Fran did not blame her, but did not respond either. She merely held up the night-moth-grey veil with one hand, smiling wordlessly.
After a moment of thought, she finally spoke slowly.
"'Blood Plague' only manifests symptoms in vampire individuals over a century old, and the symptoms become more severe with age, peaking since the millennium."
"Early symptoms are a craving for drinking blood far exceeding physiological needs. Mid to late stages manifest as physical degradation and Evil Spawn transformation. Even high-ranking vampires with titles cannot completely escape its influence, correct?"
Rosalia raised a hand to cover her mouth, her deep red, nearly black eyes flashing with a hint of surprise.
"Yes, but... why are you so familiar with the specific symptoms of the Blood Plague?"
A Secrets-Hunter physician actually knew so much about the Blood Plague? But apart from within the Moon's Favored, only the White Cup cult should have relevant information... Did the Error-Purgers leak it?
With some suspicion, she glanced at Child beside her.
Looking at Child, who was scratching his face in confusion, Rosalia quickly reached a conclusion.
...The White Cup always kept their promises; the possibility of a leak was very small.
But why was Fran so familiar with the symptoms of the Blood Plague?
Accompanied by the will-o'-the-wisp-like flickering candlelight in the lamp, Fran began recounting her clinical experience.
"Previously, I was researching a genetic defect called 'Red Thirst.' I wanted to verify from vampire specimens... ahem, vampire patients, whether there was a clinical-level similarity between Red Thirst and the physiological need to drink blood."
"It's hard to find live vampires within Norlington, and even if there are, most are under the protection of the Budding Moon Covenant. However, sometimes there are one or two who don't follow the rules... Among them, one rather special individual gave me a bit of a surprise."
"During the physical examination, he displayed a pathological craving for blood, not giving up on continued feeding even though his body was completely sated. So I spent some time doing field research... eventually learning the details of the Blood Plague."
As an investigative reporter, Rosalia knew very well what "field research" represented.
Disguise, infiltration, theft of materials, recording images... all fell under this category. If Dr. Fran could get help from the Confidential Division, learning the secrets related to the Blood Plague wouldn't be difficult.
Rosalia sighed.
"Actually, the Blood Plague isn't some unmentionable secret; we just don't want to attract too much external attention. Since you have some research on it, you should also know how difficult it is to deal with."
"...I'm sorry for troubling you, Dr. Fran."
Fran's face was hidden under the veil, her expression obscured as if in mist, unclear.
"Miss Rosalia, you are overthinking. A doctor doesn't feel troubled... Because I am a diviner, for now, I do not offer services other than fortune-telling."
She paused slightly, lightly approached Rosalia, her gaze falling on the Molting Moon holy emblem on her neck.
"But, what if I said the Blood Plague is not incurable?"
"Impossible."
Rosalia responded decisively, seeming to have regained her composure.
"The ancient Moon's Favored even abandoned their physical bodies to escape the influence of the Blood Plague. But even after becoming pure spirits, they still could not shake off the craving for blood... Regardless of how resilient their souls were, they all degenerated into evil spirits over the centuries."
Fran wagged her slender index finger, neither confirming nor denying Rosalia's statement.
"Miss Rosalia, fate is in a state of endless change. Don't easily assert 'impossible.'"
"However, what price are you willing to pay for the answer to this question? Your soul, your life, or all the remaining time of your long life?"
In a daze, Rosalia felt a chill penetrating her limbs and bones. It was as if she would be made to pay the price the moment she agreed.
"I..."
"Shh." Fran placed her index finger in front of her lips, stopping her from finishing. "Before thinking it through completely, do not refuse or agree."
"It's still too early to discuss this. Relax a bit, Miss Rosalia, let's talk about something else first?"
Although Rosalia had asked to change the question right at the beginning, Fran hadn't responded then... And only now did she bring it up again.
In a conversation, the one who holds the dominant position has the right to ask questions.
The same sentence, whether asked or answered, can subtly influence the psychological direction of both parties. That's why interrogators emphasize "don't answer a question with a question."
"Mm." After a moment of silence, Rosalia decided not to continue this topic that made her feel endangered.
Coincidentally, there was something that had been on her mind lately.
"Then... please tell me what the new product launching in December at the 'Lark' dessert shop is."
Child beside her was slightly taken aback, surprised by the vast gap in Rosalia's questions.
From the "Blood Plague" concerning the survival of the Moon's Favored to a new product at some dessert shop, the drop was quite significant... But if seen as a kind of test, it could be somewhat explained.
"That is indeed an interesting question."
Fran tilted her head, her amber eyes flickering slightly.
...If it weren't for the diviner needing to maintain a mysterious image, she probably wouldn't be smiling so restrainedly.
Seeing that Fran didn't take out props like a pendulum or tarot cards as ordinary diviners would, Rosalia felt a bit curious.
"Lady Fran, don't you need to make any preparations in advance?"
According to the information provided by Professor Terence, if Dr. Fran were to perform hypnosis, she would take out a brass pocket watch. But now she was holding the veil with one hand, the other empty, seemingly not intending to do that either.
"If it were other questions, I might need to use props or enter dreams. But for this one... I'll tell you it's 'Kiwifruit Sundae.'"
Fran's tone was quite certain.
"Really? But... how do you know?"
Rosalia was somewhat puzzled by this, as this dessert shop's seasonal new products were always different.
"Will a magician reveal the tricks of their performance? Obviously not. Diviners are the same... I only provide answers, and I do not guarantee complete accuracy."
Upholding the diviner's consistent spirit of not taking responsibility, Fran deftly avoided further questioning from Rosalia, then turned to Child.
"So, Mr. Child, is there anything you wish to seek divination for?"
"I'd like to know if this year's teaching assistant assessment will go smoothly."
His question was very ordinary, but also very practical. After all, it concerned salary... which was important for every teaching staff member.
Oh, finally encountering a normal question about judging fortune? This question is simple, but Fran took it quite seriously. After all, this was the first time in her career she had encountered such a straightforward, unadorned question.
"What exactly is the content of your assessment?"
"Going to a ruin for field exploration and writing a research report. The content is roughly analysis of ancient relic characteristics and speculating on possible secret art principles."
Child answered as detailed as he could.
"Hmm... I understand the situation. Prepare to enter a dream. Compared to other forms, dream divination yields more accurate results."
Fran patted the small velvet bed beside her, signaling Child to lie down.
"Alright."
With his previous experience, Child was also quite familiar with the process, even more relaxed. Without the assistance of [Shepherd's Song], he could also gradually fall asleep within a few minutes.
In a daze, consciousness floated up from the reality world like mist and clouds, finally knocking on the door of dreams.
At this moment, Fran's eyes were slightly closed, her eyelashes joined, holding a brass pocket watch by its chain suspended above Child's forehead. A serene and tranquil aura spread intangibly, even Rosalia, observing from the side, felt an inexplicable, lingering drowsiness.
Dream divination was originally a technique only truly mastered by Mirror-Wipers, and the pocket watch relic she held was of the mental disturbance type... Perhaps it was a relic from the White Cup or Lamp-Moth sequences.
If she hadn't learned some information about this doctor in advance, Rosalia might even have thought Fran was a genuine Lamp cult Mirror-Wiper.
...
In the empty, narrow dream space, Luyala slowly walked past Fran, incidentally rubbing against her with her glassy blue fur.
"You worked hard. Next time you want snacks, go find Sister Haida again."
Fran lightly scratched Luyala's chin, causing her to shyly lift her head. The little deer's feel was soft and intoxicating, but unfortunately, she only appeared in the dream dimension and couldn't be touched in reality.
"Nah."
Luyala made a sound, then lifted her hooves, leading Fran step by step into the depths of Child's dream.
Past illusions were already as difficult to find as fragments, while future omens were even more elusive and traceless. Even though Luyala was a mythical creature capable of manipulating dreams, she could only catch a glimpse of future hints from the threads of fate.
The previously blurry surroundings gradually solidified into a knight clad in black armor.
He rode a tall white horse, advancing in an orderly manner. His posture was calm and slow, carrying a solemn dignity that was hard to look directly at.
The black-armored rider urged his warhorse straight towards Fran, but she just stood there, showing no intention of avoiding him.
The two figures passed through each other without any contact; the knight seemed to be just an illusion. Or perhaps Fran was the illusion.
After passing through Fran, the knight slowly removed his visor, revealing the pale, gaunt skeletal face within.
"Nah."
Luyala stamped her hoof, and the black-armored knight's figure instantly dissipated.
Dreams could record the past, so Luyala could relatively stably construct and reproduce certain scenes, like that doll workshop from the lost era last time.
As for the future that hadn't happened yet, she could only display the flow of fate in a more abstract form.
Clearly, the black-armored knight just now was some kind of ominous omen.
"So it seems... Young Mr. Child's teaching assistant assessment isn't looking too good. Does it mean there will be danger during the ruin exploration?"
Fran was quite interested in the potential dangers within the ruins. Hmm... need to find a way to infiltrate their history department's exploration team.
...
Fran and Child opened their eyes almost simultaneously, waking from the dream.
Rosalia sat quietly to the side, observing the entire dream divination session. But for some reason, that Burial Attendant who had been standing guard beside Fran gave her an extremely dangerous feeling.
Not like Haida's cold, murderous intent, nor like the suffocating pressure from the Burial Primus, but it just caused physical discomfort. After being there for just a while, she felt like taking stomach medicine...
Child got up from the bed, rubbing his slightly curly brown hair, inquiring about the results of this divination.
"Any findings, Dr. Fran?"
"It's hard to simply declare good or bad, but it can be foreseen... your teaching assistant assessment probably won't conclude peacefully."
As she spoke, Fran drew a card from the stack of tarot cards on the small table and handed it to Child.
A black-armored knight, a tall white horse, holding a black flag with a rose pattern... This was a Death card.
"That's really bad news..."
Child looked at the Death card in his hand, his expression somewhat complex. Although this card also had non-negative interpretations, most of the time it signified misfortune and calamity.
"Mr. Child, this card is all I can tell you; no additional interpretation is provided."
Maintaining a harmless, business-like smile, Fran began preparing to see her guests out.
"Today's divination service ends here. Thank you for your patronage. Please settle the fee with Miss Don."
Sigrid, understanding the cue, opened the door and led the two towards the corridor of the Mirror of Enlightenment Club.
As Rosalia got closer to Sigrid, that sense of discomfort grew stronger. Limbs felt weak and empty, thoughts chaotic, skin feverish, like a bad flu...
It wasn't until they left the Mirror of Enlightenment Club that these various symptoms eased.
"Whew." Feeling her condition return to normal, Rosalia let out a long sigh of relief, simultaneously feeling puzzled.
Why do I get strange sensations whenever I get close to that Burial Attendant?
And also...
When that doctor said the Blood Plague was not incurable, was it just a joke, or did it have deeper meaning?
….
After seeing Child and Rosalia off, Sigrid returned to the Mirror of Enlightenment Club.
Fran had now removed her veil but was still wearing the Lamp-Moth robe of a Mirror-Wiper. She and Dorothy had similar builds, so no alterations were needed; she could just take it and wear it... It must be said, the silk gauze produced in Ahanta was indeed very comfortable to wear.
"Dr. Fran, were you once a Mirror-Wiper of the Lamp cult?"
Sigrid came to one side of the divination table, somewhat curiously inquiring about Fran's past.
She could easily perform dream divination without the aid of rituals or secret arts, and with ordinary questions she could even directly tell the other party the result... This was a bit too professional.
Even Oracle Dorothy of the Mirror of Enlightenment Club might not be able to achieve this level. Could it be the doctor also had connections with the Lamp-Moth sect?
"Of course not. On the contrary, I don't much like dealing with those incomprehensible riddle-speakers of the Veiled Assembly."
Fran wagged her index finger, decisively denying it.
"'Dream Divination' is not my ability; it comes from a patient. She is right beside us now, just not present in 'reality.'"