Fred couldn't figure out when Lily had made the poison. After all, he'd kept her under tight surveillance, employing numerous cameras and listening devices. "Does it matter how I made it?" Lily smiled. "Perhaps I know magic?"

Fred was speechless. He saw her smile and released her, his earlier ferocity gone. He groaned, slowly crouching in pain, one hand pressing against his stomach.

Lily wasn't surprised. She turned and looked down at him. "Do you feel any discomfort?"

Fred didn't answer.

"Do you feel a burning sensation in your chest every noon? Are you hungry, but lack any appetite? Do you have severe diarrhea accompanied by excruciating stomach pain?" Lily's tone resembled a concerned doctor's diagnosis.

Fred bit his lip, remaining silent, yet he knew she'd perfectly described his symptoms. This confirmed Lily had poisoned him, explaining his recent illness. He hadn't taken his initial nausea and vomiting seriously, attributing the subsequent diarrhea to food poisoning.

However, by the second day, his weakness and discomfort led him to suspect Lily's concoction. He distrusted the embassy doctors and returned to Yudonia for a trusted physician's examination. The results showed illness, but the cause remained unknown—a phrase that alarmed him, given his research background. The doctor attributed the unknown cause to technological limitations.

Knowing the difficulty in determining the cause of diseases from their viruses, Fred suspected Lily's offering. If she called it poison, it likely was. He'd hurried back to the embassy, to the attic, to demand answers.

Fred was furious at Lily's nonchalant demeanor, yet his discomfort rendered him helpless.

"Give me the antidote!" he gritted out.

Lily chuckled, rising to move a chair. She towered over him, saying, "Certainly, I can do that." Fred looked up at her smile. "You know what I want," she continued. "As soon as you agree to my terms, I'll help you." Her words ignited his anger.