Chapter 702 ·You’re a Bit Too Legendary

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Monica finished speaking, she lifted her chin, all six arms folded across her chest, wearing an expression that clearly said, “Go on, praise me.”

For ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a moment, the Passenger Cabin fell silent.

After ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍quite a while, Zoe finally spoke in a faint tone, “As expected of a legendary doctor. Truly different.”

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍tip of Monica’s tail stiffened.

Gaia ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍burst out laughing with a “pfft,” and that completely broke Monica’s composure. She immediately began defending herself loudly, “Wait, don’t laugh! I’m serious! This plan is feasible—stop laughing!”

Holding ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍her stomach, Gaia replied, “Alright, alright, we won’t laugh. Go on~”

Monica shot her a glare before explaining, “You might not know this, but we recently got our hands on some technical materials from the Mechanical Sanctum.”

Gaia and Zoe turned to glance at Beatrice—and couldn’t help laughing again.

“Hey! None of you are even listening properly! That material includes parts about replacing flesh with machinery. Beatrice’s body is on the verge of collapse, right? So just amputate the collapsing parts and replace them with steel to make do for now. Then put her body into the Stellar Furnace and burn it for a while. Once it’s burned clean, take it back out and use it again. Wouldn’t that solve everything!”

As soon as the proposal was laid out, the three of them were momentarily stunned.

Why did it feel like Monica actually had a point?

If each step was considered individually, it was indeed feasible. On the surface, it didn’t seem to have any obvious flaw.

But…

When put together, why did it feel so outrageously absurd?

The three of them fell into that strange loop of “Something feels wrong, but I can’t pinpoint what.”

After a moment, Zoe seemed to realize something and suddenly jumped to her feet. “See? I wasn’t wrong! She also suggested putting it into the Stellar Furnace to burn! Great minds think alike when it comes to good plans!”

Gaia: “…”

Beatrice: “…”

Monica: “?”

In the end, it was Beatrice who hesitated for a long time before speaking weakly, “Um… is there a more… ordinary plan? This treatment plan is a bit… a bit…”

A bit too legendary.

She now understood why Gaia and Zoe had reacted so strongly upon hearing that a legendary doctor was coming.

This legendary doctor was truly legendary—her treatment plans were this grand and tumultuous.

At the side, Gaia nodded as well. “I don’t agree with this split-operation plan either.”

Her expression turned serious. “Have you considered a question? After Beatrice is amputated, where does the Pollution come from? Her mouth? Her neck? Or the severed stump?”

Beatrice stared, dumbfounded. How had the topic suddenly turned so grotesque?

“It should be the stump, right? Since it connects to the stomach?” Zoe answered somewhat hesitantly.

But Gaia shook her head.

“You have to understand that Pollution is not a completely material existence. Otherwise, Beatrice’s tiny body couldn’t possibly contain so much of it. In other words, the appearance of Pollution follows her subjective consciousness. Her will solidifies the erosion of the Sea of Unawareness into Pollution, and breath is merely its method of manifestation.”

“That means even if you amputate all the polluted parts of her body, she can still expel Pollution from her mouth. And even if you separate her mouth, she’ll expel Pollution from wherever she believes her ‘mouth’ is!”

The explanation was indeed shocking, but when one thought about it carefully, it made perfect sense.

Transcendents did live in the material world—but their very existence was a distortion of reality.

Not to mention anything else, Nora could still speak with only her head remaining. That in itself was unreasonable.

Without lungs, where did breathing come from? Without breathing, where did airflow pass through the vocal cords? And without that, where did sound come from?

Not to mention it wasn’t even clear whether her vocal cords were on the upper half of her neck or the lower half.

Yet she could speak.

She believed she could speak. The people around her believed it was “normal” for her to speak. And so she truly could speak.

This was indeed Cognitive Interference, but Transcendents had already crossed the High Wall of Reality. Within the Sea of Unawareness, they possessed Anchor Points. Their stable and firm cognition could slightly alter the material world.

As it manifested outwardly, it seemed as though the world was more “tolerant” toward them.

But this also brought trouble. Beatrice’s situation was a perfect example—her deviation between cognition and reality rendered many treatments ineffective.

“I even think your treatment method isn’t as good as Gwen’s. At least she can genuinely hammer people back to health.”

The Silent Sanctum preaching with chain flails was no joke. They could truly use a chain flail as a medium to draw upon the Sea of Unawareness through a Connection, forcibly infusing knowledge—hammering it—into someone’s mind.

And Gwen had merely replaced the infused doctrine with healing power. From a Transcendent perspective, it was entirely reasonable.

“So I’m not even as good as Gwen!?” Monica staggered back two steps in shock, muttering in disbelief.

Gaia and Zoe both burst into laughter.

While Monica, Gaia, and Zoe discussed treatment plans, Beatrice, sitting at the side, fell into deep thought.

When she saw Monica, although surprised, her mental state had remained extremely stable.

That was a living alien race. Even in normal circumstances, one’s sanity would suffer some degree of impact upon seeing such a being—let alone in her current fragile state.

But there had been nothing. No sensation at all.

“Could it be because of the Whisper?”

Beatrice bit her lip. She clearly hadn’t sought help from that Strange Existence again, yet she still gained this stabilizing effect. Why?

Could it be…

She turned her head and looked toward Castel, drawing closer and closer.

The legendary doctor ultimately failed to produce a stable plan. She later proposed a few more methods, but they were all rejected for being too outrageous.

In the end, the conclusion was merely to “observe for now.”

Simply put—she wasn’t insane yet. They would deal with it if she became insane.

The airship docked at Castel’s Air Harbor. The group opened the cabin door and cautiously looked at Beatrice.

“Do you want to come down blindfolded?”

“Huh? Why?”

“There are many… new things in Castel. Machinery, factories, and so on. You might get frightened when you see them…”

Beatrice scratched her head in confusion. No matter what, she had come from Rhine. She had seen Steam Engines and factories before.

Not to mention she later became the Pope of the Mechanical Sanctum. Though mostly nominal, she had still seen plenty of Sanctum relics—even existences like the Gear Sage. What else could possibly frighten her?

Had Hughes turned into a Heretical God? Had Castel stood up and started walking?

Beatrice amused herself with the thought and relaxed a little.

As for something like the Celestial Behemoth, perhaps that might startle her—but she had arrived by airship and had already seen the island from above. There was no such gigantic thing left on it.

She was, after all, the Pope of two great Churches and the Empress of the Empire.

It was just an industrial city.

There was nothing there that could scare her.

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