Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 716 - 77: Nothing to Fear Anymore _1

Chapter 716: Chapter 77: Nothing to Fear Anymore _1

"Finally, we found it." Catherine seemed a bit drained, her right hand resting on the smooth, cold exterior of the auto-treatment device. Slowly, her body slumped, her energy waning as she fell to her knees by the auto-treatment device. Her left hand was firmly over her mouth, but the suppressed sobbing seeped uncontrollably through her fingers. The knightly maiden’s shoulders quivered, tears slipping down her cheeks. In the end, she gave up on controlling her emotions altogether, leaning her forehead against the device and weeping loudly.

Vivian’s eyes also grew moist. She walked over and gently wrapped her arms around Catherine’s waist from behind. Her cheeks were pressed to the maiden knight’s back, her voice choked up as she spoke, "Thank you, Sis. We finally found it. Thank you all. At last, we’ve grasped hope together. These years... all this mental stress you’ve been bearing... you did great."

"We didn’t endure any hardship. You did." Catherine sobbed, hugging Vivian back tightly, squeezing the girl’s frail body. "Watching you practice controlling your body on your own every day, watching you secretly suffer... it hurt me like a knife in my heart. Every time I saw you, so scrawny and shriveled, not looking human anymore... it was like our hearts were bleeding. All our decision-making was for your suffering."

"I know." Vivian softly comforted Catherine in her ear. "I’ve known your feelings all along. Every day, I feel your love for me. That’s why I’ve determinedly resolved to restore my health at any cost. Only then can I stop you from suffering and shedding tears for me."

The silver-haired priestess sighed deeply. She walked over and joined them, hugging the two girls. After holding each other for a while, she finally said, "Sis, stop crying. Now’s the final moment. If you really want to cry, wait until Vivian climbs out of the auto-treatment device. Won’t it be even more significant to cry seeing a healthy Vivian standing before us?"

"Right." Catherine nodded. The usually strong knight, her face tear-streaked yet smiling, looked compelling, "Sorry, I lost my composure and made you worry. I’m alright. I just got overexcited. Not to worry. Ava, when can we commence using the auto-treatment device? Also, what preparations do we need to undertake?"

"It’s ready to be used at any time. There are sufficient maintenance puppets in every lab, responsible for ensuring the normal operation of the equipment. So, none of the critical devices would malfunction." Ava answered mechanically, "As for the preparations you all need to undertake, there aren’t any in particular. Vivian just needs to mentally prepare herself, take off her clothes, and lay down inside. The rest of you need to prepare essentials to last a bit over ten days, then find a lounge to reside in. After that, all you can do is wait for her to come out."

"It’s that simple?" Catherine muttered in disbelief. She turned to Vivian and asked, "Do you need to prepare anything? You’ll be lying in there for ten days straight. Should you eat and drink beforehand? After the treatment begins, it can’t be stopped. Also, is it necessary to undress? Though the temperature’s controlled, it’s colder compared to summer. Won’t you fall sick lying in there stark naked? Moreover..."

"Stop." Vivian, her face still wet with tears, was already laughing and covering her ears in protest. "Sis, please, you’re being overly anxious. Everything you worry about doesn’t matter at all. I don’t need to eat or drink and I won’t catch a chill. Relax, okay? Enough with that. I’m about to climb in. Pannis, turn around, you’re not allowed to look."

"Hold on." Catherine halted the mage girl who was about to undress. She tilted her head upwards, looking at the invisible Ava with a serious expression, "I haven’t asked one crucial question. I hope you won’t mislead me or evade the question. I know, ever since you entered the control center, you haven’t been allowed to lie per the settings. But you could dodge questions by misguiding or omitting information. This time, I don’t want that. I need an exact answer."

"Please, go ahead." Ava’s mechanical voice fell silent for a moment. When it resounded once more, it had become far more solemn, "I promise not to lie, mislead, omit, or avoid. I’ll directly answer your question."

"Everyone’s been intentionally avoiding one issue thus far. Now, I hope you’ll tell me," Catherine asked seriously, "The treatment necessitates a lengthy process and complex procedures. I find it hard to believe it’ll be that simple to complete. Therefore, I want to know, how high are the chances of success for this treatment? How many successful cases were there throughout goblin history?"

There was silence from Ava, whether due to an unwillingness to answer or data calculation, nobody knew. After a while, she finally said, "Fifty percent. The chances of success and failure are evenly split. Precisely half - two successful instances, and two failures."

"So, this treatment for the syndrome has only happened four times?" Catherine bit her lip, "And there were two failures. Is that really okay? Fifty percent success rate, it’s practically like gambling. Way too risky."

"Because Searle Syndrome is very rare, the sample size referenced is so small," Ava patiently explained, "As for the fifty percent success rate, yes, it’s true. The first failure occurred shortly after the auto-treatment device had just been invented, when we didn’t have much experience in culturing and replacing the entire nervous system, leading to the failure. The second failure occurred during the treatment of the third patient due to a temporary malfunction of the auto-treatment device during the process. The patient inside lost life support from the device, resulting in the treatment’s failure. Hence, the real cure likely isn’t as low as you imagine, the possibility of recovery is quite high."

"Even so, I feel the risk is too high to accept," Catherine’s face turned grim and she said anxiously, "What would happen to Vivian if all went awry?"

"You won’t want to know," Pannis sighed and shook his head at the female knight, saying, "It would be the worst possible outcome."

"You knew about this?" Catherine asked discontentedly, "Why didn’t you tell me about something so significant?"

"Actually, I also knew, but I asked him not to tell you," Vivian said, her back turned to Catherine, "No matter what the outcome, whether it’s life or death, the choice is mine. I don’t want you to bear more stress. My sister, I wish you could always ignore this issue rather than suddenly remembering it at this final moment. You don’t need to dissuade me anymore, elder sister. You have been protecting us for years, and now, it’s time to make my own choices. Even though I know the risk is high, without treatment, the rest of my life would be as it is now, puppet-like. I don’t want to continue living in such pain. I would choose death over this."

"Of course, you can make decisions on your own," Catherine bit her lip and said, "But, everyone must take responsibility for their choices, whatever the final result is, there must be nothing short of full accountability."

"I know, of course", Vivian said lightly, "I’ve been ready for the consequences, like you’ve said, whatever the result, I will accept it with a smile. So, elder sister, let me be willful this time. My life and fate, let me determine them, okay?"

Catherine clenched her fists tightly, lowering her head and remaining silent. After a long time, she finally spoke in a resigned tone, "I understand. Perhaps you’re right. If this is your will, then I respect your decision."

"Thank you, elder sister," A faint yet emotionally charged smile on Vivian’s face. She turned around and embraced Catherine with great affection, then hugged Lina Freya in turn, finally standing in front of Pannis, and with her back to him, put her hands behind her back, lifted her head, and chuckled, "Thank you for taking care of me this past year, Pannis, hope you continue to take care of everyone, as it’s always been."

Pannis’s gaze was gentle on the young mage; he reached out and ruffled her hat’s brim, nodding with a smile, "Don’t worry, it will feel as if you’re having a good sleep, when you wake up everything will be fine."

"I believe you," Vivian, with her hands behind her back, skipped to the treatment device. As Ava opened the tightly closed hatch of the treatment device, Vivian peeked inside, then suddenly turned around, stuck her tongue out, and said loudly, "Dummy Pannis, turn around."

"I know, I know," Pannis touched his nose and walked out the door with a bitter smile, "Wish you good luck."

"Vivian," Just as Vivian laid down inside the treatment device and was about to close the hatch, Catherine couldn’t resist any longer, clenched her fist and yelled, "Hang in there, we will be by your side all the time, so calm down, don’t be afraid."

"I am very calm". Vivian gave the girls her brightest smile and said softly, "Given the circumstances now, there really is nothing to be afraid of."

"Rattle", the hatch closed tightly. Several crystals on the surface of the device lit up in sequence and the indicator lights around the crystals began to blink. A mechanized voice emitted from the side of the treatment device, "Ding, the Whole Body Regenerative Auto-treatment Device is ready. Command required, ding, the command is legal, please confirm again, ding, the command has been accepted, final adjustments are underway, ding, adjustments are complete, the treatment begins, estimated time is 227 hours, 38 minutes and 40 seconds. Please wait patiently." (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to qidian.com to give recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.qidian.com.)