Chapter 125 – He Hasn’t Been Hurt, Has He?

She had no intention of continuing a battle of words with someone who was clearly mentally and physically exhausted.

‘Well, it’s not as though it’s an incurable illness anyway.’

Once he saw what she had brought, she was certain his opinion would change.

From her bag, Evelyn set a small glass vial on the table.

“And this is…?”

“The only cure for your sister.”

Within the vial, the deep green liquid shimmered faintly. It was a medicine she had spent several sleepless nights crafting. With Dr. Fabian’s guidance, she had completed it, its safety and efficacy already proven.

The guildmaster’s brows knit as he examined it closely, as though unable to believe her claim.

“You’re saying you know the name of an illness even the most renowned physicians couldn’t identify?”

Even though the hostility in his tone was palpable, as if he were addressing a swindler, Evelyn’s voice remained steady as she explained.

“Has your sister been suffering from a dry cough, frequent bouts of blood in her sputum, and at times, rashes?”

“How could you possibly…!”

“I told you, didn’t I? I have the gift of foresight.”

The physicians, unable to determine the cause, had diagnosed it simply as an ‘unknown syndrome.’ In the Baltian Empire, the illness had yet to be formally defined or named.

However, Evelyn could identify it by applying the modest medical knowledge she carried from her past life.

Tuberculosis, a common disease in that other world, was the very affliction plaguing the guildmaster’s sister. Of course, her certainty also owed much to the original novel. In the source material, it had been Dahlia who treated the girl, forging a connection with the guildmaster.

‘Would it be alright to twist the plot a little like this?’

Even so, she couldn’t shake the faint prick of guilt at seeming to steal the female lead’s achievement. However, in the original timeline, Dahlia wouldn’t meet the guildmaster for another six months, and during that time, his sister would have no proper treatment, and she would be forced to endure her pain alone.

‘That’s far too cruel for a young child.’

Fortunately, she had managed to develop a cure for tuberculosis. The question was whether the ever-suspicious guildmaster would accept it in good faith.

While Evelyn was lost in thought, the silence between them was broken.

“Why should I believe you, my lady?”

His voice was direct, edged with cynicism, exactly as she had expected. As she thought, Evelyn tapped her fingers lightly against her knees.

‘How can I make him trust me?’

After a moment’s thought, she slowly began to speak..

“If I can prove it, will you believe me?”

At her earnest question, the guildmaster gave a slight shrug.

“Well, I’ll consider it.”

The instant he finished speaking, she unsealed the vial and, without hesitation, drank its contents in one swallow.

“What are you—!”

“Ugh, it’s as bitter as I expected. Will that suffice as proof?”

Her face tightened in a grimace as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Of course, whether you choose to use this cure or not is entirely your decision, Guildmaster.”

Glancing at him from beneath her lashes, she drew another vial from her bag and set it on the table. But even as she did, she feared he might simply discard it, and so she quickly added.

“I’ll have you know I was top of my class in the Faculty of Medicine. I have full confidence in my formulations.”

The guildmaster’s next words came in a quieter, more measured tone.

“What is it you want from me in return?”

Although he might have been willing to grasp at any straw, it was clear he still wrestled with whether to trust her completely.

‘I still need to build more trust.’

Swallowing the many answers that rose to her lips, Evelyn offered him only a soft smile.

“Let’s talk again once your sister shows signs of improvement.”

Given the circumstances, there was no need to press the matter further.

Perhaps some measure of her sincerity had reached him, as the hostility that had filled the office began to ease. The guildmaster gave a small nod, then extended a hand.

“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I’m Marcen, guildmaster of Hermes.”