His voice was hoarse, sounding like dry wood scraping together with a creaking noise.
Claire narrowed her eyes and noticed the man was wearing a hat. Dark patches covered nearly his entire face, but his neck...
"I need the light on for the exam. You traveled all the way to Solenia; you surely don't want to go back just like that."
Meiko Fujii's mentor studied Claire intently.
"Turn it on, then," the man on the bed replied helplessly. "I am Frederick Foster."
"Oh?" Claire asked, surprised. "I remember Melanie saying you were from Solenia."
Why would his name be Frederick Foster?
"Yes, I changed my name when I moved to Sundara."
Claire scoffed internally. Impressive. He even changed his name after going to Sundara.
"Then I will call you Mr. Foster." Claire had no intention of asking for his Solenian name.
Since he had changed his name, it meant he had no desire to bring up the past.
"I'll call you Dr. Claire. Is that alright?" Though speaking was a struggle for the man,
it was clear he wanted to converse.
"Dr. Claire, although you're young, Meiko tells me your medical skills are remarkable."
"I wonder if you can tell what illness I have?"
"Would it be convenient for you to pull the blanket down a bit?"
"I need to check the skin on the rest of your body."
If there were dark patches on his face, what about his body?
Frederick Foster threw back the covers, exposing his arms, neck, and even his back.
There was not a single patch of healthy skin left on him.
His body was not only covered in the same black spots, but his skin was peeling off
in chunks, making him look like a Dalmatian.
The areas where the skin had peeled away were raw and bright red.
"Can you take the hat off?"
In fact, seeing this, Sienna Vaughan already had a strong suspicion.
But she needed further confirmation.
"I can." He had already let Claire see his body, so why hide his head?
As soon as Frederick Foster removed his hat, Claire understood why he had been wearing it.
The man had lost almost all of his hair.
"May I take the liberty to ask about your profession?"
"Is it related to chemistry?"
"You know exactly what caused this illness, don't you?"
Although Frederick Foster didn't answer, Claire had already figured it out.
"I've always suspected it had something to do with my work environment, but my work is highly important."
"Dr. Claire, is there any way you can cure this illness for me?"
Frederick Foster stared intently at Claire, his gaze somewhat distant, as if he were looking through her at someone else.
"If I'm not mistaken, you've been in
this condition
for quite some timet
and youve been actively receiving
treatment, right?"
"Otherwise, based on the amount of time you were exposed to that substance, you should have already..."
Claire was spot on, and Frederick Foster admitted it.
"I've always had a dedicated team of doctors, but my condition can no longer be controlled."
"The doctors in Sundara declared that once the skin on my face began to peel, my time would be up."
"But I refuse to accept that!"
"My research hasn't been published yet! I haven't achieved global fame, and I
haven't won the world's highest award!"
"So, I implore you to help me, Dr. Claire!"
This Frederick Foster was certainly ambitious.
Claire saw right through it. For all his words, the man only wanted to convey one
thing: he didn't want to die yet.
But the doctors had already told him his days were numbered.
His trip to Solenia wasn't because he was certain Claire could cure him
But rather as a desperate fin 20
at any potential lifeline. .net
The man's will to live was incredibly strong, but just wanting to live didn't guarantee
a good life.
For a patient like Frederick Foster,
who refused to abandon his work
and
wanted to be cured sohe
Could throw himself back i
it she
saw absolutely no point in treating him.