“I could sense it,” Adrian said softly.Sophia’s brows twitched slightly. Her lips parted to press further, but he spoke again.“There was something else…” he murmured. “The aphrodisiac in the wine… carried the same scent as the one I detected on you the other night in the ship.”Sophia’s breath hitched audibly, her chest rising.She turned to face him fully now, her voice filled with disbelief.“Are you saying that Malvin...”Adrian didn’t flinch.He didn’t answer the question either.“You should investigate,” he said calmly. “I suspect that Malvin has a hand in it.”Her face turned pale.There were too many implications packed into that single sentence.Sophia nodded slowly. Once. Then again, firmer this time.“I will.”For a moment, they stood like that.The wind curled softly through Sophia's hair.Adrian's gaze didn’t move.Neither did hers.Then, just as he turned to leave, Adrian stopped.He looked back.His voice was quieter now. “One last thing before I go…”She lifted her

All eyes turned to him, puzzled by his sudden reaction.Alaric frowned. “Yeah?” He didn’t get why Aldric’s face had gone so serious.Aldric stepped closer. “You idiot,” he muttered. “You should have listened to him.”The laughter died. Several doctors exchanged glances.“You don’t understand,” Aldric said, voice tight. “That man is not ordinary. I saw him use ancient techniques that hasn’t been practiced in over a century.""He knew exactly what was wrong with a patient without touching them. He saved Rowan Aldridge’s life using methods I can’t even explain.""If he says you’re going to die today, I’m wondering how you’re still alive.”The group went quiet for a second.Then Alaric chuckled and raised his glass. “Relax, Aldric. I’m surrounded by the best doctors in the world. If I drop, I’ll have ten hands on me before I hit the floor. You’re the legendary healer, remember?”“I’m telling you, my skills are nothing compared to his,” Aldric shot back.But they didn’t believe him.No one

Alaric’s head rolled to the side, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. His eyelids fluttered. His fingers twitched… then slowly, weakly he lifted it toward Aldric.“Help… me…” Those words managed to escape his lips.Aldric’s face hardened. “I told you to listen to Adrian but you were too stubborn.” Regret washed over him as he continued to beg as he was on the brink of death. "Please... Do something... I don't want to die like this."Aldric didn't respond to the dying man. He dropped to his knees and opened his kit.He drew out things the others hadn’t expected: a small mortar, a tin of crushed dried roots, a vial of dark, viscous liquid, and a handful of powdered herbs that smelled ancient.The room leaned in, holding its breath, as they watched Aldric work.He crushed the roots in the mortar, the grinding echoing in the silence. A sour scent filled the air when he added a single drop from the black vial.He folded a strip of linen into the mixture until it was completely soaked

Adrian's car rolled to a stop in front of the hall.He came down, not in a hurry but taking deliberate steps towards the entrance.At the grand hall’s entrance, two broad-shouldered bodyguards stepped forward, their expressions hard.“Invitation, sir,” one said, planting himself in Adrian’s path.“I don’t have one,” Adrian replied flatly. “I was called here because there was some emergency.”The guards exchanged skeptical glances.“Then at least show us your medical ID.”“I don’t have that either.”The air thickened. One guard’s hand shifted toward Adrian’s shoulder. “Then you can’t—”The heavy doors banged open with a violent crack.Aldric stormed out. “MOVE!” His voice thundered.The guards hesitated for just a fraction of a second, and Aldric's palm lashed out with a sharp crack, sending one guard stumbling sideways, a red print blooming on his cheek. “Do you have any idea,” Aldric roared, “what it took to get this man to come here?!” His voice was filled with fury and desperation

The silence stretched on. Dozens of physicians, men and women with reputations that shook the medical world, stood frozen in place, unable to meet Adrian’s eyes, unable to process the miracle they had just witnessed. Aldric’s voice cracked like thunder. “Kneel! Everyone of you promised, now honor it. Apologize to him!” The hall trembled with the echo of his command. For a second, no one moved. Then… the neurologist, whose face was pale, lowered himself to his knees. His voice shook with remorse. “Adrian… I was wrong. Forgive my arrogance. I… I sincerely apologize.” One by one, the others followed. The cardiologist clenched her fists so tight her knuckles turned white, but finally she sank down too. “I mocked you. I doubted you. I'm sorry. Please accept my apology.” The murmurs grew louder as the chain reaction spread. Men who had spent their lives never bowing to anyone, women whose names adorned the walls of prestigious hospitals, all dropping to their knees in front o