"After your fight with those monsters ended last night, I performed emergency treatment on you and then carried you back to the clinic. By the way, I almost died of exhaustion halfway."
"My condition at the time… how could you possibly have cured it?"
"Oh, that involves trade secrets. I'd be happy to explain if you, the patient, are willing to purchase the follow-up additional medical package."
"What is your hand doing?"
"Just admiring your beautiful serratus anterior and external oblique muscles… ahem, incidentally checking the recovery status of the wounds. This is palpation, please do not question my professional integrity."
With that, Fran retracted her hand subtly yet lingeringly, then blinked innocently at Haida, showing no intention to resist.
"Your surgery was a success. Once we finish the follow-up treatment, our doctor-patient relationship will conclude. So, could you please stop gripping my neck? Dear Sister."
"Otherwise, I'll have to add compensation for threatening medical staff to your bill."
"…My apologies."
Haida slowly withdrew her hand.
In unfamiliar situations, she habitually used the most efficient means to control the scene; it had become an instinct engraved into her body.
The doctor before her was strange, but she genuinely sensed no hostility.
"Oh, dear Sister, you are too polite, you really don't need to apologize. If every patient were as courteous and reasonable as you, my troubles would be much fewer."
Fran's tone carried a near-formulaic intimacy, highly service-oriented, like a customer service representative waiting for a client to settle the bill.
"This is your medical bill, please sign for it. And fill out the follow-up treatment form, thank you. It's very important to me."
"Very well."
Haida hesitantly accepted the bill Fran handed over.
It wasn't that she worried about being unable to pay, but she was genuinely puzzled… about why she was still alive.
As an experienced Burial Attendant, she knew exactly what state her body had been in.
Organs already pushed to the limit were overdrawn again under the stimulation of excessive adrenaline drugs, causing organ failure before the drugs' effects were even half over… not to mention dozens of penetrating wounds deep into her body.
Cardiac arrest, blood-filled alveoli, ribs shattered and piercing internal organs… even the most professional medical team of the Secrets-Hunter Cult would likely have been helpless.
And this doctor before her… actually cured her?
Harboring this doubt, she looked at her medical bill.
[Medication Fee: 50.10]
[Bed Fee: 5.04]
[Nursing Fee: 40.00]
[Manual Transport Fee: 1000.00]
[Surgery Fee: 50.00]
[Material Fee: Second Heart (Transplant), Bone Reinforcement Organ (Artificial), Muscle Enhancement Organ (Artificial), Blood Recreator Organ (Transplant). Total: 10000.00]
[Having a beautiful set of muscles to feel: -10000.00]
[Total: 1145.14. Unit: Norlington Silver Coins. Bill from Fog Street Clinic. Attending Physician: Fran Herschel.]
"If you have no questions, just sign here. I specially made the total a lucky number for you. There will be free follow-up treatment afterwards, and we can issue a receipt for reimbursement, dear."
Fran handed over a fountain pen, then clasped her hands together, smiling brightly.
Haida's expression remained as composed as ever, but her thoughts were uncontrollably chaotic.
Why would you think I have no questions? Why are the bed and surgery fees reasonably priced while the transport fee is inexplicably expensive?
And also, this series of organ transplants… what exactly did you do…
She touched her abdomen.
The bandages wrapping the wounds had been removed, revealing many slight suture marks. The gruesome lacerations on the chest and abdominal cavity had all closed.
"I used self-developed absorbable sutures, no need to worry about stitch removal. As for scarring… you can follow our follow-up skin beautification services."
Haida glanced at the soft white patient gown she was wearing and asked,
"May I ask, where are my clothes? Dr. Fran."
"Hmm… right here, let me find them."
Fran retrieved the washed and bloodstain-free nun's habit and overcoat from a clean small wooden cabinet.
The circular saw cut in the middle of the leather-armored robe had been carefully sewn up by her, even using a continuous overlock stitch.
"I deeply apologize for damaging your clothing, but I won't provide an additional discount for that…"
"Hmm."
Haida didn't mind Fran's presence. She generously and boldly took off the patient gown and put on the form-fitting nun's habit and overcoat.
Finally, she checked the two wooden-handled switchblades at her waist and the two pure-black-colored large-caliber firearms.
Fran pursed her lips slightly, as if a drop of non-existent cold sweat had slid down.
"I can round down the total for you… let's say 1145 Norlington Silver Coins…"
"No need, the original price is fine."
Saying this, she took out a platinum pendant and handed it to Fran. The front bore an eye-shaped, diamond-like holy emblem, the back engraved with "Haida Moira."
"The Secrets-Hunter Cult will mail the payment to you within the next few days. Have the mail carrier bring the pendant back then."
Haida found Fran's enthusiasm mixed with grotesque salesmanship somewhat difficult to resist and preferred to settle quickly.
"Thank you for your patronage. Welcome to visit again next time."
Fran accepted the pendant and very naturally performed a bow, offering her sincere blessing.
Though coming from a doctor… it seemed somewhat inappropriate.
Haida didn't pay in cash, which was normal; no one carries over a thousand silver coins. Usually, a bank draft or check mailed over suffices.
The Secrets-Hunter Cult, as one of the Four Major Orthodox Cults, had always maintained excellent credibility, unlikely to default on her.
"However, Ms. Haida, your treatment isn't finished yet. Please choose one plan as the follow-up treatment."
Saying this, Fran maintained a gentle and stable smile and handed her a sheet of paper.
[Plan One: Take customized biological preparations (oral solution) targeting the completed modification surgeries (heart, bone, muscle, artery). These newly implanted organs will perfectly integrate with the original body. Evaluation: No risk.]
[Plan Two: Receive an intrathecal injection of the genetic preparation code-named "White Wind." You will gain an unreasonably robust physique, proficiency with fourteen types of special weapons, and immunity to fall damage. Evaluation: Risk factor: High.]
[Plan Three: Receive an intrathecal injection of the genetic preparation code-named "Ashes." You will fear no death and will not lose humanity upon dying. However, your knees will become less agile, as if shot by an arrow. Evaluation: Risk factor: High.]
[Final Plan: Allow Dr. Fran to act freely without concern for medical ethics. You will be filled with infinite possibilities. Evaluation: I don't recommend you choose this. Try it and you might meet your end.]
——
"She ultimately chose Plan One. The Sister is such a cautious customer. I'm starting to like her."
Fran watched as Haida, having taken her medicine, departed. Her eyes lowered slightly, seemingly somewhat reluctant.
"A female capable of enduring four modification surgeries, flawless physical resilience, and a pure human at that… if only every client were of such quality."
She half-reclined on the clinic's plush sofa, sinking half her body into it, visibly relaxing.
"She didn't even haggle…"
[Ms. Haida has recovered her health. This month's routine medical mission has been completed. Completion Grade: A. Your next monthly house call will be triggered randomly next month.]
[This mission's medical fee: Unknown Biological Technology Manual x1 (Common Quality. Unidentified)]
——
"Identify the recently obtained biological technology manual."
[Your command received. Please wait… Identification complete.]
[Spinal Studies Primer. (Terra Medical System)]
[Quality: Common]
[Effect: After reading, unlocks the related medical system. Parsing Rate +3%.]
[Remark: "Do you want to summon noble tier-three guards and deal massive true damage? Do you want to craft your spine into a powerful monster for close protection? Do you want to stay eternally youthful and never decay? Stop dreaming! This book is just a primer. At most, it can help someone like you treat a stiff neck!"]
"This remark is so aggressive." Fran momentarily narrowed her eyes, somewhat laughing and crying at the same time.
"Tsk. The first few lines were written so temptingly… hoping the last line would be a counterpunch to break my defenses, is that it?"
Breaking her defenses was naturally impossible. Although it was an unidentified technology, with its common quality… she couldn't have had high expectations.
Alright, let's just finish reading this primer first.
Ten minutes later, Fran indicated she had completely understood this primer on spinal studies from the world of Terra.
Hmm, I've fully grasped it.
[Spinal Studies Primer (Terra Medical System): Learned. Parsing Rate +3%.]
[This medical system has been unlocked. As you lack the corresponding skills and equipment, only related theories can be mastered for now.]
"When I first got the material, I thought it was Holy Terra, but it turned out to be this one… but it doesn't matter. Adding to the Parsing Rate is good enough."
She quite satisfactorily placed this manual into her fully packed bookshelf, marveling her collection had grown by one.
"Open the attribute panel. Let me see how much Parsing Rate the surgery on the Sister added."
[Your command received. Executing now.]
[Fran Herschel]
[Gender: Late Homo Sapiens. Female]
[Age: Unknown]
[Technologies Mastered: Terra Medicine (3%), 40k Medicine (37.9%), Mechanical Prosthetics Technology (10.1%), Biological Prosthetics Technology (30.5%), Xenology (27%), Modern Neurology (21%), Clinical Psychology (19%), Anatomy (79%), Genetic Research (27%), Soul Sculpting (17.1%), Forbidden Alchemy (21%).]
Special Abilities:
[Drive Away Dust and Filth (Proficient Level. Proficiency: 81%): Create a dust-free field with a 3-meter radius centered on oneself. This field dispels micro-dust and germs and emits faint light to ensure no shadows within the area.]
Talent:
[Strange Doctor: Comprehension speed for all biological technologies increased. Parsing Rate gained through bodily modifications increased by 100%. Parsing Rate gained through dissection increased by 100%. You can always maintain absolute calmness as a doctor.]
So…
"The 'Biological Prosthetics Technology' Parsing Rate was 30% before, meaning it increased by 0.5%. And 40k Medicine was originally 36.9%, a full 1% increase…"
Fran stroked her chin, doing a simple tally of the Parsing Rate gained from this house call.
Although 0.5% and 1% might not seem like much, it was actually a rather terrifying amount.
If the Parsing Rate for a certain item reached 100%, it meant standing at the technical pinnacle within that world's system, knowing everything perfectly, including lost and missing parts.
And these technologies might have taken a world thousands of years, with an uncountable amount of living organisms as experimental material, to accumulate…
"I hope Sister Haida enjoyed this medical service. No, I must add her to my premium customer list, give her a 10% discount next time…"
Patients who could provide Fran with a total of 1.5% Parsing Rate at once were extremely rare.
Treating ordinary people generally gave her Parsing Rate in the three decimal places; getting 0.01% was considered lucky. Most of the time, there was none at all…
After all, if an ordinary person underwent modification surgery, their body would likely collapse in the first stage, unable to endure the second heart's excessive blood pumping.
"Sigh, although I say that, the clinic doesn't seem to get many repeat customers… even though I've never received a bad review."
Fran let out a light sigh, half-reclining on the plush sofa, legs gently swaying. Maintaining this pose, she kicked off her thick-soled leather shoes.
Her slender fingers, covered in suture lines, slid over her calves, removed the pure-black over-the-knee cotton socks. After that, she rubbed together the two socks and tossed them like a basketball into the nearby laundry basket for dirty laundry.
A precise half-court three-pointer!
"Almost forgot, my legs got splattered with Evil Spawn blood during the night house call… fortunately they were black cotton socks. White ones would have been ruined."
⸻
T/N: Hey readers~! New Translator here! Before I say anything, I'd first like to thank the original author for creating this wonderful story. Without them, I wouldn't have the chance to share this adventure with you. I hope my translation does justice to their work, and that together, we can enjoy this story.
With that said, I'm happy to let you know I'll be uploading daily chapters. And for those who wish to support my work and gain early access, I've set up a Patreon where advanced chapters will be available.
[email protected]/PeakTL