Chapter 1448

"And?"

Dominic was startled, struggling to process her words. Galen, who had been riding on his shoulders, clambered down. The old man slowly sat in the chair beside him. Lily lifted Galen away, noticing Dominic slump into his own chair, clearly exhausted.

"With that old back of yours, how can you be so stubborn? Do you think you're still young?" Lily couldn't help but ask.

"Don't underestimate me. I'm far stronger than most youngsters these days!" He stretched, proving his point with a pained scream.

"Look at you!" Lily grumbled, pulling Galen into the room.

"Hey! Where are you going? Are you leaving me here alone? Do you even care about me?!" His cries summoned the servants, who rushed to his side.

"Sir, what's wrong?"

"Go! It's none of your business!" He impatiently shooed them away, then, overcome by pain, changed his mind. "Go get me some ointment!"

As a servant nodded, Lily returned with a bottle. "Gosh, my apprentice knows me best!" Dominic exclaimed, grinning.

"Didn't you say you were strong?" Lily glanced at him, opening the ointment and applying it to his back.

"Ouch, ouch! Take it easy!" he winced, catching his breath. "Even the best fall sometimes. Don't hurt me anymore! By the way, what did you say about everything being too coincidental?"

"Nothing." After the interruption and her pacing, she'd had time to reconsider, realizing she might have been overly sensitive. "I'm a little sensitive in this field. Since they're related, I thought it was all interconnected. Maybe it's just a coincidence," she explained, continuing to massage his back. Dominic considered her words.

"Wait, wait, wait, what did you say? The more you talk, the more confused I am. Explain further." He sat up, legs crossed, and looked at her intently. His interest in such topics was unusual.

After capping the ointment, Lily sighed. "What I mean is, the laboratory experiments, my friend's inexplicable poisoning, and the plague in Burnwken—do you think they're connected?"

The old man fell silent, hands resting on his knees. His crossed legs and furrowed brow gave him the appearance of a meditating monk, lost in thought. After a few minutes, he smacked his lips.

"Are these things related?"

Lily nodded quietly.

"Whatever. Maybe I'm overthinking it."

"That's not necessarily the case. Sometimes, overthinking leads to new ideas. It might seem insignificant now, but who knows where it might lead?" Dominic spoke cryptically. "Are these things related?"