The reason that possibility struck Ashok so suddenly was simple: aside from another player, there were very few individuals capable of curing the Duke's daughter.
The kind of people who could do so—those with the knowledge, the power—were rare, and even they would not reveal themselves until much later in the story. By the time they would make their move, it would likely be too late. The Duke's daughter would either be dead or transformed into something far more dangerous.
"That man was even more confident than you," the Duke continued, his voice low and dangerous. "He demanded a hefty price for the cure, even asking for the position of Duke. He wouldn't even reveal the method of treatment—insisted on being left alone with my daughter."
The Duke's eyes flashed with contempt as he spoke, "And now, he is facing the consequences of his words, locked away in a cell beneath this mansion. Why don't you meet him?"
