Jasper gradually calmed down after his sudden outburst, though his heart still longed for an answer. He hoped what he had heard was true and not another source of despair. His eyes remained fixed on Yvonne's face.
"Mr. Jasper, don't get worked up. Let me explain everything first before you decide whether you can afford it or not," Yvonne said calmly.
"Not everything in this world can be bought with gold coins. Some things are far more valuable than mere gold. Since you said you were willing to pay one million gold coins regardless of your current situation, I believe you must be a capable person."
"Now let us talk about your mother's condition. Your mother is affected by Seance Decay, a hereditary disease that slowly weakens a person's body as they age. Those affected usually die before reaching the age of forty to forty-five."
When Jasper heard the age at which people died from the disease, his heart tightened painfully. His mother was already forty-two. If he could not find a cure, she had only three years left. The thought made his vision blur with tears.
"Now let's talk about the cure," Yvonne continued. "The world is vast, and there are things people call Holy Miracles. You must have heard of the Hras Elixir, which is said to grant immortality. Many consider it a rumor, but I believe it truly exists. There is also the Nction Artifact, which can extend a person's lifespan up to two hundred years."
When Jasper heard the name Hras Elixir, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. When he was young, he and the other children often talked about that legendary drink that would allow someone to live forever without aging. Back then, it had been nothing more than childish fantasy.
Now hearing this young woman speak about the same elixir, he did not know how to react. Should he simply walk away and spend the remaining time with his mother peacefully while silently carrying the pain for the rest of his life?
"There is also the Licatio Plant, which can regrow a severed limb as good as new. Many extraordinary things exist in this world. The real question is whether someone is capable of obtaining them," Yvonne said.
"Since you said you were willing to pay one million gold coins—or even more—for a cure, I believe you may be capable of obtaining one of these items."
Jasper gave a faint smile after hearing everything Yvonne said about these so-called Holy Miracle items. As he had expected, this inexperienced young woman seemed to believe in stories that even children talked about.
As his mother had said, there must be someone out there with greater knowledge and experience. He could search for that person and find a real cure for his mother's illness. After all, he lived in a small town. There were far larger cities with greater healers, more experienced apothecaries, and more advanced medical houses.
After a moment of thought, Jasper gave a slight bow, turned around, and took a step toward the door.
Seeing his action, both women exchanged confused looks.
"Mr. Jasper, what do you think you are doing? Do you think I am joking here? Do you know how much I charge for my consultations? Ms. Fulvia personally requested me to see you," Yvonne's voice echoed sharply through the room.
Jasper stopped and turned back to face her.
Yvonne leaned forward in the chair, irritation clearly visible on her face.
"Ms. Yvonne, please forgive me. I was distracted for a moment. Thank you for taking the time to meet me and for your advice. And Ms. Fulvia, thank you for arranging this meeting," Jasper said respectfully.
"But even children know that the Hras Elixir is just a story. If there truly is no cure for my mother's illness, you can say so directly. I can accept that. But you should not think I would believe everything simply because I am desperate for an answer."
"What do you mean a children's story?" Yvonne snapped, slamming her hand on the desk.
"How dare you! Who do you think I am—a child playing pretend? I want you to leave my medical house immediately. Ms. Fulvia, I want this man banned from Featherfall Medical House forever."
Who did this man think she was?
She had worked incredibly hard to reach her current position at such a young age. Now this ignorant man was treating her words as if they were meaningless. The thought alone made her anger flare.
"Ms. Yvonne, please calm down," Ms. Fulvia said gently.
"You must remember that many common people lack knowledge. They are unaware of many things we take for granted. As the young head of a medical house, you should remember that many people are ignorant of such knowledge—especially medical knowledge."
Then she turned toward Jasper.
"And you, Mr. Jasper—although you are worried about your mother's illness, you should not make assumptions when a knowledgeable person explains something to you, especially about a serious matter like your mother's disease. You should listen first and decide later instead of reacting hastily."
Jasper stood silently with his head lowered.
Ms. Fulvia's words were true.
What did he really know about the world? What did he know about medicine? He was not an expert in anything. Every job he had tried had rejected him. For the past six months, the only thing he had done was swing a pickaxe while mining.
After a moment of thought, Jasper stepped back to his previous position and bowed deeply.
"Ms. Yvonne, I sincerely apologize for my behavior. I was ignorant. Please help me cure my mother's illness. I will do anything you ask. I will even find the Hras Elixir if that is what it takes," Jasper said respectfully.
Ms. Fulvia glanced at Yvonne, signaling her to continue. Seeing that the situation had calmed, Yvonne also composed herself and leaned back in the chair.
"Since you claim you are capable of paying one million gold coins, perhaps you might also be capable of finding a magical mushroom called Oenix Marrow. In ancient texts it is known as the Organ Replenisher. When someone consumes this mushroom, it reconstructs the body's internal organs. Since your mother's illness is genetic, it may help cure her disease," Yvonne explained.
She looked directly at Jasper.
"What do you think? Are you capable of finding the Oenix Marrow?"
Jasper stood silently for a moment. Slowly, he raised his head and met her gaze.
"Yes, Ms. Yvonne," he said firmly.
"I will find the Oenix Marrow, no matter what."