The woman in the white lab coat possessed a rare cascade of short blue hair, her skin was remarkably pale, devoid of any makeup, and her right fingernails were painted a stark black. Beyond these striking details, there was nothing else particularly noteworthy about her appearance.
Her gaze swept quickly across everyone in the room, lingering a moment longer on Ramsey.
“Mr. Ramsey is here as well. This makes things considerably easier and will save us a great deal of time.”
They knew each other. This was hardly surprising, given they both worked within the same city.
“Dr. Schmidt? A pleasure to have you.”
Ramsey displayed a slightly astonished expression.
“You must be Ms. Rowan, then. Greetings. My name is Katarina Schmidt. I am a Plague Doctor; you may also refer to us as ‘Ravens.'”
She walked directly to Ghervil, extending a hand.
“Let’s dispense with the formalities for now. I’m curious as to how you’re so certain I’m Ash Rowan and not someone else.”
Ghervil reached up to adjust her wire-rimmed spectacles, remaining seated.
‘This is the first I’ve heard the term ‘Raven.’ Dr. Callan never mentioned it.’
“Father Asriel informed me that Ms. Rowan keeps a beautifully pure white chinchilla as a pet.”
‘So, Father Asriel was the one who introduced me. The Church’s efficiency is quite commendable. Only two or three hours have passed.’
Govet-Ghervil, somewhat carried away by her triumph, climbed atop Ghervil’s head, straightening her back, her large tail wagging incessantly.
“Furthermore, Father Asriel also provided me with an overview of the general situation regarding the squire Esli.”
The doctor offered a small smile, then glanced at the knight who had just closed the door and approached, their face bearing a somewhat dispirited expression.
“There’s one thing I don’t quite understand. You’ve already met the fundamental requirements of a quasi-knight. So why are you still in the preliminary assessment phase?”
Esli, caught off guard by the sudden question, hesitantly began to speak.
“Would you believe me if I said I stumbled into becoming a knight first…?”
‘As expected, merely claiming the identity of a squire wouldn’t fool a professional.’
‘To progress normally up to this point would still require passing through multiple assessment stages.’
‘What they said was indeed the truth.’
“It aligns with my suspicions. I had originally intended to consult Bishop Gomor about it, but it seems that won’t be necessary.”
“Mr. Ramsey, you’ve already explained the situation regarding this incident to them, haven’t you?”
The doctor in the white coat addressed each of them in turn, much like one would interrogate a subordinate.
“More or less. Had I not been specifically tasked with this, I would genuinely prefer not to be involved, and that sentiment extends to my two companions as well.”
Ramsey showed no sign of backing down, a hint of complaint coloring his tone.
Ghervil instantly understood the man’s intentions.
‘The Hospital Department is inherently exclusive and only seeks outside assistance when facing insurmountable problems.’
‘He means to assert dominance first, to gain the upper hand.’
‘Clearly, he hasn’t grasped the true situation.’
‘Of course, it’s also possible this is simply the doctor’s usual way of doing things.’
Taking the fluffy creature from her head, a creature seemingly oblivious to its own weight, Ghervil’s expression turned serious as she began to cooperate with Ramsey.
“Here’s the situation, Doctor. My primary objective concerns the Blood Rose. Ms. Penelope-Rose-Cambaton… she is a dear friend to me. Regarding her, I will do everything in my power. As for anything else, I’m afraid I can offer no assistance.”
“But that’s not what we agreed—” Esli, momentarily bewildered, blurted out.
“It’s exactly as we agreed. Assisting me with my research is a crucial component of your assessment.” Ghervil interjected, finishing Esli’s sentence.
Not one to be slow-witted, she quickly grasped her companion’s intent and adopted a stance of righteous indignation.
“Indeed. This incident presents too formidable a challenge for a mere squire. My assessment can certainly wait.”
The doctor paced thoughtfully around the room.
“You’ve all decided to refuse before even hearing what assistance I require… Perhaps we could discuss this elsewhere before you make your final decision.”
She presumed Ramsey was the linchpin of this three-person team, and her words were directed at him.
Yet it was Ghervil who responded.
“Let’s discuss it here. My time is exceedingly precious, and I have no desire to squander it on pointless conversations.”
For a brief moment, the doctor paused, her face a mixture of surprise and displeasure as she regarded the young woman.
“Frankly, the Church has commissioned you to investigate the disappearance of that deacon, and we have no authority to impede you. Whether you choose to involve yourselves further is entirely your prerogative.”
“Ms. Rowan, I believe you’re aware that Blood Roses are prohibited substances, and the ‘Ravens’ are obligated to oversee the Church’s research into them. The very concoction you provided to the Baron would be sufficient to condemn you.”
“Be my guest.”
Ghervil remained utterly unfazed.
In this nation, few possessed the authority to condemn her.
The atmosphere grew taut.
‘In truth, Father Asriel had confided in Dr. Schmidt that only Ms. Rowan possessed the ability to consistently reproduce the Nightmare Revelation Potion.’
‘She brought this up, intending to use it as leverage if necessary, to leave the Blood Rose expert with no grounds for refusal.’
‘Now, however, it seemed she had gravely underestimated a scholar’s professional integrity.’
“Mr. Ramsey, as a high-ranking investigator for the Epidemic Prevention Bureau, you must surely understand that in certain matters, our objectives are aligned, all aiming for the stability and peace of this city.” She hoped to sway Ms. Rowan through Ramsey’s influence.
The charade had run its course. Ramsey wished to accept on Ghervil’s behalf, but his word held no sway here, so he maintained his contorted expression, feigning great difficulty.
“I understand your reasoning. Both I personally and the Epidemic Prevention Bureau are eager to contribute, but our information is limited, and relying on a few negligible testimonies… You truly overestimate this humble detective.”
Her finger was tugged gently. Ghervil looked down to see Govet-Ghervil nodding vigorously at her, signaling her to agree.
The two conversing nearby remained oblivious to this silent exchange.
“Dr. Schmidt, while I am not entirely unwilling to assist, it must be within the scope of my capabilities.”
Ghervil interrupted them.
“However, I have a condition.”
“Please state it.” Giving up on her attempt to persuade the investigator, the doctor moved to sit opposite Ghervil at the table.
“I require your assistance in investigating the eldest son of the Cambaton family and that you share all information and details pertaining to the three disappearance cases.”
“Investigating Dandelion Cambaton is acceptable. However, I will need to seek approval from my superiors to share the information and details.”
“How quickly can that be arranged?”
“Tomorrow.” Schmidt’s reply was concise and direct.
“I appreciate straightforward individuals.” A faint smile touched Ghervil’s lips. “Now, tell me, what assistance do you seek from me?”
“One moment, please.”
She fumbled within the outer pocket of her white lab coat, her brow furrowing gradually.
“I distinctly recall placing it in this pocket. It couldn’t possibly be lost…”
‘Lost it?’
Immediately, Ghervil’s thoughts drifted to Esli’s misfortune curse.
She scanned the room, searching left and right, only to find the knight had opened the window and was leaning halfway out, plucking flowers from a vine on the wall.
“Is something amiss?” Though her body was outside, she somehow sensed Ghervil’s gaze and pulled back to inquire.
“Nothing at all. Please, carry on…” Ghervil shook her head.
“Call me when you’re ready.” Esli resumed leaning out to pick flowers.
“Found it!”
After a considerable amount of rummaging, the doctor finally retrieved a sealed composite bag and a metal box from an inner pocket.
Upon opening the composite bag, Ghervil immediately recognized its contents. It was a complete Blood Rose.
No, upon closer inspection, it was a brooch shaped like a Blood Rose.
It had golden metallic edges, with the petals rendered quite realistically, their veins and textures sharply defined, and a spring-loaded pin for attachment on its base.
She casually fastened the brooch to her sleeve, whereupon its metallic petals unfurled, to reveal a miniature, yet genuine, Blood Rose nestled within.
This method, it seemed, was used to preserve the rose’s integrity.
Schmidt carefully donned a pair of medical gloves, then plucked a single petal and placed it into the metal box.
“I would like your assistance in identifying which creature’s blood was initially used to cultivate this rose.”