Chapter 79

Soon, the gatekeeper led Athena into Ferris’s courtyard. As soon as Athena stepped in, she couldn’t help but be captivated by the courtyard’s array of exotic plants and rare flowers.

To nurse Ferris back to health, Gale left no stone unturned. From his clothing and meals to his living quarters, every detail was meticulously arranged. Even the flowers and plants in the courtyard were carefully curated, each one handpicked with the utmost care.

Yet, despite all this, Ferris’s health continued to deteriorate day by day. Athena remembered how lively and energetic he was as a child. She wondered how he had deteriorated into such a frail state in just a few short years.

With questions swirling in her mind, Athena stepped inside.

Dressed in her regal robes, Gale sat gracefully on a chair. Yet, even with her meticulously applied makeup, the deep weariness in her features remained unmistakable.

Athena stepped forward and performed a curtsey.

With a weak wave of her hand, Gale said, “Rise. Please, have a seat.”

Athena rose and took her seat. Gale’s beautiful eyes couldn’t help but scan over her, sizing her up.

‘How astonishing,’ she thought. ‘In just over a month, Athena seems to have transformed completely. She was no longer the frail girl she used to be, and her eyes now sparkled with vitality.’

Gale thought disdainfully, ‘What a pity. She’s damaged goods now. Who could possibly come out of a place like the barracks unscathed?’

Thinking of Ferris’s attitude toward Athena, Gale let out a bitter smile.

She thought coldly, ‘Were it not for my son’s illness, a woman like Athena wouldn’t even be allowed inside the McGee family.’

Vexed by the sight before her, Gale rose from her seat. “I’m weary. Go attend to Ferris,” she declared, her tone dismissive.

With that, she departed, supported by her maids.

Athena curtsied to bid her farewell. Just as she was about to enter, she was startled to see Ferris being helped out by attendants.

After only a few days apart, Athena was genuinely shocked by Ferris’s appearance.

His face had taken on a waxen, sickly pallor, and his once rosy lips were now as pale as parchment, utterly bloodless. Heavy dark circles hung beneath his eyes, making him look gaunt and frail.

‘How could he have become so gravely ill in just a few days?’ Athena wondered, a wave of concern washing over her.

Before Athena could speak, Ferris turned his head away in disgust and sneered, “I’m not dead yet. What’s with that pitying look?”

Athena knew his prideful nature. Even when he was ill, he refused to appear weak before others. She wouldn’t take offense at a sick man’s words, especially since she needed his help today.

Lowering her voice, Athena said sincerely, “If you hadn’t pulled me back that day, I would’ve fallen into the river too. I just wanted to thank you.”

Ferris tilted his head to glance at Trina behind her. Seeing she was empty-handed, he scoffed, “Came empty-handed?”

Athena smiled faintly. “How could I?”

She pulled a small bottle of elixir from her sleeve and slid it toward Ferris. “This is for you.”

Ferris picked up the medicine with an air of indifference. But when he saw that it was snow pills, his expression instantly shifted to astonishment.

Ferris looked at Athena, then deliberately placed the bottle back on the table.

His voice carried a trace of barely perceptible tension as he asked, “Where did this come from?”

“Of course, I bought it,” Athena said with a light smile.

“You think you can fool me?” Ferris snapped, flicking the snow pills back toward Athena with a quick tap of his finger.

With a frosty expression, he said, “Only Edwin could possibly possess this. Each pill is priceless, almost impossible to obtain. If you won’t tell the truth, I don't want it.”

Countless noble families and powerful elites have fought tooth and nail for the snow pills. But with the miracle healer having vanished three years ago, no one could possibly find them now.

Ferris thought, ‘Athena is a sheltered noblewoman who’s spent her whole life in the manor. How could she possibly get these? And to have so many? It’s simply unbelievable.’

Athena glanced around the room, giving Ferris a meaningful look.

Catching her silent cue, he waved his hand dismissively. “Leave us,” he ordered.

Within moments, the room had emptied completely.

Ferris fixed Athena with a grave stare. “Now, speak.”

Athena pressed her lips together, hesitating before she spoke. “I was raised in a hunter’s family. When poor folk fell ill, they had no choice but to accept their fate. I nearly died myself when I was three, until my mentor saved me. Seeing my potential, he took me in as his apprentice and passed his medical knowledge on to me…”

Ferris listened quietly, the look in his eyes toward Athena slowly shifting as he took in her words.

“How could this be?” he murmured under his breath. “You never mentioned this to any of us after you returned to the manor.”

But then, on second thought, his brows furrowed again.

Ferris had always despised Michael. Back then, Athena was constantly trailing after him, wherever Michael appeared. He would immediately turn away. Because of Michael, he treated Athena with equal disdain.

Naturally, he never noticed anything else about her.

Athena gave a wry little smile. “Actually, I did mention it before, just that none of you believed me.”

She had mentioned it to them before, saying she knew medicine, she’d healed a rabbit’s leg, cured Nicolas’s chronic headaches and freed him from pain, and even treated Matthew’s injured horse, helping it stand again.

Nicolas believed it was Willow’s head massages that cured his chronic headaches. Little did he know, it was actually Athena’s medicine that had truly healed him.

When Matthew’s horse was injured, it was Athena who secretly administered medicine that helped it stand again.

Yet Matthew claimed it was Willow’s tender care that brought about the miracle recovery.

But all Athena got in return was their mockery.

No one believed her. Instead, they insisted all the credit belonged to Willow, accusing Athena of jealousy.

After being dismissed time and again, Athena eventually stopped mentioning it.

Ferris’s gaze flickered with emotion. “But… why tell me this?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

A flicker of happiness rose in his heart. ‘Could this mean Athena trusts me enough to confide her secret?’ he wondered.

Yet Athena’s next words hit him like a bucket of ice water, instantly dousing the flicker of hope that had just sparked in his heart.

In a completely emotionless voice, Athena said, “I want to make a deal with you.”

The words struck Ferris like a sledgehammer to the chest.

He felt the warmth drain from his body, leaving him chilled to the bone.

Like a puppet on invisible strings, Ferris asked mechanically, “What deal?”

Athena took a deep breath and said calmly, “I’ll cure your illness, and in return, you do me a favor. Can you help me find Thalia and Macy? You should have met these two maids before.”

Ferris stared blankly at Athena, a flicker of anger surfacing on his face.

He thought, ‘She’s actually making a deal with me… just for two maids? What does she take me for? Am I just some disposable tool to be used at her convenience?’

Overwhelmed by anger, Ferris broke into a muffled coughing fit.

Crimson flecks bloomed in his palm. Athena stood frozen, momentarily at a loss, unprepared for his sudden outburst.

The room held only Athena and Ferris. She used to be naturally caring, but three years of hard labor had left her almost incapable of normal human interaction.

Snapping out of her brief daze, Athena stood up and tried to gently pat Ferris on the back, hoping it might help him feel a little better.

Athena leaned forward slightly, her gaze inadvertently landing on Ferris’s partially open collar. To her surprise, she caught sight of a patch of creased, scarred skin.

The scars were still pinkish-red, clear evidence they had only recently healed.

Athena looked at Ferris, surprise flickering across her face. ‘What horrors has he been through to end up like this?’ she wondered.