The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

"Yes, that's how it should be. So..."

Lani looked at Ivani, who was still somewhat confused about the situation, and made her request to her.

“Faded One, go and find the secret treasure of the ‘Eternal City’ Nokron. The half-wolf warrior named Blaze will assist you.”

Looking into Lani's deep, moon-like gaze, Evian was momentarily dazed before realizing her rudeness and then agreed.

"……it is good."

"Go, Faded One. I will now fall into a deep slumber... I hope you will bring good news when you awaken next time."

As she spoke, Lani tilted her head slightly, and the brim of her white snow witch hat was lowered again, obscuring her face.

"Let's go."

Fran had achieved her goal. She then left Lani's study with Heda and Ivenne.

"If you have any questions, we can discuss them after we go outside."

-

"Dr. Fran, your pocket watch."

Heda returned the "swinging heart clock" that Fran had previously given her.

"Are you able to sense her emotions?"

Fran deftly took the brass pocket watch and casually placed it back in his white coat pocket. He then inquired with some anticipation about Heda's observations.

Heda remained silent throughout and minimized her presence to observe Lani. She possessed the talent to construct mental models of others, and with Fran's help, she now had the right to spy on the gods.

It might not succeed, but this is just passive perception, unlikely to be detected by Jiu Suo, so the risk is not high. Trying won't hurt...

"Her thoughts were lofty and cold, difficult to decipher. It was as if she were looking down on everything from a higher 'superego' perspective. And her body was almost like a doll, without any superfluous physical movements."

"But for a moment, an emotion was captured in her eyes."

Haida described the situation, then closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, her gaze held a touch of ethereal loneliness, and even her breath carried a hint of coldness. Like a cold moon suspended in boundless darkness, she radiated a quiet and pure light.

Haida's luscious lips parted slightly as she reached out her hand to someone who was not around, and her words stunned Fran.

"Come, let's go... my eternal king..."

Almost the instant she finished speaking, Haida exited the personality simulation mode of the profiling. And judging from her heavy breathing and the undisguised weariness in her eyes, her mental exhaustion was extremely severe.

"Dr. Fran, what does that mean?"

Evian looked at Fran with some confusion.

Upon hearing Ivy's question, she gradually came to her senses, her expression a mixture of confusion and excitement.

She genuinely enjoyed the feeling of things going off track or getting out of her control... After all, life is vibrant precisely because of change and surprises.

“My dearest Ivannie, I’m sorry I can’t answer your question right now. I need to enjoy this moment alone… but you will find out the answer eventually.”

Fran maintained a slightly apologetic smile, not answering Ivani. Instead, he helped Heida, who was exhausted from the personality simulation, and somewhat laboriously placed her on his shoulder.

"Alright then... I hope it won't be too long."

Evonne pursed her lips slightly, showing no dissatisfaction, only a slight regret that she hadn't been able to hear Fran's explanation.

……

As evening fell, Haida gradually awoke from her exhaustion and drowsiness, and then saw Fran and Ivani by the campfire... as well as a tall half-wolf knight.

"How long have I slept?"

She touched her forehead and, surprisingly, didn't feel much of a headache. Instead, her thoughts became clearer... It must be because Dr. Fran had given her medication.

"It took about seven or eight hours. I used a milder medication this time, which needs to be absorbed through natural sleep. However, because you are in good physical condition, the medication that would normally take a whole day to be fully absorbed only took a few hours."

Fran glanced at the pocket watch, then smiled and looked at Haida.

"We are currently in Red Lion City. A festival will be held here soon to bury the 'strongest demigod' who went mad."

“‘Shattered Star’ Rataen…” Haida murmured, her arm muscles trembling slightly uncontrollably.

It wasn't fear, but excitement.

She had been hearing Fran mention the demigod's deeds for some time now. The demigod who shattered and solidified the starry sky was now in a state of hysterical madness... It was indeed exhilarating to be able to send off that majestic red lion.

"Where is Evonne?" She realized she hadn't seen the faded girl when she woke up.

"She's been studying gravity magic. She's been so engrossed in playing with her greatsword that she's been neglecting her magic studies lately... so I advised her against it."

"Um... Dr. Fran, what did you say?"

Hai Da raised her eyes, and couldn't help but wonder what exactly the content of the exhortation to study was.

“I said that although Ratahn wields dual blades and wears heavy armor, strictly speaking, he is a mage. And he should be the most powerful mage in the borderlands... You should improve your magic more, otherwise Teacher Seren will be unhappy.”

"Hahaha...yUeFei~≯Group:Bawu≈￡@liuSi"

Before Haida could respond, Blazer, who had been listening by the campfire, laughed. His voice was steady yet carried a hint of hearty laughter.

“I’m not joking, Mr. Blazer.” Fran smiled slightly at Blazer, then winked as if somewhat displeased.

"I'm sorry, doctor. But what you're saying is very interesting."

Blazer coughed lightly, regaining his serious expression.

He wasn't entirely clear about Dr. Fran's background, but since Lani said the doctor was trustworthy... then she couldn't be a bad person. In reality, they were quite friendly, though she always seemed a little strange when she examined him.

"So... all we can do now is wait for the festival."

Fran moved nimbly behind Blazer and began to subtly stroke the dark gray wolf fur on the side of the other's face. The outer layer was tough, while the inner layer was soft.

"Doctor, is this really the medical method for treating mental illness in your area? Why not take medicine like Sister Heda did?"

Blazer tilted his head back slightly, clearly struggling to keep up with Fran's extremely skillful techniques.

"Physical therapy is also part of the treatment, so you shouldn't skip it. As for the medication... don't worry, you'll have yours to take."

She ignored Blaze's protests and simply quickened her movements of smoothing his fur. At the same time, she thought to herself, "Thank goodness Blaze is sitting; if he stood up, I really wouldn't be able to touch him..."

-

The festival was held as scheduled.

Renowned warriors and heroes gathered, and the setup was undeniably luxurious, even including a finger witch and a pot...

Heda and Ivenne naturally couldn't miss this opportunity to confront a demigod, so they joined the festival as participants.

Fran, however, simply watched and admired the battle from afar, waiting quietly. As a doctor, she generally avoided engaging in such intense direct combat.

However, after a while, she noticed a bald man with a shield and spear inexplicably appear next to her.

“Oh, Mr. Patch, good day,” she greeted.

"Hey... It's my pleasure, Doctor."

Patch didn't feel embarrassed about being caught trying to run away; instead, she observed the battle situation with her in a tacit understanding.

The earth of the weeping dunes is a deep and eerie crimson, soaked in the blood of the warriors who died, or from the erosion of scarlet decay.

The sky was as deep red and gloomy as the earth, like the setting sun at dusk, its glow like blood, staining everything it reflected.

"Ho..."

Ratan raised his large bow, which resembled a siege ballista, and aimed it at the people surging towards him.

Even though he had lost all his former sanity and roamed the battlefield like a mad beast, even feeding on the corpses of his former comrades... he had not forgotten the martial arts and skills that were etched into his bones.

An arrow imbued with dark gravity magic struck Haida directly. Caught off guard, she had no choice but to swing her greatsword to block, and was blasted nearly ten meters away.

"What a heavy arrow. Even if he were insane, he could still be so accurate..."

The muscles in her arm trembled uncontrollably, and the part of the greatsword that had blocked the arrow emitted wisps of red-hot smoke from the intense heat. If it weren't for her bone-reinforced organs, simply taking that arrow head-on would likely have resulted in a broken bone.

Arrows rained down, the wind whistling through the air.

While everyone was busy dealing with the arrows raining down from the sky, Rataen had already drawn his two jet-black swords, engraved with gravity stripes, from his back. He rode his loyal pony, charging towards any warrior who dared to challenge him.

Ivanni gripped the Greatsword of the Skull with both hands, her Stargazing Staff tucked into her waistband, ready to be switched at any moment. She then charged forward without flinching.

The familiar oppressive feeling, the familiar chilling death aura, the familiar heavily armored riders... she smelled the scent of death once again.

But this time, she wanted to know... whether she was still as weak and powerless as before, able to only postpone death even with all her might? And whether she truly possessed the qualifications to become king.

Heda could not answer such a question, nor would Fran.

Only sword and blood can give her the answer.

-

The scourge of corruption, the destiny of the stars, the swords and spears of warriors—the body of "Shattered Star" Ratahn, burdened with too much, finally collapsed with a deafening roar, crumbling like a mountain.

Ivani was now covered in blood, her skin barely visible beneath the thick, congealed blood. She could only barely hold on by leaning on the greatsword.

"This is... what it feels like to be alive."

In her hand, a large rune radiating a fiery red glow was shining brightly.

After most of the funeral procession that had gathered for the ceremony had left, Fran slowly approached.

She gently stroked Ivy's hair, not caring that the blood on the other woman had wet her hands. Everyone was badly wounded in battle; Sister Heda's nun's robes were so torn that they barely covered her legs... She felt a little guilty for being so clean.

"Sigh... If we're going to end things with martial virtue, we'll have to suffer more. And we also have to make sure there won't be another 'Shattered War' afterward."

She quickly approached Ratahn's massive body and plunged a vial of clear quartz reagent into his bluish-black skin. The latter then abruptly opened his eyes, a sliver of clarity lurking beneath his frenzied and disoriented state, as if on the verge of collapse.

“The crimson corruption could devour your mind again at any moment, and your soul has already become one with the pollution. If you agree to the complete stripping surgery, blink twice. The emergency medication I just gave you will only last for 15 seconds.”

Fran then leaned close to the other man's red lion-like head and revealed the price of his medical treatment plan.

"As for the reward... I want the curse on you, and your divinity."

Chapter Thirty-One: Norklonn (The Old Man's Ring)

"In other worlds, divinity, such an ethereal thing, wouldn't even warrant the thought of separation without the corresponding status and means. But at the borderlands, there's no rejection; curses, blessings, rules, laws—everything is tangible..."

"As long as there is a tangible entity, everything is fine."

Fran looked with satisfaction at the red-haired youth shrouded in a cloak before him, meticulously explaining his surgical procedure to his new client. He was tall, but only slightly taller than an average person; the difference between him and the giant demigod he had encountered before was obvious.

He... is Ratahn after the surgery.

"It's not just rejection at the cellular level; it seems there's no reproductive isolation between species either. No wonder there are half-dragon or humanoid dragon descendants... after all, who doesn't love dragon girls?"

Ratan didn't pay attention to Fran's teasing. He just silently looked at his hands, which were no longer as large as those of a giant, and felt a little uncomfortable for a moment.

She actually managed to extract the giant's curse and demigod's blood from her nearly dead body. She extracted those things that had been inextricably linked to her since birth, fused with her as one, from her own body. She even expelled the crimson corruption originating from the extraterrestrial gods…

Who exactly is she? Are those bird-like ear feathers in her hair some kind of rare being? And is there an unknown deity behind her?

In any case, the answers to these questions are no longer relevant to me.

"Doctor, you have received the reward you desired, and it is time for me to leave. No longer a demigod, nor a general of the Red Lion... I need to consider what identity I should have in this world."

"Please go ahead, I do not restrict the patient's personal freedom."

Fran didn't stop the other person from leaving; he merely watched him walk away. The transaction was complete, and it wasn't a good habit to waste the patient's time after the money and goods were settled.

"Does it not restrict the patient's personal freedom...?"

Evonne's expression was somewhat subtle.

Fran performed countless surgeries and experiments on Grek after treating him.

If she had the necessary specialized equipment, she would have even considered testing whether the humans in the border region were suitable for the 19-step modification surgery… Of course, she would remove everything she installed on Grek afterward, preserving the purity of the raw material.

"Of course. As for those little experiments I did on Greck... that was the 'fee' he paid me. Strictly speaking, we had a contract."

Fran noticed a hint of mockery in Ivanie's eyes, but she wasn't angry. Instead, she patiently explained the logic behind it.

Under normal circumstances, she does not restrict a patient's personal freedom. However, if a patient offers their freedom as payment for medical services... she will gladly accept it.

When a less important ethical requirement conflicts with the consultation fee, the latter will definitely take higher priority.

"Having completely transformed into a mortal, Rataln can no longer maintain the seal on the heavens, and the fate of the stars has begun to flow anew. The path to the 'Eternal City' Noklon will also open..."

Fran pondered the next steps, smiling, but with a hint of worry in her eyes. She couldn't quite see through Lani's true thoughts.

Although Heda secretly probed Lani's emotions through profiling using the pocket watch, it was only a tiny fraction of what she managed to do. It is known that the phrase "My eternal king" is what she will say to the Faded Ones when the final Stars ending is achieved.

In other words, this "Moon Princess" already knows the future. But... what is the reason? This couldn't have happened without a reason, and it's highly likely related to Ivenne's illness.