Inside Edros's cell, Fran was carefully conducting her examination.
Although the clinic had more comprehensive testing and life-support instruments allowing for more precise pathological testing... taking Edros back to Fog Street now was clearly unrealistic.
Therefore, she had to use relatively simple methods of observing the condition.
"The filth of the flesh and blood has already overflowed, reason is completely lost. But he can still maintain a humanoid form, hasn't collapsed into squirming pulp, nor are there large-scale deformities proliferating on the skin."
"Blood Plague erosion level is over 60%, at the end of the second stage, slowly transitioning to the third stage..."
As she spoke, she used a wraithbone scalpel to slice off a piece of skin from Edros's face, almost immersively examining the state and vitality of this flesh.
"Although a severe patient of the Blood Plague, all his mutations have been visibly suppressed. It seems Mr. Jude indeed expended considerable effort for your son..."
At this moment, Marquis Jude also entered the cell.
His primary reason for doing so was concern that the method this doctor used to control Edros might lose effectiveness midway.
Ms. Flamel not only symbolized the Pure White Cup cult but also represented the hope of completely eradicating the Blood Plague. Therefore, from any perspective, he had to ensure her personal safety as much as possible.
"I was merely doing my utmost, like any father desperate to save his child."
In response to Fran's statement, Jude did not show any emotion.
Over the past century, he had expended countless precious spirit-infused materials, experiencing hope and disappointment again and again. The only thing he cared about now was whether Edros could truly be cured as the other party claimed.
The Moon's Favored evolved from undead, making their reproduction protracted and difficult. Edros was his first child, and also his only one.
Sensing the Moon's Favored Marquis's extraordinary attachment to his offspring, Fran slightly pursed her lips and stopped her work.
"In that case, I'd like to ask Mr. Jude for something."
"Please speak."
Jude was rather interested in knowing what exactly this doctor would request.
Earlier, Flamel had chosen to provide her own Carapace Kind material, declining his help in that regard.
That was ancient remains from before the Order of Dust era, its value by no means comparable to ordinary materials... If she were an opportunist looking to extort benefits, she would never have missed such a massive gain.
"I dislike being disturbed in any form during patient treatment. Therefore, during the subsequent treatment process, no matter what Mr. Jude you see, please do not intervene, okay?"
Fran said lightly.
Hearing her words, Jude quickly nodded in agreement.
"Non-professionals not meddling in professionals' affairs; I believe this is the most basic consensus."
"Oh... Then I am relieved."
As she spoke, Fran picked up the small circular saw and cut off Edros's arm from the shoulder.
"Ah!"
Edros, under the suppression of the psychic interference, let out a heart-wrenching scream, then soon fell unconscious again, becoming silent.
Watching the splattering plasma and bone fragments, Jude's mouth corner twitched stiffly.
Rosalia traced a line on her palm with her index finger, trying to use small movements to ease her nervousness.
She was currently constantly praying to the Molting Moon, hoping Dr. Fran could truly cure Edros...
"Hmm... The bone marrow's condition isn't good. The Blood Plague is no longer purely a curse state but has formed some pollution substance. Indeed, second-stage patients still need somewhat aggressive medication methods."
And now, Fran had completely blocked out external information, entering a self-forgetting state of complete disregard.
"First, strip off all unnecessary parts."
"Arms, legs, skin and muscles of the torso, organs besides the heart and brain..."
While performing diagnostic work, this doctor's executive power was astonishing. Often, while talking to herself, her hands were already making corresponding movements.
The steel blade of the circular saw fell with precision again and again. Edros soon became a "scorpion" with only the skull and spine visible.
But despite such a brutal process, he still had not awakened.
Rosalia slowed her breathing and cautiously glanced at Marquis Jude beside her, wanting to know his mood at this moment.
Contrary to her expectations, Jude did not show any anger or worry; instead, he scrutinized the entire process with rapt attention. As if unwilling to miss any detail.
Most parents would lose their minds witnessing their child reduced to such a pitiful state; it was humanity's instinct to protect offspring.
But Jude was a near-thousand-year-old ancient being and not a conventional "human." He knew how to suppress his emotions and could examine everything he saw in a purely rational manner.
Regardless of how bloody and cruel the methods and process were, as long as they could achieve the ultimate goal of curing the Blood Plague, everything was worthwhile.
Moreover, this matter wasn't only related to his child but also concerned the continuation of the Moon's Favored.
"Good, begin intrathecal injection..."
After manually opening Edros's vertebrae, Fran used a syringe to infuse the extracted and purified Carapace Kind material into his body.
It must be said, the Moon's Favored's resilient regenerative ability saved her many complicated steps. No need for anti-infective antibiotics, nor worry about the patient developing issues like blood pressure imbalance or spinal damage...
After Edros fell unconscious, Luyala had plunged his intellect into a deep dream. Under this additional safeguard, the possibility of him suddenly deliriously waking up was also minimized.
To some extent, Luyala actually had quite a talent for being an anesthetist.
As the pale golden Carapace Kind extract flowed within Edros's body, the filth within him that had taken on substance was gradually transformed into scale-powder-like dust.
And his originally ferocious expression, all twisted together, also gradually relaxed, as if peacefully sleeping in bed.
"Hmm... No violent psychic element reaction; the dangerous period should have passed."
Fran clapped her gloved hands together, then picked up Edros, who now consisted only of a head and a spine, shaking off the mottled scale powder constantly emanating from his body.
"I've done what I can. Mr. Jude, you can try to wake him now."
"...Alright."
Jude was silent for a moment, seemingly finding it hard to believe the whole process had been so smooth.
He used the sharp nail of his index finger to cut his palm, then condensed a drop of scorching blood containing an immense amount of psychic energy within the wound, letting it drip onto Edros's body.
As the blood dripped, crimson flesh and blood began sprouting anew along his spine. Muscles wound around bone gaps, organs took embryonic form, proliferating skin then wrapped all this up completely.
Although Edros hadn't yet awakened, the repulsive Blood Plague aura was indeed no longer on him.
"Miraculous skill."
After pondering for a long time, Jude still uttered this praise.
The Moon's Favored weren't without the idea of using Moth-phase psychic elements to cure the Blood Plague, but besides vast numbers of failed cases and a bunch of out-of-control lunatics, they had gained nothing.
To concoct the appropriate medicinal ratio, besides requiring countless failed skeletons, sometimes a bit of luck was also needed...
But simultaneously, the "boldness" to not spare losses was also indispensable.
If not for Dr. Flamel demonstrating on-site the method of curing the Blood Plague, probably no one would be willing to turn precious ancient remains into medicine. The research and development process for medicine is always long and agonizing; no one knows how much preliminary investment is needed before completion.
After completing the diagnosis and treatment, Fran removed her medical gloves, then flexed her somewhat aching and soft wrist from prolonged use of the circular saw.
"Pain, temptation, palpitations. Things that bring enjoyment, will also cease within the brain's murmurs."
"In fact, the basic principle of solving the Blood Plague isn't profound. It's just that one must adhere to the initial idea and strive to carry it out to the utmost. Hmm... The Blood Plague medicine formula I've already written down; I'll leave it along with this bottle of Carapace Kind extract."
Hearing her words, a trace of admiration couldn't help but flicker in Jude's eyes.
Human life was so brief and limited, like fleeting water.
But they indeed possessed unimaginable creativity. The White Cup ancestors of old had single-handedly created the glorious Lost Age, and this frighteningly young doctor before him... had severed the thousand-year-old Blood Plague malady with such light, casual strokes.
However, Jude soon restrained the light in his eyes, not voicing this sense of praise.
In the White Cup cult, most Error-Purger researchers who attained the honorary professor title possessed some narcissistic tendency. Like Grantham in his youth.
Probably whatever words of praise, that guy could accept with a clear conscience...
Turning his thoughts back, he inquired about the "reciprocation" this person before him desired.
"Professor Flamel, I have witnessed your superb medical skill. Thank you for everything you have done for the Moon's Favored and Edros. We cannot be indifferent to this gift... Allow me to ask, does the White Cup have any desired thing?"
Although the White Cup and Moon's Favored had reached the Budding Moon Covenant, after all, they were separated by the Abyssal Sea and different races. "Intimacy without gaps" was just an unrealistic delusion; practical interest-based dealings were the most reliable things for maintaining the alliance.
Hearing his words, Fran's amber eyes curved slightly.
Communicating with reasonable people indeed could reduce many unnecessary social troubles. Now that Edros's first treatment course had ended, it was time for the consultation fee phase...
"Originally I wanted to borrow your sect's library, but since Mr. Jude is here, perhaps there's no need to make an extra trip. In fact, I came here just to learn about a few matters of secrets."
"Oh?"
Jude had already mentally prepared to let the person before him take away half his stockpile of treasures; now hearing she just wanted to ask about a few things, he couldn't help but feel a trace of doubt.
"As long as it's not core secrets that might endanger the Moon's Favored, I am willing to answer."
Having received his assurance, Fran immediately posed the first question.
"What is the essence of the Abyssal Sea Curse?"
Hearing this, Jude's eyes couldn't help but show a trace of gravity. This matter indeed didn't have a huge relation to the Moon's Favored, but it was also a secret with deep implications.
After briefly weighing his words, he spoke.
"It is the 'Death of the Abyssal Well'."
"Actually, quite a few people know this point. But most of what they know is superficial hearsay. Unlike the state of most deities, from the moment the Stellar Abyss Society first worshipped the Abyssal Well, He was already in a state of demise. In other words... the Tide-Listeners have never worshipped a living deity."
"The Abyssal Well fell into a lightless void with death, but His traces remaining in the world gave birth to countless Abyssal Sea aberrations. They loathe the land and the living, incessantly wanting to come ashore and devour everything."
"But the Abyssal Sea aberrations are wounded by the waning moon's broken yet sharp light, therefore can only appear during the full moon tides."
No wonder he was a near-thousand-year-old ancient being. When others spoke of this history, it was like narrating a story. He, however, carried a trace of familiar, storytelling fluency, as if it were his personal experience.
"Why haven't the Abyssal Sea kindred vanished?"
Immediately afterward, Fran asked the second question.
With the first question as a foundation, Jude roughly knew the direction of her subsequent inquiries and answered quite promptly.
"Abyssal Sea kindred? Oh... In our era, the more formal term for this species was 'Heyl Sirens'. They originally rarely set foot on land, but the main reason they show no trace is related to the Stellar Abyss Society."
"The Tide-Listeners exterminated the Heyl Sirens through a secret war and stole their secret arts. Barring accidents, those Sands of Slumber Bell Towers standing in every coastal city... are the legacy they usurped from the Heyl."
Rosalia beside them listened with trepidation, pursing her lips tightly the whole time.
She always felt that with her status, she shouldn't be involved in conversations of this level, but her curiosity as an investigative journalist was urging her to keep listening...
Fran was quite satisfied with Jude's answers. The depth of intelligence from a Moon's Favored Marquis was not something opportunistic dealers like Louisa could compare to.
"Mr. Jude, do you have any additional understanding of the singing of the Sands of Slumber Bell Tower?"
As she spoke, she even softly hummed a segment.
"This is precisely the secret inheritance of the Heyl Sirens. They would sing along with the moon and tide. That sound could directly pacify the soul, making listeners fall into a serenity where even death is forgotten."
Jude answered with an assured expression.
Fran had basically asked all she wanted to know, but she didn't leave directly. Instead, she made a request.
"I have obtained what I wanted. But I still need some detailed documents. Could the Molting Moon sect's library be lent to me for reading?"
"Of course. Apart from matters concerning the sect's core secrets, Ms. Flamel may read them on her own."
Jude did not demur about this, agreeing in a low voice.
Compared to the gift Ms. Flamel had bestowed, the request she made... was truly far too insignificant.
But precisely because of this, he could not show negligence in this regard.
—
After Fran went to the library, Jude also brought the already cured Edros back to the mansion's bedroom.
The first thing he did was take Regis's heart from the container, extend his fangs, and bite off a piece from the pulsating myocardium. Then he activated the Nolaria family's secret inheritance, searching through the remaining blood for Regis's memories from when he was alive.
The next moment, Jude glimpsed his craving for fresh blood, the glee when tearing flesh, the unrestraint when mocking hunters.
And also... a vast, empty, expansive darkness.
How to describe that feeling?
Expansive, silent, devoid of light and sound. Regis was enclosed in a murky void. But this wasn't death; his thoughts still existed.
After panic and confusion passed, profound terror followed closely.
But no matter how wildly his emotions ran, it was all meaningless. Now he was a "brain in a vat" insensible to the outside world, trapped in a prison of endless thought.
Jude moved the timeline of the memory forward slightly, seeing the perspective of Regis's last moments alive.
It was a familiar figure... namely, Flamel in her physician's coat.
At that moment, she was standing outside the culture dish staring at the owner of this memory, her amber eyes gleaming in the shadows.
Those eyes were like two Lamp-phase lights, burning with pure and blazing fanaticism.
"Huff..."
Jude let out a long breath, ending his probing of Regis's blood.
"Always manages to recruit such bizarre, fearsome people as professors. Grantham, your luck is still as unnaturally good as before. Or perhaps, you 'peers' like this attract each other?"
"Perhaps in another few hundred years, this lady will represent the White Cup..."
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