The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 121: Bewitching

Lumière looked at Jenna, smirking as he said, "This is because you still haven't developed the awareness of being an 'Assassin' or fully realized that you've stepped into the world of the occult. Otherwise, in the past month or two, you could have made contact with occult gatherings through Franca, gathered some useful items. Although they wouldn't be as effective as the potion I just used, at least you'd have been able to do something, instead of helplessly watching your mother's condition worsen."

Jenna didn't respond with her usual flustered anger and foul language. Instead, she was silent for a few seconds before simply saying, "Hmm."

"Of course, you don't have much money either, burdened with debt and school fees. Even if you did attend those occult gatherings, you wouldn't be able to afford anything. At best, it would've given you an opportunity to earn some money or valuable items by accepting commissions."

At this moment, Jenna's brother, Julien, arrived with a doctor and two nurses.

The doctor glanced at Elodie and said in confusion, "I thought she didn't need resuscitation..."

"You're mistaken," Lumière interrupted calmly.

The doctor, overwhelmed from treating numerous patients, had mixed up faces in his mind. Hearing Lumière, he assumed he was mistaken and proceeded to treat Elodie's remaining external injuries. She was then placed in a carriage to be transported to the hospital.

The Pont de Passy Bridge connected the Neuilly District to the Market District. It was one of five bridges in Trier that spanned the Seine River.

Right next to the bridge was the Holy Palace Hospital, funded by the "Eternal Blazing Sun" Church. As a follower of the "Eternal Blazing Sun," Elodie was taken there and placed on the top floor of a six-story white building, sharing a room with five other patients.

Watching the doctors and nurses busying themselves—drawing blood, conducting examinations, and hanging IV drips—Jenna, who was standing against the wall, whispered, "The hospital has changed so much in recent years..."

"Hmm?" Lumière was puzzled.

Jenna's expression darkened slightly as she said, "A few years ago, when my father and the others were taken to the hospital, those with severe injuries were immediately operated on, while those with minor injuries were just bandaged up and given medicine to see if it worked. There were no blood tests, and the examinations were quite simple. It's nothing like it is now; everything seems different."

"That's a good thing," Lumière nodded. "It looks more professional now."

While the two were speaking in low voices, Jenna's brother, Julien, was busy assisting the doctors and nurses, sometimes answering questions about the patient's health, sometimes helping with IV stands, and other times being sent to the pharmacy.

When the medical staff had finally finished their tasks, Julien hadn't returned.

The doctor responsible for Elodie approached Jenna, holding a clipboard, his expression softening as he glanced at her rose-colored dress.

"Is Elodie your mother?" he asked.

"Yes," Jenna nodded.

The doctor considered his words and said, "Your mother's condition is better than I expected. For now, she doesn't need surgery, but that's just a preliminary assessment. The final decision depends on the results of various tests."

"The good news is she doesn't require immediate surgery. The bad news is her injuries are severe enough that she might need to stay in the hospital for months, possibly half a year to a year. Even when she recovers, she won't be the same. She'll remain in a weakened state."