Run A Medical Clinic In The Abyssal World

Chapter 31: Vivian's Secret

Andre walked into a nearby alley, and soon his angry shouts could be heard: "Who the hell stole my sword!" followed by a string of curses.

Watching Andre disappear into the misty streets, Charlotte didn't rush to close the door. Instead, he softly instructed the pale-faced Vivian, "Clean up the bloodstains at the entrance, including the ones extending onto the street."

"Okay," Vivian nodded and muttered a spell, causing water to instantly wash away the bloodstains at the entrance and on the street.

Charlotte came out with a broom and swept it around haphazardly, using the dust to cover up the traces of the cleaning spell.

"Come inside quickly," Charlotte pulled Vivian inside and closed the door behind them.

Vivian's hands were cold, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

"Don't be afraid, he's already gone, and he didn't recognize you either," Charlotte gently patted her shoulder to comfort her.

"He came to capture me..." Vivian's eyes turned slightly red, and she nervously clutched her skirt, her voice trembling. "He said he would come back for me."

"Don't worry, he won't live through tonight," Charlotte smiled faintly.

Vivian looked at him in confusion, even though Charlotte had just saved her.

"Nighttime travel in the Abyss is taboo, and with his severe injuries and the bundle he's carrying, he won't make it three blocks," Charlotte explained.

Vivian pondered for a moment, but she still looked uneasy.

"Now we're like fleas on the same rope. Unfortunately, that guy named Capas has set his sights on both of us," Charlotte looked at Vivian and sighed. "If I remember correctly, he found a proxy named Carol in the Abyss for the investigation. Carol is from the Jadeson family, one of the four major families in the Abyss. In other words, our days ahead won't be easy."

Vivian bit her lip and thought carefully for a while. She looked up at Charlotte and asked, "Should we run away?"

"Running away is a good idea. But where do you think we can go? A weak human who doesn't know magic and a little girl who only knows healing magic. Even if we leave the Abyss, where can we run to?" Charlotte asked with a serious expression.

"My father told me to come to the Abyss, saying it's the most chaotic and safest place. But now... I don't know where else to go," Vivian couldn't hold back her tears any longer and sobbed.

She thought that after coming to the Abyss and enduring so much hardship, she would be free from Capas' pursuit. But now, he had caught up to her in the Abyss.

Charlotte looked at Vivian, who suddenly broke down, and couldn't help but feel pity for the girl.

At such a young age, she had encountered so many hardships one after another.

"Don't cry. At least for now, they haven't found you. In comparison, as someone running a clinic, I'm an easier target for them to find," Charlotte pulled out a chair for Vivian to sit on and looked into her eyes with a serious expression. "But from now on, we need to have an open and honest conversation. Why is Capas relentlessly chasing after you? What is their motive?"

Since meeting Vivian, Charlotte hadn't asked about her background. After all, everyone could have their secrets.

But now things were different. They had a common enemy, and that enemy had come to the Abyss.

Vivian wiped away her tears and quickly calmed herself down. She looked at Charlotte and, after a moment of silence, seemed to have made up her mind. She said, "I am Vivian Bernice. My father is Frank Bernice, the former Minister of Finance of the Lance Empire."

A top-tier aristocratic family! Charlotte was somewhat surprised. He knew Vivian came from a noble background, but having a father who was a Minister of Finance was beyond his expectations.

But the keyword was "former."

"My father and Krenwell have always been at odds. He once led an investigation into Krenwell's treason and corruption. Half a month ago, my father was falsely accused by Krenwell of embezzlement, corruption, and treason, and he was arrested. Many members of the Bernice family were also imprisoned. When the people who came to arrest my father arrived, he told me to escape through the underground tunnel and flee to the Abyss. So, I became the only survivor," Vivian said with a sorrowful expression, her eyes slightly red.

Charlotte furrowed his brow, puzzled. "If it's just a struggle between political enemies, your father has been imprisoned, and most of the family members have been captured. Why does Krenwell relentlessly pursue you? And why did he send his son personally?"

Vivian fell silent for a moment and said, "Because Krenwell embezzled hundreds of thousands of gold coins from the imperial treasury, colluded with the orc tribes at the empire's border, committed large-scale killings to take credit for himself, and deceived military funds. It's all true. The evidence was recorded in a booklet by a spy, but before it could be handed over to the king, he was caught by Krenwell. And that booklet is now with me."

"In that case, why don't you give the booklet to the king? The farther you are from the capital, the farther you are from the king. There's a higher risk of Krenwell, the Duke, privately dealing with you," Charlotte looked at Vivian, contemplating. "Moreover, with your father's status, even if he was falsely accused and imprisoned, he would still go through a lengthy trial process. During that process, he should have had a chance to convey this information to the king, right?"

"My father was killed by Krenwell under the guise of arrest during the chaos," Vivian's face turned pale as she tightly grasped her skirt.

This guy dares to kill the Minister of Finance just like that! Charlotte was greatly shocked, which showed the immense power and arrogance of Krenwell in the Lance Empire.

No wonder Vivian's father told her to escape the capital and flee to the Abyss.

If she rashly hands over the booklet, the chances of it reaching the king are extremely slim, and she might even be betrayed in return.

"Can I take a look at that booklet?" Charlotte asked.

"I'll get it," Vivian stood up and went upstairs. Soon, she came back downstairs holding a small booklet wrapped in gray cloth and handed it to Charlotte.

Charlotte opened the black cloth to reveal a small booklet with a black cover. The soft leather cover was stained with a few dried bloodstains.

He carefully flipped through the contents of the booklet, his expression gradually becoming solemn.

After about half an hour, Charlotte slowly closed the booklet.

"The Duke's crimes are simply too numerous to count!" Charlotte said angrily.

Embezzling from the treasury with the collusion of officials from the Ministry of Finance is a significant case of corruption. But what's even more despicable is his manipulation of conflicts with orc tribes at the border, causing large-scale massacres in border villages, escalating the intensity of the conflict, and exaggerating the threat posed by the orc tribes. All this was done to swindle massive military funds. His methods are utterly shameless and abhorrent!

In addition, he also withheld disaster relief funds during several major disasters, leading to the starvation of many civilians.

The amount Krenwell embezzled from the treasury was painful for the King of the Lance Empire, and Charlotte had no standing to condemn him.

However, the slaughter and plunder of innocent civilians incited his anger as a human being driven by conscience.

This booklet detailed the numerous crimes committed by Krenwell over the past thirty years, with clear records of dates, locations, and victims. It was evident that Vivian's father had conducted a meticulous investigation.

Judging from Krenwell's relentless pursuit of Vivian, this booklet was undoubtedly capable of causing significant damage to him, or else he wouldn't be so nervous.

"Your task tonight is to transcribe this booklet for me. Such an important thing should have a backup, as it's easy for bad people to snatch it away," Charlotte told Vivian.

"Huh?" Vivian was taken aback.

"What's important is not this blood-stained booklet itself, but the content inside. If the information in the booklet can be verified as true, we just need to submit it to someone capable of toppling Krenwell. That would be considered a mission accomplished," Charlotte explained.

"But who can bring down Krenwell? Even my father..." Vivian bit her lip, feeling desperate about the immense power Krenwell held in the Lance Empire.

Charlotte fell silent. A sitting Minister of Finance was killed just like that. It showed how powerful Krenwell was, and he even suspected that the king was on his side.

If that was the case, then the existence of this booklet would be meaningless.

Charlotte had very little information about the Lance Empire. The original host's memories only contained sporadic information about the medical field.

Useful information like "the king and the duke's undisclosed secrets" or "distribution of Krenwell's power" was non-existent.

Perhaps he could gather some information from Harry, who seemed to be well informed.

But even if he knew this information, who would he deliver the booklet to?

At his level, he couldn't even come into contact with the upper echelons.

Wait a minute!

Speaking of social hierarchy, Charlotte suddenly remembered the black stone he had wrapped and tucked away in the corner of the cabinet.

The members of the Red Moon organization might be able to provide him with some useful information!