Chapter 20

Chapter 20

As soon as Lyle finished speaking, everyone was left bewildered.

"Uh, sorry, Mrs. Thomas, needle... needle what now?"

"Acupuncture and moxibustion," Lyle explained patiently. "It involves using silver needles to purge and cleanse the miasma and curse on Miss Tracy's waist, expunging the hidden dark erosion. I'm not entirely sure how Dr. Afra treated it, but that is the cause of Miss Tracy's illness, so I need to address the underlying cause."

Barbavin nodded involuntarily, his fingers drumming on the armrest of his chair as he pondered. "Hmm, what you say makes sense. Afra gave the same diagnosis. It seems Tracy is indeed suffering from a curse and dark erosion... So, will silver needles be effective? I could personally inscribe prayers on the needle tips. Would that increase the power of light, making the purification more potent and complete?"

Then even the doctor would be purified directly.

Lyle refused with a thin, insincere smile. "Actually, just by being seated here, Your Grace, you are already exerting a powerful suppression on the dark curse. Otherwise, Miss Tracy wouldn't only be feeling pain in her waist until now; that pain should have rapidly spread to her lower limbs."

"Oh, heavens..." Tracy cast a gaze of unparalleled gratitude, frantically reaching for Barbavin. "Your Grace, I am grateful... Without you, I fear I would have become a monster under the influence of the Cursed Object..."

These two compliments struck right at Barbavin's heart, especially after losing interest in Lyle. Tracy's delicate, fragile face once again stirred his pity, and he immediately moved to sit on the bed.

"Alright, my dear, let's be good. Mrs. Thomas will surely cure you."

Soon, maids stood in a row holding various silver needles. Lyle, wearing gloves, selected the four thinnest ones. According to the maids, these were specifically used for mending the intimate garments of the young ladies the master brought back.

Expensive materials often couldn't withstand rough handling; the finer the needle, the less visible the mending.

Of course, Master Barbavin had no use for them. Once clothes were damaged, he would just discard them.

Even so, these silver needles were much thicker than those used for acupuncture.

But it wasn't a major issue. Tracy's acute lumbar sprain coincidentally required the smallest needle size, as the acupoint Lyle intended to needle was 2-3 centimeters wide.

Actually, as an emergency department doctor, Lyle hadn't formally trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

However, coming from a family of medical practitioners, she had a father who was a veteran TCM doctor with over a decade of practice. She grew up surrounded by the pungent smell of herbal medicine and terrifying acupuncture human models—though that was all before her parents passed away.

Lyle thought she had long forgotten her childhood memories. Unexpectedly, upon seeing Tracy's waist injury, certain deeply buried memories surged forth like a tsunami.

Who would have thought that even after transmigrating into another world, she could still be under the protection of her parents.

She *must* return.

The vampire raised her head, walked a few steps to the candle, and held the silver needles over the candle flame, moving them back and forth.

Barbavin didn't understand what she was doing; no one did.

But no one was foolish enough to ask questions at this moment. Even Tracy just widened her eyes, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her skirt.

As long as she didn't have to keep excreting endlessly like a pig, Mrs. Thomas could do whatever she wanted.

Lyle walked over, holding the silver needles, and signaled for Tracy to make fists with both hands and hold them up vertically.

Then, holding one silver needle, she swiftly inserted it into the pale area at the base of Tracy's little finger, on the back side of the transverse crease.

Tracy immediately let out a piercing scream.

However, Barbavin didn't move, so the servants remained completely still as well.

Lyle manipulated the needle, inserting and withdrawing it slowly at varying depths. Tracy's cries grew louder and louder until, in the end, the poor girl was crying from the pain.

But the cold-hearted, indifferent doctor paid no mind. After leaving the needle in place in the right hand, she raised Tracy's left hand and inserted another needle in the same manner.

These two points Lyle needled were called Houxi points. Their main functions were to relax tendons, activate collaterals, and unblock the Governor Vessel meridian. They had miraculous effects on waist pain caused by acute lumbar sprains.

Of course, the acupoints only targeted acute lumbar pain.

Tracy had just sprained her waist, so needling now would have the best effect. If the sprain had occurred one or two days prior, then just these two points and two needles would naturally be of little use.

"Please maintain this posture and do not move. There are two more locations to needle."

Hearing this, Tracy's tears flowed profusely. She couldn't believe it. "Why? Doctor, why are you targeting my hands when my injury is clearly in my waist?"

She desperately wanted to question, to reprimand, just to get these ridiculous, broken needles out of her hands immediately.

But Barbavin had remained silent the entire time, not raising a single question. The Monk was completely in a state of watching a novel performance, making Tracy utterly afraid to overstep him and decide to have the doctor thrown out and beaten up.

"Because the curse is flowing through your body with your blood," Lyle fabricated effortlessly. "These two locations were revealed to my husband by divine inspiration during a deep sleep one night. They should be the points where we communicate with the divine. So, by sealing these points, we can easily expel the darkness within you."

As she spoke, the vampire doctor, quick as lightning, inserted the other two burned silver needles into the depressions between the second and third metacarpal bones and the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones on the back of Tracy's hand.

This location was called an extraordinary point, also highly effective for acute waist injuries.

It was just painful. Very painful.

Tracy, having just endured the ordeal, screamed heart-wrenchingly. She lay prostrate on the Monk's lap, wailing and sobbing, even abandoning the delicate, fragile image she had carefully maintained. She just cried and cried.

But that crying gradually weakened amidst the gentle twisting of the silver needles. When Lyle withdrew her hands, Tracy looked up in confusion.

"W-wait, please wait... It seems... it seems..."

Lyle glanced up at the wall clock. "Whatever sensation you are experiencing now, please do not speak. We need to continue waiting."

Her pale face bathed in the flickering candlelight, as if draped in a golden veil, giving her an aura of mysterious eeriness.

Coupled with what she had just said, the gazes of everyone in the entire room towards her completely changed.

Could a few mending needles really be that effective? They found it hard to believe.

And listen to how miserably Miss Tracy was screaming just now. Claiming it was divine guidance, but in the eerie firelight, why did it feel so much like some ritual invoking evil?

Barbavin had his doubts too, but he had heard about the family affairs of Paladin Commander Vig. The woman before him had been married to Vig's elder brother for three Holy Years; she absolutely could not be someone tainted by evil.

Moreover, he was closest and saw most clearly. Mrs. Thomas hadn't done anything at all, just inserted the needles.

If evil rituals were this simple, then the Holy Court wouldn't need the defense of Crusaders and Paladins; Cursed Objects transformed by vampires could overrun the entire continent.

Of course, the most important thing was—

"Tracy, my dear, how do you feel?"

"I... I don't know..." The golden-haired, blue-eyed beauty winced in pain between her eyebrows. But only a few Holy Minutes after the needles were inserted, she miraculously felt the pain receding like a tide.

She tried to move her body slightly and widened her eyes in astonishment, realizing she could actually move!

Barbavin watched in amazement as his mistress, who had turned a small half-circle on her own and was propping herself up on her arms to sit upright, forgetting even the most basic decorum, his mouth agape almost enough to swallow an egg.

"Y-your waist is healed?!"

Tracy was utterly shocked as well!

One knows one's own body best. Clearly, before Mrs. Thomas began her bizarre treatment, her waist felt as if it had been severed. Forget turning over or sitting up; even moving an arm brought tears of pain.

But now? She could actually stand up on her own!

My God! Holy Father! Noble gods of Maria Pozeruiliana! Is... is this real? She's not dreaming, is she??

Watching Tracy, who was moving incredibly slowly but truly climbing down from the bed and straightening her body, the servants were so shocked they kept drawing sharp breaths.

"My God! Miss! You-you-you're better?!"

"This is real... this is real... Mrs. Thomas actually received divine guidance!!"

"Unbelievable... this is absolutely a miracle!!"

"Madam..." Tracy's tears spilled out again. Although she still couldn't fully straighten her upper body, compared to just a moment ago, she was a world better!

"I'm sorry... I doubted you before..." Tracy moved over, wanting to take Lyle's hand, but the latter skillfully dodged it.

This clever girl had truly mastered the art of reading expressions. She immediately took two steps back and said with utmost sincerity, "But I understand now. You are pretty much the divine agent in this world, the only doctor who can manifest miracles!"

Now Tracy didn't give a damn about the way Barbavin had been eyeing the doctor earlier!

Although she was indeed riding on Barbavin's coattails to live the life of a noble lady, rich and lustful men were way too easy to find, and she had secretly stashed away quite a bit herself.

Even if she left Barbavin, she would never fall back into the difficult days as a maid.

But Mrs. Thomas was completely different. The lady was practically a walking treasure trove!

And a life-saving treasure trove at that!

Having come from the bottom, Tracy understood all too well how rare a doctor who could truly save lives was. This was like a gift from the Holy Father to her!

If she didn't forge a good relationship with such a treasure, she would probably regret it so much she'd bang her head against the wall!

She just didn't know if the lady preferred gems, expensive silk fabrics, or perhaps more directly, Holy Gold Coins?

Lyle's lips curved slightly. "It's not entirely my doing. Miss Tracy is in good health, and the Monk's faith in the deities has also touched heaven. Your love is passionate and sincere. All these are powerful medicine that helped you recover quickly."

"However, to ensure you don't suffer any aftereffects, don't you go removing those needles yet. They need to stay in for about twenty more Holy Minutes."

Tracy was now completely won over. Holding up her two hands, she slowly took two steps and immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. "Yes, of course. I won't do a thing without your say-so!"

The woman's beautiful eyes were filled with brilliant light, looking like if Lyle told her to jump from the third floor right now, she would do so without hesitation.

"This truly is a miracle," Barbavin watched closely from the side, more and more unable to hold back the amazement in his eyes.

Tracy was no fool. On the contrary, her waist-length hair crowned a very clever head. Her methods were always clever; she would never do something as foolish as "faking sick for sympathy," which only a fool would try.

This was also one of the reasons Barbavin was attracted to her; he liked dealing with smart people.

Therefore, Mrs. Thomas was truly skilled, very, very skilled.

One must remember that Tracy wasn't just suffering from back pain; she had just undergone a major laxative ordeal.

As a portly fellow, Barbavin had naturally experienced several similar ordeals himself.

Each time, he needed several days to regain some strength, how much more so for the delicate Tracy?

Barbavin's gaze toward Lyle changed once more.

If earlier he had shown her some respect because of Vig's reputation, now it was her own excellence and knowledge that made him value her more highly.

No one dislikes capable people, especially when that capability is extremely powerful and carries a hint of the divine.

Barbavin pulled his collar tight. The last trace of lustful look in his eyes completely vanished, replaced by a seriousness even greater than the earlier clarity.

"You truly are remarkable, Mrs. Thomas. No wonder even the Paladin Commander was willing to be your recommender—though it might be a bit forward of me, may I ask if Tracy is the first patient you've treated on your own? I mean, besides treating back injuries, have you cured other types of ailments by yourself?"

"Ruby from White Hat Street had a dislocated... a sprained wrist and twisted fingers, which I also cured." Lyle offered Tracy a gentle smile. "I believe Miss Tracy will see her at my clinic soon enough, as your treatment isn't finished yet. Evil still lingers in your body. Only by drawing out the remaining blood can you completely rid yourself of the pain."

"Of course, I will go," Tracy nodded eagerly. "I'll go tomorrow."

"Even twisted fingers can be treated?" If Barbavin had heard this earlier, he would have scoffed at it. But the miraculous feat had happened right before his eyes less than two Holy Minutes ago. He couldn't bring himself to say 'how is that possible.'

He was just even more amazed. "Mrs. Thomas is practically a treasure bestowed upon the Solafiso continent by the Holy Father... It's my good fortune to know someone as excellent as you. Please wait a moment; I will sign the clinic license for you immediately."

Saying this, to show the importance he placed on it, the Monk immediately sat back in the high-backed chair, and the quill soon touched the parchment scroll.

"If you require Holy Potions later, Madam, you may come to the priory anytime." Barbavin looked up as if remembering something. "Ah, right. You probably don't have a Holy Potion order form yet? Sederson."

The old butler nodded and walked out.

When he returned, he held a bound parchment form in his hands, which he presented to Lyle with both hands. Listed on it were the names of all the potions.

Besides the Wound Cleansing Water, Fever-Reducing Water, and Corruption Water that Lyle knew, there were also Mr. Good's Invigorating Ointment (What was this?), Wolfsbane Poultice, Sleeping Draught, Snake Venom Poultice, Pain-Relieving Water, and about seven or eight others. Just from the names, you could guess their specific effects.

The hand holding the parchment tightened slightly. Lyle suppressed the intense pounding in her chest and allowed herself a smile.

Finally, finally, she had it in her hands!

She could finally open her clinic legitimately!

All her plans would come to fruition. She would never arouse anyone's suspicion again. As long as she could get a steady supply of the Holy Potions, there would be nothing to worry about.

"Forgive me, Your Reverence," Lyle carefully folded the parchment and asked with pure sincerity, "This is my first time dealing with these matters alone... Please forgive my ignorance. I just wanted to ask, do I have to go to the priory myself every time I need a Holy Potion? I mean, if sometimes I cannot leave due to a life-threatening case and need to use a Holy Potion immediately..."

Barbavin pondered for a few seconds, then interlaced his fingers. "Normally, such behavior is not permitted. I believe Mrs. Thomas must understand what Holy Potions represent. They are the blessings and grace bestowed by the Holy Father, the boundless love of the Father for humanity, the greatest invention of the Holy Court, and also the very foundation upon which the Holy Court governs and leads the continent, bar none."

"Therefore, the importance of Holy Potions is self-evident. We do not allow them to circulate on the market."

Lyle remained silent. She quietly watched Barbavin, observing his small eyes darting over Vig's Angel Emblem and then sweeping over Tracy, who could now move forward on her own.

She patiently waited for the word "but."

"However," Barbavin raised a hand to scratch his nose, "Mrs. Thomas's medical skills are evident for all to see. Even though you've just received your clinic license, I can already foresee your clinic being swamped with patients in the future."

"The Holy Court cherishes and favors talented individuals, especially someone like you. Therefore, if you have a need, I will send a trusted servant to deliver the Holy Potions you require. But please also understand my difficulty—delivery once per Holy Week, two bottles per delivery. How does that sound?"

Lyle blinked in pleasant surprise. Although the quantity was a bit small, having some was better than none!

This was a good start. As for increasing the amount later... no rush. With the first step comes the second.

However, just as she was about to thank him, she suddenly saw the Monk gesture for her to wait. "But, Madam, you also know that a deal like this is only for you alone. If other doctors found out, they would inevitably feel it's unfair. Therefore, I believe you could set aside a special room for me and my lovely lady. That way, if anyone asks, you can say it's for when I come for treatment, and the potions were delivered in advance. Then no one will think it's strange. What do you think?"

So this fellow wanted her to reserve a VIP express lane for him, where he could get seen right away, without waiting and without the possibility of refusal.

Wouldn't that be... perfect!

There were no tests here, no queues, no complaints. Whatever the ailment, just toss the person onto the bed first, draw 300 milliliters of blood, and then proceed with treatment. There would still be plenty of time.

And he would even be grateful to her.

Good things come every year, but this year they seem especially abundant.

Lyle smiled sincerely. "Your suggestion is absolutely perfect, my lord. Once I return, I will immediately have an additional consultation room built. Whenever you need it, Lyle's Clinic will be ready for you."

This greatly delighted Barbavin. He immediately had someone make a note of the clinic's location, then proceeded to discuss with Lyle the types of Holy Potions for the first allocation.

After inquiring about the effects of each potion, Lyle casually remarked, pretending to muse, "It is truly worthy of the great Holy Court. Perhaps only divine power could create such miraculous things; it's no exaggeration to call them divine miracles. It's just..."

Barbavin looked at her with a smile. "What is it, madam?"

Lyle sighed. "It's just that I'm very curious—how did the Gods bring the Holy Potions to the Solafiso continent?"

This was a subtle probe. Lyle was extremely curious about the ingredients of the Holy Potions. She tried her best to appear like a simple inquirer, her tone free of any probing intent.

Perhaps many people had asked similar questions. Barbavin wore an 'I knew you'd ask that' expression and gently shook his head. "The Gods do not like to be disturbed. Since you too, madam, have received supreme guidance—if only in a dream, and faintly at that—you should also understand that the Gods do not like to be discussed, and the same goes for the gifts They bestow."

"In other words, it's a secret."

As expected, it wasn't so easy to find out. For now, with no better option, Lyle smiled as well and lowered her head to point at two potions on the parchment.

Cleansing Water and Sleeping Draught.

Cleansing Water was a given. The Sleeping Draught was a must-have for her, because knocking people out every time was neither safe nor convenient.

It was much simpler to have a Sleeping Draught that could make people lose consciousness immediately. She also wouldn't have to worry about patients waking up mid-treatment due to pain and seeing scenes that might easily push them toward the abyss.

After scheduling with Barbavin the time for Tracy's treatment tomorrow, Lyle was about to say her goodbyes when she suddenly heard an extremely faint sound. An echo, inaudible to human ears, came surging up from underground through the thick walls.

The vampire seized the chance while adjusting her wide-brimmed hat to listen carefully. She was certain the sound was getting closer and clearer, as if... some creature was racing underground, heading straight for this villa.

Whatever was making such a strong sound had to be some kind of large, powerful animal.

Lyle discreetly scanned her surroundings but detected nothing unusual on anyone's face.

"Mrs. Thomas, the carriage is ready for you," the old butler said, making an inviting gesture. "We can depart at any time."

Lyle nodded. However, just as she took a step, a muffled bird call came from somewhere.

The sound was low and weak. No one in the room showed any reaction.

Except for Barbavin.

In that instant, the vampire keenly noticed the change in the monk's expression. Although he quickly regained his composure, Lyle still noticed his pupils contract suddenly.

And his subsequent behavior further deepened Lyle's suspicions.

"Make sure to escort Mrs. Thomas back safely," the monk suddenly said to the old butler. "If anything happens to the lady, you will all regret being born into this world. Now, Mrs. Thomas," he turned back to Lyle, "the priory has a backlog of matters requiring my attention. Please forgive me for not being able to see you off. I can only look forward to our next meeting."

Lyle watched him leave quickly, listened to him hurry down the stairs, walk about a dozen steps, and then enter a room.

The door slammed shut tightly, and even the lock clicked into place.

The wind carried the scent of the forest—a smell Lyle had never detected in the monk's home before.

Something was wrong.

Recalling that when Afra sneered that Tracy's illness was due to dark corruption, the monk did seem to show a moment of guilt, Lyle immediately turned to Tracy.

"My sincerest apologies, Miss Tracy. May I borrow the private room?" She covered her stomach, showing an embarrassed expression. "Just for a little while. I really can't hold it until I get home."

Tracy immediately understood her meaning and smiled knowingly. Even though she couldn't straighten her back completely yet, she warmly called to the maids, "Quick, quick, take Mrs. Thomas to 'that room'! She has a stomachache!"

A maid soon led her to the end of the third floor. Here, people usually didn't say the word "toilet," and of course, there was no concept of a "toilet" either.

The place used as an excretion room only had a large wooden basin embedded in the floor tiles, emitting a foul stench that made the vampire frown. Nevertheless, she thanked the maid and immediately locked the door from the inside.

Then, she opened the window used for ventilation, grabbed the window frame with one hand, and used the strength of her forearm to swing her body down to the second floor.

She remembered the location of the stairs, then counted about a dozen steps to the right. The suitable position had only one window. She climbed over along the slightly protruding gaps between the stone bricks.

But there was no one inside the room.

The monk had clearly entered this room, so why wasn't his figure visible through the gap in the curtains?

Had she remembered wrong?

Impossible. The vampire sniffed and caught the distinct smell of this room, different from the others.

A scent of the forest.

Soil, tree trunks, leaves with dew, bees, ants, damp stones.

What could be hidden here?

Just as the doubt arose, Lyle suddenly heard a few rustling sounds.

There was no one, yet the vampire could hear the monk's low growl.

"I said, don't come looking for me lately!"

The vampire's pitch-black pupils instantly widened. Wait, this voice was—coming from within the wall?