Bad woman, am I pretending to be bad?

"I can help you spread the word, help you prove it, as long as—"

As her fingertips slid up to touch the silver mask, Eliza, as if wanting to witness firsthand the pain the person before her had endured, intended to remove it, but Charlotte gently grasped her slender wrist.

She simply shook her head and whispered:

"Don't do that, Eliza."

Chapter 160 Unsung Heroes

A soft sigh escaped from the thin lips beneath the mask. Charlotte reached out and gently stroked Eliza's fingertips, soothing her resentment and worry with her words and actions.

"There's no need to pity me or grieve for me, dear girl. I am a doctor, and you and they are my most important patients."

Take out the enamel medicine box, the original gift given to the recipient. It still shines with a brand-new brilliance, clearly having been cared for day and night by its predecessors.

“Some scars need to be seen,” she said, pressing the girl’s hand against her own unblemished right cheek, feeling the delicate, soft touch. “Others are better left hidden in the sunlight.”

Upon hearing this, Eliza's pale blue pupils welled up with tears. She almost trembled as she wiped the hideous red spots, her voice filled with urgency.

"But you are also a patient, you are also one of those who suffer. Doctors should not heal themselves before they can prove themselves to others."

"Prove what?"

Seeing the sadness on that pretty face, Charlotte slightly raised the corners of her lips and deliberately asked a question.

"Reliability and peace of mind."

“No, Eliza, the biggest lie a doctor can tell is to make patients believe we are always healthy.” Wiping away the silently overflowing tears, the brown-haired beauty shook her head gently but firmly. “It is these festering wounds that allow me to truly understand their pain, to be true to my conscience, and to stand on the moral high ground in court.”

These words were flawless, except—

"Then can you understand my pain?" Eliza lowered her head, simply holding the former's wrist with surprising strength. "Dr. Bella, whenever I accept your selfless kindness, I feel the warmth of being cared for by others."

"Selflessness, impartiality, and noble character are like rhetoric tailor-made for you. Therefore, I no longer indulge in the torment of nightmares or fall asleep amidst the clamor of curses."

Without the slightest resistance or disgust, she pressed the hand covered in red spots to her heart, whispering and blaming herself, "But I was so greedy, I wanted your gaze to linger a little longer, I wanted your tenderness to stay a little longer."

"This is an impolite act for a nobleman, but when I see your haggard face with blood on your lips, I cannot suppress the ripples in my heart."

"That's the most inappropriate suspicion I could have, but Dr. Bella, are you leaving me, leaving us?"

Her pale blue eyebrows and eyes were like misty waves, and Eliza's voice was still clear and gentle, like a babbling brook. But as soon as the latter nodded slightly, the expectations placed upon her would sink completely, to an unfathomable depth.

“Everyone has their end. For those who seek power, reaching the pinnacle of authority is the goal; for those who seek knowledge, profound learning is the middle ground.” Charlotte paused, then spoke softly.

The smile that followed was gentler than the breeze that brushed past her ear.

"As for me, sacrificing for the world is the ending I can accept with peace of mind."

“What I did yesterday was far better than what I did in obscurity. The rest I will enjoy today is far better than anything I have ever known.”

Sunlight filtered through the dappled shadows of the trees, dappling the space between the two and shattering their unspoken words into tiny specks of light.

In the garden, Sophie's paintbrush had broken at some point, and indigo paint dripped from between her fingers, blooming into tiny water droplets on the cobblestone path.

Only the warm tone remained.

"This is the doctor you've always wanted, isn't it, Eliza?"

"Can--"

"That's enough, I appreciate your concern. But dear girl, can you distinguish between gratitude and admiration?"

The black-haired girl's fingers suddenly tightened, and the expensive silk gloves created tiny wrinkles at Charlotte's cuffs.

She opened her mouth, but couldn't answer immediately.

“I’ve seen too many eyes like that.” Charlotte gently withdrew her hand, her fingertips tracing the delicate enamel patterns on the medicine box. “The patient’s dependence on the doctor is like a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood. But when the tide goes out, this feeling will dissipate like morning dew.”

“Even if it’s not me, someone else will treat your hysteria and care about your well-being.”

"No, that won't happen. Everyone approaches Dikbatov with ulterior motives. Everyone sees me as a piece of cake to be taken at will, just waiting to be cut with a knife and fork..."

Eliza's voice suddenly rose, and the white veil covering her face swayed slightly in the sunlight.

“Only you, only you, when you look at me, do not see the name Dikbatov!” Her voice trembled with the characteristic vibrato of an opera singer. “Do you know? This is not the first time I have had a hysterical episode on stage, and there has never been a kind person, no compassionate doctor, to speak up for me, to help me confront that uncle, that Earl Hall.”

"Just like what you did yesterday, Dr. Bella, those court nobles, wealthy merchants, and gentry had no compassion for the people, yet you..."

She was practically declaring Isabella's specialness and that she herself was unique in Isabella's eyes.

A smile plays on my lips. Who is it that, with a few words and a little trickery, has plucked another blooming flower from a branch? Who is it that, with grandiloquent words and feigned compliance, commands the utmost respect from the world?

Ah, that's me.

"That's enough, good girl. I promised you back then that I would help you cure this acquired hysteria, and I will definitely take responsibility until the end of my life."

“This is an agreement.”

To conclude the conversation, Eliza, though still without the answer she sought, could only gaze into those peaceful eyes and leave behind a hopeful thought.

"Dr. Bella, I will always make room for you in the center for the evening theater performance."

Her gaze flicked slightly toward the chirping garden, and she repeated, as if deliberately emphasizing, "Of course, it's a solitary seat."

As she bid farewell, gazing at that slender figure, Charlotte suddenly chuckled softly. She pushed open the French windows, and the damp morning mist, carrying the fragrance of fresh grass, flooded into the room.

"Miss Sheriff, so you also have a penchant for eavesdropping?"

The little peacock, who had been stealing glances out of the corner of her eye and eavesdropping by the wall, immediately blushed, but still stubbornly held up the evidence bag—containing the family crest that Charlotte had discarded.

"Ahem, the Public Security Bureau requests an investigation into the relevant individuals involved." Sophie's voice was deliberately businesslike and cold, but the expectation in her eyes grew even brighter.

Charlotte had a pretty good idea of ​​what the clever little bird was up to; it was just using the official name to press for answers about the deceased Watson.

However, lying to her face and denying it, and seeing the despair in her eyes, is also a good experience.

The focus shifted, and the original owner's situation also became a hot topic due to yesterday's events.

In the arbitration tribunal's office, Ms. Z, who had been engrossed in writing, was unusually absent from her public office. Seated there was the young woman, Melvis, whose spirituality had been eroded.

"Hey? Where's Ms. Z today?"

As a colleague, Pederina naturally noticed this significant change, and the vampire girl gave a cold reply.

"Zelena has departed for Florence due to a friend's matter. I will be in charge of her official duties for the next few days."

Chapter 161 Master-Disciple Inheritance

The documents in Pederina's hands fell to the ground with a thud. Her eyes widened, and her voice involuntarily rose: "Frenza? Isn't that where the plague recently broke out...?"

"Hmm." Melvis nodded slightly, his face expressionless, and simply continued on the topic. "The plague in Florence was spread by water, but fortunately, a doctor we know saved the day."

"Familiar? Could it be... Dr. Bella!"

"Yes, we had previously received care from that psychologist. The epidemic in Florence was ignored by the councilors and was spreading in the outer cities, but it was saved by this kind-hearted ordinary person."

Covering her mouth, the red-haired girl picked up the newspaper, and after flipping through it several times, her voice trembled.

"How could this be? These despicable wealthy merchants and nobles, Dr. Bella actually paid such a price to ensure the implementation of the policy."

Pederina's fingertips gently traced the photograph of the beautiful woman in the newspaper. Her profile, adorned with a half-mask, appeared exceptionally serene and cruel against the ink.

As an old acquaintance of Zelena, the kind and responsible healer Isabella often works as an external consultant to soothe the psychological problems of the arbitration panel members, which are no less than spiritual breakdowns and emotional collapses.

Her patience and gentleness, like a babbling brook, could always soothe the imbalance in others' hearts. As a result, almost every member of the arbitration panel knew this doctor, even though they kept secrets from each other because of her extraordinary presence.

"The development of science and technology requires innovation, but stubborn views limit vision, so someone must make sacrifices."

The blonde woman slowly pushed open the door and concluded the conversation.

Charlotte, you're here too!

With a shift in perspective, Charlotte has returned to her original identity: an ordinary employee in the arbitration tribunal.

"Isn't Ms. Z here?"

"Some personal and business matters intertwined, and she had to go to Florence."

Having overheard the whole story, Charlotte naturally understood that the woman had set off for her city because she was so eager for Isabella to see her.

Are there any other requests today?

"Ms. Z has already given us instructions before she left, so we just need to follow the plan."

After a brief greeting, they returned to their posts, only exchanging a few words during their spare time.

"How is Dr. Bella? She came to give us counseling last week, and even smiled and comforted us..."

As they passed the table again, Pedeline's fading murmur reached their ears; the innocent seashell girl could never hide the words in her heart.

As the pen fell to the ground, Melvis sighed softly. The twilight outside the window deepened, making her red eyes appear like congealed blood.

"Whether it's worry or unease, Zelena has already set out for it, and she is far more troubled than we are."

His voice was unusually hesitant as he took a file from the drawer, with an old scale seal still on it.

"Four years ago, a similar epidemic broke out in Tingen. However, Ms. Z found the pathogen before the disease took hold and nipped the transmission route in the bud. The only regret is that we were unable to arrest the culprit that triggered the epidemic."

"This trip to Florence was actually related to a case. Perhaps it was another extraordinary individual using the same methods, or perhaps it was the same person seeking advancement. The familiar methods of communication, the familiar symptoms—the suspect always liked to use methods that had been successful before; it was a psychological effect."

"Excuse me, may I borrow this case file?"

Leaning forward, Charlotte, as a civilian employee, undoubtedly had the right to borrow the books. If the masterminds behind the two epidemics were the same, she could use this clue to get closer to a frail mid-series extraordinary individual.

This was an unexpected clue, which was both surprising and reassuring.

"Of course, but why would you be interested in a case that's already closed?"

Melvis didn't press the matter, but simply pushed the stack of papers toward Charlotte, his blood-red eyes watching her thoughtfully as she flipped through them.

This is quite rare, as Charlotte has always maintained the image of a cold and taciturn beauty, only speaking up when necessary and personally taking risks.

"It just seems strange. When there are too many similarities, it is no longer appropriate to regard it as a coincidence."

Pedeline leaned closer, her small chin rubbing against Charlotte's neck and shoulder, making a few indistinct little noises. "I remember Ms. Z saying that the source of the plague four years ago was..."

“A special kind of spiritual pollution.” Melvis interrupted her, his pale fingers tapping lightly on the table. “It spreads through water. Patients will develop erythema and high fever, and eventually die from the dissolution of their internal organs.”

Charlotte opened the file folder, and the medical sketches inside brought a slight smile to her lips—the patients' symptoms were strikingly similar to those of the Florence plague. Most striking was the investigation report on the last page, with a name circled in red: Plymouth Union Steel.

"This factory..."

“A few years ago, they were in charge of housing for the factory in Tingen. Interestingly, they also got similar engineering contracts in Florence.”

As if on cue, Melvis lowered his voice, emphasizing a particular word in his sentence: "The investigation records from four years ago show that Plymouth's head in Tingen—"

Following her deliberate guidance, Charlotte's gaze fell on a name that had been repeatedly altered and restored.

"Victor Lines".

The reports and clippings, now smelling musty, are no longer the hot topics they once were, but the words written in ink are still bright and elegant, all to praise that seemingly kind man.

Charlotte pulled out one of the old black-and-white photos from the pile, gently stroking the wrinkled paper. The watermark on the back showed that it came from the Tingen newspaper and was taken just a week before the outbreak of the plague.

Plymouth Smelter Receives Municipal Recognition; New Water Purification System Put into Use; Water Supply Improvement Plan for Slum Areas...

Continuing to flip through the files, she found a memo at the very bottom, mostly smeared with ink. The only remaining fragment of text read:

[An abnormality has occurred in the cleanroom... A worker has developed a rash... It is recommended to suspend operations for inspection...]

Her thoughts drifted back to the earlier investigation into the source of the disease, during which Charlotte had witnessed several corpses, which, based on their name tags, could be identified as workers from the cleanroom.

Putting those thoughts aside for the moment, she simply handed the photo to Melvis and said briefly.

"do you know?"

"If you're referring to Victor, then I can only give you general information. He was a former advisor to the Medical Committee and resigned four years ago to take responsibility. He reportedly went north to do research."

"However, there has been no word from him since then, making it difficult to ascertain the truth."

Having said all she could, the black-haired girl paused, her tone slightly hesitant, as if she had spoken casually without thinking.

"We naturally suspected this gentleman, but the clues were too scarce to provide effective proof. However, several of his students are still working in Florence, which is somewhat of a—"

"Master-disciple succession".

Chapter 162 Citrus Fruits and Toys

A bluish-gray mist drifted in from afar, like a thin veil, gently covering the sea surface.

The sound of the tide was low and gentle, and the wooden piles by the dock were wet, gleaming with a dark brown water.