"Currently, the people we've met are all crazy. Although they still have the ability to speak, they can't communicate..."
Hilda sat by the crackling campfire, surrounded by the corpses of several Grec soldiers.
They had only one or two extremely deep knife wounds, all in the fatal spots on their necks where their armor was unprotected. The deep red blood trickled down the golden patterns of trees and beasts on their armor, thick and slow.
"And it seems like civilization is on the verge of destruction, as if it has experienced some kind of apocalyptic event?"
She wiped clean the wooden-handled folding knife in her hand and looked up at the distant, towering but ruined city walls and bridge towers.
These magnificent structures from a bygone era were truly enormous, and simply standing far away and gazing at them made one feel tiny.
"In fact, the gods here have not yet gone into hiding. If we go to certain special places... we can meet the 'demigods' who walk on the earth."
Fran was roasting several marshmallows over the campfire, humming a lively tune, as if she were enjoying a spring outing.
When the marshmallows in her hand were toasted to a golden brown, she handed one to Hilda.
"Like this..."
Hilda took the marshmallow stuck on a tree branch, and in a daze, put one piece in her mouth, feeling the hot and sweet fluffy texture melt in her mouth.
Although she had already understood and accepted the situation, she still felt a sense of unreality. This was unavoidable, after all, it was her first time...
Fran pinched off a piece of the toasted marshmallow and put it in her mouth, along with her fingertips.
"Our purpose for coming here is not to save the world or do anything great. This is just a clinic visit... our goal is simply to find the patient, cure her disease, and then leave."
"This world is beyond cure, and it's not up to us, as outsiders, to try and fix it. Let's leave the task of facing the gods to those who are destined to do so."
Fran's words were slightly muffled, and she blew on her fingertips, which had turned slightly red, as if they had been burned by the roasting.
"Hmm."
Hilda had a clear understanding of her own position. She knew that compared to the enormous, towering giants, human power was insignificant... and she wouldn't try to do anything that was beyond her capabilities.
"But since this is a 'clinic visit', shouldn't we find the patient first?"
She was genuinely curious about how this relaxed and leisurely atmosphere had come about, and why Fran could roast marshmallows so nonchalantly amidst several corpses...
"She's crouching next to that ruined church."
Fran pointed to a woman in the distance, who was sitting with her knees tucked under her chin, hiding in the corner of the church.
The woman wore a white leather hood, and her robe was neat and had an academic flair, similar to that of a medieval scholar. She also held a staff adorned with blue-green gemstones.
She was a "Stargazer".
Hilda narrowed her eyes; she hadn't noticed that there was someone hiding there.
After all, she had been surrounded by several nearly crazed soldiers earlier, and the girl's presence was quite weak... if Fran hadn't pointed her out, Hilda would have thought that the shadow in the corner was just a mushroom.
"Alright, let's start the examination. First, let's simply confirm the patient's condition..."
Fran stood up from the campfire and walked towards the church, soon arriving at the side of the faded one, Ewenie.
"Hello, dear patient, good day. Can you hear me speaking?"
Fran leaned down and greeted her kindly and gently.
The system's description of the condition is "personality dissolution." If taken literally, this should be some kind of mental illness that can lead to the dissolution of self-awareness.
It is likely an extreme stress response, similar in principle to the psychological condition known as "nihilistic delusion."
"Ah, hello."
Yvonie seemed startled by the sudden voice, then timidly looked up at Fran. However, she still returned the greeting… and her tone and facial expression were no different from those of a normal person.
"Your white coat gives me a sense of familiarity; seeing you feels like returning to the place where I lived before coming to the Borderlands."
"Mm? You can talk?"
Fran leaned back slightly, looking over Yvonie, who appeared no different from an ordinary person, her amber eyes reflecting a hint of disbelief. In her expectations, a patient in the late stages should not possess the ability to speak.
Haida, standing nearby, was baffled… Wasn't it you who approached to greet her first? Why are you surprised now that she responded?
"Eh, but what's strange about me being able to talk? I just… don't really dare to leave here."
Yvonie slowly stood up, her figure swaying slightly as if suffering from low blood pressure after squatting for a long time.
"Your complexion doesn't look healthy… You must not have eaten properly for a while; you should get some sugar first."
Fran remained puzzled, but at the same time, she noticed that Yvonie seemed to show symptoms of hypoglycemia and malnutrition.
She supported Yvonie and took out a piece of slightly cooled roasted marshmallow, placing it in her mouth.
"It's so sweet, so hot… Thank you." After chewing gently, Yvonie swallowed it, seemingly not too wary of the stranger's feeding.
"Strange, I don't sense any mental abnormalities. She doesn't seem to exhibit signs of a mental illness…"
Fran took out a brass pocket watch and casually checked the time, then silently directed a mental probe at Yvonie… She did not intend to impose any suggestion on Yvonie but was conducting a detailed mental examination.
The conclusion was that her personality was intact and there were no signs of consciousness defects. The person before her… was psychologically healthy.
"Let's go sit in the Aile Church for a bit; although the inside isn't much different from the outside… it's always cleaner with tiles."
Yvonie, seeing Fran still deep in thought, somewhat perplexed, nonetheless took the initiative to invite her.
"Okay." Fran agreed.
Since directly analyzing her mind didn't work, Fran had no choice but to try and understand the cause of her condition through more straightforward means... namely, observation, questioning, and "chatting."
Inside the Aile Church.
By the stone campfire, several clean, washed cushions were placed. The nearly completely broken roof also showed signs of repair, though it was still damaged and leaky, it could barely provide shelter from the wind and rain.
There were signs of habitation, indicating that Yvonie had lived here for a while.
After a simple introduction, Yvonie gained a basic understanding of Fran's and Hilda's identities. She also became more lively, shedding her initial timid state.
"Dr. Fran, can you tell me more stories about Nolington City? My hometown is similar to yours..."
"Of course."
Fran took out a bag of glucose from her small medical box and handed it to Yvonie, gesturing for her to drink it, then began to share some interesting anecdotes about Nolington.
This girl named Yvonie was essentially a modern person. Whenever Fran subtly mentioned the concept of "players" and Nolington's technological advancements, Yvonie understood accurately. In simple terms, she was a "transmigrator."
However, her soul had undergone transformation by the Borderlands, and in another sense... she was also a native.
Of course, Fran had known this from the start, as it was indicated in the medical records.
Now, she was facing the biggest challenge... Yvonie was too normal!
The pendulum heart rate monitor didn't detect any issues, and from their conversation, Yvonie didn't exhibit any psychological symptoms that could be considered "late-stage." Her emotions were vivid, and she didn't seem like someone on the verge of personality dissolution at all.
After finishing the story about Nolington, Fran couldn't help but ponder and sigh.
"What a tricky patient, and a complex case at that… Perhaps this visit will surprise me."
She had encountered real psychiatric patients, one of whom left a deep impression on her… A woman in her thirties, clearly past her prime, but still clung to her father without a moment's hesitation, refusing to leave his side. She even hid behind him like a little girl.
Is it comical? No, please refrain from making rash judgments.
For her, the father was her "anchor" in this world, providing her with mental stability. Once separated from him, she would fall from this world… plunging straight into the cold and despairing darkness. It was like sinking into a lightless abyss, so lonely that she could barely breathe.
To avoid drowning… the only thing she could do was to tightly grasp her father's outstretched hand.
So, Yvonie before her was far too normal. She could not possibly bear the term "late-stage."
Haida quietly listened to their conversation, as still as a statue. She knew that Dr. Fran's treatment had already begun, so she naturally would not interrupt. At this moment, her role as a listener was to remain silent.
"Yvonie, do you miss your hometown?" Fran began to shift the focus of the questions.
"Well, I really miss my family and the world I used to live in. Sometimes I want to make myself stronger, to climb step by step to the throne according to the mission of the faded ones and the light of the blessings. But I don't dare to take the first step; I can only stay here in the Aile Church..."
Yvonie shyly scratched her cheek. Fran then leaned in and revealed her true intention.
"What if I could assist you? Although I don't know how far you can go… it has to be better than staying like this, at least you won't starve to death in the church."
"You're willing to help me? But… why? We've just met…"
Yvonie was taken aback and, while looking down, stole glances at Fran, as if afraid she had ulterior motives, and was a bit worried she might change her mind.
"Don't worry, there's nothing about you that I want. Otherwise, wouldn't it be much quicker to just take action? I'm helping you simply because I'm a morally conscious and enthusiastic citizen… I can't stand seeing new faded ones suffer."
Fran raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a warm, inviting familiarity, as if they were old friends reuniting. It was also reminiscent of a gentle elder chatting with a younger person.
"Or would you rather continue to squat in the church like a mushroom until you rot?"
"…Then I'll have to trouble you, Dr. Fran."
Before long, Yvonie made up her mind.
…
"But… I'm a star watcher, do mages really need to learn these things?"
Yvonie was following Sister Haida's guidance, wielding two wooden-handled folding knives. Her movements were stiff and clumsy, characteristic of a complete beginner.
However, being a descendant of the faded ones as a warrior, she quickly began to master these movements.
"Dear Miss Yvonie… You need to learn both spells and martial arts; that's what it means to be well-rounded."
Fran watched as Yvonie sweated profusely, a smile inexplicably creeping onto her lips. With such a suboptimal physical condition, she needed some appropriate exercise. Of course, one should not overdo it; everything needs to be gradual and measured.
"Don't get distracted; your movements are starting to lose precision. You can slow down a bit," Haida continuously corrected Yvonie's actions from the side.
What she was teaching Yvonie was the basic weapon fighting techniques of a Hunter. Though not complicated, these techniques were certainly practical, with each strike aimed at killing the opponent as effectively as possible.
Haida felt a bit strange. Clearly, Fran had hired her as the "head nurse," but the first thing she did was teach someone else how to wield weapons...
She watched as Yvonie gradually became more proficient, then turned to Fran behind her.
"Dr. Fran, since Miss Yvonie is a spellcaster, in what form does the 'mystic art' of the boundary exist?"
"Starlight magic. This is power derived from the stars... beautiful, dangerous, and forbidden. Yet countless people are irresistibly drawn to it. It's unavoidable; the longing for stars is human instinct."
As she spoke, Fran gracefully stepped in front of Yvonie, signaling her to stop.
"Yvonie, you've met your exercise quota for today; you can rest now. But before that... show Sister Haida the form of your 'magic.'"
"Okay." Yvonie handed the two folding knives back to Haida and then took out her staff.
After a moment of concentration, she released a "Starlight Shard" toward the open space outside the door. A blue-green emblem composed of azaleas, books, and stairs shimmered, and a radiant star shard emerged from it.
The star shard trailed a long tail as it flew forward for more than twenty meters before slowly dissipating into swirling points of light.
"So this is the magic derived from the stars... it's beautiful."
Haida had to admit that the mystical arts she had seen rarely exhibited such impressive light and shadow effects. Yvonie's recent spell casting truly gave her the feeling of a "mage" from ancient texts.
"It's just a basic spell, and I only know one or two of them…" Yvonie said with a hint of embarrassment.
"But your casting speed is a bit slow; can you make it faster?" Haida began to offer some practical suggestions.
There had been too many openings in Yvonie's spell casting earlier, and Haida had at least ten ways to stop her opponent from casting spells from five meters away.
These included but were not limited to throwing knives, kicking up sand, and firing a gun... By the time Yvonie summoned that rather average-speed little comet, Haida could have emptied two magazines at least.
Yvonie pondered and replied, "I should be able to, but I need to be sufficiently focused..."
Fran stepped forward to Yvonie, took her stargazing staff, and skillfully spun it between her fingers before pointing it at the wall.
The deep blue emblem of the academy suddenly appeared, and the star shard shot forth like an arrow released from a bow, instantly piercing through the thick stone wall and leaving a translucent hole.
She gracefully exhaled toward the top of the staff, dispersing the nonexistent smoke.
"I can certainly teach you a thing or two about casting."