yournovel Chapter 281: A Request Worth More Than Gold
Chapter 281: A Request Worth More Than Gold
A Request Worth More Than Gold
Charles sighed softly before continuing.
"The only one left will arrive in a few days, and Young Master D’Aurelius has already reserved it."
Charles Whitmore adjusted the reading glasses resting on the bridge of his nose and carefully examined the list once again.
The old herbal merchant rarely missed opportunities to make money.
If there was a way to satisfy both customers, he would have already suggested it.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t.
The thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng was simply too rare.
The entire hall became quiet.
The aroma of tea lingered in the air.
Outside, the wind rustled through the trees surrounding the Whitmore Family estate.
Inside, however, all attention shifted toward Felberta Ashbourne.
"What?"
Felberta’s expression changed slightly, and she looked at Julian.
The reaction was subtle.
Most people wouldn’t have noticed it.
But for someone as composed as her, even a small change in expression was unusual.
The thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng was the most important ingredient on her list.
Without it, her entire trip to Valemont would be incomplete.
For the first time since entering the hall, hesitation appeared in her eyes.
After remaining silent for several seconds, she finally spoke.
"Young Master D’Aurelius, could you transfer this item to me? You can name your price; I urgently need it."
Her tone remained polite.
Cold.
Reserved.
Yet beneath that calm exterior was genuine urgency.
According to Steffan’s diagnosis, her father’s condition had already reached a dangerous stage.
If treatment wasn’t completed within seven days, the consequences could become irreversible.
That was why she had personally traveled all the way from Silverhaven.
That was why she was willing to pay double for every herb on the list.
Unfortunately...
Julian shook his head almost immediately.
"No."
The refusal came without hesitation.
Not because he wanted to make things difficult for her.
And certainly not because of money.
"It’s not about the money. I need it urgently too."
His tone remained firm.
The ingredients for the Nine Way Cleansing Elixir had already been gathered.
Only the thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng remained.
Once it arrived, he could immediately begin refining the pill.
More importantly, the elixir would greatly help Lina Ashford and Liza Voss advance into the Gold Realm.
Compared to wealth, cultivation resources of this level were far more valuable.
Felberta’s brows knitted together slightly.
The answer clearly disappointed her.
But she wasn’t willing to give up yet.
"Young Master D’Aurelius, my father’s life is at stake here. Please help me. Can I have someone find another one for you?"
The proud heiress lowered her stance as much as she could.
The fact that she was even asking a second time was already unusual.
Anyone who knew Felberta would have been shocked.
The woman known throughout Silverhaven for her icy personality rarely asked anyone for favors.
Yet today she was doing exactly that.
Because the patient involved wasn’t just anyone.
It was her father.
Dario Ashbourne.
Julian rubbed his chin.
A trace of helplessness appeared on his face.
"Uh... my situation also involves life and death."
He shook his head again.
The refusal remained unchanged.
From his perspective, he wasn’t lying.
The breakthrough of Lina and Liza was directly tied to his future plans.
The Nine Way Cleansing Elixir wasn’t something he could casually delay.
As those thoughts surfaced—
Felberta heard every word.
Every single one.
Including the thoughts he never intended to say aloud.
[You believe Steffan’s nonsense. Your father’s life isn’t at risk.]
Felberta froze.
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
Steffan?
How did Julian know that name?
Only a handful of people were aware of Steffan’s involvement.
Yet before she could process that question, another thought entered her mind.
[At most, her father’s manhood will rot and stink, and you can just cut it off.]
"..."
For the first time, Felberta almost lost control of her expression.
Her hand tightened around the edge of her sleeve.
The words were crude.
Extremely crude.
Yet the shocking part wasn’t the wording.
It was the fact that Julian somehow knew details that should have been impossible for him to know.
Then another thought followed.
[He deserved it for provoking Witch Princess Nyxara. ]
[He slept with her... then ran away. Did he really think he could escape without paying the price? Misfortune was inevitable. ]
The hall remained completely silent.
But inside Felberta’s mind, a storm had erupted.
Her heartbeat quickened.
How?
How did he know?
The existence of Witch Princess Nyxara was one of the Ashbourne Family’s most closely guarded secrets.
Very few people knew the real origin of Dario Ashbourne’s illness.
Even within the family, only trusted relatives were aware of the truth.
Yet Julian had casually revealed it through his thoughts.
Not only did he know about the curse—
He knew exactly who had placed it.
Felberta stared at him.
Julian remained completely unaware.
He simply stood there calmly drinking tea.
The contrast made the situation even stranger.
Meanwhile, memories surfaced within Felberta’s mind.
Her father.
Dario Ashbourne.
A man she both loved and resented.
When he was young, Dario had been infamous throughout Silverhaven.
Powerful.
Handsome.
Rich.
Women constantly surrounded him.
One relationship after another.
One scandal after another.
Even after marriage, he never completely abandoned his old habits.
Her mother had endured years of heartbreak.
Years of disappointment.
Years of suffering.
Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, she ended her own life.
That tragedy left scars that never healed.
Especially for Felberta.
The event had become one of the primary reasons behind her androphobia.
She couldn’t trust men.
She couldn’t comfortably interact with them.
Even physical contact triggered severe reactions.
Yet despite all of that...
She couldn’t bring herself to hate her father completely.
Because Dario truly loved her.
Whenever she became sick, he stayed by her bedside.
Whenever she was unhappy, he did everything possible to cheer her up.
Whenever she wanted something, he moved heaven and earth to obtain it.
As a husband, he had failed.
As a father...
He had done everything he could.
That was why she had traveled here personally.
That was why she desperately needed the thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng.
She could not simply stand by and watch him die.
Or so she believed.
Yet Julian’s thoughts had just shattered everything she thought she knew.
Steffan’s diagnosis.
The danger.
The curse.
The truth.
None of it seemed as simple as she had been told.
Her eyes remained fixed on Julian.
A mixture of confusion, suspicion, curiosity, and frustration swirled within them.
Meanwhile, Black Ghost and White Ghost exchanged subtle glances behind her.
Neither understood what was happening.
They only sensed that something felt off.
The atmosphere had become unusually tense.
Even Amara Ravenswood noticed it.
She looked from Julian to Felberta and back again.
Something was clearly happening beneath the surface.
She simply didn’t know what.
After a long silence, Felberta finally spoke again.
Her voice remained calm.
Yet there was noticeably more weight behind it this time.
"Young Master D’Aurelius, is there really no room for negotiation?"