."

As he spoke, Fran reached out and removed the head along the sutures on the neck, placing it on a nearby shelf in a better position. This made it easier to observe the reattachment.

"Alright, Sister Haida, let's begin."

Haida's eyelid twitched almost imperceptibly.

Although she had carried a lantern made from Fran's head across most of Norrington during her last quarterly house call, the sight before her still somewhat shocked her sanity.

"Hmm. What should I do?"

“Pull along the middle seam and then fasten the interlocking ridge. If it were me, the joining process wouldn't need to be too precise; it can be a bit rough.”

Fran patiently guided the patiently, and the headless body on the operating table stretched out its hand, pointing to the corresponding position.

Haida let out a soft sigh, feeling a bit pressured as she placed her hand on Fran's cervical spine, finding it soft and warm to the touch.

Then she picked up one end of the neck suture and pulled it all the way down to her tailbone.

The sensation is incredibly subtle, almost exactly like unzipping a zipper. It's smooth and fluid, without the slightest resistance.

The moment the horses were in motion, Haida's gray-chestnut eyes froze.

The expected blood-soaked organs and bones did not appear.

Beneath the skin and flesh lay a vast, deep, and dark starry sky, surging with dazzling and magnificent colors. Like a nebula, it flickered and shone, carrying a mesmerizing allure that drove one mad... an indescribable beauty.

"It's just a painting. If Sister Haida likes it, I can paint one for you too."

Seemingly noticing Haida's surprise, Fran smiled and offered a reassuring reassurance.

"Um... I don't think I need to for now." It was extremely rare for Haida to hesitate.

Thanks to the strong spirit of the funeral maid, she quickly overcame her disorientation, deftly picked up the interlocking ridge from the shelf, and fastened it to Fran's back.

"Tap, tap, tap."

A series of barely audible clicking sounds quietly arose, like gears resetting themselves. The intricate mechanical contraption, as if possessing a life of its own, attached itself to her original spine.

"Okay, the connection is complete, you can pull the line now."

Following Fran's further instructions, Heida pulled the black stitching back down her neck. Then, she casually put her head back on her neck.

"Dr. Fran, how are you feeling? Is there anything wrong?"

Out of habit, Haida still asked a question.

"I haven't noticed anything unusual yet; I think I'm still in the adjustment period."

As he spoke, Fran put his undergarments and inner blazer back on.

Just as she was about to pick up the white coat next to her, her hand suddenly stopped, and the white coat fell to the ground.

"Hmm... the unexpected situation that I expected still happened." Fran slumped back onto the operating table, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

Her eyes held a sense of "I knew it," as if she had long anticipated a similar situation.

"The imprints from the chimeric spine and the epilepsy have caused a rejection reaction, which will likely last for some time. During this period, I will have limited control over my body..."

　The symptoms are roughly similar to high-level paraplegia.

Heda helped Fran up, picked up the doctor's coat that had fallen to the ground, and put it back on her.