After obtaining the memory information contained within the blood of Regis's heart, Jude formed a genuine and deep impression of that White Cup professor named Flamel.
She was the same type of research maniac as Grantham.
In pursuit of the truth she upheld, she would not hesitate to pay any price, nor would she care about trampling any worldly norms. Adhering to an almost insanely pure rationality.
Such people would undoubtedly be powerful and reliable allies, but simultaneously, their existence would also be accompanied by unpredictable danger.
Marquis Jude's gaze was momentarily somewhat complex.
Just as he was still in deep thought, he suddenly heard Edros's voice from the bed in the bedroom.
"...Father?"
Not a murmur upon waking, but a mumbling-like sleep talk.
The Blood Plague curse was deeply ingrained, having deeply eroded Edros's consciousness and intellect. And although the Carapace Kind extract's psychic elements could cure the Blood Plague, Moth-phase psychic energy itself carried the trait of inducing madness.
Therefore, he wouldn't awaken so quickly.
Confirming Edros's vital signs remained stable, without any abnormalities, Jude left the bedside and returned to sit at the desk.
He picked up a refined fountain pen engraved with a crescent moon pattern and began writing on a letter.
To Grantham.
Thank you for the gift sent to Moldway. I have felt the sincerity of the White Cup cult. All Moon's Favored tormented by the Blood Plague will pay respect to your sect's efforts in this regard. Please wait a while; our reciprocation will not be too late.
Simultaneously, your envoy, Ms. Flamel, displayed extraordinary talent and ability, worthy of the honorary professor title.
I hope that in the more distant future, she, like yourself, will also abide by and uphold the ancient covenant we signed under the Budding Moon.
— Jude Nolaria.
As he had been acquainted with Grantham for nearly two hundred years, Jude's writing format was quite casual, not deliberately using honorifics.
After finishing, he sealed the letter and then stamped it with the Nolaria family's sealing wax.
Then, Jude condensed a drop of blood on his fingertip and drew a simple ritual on the desk connecting to the Between-Worlds. As crimson faint light flickered, a messenger resembling a bat emerged from the ritual and carried off the letter.
—
Moldway, Vanfena Street, Marquis Jude's Private Library.
At first, Fran's idea was to save some time—after hearing those old stories from Marquis Jude, she would regroup with Haida and the others. But then she thought, since it wouldn't cause too much delay anyway, she might as well take this opportunity to browse the Moon's Favored's book collection.
After Rosalia presented Jude's token, the guards outside the library quickly permitted entry.
Different from a public library's standard setup, this was a smaller-scale library, collecting only materials Jude considered valuable. Upon entering, there were no guards or administrators following; one had to search for documents on their own.
Entering the unmanned depths of the library, Rosalia couldn't help but ask somewhat puzzledly to Fran beside her.
"Dr. Fran... Why did you call yourself Flamel, and even claim to be a White Cup honorary professor?"
"Oh, an impromptu joke. But Flamel was indeed a name I used before."
Fran said lightly.
Rosalia pursed her lips, finding this explanation somewhat hard to believe.
Joking like that with the actual controller of the Nolaria family, an active Moon's Favored Marquis...
Although Marquis Jude's speech and demeanor gave an approachable feeling, he was after all an ancient superior being who had stood firm for a millennium among the Moon's Favored. Having experienced innumerable deceptions and slaughters, he was also the ultimate victor of countless secret wars.
Playing with lies in front of such an existence, isn't this doctor's guts somewhat too bold? But... her state didn't seem like ignorant arrogance.
If one had to describe it, it was more akin to having something to rely on, thus fearless.
Thinking of this, a guess arose in Rosalia's mind.
Could it be... she actually really is a White Cup honorary professor? The Secrets-Hunter's medical examiner is some sort of side job to deceive others?
Just as the reporter lady was immersed in her thoughts, Fran had already arrived at the area she was looking for. The wooden bookshelves here were engraved with the holy emblem of the Six-Eyed Crow cult, indicating the stored materials were related.
"Hmm... Let me see if Marquis Jude's collection has any materials related to the Oak-Shadow Nest."
In Moldway's highest echelons of power, the Oak-Shadow Nest's location couldn't be considered an overly important secret; directly asking Jude could yield a quick and convenient answer. But Fran hadn't brought it up at the time.
The reason was also simple... she was planning to commit some mischief at the Oak-Shadow Nest. Asking about it rashly would likely make Jude easily associate it with her afterward.
Although it wouldn't lead to direct suspicion that she was the mastermind, Fran didn't want to attract too much unnecessary attention.
After nearly half an hour of consultation, she found related content about the Oak-Shadow Nest on a parchment-made note. Judging by the tone of the notes, it was probably Jude's personal handwriting.
"April 15th, responding to the 'Remaining Eye' High Priest's request, I went to the Six-Eyed Crow's core gathering place, the Oak-Shadow Nest."
"To be honest, I find it somewhat hard to understand why these guys would use their headquarters to also hold the Full Moon Auction. But considering the deity they worship also has similar behavior... it all seems fairly reasonable."
"The specific location is the ancient oak forest south of Moldway's outskirts. At the foot of the highest oak tree enveloped in pervading night fog, recite the prayer to enter the hidden realm."
"Where the oak shadows converge, dark as deep dusk. All things will be forgotten, just as fate is unpredictable. However, the crow shadows here will remember everything."
"Besides the prayer, a sufficiently weighty token is also needed. At least one must be an honored guest of the First Perch to have the qualification to enter. One more point: the Oak-Shadow Nest's gate can only be knocked open at dawn or the beginning of the month."
"Oh, their stuff is so expensive, and I spent another large sum of money on a few things I have no idea if they'll even work."
After memorizing the content, Fran rolled up this scroll-like note and casually put it back in its place.
"The intelligence I needed to know is mostly known. How to proceed with further arrangements... Forget it, since I'm already here, I might as well read through the other documents too, in case there are any omissions later."
The Moon's Favored's long-lived species trait gave their secret history materials extremely high credibility, and consulting them was also much more convenient. Naturally, Fran wouldn't easily give up this opportunity...
Under her diligent browsing, she even found a detailed dossier on the assassination of the Moldway Crown Prince several years ago.
"Murphy Don Gellingson. Crown Prince of the Moldway Royal Family."
"Through some indirect investigations, it has been confirmed that the Murphy in the capital Moldway is a body double personally chosen by him. He himself would go irregularly to the current 'fallen city' Morien to arrange his own ascension ritual."
"Judging from the outcome, he likely intended to transform himself into a pure mythical creature through the blood and spirit of an entire city, to touch a more ancient life."
"Amidst the black tide composed of tsunamis, thunder, and Abyssal Sea aberrations, Murphy's head was severed by the Burial Primus of the Burial Court."
Looking at this brief text, Fran couldn't help but narrow her eyes, her expression subtle.
Oh... So the fall of Morien and the Crown Prince's assassination by the Chief Hunter aren't two separate events, but one. Always being involved in events of this level without pause, no wonder Ahern has been so busy these past few years.
Rosalia beside her, though she initially forced herself not to look, later couldn't resist the strong curiosity under Fran's indirect invitation and browsed through this extremely weighty case dossier.
After reading it, she first was stunned for a moment, then felt a chill creeping up her spine.
So... Mr. Jude actually already knew the specific situation of the fallen city? Also, that Crown Prince didn't die from a sudden illness, but by the hand of the Burial Primus?
The implications here were too deep; merely glancing at it made Rosalia feel uncontrollable palpitations, worrying about being disposed of afterward.
"Rosalia, it's just a piece of secret news; no need to pay too much attention."
Fran comforted her.
"People die every moment in this world; it's just that this time, it was a Crown Prince pursuing taboos. Look on the bright side; the reason Mr. Jude had you stop investigating this... was to some extent to protect you."
After quite mentally imprinting in detail the entire library, Fran went to a door in the library and lightly snapped her thumb and middle finger together.
With a clear snap, grayish, mottled Mist Within the Door gradually spread.
Before leaving, she didn't forget to instruct Rosalia beside her.
"By the way, dear Miss Rosalia. Although I personally don't mind, regarding my identity and what you saw in the library today, it's best not to speak of it, okay? This is also for your safety."
Then, under Rosalia's nearly dazed gaze, Fran stepped into the hazy, ethereal mist.
...
Norlington Central Academy, Headmaster's Study.
At this moment, Grantham was concentratedly writing secret art theory, continuously conducting small-scale tests using the ritual arrays on his own body.
[Construct Dream Slumber], [Hyperthymesia], [Mystic Stairway]—these three forbidden first-category rituals were simultaneously etched onto his body, blending with each other, almost forming a single entity.
If not for the White Cup falling into the eternal dream, Grantham would undoubtedly have already ascended to Apostle rank, no longer trapped by his aged physical shell.
But even so, his lifespan had already surpassed the vast majority of fifth-tier practitioners. These three forbidden rituals were the "cornerstones" stabilizing his form from complete collapse.
Just as Grantham dipped his quill in ink, preparing to continue refining this secret art material, one of the ritual arrays on his desk suddenly flickered with psychic light—it was the "gate" prepared for Between-Worlds messengers.
"So late, probably someone from the Moon's Favored looking for me. Hmm... Among the Molting Moon cult, the one holding my beacon would only be that guy Jude."
Soon, a bat-like messenger confirmed his guess.
"Indeed."
Grantham took the letter carried by the bat, then casually picked a grape from a small bamboo basket nearby and handed it to the bat.
Upon receiving the grape, the messenger licked its lips and eagerly swallowed it, causing its entire physique to visibly plump up.
Generally, Jude would only specially write to him when encountering important situations, and they were most likely not good news. That guy would only think of him when facing a complete mess he couldn't handle...
Thinking this, he used a light, sharp silver knife to opened the letter's sealing wax.
The amber light of the lamp candle slowly swayed. Grantham quickly read the letter's content. Afterward, he couldn't help but slightly narrow his eyes, his expression also showing a trace of bewilderment.
This was a letter of thanks, and the content was completely beyond his expectations.
Honorary professor, White Cup's envoy, curing the Blood Plague, and Flamel...
Grantham lightly tapped the wooden desk, his deep gaze faintly shifting, quickly sorting out this letter's information.
Flamel was the pseudonym Dr. Fran used during the previous academic symposium. According to Terence, she had indeed recently gone to Gormouth. And she even took that guy Nifel's Leviathan.
So, it was her, using the identity of a White Cup honorary professor, who treated the Blood Plague in front of Jude?
Even relying solely on the fragments in the letter, Grantham still accurately deduced and filled in the entire event's situation. Upon learning all this, the first emotion to surface in his mind was not displeasure... but excitement.
Dr. Fran had contacted Jude using the honorary professor title, indicating she didn't resist it; there was a possibility she might truly accept this title.
That doctor possessed technology almost not belonging to this era. Whether it was the Larraman's Organ displayed at the symposium or the current method of solving the Blood Plague... they were by no means something ordinary doctors could possess.
She might be an ancestor who had survived since the Lost Age, the Medicae Primus of the Secrets-Hunter cult, or some other type of secret existence...
Therefore, Grantham had always dedicated himself to maintaining a friendly and stable connection with her.
Besides that, he also felt a strange sense of familiarity toward this doctor, though they should have never met before.
The current urgent matter was to think of a way to solidify this honorary professor title...
After pondering for a moment, Grantham picked up a letter paper and began writing a reply.
To Marquis Jude.
I am undeserving of such praise; the White Cup cult merely did what was within its capabilities. To tell the truth, it is truly shameful; the specific therapy for the Blood Plague was almost completed by Professor Flamel single-handedly. We only provided insignificant material support.
Every Error-Purger will be the loyal upholder of the Budding Moon Covenant; please Your Lordship need not worry. The Blood Plague therapy is our sincerity on display. Even after my death, my successors will not betray the oath. Of course, I hope this sincerity is mutual.
Finally, I hope to see your reciprocation as soon as possible. Our list of required materials is listed below... If your storehouse lacks some, please do not mind; only sincerity is the true priceless thing.
— Grantham Isaac.
After writing, he sealed the letter and handed it to the little bat beside him, already drowsy from waiting.
Although the White Cup cult indeed did nothing in this process, since they had obtained Jude's favor and consent, Grantham had to seize this opportunity to make that old vampire cough up a substantial amount.
After completing the reply process, he immediately took out a blank academy file from a drawer, preparing to have Terence forge Professor Flamel's personal record.
After this, Dr. Fran would be a registered honorary professor...
+++
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