Chapter 518: Treatment, Ceremony, and Gunpowder
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.com
Heidi, a seasoned psychiatrist, found herself intrigued when she discovered her new patient was an elf. Throughout her extensive career, she had rarely encountered elves, which was true for most healthcare professionals across various specialties.
Elves are renowned for their formidable physical constitution, long lifespans, and remarkable resistance to diseases that afflict other races. They can endure harsh conditions and maintain robust health, both physically and mentally. Although they may not possess the emotional resilience of dwarves, who are famous for their “hearts of stone,” elves surpass humans in mental fortitude. This resilience is likely an evolutionary adaptation to their extended lifespans.
Historically, elves have been legendary pioneers and adventurers, known for their bravery in exploring hazardous territories and navigating through dangerous fog and illusions. Many city-states near the “Eternal Curtain” in the Boundless Sea owe their establishment to elven explorers, with the most notable being the “City of Adventure,” known as “Wind Harbor.”
Despite their advantages, elves are not without weaknesses. Their development is slower compared to humans, their learning capabilities somewhat diminished, and their exceptional mental resilience hampers their ability to receive divine blessings, except from the God of Wisdom. The protection offered by the other three gods of orthodoxy has minimal effect on elves, a contrast to dwarves who, despite their mental strength, do not face similar issues.
Many theories attempt to explain why elves struggle to receive divine blessings. One popular hypothesis suggests that ancient, inflexible heresies ingrained in elven culture make them detestable to the gods, sparing them only the mercy of the God of Wisdom, Lahem.
In historical times, particularly during the “Dark Ages” and the “Old City-State Era” preceding the New City-State Era, this perceived divine forsakenness and racial prejudices led to numerous bloody conflicts. However, elves managed to build bridges of understanding with other races through their inventions of steam rifles and high-explosive gunpowder.
Following these tumultuous periods, elves graciously accepted gestures of reconciliation from humans and dwarves, who have shorter lifespans but have established and maintained a peaceful coexistence with elves to this day.
Heidi approached the bedside of her new patient, a young elf girl. She meticulously monitored the girl’s breathing, checked her pulse, and then opened her medical kit, arranging an assortment of potions and devices on the small table beside the bed.
The days of bloody conflict and prevailing darkness have faded into history. The fleeting lives of humans and dwarves allow them to comprehend their ancestors’ tales only through historical documents. Even for long-lived elves, those turbulent times have become distant memories.
In the present age, the elven race’s unique constitution, seemingly forsaken by the gods, persists. Many ancient elven families, while adhering to the teachings of the God of Wisdom, Lahem, continue to uphold various enigmatic and traditional heresies. However, this does not hinder them from being an integral part of today’s civilized world.
Due to their profound accomplishments in mathematics and mechanics and their intimate affiliation with the God of Wisdom, Lahem, elves have carved out an indispensable role in the current “steam and electricity” era. If it weren’t for their relatively small population, their influence over the Boundless Sea might already surpass that of humans.
In this modern era, the longstanding elven heresies and their inability to receive blessings from the three gods hardly garner any attention or discussion.
Heidi lit a finely crafted incense burner, and a soothing aroma began to waft throughout the room, settling around the sickbed. The relaxing scent had a calming effect on the elf girl, whose eyebrows softened and relaxed.
Heidi leaned over, gently lifted the girl’s eyelids, and held a glowing purple crystal before her eyes, swaying it rhythmically from side to side.
“You find yourself trapped in a dream, a restless state turned into a defensive cage. But you need help now, and so you’ve left a ‘key’ for someone you trust. This trusted individual will appear in your dreams, aiding you to confront your fears or guiding you to find the exit from this dream…”
As Heidi swayed the crystal amidst the rising tendrils of incense smoke, she whispered these words into the girl’s ear. Her voice was low, slow, almost magical.
Heidi was an accomplished psychiatrist with many strategies at her disposal to assist her patients. While conventional treatment methods involving surveys and psychological suggestions to ascertain patients’ mental states and offer tailored guidance were her forte, she was also adept at employing remarkably effective techniques in more challenging situations.
Heidi’s arsenal of therapeutic tools was diverse, including cudgels, golden needles, and gunpowder, as well as calming incense, soothing potions, and ritualistic crystals.
Being a psychiatrist was not without challenges. On a regular day, Heidi would tend to insomniac students and weary workers. However, she also had to contend with malevolent entities that manifested from her patients’ “dreams” and “imaginations”.
“Now, you’re beginning to feel more relaxed, as the person who will aid you is about to appear in your dreams…”
Heidi continued her gentle, soothing words. Simultaneously, she noticed a faint silver glow emerging deep within the elf girl’s pupils. This indicated that the blessing of the God of Wisdom, Lahem, was starting to take effect. Despite the elves’ “godforsaken” constitution, they were still susceptible to Lahem’s blessings. This provided some relief to Heidi, a devout follower of the God of Wisdom.
“You have left a door for ‘them’. This door is very close to you. You’ve entrusted the ‘key’ to open this door to the person assisting you. Now, you’re in a safe haven, quietly awaiting the opening of this door…”
“You are relaxed, for you know that the one who will step through that door is the one you trust most…”
With each word Heidi whispered, the elf girl’s breaths grew progressively longer and more stable.
This calm was temporary, but it was enough for Heidi to prepare for the next phase of her “treatment”.
Swiftly, Heidi retreated from the elf girl and placed the purple crystal pendant, which she had been using for hypnosis, on a vacant bed nearby.
Clutching the inherited purple crystal from her father, she softly recited prayers to the God of Wisdom, Lahem, and gradually closed her eyes.
A moment later, Heidi opened her eyes and sat up, confusion apparent on her face.
She hadn’t managed to enter any dreams – had the hypnosis not taken effect?
Rising from the bed, Heidi examined her surroundings carefully before returning to the bed where the elf girl lay.
Her “patient” still lay there in tranquility, displaying no signs of consciousness.
After several checks and two failed attempts at hypnosis, Heidi discovered that she was utterly unable to establish a connection with the elf girl’s dream.
An overwhelming sense of defeat began to rise within her.
Heidi sat contemplatively beside the bed for an indeterminate length of time, considering different strategies for treatment. Eventually, after a long sigh, she rose and headed towards the room’s exit, massaging her slightly stiffened neck and shoulders.
However, just before she reached the door, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the corridor outside. This was followed by the distinct clinking of a key being inserted and turned in a lock. The doorknob turned, and a person donning a deep blue uniform, indicative of government office work, pushed open the ward’s door.
“Miss Heidi, how’s the situation?”
The uniformed worker, who seemed to have been patiently waiting outside in the designated “safe zone” for quite some time, asked about the progress of the treatment with an undercurrent of nervousness in his voice.
“Unfortunately, there’s been no improvement – conventional hypnosis has proven unsuccessful. I might have to resort to preparing more potent rituals or concoctions,” Heidi responded regretfully, shaking her head. As she spoke, she lifted the purple crystal pendant and affixed it back around her neck. Picking up her hefty suitcase, she added, “I need to return and plan our next steps for treatment.”
“…Well, I suppose you’ve done your best,” the worker sighed, his tone laced with empathy, “Several mental health professionals have tried before, but none could penetrate this patient’s dreams – due to the peculiarity of the situation, the church’s appointed priests are deeply concerned that this might be some strange mental contamination caused by the sun’s extinguishing. They’re taking this matter very seriously… but there’s little we can do. If even experts like you find this challenging, then it seems we truly can’t expedite the process.”
Heidi gently nodded in agreement.
Subtly, she felt a faint warmth radiating from the purple crystal pendant resting against her chest.
“Do you need us to arrange a vehicle to transport you home?” the worker inquired courteously.
“There’s no need; my car is parked outside,” Heidi declined, shaking her head.
“Alright, then I won’t escort you out. You may exit the same way you entered – I’ll go and check on the patient once more.”
Heidi responded with a noncommittal hum, bestowed a friendly smile on the worker, and then pivoted, heading towards the lengthy, shadowy corridor outside.
Meanwhile, the worker in the blue uniform also turned back around, making his way towards the sleeping elf girl.
The sound of footsteps echoed from behind Heidi, approximately five meters away.
Silently, Heidi grasped her suitcase, and her other hand found the secret compartment at the bottom of the case. In an instant, her face devoid of emotion, she whirled around and pulled the trigger.
“Bang!”
The bullet found its mark, burrowing into the back of the figure in the blue uniform. It exploded upon impact, resulting in a hazy cloud of blood.
She did enter the elves dream, it’s just disguised as reality!
I was thinking the same thing, and Heidi figured it out when the Duncan empowered purple crystal pendant warned her.
build bridges of understanding with other races through their inventions of steam rifles and high-explosive gunpowder….elves graciously accepted gestures of reconciliation from humans and dwarves.
You don’t say…!