Since Detreka can be considered an insider, she could serve as a "guide" for finding the Six-Eyed Crows. And after I make contact with the cult, I won't need the thief lady's help for other matters...
"That's not difficult... The most recent gathering is tomorrow evening. According to our cult's custom, the specific start time will be at moonrise during the full moon."
With a certain inexplicable sense of guilt, Detreka explained the situation regarding the cult gathering.
But this feeling was fleeting; she didn't have many other sentiments. Having lived at the very bottom of Foy since childhood, she had discarded most principles like faith and honor, instead engaging in pure profit-seeking and harm-avoidance.
"Tomorrow?" Upon hearing this, Fran thought for a moment and quickly reached a conclusion.
"Hmm... because tomorrow is also a full moon. Then it's settled, I'll come find you tomorrow afternoon. As for Bartley, I'll leave him with you for now."
Saying this, she looked around this somewhat simple and crude little cabin.
Although the furnishings and furniture seemed somewhat old, there was no dust, and the space wasn't too small. At least leaving Bartley here wouldn't be too cramped.
"Detreka, do you usually live here?"
"Yes, this is the accommodation the cult recommended to me. Cheap, and hidden."
When saying this, the thief lady didn't show any shyness or similar emotion due to the house's simplicity. After all, for someone like her... having her own place in Foy was already extremely rare.
"By the way, Ms. Vivian... If you're just going to take something, please don't harm the other 'Snatchers' of the cult. Some of them gave me a lot of help when I was starting out."
After saying this carefully, Detreka secretly looked up to gauge Fran's expression.
In matters of life and death, she would prioritize her own safety first. And only under that premise... would she try to secure some benefit for those who had helped her.
Fran just maintained her usual calm smile, her amber gaze like the faint light of a lamp, difficult to fathom.
"Of course. I never intended to use violence on your comrades."
"Violence and harm are direct and efficient methods. But obtaining what one wants that way isn't 'borrowing.' The word 'stealing' is more appropriate. In most cases, I prefer to use more gentle methods."
Hearing this, Detreka slightly relaxed, her expression also showing a hint of gratitude.
"Thank you for your understanding..."
If Fran were going to another cult, this thief lady would never risk pleading for mercy for them.
But the Six-Eyed Crows had indeed given her some help in her youth, preventing her from ending up in the entertainment district like some lower-class women in Foy Port, relying on selling her body and looks for meager compensation.
And Detreka had harbored a certain inexplicable obsession since childhood: she must not become like them. The reason was also simple: her mother was one of that profession.
"Oh, this is an advance payment. Consider it a bonus for saving Bartley too."
Saying this, Fran took out a check from Norlington Central Bank from her physician's coat pocket, with a face value of 300 silver coins. This was payment from the General Affairs Division from a previous house call, though she hadn't cashed it at the bank yet.
For those in straitened economic situations, money was indeed the most effective direct motivator. And for those who assisted her, Fran was never stingy in treatment.
Of course, she would consider the scale of the reward based on the value provided, certainly not bottomlessly generous.
After all, her usual savings habits were quite careless; she often enthusiastically collected ancient coins that were not in circulation at all. It was only because the Secrets-Hunters gave several large consultation fees last year that her economic situation became more comfortable...
Upon seeing this check printed with the image of the first Meredith, Detreka's gaze momentarily froze, her breathing also became slightly heavier. A moment later, she remembered to accept it.
"Thank you for your generosity, Ms. Vivian..."
"When facing deserved rewards, there's no need to be too polite, right?"
Fran gently placed her index finger on her lips, not letting her continue her words of thanks.
Finally, all the tasks for tonight were done, and she could return to the Dreamslumber Flowers Hotel to rest.
With a hint of weary fatigue, she raised a hand to cover a yawn and left Detreka's residence with Munin.
—
Stepping out of the swirling, illusory gray mist, Fran manifested her form at Room 408 of the Dreamslumber Flowers Hotel.
After establishing a branch in Foy, she could now travel through the city's various corners via the Mist Within the Door. However, it wasn't as convenient as in Norlington, as this ritual had just started operating recently and wasn't stable yet.
While walking back to Room 427 in the hallway, she couldn't help but recall some of the information Detreka had mentioned.
The Six-Eyed Crows' headquarters' code name is "Oak-Shadow Nest," which is actually quite thought-provoking. Because according to ancient epics, the deity they worship resides on an oak tree, indicating a close relationship between the two.
Looking at it this way, Karmion's "Convergence Theory" can even find some historical basis. After all, there is indeed a widespread tendency among cult followers to imitate the deities they worship.
Lost in thought, Fran arrived at the door of Room 427. She easily opened the locked door and entered the room.
Vivian had already gone to sleep after bathing, while Haida was still reading [Aphoristic Silence].
The nun had now removed the robe loaded with heavy armaments, wearing only a thin and simple undergarment, through which the black-patterned underwear was faintly visible.
"Haida, still not resting? You should maintain your good habit of going to bed early."
Fran took off her physician's coat and placed it on the nearby coat rack. Munin on her shoulder also very conscientiously returned to the side of Vivian's bed.
"My study of [Mechanized Spirit] has reached the final bottleneck stage; I still need to consolidate some content."
Seeing the doctor return, Haida put down the ash-colored tome in her hands and looked at her.
The nun's nostrils flared slightly, sniffing lightly in the air, as if sensing a discordant, abnormal scent.
"Dr. Fran, you have the scent of blood on you."
"The ritual array for summoning the gray mist requires a lot of blood, so it's normal to get some scent on you..."
Fran slightly averted her gaze, as if trying to gloss over the topic.
"No, not yours."
Haida slowly walked up to Fran, sniffed again near her ear a few times, before her hazel-colored gaze gradually became certain.
"Muddled and chaotic, it's the scent of the 'Moth'."
"Oh... so sharp. It seems I should have done some extra handling after completing the treatment."
Seeing Haida had given a definitive answer, Fran decided not to conceal further.
In fact, the reason she hadn't intended to tell Haida earlier was mainly to create some sense of surprise for the nun. Purely out of mischief, without much deeper meaning.
It's just that this nun possessed a profiling talent related to empathetic spiritual knowledge, making her unbelievably sharp in certain aspects.
Fran walked over to the coffee table by the floor-to-ceiling window and slowly sat down, beginning to recount the events of the night.
"Earlier on the street, I encountered a Moth cult follower eroded by Sacred Spawn remnants. Out of humanitarian consideration, I helped restore her health... Look, this is the medical waste she had removed."
Saying this, she took out a ferocious and bizarre mandible carapace from her medical kit. It appeared to be the chewing mouthparts of some lacewing insect.
On this piece of carapace, some traces of blood were still faintly visible.
"It is indeed Sacred Spawn remnants..."
If Vivian saw this thing, her level of fright would surely rise rapidly. But Haida, as the longest-serving Head Nurse currently around Fran, had long possessed extraordinary tolerance.
After being only slightly surprised for a moment, she took it and began scrutinizing it carefully.
This mouthpart was filled with sharp conical teeth; even in death, it seemed to hold the power to chew flesh and blood. The bloodstains splattered on it were partly transparent, partly showing a strange mustard yellow.
"Carapace Kind, the Moth's followers from the Age of Order of Dust."
Looking at the quite serious expression on Haida's face, Fran explained the origins of this remnant.
"Crimson is the color of flowing life, but the blood of these creatures tends towards golden. As for why this one's blood appeared as a dull mustard yellow, it's probably due to insufficient fusion..."
Looking at this can-be-called-ferocious severed limb, Haida found it somewhat hard to imagine what state the person being treated was now in...
"Oh, right. Bartley was attacked by this creature and will probably need some time to recover."
Saying this, Fran casually returned the blood-stained mandible to her medical kit.
Hearing this, Haida was momentarily puzzled and immediately pressed for details.
"The owner of this remnant clashed with Mr. Bartley? But... why?"
"Probably hired by someone. I was too engrossed in the treatment at the time to pay attention to that aspect."
Fran sometimes seemed uninterested towards matters outside her objective. Moreover, she had just expended a large amount of blood to draw the ritual array at the time, her mental state was a bit poor, so she didn't conduct a too detailed interrogation.
At this moment, Haida also noticed the doctor's unusually pale complexion. She seemed sickly, with slightly darkened circles under her eyes.
"Dr. Fran, your condition isn't good... Did you consume too much spirituality?"
Her expression held some concern.
Although Fran herself was the most excellent doctor, perhaps precisely because of that, she never seemed to cherish her own body. Always enthusiastically throwing herself into extremely dangerous affairs.
"Yes. Establishing the Mist Street ritual is the type with high spiritual demand... I really do need to rest now. Goodnight, Haida."
"Goodnight." Haida responded concisely.
After saying this, Fran stretched out her arms, stretching her waist like a feline, then began taking off her clothes, putting on that thin little bear-patterned nightgown.
Yes, she really had nightgowns prepared in her medical kit, and not just one set...
After completing simple preparations, Fran lay down in the Dreamslumber Flowers Hotel's soft velvet bed, casually pulling the quilt over her shoulders.
As her long eyelashes interlaced and closed, even breathing sounds quietly arose... Moments later, she entered deep sleep.
...
In the realm of dreams.
Fran felt the pillow under her neck was too soft, and carried a somewhat intoxicating warmth. Besides that... it seemed to have life, as if slowly pulsating with the rhythm of breathing.
But she didn't mind this abnormal sensation; instead, she quite comfortably continued maintaining her lying posture.
Normally, this doctor didn't need sleep to recover stamina and spirituality. But when she truly felt exhausted and determined to sleep, any interfering action would anger her...
After some time, when Fran opened her eyes contentedly, she found herself already in the dream world. And that surprisingly soft "pillow" was Luyala's belly covered in fine white down.
"Nah."
Luyala gently licked Fran's cheek, as if asking if she wanted to sleep a little longer.
Leaving other domains aside, just regarding "sleep," it's probably difficult to find a mythical creature more well-versed in this than Luyala. In the dreams she created, even the rate of spiritual recovery seemed to increase.
"What is it, Luyala?"
Fran gently stroked the fur on Luyala's neck. She could feel the fatigue brought by establishing the gray mist ritual rapidly melting away.
However, she probably didn't summon her just to need a sleeping buddy. It likely had something to do with the silver mirror containing the fragment of the Ant Door.
"Nah!"
Luyala raised her head, showing the scene before her eyes to the doctor still pillowing on her body.
It was a majestic and rugged staircase, formed from blades and shattered, sharp glass fragments. On one side, one could see a vast and desolate blankness, as if an untouched blank canvas.
"The gate is incomplete, and what lies beyond it is too..."
Fran gazed at that void-like scene, deep in thought.
"The Age of the Order of Dust when the 'Wood' had not yet concealed itself is too distant; related content needs careful recollection. Let me think, the scene around the Ant Door, besides the 'Blade Staircase'... seems to be the 'River in the Painting'."
"Hmm... this river is gone. Was it lost in the shattering, or... stolen by someone?"
—
The following noon.
After agreeing to Fran's request, Detreka slept uneasily all night, excitement and fear each half.
Excited that the lady from the Confidential Division might be planning something earth-shattering; for a Six-Eyed Crows follower, being able to participate in such a thing was indeed thrilling just to think about... As for fear, it was worry about the possible dangers involved.
Would she be used as a pawn to be discarded? What would happen after everything was over?
Even if pursued by the Six-Eyed Crows, Ms. Vivian could just return to Norlington; generally, no 'Snatcher' would dare go to a hunters' city to seek trouble. But would she be punished as a traitor?
But matters had progressed to this point, and Detreka knew she had no way back.
Since she had already received payment, she could only go down this path to the end... Trying to run away midway might have even worse consequences.
After all, hunters were mostly well-versed in tracking; she had had two long contacts with Ms. Vivian; perhaps she was already marked.
"Might as well run away directly after this job. 300 Norlington silver and an ancient gold coin are enough for me to move to another city..."
Detreka licked her lips, finally settling her thoughts.
"Speaking of which, how's that older gentleman doing?"
She thought about it. Now, Ms. Vivian was her employer, and that hunter older gentleman was the employer's colleague. By that layer of relationship... she and he could at least be considered on the same side for now.
+++
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