Fran now began collecting the biological characteristic information of the fawn, using it as her consultation fee.
She wasn't naive enough to think a deer would pay with money.
"You have antlers, and no reindeer features, so probably a boy. But your name is 'Luyala,' so that should mean you're a girl. Let me see..."
"Oh, you are a girl."
Fran meticulously examined the fawn's body, not missing a single detail, even taking out a notebook to sketch on the spot. The little creature before her could completely be called a "mythical being"; it would be a shame not to examine her thoroughly.
The fawn actually slightly closed her eyes and extended a hoof to partially cover herself, displaying an extremely human-like shyness.
Fran quickly finished over a dozen high-speed sketches from different angles. Then, pinching her chin, she began speaking thoughtfully to Luyala.
"Your emotions change according to what I say, so you should be able to understand my language. Then using 'she' to refer to you is more appropriate..."
Just as Fran wanted to communicate with her further, the notification of completed treatment arrived.
[The malignant infection of the 'Glazed Fawn' Luyala has been cured. This month's routine house call mission has been completed. Completion Grade: S. Your next Monthly House Call will be randomly triggered next month.]
[Reward for this mission: Unknown Biological Raw Material x1 (Fine Quality. Unidentified)]
[Your Parsing Rate changes: Xenology (27% → 33%), Biological Prosthetics Technology (30.5% → 32.5%).]
"Xenology actually increased by a full 6%... It seems she really is a rare mythical being..."
Fran was somewhat surprised by the gains from this house call. Although it was indeed a lengthy, high-end surgery, it shouldn't have increased parsing by 8% at once... This indicated Luyala's race was even rarer than she had guessed.
Luyala had now stepped down from the operating table. She truly possessed an indescribable resilience, allowing her to regain mobility right after surgery.
Fran gave a slight bow to Luyala standing before her.
"Although introducing myself now is a bit late, it's basic courtesy."
"I am your attending physician, Fran Herschel. Miss Luyala, you are also a sufficiently excellent guest. The Fog Street Clinic welcomes your next visit anytime; I'll give you a 10% discount, alright? So, our doctor-patient relationship comes to an end here..."
She took a pure black membership card from the pocket of her white coat and placed it beside Luyala.
Luyala, meanwhile, slightly raised her head, her crystalline eyelashes fluttering, intentionally not looking at Fran... Seemingly still upset about Fran's somewhat intrusive examination earlier.
But Fran had already stepped forward, gently stroking the soft fur on her neck.
Her technique was extremely skilled, not only soothing mental fatigue but even alleviating physical pain... Physical therapy is part of medicine too; it's a must-learn!
Although Luyala tried her best to maintain her reserve, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
Fran's skill was so masterful that no mammal could resist, practically a fluffy killer. How to describe it?... She had once soothed an enraged Rune Bear by hand.
"If my earlier actions were offensive, I hope you understand. After all... that was the payment you made for this treatment."
"Magic and miracles aren't free, you know?"
Fran said with a smile in her eyes, her voice steady and soothing, carrying a strong sense of calm.
Luyala's previously puffed-up, angry state had vanished, leaving only a trace of shyness.
She slowly straightened all four legs and stood, walking towards Fran. She stuck out her tongue and licked Fran's cheeks and hands. It was slightly warm, the texture like some kind of jelly.
Luyala then walked out of the operating room, through the corridor and living room, and left the clinic through the door surrounded by a grey mist.
Before leaving, she gave Fran a slight nod. It was a thank you, or perhaps a farewell.
"Although a bit childish, this mythical being isn't hard to get along with... Kind of cute in a way."
Of course, Fran wished Luyala could have stayed at the clinic longer, allowing her to fully observe her recovery period and perfect the information model for this species. But since the other party chose to leave after recovery, she wouldn't make any extra effort to detain her.
After all... she would come back.
Fran looked back at the table. The black membership card was already gone. Presumably, she took it in her mouth when she left.
At the same time, she turned her gaze back to her hands. These originally pale hands, already covered in suture lines, were now tattered, full of erosion and bite marks.
These injuries healed extremely quickly, soon restoring themselves... Likely due to Luyala's licking before leaving. However, the characteristic suture lines did not disappear.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, picking out a live pollutant that had been squeezed out by the healing wound. After crushing it, she brought it to her nose for a light sniff.
"It really is 'Ant.'"
"To involve an Outer God... It seems Luyala has quite a background, and quite a bit of trouble..."
As she spoke, Fran suddenly felt everything around her rising at an extremely fast speed, while she plummeted rapidly, as if falling from the clouds.
...
A pair of deep golden, amber-like eyes snapped open. She woke up, then yawned.
"I performed surgery on a deer that understands human speech and gave her a membership card. Good heavens... Why would I have such a dream?"
The next moment, Fran threw off the tightly wrapped quilt and stood up.
Who invented the "it was all a dream" plot that should have been swept into the dustbin of history a decade ago?
She glanced at her teddy-bear-patterned pajamas, her expression momentarily strange.
"But I really just woke up, and my memory from before bed last night is clear too."
Fran immediately looked at her hands. The wounds from the live pollutant erosion had already healed on her hands, though some traces could still faintly be seen.
"Open the technology mastery panel."
[Instruction received. Executing now.]
[Technologies Mastered: Abyssal Applied Studies (17%), Terra Medicine (3%), 40k Medicine (37.9%), Mechanical Prosthetics Technology (10.1%), Biological Prosthetics Technology (32.5%), Xenology (33%), Modern Neurology (21%), Clinical Psychology (20%), Anatomy (79.5%), Genetic Research (27%), Soul Sculpting (17.1%), Forbidden Alchemy (21%).]
"Parsing Rate has increased, and there are traces of contact with live pollutants on my hands. So I really did perform surgery... Is May's house call completed?"
[Dear Dr. Fran, your Monthly House Call for this month has been completed.]
The system module's reply immediately confirmed her thoughts.
Fran wasn't surprised or confused for long. She also checked her membership cards; one was indeed missing.
Although the previous experience was in a dream, what happened wasn't fabricated. This was probably Luyala's special characteristic.
This also explained why she couldn't make her fall into deep sleep using the "Swaying Heart-Clock" or drugs, because both of them were already in a dream... Her dream, or perhaps her own.
"Today's patient was truly interesting..."
Fran pursed her lips, then smiled quite enjoyably.
...
After the Norlington Central Museum incident, the Secrets-Hunter Cult's hunters returned to their usual work rhythm. The White Cup, however, was swamped with the massive aftermath work...
Haida also received commendation for her performance in the previous event.
First, her position was promoted; she became the "Mistress of Attendants" for the Burial Attendants. Second, the General Affairs Division enforced nearly a month of leave and recuperation for her, so she had no missions throughout the entire month of May.
Because Vivian was assigned to Haida's action team, she also got to enjoy this rare leave.
But for Haida, this wasn't a happy thing... It meant she would be pestered by Ms. Marian for physical examinations for a long time.
——
Afternoon, Vivian returned to the preparation room.
As soon as she opened the door, she couldn't help but squint, looking with slight concern at Haida who was training.
Haida's long eyelashes were pressed together, eyes closed, wielding a wooden-handled folding knife amidst several practice dummies.
Her movements carried an ease, like flowing water dancing, weaving through the gaps between the dummies. But at the same time, every strike she landed held decisive decisiveness, almost perfectly targeting the fatal points on the dummies.
Throat, heart, eye socket, every artery that could be severed, and the fragile primary sexual organs... Like a butcher, showing no hesitation in taking vibrant life.
"Sister Haida, isn't your training volume a bit... unhealthily large?"
When Vivian left the preparation room, she saw Sister Haida conducting firearms training on practice targets.
After lunch and a noon break, returning to the preparation room, she found Haida's training still hadn't ended... She had just switched the training item from firearms to melee weapons.
"I know my own body very well. I'm still far from my limit... No need to worry."
Haida recognized Vivian's voice. She opened her eyes, flipped the wooden-handled folding knife in her hand with a flourish, then deftly put it away into the pocket on the outer side of her thigh.
Threads of sweat flowed down her face, sliding along her pale neck and beautiful collarbones, soaking her black form-fitting short top. The flexible muscle lines beneath the thin clothing were clearly visible.
Although prolonged, regular aerobic exercise had successfully consumed some physical energy, Haida still didn't feel tired.
Her stamina seemed endless. This level of training only served to help her adapt to her changes, completely unable to approach her true limits.
"Alright..."
Vivian was only casually concerned about her team leader, after all. Her physical condition was regularly checked by professional doctors from the Medical Chamber.
Oh, besides Ms. Marian, there was another more mysterious and even more professional doctor who was also very focused on her and had a strong interest in her.
But that might not be a good thing...
Haida let out a light breath, picking up a towel nearby to wipe the sweat from her face.
Since Vivian had returned to the preparation room, it meant the afternoon schedule had begun...
Ms. Marian was coming.
Soon, the preparation room door was pushed open again. Ms. Marian strode in gracefully on her high heels tied with black ribbons.
"Little Haida, you're as full of energy as ever... How was today's training intensity? If there's still no significant sense of fatigue, we can appropriately add more anaerobic exercises."
Ms. Marian walked up to Haida, stroking her own cheek, sweeping an appreciative gaze over the beautiful curves of Haida's abdominal oblique muscles.
After Haida gave two light coughs, she smiled and got down to business.
"This is your medical report, which also includes many items from the mental health examination. Hmm... There are some parts you might find difficult to accept, so I came to explain."
As she spoke, she glanced sideways, looking at Vivian, who was about to take soda crackers from the rattan basket on the table, with a gentle and calm gaze.
"Ah... I just remembered I need to go back to the Confidential Division to submit a recent duty report. My apologies, ladies, I'll take my leave for now."
Vivian immediately understood. Without even taking a biscuit, she smoothly exited the preparation room.
Although she belonged to the Confidential Division specializing in information gathering, precisely because she was an agent often in contact with secrets, she understood even better... Some secrets not meant to be known at this time were better left unknown.
"Speaking of which, ever since being assigned to the same group as Sister Haida, my own training volume has increased quite a bit..."
No choice. Sister Haida was rigorously honing herself, completing training items with great planning, focused like a master blacksmith forging a sword...
Could she really just sit in the same room, munching on soda crackers and enjoying novels?
"Well, there's nothing much to do during the leave anyway. I'll go to Old Will's bookstore this afternoon to see if there are any new books in stock..."
Vivian walked down the long corridor, somewhat distractedly thinking about what to read next.
...
After reading the medical report, Haida's expression wasn't exactly shocked, but not calm either.
Although she had some psychological preparation, learning the exact situation still felt somewhat unexpected.
"So, I actually have two hearts now?"
She had seen the "Secondary Heart" item on Fran's bill before, but at the time thought it might be some medical term she didn't understand. She didn't expect the actual situation to be so literal... It was literally installing an extra heart.
She pressed against her ample, well-developed left chest, feeling the rhythmic pulse beneath the softness, yet still couldn't detect any abnormality.
Too harmonious, no sign of anything unusual at all... It was as if she was naturally born with this second heart.
"Hmm, correct, little Haida. And this heart strengthens your blood supply capacity and allows you to operate in even lower-oxygen environments..."
Ms. Marian stroked the mole at the corner of her eye, her expression between her eyebrows excited yet regretful.
Excited to witness this miraculous biological technology firsthand, regretful that with her own knowledge, she couldn't comprehend its principles at all.
"Operating mechanism, specific materials, transplantation technique, and how exactly did that doctor solve the rejection problem?... All are unknown mysteries. If possible, I'd really like to meet her."
"Why did Dr. Fran specifically install this second heart for me? Is there any special significance or hidden risks?"
Haida still felt somewhat uneasy. She remembered the scene where Solani, after taking Dr. Fran's medicine, had an eyeball crawl out of its socket like a spider...
"The Medical Chamber jointly held four or five meetings with your Burial Chamber's... those difficult old fellows, conducted several rituals for inspection, and the final conclusion is... It's just a normal human organ, no hidden risks."
"As for the significance... This extra heart could be the foundation for some enhancement technology. Preliminary estimates suggest it would be an extremely complex and mature technological system."
Haida nodded to show she understood.
After all, Dr. Fran had personally told her more than once that the surgery still had over a dozen subsequent procedures... Then, she noticed some other issues.
"Ms. Marian, you collaborated with the leadership of the Burial Chamber... Those old monster hunters were willing to cooperate with you?"
Haida was somewhat puzzled about this.
++++
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