Kal'tsit's Question

The way she addresses her is also wrong. Kal'tsit remembers that Mizuki usually calls her Doctor Kal'tsit, just like Amiya does, until the very end when she starts calling her Kal'tsit more affectionately.

(Could this just be a dream? No, such a realistic dream shouldn't exist in this world.)

Kal'tsit collected all her thoughts and nodded.

"I know, but the Doctor's been away for a while, and there's been a lot of work piling up. We can't let Amiya do all of this."

"It's alright, leave it to me."

The Doctor patted her chest. Anyway, all she had to do was cuddle with Mizuki and get Mizuki to do the tasks assigned to her. She was always good at slacking off.

"Don't you end up leaving all your work to Mizuki? Seriously... Mizuki spoils you too much. If you ask me, she should just leave you alone."

"He's my husband. If I don't care about him, why should I care about you, his mistress?"

As always, Kal'tsit's sharp tongue prompted her to reach out and grab the Doctor's ear, but after hesitating for a moment, she didn't do so.

This completely baffled the Doctor lady, who couldn't help but take a small step back.

"You're not Kal'tsit! Tell me, who are you impersonating? Where is the real Kal'tsit?!"

The Doctor's words startled Kal'tsit for a moment, and then she added something.

"If it were really Kal'tsit, she would have grabbed me by the ear and dragged me to the bridge of Rhodes Island just now!"

"... So you're quite proud of it, aren't you!"

Kal'tsit's face was as cold as ice. She reached out and grabbed the Doctor's ear, Mizuki slightly turned her gaze away, pretending not to see it.

"Ouch, that hurts!"

The Doctor woman waved her hands, now she was truly panicked.

"I know this kind of strength! You're Kal'tsit, isn't that enough?!"

"That's who I am!"

Considering that so many people were watching, Kal'tsit let go of her hand, partly to avoid embarrassing the Doctor, who was, after all, one of Rhodes Island's pillars.

(It's rare to see Dr. Kal'tsit so angry, no, she seems quite pleased at the same time.)

Amiya thought to herself, though she appeared very angry on the surface, Kal'tsit's true feeling was joy. She seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as if some long-standing pressure within her had disappeared.

How to describe it? Well, it's like having an unprecedented nightmare, waking up to find it was all a dream, and feeling genuinely relieved.

"So shouldn't we go get something to eat first? I'm starving after all that traveling."

"Before that, let me explain why you brought a judge back with you?"

As for Hai Mo, let's not even mention her. Kal'tsit knew her identity and also knew Irene's background, but she really didn't expect that the Doctor and Mizuki could actually be lured back to Rhodes Island.

"Isn't it because Mizuki and we have reached a cooperation agreement with Iberia? We should send a permanent staff member to Iberia to facilitate communication."

The Doctor scratched her head sheepishly. She couldn't very well tell Kal'tsit that she had half-coaxed and half-forced Irene to come over. But what could she do? Who could resist Kotori, who loved fries, was arrogant and strong-willed, and even had Kugimiya Rie's Little Bird? She just couldn't resist!

However, the Doctor couldn't help but admire Mizuki's ability to seduce people; it was truly first-rate. In Iberia, less than three days had passed and Irene was already basically biased towards him. Although she initially resisted when she was brought here, she gradually leaned towards Mizuki because of Specter. The Doctor had every reason to suspect that the cunning shark did this on purpose.

"Is that so?"

Kal'tsit looked at Mizuki, who could only give her a helpless look. Mizuki couldn't do anything about it either; he couldn't very well say that the Doctor had gone to Iberia with her in the first place with the intention of kidnapping Irene.

In that case, let's not even explain why the Doctor would know Irene, whom he's never met before. With so many people watching, the Doctor's reputation is a big issue, and Mizuki always has a lot to consider.

However, it seems that the Doctor is no longer considered famous by everyone, even though, apart from Irene, Gladiia, and Hai Mo who were not present that day, oh, and Ho'olheyak, the four of them did not know the Doctor's identity.

Even though people like Exusiai knew that the Doctor was a remnant of Old Civilization, equivalent to half a creator of Terra, they didn't show much respect for her. Not only did they get along well after becoming familiar with her, but the Doctor 'Doctor personality was also not something that could inspire respect under normal circumstances.

"Alright then, you guys... um, go eat first. Doctor, you and Mizuki, come to my office after you've finished eating."

If it were simply calling for Mizuki, then the Doctor could understand; after so many days, it's normal for Kal'tsit to have those needs. But if it's about inviting her along... ugh, is this old woman trying to get revenge for being tricked last time!?

The Doctor figured this was probably the most likely explanation. Kal'tsit must have wanted to trick her and Mizuki into going there, and then replicate everything she had suffered before. Although the Doctor's body had many secrets, it certainly didn't have Mizuki's drug resistance.

While the Doctor was lost in thought, Kal'tsit, true to her nature, chose to leave.

Mizuki watched her departing figure, lost in thought. Exusiai leaned over and gently poked his waist.

"If you like, I can try that style of clothing too."

The girl was referring to Kal'tsit's off-the-shoulder dress with a sheer hem. She occasionally thought about trying that kind of dress, but if she really had to choose, Mizuki probably preferred her current look.

"Never mind, let's go eat first. I'll take the stuff back."

As Mizuki spoke, everyone's luggage was lifted up by an invisible force and slowly floated towards the dormitory.

"Thank goodness it's daytime; if someone saw this at night, they'd be terrified."

"Even in daylight, this is terrifying," Mizuki said self-awarely. After all, apart from the Doctor, very few people could see his tentacles, and seeing so many suitcases floating around was indeed frightening.

However, this isn't a big problem, as the tentacles also have the ability to create illusions, making it easy for people to not see the luggage.

"Xiao Le, take Hai Mo and Irene to their dorms first. After they're settled in, I'll show them around and introduce them to Rhodes Island."

Hai Mo and Irene, an accomplice of the Church of the Deep and an Inquisitor, are a pair that even Exusiai might not be able to control. Mizuki also shouldn't trouble Lemuen or Mostima, because troubling others comes at a price, especially these two women who think about eating jellyfish all day long.

Exusiai gave a no-questions-asked gesture and led everyone toward the cafeteria. Only the Doctor stood there for a while before looking up.

"Mizuki, do you think Kal'tsit is trying to harm me?"

"... No way, although Kal'tsit does seem to have a lot of prejudice against you, Doctor, it's not like she would go so far as to harm you."

"It's not about taking my life, it's about... you know."

The Doctor pointed to Rosemary, who was being held in Mizuki's arms. Mizuki immediately understood what the Doctor meant and reached out to cover Rosemary's ears on both sides. The Doctor then covered Rosemary's cat ears, blocking all four channels of sound.

"Do you think she's planning to drug me and then let you torment me?"

This novel perspective left Mizuki momentarily speechless. He wondered if the Doctor had discovered something. He could only say that the Doctor truly lived up to her reputation, always possessing an unpredictable thought process that even he struggled to keep up with.

"If that were really the case, she wouldn't have let you come with me. She would probably have tied you up and forced you to take drugs."

"That's true... but I just feel like something's not quite right. Never mind, let's go eat first!"

"Um."

He let go and rubbed Rosemary's ears. He could give her the gift later. Although the little cat didn't hear what the Doctor and Mizuki were discussing, she had a feeling it was a topic she would care about.

Meow~

Rosemary gently bit Mizuki's finger and clung to him reassuringly. Oh well, the little kitten wouldn't care that much anyway.

Seeing her like this, Mizuki hesitated for a moment, but after thinking about it, she decided not to tell her about Loken Williams.

It's not the right time for Rosemary yet, and there are other things to do before that.

Chapter 193 Kal'tsit's Problem

Trimounts, nicknamed the "Age Train of Columbia," hosts Columbia's most prestigious academic conferences every year, where researchers present groundbreaking findings annually.

Many Columbia scholars made their mark here, and then declared to the world that they would be ahead of the curve. Kal'tsit remembers that Loken Williams was one of them.

"Madam, are you here in Columbia for tourism? It's a wonderful city. If you have time, I can recommend a few good cafes and restaurants..."

Chattering passersby tried to promote the city to Kal'tsit in an attempt to win her favor. Despite rarely dressing up, Kal'tsit was undeniably beautiful and would always attract attention in the open-minded city of Columbia.

"I already have someone I'm getting married to."

She casually dismissed the other party to avoid being entangled further. At times like these, Kal'tsit really wished that Mizuki could be by her side, as he could solve most problems.

It was only at this moment that Kal'tsit felt that it might not be a bad thing if she still had the Originium crystals on her body, since no one wants to deal with someone Oripathy, not even Columbia.

Seeing that Kal'tsit remained indifferent, the other party did not choose to linger and had no choice but to leave dejectedly.

The minor incident did not affect Kal'tsit's plans. She did not engage in any aimless searching or go directly to Trevor Friston's location. Instead, she stood in the station's lounge waiting for someone from Columbia to pick her up.

She made no attempt to conceal her arrival. If Friston is the true manager of Columbia now, he would certainly know her purpose. And if he were willing to meet with her, then at this moment...

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Kal'tsit?"

As expected, Kal'tsit looked up at the woman in front of her, whose coat was half-draped over her shoulders, giving her a sophisticated urban look. Her long golden hair, combined with her naturally kind temperament, made her stand out.

It's me.

"I am Dorothy Frank, the head of the Originium Arts Applications Division at Rhine Lab. You can just call me Dorothy."

Dorothy introduced herself while also glancing at Kal'tsit, feeling a sense of déjà vu about her.

"I've read your published papers. If you're the one picking me up, then... it seems Rhine Lab has already reached a cooperation agreement with him."

"I'm not clear on the details either." Dorothy recalled that Kal'tsit had appeared at Loken Williams' academic lecture years ago, and she hadn't changed at all over the years. She really had a knack for staying young.

Of course, she knew about Rhodes Island. As arguably the most humane and likable director at Rhine Lab, she always kept an eye on Ifrit and Rosemary, the two children who had suffered tragic fates because of experiments. If she weren't too busy, she would have liked to visit them at Rhodes Island.

"Although I've heard from the Commander that Rhine Lab has a mysterious partner, I've never met him. It's something only the Commander knows."

"Okay, let's go."

Not knowing is a good thing; sometimes knowing too much can backfire. Kal'tsit knew that Friston intended to see Trevor. She searched her memory thoroughly, recalling coming to this city and visiting the Preserver Facility, but having no memory of anything after that. This was clearly illogical.

But Kal'tsit didn't find it strange at all. Since Theresa had guided her subconscious not to think about Friston's existence, it was normal to erase this part of her memory.

Now that Friston intends to see me, it means he doesn't plan to avoid the question about Mizuki. So what exactly were those hidden memories, and are they related to Mizuki? Why can I tell her these things now?

Kal'tsit was used to thinking about these kinds of questions, and she had to get used to connecting one question to several others.

Only in this way can she protect those who shouldn't die and maintain the existing balance in Terra.

It was tough, and Kal'tsit couldn't always do it perfectly; in fact, most of the time she had to put herself in the face of death.

The road wasn't short; the Preserver Facility was located several thousand meters underground, and it would take a considerable amount of time to walk there from Trimount. However, Kal'tsit felt it went by quickly, and she wished she could slow down.

When she came, she had thought about what she should ask the ancient Preserver when she saw him again, since he was, in terms of status, Kal'tsit's elder.

"Kal'tsit, how is Ifrit doing on Rhodes Island?"

"Fine."

Think about it, Ifrit has been eating and sleeping well lately. Apart from having to continue pretending to be an Oripathy Infected, she hasn't been feeling unwell. It's not convenient to reveal that Mizuki can cure Oripathy yet, otherwise it will definitely cause very serious consequences.

Even Kal'tsit herself would stick some crystal fragments to her skin when she was on Rhodes Island.

Seeing that Kal'tsit didn't seem to want to talk to her, Dorothy didn't say anything more and drove Kal'tsit out of the city.

As an important preservation facility of the Old Civilization, Friston naturally couldn't be located in the city. Kal'tsit thought about many things, and even after getting off the train, she was still pondering what questions she should ask.

However, as the face of someone and another unreliable fellow flashed through her mind, Kal'tsit let out a soft breath; she had decided what question she should ask.

"The weather isn't very good today either."

Dorothy glanced at the sky; dark clouds still hung overhead, and raindrops were already falling.

Has it been raining a lot in Trimount lately?

"It started a long time ago. Although it's winter, it's rare for it to rain like this for so long, even though the weather forecast said it would be sunny today."

"I see..."

Kal'tsit looked at the gloomy sky and couldn't help but reach out and gently catch a drop. Strangely, it didn't feel cold; instead, a warmth flowed from her palm into her body. She immediately understood the truth behind this rain and realized that Mizuki's eyes were always watching the city.

After thinking for a moment, she chose to hold that drop of water.

Meanwhile, in the Rhodes Island cafeteria, Mizuki took out a tissue and wiped Rosemary's mouth, which made Blaze quite jealous. Of course, she wasn't Mizuki, but of Rosemary.

As Rosemary's former roommate, Huang, the big cat, had taken care of her for a long time. How could she not feel annoyed to see Rosemary sitting on Mizuki's lap eating and drinking without even glancing at her?

"Are you full?"

"Yes, Kal'tsit said it's best to eat until you're 80% full."

Rosemary snuggled into Mizuki's arms, causing Exusiai to frown slightly. With so many people in the cafeteria, this little kitten really wasn't shy at all.

"That's true. You go and play with Ifrit and the others later. I still need to go find Kal'tsit."

Since she had been there before, Rosemary knew she couldn't go with them. She meowed and nodded to indicate that it was okay, then jumped out of Mizuki's arms to go play with Ifrit and Suzuran.

"Oh, I haven't finished eating yet."

Having been traveling these past few days, the Doctor hadn't had much to eat, so now that she was finally back at Rhodes Island's cafeteria, she was going to eat to her heart's content, leaving a huge pile of food on her plate.

"It's alright, I'll go find Kal'tsit first. Doctor, you can come later."

"... But your expression tells me that you obviously don't think that way."

Mizuki wasn't good at lying to the Doctor and Exusiai, or rather, none of his odd behavior could be hidden from the two of them. The Doctor could tell at a glance that Mizuki had something else on his mind.

"I'll go with you."

Exusiai wiped her mouth and was about to get up, but Mizuki pressed her back down.