Chapter 157
Zuo Jian rubbed his chin, and roughly came to a conclusion.
"Look, I'm going to the Iron Duke's territory next, and it'll probably take me a little while, Doctor, so I really can't spare the time for now..."
"No, no, no! I absolutely, absolutely cannot be in Kazdel! At least... I absolutely cannot be in Kazdel alone!"
The Doctor's expression seemed somewhat unusual, but his expression of refusal was no different from that of the Doctor he knew.
Call...
"Doctor, don't worry, I won't put you in any danger--"
"No! This has nothing to do with me putting myself in danger!"
"I..."
The "Doctor" in front of me looked up, his tone seemingly tinged with difficulty, as if... he were recalling some painful past.
Seeing the Doctor's expression, Zuo Jian then showed an understanding look and spoke.
"It's alright. Since you don't want to go, Doctor, I'll find another way. Although my main concern is that part of my being that has been separated from me for too long might be a bit awkward when it comes to negotiations..."
"Negotiation...? Your flesh and blood creations? Strange, aren't these things puppets? How can they negotiate?"
The Doctor paused for a moment, then recalled the assimilated gangsters he had seen recently.
Those were nothing more than... puppets capable of following preset instructions.
"That's how it should normally be, but I made a slight modification, or rather, an experiment, to give her some consciousness... in order to better help the villagers."
Zuo Jian sat by the window, looking in the direction that belonged to Iberia.
Under the Doctor's surprised gaze, he briefly recounted his encounter with the Church of the Deep and how he managed to stuff the two Seaborn bishops into that newborn flesh and blood.
"Phew... Speaking of which... I wonder if they've planted normal wheat in Saltwind City yet. They haven't replied..."
"No... wait... consciousness... you can devour consciousness?"
However, this "Doctor" was clearly concerned with those crucial passages in Zuo Jian's description.
"I'm not quite sure either... After all, this act of devouring others... makes me a little uncomfortable."
"But if I remember correctly, only when a living person is devoured can their consciousness be absorbed along with them; a dead corpse is just a lump of flesh without the concept of a soul."
"No... that's enough... that's enough..."
The "Doctor" seemed to have remembered something and began pacing back and forth, as if he were about to make a major decision.
Finally, when she stopped in front of Zuo Jian, the latter could clearly see that her fists were clenched tightly and even trembling slightly.
"Um... Zuo Jian... I'd like to ask you for a favor... no... not a favor... I just... want you to listen to something I have to say..."
"Now?"
"No... now..."
The "Doctor" gritted his teeth, looking as if he wanted to swallow the words.
"..."
Zuo Jian glanced silently at the hesitant Doctor, then gave a helpless look.
"Oh dear, look at the time! I still need to take the Eblana sisters to see that Gray Hat downstairs. What a pity, Doctor, we probably won't be able to hear what you want to say for the time being."
"Why don't you... wait a little longer?"
He said
He patted the Doctor on the shoulder and said.
"It's okay, you don't need to force yourself. You can also think carefully about whether some things are worth entrusting to me like this."
"Left... space?"
After patting the Doctor on the shoulder, the other person had already walked to the door frame and was about to leave when he suddenly raised his hand, waved, and said something.
"Well then, see you later, Doctor... or rather, Doctor Number 2?"
"?!"
The Wraith was taken aback, then realized that it had already been exposed to the other party.
"... Um."
'Oh dear, isn't this Wraith? Why has it become so timid? What's making you hesitate like this? Tell me!'
The Doctor's voice rang in my ears.
"... You don't need to know this; it won't do you any good."
Call...
Zuo Jian leaned against the wall; the Doctor seemed to be preoccupied with something, and he couldn't bother her for the time being.
Speaking of which... the Iron Duke's territory isn't close to here, so if we want to find a way to get there with Eblana...
The previous methods are clearly no longer working.
We need to find a way to move Laurentina's location as well... at least closer to the Duke Wellington's territory.
"Phew... Although I'll eventually have to tell her, but..."
He leaned against the wall, realizing that the current situation involved the power struggles between the dukes within Victoria, the issue of Drak's bloodline succession, and the Sarkaz's strategic plans for Victoria.
... I really don't want Laurentina to be dragged into this because of his own actions.
We need to find a reason to get Laurentina to change her position slightly.
Zuo Jian, feeling a bit of a headache, reached out to Laurentina, pondering how to come up with a plausible lie.
Soon... the familiar touch returned, and he opened his eyes through the brooch on the girl's chest.
After Laurentina and Skadi got home, they seemed to have nothing to do, so they just lay on the sofa watching Victoria Standard programs on TV.
[Um, Laurentina...]
"You're back?"
However, before Zuo Jian could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the other party.
Laurentina's tone was flat, as if it were just a routine greeting.
However... Zuo Jian was completely stunned.
[What... what? You're back? Haven't I been by your side the whole time...?]
"Really? I thought your recent inconsistent state of mind was because you were trying to manage two things at the same time."
[... Um, I...]
Laurentina narrowed her eyes, listening to the stammering in Zuo Jian's words.
After thinking for a moment, she spoke.
"Orca, go back to your room."
"Huh? But the TV..."
"What's so interesting about this kind of show made by land-dwelling natives that only tells vulgar jokes? Besides, your communicator can receive city networks too."
"Oh, but why do I need to go back to my room? You Shark— "
"... Skadi."
Skadi blinked, then noticed the Sapphire on Laurentina's chest... or rather, her Zuo Jian pupil subconsciously shifted a few degrees.
She seemed to understand something...
"Oh."
Having roughly guessed what was going on, Skadi shut her mouth, then picked up the red Orca toy from the sofa and went back to her room.
For a moment, the only sounds in the living room were the cacophony of the comedic talk show hosts on the television and the occasional cheap, synthetic laughter.
However, these annoying noises at this moment neutralized the tense atmosphere, allowing Zuo Jian to catch his breath.
... pat..
Laurentina's skirt transformed into tentacles, shutting down the still-playing TV drama...
In an instant, the entire living room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
She slowly sat down on the sofa, and then finally spoke.
"Are you planning to change the way you talk, or are you going to leave it at that?"
[...]
Zuo Jian sighed.
Then, it branched out from the hem of the skirt, transforming into several pupils and several twisted tentacles forming a humanoid shape.
At this moment, the "monster" in front of him scratched the part that could barely be called a head, and spoke as if he was still a little scared.
"Um... you noticed?"
"I sensed something was wrong the moment that woman made a special trip over here."
Laurentina leaned back on the sofa and spoke with a calm demeanor that surprised Zuo Jian.
"What a coincidence, Zuo Jian. Do you think I would believe that such coincidences could happen in this world?"
"... Actually, in a strict sense, there are quite a few coincidences... for example—"
"For example, what if that woman suddenly appears, and you suddenly become indifferent to me? Or what if someone at another table suddenly appears who smells very similar to you?"
"Zuo Jian, I want to hear the truth."
."
He looked down, gazing into the eyes of the girl before him...
"I'm sorry, I just... didn't want you to get involved in things that have nothing to do with you."
"It has nothing to do with me?"
Laurentina stepped forward, grabbed Zuo Jian's limbs, and shouted.
"What do you mean 'it has nothing to do with me'! Zuo Jian, didn't you say I was your family? Now you're saying it has nothing to do with me!"
"Laurentina, these are two different things... I'm not sure if I can guarantee your safety 100% during the upcoming operation. A part of your body is still irreplaceable, and I can't let you take even one percent of the risk."
"So that woman who claims to be Doctor is acceptable?! You seem to trust her more!"
Zuo Jian choked up at the other person's words.
Damn, how am I supposed to say that?
He had absolutely no experience dealing with this situation!
Chapter 116, Gray Hat:?
Thump.
The "monster's" body collapsed to the ground, and Laurentina knelt on its chest, her legs bent, then bent down and cradled its head in her hands... The two stared at each other... without exchanging a single word.
As her silvery-white hair fluttered slightly once more, the girl slowly rose, adopting a helpless expression.
"Lauren... Tina?"
Zuo Jian was taken aback, seemingly puzzled by the other party's sudden action of getting up.
The latter simply knocked on Skadi's door and then spoke.
"Orca, pack your things, we're going on a long trip soon."
"Laurentina?"
He looked at her in confusion, but she simply walked over to him, patted the sofa, and slowly sat down.
She didn't need to tidy up anything; after all, she had Zuo Jian.
"What, didn't you come here to discuss this matter with me?"