Dr. Alexander Wilhelm stood frozen in the grand chamber, his heart pounding in his chest like a frantic war drum.
His cover was blown.
The facade he so painstakingly maintained was crumbling right before his eyes.
The boy before him, Luke, had spoken with such conviction, revealing the truth about the Duke's ailment and Alexander's role in it.
It was a truth he never expected would surface.
'Damn it… how did it come to this?'
He was an agent of the Nine-Headed Dragon Alliance, a shadowy organization whose influence extended far and wide.
His skills in alchemy and medicine were valued, and his adept ability to synthesize complex toxins was highly sought after.
One such creation was the poison that coursed through Duke Damien's veins, an insidious concoction designed to mimic the symptoms of a deadly curse while leaving no traceable elements.
It was a masterpiece of subterfuge and malevolence.
