The Handbook for Completing Demi-Human Girls

Chapter 298: Moon Rabbit Orphan

Inside the Healing Rot Church, Ilos was boiling hot water outside her own wooden cabin. The conditions inside the church were crude and simple; the items that could be used to entertain guests also weren't many. However, today's guests naturally didn't care about this anyway.

Inside the prayer hall, the amiable gaze cast down by the merciful Mother Goddess statue situated securely at the center turned into a dividing line, delineating the prayer hall into two halves. On one side was Fisher sitting on a wooden chair, while on the other side was Valentina and her subordinates.

The Schwari scholar Balzac swept a circle across the surrounding scenery. As a scholar researching Northern Border history, he knew the causes for this sort of Mother Goddess church in the Northern Border like the back of his hand. The traces of time upon the surrounding walls attracted his attention. He thus subconsciously began searching for correlations between this church and the orphaned Moon Rabbit-kin they were looking for.

The Lion-kin Phyllis was also constantly looking east and gazing west. It was just that upon not discovering any glittering golden items within the church, she withdrew her gaze somewhat disappointedly. In quite a bored manner, she leaned against the chair doing nothing, merely occasionally shooting a glance at the Fisher opposite her, her eyes imbued with distrust and vigilance towards him.

Among the other party's group of four, only Valentina and the Herdor behind her were continuously listening to Fisher's explanation.

"That's roughly how the matter goes. I didn't do anything to Ilos... meaning, the Moon Rabbit orphan you are looking for."

Fisher roughly repeated the progression of how he came ashore, how he arrived at this church, and how he made Ilos's belly grow large once over. Naturally, he also didn't forget to package his objective for coming ashore in the very beginning, transforming his desire to obtain the Demi-Human Completion Handbook's rewards into research interest towards demi-human races.

After hearing this, Valentina didn't reply immediately. Her fingers gently rubbed the ring between her fingers, seemingly pondering. Conversely, the Herdor behind her spewed out a mouthful of steam beneath his face. Turning his head, he looked towards the Moon Rabbit-kin Ilos walking out from behind the Mother Goddess statue carrying hot water. Replacing Valentina, he opened his mouth and said,

"Sizzle... I have heard of Moon Rabbit-kin women producing false pregnancies. I previously worked near Nebalen in the past. Only Moon Rabbit-kin women possessing bodily illnesses, or suffering intense stimulation, will experience this sort of situation. It looks like the bodily condition of this Moon Rabbit orphan is not very good."

"Sizzle... However, this cannot be considered some overly severe matter. Passing one to two weeks, she will slowly recover on her own; nor will she have any sequelae."It appeared the reason Ilos encountered a false pregnancy was roughly identical to the reason he guessed previously. He couldn't be considered to understand her bodily condition, but it was definitely because last night, peering through the moonlight, she saw the Dagon behind his back. The intense fright added to a bodily constitution suffering from long-term malnutrition created such a bizarre change.

Fisher cast a glance at that Sister Ilos cautiously walking out holding hot water. The Demi-Human Completion Handbook at his chest grew increasingly scorching; it seemed the biological research progress had risen somewhat once again.

"Um... you keep calling me the 'Moon Rabbit orphan'... why is that? Although I am a Moon Rabbit-kin, neither of my parents were any sort of special people, and they have already passed away long ago... I'm saying, it's possible you've found the wrong person."

After distributing the hot water in her hands, Ilos sat down not far away beside Fisher. Looking at the Valentina before her somewhat vigilantly, she opened her mouth and spoke like this.

Valentina held that heat-emitting water cup with both hands. Her originally snow-white skin arose a smear of faint pink after sensing the heat. She gently took a sip of the hot water in the cup, her irises lifting slightly,

"Perhaps you are unclear regarding the situation about Nebalen after you left. Presently, all Moon Rabbit-kin within Nebalen have entirely completely vanished without a trace. Aside from some scattered collateral Moon Rabbit-kin still remaining near the Snowy Mountains, you are the final direct Moon Rabbit-kin bloodline we know of currently."

Valentina's words were flat and unvarnished, yet Ilos's expression violently stiffened after hearing her words, seemingly somewhat finding it hard to believe. She shook her head, murmuring,

"Im-impossible... I still remember things from when I was young. Back then, on the coast and within the city, there were many of my fellow tribesmen. Every holiday, my father would even bring me to visit their homes... But even if my father and I experienced an accident due to a shipwreck, they should still... be alive. It's only right."

Valentina shook her head. Her expression also appeared somewhat regretful,

"Regrettably, this is the truth. Over the past dozen or so years, the numbers of the Moon Rabbit-kin within Nebalen presented a cliff-like decline. Moreover, the vast majority of them all died violent deaths at night. The Moon Rabbits completely having departed Nebalen also found it hard to escape destiny... Presumably, you also know the ancient myths regarding the Frost Phoenix in the Northern Border. The Moon Rabbit-kin was once one of the six races loyal to the Phoenix, famed for being able to see hidden things at night..."

"Therefore, I cannot help but suspect... what exactly did the deceased Moon Rabbit-kin see at night that led to their demise? And without a doubt, the things they saw were related to the legendary [Frostwood Sycamore Tree]."

The expression of Fisher, beside Ilos, was somewhat grave. He utterly never expected that currently, only the Ilos beside him remained of the direct Moon Rabbit-kin descent in the Northern Border... yet simultaneously, this also made doubts rise in his heart. Could his luck truly be this good, to actually coincidentally be washed to the exterior of the Healing Rot Church amidst the storm and be picked up by Ilos?

His impression regarding how exactly he extracted himself from the trap amidst the storm was tremendously vague. Under the state of death on the verge of the limit, he only remembered constantly swimming forward desperately, yet completely didn't know which side exactly he was swimming towards.

Such a coincidence forced Fisher to suspect if there was some existence that intervened in his course of events. For instance, existences like Ramastia or Dagon...

Deities wanted him to help Them complete certain things, and were entirely happy to supply certain hints and assistance for him. But for unknown reasons, this feeling of being pushed along to walk made Fisher quite displeased... especially since he remained completely ignorant regarding Their motives up till now.

Related to the Creation Society? Related to the Demi-Human Completion Handbooks? Related to the World-Ending Prophecies?

Fisher wordlessly pondered within his brain. From the corner of his eye, he saw the Balzac opposite him withdraw a folded piece of paper from within his heavy red robes. Untucking the paper... on the pale paper surface, it was thoroughly splattered with scarlet blood.

Serving as pigment, that blood wrote out a line of Northern Border text. It seemed to be an address, as well as an extremely obvious vocabulary word: [Sigil]. He also opened his mouth, speaking to Ilos simultaneously,

"Don't disbelieve it just yet; we have proof right here..."

"This is the paper left behind by your Moon Rabbit-kin's previous patriarch before passing away under bizarre circumstances. The address recorded upon it is an ancient Moon Rabbit-kin altar situated on the outskirts of Nebalen. Your patriarch completely left the deposited location of the Moon Rabbit-kin Sigil on paper to inform descendants, and the sigil is the key used to open the Frostwood Sycamore Tree. His meaning was clearly exceptionally obvious..."

"We have been there but didn't discover anything at all. You Moon Rabbit-kin are not only skilled at discovering concealed items; you are also skilled at hiding things. We previously invited collateral Moon Rabbit-kin near the Snowy Mountains to help, but the things they saw were tremendously blurred. Only a genuine direct-descent Moon Rabbit-kin can see clearly and retrieve that sigil. That's why we traveled ten thousand miles to the Sardin Woman's Country to find you, hoping you can help us retrieve the Moon Rabbit-kin Sigil."

Upon hearing this, Ilos was somewhat nervous. When she was young, she had once been to the altar within the Moon Rabbit-kin race. They had to go there every year to offer sacrifices and worship, singing beneath the moonlight to fondly remember the glories of the primeval era... Although, because the modern Moon Rabbit-kin had already turned into species active during the daytime, thus every festival, they little children would be sleeping soundly, utterly completely failing to understand what those adults were doing during the festival...

But she still vaguely remembered... those adults were singing, singing of the masters they had once been loyal to in the primeval era. Those were the arrogant kings standing tall atop the sublime sycamore tree. They possessed colossal wings whose imposing manner was even more majestic than the blizzards, intimately familiar with the future and the past...

However, Ilos was still somewhat hesitant. It had truly been far too long since she left her hometown. Especially since it was only today that she had learned her fellow Moon Rabbit-kin from her hometown had already completely perished. For a time, she rather found it hard to accept,

"I... why would my fellow tribesmen... Mother Goddess bless... Exactly who were they attacked by? Why would relating to the legendary Frostwood Sycamore Tree result in death? I... I just cannot understand."

Ilos, who had left her hometown for a long time and fully possessed zero comprehension regarding past history, could not accept this truth. It was just as absurd as hearing a city was razed flat overnight. Yet Fisher largely knew what had happened.

The demise of the Phoenix race held intimate connections to a certain pollution originating from the Spirit World. It was hard to say whether the Moon Rabbit-kin possessing sensitive Spirit World vision would similarly be affected as a consequence. But what was hard to explain was: if the demise of the Moon Rabbit-kin's direct descent was related to the so-called Spirit World Contamination... why was it only until a dozen or so years ago that they gradually fell under its influence?

One must know, the demise of the Phoenix race were all matters from several thousands of years ago. What, could this Spirit World influence possibly possess lag?

Or could it be... did some special matter transpire during this dozen or so years?

Fisher suddenly thought of that colossal throne he saw within the dream provided by the Demi-Human Completion Handbook previously. As well as the murmuring words emitted by a certain existence atop that throne seemingly just awakening, which appeared to be related to [the last Phoenix].

Valentina completely saw through Ilos's hesitation. Turning her head, she looked at the line of sight of that Mother Goddess statue beside them casting down a loving gaze from a commanding height. That... was once the final hope within the eyes of countless patients suffering from the Death-Rot Plague.

Although looking at it entirely with modern eyes, such behavior was so stupid. But arbitrarily substituting it... is setting the vague and illusory Frostwood Sycamore Tree as a hope not the same for herself?

Silence reigned inside the church for a brief moment. Valentina turned her head back around. Her line of sight swept past that pondering Fisher, finally locking onto Sister Ilos, beginning to speak,

"Sister Ilos, the demise of the Moon Rabbit-kin is already a foregone conclusion. The Turan family deeply expresses regret for this. They were once our friendliest friends and cooperative partners... Fondly remembering them is necessary, but the current problem is, their cause of death has completely not been found up till now. We need the Moon Rabbit-kin sigil to search for the Frostwood Sycamore Tree in order to obtain the answer..."

"Furthermore, you also haven't returned to your hometown of Nebalen for a very long time, have you not? As you, who has become the Mother Goddess's most loyal servant nowadays... I presume your loved ones would also want to see you for the final time beneath the wings of the Frost Phoenix, wouldn't they?"

Fisher cast a glance at that Valentina sitting in the wheelchair. Her ability to talk nonsense could presumably compete with his own. After this batch of words came out, Fisher could broadly guess Ilos would absolutely be moved by her. Because her rhetoric was truly far too flawless and invulnerable; every single sentence perfectly hammered upon Ilos's fragile spots.

Just as expected, the next second, an expression of being moved flashed across Ilos's face. Her hands tightly clutched the black nun's habit upon her body. Afterwards, she abruptly relaxed. Trembling slightly, she performed a devout prayer etiquette before her body. The Mother Goddess's loving sight granted her courage, making her produce the decision to temporarily leave the church,

"Sister Charut... Apologies, I must temporarily leave here. But I will definitely return afterwards. This is my guarantee... Miss Valentina, I-I am willing to help you all, and return to Nebalen together with you all to retrieve the sigil."

Valentina nodded without showing any shift in expression. The corners of that flat mouth also slightly lifted into a bit of an arc,

"Since this is the case, then we will be leaving here tonight. If you have any things you need to bring, you can go pack them up now."

"Eh, eh? T-tonight? But... but if the church isn't swept and tidied up a bit, there will be problems when returning... I..."

Valentina massaged her brows. Comforting the Ilos before her for a moment, she then opened her mouth to say,

"Speaking of which, before coming I investigated the situation here. The previous nun here had land right disputes with Hearthome Castle. This also means Hearthome Castle temporarily held no thoughts of developing this place. Otherwise, a few years later, you would be tossed out of the church by the Woman's Country police."

"But you don't have to worry now. I have already spent money purchasing this plot of land from the Hearthome Castle city government. Once matters conclude, I will also specifically hire people to repair the church for you a bit. This place is already torn to the point of leaking wind."

Hearing Valentina's words, Ilos foolishly opened her mouth. Having completely never thought exactly how much money a thorough repair of the church would spend... at this very moment she only suddenly remembered this point. But after pondering for a long time, she still hadn't thought of a specific number...

That should... require a lot of money, right?

She nodded blankly. Only then did she respond,

"Eh... a-alright then. I'll go pack right away. Right, I still want to speak a few words with Mister Fisher."

"No, you go pack first. I also have a few words I would like to speak with Mister Fisher."

Valentina touched the ring on her finger. Shifting her gaze anew, she placed it onto the Naris man standing before her.

Standing in place, Ilos found it inappropriate to leave or to stay. She had no choice but to clutch her own lower abdomen, turning her head back to cast a glance at Fisher. After obtaining his nodding indication, she only then cautiously retreated to the small wooden cabin at the rear of the Mother Goddess statue, commencing packing up her own belongings.

Watching Ilos travel far away, Valentina reached out a hand pushing the wheelchair joystick beside her. Crossing the demarcating line formed by the Mother Goddess's loving gaze, she approached a bit of distance towards Fisher's direction.

Her words opened the door and saw the mountain. Within pale silver irises reflected Fisher's handsome visage, but it was evident her irises were wholly filled with distrust towards Fisher,

"Mister Fisher. Although as a private individual, I am extremely willing to believe your rhetoric... but you have already taken action snatching ahead of us twice. This has already far surpassed the boundaries of what coincidence can explain... This operation is of colossal significance. For the Turan family, it tolerates absolutely zero failures."

"Therefore, I can only say an apology to Mister Fisher: I am withdrawing the previous cooperation invitation. Before you honestly reveal exactly who you are working for at the bottom of it all... let us temporarily postpone talks of cooperation."

Who was he working for? For Deities?

It was intensely hard to explain whether appearing snatching ahead of Valentina these two times was exactly a coincidence or jokes played by Deities. But evidently, the other party wouldn't believe his rhetoric... To be honest, even Fisher didn't really believe it either.

But he lacked much regret. Because within his hands still rested a trump card more than enough to force Valentina to have no choice but to promise to cooperate with him,

"It seems the Turan family is bound to obtain the Frostwood Sycamore Tree this time. Since cooperation is unable to continue, it matters not. Then, how about making a transaction?"

"A transaction?"

Meeting Valentina's pale silver irises, Fisher unintentionally cast a glance at the Herdor standing behind the other party. Nodding, he said,

"Correct, a transaction... I don't know if Miss Valentina finds interest in the Pale Bird Race Mark capable of opening the Sycamore Tree?"