Chapter 70

Fabian frowned, slightly narrowing his brow as he listened to her answer without a hint of hesitation.

“You say you know all this, and yet you still seek out Mordian? I truly can’t understand it.”

She had anticipated this reaction. After all, how could he possibly trust a complete stranger and hand over a banned substance? Even so, the weight of anxiety pressed down on her, and she clenched her hands tightly.

After a brief silence, she managed to speak, her voice barely above a whisper.

“…Because I want to protect my family.”

“You want to protect your family?”

As the memory of the tragedy from the original story flashed vividly before her eyes, Evelyn struggled to steady her trembling hands.

“Yes. My family now… they mean everything to me.”

“….”

“But to protect them, I must have Mordian.”

Having already known the pain of losing family, she pleaded with a desperation she had never felt before.

Fabian absentmindedly stroked his chin, his eyes clouded with an emotion she couldn’t quite name. Of course, she had no intention of pleading blindly. She thought that if she could offer information of equal value, perhaps he might reconsider.

“If there’s anything you desire in return, Doctor, I would gladly—”

“I’m not sure how corrupt you must think I am, but that won’t be necessary.”

‘So, it was a refusal after all…’

The bitter taste of disappointment filled Evelyn’s mouth at his resolute tone.

‘I’ll have to find another way.’

Facing reality, she decided to look for an alternative and bowed her head to take her leave.

“I understand what you’re saying, Doctor. Thank you for your time.”

“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”

“Pardon? What do you mean…?”

As her green eyes widened in surprise, a faint, gentle smile curled at the corners of Fabian’s lips.

“I’ll see to it that some Mordian is sent to you before long.”

“Thank you so much, Doctor!”

“It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen such earnestness in someone’s eyes.”

“…Pardon?”

Seeing her puzzled expression, he gave a faintly bittersweet smile.

“I’m speaking of your father. He was actually my student once.”

“…My father?”

For a moment, Fabian seemed lost in old memories, then nodded slowly.

“A truly remarkable talent. Though he eventually chose a different path for the sake of business.”

Evelyn vaguely remembered hearing, as a child, that her father had worked at the Magic Tower’s research institute for a while, though she had never imagined there might have been such a close relationship between them.

“I had no idea…”

Sensing her astonishment, Fabian adjusted his fox mask and spoke with a gentle voice.

“If you ever need my help, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Out of affection for his former pupil, he was surely extending a small kindness to his daughter as well. A gentle smile playing at her lips, Evelyn offered her heartfelt thanks.

“Truly. Thank you, Doctor.”

For some reason, she felt certain this moment would stay etched in her memory forever.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

A gentle breeze swept by, bringing with it a pleasant chill. Evelyn leaned against the balcony railing of the banquet hall, her expression light and unburdened.

‘Who would have thought Dr. Fabian would be so kind?’

In the original story, Fabian had always been rather curt, but after becoming the female lead’s ally, he cherished her as if she were his own granddaughter.

‘He always said it was because she resembled his late granddaughter.’

Maybe it was Dahlia’s hair, white and silver as a crescent moon, that brought those memories to him. There were times the doctor’s eyes seemed shadowed with sorrow. That was why Evelyn believed his kindness toward her would soon fade as well. 《 Eternal Bonds of Salvation 》 was a story written for the female lead alone.

As the original story’s villainess, she didn’t hope for anything more.

Still, if I could wish for just one thing…

“If only I can protect my family, that will be enough.”

Her eyes lingered wistfully on the night sky before she quickly gathered her resolve. She was just about to set off in search of her fiancé when—

Swish—

—Someone swept the curtains aside and stepped onto the balcony.