NOVEL NEXT Chapter 252: Destroy The Cursed (68)
Dr. Matzo had always prided himself on being a man of science. He did not deal in myths, nor did he indulge in fairy tales passed down through forgotten ages.
Yet, as his eyes fell upon the crystalline necklace dangling from Xin's neck, his breath caught.
His hands trembled slightly. No… it can't be. That's impossible. That was only ever a legend.
And yet—what if?
For a fleeting second, hope—a fragile, foolish hope—burned within him. Aunt Mei was on the verge of death; her pulse had weakened to the faintest whisper, her breath shallow and fleeting. If there was even the slightest chance… no, he couldn't hesitate. Not now.
"Xin," Dr. Matzo said suddenly, his voice low but urgent. "That necklace. Give it to me."
Xin blinked, confused but too desperate to argue, and handed it over. The glass pendant gleamed faintly in his palm.
Matzo moved quickly. He filled a jar with water, dipped the pendant inside, and held his breath. If his wild suspicion was correct, if this was what he thought it was, then the liquid would react. Still, a part of him scoffed at himself—what kind of physician chases after fables?
Then the change began.
The water shifted from its natural greenish hue to a light orange glow. Xin gasped. Rin leaned forward, eyes wide. The orange deepened into a burning amber, and then—suddenly—it blazed into a deep, radiant crimson.
Dr. Matzo's lips curved into a shaky smile. His eyes gleamed with something neither of the children had seen in him before. Hope.
"It's real," he whispered, voice trembling. "It's truly the one…" His hands clenched tighter around the necklace. "The Tears of Lys."
Xin and Rin exchanged bewildered looks. "The… Tears of Lys?" they asked almost in unison.
Matzo inhaled deeply, steadying himself before giving the explanation.
"According to legend, Lys was the Goddess of Life herself. Her tears were not merely a cure—they were miracles.
They could restore what had been lost, heal wounds that should never mend, and even…" his voice faltered, his gaze shifting toward Mei's frail, motionless body. "…even bring one back from the brink of death."
Rin frowned, his voice edged with doubt. "But has anyone ever proven this? Any records, any confirmation? Legends are just… legends."
The doctor fell silent for a long while. His gaze lowered, his lips pressed thin. Finally, he muttered, "No. Not truly.
The last recorded instance of the Goddess weeping was said to have been for the death of a great warrior—tens of thousands, perhaps even millions of years ago. Since then, none have ever claimed to find her tears… until now."
The weight of his words pressed heavily on the air.
"So what are you going to do?" Rin asked, voice hushed, as if afraid to disturb the fragile hope hanging between them.
Dr. Matzo closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened again, they were resolute.
"We try. Even if it's only a rumor, even if there's no guarantee… Mei is running out of time. Minutes, maybe less. If we do nothing, she will die. I refuse to stand idle."
He turned sharply toward Xin. "Tell me. Where did you get this?"
Xin hesitated but quickly recounted the truth—how she had gotten the strange necklace from a fortune-teller in Maurina City.
She had assumed it was nothing more than a trinket, a scam, yet if Matzo's words were true, then perhaps that fortune-teller had been far more than he seemed.
The doctor nodded once, decisively. "That's enough. Let's begin."
He carefully extracted the crimson liquid from the pendant into a thick, metal-plated syringe.
His hands moved with the precision of a surgeon, yet sweat trickled down his brow. He positioned the needle at the side of Mei's neck.
Xin gripped her aunt's limp hand tightly, tears already spilling down her cheeks. Rin's fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight.
The syringe plunged.
Immediately, Mei's body convulsed violently. Once. Twice. Again and again, jerking as if caught in an invisible storm. The children cried out, terrified, but Dr. Matzo barked, "Hold her! Do not let go!"
Her back arched. Her breathing faltered. The room seemed to shrink around them, every second stretching into eternity.
Matzo's own heart thundered in his chest. He had warned them this could fail, that it could even make things worse. But what choice did they have?
"Please…" Xin whispered desperately, clutching Mei's hand tighter. "Please, Aunt Mei… don't leave me…"
The convulsions slowed. Then stopped.
For a dreadful heartbeat, Mei lay completely still. Her chest did not rise. Her heart—silent.
Xin collapsed against her aunt, sobbing. Rin's lips trembled as his eyes brimmed with despair.
Even Matzo staggered back, his face pale, his legs buckling until he fell to one knee. His hands shook violently as he whispered, "It failed… after all that… it truly failed."
But then—
A flicker.
The dark, sickly veins that had been crawling along Mei's skin began to fade. Slowly at first, then faster, disappearing as though erased by invisible hands.
Dr. Matzo's eyes widened in disbelief. He scrambled forward, placing trembling fingers on her wrist.
"No… it can't be…"
And then—thump.
A weak, almost imperceptible heartbeat. Then another. And another. Stronger. Steady.
Her chest rose.
"She's… she's breathing," Xin gasped, her tears turning into sobs of relief. Rin's knees gave out as he fell to the ground, overcome with shock.
Dr. Matzo broke into laughter—wild, almost hysterical, but filled with joy. His face lit up with a broad grin as he shouted, "It worked! By the heavens, it worked! The Tears of Lys are real—she's alive!"
Aunt Mei's eyelids fluttered, her body no longer stiff but calm, her breathing steady.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
That's the chapter, everyone!
If you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote with your Power Stones, drop a Golden Ticket, and leave a comment or review—it really helps the story grow and keeps me motivated to deliver more chapters for you all.
Your support means everything, so let me know what you think:
✨ Who's your favorite character so far?
✨ What do you think will happen next ,?
✨ Any wild theories? I love reading them!
Stay tuned—the next chapter is coming soon.
– Ultra