After handling the immediate tasks, Fran finally began checking the February consultation fee.
Since it was a biological technology manual, there was no need to specially go to the operating room for sealed dismantling. She could acquire it directly.
As the pale-grey mist slightly distorted, a notebook covered in scratches and weathering marks fell into her hands.
[Corpse-Husk Observation Notes (From the Abyssal Depths)]
[Quality: Fine]
[Effect: Records the laws of Corpse-Husk transformation and the characteristics of its Blessings, as well as experimental and dissection records of related individuals. After completing the reading, your understanding of Abyssal creatures will further increase. 'Abyssal Studies' Parsing Rate increases by 3%.]
[Note: "The Corpse-Husk lost everything human in the ascension burden, yet gained the Abyss's blessing. The embers of humanity, also the favored of Naraku..." ]
Fran picked up the notebook, flipped through it for a moment, then placed it in her lab coat pocket.
Books of this sort fell somewhere between useful and useless for her. Though classified as Fine quality, due to the particularity of the technology, applying it was very difficult... For instance, to research human Corpse-Husk transformation, one must delve into the Abyssal Depths.
And Norlington clearly lacked the geographical conditions for that.
However, adhering to a researcher's rigor, she would still read it through. After all, 3% Parsing Rate wasn't insignificant.
"Consider it filling the bookshelf."
Fran checked her pocket watch, slightly dispelling her languor, and walked into the kitchen to prepare today's midday meal.
---
Time moved to mid-February.
As Attilan prepared for war, surrounding areas began showing signs of chaos. To avoid complications arising from delay, Grantham decided to move up the library ruins exploration originally scheduled for March.
The two Children of the Whiskered Tree, Albert and Neville, waited quietly in the White Cup cult's reception room, awaiting the time to depart.
According to their expectations, this ruins exploration would have extremely senior Error-Purgers accompanying them. Simultaneously, the Secrets-Hunters should also dispatch a certain number of hunters to monitor the situation in real-time, preventing any harmful incidents.
The facts aligned with their thoughts. Moments later, Terence and Child from the History Department were the first to enter the reception room.
"Good day, gentlemen."
Neville gave a slight bow, then inquired about the details.
"Have the Secrets-Hunters not arrived yet?"
"We came together. The Secrets-Hunters have dispatched Supervisor Haida and Agent Vivian to assist the exploration."
Before Terence finished speaking, Haida and Vivian appeared right behind him.
Albert stared at Vivian, feeling there was something familiar about her, as if seen somewhere...
"You're the lady discussing The Monroe Epic with Flamel in that bookstore before!"
Finally, Albert retrieved this utterly inconspicuous passerby from memory, feeling somewhat surprised. Although Vivian had also been present at the White Cup council chamber, there was a screen separating the main and secondary seating areas, so she went unnoticed.
"It was me."
Vivian offered no evasion, cleanly admitting it.
"For an unknown foreign cult, appropriate surveillance in public places... Is that really surprising?"
Although Vivian usually appeared timid when facing Secrets-Hunter colleagues, in external situations, she could uphold the Secrets-Hunters' consistent aloof style.
As she spoke, a pitch-black crow landed silently on her shoulder.
[CallingBird]... Albert's expression slightly tensed, seemingly thoughtful.
Agent Vivian is here to monitor us. That means... when Flamel approached her in the bookstore, it was to alert us that we were being watched?
Perhaps that young scholar from the Stellar Abyss Society isn't as harmless as she appears...
"Besides them, there's one more participant this time. I think everyone present should be quite familiar; probably needs no excessive introduction."
Terence cleared his throat lightly. Then, a figure in a scholar's overcoat entered the reception room. Her movements were, as always, somewhat reckless, nearly tripping over the room's threshold.
After steadying herself, Fran gently adjusted her silver-rimmed glasses, loosened by the stumble, then offered a somewhat shy smile.
"Good day, everyone. I am Flamel from the Stellar Abyss Society... Very pleased to work with you all."
---
Just as Terence exited the reception room, he saw Elsa hurrying towards him head-on, nearly colliding.
Recognizing the newcomer was a History Department professor, her eyes flickered slightly. Mustering courage, she made her request.
"Professor Terence... Please let me participate in this ruins exploration."
"No."
Terence rejected her without hesitation.
"Elsa, you haven't fully recovered from the aftereffects left in the Birth-Feast Hall for long. You can skip this year's field investigation."
Because both involved exploring ancient ruins, the Natural History discipline was under the History Department.
Elsa was the unquestionable top student in the History Department, also a young lady from the branch family of the Royce family, involving many connections. Terence didn't want her taking risks again.
After all, Schmidt, that fellow, was a History Department graduate before becoming a White Cup teaching assistant. Strictly speaking, he bore some responsibility for the previous incident.
"But it's a ruins from the Order of Dust era. Its history predates even the Lost Age... And, during my first academic year, I passed three Natural History subject exams to be allowed to accompany explorations..."
At this point, Elsa pursed her lips, looking somewhat wronged.
She truly obtained the participation spot through exams, and her recent performance was no different from normal, even showing more outstanding talent than before in academic research lately...
But precisely because of this, Terence even more didn't want her involved. Exploration of the unknown also comes with sacrifice. The more talented the person, the more easily they perish within, silently turning into historical dust.
When planning the ruins exploration earlier, there was no involvement from the Children of the Whiskered Tree cult, and it wasn't known it was their former sanctuary.
"By the end of this academic year, you can obtain a ruins exploration spot without needing to pass exams. Wait for next time, child."
"You're so young... There's no need to set foot in danger of this level."
Terence sighed, advised once more.
Elsa looked somewhat disappointed but understood Professor Terence's considerations. Getting a spot this academic year wasn't bad... Just as she prepared to agree, she heard a somehow familiar female voice slowly speak up.
"If it's just collecting ordinary materials from the periphery, there shouldn't be any problems, right?"
Elsa looked towards the voice. The speaker was a young woman wearing a scholar's overcoat with silver-rimmed glasses; her specific features were indistinct.
Gormouth attire, probably a disciple from another cult... Why do I feel familiar?
Terence's eyes slightly focused upon hearing this, briefly falling silent.
Fran's attitude forced him to reconsider the matter.
The vast majority of this doctor's actions had special purposes. It was just that before she actively revealed the truth, others struggled to discern her real intentions...
Terence held to his initial view: Dr. Fran was likely a Secrets-Hunter cult higher-up, enjoying at least the fourth step or higher in mystical rank. Even if not one of the Four Secretaries, she'd be a senior supervisor in the Medical Division...
Thinking this, he slightly relented.
"If not venturing deep into the library ruins... coming along wouldn't be impossible."
"Thank you very much, Professor Terence!"
Elsa bowed deeply, her previously dejected expression swept away, replaced by a somewhat invigorated look.
Watching this, Albert narrowed his deep tea-colored eyes, seeming thoughtful.
Flamel merely vaguely expressed her opinion, and Terence's attitude loosened. Did this indicate that the White Cup cult's regard for her exceeded his earlier expectations?
But she was, after all, from the Stellar Abyss Society. No matter how important to the Error-Purgers... she was just a heretic. Like the relationship between Sun-Forgers and White Cup; even with cooperation in many aspects, they ultimately mutually guarded against each other.
Could she have defected from her own cult to the White Cup? Not impossible...
The Larraman's Organ technology was clearly just one part of a system. If this conjecture were true, the White Cup probably obtained more of her academic achievements.
With the exploration team personnel decided, the journey began.
The Children of the Whiskered Tree library ruins were located in the wasteland beyond Norlington's outskirts. The White Cup cult had prepared vehicles.
Their vehicles were equipped with internal combustion engines newly developed by the Weapon-Forging Department, surpassing previous steam-driven designs in concept and horsepower. However, due to weapon-forging furnace-heart scarcity, production was limited, mostly circulating within large cults.
Haida opened the car door, deftly took the driver's seat. Fran took the passenger seat.
Vivian very conscientiously went to the back seat, simultaneously gently scratching the head of the crow in her arms, soothing the little creature not used to car rides.
Watching the nun skillfully started the vehicle's weapon-forging furnace-heart, Fran looked at her with some novelty.
"Besides horsemanship, Sister Haida can also drive?"
"Burial Attendants' general knowledge is updated annually. I can operate most weapon-forging vehicles."
Haida explained quite humbly.
Her car followed behind the White Cup convoy, neither slow nor hurried. Stable yet not slow at all—an executive-level driver...
During missions, this nun was accustomed to maintaining silence. But facing Fran, her words were slightly more than usual.
And regarding this ruins exploration, she still had some unclear points.
"Dr. Fran, why did you want that girl to join this exploration?"
"Oh... She's a former patient of mine. Though cured now, appropriate participation in academic activities aids post-treatment recovery."
Fran leaned against the car seat headrest, quite comfortably stretching her waist.
Haida thought briefly, quickly connecting some previously unclear details.
"So that means... Elsa is related to the Mandala tavern incident? That was part of the treatment?"
"Correct."
Fran deftly took up the topic, explaining her illness and specific situation.
"Elsa was a victim of the Star Chart Research Society. But fortunate, not used as food or a Cistanche incubation bed. Instead placed in the Birth-Feast Hall's swaddling clothes as a sacrifice..."
"This experience left a specific 'Panphobia', or 'Red Cup's Kiss' in her subconscious depths. After two treatment courses, the illness is basically cured."
Haida gave a slight nod, indicating she understood.
In fact, the Confidential Division had already begun investigating the Star Chart Research Society before this. Just didn't expect Fran to act so cleanly and decisively, clearing them out in one night without leaving a single survivor.
Though those individuals turned into Cistanche incubation beds/hosts were themselves already as good as dead.
Fran rested her cheek on one hand, gaze lazily looking at the streets and people outside the window.
Clock towers and tall buildings gradually vanished from sight, pedestrians became increasingly sparse until they left Norlington, entering the boundless grey wasteland beyond the North District boundary.
She then lightly closed her eyes, beginning a short nap.
Fran's habits were almost feline-like, never missing any chance to slack off. Like in the Lands Between, Haida often discovered the doctor behind her had been asleep for a while after long horseback journeys.
The journey was silent. After three hours of driving, the White Cup convoy arrived at a town near the library ruins.
The ruins were located in a deep forest, the terrain complex and rugged. Even the White Cup's vehicles with some off-road capability couldn't enter.
Meaning... the remaining distance required walking.
"Ms. Flamel, we have arrived at Dorelton Town."
At Haida's reminder, Fran opened her eyes. Before her was a small-scale town, one could see somewhat simple wooden structures nestled among hills, and several spectating townsfolk.
Fran lightly patted her cheeks to dispel drowsiness, quickly adjusting to work mode.
The vehicles soon parked, and everyone got out.
Compared to Norlington, the air here was much colder. The blue-stone paved ground was covered in a thin layer of snow, reaching halfway up shoe soles.
"Whew..."
Fran tightened her overcoat, her nose tip slightly red, exhaling a wisp of white mist.
Gormouth's climate was relatively hot; even winter temperatures were only slightly lower than usual. Therefore, for a visitor from the Stellar Abyss Society, not adapting was perfectly normal...
"Feeling cold, young lady? Compared to winters of previous years, this one is already considered very mild."
A voice with a stern, cold tone sounded nearby.
He wore thickened winter hunting attire, of medium build, his face crisscrossed with several crisscrossing scars, looking shocking.
"Good day, Instructor Naur."
Haida quickly identified the greeter, offering a polite greeting.
Naur waved a hand, his expression carrying a hint of stiff coldness.
"I hardly deserve your greetings, Supervisor Haida. You are the superior now; I should be the one saluting you."
+++
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