Chapter 302
Anthony was incredulous. “How is that even possible?” he asked.
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Losing his patience, Gabriel snapped, “Go see for yourself at Solacecrest Manor if you don’t believe me. The herb fields have already been replanted.”
Anthony’s face darkened. He’d hoped to gain some leverage in the herb fields, but now, he seemed lost. ‘Could Eliza also possess the Sage of Poison’s manual?‘ he wondered.
Sophie, equally displeased, stood nearby. ‘How can he still be so useless?‘ she thought, remembering how Matthew had tried to reassure her earlier by relaying Anthony’s confident words.
Anthony had been so confident, claiming, “Eliza’s herb fields are beyond saving unless the Sage of Poison himself intervenes.” Yet, here they were, the problem easily solved.
Sophie froze, her mind racing as she considered, ‘Could the Sage of Poison be secretly hiding with Eliza?‘
She contemplated the idea but dismissed it with a shake of her head. ‘The nuns around Eliza? They couldn’t possibly be the Sage of Poison.
Anthony, though frustrated, looked respectfully up to Gabriel and asked, “Father, given your wisdom, what do you think our next step should be?”
Gabriel looked down at the papers in their hands. “Didn’t I already say? If she wants to grow herbs, then you should too.”
“This is ridiculous,” Sophie muttered, her tone sharp with disdain. She had no intention of lowering herself to such a task.
She wouldn’t have to do the work herself, since the servants would manage it. Even so, the mere idea of setting foot in the fields to plant herbs struck her as incredibly demeaning.
She wondered why she would go through so much trouble. If she could find a way to send the flower to Eliza, she might be able to break her spirit and control her completely. When the time was right, getting rid of Eliza would be as easy as snapping her fingers.
Gabriel scoffed, his voice sharp with irritation. “Do you believe Eliza is someone you can still manipulate so easily?”
He started sharing his discoveries from the past few days. “Any idea about the shadow guard with her? He’s one of the royal family’s blades, trained only for them. But the king assigned one to Eliza.”
Gabriel’s face darkened as he considered the casualties, thinking, ‘His skills are top–tier–he must be one of the king’s elite shadow guards. How else could he have defeated so many of my men?‘
“That’s enough! Obey my command and sabotage the attention Eliza seeks through her supposed charitable acts. That will obstruct her and rehabilitate our household reputation.”
Gabriel fixed his piercing gaze on Sophie. “Do this properly; no one will dare mock you when you’re a renowned philanthropist. Your origins won’t matter then”
Sophie’s heart skipped a beat as she realized this was Gabriel’s way of obscuring her true parentage,
Eliza’s success would earn widespread respect, especially if she achieved her dream of healing the world through medicine. Sophie, however, saw a chance to steal Eliza’s glory and potentially even become a Holy Lady with Gabriel’s support. After all, she was also his daughter.
Inspired, Sophie envisioned a world of possibilities. “Father, I understand now! I’m going to make this happen,” she exclaimed, her voice unwavering in resolve.
As Sophie finally came around, Gabriel gave a slow nod. “Good. Now listen carefully. For the time being, leave Eliza alone. You’ll have your chance to settle the score when the time is righ
“Yes, Father! Thank you for guiding me!” Sophie replied enthusiastically.
“Anthony, please work with Sophie to complete this task together. That is your final opportunity to succeed, so please take it seriously and avoid any mistakes, Gabriel warned.
“Yes, Father!” Anthony and Sophie replied in unison
8:23 PM
20
Chapter 302
Lost in thought as he left Sophie’s courtyard, Anthony collided with someone and stumbled to the ground, his slight frame unable to withstand the impact. “Ouch!” he exclaimed, relieved the fall wasn’t worse.
Anthony looked up and was startled to see Benedict. “Benedict? Are you alright? I’m so sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going, so I bumped into you.” He stood up quickly and offered Benedict a hand.
“I’m alright,” Benedict assured him, shaking his head as he struggled. “Wasn’t looking where I was going. Did you hurt yourself, Anthony?”
Concern laced Anthony’s voice as he scrutinized Benedict. “The fall wasn’t bad, I’m fine. But you seem pale, Benedict. Are you sure you’re alright?”
Benedict looked significantly thinner, though they’d only been apart for a few days. His usually vibrant complexion was pale, and the dark circles beneath his eyes hinted at prolonged sleep deprivation. He seemed distant and dazed.
“It’s no big deal. I’m feeling slightly off because I haven’t been sleeping well lately. I keep having these dreams that wake me up.” Benedict rubbed his face, forcing a smile. “I guess that explains why I look a little rough.”
Anthony nodded. “I understand. I have some herbs that might help you sleep if you Anthony’s health struggles gave him particular remedy expertise.
want to try.” Although not formally trained,
Why wouldn’t I trust you?” Benedict chuckled, patting Anthony’s shoulder. “Anything you make is going to be fantastic. Perfect timing, too. I’m indebted to you for this,” he grinned.
Upon arriving at Anthony’s courtyard, Benedict was offered a drink. “Please, have a seat,” Anthony said. “Wait here a moment–I’ll be back shortly.”
Anthony’s secret chamber was already exposed, and he didn’t bother hiding it any longer. He left Benedict waiting in his room and went to the chamber, pushing the door open and stepping inside.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Benedict finally went up to the chamber. “Anthony, do you mind if I have a look inside?”
While Anthony was preparing the medicine, he said, “Sure, come on in,” without turning around. Although Benedict knew about the chamber now, Anthony had already moved certain items to a different location. So even if Benedict came in, he wouldn’t find anything
unusual.
It was Benedict’s first time in Anthony’s secret chamber. Though small, the room was filled with medicinal herbs, their earthy, bitter aroma permeating the air.
As Benedict wandered, his curiosity waned There wasn’t much to see. Just as he turned to go, a familiar–looking flowerpot near Anthony’s workstation caught his eye. Benedict asked, “Anthony, did Sophie give you these flowers too?”
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