Our Family Has Fallen

Lance had originally wanted to find out what had happened in town during his absence, but seeing Boudica in such a state, he didn’t press Grendel for information. Since Grendel hadn’t brought it up herself, it meant the issue wasn’t significant, and everything was proceeding according to plan.

Logically, he should have dealt with his own troubles first, as it truly wasn’t presentable for a Lord to be in such a condition. But the moment Lance emerged, he headed straight for the sanatorium.

The newly discovered monster corpses needed to be sent to Paracelsus as soon as possible. He also needed to understand the progress on leprosy treatment, a matter Paracelsus had always been following up on.

Pigman Mob, Pigman Concealer, Pigman Priest. The first two bodies were quite intact, with no visible wounds, only some marks caused by their struggles. Lance had specifically ordered Wang Cai to procure them this way.

The Pigman Mob had been weakened by Amanda’s and Alhazred’s spells, allowing Wang Cai to directly penetrate its plump body and strike its soul—a task that wasn’t too difficult. Only the Pigman Priest was in bad shape, battered by Amanda and covered in wounds.

”These Pigmen all show a tendency toward iteration...” Lance began discussing his speculations with Paracelsus. He deduced these from the condition of the monsters, hoping to find some answers during dissection.

Discussing this with Boudica or Amanda wouldn’t be very useful; even if they listened, they would only acknowledge the situation. But for someone like Paracelsus, her interest lay in the techniques involved. How is this fusion achieved? Is this iteration a result of human intervention or natural selection? Can any traces of iteration be found on these creatures? Paracelsus understood she would be busy that day, so...

”So, what about the Pigman Knight?” Paracelsus asked, her gaze shifting to Lance. ”You promised me last time.”

”An accident! A little hiccup occurred,” Lance immediately explained with a wry smile.

Back then, everyone had been caught in a melee. When Alhazred saw Lance, the strongest combatant, entangled with the Pigman Knight, he naturally wanted to free him and thus intervened in the battle with his magic. This resulted in the Pigman Knight’s body becoming contaminated by something strange, and Lance had been forced to sacrifice it.

”The fight was fierce; he didn’t have many choices. If I hadn’t underestimated the enemy, Boudica wouldn’t have been injured in that battle and wouldn’t be lying there now, sick and suffering.”

Paracelsus had experienced some battles. Although she hadn’t been on the front lines, she understood the danger and didn’t blame Lance. However, something was needed to appease her.

”I can’t handle these alone; I need an assistant.”

”Okay, okay, I understand,” Lance immediately nodded with a laugh. He had anticipated this; otherwise, he would have taken a bath as soon as he got back.

Since he hadn’t managed the task he’d promised, he could only work as a laborer. But Paracelsus was also being truthful: she couldn’t possibly move the Pigman Mob on her own.

The efficiency of two people would definitely be greater than one. Since Lance had slaughtered many Pigmen, this task was second nature to him. He began the dissection, while Paracelsus recorded and sketched nearby. The two of them soon started discussing the anatomical structure of the Pigmen.

”Their skin has excellent corrosion resistance,” Paracelsus remarked, pointing to a feature. ”Moreover, their lymphatic system is exceptionally developed, enabling them to resist various germ infections in the harsh environment of the Beast Lair. Their digestive system is also formidable. We discovered something inside their stomachs...”

Lance had no particular expertise in medicine; most of what he knew was basic biological knowledge. But it was hard to say if Paracelsus had any true medical expertise either, as what she’d learned was rather abstract.

In this world where Supernatural Powers were manifested, Lance typically refrained from commenting on such matters. After all, no one knew if some miraculous power based on ”I reckon” thinking might actually work. To him, however, those medical techniques seemed unbearably primitive, reminiscent of the bloody sacrifices of barbaric tribes.

Similarly, although Paracelsus had been a university student, she wasn’t the scholarly type but rather a practitioner; otherwise, she wouldn’t have become a rebel. It was because her own research findings contradicted what her professors taught that a series of events had eventually led her to Hamlet.

Even with Lance’s help, it still took most of the day to process these bodies. During the dissection, many interesting findings were uncovered. It was uncertain whether the Pigmen were adapting to the Beast Lair or had been specially modified. However, a large part of their body structure indeed showed resistant capabilities.

But conducting a more detailed anatomical study would require more time; these matters weren’t so simple. Lance had done what he could, leaving the rest for her to study slowly.

However, the matter was far from over; his harvest from the Beast Lair was much more than just these Pigmen. Lance cleared a space and then pulled out another mutilated corpse.

Paracelsus, also somewhat curious, came over to look. What caught her eye was its ferocious, chrysanthemum-shaped mouthpart. It was everted, as if prolapsed, with several separated layers of sharp fangs. The mouthpart was covered in sparse, sticky secretions, its appearance instinctively repulsive.

Paracelsus, possessing a much higher tolerance for such sights than an average person, showed no strong reaction, instead focusing her attention on other aspects of the corpse.