Under normal circumstances, Luyala would choose to flee or avoid ant-like contamination. Today, the reason she mustered the courage to confront it directly... relied more on the presence of Dr. Fran before her.
This skeleton, born from the Flayer curse, lightly opened and closed its jawbone, emitting a stream of insane, meaningless gibberish.
"Hah... Cowards who fear death..."
"In the eternal time, I will project the deepest fear onto you and all your kind. I am Llandu'gor, I am Hunger, I am the Flayer... From this moment, you are too!"
In another instant, its voice took on a strange, feminine tone, though more faint and ethereal.
"I must obtain the dream... It is my salvation, the last key to free myself from the Writhing Taint..."
It struggled madly, causing the pure white light Luyala wielded to fluctuate violently, already showing signs of instability.
From these fleeting, fragmentary words, Fran keenly caught a hint of secrets among deities.
To free herself from the Writhing Taint—is this the reason the Ants pursue Luyala?
Ordinary people hearing this mosquito-like murmur would only suffer spiritual damage, but she could systematically organize and distinguish its content.
However, the current situation didn't allow her to listen further. The frost-like shimmering light on Luyala began to destabilize, seemingly nearing its limit.
But that was fine. Fran called Luyala... merely to restrain this troublesome curse.
The one who truly fights the disease directly is always the patient herself...
"Take a deep breath. I'm beginning the final treatment."
Fran cupped the ant-transformed skeleton's head with both hands, letting the ants gnaw at her palms without loosening her grip in the slightest.
The next moment, scorching, chaotic Frenzied Flame erupted from her palms!
It fiercely burned the already shattered remnants of this skeleton. Amidst a struggle with no escape, the Ant-Scale Door contamination and the Flayer curse together turned into golden-red ashes within the flames.
The mark of the Frenzied Flame had already detached from Fran. The flame she used now was the "madness" retrieved from within her own personality...
It was chaos enough to destroy all forms of thought, also the destruction that leads everything to collapse.
Fran maintained her restraining posture, as if wanting to drown the person before her, along with memories of the past, in the blazing torrent of fire.
Until Luyala began licking the burns on her hands, this fervor gradually subsided.
[The 'Flayer Curse' afflicting 'Fog Street Physician' Fran Herschel has been purified. The February monthly house call is completed. Completion Rating: S. Your next cross-dimensional house call will be triggered at the end of next quarter.]
[This session's consultation fee: Unknown Biological Technology x1. (Fine Quality. Unidentified)]
Fran let out a light sigh, dispelling the stagnant air in her chest, then patted Luyala's head as encouragement.
"Well done, Luyala. You worked hard."
"Coincidentally, my research project this quarter is related to you... You can look forward to it appropriately, okay?"
Luyala extended her pink tongue to lick her moist lips, tilting her head and blinking.
"Na?"
She took a small step back. Although she didn't know exactly what this doctor intended to do, a slightly bad premonition still arose in her heart...
---
Norlington Central Academy, Headmaster's Office.
Grantham smoked his briarwood pipe, examining a stack of handwritten manuscripts placed on his desk.
His expression was serious and absorbed, to the extent that the black coffee "Misty Breeze" placed beside him had gone completely cold without a single sip.
"Dr. Fran not only has a thorough understanding of the inherent, ancient underlying flaws of the human body but can also propose corresponding optimization plans. Such profound academic depth... it's a pity she isn't a follower of the Great Pioneer..."
"Otherwise, I might even consider handing this headmaster position to her and enjoying retirement..."
Letting out a nearly regretful sigh, Grantham rubbed the space between his eyebrows before reluctantly putting down the manuscript detailing the Larraman's Organ.
By now, he had already filled dozens of thick pages with notes and annotations beside it, as if dreaming back to his student days.
"Are there any hidden flaws in the biological alchemy plan she provided?"
Terence beside him asked with some skepticism.
He was a history professor, usually dealing more with ciphertext studies and weapon-forging. His knowledge of alchemy was only superficial, and all his medical basics came solely from his early experience as a field medic.
Harboring the most basic caution of a secret cult disciple, he instinctively distrusted anything meant to be implanted into the body.
Grantham drank half a cup of the coffee that had passed its optimal temperature, then gave his opinion.
"Currently, aside from the possibility of causing severe rejection during surgery, this organ poses no additional danger after implantation is complete."
"Let the alchemy department professors attempt organ cultivation first. As for biological experiments, we can gradually try them later."
In his youth, he was a famous research maniac within the entire White Cup cult; the more taboo the project, the more it piqued his interest.
If not for the headmaster's responsibility towards students and faculty, this guy probably wouldn't care about safety issues at all...
Soon, Grantham thought of a new question.
"By the way, would she be willing to accept an honorary professorship at the academy?"
"After finishing the lecture, she excused herself to the restroom and then disappeared from the council chamber. I didn't find an opportunity to discuss this matter with her alone."
Terence reported the symposium situation truthfully.
This doctor's habit of appearing and vanishing without a trace indeed matched her mysterious, unpredictable identity. Arriving with interest, leaving when satisfied.
Although she left quietly, it also saved the White Cup cult some trouble with maintaining the disguise.
The identity Fran used during the symposium was that of a Stellar Abyss Society emissary, but in reality, the Stellar Abyss Society hadn't participated at all.
Fortunately, this cult was far away in Gormouth, chaotic and distant.
Even if some wanted to dig deeper into Dr. Fran's identity, they would likely struggle to find anyone to ask.
But if she had attended the subsequent banquet, she would inevitably face solicitation and probing from other secret cult disciples, increasing the White Cup cult's workload of maintaining the lie...
"Is that so... Then we'll ask next time."
Grantham stroked his beard, his expression quite regretful, seemingly still unwilling to give up.
Terence narrowed his eyes, raising a new point of doubt to momentarily distract the headmaster from his desire to cherish talent.
"Headmaster, there's something I'm concerned about."
"The payment this time was collected by Sister Haida on her behalf. But when we asked about the required spirit-infused materials, the two she requested were quite obscure. They were 'Siren's' hair-grey matter and 'Abyssal Descendant's' fang-grey matter... Do they have any special significance?"
Grantham seemed to have given this some thought as well, not surprised by the question.
"The God-Hunting God ascended the final step from the ashes of the Order of Dust. Therefore, secret arts and rituals under the Secrets-Hunter system often use spirit-infused grey matter as a medium; that's not strange."
"But both Sirens and Abyssal Descendants are nearly extinct; even our reserves don't have any. If my guess is correct, they're probably meant for studying some ancient secret art..."
At this point, he sighed regretfully again.
"As a result, we obtained a biological technology for just the cost of 800 standard silver coins. A gesture of goodwill, yet we ended up owing a favor."
"Oh, wait."
At this, he tapped his briarwood pipe to pack the tobacco tighter.
"Your history department should be heading to the library ruins with the Children of the Whiskered Tree soon. I think that doctor would also be interested in that."
"You mean..."
Terence looked at the thoughtful Grantham, couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly with concern.
---
Morning light was faint, the tide mist mingled with fine snow, carrying a hint of chill.
Overnight, a thin layer of white frost had formed on the clinic's doorstep.
Sigrid held a broom, quite dutifully sweeping the sparse fallen snow around the clinic.
But in fact, if she simply stood by the door for a while, the surrounding snow accumulation would quickly melt.
Similarly, Fran sometimes had her stand briefly beside laundry hung to dry. This not only sped up the drying but also gave the clothes a "sunny scent"... This skill was truly unique, something an ordinary maid couldn't do or learn.
As the snow melted away, she saw a tall, familiar figure approaching from the misty path, wearing a fleece-lined form-fitting nun's habit, a finely cut black scarf around her neck.
Sister Haida.
After brief greetings, the two entered the clinic. Sigrid conveniently flipped the wooden sign on the door to the "Open" side.
Not seeing Fran in the main hall, Haida asked Sigrid about her whereabouts.
"Is Dr. Fran still resting? How is her condition?"
Sigrid skillfully brewed her a cup of Winter Bud tea. Amidst the steaming mist of the boiling water, she explained Fran's current situation.
"The doctor got up very early today and is still in the operating room. As for the Flayer Curse... it's already cured now."
"I see."
Haida gave a slight nod, an inexplicable thread of worry quietly dissipating within her.
During a previous casual conversation with Fran, she learned that "C'tan" were personifications of cosmic rules, their energy essentially infinite and carrying a rule-like nature. Such beings... even the tiniest remnant thought was incredibly dangerous.
But if she could throw herself into research the next day, it likely meant she was truly fine.
"Hmm... Dr. Fran mentioned that if Sister Haida came to the clinic, she could take a look at her new research project for this quarter. Please follow me."
With that, Sigrid walked ahead down the corridor. Haida followed quite obediently behind her into the operating room.
Fran's operating room, besides its primary function of performing surgeries, often served other purposes.
Such as disassembling consultation fees, destroying hazardous items, and processing materials... Essentially, it functioned as a small, highest-configuration alchemical workshop.
Passing through the isolation passage and knocking open the door, what Haida saw first were several stark-white female human bodies and some animal limbs.
They were neatly displayed on tables, appearing twisted and grotesque. Some had disordered bone structures, some had organs protruding, like flawed products with errors from the creation stage.
She even heard the sound of a circular saw whirring, intense and harsh.
Biological experiments?
Haida's eyes focused, her brows immediately furrowing tightly.
In her childhood, she was nearly used as material by the alchemist Conan, leading to an almost natural aversion towards such biological experiments. While not quite traumatic stress, it was enough to cause discomfort.
"This one failed too... Is there a problem with my design concept?"
Fran muttered questioningly to herself, raising a pale, slender arm and attaching it to a torso.
Then, the back of her hand shimmered with the light of the alchemical formula Remelting and Reshaping. The originally separate flesh was thus joined together.
The next moment, this originally perfect flesh body began to mutate and deform. The facial features chaotically merged together, melted slurry of bone and flesh splattered forth accordingly, landing on her white coat and cheeks.
Watching this scene, Haida asked in a somewhat subdued tone.
"Dr. Fran... what are you doing?"
"Haida, you're here?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Fran slowly turned her head, her glossy lips curling into a slight smile.
If one ignored the still-warm blood plasma and bone fragments on her cheeks, this scene was actually quite warm...
Fran didn't directly answer Haida's question. Instead, she took her hand and led her to the experiment table. Simultaneously, she didn't forget to have Sigrid come observe the operational procedure as well, like a medical professor leading an anatomy class.
"Lately, I've been wanting to make a physical vessel for Luyala to use in the material world, but the precision in biological alchemy is somewhat hard to control. The defect rate is high, and the finished product's stability is also very concerning."
Her eyes lowered slightly, a flicker of regret passing through her amber gaze, but she wasn't discouraged.
"So, these people are..."
Haida looked at these human body materials ready for use, already having a rough guess in her heart.
"Prayer Hands I made long ago using cloning technology."
Hearing Fran's explanation, she then noticed that the dimensions and appearance of those female human bodies were quite similar to the doctor's.
"They were originally meant for replacement use when my body showed significant signs of aging. But before aging arrived, the proposition of Type I Immortality had already been overcome... These stockpiled materials became pretty useless."
"Might as well put them to good use, using them to assemble a material body for Luyala."
In her philosophy, Type I Immortality refers to not dying naturally due to lifespan limits.
Type II is avoiding bodily aging through continuous replacement of physical vessels. The latter process is cumbersome and risky, thus only serves as an emergency backup plan.
"So that's how it is."
+++
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