"Intending to learn some old stories about Gormouth from the Moon's Favored. Concerning the fallen city, the Stellar Abyss Society, the Sands of Slumber Bell Tower... and the Abyssal Sea Curse."
Fran methodically recounted the purpose of her visit, her words carrying a melodic, storytelling cadence.
"Originally I wanted to learn through other channels. But later thought, since the Moon's Favored generally possess the traits of long-lived species, with individuals over a hundred seen everywhere... therefore, your records of these secret histories should be more reliable."
"The secret history of the Abyssal Sea Curse is too distant. My investigation materials only have news from recent years, but our sect's library should have them."
As she spoke, Rosalia somewhat guiltily lowered her eyes.
"Although I'm from the Nolaria family, I'm too young and don't yet have the qualifications to browse important documents..."
Fran wasn't surprised by this, even comforting her lightly.
"No matter. I never need others' assistance going to places like archives... Besides, the news materials you have here are also quite interesting. Can I borrow them to read?"
To this, Rosalia did not refuse.
"Just a few gathered snippets of information; you're welcome to browse them freely. I've organized a timeline; you can find the corresponding materials by the labels next to the filing cabinet."
Even though someone had suddenly barged into her bedroom, and at a rather inconvenient time just after bathing... she still maintained politeness and respect towards the doctor before her.
If not for Fran and Sister Haida's rescue that day in Norlington, she would likely have died under the attack of her own kin.
Therefore, Rosalia only felt surprised by the doctor's sudden appearance, not the common irritation that came with a home intrusion.
After all, she wasn't doing anything overly private at the moment...
Fran took a few of the eyewitness accounts from the disaster victims, and after reading them in detail, couldn't help but murmur thoughtfully.
"What descended upon Morien alongside the tidal wave and the evil spawn were bell tolls and singing. And that is precisely the phenomenon of the Sands of Slumber Bell Tower. The information obtained earlier from the Ant-Scale Door disciple corroborates this point. It seems the Stellar Abyss Society is indeed secretly engaged in some kind of taboo..."
"Indeed, I'll have to make a trip there myself."
She put down those few documents and turned her gaze back to Rosalia beside her.
"By the way, Miss Rosalia, regarding that Research Notes on the Blood Plague, don't you have anything you want to ask me?"
Having her biggest doubt brought up, Rosalia pursed her lips and also became serious.
The Blood Plague was a curse from the deepest part of their bloodline, deeply ingrained.
Ever since their ancestors initiated the Budding Moon's Apostasy, it had ceaselessly plagued every Moon's Favored. From the beginning of the millennium, continuing to this day, and with investigations showing its age of onset was gradually becoming younger...
From the original hundred-year limit, to now where some young vampires merely eighty or ninety years old also showed symptoms.
"I am indeed very concerned about this... Dr. Fran, are the treatment plans you wrote down truly feasible?"
"Of course."
In response to her question, Fran appeared quite forthright.
"Although telling the truth isn't within a doctor's professional code, for academic questions in the field of medicine... I never lie. All three treatment solutions I just mentioned are entirely feasible, and there are already precedent cases of cure."
Hearing the doctor's statement, Rosalia felt a surge of irrepressible excitement rise from the depths of her heart.
After the vampires joined the "Molting Moon" to become Moon's Favored, they also shed their old undead skin, regaining some of their former human characteristics.
Such as breathing, and a heartbeat...
And so, at this moment, she could feel her heart accelerate its beating within her chest, audible if one listened closely.
"Dr. Fran, as long as this chronic affliction can be cured... the Moon's Favored are willing to pay any price. But I still don't quite understand, how exactly are those three solutions you wrote down to be implemented?"
"Especially the third one, what are 'Orks'? ORK... a strange pronunciation. Are they some kind of ancient remnant race?"
Hearing this, Fran's eyes narrowed slightly, the corner of her lips lifting somewhat unnaturally as if suppressing a smile.
"That's just my personal amusement. Although it also has strong feasibility, it's better to ignore it if you don't want to turn into war-crazed lunatics obsessed with mushrooms... I personally actually recommend Solution Two more."
"You mean using Carapace Kind material? But they are an ancient remnant race from even before the Order of Dust era; finding them probably won't be that easy..."
Rosalia's expression became somewhat troubled.
She wasn't doubting the authenticity of the treatment plan the doctor before her mentioned, but rather vexed about how to verify it. The higher-ups of the Elder Council mostly had eccentric temperaments; one needed powerful, undeniable facts to convince them.
And Fran seemed to have anticipated she would say this, so had prepared the appropriate words in advance, replying fluently and naturally.
"Don't worry about that... I acquired a piece in Foy just a few days ago. Besides, it's not the only method."
"I've brought a patient who has already been cured. As long as you hand it over to someone within the Moon's Favored with sufficient capability... they will naturally recognize the value of this technique."
"A patient who has already been cured?"
Rosalia looked Fran up and down, even checking behind the doctor, but it seemed there was only her.
Finally, her gaze locked onto the medical kit Fran was holding.
"Um, Dr. Fran, that person you mentioned, it wouldn't be..."
"Yes."
Fran gave a slight smile, opened the medical kit, and took out a small transparent case from within.
A crimson heart could be seen placed in a nutrient solution, its twisted vascular network still faintly pulsating.
"Carrying the whole body was rather troublesome, and this patient isn't the easiest to get along with, so I divided him into a more easily portable state. As for the name... I recall it's 'Regis Murdoch'."
"Speaking of which, he has a younger brother named Lloyd. Pity he was handed over to the White Cup, otherwise could have been used for a control experiment."
Looking at the slowly beating heart in the transparent container, Rosalia's eye corner twitched uncontrollably.
Although she knew these guys mostly deserved their current fate, seeing the organs and flesh of her own kind displayed in a little box like an exhibit still gave her a physiological discomfort.
"Let me see..."
Soon, Rosalia overcame the strange discomfort, picked up the transparent container, and examined it closely.
Although she could sense through the psychic element's nature that the object before her was a kin's heart, if Fran hadn't specifically stated it, she would never have believed it came from a Blood Plague-afflicted mad monster.
The psychic element contained within this heart was too pure. As if it had been soaked in moonlight, cleansed of all manic impurities.
"Dr. Fran, may I let an elder of my family see this heart?"
"Of course. That's precisely why I'm handing it to you."
Fran gave a slight nod, granting Rosalia's request.
After all, the reason she came to Moldway was to make contact with the higher echelons of the Moon-Listeners. Besides that... the Six-Eyed Crow cult's "First Perch" was also located here.
"Please follow me."
As she spoke, Rosalia immediately prepared to go out.
But then she noticed Fran standing motionless, looking at her, her amber eyes carrying a trace of indecipherable amusement.
"What's wrong?"
"Rosalia, do you really plan to go out like this?"
Reminded by Fran, the excited Rosalia realized she was still only wearing a thin bathrobe. And it was somewhat disheveled, even faintly revealing her white undergarments through the gaps in the garment.
She felt strangely embarrassed, then cleared her throat lightly to cover it up.
"My apologies... I'll change clothes right away."
...
Although Gormouth was lawless in the conventional sense, the transportation routes between its major large cities could still remain unobstructed. Taking a steam train produced by the White Cup cult allowed quick round trips between Foy and Moldway, a journey of about two days.
Haida and Vivian had also come to Moldway, but the two were currently conducting their own investigations within the city and were not accompanying Fran.
After all, in older times, the predecessors of the Moon's Favored were also hunting targets for the Secrets-Hunters.
Although times were different now, it was still hard to avoid strange feelings if both sides met... To avoid unnecessary conflict, Haida ultimately chose to act separately from Fran.
At this moment, Fran, led by Rosalia, was walking through a spacious courtyard.
Although most Moon's Favored preferred to live alone, a portion long-term resided in this district, facilitating the handling of some family work assigned by the Elder Council. They mostly held positions within the sect.
"Rosalia, can you tell me about the internal situation of the Molting Moon sect now? I haven't had much contact with the Moon's Favored."
There was still some distance to the residence of Rosalia's elder, so Fran took advantage of this interval to inquire about some points to note.
"This... let me think."
The internal situation of the sect was rather complex; Rosalia for a moment didn't know where to start. She took some time to organize her thoughts before beginning to explain.
"In most cults, the real power lies with 'institutions.' Like the four courts of the Secrets-Hunters, or the various departments of the White Cup."
"In our sect, power is distributed by 'family.' Currently, the Nolaria family I belong to is the main lineage holding the most seats in the Elder Council, followed by the Murdoch family."
"The Murdoch family has many young radicals, and there's no shortage of ambitious individuals wanting a change of power..."
At this point, she couldn't help but remember that kin who tried to assassinate her back in Norlington.
Lloyd Murdoch... She heard he later fell into the hands of the White Cup cult and was executed after undergoing Grantham's personal interrogation.
Rosalia narrowed her eyes, looking at the container holding the heart in her hand.
To some extent, a clean death was a mercy, not having to exist in the world in an unsightly state where one couldn't even die.
Compared to his brother who became Dr. Fran's experimental material, he was indeed the luckier one.
"Dr. Fran, the elder I'm taking you to see is a Nolaria elder. Jude Nolaria. Holds the title of Marquis and is also my 'grandfather'."
Although she had a direct elder in a high position, Rosalia couldn't really be considered a traditional aristocrat from a prestigious family.
Kinship ties among the Moon's Favored were different from humans; Jude was practically the grandfather of all Nolaria, their blood ties not particularly close.
"I understand."
Although Rosalia's explanation wasn't detailed, Fran roughly understood the composition of the Molting Moon sect. However, she still had some questions about this Moon's Favored named Jude.
"Since Jude is a Marquis, doesn't he have his own fief and mansion? Why does he live in the same district as you all?"
"About that..."
Hearing her statement, Rosalia somewhat embarrassedly lowered her eyes.
"Actually, this entire 'Vanfena' street is Mr. Jude's mansion. Because he has a strong sense of family, he allows us younger members to reside here long-term."
"In a place where every inch of land is worth gold like Moldway, a whole street district is far more expensive than some manor in the wilderness."
Fran widened her eyes as if suddenly enlightened, then with a hint of a smile asked the next question.
"Then... is he trustworthy enough?"
Hearing the doctor's words beside her, Rosalia's eyes sharpened slightly.
She could sense that Fran's current demeanor and tone lacked the usual light, teasing feel, carrying instead a trace of sufficiently solemn seriousness.
"Mr. Jude is a just elder and the staunchest upholder of the 'Budding Moon Covenant'."
"Sometimes he's serious to the point of being rigid, but he is indeed sufficiently just."
After getting her answer, Fran resumed her leisurely demeanor, casually moving past the topic.
"Don't mind it too much; just an offhand question."
Chatting along the way, the two soon arrived before Jude's mansion. After the guards were notified, an attendant led them into the inner courtyard.
The whole process didn't take much time, probably because this Marquis didn't much care about assassination-type security concerns... He himself was the most powerful vampire of the Nolaria family; who could provide him protection?
It was an exquisitely decorated ancient-style courtyard.
At this moment, a black-haired middle-aged man was sitting alone in a pavilion by the scenic lake, holding a crystal-carved wine glass, deep red wine swirling within.
"Rosalia, what brings you to see me? If it's to restart the investigation into the fallen city, you can go back."
"However... I think you've come for something else. Otherwise, why would you bring a guest?"
Jude's appearance and manner were vastly different from the conventional notion of an elder; at first glance, he resembled a man merely in his forties, in his prime.
However, his speech unconsciously used archaic words of ancient Gormouth, sounding obscure and antiquated.
"Mr. Jude, I have a friend who wishes to see you. This is the 'gift' she brought."
As she spoke, Rosalia presented the transparent container holding Regis's heart.
"Oh?"
Looking at this heart, Jude couldn't help but narrow his crimson eyes. From within this separately extracted organ, he sensed an indescribable purity.
"A material composed of Moon-phase psychic elements?"
"This heart... comes from a kin afflicted with the Blood Plague." Rosalia added.
Hearing her reply, Jude's originally almost relaxed expression instantly became solemn and dignified.
He stood up from the stone chair in the courtyard, then appeared beside Rosalia at a speed difficult for the naked eye to capture, and took the container holding the heart.
"How is this possible? Those contaminated by the Blood Plague, every piece of their flesh carries filth. Even the cruel craftsmanship of Sun-Forging artisans finds it hard to completely purge it..."
"And besides, he's still alive?"
At this point, a trace of incredulity entered Jude's tone.
"Relax a bit, Mr. Jude, don't scare the child."
Fran, restraining a smile, lifted the hem of her physician's coat and executed a light and precise ancient Budding Moon salute commonly used by the White Cup cult.
"This is a gift Headmaster Grantham asked me to bring you... You may call me Flamel, currently serving as an honorary professor in the Medical Department."
While saying this, she also used the antiquated, obscure ancient Gormouth language, but with the beautiful cadence of reciting poetry... as if she were even more familiar with this language than Jude.
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