The crowd gathered around the metallic container, staring down at it as though they were participating in a solemn funeral service to bid a final farewell to the person inside.
Silence blanketed the chamber. The members of Rhodes Island held their breath, completely frozen in anticipation as they prepared to provide immediate medical aid the moment the lid parted.
Amiya stared at the pristine shell, her pulse racing. She couldn't help but picture how the Doctor would look the moment the device opened—would they be standing healthy and whole, or would the same familiar, frail image meet her eyes?
"So this massive device is nothing more than a medical pod?" Talulah murmured, struggling to grasp the weight of Jeanne's explanation. An artifact capable of running an entire city was just a device to heal illnesses?
"Strictly speaking, it is an ordinary household model," Jeanne corrected smoothly.
"Household? What kind of civilization possesses common home appliances powerful enough to drive an entire mobile city?" Talulah pressed, rubbing her temples. She was beginning to wonder if a severe lack of sleep was causing her to experience vivid hallucinations.
"The one sitting right in front of your eyes," Jeanne replied, shrugging. She didn't pay any mind to the stunned expressions of the people behind her. After all, she had worn the exact same face when she first uncovered the truth.
"Since this device is so incredibly potent, can it wipe out Oripathy entirely?" Talulah asked out of genuine curiosity. With a piece of lost technology this miraculous, curing a common disease should be child's play, shouldn't it?
"Ordinary people cannot use it. To be precise, the only souls on this entire continent capable of surviving a session inside are myself and the person sleeping within," Jeanne countered, casting a sideways glance that carried a hint of teasing amusement.
"What would happen if someone else tried?" Talulah asked, turning her head away with a small pout, clearly displeased by Jeanne's mocking tone.
"What would happen?" Jeanne pondered the question for a moment, realizing she had never detailed the severe consequences to her companion. "If you ever stepped inside, you would likely transform into a massive creature matching Fafnir's true size. Except you would possess zero reason or control, leaving you to do nothing but destroy everything in sight. It is incredibly perilous."
Talulah instantly fell silent. She knew Jeanne wouldn't jest about something so dangerous, and she cast a fearful glance at the massive container.
Still, the thought of turning into a giant dragon held a certain allure. If she could maintain her sanity like Fafnir did, it might be worth a try. But given Jeanne's stark warning, she decided to put the idea entirely out of her mind.
Turning her focus back to the metal casing, Talulah remained curious to see what made this particular individual so unique. To this day, she still didn't know what ancient lineage Jeanne belonged to.
As the two spoke, Crownslayer stood completely frozen beside the pod, staring down in absolute silence.
Now that she understood the true nature of this artifact, she finally comprehended why her father had chosen to face execution rather than hand it over to the nobility. Placing a device this dangerous into the hands of those corrupt lords would have brought ruin to the lands.
Yet, it was this exact piece of machinery that had cost the lives of her father, Skullshatterer's father, and so many other dedicated researchers, shattering the quiet lives of countless families.
When she was a child, her only dream had been to become a brilliant scientist, just like her father.
"Um... Crownslayer?"
A quiet voice broke the red haired girl's trance. She blinked, realizing that the young Cautus leader, Amiya, had slipped over to her side, watching her with a gentle expression.
"I do not know the full story of what transpired between you and Dr. Kal'tsit, but I believe..." Amiya started, though she faltered halfway through the sentence, unsure of how to put her thoughts into words.
"You don't need to apologize on her behalf. My temper was short the last time we spoke, which led to some harsh words," Crownslayer replied, her heart remarkably calm now. She had realized how foolish her previous hostility toward Amiya must have looked.
She had already learned the true sequence of past events from Kal'tsit. With Jeanne's unique help, she had even managed to speak with the late Sergei to clear the old grievances. She had honestly believed she had moved past the trauma.
Yet, stepping back into this facility caused the old memories to rush back like a violent tide. Crownslayer bit her lip firmly, refusing to show how deeply the place still affected her.
"I... I understand. Dr. Kal'tsit will be traveling to Lungmen soon. If you ever wish to speak with her again, you can find her there," Amiya offered softly, quietly sharing the senior medic's itinerary with the Lupo fighter.
Crownslayer let out a sharp hinf. Why on earth would she go looking for that woman? She couldn't best her in a fight, and she certainly had no desire to endure another one of her incomprehensible riddles.
"Understood. Thank you." Even if the information held little value for her, she didn't forget to offer a polite nod. At the very least, Amiya possessed a kind heart—a massive contrast to Kal'tsit, who felt entirely frozen from the inside out.
It truly baffled Crownslayer to think that such a cold woman could raise a child this warm and gentle.
Right at that moment, a soft chime echoed through the quiet chamber. The chatter died down instantly, and every single eye locked onto the container.
The heavy lid slid aside with a low hiss, revealing the pale figure resting inside once more. Deep in a state of slumber, the occupant remained completely oblivious to the opening of the pod.
Talulah drew in a sharp breath as she peered down at the gaunt, deathly still figure. She couldn't help but wonder if this device was simply a high-tech freezer meant for preserving corpses. Was this person truly among the living?
"Doctor!" Amiya cried out, running over to the edge of the pod. The pale face before her belonged to the very person she had spent months pining for, yet the figure offered no response to her call.
"Medical team, move in! Her body is incredibly weak right now. I'll leave the details to you experts!" Jeanne shouted to the operators waiting behind her after verifying the Doctor's condition.
The medics snapped out of their daze, moving forward with practiced efficiency to lift the Doctor from the pod. They immediately began administering emergency treatments, while Jeanne stood by to offer spiritual stabilization.
Jeanne could sense that although the Doctor's physical frame appeared more fragile than before, her mind was no longer on the verge of shattering. Simply put, the treatment had been a massive success.
Talulah continued to scan the patient, staring intently at the Doctor, whose complexion looked even whiter than FrostNova's winter coat. She seemed determined to find some hidden clue beneath that frail visage.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Jeanne asked, nudging the Draco lady. "Why are you staring at her so intently? You've never looked at me like that."
"There really isn't anything unique about her visual features, is there? How is it that neither of you possess any distinct traits of any race?" Talulah muttered to herself, trying to discern what set Jeanne and the Doctor apart from the rest of the world.
Regrettably, she couldn't find a single defining mark. Perhaps this absolute lack of traits was the trait itself? Talulah felt as though she was on the verge of uncovering a profound truth.
By this point, the Rhodes Island staff had completely tuned out their surroundings. They worked shoulder to shoulder, performing the necessary steps to ensure the Doctor could wake up safely.
"Doctor? Doctor!" Amiya kept calling out, trying to coax the slumbering consciousness back to reality. Any small sign of life would do; it was far better than watching over someone who looked like a corpse.
The busy medics made no move to silence the young Cautus. Her voice wasn't loud enough to disrupt their focus, and if she truly managed to draw the Doctor out of her deep slumber, it would be a massive victory for everyone.
Amiya kept her voice carefully modulated, ensuring she didn't cause a distraction.
"So this is the legendary Doctor? She looks so..." Talulah trailed off, staring down at the patient. She found it hard to believe that this tiny, slender person was the brilliant figure Jeanne spoke of so highly.
"She is a bit worse for wear, isn't she? That is precisely why she required a lengthy rest inside the pod. The holy water will eventually restore her strength. Once she recovers, she can provide a tremendous amount of help for our future endeavors."
Jeanne smiled down at the Doctor. This individual was a universal genius—a remarkably versatile tool who could easily handle a dozen roles simultaneously if they could find a way to split her apart.
"I have no doubts about her intellect," Talulah noted, her gaze suddenly sharpening as she focused on the Doctor's attire. "But there is one pressing question... why on earth is she wearing your favorite dark red tunic?"
Jeanne's jaw dropped, a look of profound confusion washing over her face.