"The March in Norlington is still in the depths of winter, just like the day when Fran treated Haida, when heavy snow always arrives unexpectedly, accompanied by a biting cold wind.
But by April, the temperature begins to rise at a visibly rapid pace.
This change is evident, as the gentle breeze brushing past carries with it a long-lost warmth, reminiscent of the lingering heat deep in one's palms, intoxicating and slightly inebriating.
It heralds the departure of the long, cold, and desolate winter days, as a brand new cycle begins to unfold...
For this reason, many sects have the custom of holding the Plum Moon Festival.
They celebrate a festival of sorts at some point in April to mark the New Year. To some extent, the spring exhibition at the Central Museum in Norlington is the "Plum Moon Festival" of the White Cup Sect.
Professors from the Academy's high tower present esoteric knowledge to the public in a limited way, while dedicating the majority of their efforts to promoting the latest technological and academic achievements.
The White Cup's festival does not require rituals or animal sacrifices, as the sleeping deity does not care.
For the past thousand years since the beginning of this era, the only command issued by the White Cup is to strive to allow more humans to glimpse enlightenment, and to free more independent thoughts from the shackles of ignorance."
Beyond this, there have been no further divine decrees. Even the near-divine apostles can only hear meaningless murmurs akin to dreamlike whispers.
——
Mysticism Exhibition Area, Central Museum of Norlington.
Although the White Cup Sect has little interest in showcasing mysticism to the public, this is, after all, the annual Spring Festival. Thus, they have made considerable preparations for this exhibition area, with no hint of negligence.
Disrespect for knowledge is tantamount to blasphemy against the White Cup.
Most of the exhibits this time are auxiliary third-class ritual templates, with the core prayers in the central area redacted. Visitors can only vaguely grasp their general effects through the descriptions provided below.
In addition, there are some completely harmless "relics" among the exhibits.
Having passed rigorous stability tests, visitors are even allowed to directly interact with these relics, and the museum does not object to such engagement.
Beside the display, a young girl dressed in the tight-fitting robe of a funeral attendant is fiddling with a strange machine resembling a vending machine.
She inserts two standard silver coins into the slot, and soon the machine emits a series of faint mechanical noises. After a slight vibration, a paper tray pops out from the dispensing slot below.
On the tray lay a steaming slice of pizza, with a generous layer of cheese slightly browned at the edges, presenting a rather appealing appearance.
The girl extended her hand, marked with numerous stitches, picked up the pizza, and took a bite.
"It's pineapple-flavored, huh…"
Fran narrowed her eyes slightly, seemingly exasperated.
However, out of a fundamental respect for food, she finished the entire slice. After all, its craftsmanship and seasoning were passable—it wasn't unpalatable.
This mechanical device is called the "Automatic Meal Dispenser," a relic confirmed by the White Cup Sect to be harmless and one of the exhibits. The specific details are as follows:
[Automatic Meal Dispenser]
[Quality: Common]
[Effect: Insert two standard silver coins, and the machine will dispense a meal for you. The dishes it provides are completely non-toxic, indistinguishable from real food, and slightly superior in craftsmanship. However, the flavors are often peculiar, including but not limited to 'strawberry-flavored mapo tofu,' 'stinky tofu sweet rice dumplings,' 'milk tea-filled soup dumplings'...]
[Note: "You may not be able to please everyone, but you can certainly disappoint everyone, hee."]
"Regarding the dishes mentioned, pineapple pizza is relatively normal; should I say it's lucky…?"
Fran extended her delicate pink tongue to lick her fingertips, savoring the lingering sweetness.
Most of the relics in the mysticism exhibition area are quite similar to this machine, with effects that range from useful to useless.
Nervous, nonsensical, and inexplicably bizarre… but that's quite normal; things that can be safely exhibited mostly have such characteristics.
"Miss Sister of the Seekers, are you here to participate in the Spring Exhibition at the Central Museum?"
An elderly man in faded dark green military attire approached Fran, curious to ask.
"Actually, we are employed by the White Cup Sect to ensure security across the various exhibition areas. I just spotted an interesting exhibit during my rotation break and decided to give it a try."
Fran scratched her cheek, lowering her eyebrows with a somewhat shy smile, looking like a young nun caught daydreaming.
"Ha ha, thank you to the Seekers for your contribution to Norlington's public safety. Without you, this vast city would soon be hollowed out by outsiders…"
"You're too kind. Hunting the wicked and protecting the living—these are the ancient tenets followed by the Seekers."
Fran gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment.
The elderly man clearly noticed her shyness; he smiled kindly and then slowly walked with his cane to another exhibition area.
"The young ones from the Seekers' Order are truly driven. This funeral attendant is so young, yet her hands and neck are marked with stitched wounds… But the battles against heretics are indeed brutal and bloody. Surviving is a blessing in itself."
He sighed with a touch of pity, his aged but upright figure gradually disappearing into the bustling crowd.
Fran quickly shed the youthful shyness she had displayed in front of the old man, returning to her usual relaxed and carefree demeanor.
She was all too familiar with the image of a reserved young nun, and slipping into such a role for a short time came naturally to her. Whether in words or demeanor, she could effortlessly maintain a flawless act.
Fran continued her solo tour of the exhibition, finding great interest in these peculiar relics.
She could discern the actual effects of the relics through the system's item descriptions. If any exhibit held enough value to pique her interest… she wouldn't mind sending the Norlington Central Museum a phantom thief's calling card and choosing a dark and stormy night to strike.
However, from what she had seen so far, the exhibited relics seemed to be nothing but nonsensical curiosities… The White Cup Sect had likely anticipated such things.
...
The mysticism exhibition area was mostly filled with young people, their curiosity for things beyond common knowledge burning brightly. Some writers of supernatural fiction also came here seeking inspiration.
For ordinary people who do not follow the orthodox faith, this place is nearly the only safe way to access a wealth of mystical knowledge.
From time to time, those who were gazing at the exhibits would look up at Fran, only to quickly turn their heads away. After all, it's impolite to stare at a lady for too long.
The funeral attendant's attire was indeed quite eye-catching, easily drawing attention. But the advantage was that it allowed her to pass through the museum's security checkpoints directly, without further inspection.
Fran's small medical kit contained a bit too many contraband items, but leaving it behind felt strange, as if something important was missing…
"The Seekers' nun robe is truly elegant and well-made… I should thank Sister Haida for allowing their logistics to send me one."
At this moment, Fran had not activated her usual "Psychological Concealment," so she often attracted the attention of passersby, with some even approaching to greet her.
The trick of Psychological Concealment, enhanced by the Pendulum Heart Bell, allowed most ordinary people to overlook and forget her presence. But having finally found a legitimate reason to wear a new outfit, why not let others see it? Wouldn't hiding it be like wearing fine clothes in the dark or hiding a pearl in the mud?
At most, there was the risk of being arrested on the spot by the Seekers—hardly a cause for concern!
"Colleague, your patrol route seems a bit unusual… and you've been lingering too long at each exhibit. May I ask which funeral attendant task force you're from?"
A somewhat timid female voice sounded near Fran's ear.
She turned her head slightly, and the cold, dark barrel of a gun was pointed directly at her amber eyes, so close it was almost touching.
"Don't move. Wait here for 30 seconds. Our team leader will arrive soon. I know you're not a Seeker."
Vivian, dressed in the dark coat of a Confidential Court agent, had her pistol concealed in the shadow of her sleeve.
She could pull the trigger at any moment, but doing so wouldn't cause panic—at least not before the shot.
"What a coincidence, Miss Vivian. We meet again."
Fran had clearly noticed the firearm in Vivian's sleeve, yet she greeted her warmly and politely, as if nothing were amiss.
The smile on her lips was relaxed and natural, unchanged even in the face of imminent danger.
"Ah, Dr. Fran? What are you doing here?" Vivian's eyes widened in surprise.
She took a moment to steady her slightly trembling hand before re-engaging the safety on the hidden gun in her sleeve.
"Just here to view the exhibits. As a citizen of Norrington North, isn't it quite normal to attend the Norrington Central Museum's spring exhibition?"
Fran blinked, innocently spreading her hands slightly, as if to say, "What ill intentions could I possibly have?"
"That is indeed a very sufficient and irrefutable reason…"
Vivian felt it was hard to keep up with Fran's train of thought, but she knew that soon she wouldn't have to worry about the mysterious doctor's presence anymore.
Once Sister Haida arrived… the headache would be hers.
A dozen seconds later, Haida arrived on the scene right on time.
She looked at Fran, who was dressed in the uniform of a funeral attendant, and paused for a moment, seeming slightly surprised. But that expression vanished almost instantly.
Quickly accepting and understanding the situation was an essential quality for a Seeker, and besides, she was the one who had given Fran the outfit.
"Good day, Dr. Fran."
After a simple greeting, Sister Haida calmly inquired,
"Are you here to view the exhibits as well? Or is there another reason?"
"Dear Sister Haida, I'm just casually browsing. There are a few exhibits here that are quite interesting. But since Agent Vivian has caught me, I'll call it a day here. Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble for your work."
Fran clasped her hands together, appearing very reasonable. Her gaze toward Haida even carried a hint of apology… and a barely noticeable trace of pity.
Oh, just a few days after completing a large-scale purge, Haida has already been assigned to security at the Norrington Museum? Aren't you taking any time off?
She's working so hard; how could I possibly add to her workload for my own selfish reasons…
"There's no need for formalities. Dr. Fran, your previous collaboration with our order was very smooth. You have no reason to avoid us."
Haida, however, seemed to have no intention of driving Fran away. On the contrary, she calmly extended an invitation to stay.
"Although I've already settled the payment for the last commission, you are still recorded as a 'medical examiner' in our order's archives."
Fran raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise, then smiled and accepted Haida's explanation.
"I see… Then I'll accept Sister Haida's kindness."
After receiving Fran's agreement, Haida swiftly changed the subject.
"However, I must ask Dr. Fran to accompany us on the tour. After all, your current identity is that of a 'funeral attendant.'"
"Hmm… That's reasonable. Then, I'll have to trouble Sister Haida to guide me, won't I?"
The identity of a funeral attendant was quite novel for Fran. As someone who ultimately pursued fun, she naturally accepted Haida's invitation.
——
In the preparation room of the Seekers' Order before the start of the Central Museum's exhibition.
Security work didn't require much armor or weaponry, being similar to routine patrols, so Vivian simply checked the ammunition in her firearm.
With thirty minutes left before departure, she sat on the sofa and took the opportunity to open a novel.
Haida tried not to turn her head to look, but still caught a glimpse unintentionally.
The book in Vivian's hands today was The Doctor and the Slave Girl, apparently a recent bestseller, telling a moving love story. Hmm… the title seemed normal enough; it probably wasn't anything strange.
After Vivian closed the book and placed a bookmark in it, Haida spoke up.
"Vivian, what are your thoughts on the hypnotic relic Dr. Fran used?"
"I remember it," she recalled Fran's earlier explanation and said, "It's called the 'Swinging Heart Clock,' capable of emitting a mental beam twice a day to briefly manipulate others, right?"
"Correct. But aside from that, it can also enhance consciousness-disturbing behaviors, meaning Dr. Fran's hypnosis is amplified by this relic."
"Hmm… I see."
Vivian continued with some confusion, not quite understanding why Haida had suddenly brought this up.
Haida gazed at Vivian and asked, "Don't you think our infiltration of the 'Hunger Club' was a bit too smooth?"
"It was, a little. But that's because Professor Terrence could recite the Red Chalice's prayer, and Dr. Fran also provided some assistance…"
"If Sains had merely been a deacon, that explanation would hold. After all, Terrence's disguise was also that of a deacon, and someone of equal rank wouldn't dare to pry too easily."
"But she was a 'High Priestess.' And all we had on us were traveling robes. That likely wouldn't have escaped the notice of a High Priestess."
Vivian also pinpointed the crux of the matter, furrowing her brow as she pondered.
"But Sains truly didn't notice until the very end. So, someone made her overlook the flaws in our disguise?"
Haida nodded.
"That's probably the true use of the 'Swinging Heart Clock.' Subtly influencing the mind. It could even make a High Priestess lose her guard without realizing it."
"If it weren't for the reminder in the latest dispatch from the General Affairs Hall, I probably wouldn't have thought of this either…"
"This…" Vivian cleared her throat slightly, squinting as she felt a faint pang in her stomach.
"I think I'll have to make time to visit Ms. Marian at the Medical Hall. I'm suddenly not so confident about my mental state…"
——