Frank was convinced, but he still worried about Helen's safety.As such, he set the rule that she must stay put at Nash's cottage, which she agreed to eagerly.It appeared that she was pleased that she was allowed to stay.As for Luna, Gina, and Cindy, Frank had Hux Darman's people escort them back to Riverton, in case there were still Talnamese prowling in Morhen.When all of that was done, Frank finally had the time to gather his confused thoughts.The first of his concerns was what Talc had told him.Somehow, he started to see a strange, vague connection between Draconia's leaders, Talnam, his father, his mother's death, and even the massacre of Mystic Sky Sect.And judging from his father and Fenton's reactions, Frank had the feeling that the mastermind was someone even his father—the Lord of the Southern Woods himself—would never challenge.In that sense, Frank now had a feeling that his old man was scapegoated for the massacre of Mystic Sky Sect.However, what on earth w
Frank saw no harm in making the trip.He did not have anything else on his plate at the moment. All he was doing was waiting for Ciaran Zobel to make contact, and she would not be doing so anytime soon.Most importantly… Frank could hear the quiet footsteps shuffling toward his room.Naturally, it was none other than Kat.And with Helen staying in the next room at the moment, what else could happen if Helen caught them?Pausing for a moment, Frank then leapt to his feet, teasing Abel, "You know you'll need to pay a consultation fee if you ask me to make a trip like that, Mr. Loggins.""No problem!" Abel assured him—he was more concerned that Frank would say no.Not only was Frank's abilities as a healer profound, but Abel had to bother him on two occasions already.It was almost common for the best in any business to develop eccentricities, and asking too many favors like Abel had would upset them soon enough. If they were short-tempered, they would be snapping at him already.
Apologizing to his patient, Abel hurried off to receive Frank.However, as Loggins Apothecary was a mansion built in traditional Draconian architecture, there was much ground to cover from his office to the entrance.Abel was so excited that he almost fell a few times, but Jim managed to catch him each time—he would be a laughing stock if he got hurt even before seeing Frank!"Gramps, is the man really as amazing as you say?" asked Jim, a twentyish youth who looked especially soft-spoken with his glasses and actually appeared older than Frank.Still, he was not particularly interested despite his grandfather's excitement. While he respected Frank at first since someone like Abel would go so far as to call him mentor, the man he saw earlier was undoubtedly younger than himself.That in turn left Jim doubtful—was his grandfather senile, mistaking some shaman off the street for an actual healer?Naturally, Jim could not be fully blamed for being presumptuous.When it came to trad
If Ava really took anything on the list, her condition would deteriorate.No one could tell what would happen at that point.Frank crumpled the prescription list right then and threw it into a nearby trash can. "No, you can't let her drink it. It'd just make your daughter's illness worse!""What?" Brenda was left stunned."Pfft—"Jim snickered nearby, and pointed at Ava, who was still crying herself hoarse in Brenda's arms, shaking his head and smiling. "Grandpa, that's your mentor? Have you gotten senile? The girl's clearly having a cold with her intermittent coughs and stiffened vessels. And see how she keeps touching her neck? Her throat is affected too—there's no question that it's a cold, and a serious one at that."He paused for a moment to laugh. "And that man is saying it's a heat condition? That's your mentor, Grandpa? Are you kidding me?""Huh…" Abel actually agreed with his grandson, as he could not see what made Frank diagnose the girl with a heat illness."Where di
Spreading his arms invitingly, Ferdy gloated at Frank. "Come on, tell us who you are! I'd like to see which famous university or mentor you learned from!"Frank inhaled sharply and spoke as everyone looked on. "So in your eyes, the number of patients, your salary, and your honors are what makes a good doctor?"Ferdy leveled Frank a look of disdain as if he was braindead. "What, am I wrong?""You're wrong," Frank said staunchly. "Doctors care more about saving lives and curing illness. And they do that by diagnosing them correctly, and then applying the simplest, most effective cure. You, on the other hand…" Frank grabbed the prescription list he threw in the trash can and flung it at Ferdy, snapping coldly, "You're no doctor. You're just yet another businessman! Even if the girl only needs a prescription for a cold like you said, all it takes is just basic cold medicine. But that wasn't what you prescribed—everything you listed here is the most expensive item, and I'm guessing you
Ava was hesitant. "But that man said…"Brenda snapped, "Don't worry about him. He's crazy."Once she made sure Ava finished her bowl of medicinal soup, she carried Ava and left without a care.While Frank shook his head exasperatedly as he looked on, Ferdy was grinning smugly."Time to go, Mr. Nutjob, or we'll make you." The towering security guards strode up around Frank, surrounding him.At the same time, Abel glanced coldly at his grandson. "Jim, you have some explaining to do."Jim bit his lip. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'm on it."After all, Frank's diagnosis aside, he was still absolutely right about Ferdy forcing patients to purchase expensive medicine.It was clear he had built a profit chain in Loggins Apothecary.Even Jim was caught off guard since he had never expected this—what Ferdy did was undoubtedly a slap to his face, since he had hired Ferdy.At the same time, Abel walked up to the security guards, frowning as he snapped, "That's enough. Unhand Mr. Lawrence n
"Whatever I do is none of your business." Frank snorted.He could not care less about Ferdy. Not only was he lacking as a doctor, but his only concern was also money and his own vanity—there was no virtue of a traditional Draconian healer in him at all."You have a problem with me?" Ferdy scowled, seeing that Frank remained ever pompous."Calm down, Ferdy. He's not worth it." Jim quickly tried to smooth things over just as they were about to get out of hand again.This was his family's business, and any trouble here reflected badly on them."I'd be straightening you out if not for Jim." Ferdy pointed at Frank as he snapped, his fingers almost touching Frank's face. "Do you really think you're tough? Strutting around when you don't even have a medical license?"Frank still ignored him, standing impassively with his eyes fixed on the front entrance, as if waiting."Whatever." Seeing that Frank remained unresponsive, Abel sighed and said, "I'll be waiting inside, Mr. Lawrence."
Ferdy soon dismissed the idea that he might have made a mistake.He definitely did not make a mistake—the woman's daughter had a cold."Fine!" He sneered, nodding at Frank and taking up his bet.Though he had nothing else to say anyway, he hurried back to his office, somehow feeling a little guilty…-After Ferdy left, Jim said, "I can see that you're right about Ferdy prescribing expensive medicine to patients who don't really need it. We will deal with it accordingly."Pausing, he then asked, "Why do you insist that the girl has a heat condition? Even my grandfather couldn't tell.""Of course he couldn't." Frank kept his eyes on the entrance, his tone flat as he spoke. "The female physique is inherently cooler. But since it's her lungs that are inflamed, and the fact that she's born flat-footed is a combination of coincidences that makes it look like a common cold.""Flat-footed?"Jim was left musing for a while, but he had not the faintest idea what flat-footedness had to