"Phantom pain?" Carroll had never heard of such a condition.

"A disease that only exists in theory, when the human body has suffered a major trauma, even if the wound has healed over time, the patient will still feel the wound and feel pain, although this is not reasonable, but as long as the brain thinks that the wound is still there, the pain will not stop. This disease is even more terrible than real trauma because it belongs to the spiritual and psychological level, which cannot be cured by medicine, and can only seek relief by the patient's own will. ”

Fink's lips were so dry and his throat felt as if it was burning with fire, and he looked at Hodge, "Are you really sure that he died of phantom pain?"

Hodge clasped his hands and shook his head: "We are not patients, all we can do is make judgments based on corpses and experience, you ask me if I can be sure, I can't answer, the person who can answer your question is dead, just lying in front of you, even if he is still alive, he does not have the ability to speak." ”

Hodge's eyes suddenly became intense: "But you know it's true, even if you don't want to admit it, otherwise you wouldn't think of this illness at first, just like myself." ”

Fink was silent.

Hodge turned his gaze to Carol, a noble lady who was graceful and generous and endured more than a knight: "Ma'am, I can probably guess what you are here for, but after seeing this corpse, I give you a piece of advice, give up, the search for monsters is just a game of idle among nobles for you, the sense of curiosity makes you find interesting and drives you to come, but after realizing the danger, you should know how to weigh the pros and cons, believe me, you will not like the experience more painful than death." ”

“......”

Carol hung her head in silence for a long time, and finally she looked up at Hodge, "Thank you for your advice, but I think we should be the ones who make the decision." ”

Hodge couldn't see any retreat in her eyes, and couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

"That's really your business, and I have no right to interfere. But I guess this hut is too crowded for eight people, what do you think, ma'am?"

This is very clear, since each other's purposes are different, then there will be no more entertainment, please go back.

"Excuse me. Carroll led the others out of the hut, and before leaving, she paused at the door, thought for a moment, and then said to Hodge, "Maybe I'll be back." ”

"Better not, I don't like to entertain nobles very much. Hodge closed the wooden door, separating the snow from the strangers outside.

......

"We decided to continue our exploration, and I think such monsters should be uncovered and killed, both out of public interest or selfishness. ”

Hodge heard the knock on the door and thought it was someone from the village who had come to seek medical treatment, but he didn't expect to see Carol and his party, the priest, the knight and the four guards, and no one left.

He noticed Carol's dress, which was different from the other day when the strangers had first arrived, and now she had been replaced by a delicate but slightly thin fleece coat, and a plain but more cold-tolerant animal skin jacket, which was not brilliant in style, but very delicate in needlework, and admired the skill of the sewer, and there was only one man in the whole village who could sew such a jacket, Aunt Sheila.

However, Aunt Sheila's fabric is not something that can be easily bought with money, and it took a lot of effort for Hodge to get a shoulder shawl before she relented.

It seems that this noble lady does have a set of skills in dealing with people, and she has won the favor of Sheila in such a short time.

"Oh, then I wish you all the best in your hunt. ”

There was no wish in Hodge's voice, and it was as cold as the snow grains scattered outside the house: "And I seem to have said that I don't like to entertain nobles very much, so don't come to me." ”

Carol smiled lightly and said nonchalantly, "It's not 'you', it's 'us'. ”

Hodge's good-looking brow furrowed, and impatience and anger appeared in his eyes, and he understood what Carroll meant: "You mean-"

"That's right. Carroll said naturally, "After thinking about it for a few days, I decided to invite you to join our exploration team, you are more familiar with this place than we are, and your healing skills and knowledge of monsters will be of great help to us, and Pastor Fink agrees with me." ”

Fink took a few steps forward and bowed slightly to Hodge.

Hodge looked at Carol with a cold face: "After dissecting Hood's corpse, do you think I'm stupid enough to die? ”

"Impudent, a commoner, Miss Carroll herself has given you enough face to invite, if you don't know what to do, then try my steel sword!" Hughes always liked to brush his presence at such times, and pulled out half of the long sword at his waist with a loud sound.

When the four guards of the Baker family saw this, they also followed suit and drew the sword at their waist halfway, bent their backs and lowered their bodies, so that they could attack at any time.

"Knight-sama who vomits when he sees a corpse, I really forgot about your existence if you don't speak. Hodge glanced at Hughes and said nonchalantly, "Put away your sword, it seems that you come from a wealthy family and don't know the folklore of the North." In such a remote place, the titles of nobleman and knight do not help, even if your sword is fast, the potent poison and putrid liquid stored in my house can be spilled on you faster, and I don't think even a priest can treat six patients at the same time. ”

"How dare you threaten a knight, you want to kill a nobleman!" Hughes couldn't believe his ears.

"I don't just dare to think, I act. Hodge looked at him mockingly, "Even if I kill you all here, who will know? Even if I do, I have already died with you at that time, if the noble lord of your family likes to use my corpse to relieve his hatred, then do it as much as he wants, I only care about what happens in front of me, and I don't care about what happens after death." ”

Hughes's chest was violently bullied, and his face was flushed.

"Enough Hughes, we're here to invite, not coerce. ”

Carroll said, "Doctor Hodge, please believe that my friend is not malicious, he is just impatient. Of course, it is by no means unpaid for you to come with us, and I am willing to hire you as a temporary adviser to our team, and you are free to decide the amount of your engagement as long as it is within my means. ”

"Hit me with money, she really deserves to be a young lady from a noble family, and she is really arrogant enough. Hodge sneered: "But what's the use of that, to put it bluntly, in this kind of place, the savings I have are enough to feed me for a lifetime, even if you give me a mountain of gold, how much can I spend in this kind of place?"

"You can choose to go to the bustling city with us, and with enough gold you don't have to stay in this snow hut anymore. ”

"City?" Hodge waved his hand unceremoniously, "I'm going to find guilt there, I can ignore your nobility in this kind of village, and even threaten you not to worry about the consequences, but in the city, a commoner like me is not a dog in the hands of your nobles, unless I am crazy, I will go to the city to suffer." ”

Carol frowned: "Not all nobles are so unbearable, please believe me, most of the nobles in the city are rich and cultured, and they will not embarrass you because of your status as a commoner." ”

"Most of them, it means that there are still a small part of them that will be difficult, stop playing with words, it's really boring. ”

“...... I can personally promise you that the Rhodes will accept you as a retainer, so that no other nobles can do anything to you. ”

"From a group of people's dogs to a one-man dog? In the final analysis, it is still a dog, but it is only put on a dog chain, and it is no longer a wild dog cub that everyone kicks. ”

"What the hell do you want?" even Carol's personality was a little upset by Hodge.

"I want an identity that doesn't lose my freedom and that I have enough status to be free from being controlled by others. Miss Carroll, do you pay such a bride price?"

"The Rhodes are not lords and don't have the power to be knighted, but maybe I can—"

Before Carol finished speaking, he was directly interrupted by Hodge: "This is unfortunate, then please don't bother me again, the wind and snow outside the house are very strong, and it is cold when the door is open, goodbye." ”

As he spoke, he grabbed the doorknob and closed it inward, and Fink suddenly exclaimed, "Wait!"

Hodge looked at him, asking with his eyes.

"I agreed to your request. Fink said calmly, "After this exploration is completed, I will recommend you to the Priest City, and you will go to the Priest City to study until you become a qualified priest, I think this status should meet your requirements." ”