Chapter 85

Ferris’s pupils quivered faintly as Athena’s words struck him like a dagger to the heart.

Athena asked directly, “Do you hate them?”

“Of course I do,” Ferris replied through clenched teeth.

For countless days and nights, he had burned with the desire to tear his enemies limb from limb, to make them pay dearly for what they’d done.

His gaze fell upon his wrist. That hideous scar had shattered all of Ferris’s dreams. The tendons in his hands and feet were all severed; he’d be disabled for life. He couldn’t even take care of his basic needs, let alone seek revenge. A wave of crushing inferiority surged through Ferris’s chest. Gritting his teeth, he desperately suppressed the fury raging inside, barely stopping himself from hurting Athena.

‘If it had been anyone else, I would’ve had them dragged out already,’ Ferris thought.

Suddenly, a small hand covered his. Her touch was soft, with a hint of warmth that seemed to seep into his skin. In an instant, a warmth both unfamiliar yet long-lost crept from her touch on the back of his hand, seeping straight into his heart and making it lurch violently.

Athena’s words rang in Ferris’s ears. “Trust me. I can heal you.”

He slowly raised his head, only to see Athena enveloped in a faint golden aura, her silhouette shimmering with divine radiance. Her face was of peerless beauty, but her eyes held a frosty gaze devoid of warmth.

Ferris felt a little dazed. “Is this girl really the cheerful, talkative Athena I once knew?”

By the time he came back to his senses, Athena had already slipped a medicinal pellet into his mouth. The pill dissolved instantly on his tongue, filling his mouth with a potent herbal aroma. Though bitter, an unexpected hint of sweetness blossomed in his heart.

Athena said firmly, “The snow pills will keep you alive, so take one daily. I’ll use acupuncture to draw out the lingering toxins from your body. Once you’ve regained some strength, I’ll reconnect your severed tendons and restore your mobility.”

Athena’s words struck Ferris like a sledgehammer to the chest. His voice trembled uncontrollably as he stammered, “Reconnect my tendons?”

He slowly looked down at his wrist, bewilderment clouding his eyes. “How can this be?” he murmured. “Even the royal physicians said they were powerless.”

Over the years, he had consulted countless physicians, yet not a single one dared claim they could reconnect his severed tendons. But Athena claimed she could.

Athena said confidently, “I can do what other doctors can’t, so long as you follow my treatment.”

Ferris slowly clenched his fist, the sharp pain radiating from his wrist contorting his features.

‘It’s not that I don’t trust Athena,’ he thought, ‘but the injuries I’ve suffered are probably unlike anything she’s ever seen.’

Ferris asked hoarsely, “Even with bone-piercing nails embedded in my bones… can you still do it?”

Bone-piercing nails were designed to shatter bones. Thin as needles, these nails embed themselves deep within the bone upon impact; not even the finest physicians in the world could extract them. The only way to remove them was to cut through flesh.

Athena was shocked to discover that bone-piercing nails had been driven into Ferris’s body. Those vicious devices inflicted excruciating, unrelenting agony, pain so unbearable it could make anyone wish for death. Due to their minute size, even cutting open the flesh often made them nearly impossible to extract.

None could survive the torment of bone-piercing nails. Due to their extreme viciousness, these bone-piercing nails had long since been completely eradicated. The mere mention of bone-piercing nails was enough to send chills down one’s spine. Each nail was like a venomous snake lurking in his body, relentlessly gnawing away at his life force.

But the enemy had driven four bone-piercing nails into Ferris, not merely to cripple him, but to ensure his complete destruction.

Athena thought, ‘What kind of hell has Ferris been through to deserve all this?’

“How many?” Athena asked, her voice trembling without her realizing it.

Ferris replied weakly, “Four… in both my wrists and ankles.”

Not content with merely crippling his tendons, the enemy sought to shatter his very bones.

Athena tightened her grip on the object, fighting to suppress the storm of emotions inside. Then, Ferris heard Athena say in a relaxed tone, “It’s a bit tricky, but nothing I can’t handle.”

The woman in front of her spoke so casually, as if she were just talking about dinner. But to Ferris, Athena was like a ray of sunlight piercing through the storm clouds, offering him a chance to finally see the light again.

Silence lingered inside the room for a long moment.

Outside the room, Gale paced back and forth, her heart burning with anxiety. She unconsciously clenched her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her heart was torn with anxiety, not only fearing that no one could get through to Ferris, but also terrified that in his rage he might lash out at Athena.

Just as she was lost in anxious thoughts, she heard the door slowly creak open. Athena stepped out first, with Ferris following close behind. Though Ferris’s face remained deathly pale, for the first time in ages, a faint glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes, which had been dull with despair for so long.

“Mother…” Ferris whispered softly to Gale.

That single word struck Gale like a thunderbolt, reverberating straight to her core. She stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at Ferris, her eyes filled with disbelief, as if doubting her own ears. Ever since Ferris was injured, he’d been like a wounded animal trapped in a cage, locking himself away in his room and shutting himself off from the world.

He no longer spoke to anyone, even his own mother. He ignored her completely, treating her with the cold indifference of a stranger. The last time he’d spoken to her, it had only been to coldly order her to arrange a marriage proposal with the Monson family on his behalf. Yet his tone carried not a shred of emotion; it was downright icy.

Even so, Gale was so overjoyed that she couldn’t sleep for days on end. Hearing him call her again, Gale was so overjoyed that she burst into tears. With red-rimmed eyes, Gale gazed at Ferris, barely able to believe what she was seeing. She feared this might be just a dream, that if she reached out, the fragile illusion would shatter.

The sight of Gale broke Ferris’s heart. Having grown used to being alone, he wasn’t used to saying anything emotional. He simply sat quietly to the side, saying nothing, but the guilt in his eyes was unmistakable.

Athena turned to Gale and said, “I’ll come over every other day to treat your son. Make sure he takes these medicines on schedule.” She placed several large bundles of medicine on the table, each carefully measured and packed into neatly portioned small packets.

Gale was so overwhelmed she couldn’t speak. She glanced between Athena and the silent Ferris, murmuring to herself, “This feels just like a dream.”

After giving her instructions, Athena was about to leave when Gale said urgently, “Let me walk you out.”

The two walked out together. Once outside, Gale finally voiced the question weighing on her heart. “Athena, how in the world did you get through to him?”

Athena turned to Gale and asked gently, “How did he get those injuries?”

Athena’s question left Gale rooted to the spot. Gale forced a strained smile, her lips twitching nervously. “Why… why would you ask that?” she asked, her voice tight.

Athena smiled faintly. “Beyond his physical wounds, the deepest scars are in his heart. External injuries alone could never break a man. I don’t seek to know his past, but Your Highness must protect your son. Don’t let him face such dangers again.”

At this, Athena’s expression darkened and her tone grew heavier. She warned, “I can save him this time, but next time might be beyond my power.”