However, from what I've seen along the way, the exhibited relics all seem to be nonsensical things... The White Cup Cult probably had precautions against this long ago.
...
Most of the people in the mysticism exhibition area were young. They were filled with vigorous curiosity about things that defied common sense. There were also some horror fiction writers who came here seeking inspiration.
For ordinary people who weren't joining an Orthodox Cult, this place was nearly the only way to safely come into contact with a large amount of mystical knowledge.
From time to time, people staring at exhibits would look up at Fran, then quickly look away. After all, staring at a lady for a long time is impolite.
The Burial Attendant's attire was indeed somewhat eye-catching and easily drew attention. But the benefit was being able to pass directly through the museum's security checkpoint without further inspection.
There were quite a few prohibited items in the small medical kit Fran carried with her, but not carrying it felt odd, like something important was missing...
"The Secrets-Hunter nun's habit is indeed quite aesthetically pleasing and of solid quality... I should thank Sister Haida for being willing to have their logistics department send me one."
Fran hadn't activated her usual "Psychological Concealment," so she often attracted the attention of passersby, and some even came up to greet her.
This little trick of Psychological Concealment, after being enhanced by the Swaying Heart-Clock, could make the vast majority of ordinary people ignore and forget her existence. But if she finally had a chance to logically wear a new set of clothes and didn't let others see, wouldn't that be like wearing fine clothes at night or hiding a bright pearl in the dark?
At most, there was a risk of being arrested on the spot by the Secrets-Hunters. Nothing to worry about!
"Colleague, your patrol route is a bit odd... and you're lingering too long at each exhibit. Um, may I ask which Burial Attendant action team you're from?"
A somewhat timid female voice sounded beside Fran's ear.
She turned slightly. The pitch-black, chilling muzzle of a gun was pointed directly at her amber eyes, close at hand.
"Don't move. Wait here for 30 seconds. Our team leader will arrive soon. I know you're not a Secrets-Hunter."
Vivian was dressed in the Confidential Division agent's dark coat, the pistol hidden in the shadows of her sleeve.
She could pull the trigger at any moment, but doing so wouldn't cause panic before firing.
"What a coincidence, Miss Vivian. We meet again."
Fran had clearly noticed the firearm in Vivian's sleeve, yet she still greeted her warmly and politely.
The smile at the corner of her lips was relaxed and natural, unchanged even in the face of imminent mortal threat.
"Ah, Dr. Fran? What are you doing here?" Vivian's eyes widened, momentarily surprised.
It took her a moment to suppress her slightly trembling hand, then she re-engaged the safety on the pistol hidden in her sleeve.
"Sightseeing. As one of the citizens of Norlington's North District, participating in the Central Museum's Spring Exhibition is normal, right?"
Fran blinked, spreading her hands slightly quite innocently, as if to say, "How could I have bad intentions?"
"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 headache over this mysterious doctor's appearance anymore.
Once Sister Haida arrives... she'll be the one with the headache.
A dozen or so seconds later, Haida arrived at the scene very punctually.
She looked at Fran dressed in the standard Burial Attendant's robes, paused for a moment, seeming somewhat surprised. But this expression lasted only an instant before vanishing completely.
Quickly accepting and understanding the situation was also a necessary quality for a Secrets-Hunter, and besides, she was the one who gave her the clothes.
"Good day, Dr. Fran."
After a simple greeting, Sister Haida asked Fran with a calm expression.
"Are you here for the exhibition too? Or is there some other reason?"
"Dear Sister Haida, I'm just browsing casually. A few exhibits here are quite interesting. But since Investigator Vivian caught me, let's call it a day here. Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble for your work."
Fran brought her hands together slightly, appearing very reasonable. The look she gave Haida even held a hint of apology... and a trace of imperceptible pity.
Oh, it's only been a few days since completing a large-scale purge, and this child Haida has already been assigned to security at Norlington Museum? Don't you get any time off?
She's working so hard; how could I possibly increase her workload for my own selfish reasons...
"No need for formalities. Dr. Fran, your cooperation with our cult last time was very harmonious. There's no need for you to avoid us."
However, Haida didn't seem prepared to shoo Fran away. On the contrary, she responded with a calm expression, urging her to stay.
"Although I've already paid the fee for the last commission, you are still recorded in the cult's archives as a 'Medical Examiner.'"
Fran raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise, then closed her lips in a smile, accepting Haida's explanation.
"I see... Then I'll accept Sister Haida's kind offer."
After receiving Fran's assent, Haida promptly changed the subject.
"However, please accompany us during the tour, Dr. Fran. After all, your current identity is that of a 'Burial Attendant.'"
"Hmm... Very reasonable. Then, I'll have to trouble Sister Haida to guide me?"
The identity of a Burial Attendant was quite novel for Fran. She was someone who ultimately pursued fun, so she naturally accepted Haida's invitation.
——
Before the Central Museum exhibition began, in the Secrets-Hunter Cult's preparation room.
Security work didn't require much protective gear or weaponry; it was similar to routine patrols. So, Vivian simply checked her firearm's ammunition.
With thirty minutes left before departure, she sat on the sofa and seized the moment to open a novel.
Although Haida tried hard not to turn her head to look, she still caught a glimpse.
The book in Vivian's hands today was The Doctor and the Slave Girl, apparently a recent popular bestseller telling a moving love story. Hmm... the title seemed normal; it probably wasn't strange reading material.
When Vivian closed the book and placed a bookmark, Haida spoke.
"Vivian, what are your thoughts on the hypnotic relic Dr. Fran used?"
"I remember it," she recalled Fran's introduction back then, saying, "It's called the 'Swaying Heart-Clock,' able to fire a mental beam twice a day to briefly control others, right?"
"Correct. But besides that, it can also enhance mental disturbance behavior. That is to say, Dr. Fran's hypnosis would be amplified by this relic."
"Hmm... That's true."
Vivian responded somewhat puzzled; she wasn't sure why Haida suddenly brought this up.
Haida looked at Vivian and asked, "Don't you think our infiltration of the 'Sated Club' went a bit too smoothly?"
"It did feel that way a bit. But that's because Professor Terence could recite Red Cup prayers, and Dr. Fran also provided some help..."
"If Sines had merely been a Deacon, the above reasoning would hold water. Because Terence's disguised identity was also a Deacon. At the same rank, the other party wouldn't dare to easily probe."
"But she was a 'High Priestess.' And our disguises back then were only travel cloaks. That probably wouldn't fool a High Priestess's eyes."
Vivian also grasped the crucial point. She furrowed her brow, deep in thought.
"But Sines truly didn't discover anything until her death. Meaning, someone made her overlook the flaws in our disguises?"
Haida nodded.
"That's probably the true usage of the 'Swaying Heart-Clock.' Subtly influencing the mind. It could even make a High Priestess lose her proper guard without her noticing."
"If the General Affairs Division hadn't reminded us in the new communiqué, I probably wouldn't have thought of this either..."
"This..." Vivian gave a light cough, narrowing her eyes slightly, feeling a hint of stomach ache.
"I think I should find some time to visit the Medical Chamber to see Ms. Marian. I'm suddenly not very confident about my own psychological state..."
….
Under Haida's guidance, Fran quickly and efficiently browsed through all the exhibits in the entire mysticism exhibition area.
Clearly, neither of them was the type who liked to wander aimlessly.
This led to their actions being swift and efficient, with a strong sense of purpose. After looking at one relic exhibit, they headed straight for the next, to the point where Vivian even struggled to keep up.
It must be said, it was quite similar to a theft crew's reconnaissance...
Sister Haida had made detailed route planning, allowing them to let Fran continue viewing while maintaining the original patrol routine, not neglecting the original security duties.
Following Haida's steps forward, Fran arrived at the modern academic exhibition area.
Placed at the very center of this area was a mechanical device that was somewhat roughly made but advanced in design. Although the completion level of some parts was slightly lacking, it already had the main cylinder body, crankshaft and connecting rod assemblies, and more... It was an internal combustion engine.
Moreover, this internal combustion engine wasn't just a prototype; its design concept was already nearing maturity, needing only slight improvements to be put into use.
The White Cup Cult's introduction below was also very fitting, even carrying a touch of the researcher's distinctive arrogance.
"What is it? It is a new machine that creates power from fire and air, the tireless heart driving iron constructs, the resounding horn heralding the end of the Steam Age. It is an 'internal combustion engine.' If you understand its existence and principles, you will know... we stand at the pinnacle of this era."
"Those White Cup folks are advancing their academics at an increasingly fast pace..."
Fran stroked her chin, somewhat marveling at the changes of the times.
She wasn't quite sure if a civilization could experience a technological explosion with "gods" existing as objective entities. But she didn't dislike this change, because development and progress were inevitable trends.
If based on her experience from the Warhammer worldview, the existence of gods and the development of civilization could coexist.
"Dr. Fran, are you interested in modern science too?"
Seeing Fran linger by this internal combustion engine for a relatively long time, Vivian asked curiously.
Having spent some time with and gotten to know Fran a bit, she was now in a superposition of being afraid and not afraid of this doctor.
As long as medical topics weren't involved, Fran was gentle to the point of being harmless, very easy to get along with. But if she got excited... Vivian still remembered that Red Cup High Priestess who was reduced to a skeleton.
"Of course. Information has a shelf life; it must constantly iterate to stay new. Even I sometimes have no choice but to chase the most cutting-edge knowledge, like a moth to flame."
Fran soon shifted her gaze away from the internal combustion engine.
She wasn't very interested in this machine that could open a new era. After all, she had already witnessed it in her original world; there was no sense of novelty at all...
"Actually, this internal combustion engine is a very old model within the White Cup Cult, and many parts were omitted to prevent technological leaks. If those old academics haven't hit any major technical bottlenecks, they've probably already replaced the vast majority of steam power within the cult..."
As a Confidential Division agent, Vivian dealt with such secrets daily. She knew a fair bit about the White Cup's internal situation.
"That does sound like something the White Cup Cult would do."
Fran didn't doubt the truth of Vivian's gossip. After all, White Cup researchers really do like to keep things under wraps.
"I heard the White Cup Cult has also made some breakthroughs in exoskeleton-type armor, but the specific intelligence classification is too high, I don't know either..."
Just as Vivian and Fran were discussing some White Cup anecdotes, Haida, who had been silent for a long time, spoke.
"Dr. Fran, I've had a doubt for the past few days and hope you can resolve it."
"Please ask, Sister Haida. No need to stand on ceremony."
Fran never avoided others' questions. Generally, she was very keen to answer.
"When you dissected the High Priestess in the Sated Club, why did you say she was only a 'half'?"
"Oh, that matter... Because there was only half a heart in Sines's body, meaning we only faced half of her. Her other half is still alive. If she had been complete back then, the situation would have been a bit more troublesome."
Fran tapped her lips with a finger, recalling the specifics of the situation.
Haida's eyes sharpened. Clearly, Fran's answer confirmed some of her thoughts.
"The other half of Sines is still alive... Then, I guess this is the reason you're attending the exhibition today, right? Dr. Fran."
"Hmm..."
Fran looked at Haida, a meaningful smile in her amber eyes.
"You guessed correctly, Sister Haida. Want any prize?"
Having received Fran's affirmation, Haida continued, "Then please answer my next question. Could the other half of Sines attack the museum today?"
"I don't know, you know?"
Fran spread her hands slightly, answering very resolutely without any hesitation.
"Fate and the human heart are both elusive. I can't determine if Red Cup followers will come today or not. But based on the information at hand... the probability of her visiting the exhibition isn't small. Actually, both the White Cup and the General Affairs Division know this; they just haven't informed you."
"For the past five years, the museum's Spring Exhibition security has been handled by the White Cup alone. But this year they chose to collaborate with the Secrets-Hunter Cult. Everything is glaringly obvious... isn't it?"
"...Indeed."
Although Fran didn't answer directly, Haida still got the answer she wanted.
——
Dylan Sions was a down-and-out horror fiction writer.
After writing a few quite talented works in his youth, he fell into a creative slump. The descriptive language in his novels became increasingly verbose and bloated, like pickles that had been brined for too long, losing their former liveliness.
But at the same time, Dylan maintained a peculiar arrogance due to his past qualifications. Beneath this arrogance lurked sensitive inferiority and confusion.
++++
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