“……At this hour?”

Jacob, who usually wouldn’t question Ains, couldn’t help but ask. It was past 11 PM, approaching midnight, and late for any consultations, especially since there were no patients at this time.

Understanding Jacob’s hesitation, Ains glanced out the window into the pitch-black night.

It was indeed very late. Under normal circumstances, he would have waited until morning to summon Dr. Watt, but this matter was urgent. Ains needed to confirm the situation right away.

“Yes, I know it’s late, but it’s urgent.”

“Understood.”

Jacob bowed and exited the study.

Ains leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing the medicine bottle. It appeared to be an ordinary glass container, and its contents didn’t seem unusual.

What kind of illness did Cecilia have that necessitated such medication?

Knock, knock.

Soon, a soft knock broke the silence of the study. Ains, still focused on the bottle, lifted his gaze to the door. Jacob’s voice soon followed.

“Duke, it’s Jacob. I brought Dr. Watt.”

“Come in.”

Ains let out a small sigh and instructed Jacob to enter. The door opened, and Dr. Watt stepped inside, bowing respectfully.

“Good evening, Duke Graham.”

“Good to see you. Please, have a seat.”

Ains gestured to the nearby sofa as he stood. Dr. Watt bowed again before taking a seat. Ains joined him on the sofa.

“It seems there’s no particular issue with the former Duke Graham. May I ask why you summoned me?”

Dr. Watt inquired after settling in. Typically, a late-night call to a doctor indicated someone was ill or injured. However, contrary to Dr. Watt’s initial assumption, they were in Ains’ study, not the former Duke’s room, and the calm atmosphere suggested no deterioration in Damon Graham’s condition.

“It’s late, but I need to confirm something urgently.”

Ains placed the medicine bottle on the table, the sound of glass striking wood resonating in the quiet room.

Dr. Watt’s attention immediately shifted to the bottle.

“This is…”

“You seem to recognize it.”

As Dr. Watt examined the bottle with widened eyes, Ains leaned back, crossing his arms, anticipating the answers he sought.

“Of course. This is the sedative I prepared for Viscountess Marves.”

Dr. Watt almost referred to Cecilia as the Duchess out of habit but corrected himself. He carefully inspected the bottle, confirming its contents.

This was indeed the sedative he had created using leftover Tieria flower after treating Trintz disease. The familiar scent of the medicine became apparent when he opened the bottle.

“Why do you have this, Duke?”

“Cecilia visited during dinner and coughed up blood. What illness does she have?”

Ains asked, his curiosity piqued, but Dr. Watt looked perplexed instead.

“You didn’t know?”

“What?”

“Viscountess Marves has Trintz disease.”

“……Trintz disease?”

Upon seeing Ains’s reaction, Dr. Watt realized that he truly was unaware of Cecilia’s condition.

Dr. Watt let out a soft sigh, regretting that, despite being a noble, Ains didn’t know about such a serious illness affecting his former wife.

“Is it a serious illness?”

“Yes. As you know, mana circulates throughout the body regularly.”

Mana is the fundamental force of nature, present in the air, plants, animals, and humans. Ains, having achieved the level of Sword Master through his mastery of mana, understood this concept.

However, he didn’t grasp why Dr. Watt was suddenly discussing mana.

“I know that. But what does it have to do with Trintz disease?”

“When someone suffers from Trintz disease, the mana gradually hardens, starting from the extremities and moving inward. Initially, the fingertips and toes experience numbness.”

Dr. Watt sighed lightly and continued his explanation.

“Over time, various body parts begin to harden. In severe cases, the stomach can become paralyzed, hindering digestion, or the lungs may fail, making breathing impossible. Ultimately, if the heart becomes paralyzed, it can lead to death.”

“……”

“Viscountess Marves has this disease. I diagnosed her about six months ago, so it likely started around that time.”

“Half a year ago?”

Ains murmured, realizing that six months was a considerable duration. He struggled to comprehend why Cecilia hadn’t informed him of such a grave illness.

“Yes, Duke.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?”

Though he expressed disbelief, it was not something Dr. Watt could answer. Observing Ains, Dr. Watt cautiously added,

“But Duke, Viscountess Marves has already undergone treatment.”

At the mention of treatment, Ains looked up at Dr. Watt.

“The main ingredient in the treatment is the Tieria flower.”

“What flower?”

“Tieria flower.”

Since Ains was knowledgeable about mana, he understood what the Tieria flower was and recognized its exorbitant price.

Now, he began to piece together Cecilia’s previous actions—her sudden demands for money and the request for a million gold in alimony. It was becoming clearer why she had needed funds.

“If she received treatment, shouldn’t she be cured?”

“Not entirely. The effects on her body are too severe…”

“I see.”

Ains frowned, realizing that the blood Cecilia coughed up during dinner was likely related to the Trintz disease.

“Then this must be the sedative.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“By the way, can mana stones help with the illness? Cecilia was searching for mana stones.”

Ains suddenly recalled the incident at the Reflen Auction House.

Cecilia, who didn’t practice magic or wield a sword, had no reason to seek unprocessed mana stones. It had always puzzled him why she was searching for them.

Dr. Watt nodded, seemingly understanding Cecilia’s motives.

“Yes. Using mana stones can help release the hardened mana, alleviating the symptoms somewhat.”

After hearing Dr. Watt’s explanation, Ains sighed in frustration. It finally made sense why Cecilia had been so desperate to acquire mana stones.

After discussing a few more details, Ains let Dr. Watt leave.

It was already past midnight, and Ains realized he wouldn’t be able to sleep well that night.

Meanwhile, Rachel was unable to locate the medicine bottle.

She was certain it had been dropped during dinner and should have remained in the dining room. However, after a thorough search of the dining room and inquiries with the maids and servants who had been present, the bottle was nowhere to be found.

Fortunately, she had left half of the sedative with Rivet for emergencies. If she had kept it all with her, it could have turned into a disaster.

For now, she had to rely on the sedative Rivet had until the bottle was recovered. Alternatively, as Dr. Watt suggested, she might need to seek help from someone skilled in mana.

The sedative, derived from the Tieria flower, was not only hard to procure but also quite costly. It wasn’t practical to keep it on hand indefinitely for aftereffects. Hiring someone who could manipulate mana would be a better option.

Her head throbbed from the stress of the missing bottle and the lingering effects of Trintz disease since early morning.

To find someone skilled in mana, she needed to visit a mage, which meant heading to the Magic Tower.

Fortunately, during her time as Duchess of Graham, she had visited the Magic Tower several times. Since she had established connections there, it would be easier for her to make an appearance.

She decided to visit the Magic Tower after breakfast. As she was having a simple meal, a maid approached Rivet and whispered something to her.

Rivet listened intently, her expression shifting to one of surprise.

“What’s the matter?”

Unable to hold back her curiosity, Rachel asked Rivet.

“The Duke of Graham has come to see you.”

“……Ains?”

Why had Ains come so suddenly?