Bang!
Chaotic deep yellow flames erupted from the eye slits of the mask, instantly blackening the entire mask.
Although Fran had stored the Frenzied Flame in the collection room, relying on the Frenzied Flame marks that once existed on her body, she could still summon the power representing maddening annihilation.
This mask wanted to erode her mind... to some extent, it ran headlong into "reactive armor."
Pale black smoke slowly rose, the air faintly carrying the smell of burnt feathers.
"Phew."
Fran gently exhaled a wisp of thin smoke, examining the mask that had just been roasted by the Frenzied Flame.
[Desire Mask (Damaged)]
[Quality: Fine]
[Contains the power of twisted desire. By pouring in spirituality or life force, one can overlay their own dreams onto reality and distort it. The consciousness it originally generated has been extinguished by the Frenzied Flame, leaving only a damaged shell. But it still retains some special effects...]
[Note: Courage is also ferocity, knowledge is also confusion, decay is also life, love is also desire. Uncontrolled emotions will uncontrollably fall into the abyss.]
"It seems collecting antiques is also a dangerous hobby."
Fran didn't look at the mask anymore, somewhat lacking interest as she casually tossed it to Themis beside her.
"What is it, Teacher?"
Looking at the mask in her hand, Themis asked somewhat puzzled.
"A graduation gift for you. I've already dealt with the consciousness it previously generated, reducing the danger. As for its use... experiment yourself."
Fran was no longer interested in this mask, so she gave it to Themis without any reservations.
A role like a midnight judge, how can one be without a mask... Clearly, she needed this relic more than Fran did.
"...I understand. Thank you."
Looking at the still-warm mask in her hand, Themis didn't refuse and accepted it obediently.
"But, what exactly was Count Ferdinand's situation..."
"How to describe it? It's a classic tragedy that isn't surprising."
Fran began to explain softly.
"Even the most positive, most ordinary desires can be catalyzed into depravity beyond reason under the right conditions."
A lover who is a feast for the eyes, desiring to embrace her, bury one's face in the fragrant hair on her shoulders to inhale her scent, taste her essence.
This should be an utterly ordinary emotion... but it can also, in endless distortion, mutate into "taste her flesh," devouring her into one's chest and belly, never to part.
The same goes for love for a daughter.
Protection is also possession, ultimately turning into violation.
That mass of bloated filth that fervently pursued the scent of jasmine silk flowers was precisely the manifestation of Ferdinand's desire in this regard.
"So, this relic is the source of the disaster?"
Davis asked, half wary, half curious.
"You could say that."
Fran gave a slight nod, confirming the young folklorist's statement.
She then looked at Ferdinand on the bed.
This Count trapped in delusions was no longer pursued by memories and conscience, peacefully closing his eyes... in an almost serene manner.
He had already lost breath and pulse, his body withered as if long dead.
Oh, it seems I accidentally ended up killing the patient again. Being a doctor is hard... But Count Ferdinand doesn't seem to have another family either. In a way, it can be said to avoid the risk of doctor-patient conflict...
Fran bit her lip slightly, her amber eyes narrowing stealthily, a flicker of inexplicable guilt passing through.
However, if death was what Ferdinand dreamed of, he got his wish. This situation wouldn't affect the completion rating of the house call.
"Since Ferdinand's illness has been cured, I should be going. Looking forward to meeting again, Themis."
"And you, Mr. Davis. If you have no plans to change professions, then all I can do is wish you live as long as possible..."
As she spoke, wisps of pale gray mist began to swirl around Fran.
Her figure also gradually merged into the mist, becoming ethereal and blurred.
"Oh, Themis. When handling the body, remember to check under the bed in my previous room. There might be a surprise... who knows."
Before the farewell words dissipated, the doctor had already vanished into the billowing pale mist.
Witnessing this scene, Davis's throat moved slightly. Although he tried to suppress it, shock continued to overflow from his heart.
Resolving the source of the disaster with just a touch, and this ability to summon mist... No wonder Ms. Themis had that level of confidence in her. But can humans truly master this level of mystery?
Or rather, is Dr. Fran... really human?
This manor trip dealt a massive blow to Davis's previously stable worldview, leaving him unable to regain his composure for a long time, like waking from a long dream.
Themis, on the other hand, didn't pay it much mind, since Fran left the same way last time...
But as for her teacher's parting advice, it was necessary to check.
A few minutes later, Themis stepped into the Count's daughter's room.
With Ferdinand's death and the Desire Mask losing most of its power, the dream-like delusion enveloping the manor had also dissipated completely.
The dollhouse could no longer reflect the surrounding situation in real-time, and most of the ceramic figurines placed inside had disappeared.
Following Fran's earlier instructions, Themis slowly bent down, bringing her eye close to the dark space under the bed.
Soon... she saw a curled-up girl's corpse, seemingly dried and withered for a long time. The dress the girl wore was exactly that silk gauze white dress that had appeared on Fran earlier.
At least this time, this child kept her breathing silent and wasn't discovered by the things in the manor...
Just as she was about to handle the daughter's body, a clear, light, childish voice quietly sounded by her ear.
"Miss... what are you doing in my room?"
——
[Count Ferdinand's delusions have been brought to an end. This year's first quarterly house call is completed. Completion: S. Your next monthly house call will be randomly triggered next month.]
[This visit's consultation fee: Unknown technology x1 (Fine quality. Unidentified)]
[Your Parsing Rate changes: Clinical Psychology (23% → 24%), Soul Sculpting (17.1% → 18%).]
——
Taking advantage of the gap while Fran was out, Sigrid browsed the books on the clinic's main hall bookshelf.
Although these texts might be called taboos or heresies in the outside world, those that could be displayed had undergone special treatment by Fran, posing no risk of polluting the mind.
As for the parts that couldn't be shown... they were buried deep in the collection room's depths, requiring her personal authorization to open.
The text Sigrid was currently holding was titled Introduction to Alchemy.
Such a harmless name made it appear utterly unremarkable on the shelf.
Like an introductory textbook for beginners, to prevent those newly exposed to alchemy from becoming walking bomb factories.
But she felt a different kind of allure from this book. An indescribable yearning, or perhaps a calling. Like the rich fragrance of roses, the sweetness of fine wine.
Opening this Introduction to Alchemy, one could see the author's name: "Gloria Hainison."
Most people with some understanding of mystical history have heard this name... He was a Grand Magus above High Priests, having stepped onto the Seventh Step.
Even during the Lost Age when the White Cup Cult was closest to the enlightenment of truth, Gloria, who believed in the senses, nearly touched the threshold of the final step single-handedly. But, at the moment before donning the deity's laurels... he went mad.
After that, he became a Sacred Spawn devoid of thought, perhaps the most powerful Sacred Spawn...
An introduction to alchemy written by such a person... was indeed highly attractive.
"Grand Magus Gloria... So this is a text from the Lost Age?"
Sigrid pursed her lips slightly, glancing back out the window.
Snow flurries like willow catkins drifted through Fog Street, only an impenetrable gray-white in sight. Luyala was curled up on the sofa where Fran often lay, covered with a blanket, seeming to have been asleep for a while.
Although Dr. Fran said the books on the main hall shelf were free for her to read, Sigrid still felt a twinge of inexplicable guilt at this moment...
She steadied herself, dispelling the somewhat messy thoughts, then focused her attention on the book in her hands.
In Grand Magus Gloria's philosophy, known alchemy could be roughly categorized into three types.
Namely, [Bio-Alchemy], [Material Alchemy], [Spirit-Alchemy].
But he himself also stated this classification wasn't absolute; some alchemical formulas required mastery of more than one discipline. For example, the Sun-Forgers Cult's closely guarded secret [Dawn Crimson Transmutation], which could forge spirit into matter... The final product of this formula was called the Philosopher's Stone.
Simultaneously, matter corresponds to "existence," so attempting to create something not existing in the material world was an extremely dangerous taboo. Even the slightest error could invite unimaginable disaster.
However, the ancestors of the Lost Age never feared so-called taboos.
In this book, Grand Magus Gloria did indeed record an incomplete taboo alchemical formula. Its name was... [Open the Gate of Nothingness].
The book's words were so ancient, yet so real, as if the Grand Magus himself were personally explaining the intricate mysteries of this world to you.
By the way, this Introduction to Alchemy was written in ancient Attilan language. If not for Sigrid being a Sun-Forgers Cult artisan with some exposure to it, anyone else would probably struggle to even understand the cover...
Moreover, Gloria's personal notes could only be placed next to recipe books...
At this moment, Sigrid gained a deeper understanding of the quality of Fran's book collection.
Just as she was about to turn to the next page, she suddenly felt a warm breath brush past her ear.
It seemed... someone was standing behind her. Sigrid turned her head, directly meeting those cunning amber eyes.
"Sigrid, what are you sneaking around doing?"
Fran's voice drifted leisurely.
When moving, this doctor often maintained a feline-like posture, so much so that not just footsteps, but even opening doors were silent. It was easy to suddenly startle others inadvertently.
Now her face held a trace of a smile, seemingly not minding the maid's search for reading material on the bookshelf. After all, things placed in the main hall were meant to be seen. If anything, she rather encouraged this behavior.
"Ah..."
Sigrid gave a slight start, calming down only after seeing the familiar figure.
"Dr. Fran, your house call this time was so quick. It feels like you just left the clinic and came back."
"Sigrid, for you, that's true. But I spent almost a whole night in a haunted manor. And during that time, I was chased by a pedophile slime monster."
Fran explained lazily, then stretched wearily, arching her back.
"No matter how long you spend at the quarterly house call location, only ten minutes pass on Fog Street. You'll understand when I take you along next quarter."
As she spoke, she slowly walked toward the main hall sofa, planning to sit for a while.
Then, Fran saw Luyala curled up with her hooves tucked in, lying in her most frequented spot, most of her body nearly sinking into the soft velvet cushion.
Now her chest and abdomen, along with her eyelashes, rose and fell evenly with her breathing, occasionally subconsciously tightening the blanket...
What enviable sleep quality.
Fran didn't disturb Luyala in her deep slumber. After instructing Sigrid to brew a pot of tea, she began to unpack the consultation fee from this visit.
Fees in the form of technology were purely informational, posing no danger.
Even if the obtained technology was about manufacturing dangerous things like "Geller Pox," there was no need to worry about the storage medium being contaminated.
[Combi-Stake Crossbow. STC Fragment.]
[Quality: Fine]
[This STC fragment contains manufacturing methods for bolt weapons and special crossbows. The resulting product exhibits a composite state, capable of combining the characteristics of the aforementioned two weapon types.]
[Note: This STC does not include ammunition manufacturing methods, hehe. :-D.]
Looking at the metal-hard-drive-like object in her hand, Fran narrowed her eyes, lightly pinching her chin, her expression unreadable.
"An STC fragment. Luck is still pretty good. My streak of bad luck these past two years really hasn't been acting up. But not providing ammunition manufacturing methods... that's a bit too malicious..."
Seeing her intently gazing at the object in her hand, Sigrid, who was approaching with the teapot, couldn't help but lean in slightly with curiosity.
+++
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