Austin could no longer contain himself. "Granduncle," he burst out, "I understand your partiality towards your apprentice, but what does she know? Your bias is unbelievable! And she's taking all your precious herbs—does she even know how to use them? I barely get any, but her bag…"

He fell silent, his gaze lingering on Lily's overflowing bag. It was filled with the rare medicinal herbs Dominic had painstakingly cultivated. Austin had repeatedly requested them, only receiving meager portions. Lily's abundance fueled his jealousy.

"They're mine, and I give them to whomever I choose!" Dominic's voice boomed, laced with anger. "You spend your days hobnobbing with the wealthy; I know what you're up to. You prioritize fame over herbal medicine, even at my expense! Stay away from me!"

Lily was shocked; Austin speechless. An awkward silence, heavy with tension, descended.

Then, a giggle. Galen, standing by the fence, watched them, his amusement unfazed by Dominic's outburst. His innocent laughter, however, only intensified Austin's embarrassment. He felt ridiculed by a toddler. His face flushed, then paled.

"Granduncle, I accept criticism of my work ethic or talent," Austin said, his voice tight, "but to suggest I only crave fame is insulting! You've always been prejudiced against my family because of my grandfather, but I genuinely want to learn from you. Even after all these years, shouldn't you set aside your bias?" He glared at Lily, then abruptly turned and left.

It was the first time he'd left voluntarily. An unnerving quiet settled over the house. Lily observed Dominic; his expression was carefully neutral, yet a tremor at the corner of his lip betrayed his inner turmoil.

"Old man…" she began softly, but Dominic cut her off.

"Let him be! Good riddance! If he hadn't left, I'd have thrown him out!"

"No, I'm trying to—"

"Stop! I know what you're going to say. I know my nephew. He's intelligent and talented, but unscrupulous. In our field, a lack of scruples can be disastrous! I chose you, not just because of Wilfred, but because—"

A crash interrupted him. He turned sharply, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

"Boom!" A smaller sound followed, emanating from the culprit himself. Galen, somehow perched on a shelf, waved a tiny hand, grinning. Dominic had removed most shelf decorations, leaving only two prized porcelain teapots, which he'd assumed were safe inside the display case.