Galen lay pitifully, his face flushed, his agility gone. The sight enraged Austin, who began slapping himself, exclaiming, "This is all my fault!"

Alexander rose quickly. "Don't be reckless. We don't know what's happening. I'll visit Dominic."

"I'll accompany you!" Austin replied, then noticing Alexander's gaze towards Galen, added, "I'll stay and care for the child."

"Thank you," Alexander nodded, turning toward the backyard. It mattered little whether Austin had close contact with Galen; Austin showed no signs of illness.

As he walked, Alexander called his assistant, instructing, "Leave a few men here and dismiss the rest. Those leaving must stay home for three days and monitor themselves for symptoms."

"Huh?" the assistant stammered.

"Just do it."

"Yes, sir!" The assistant obeyed without further question.

Alexander noticed a house in the corner – Lily's mentioned herb hut. Dominic, a lover of herbs and the finer things, possessed a vast backyard brimming with them, complete with a hut for brewing concoctions and other oddities: herbal baths, saunas, fumigation chambers, and more. The hut itself was exquisitely built, far from a simple wooden structure.

Entering, the pungent scent of medicinal herbs filled the air, a smell Alexander had recently grown accustomed to. The main room was empty. He noticed a heat discrepancy near the right side of the house and found a room containing a large round wooden bathtub. Dominic sat within, submerged in steaming water, his head bobbing rhythmically, eyes closed, his nostrils nearly submerged.

"Be careful!" Alexander shouted, rushing to pull Dominic out.

The seemingly unresponsive man snorted, his eyes snapping open. He glared at Alexander, his lips moving before he rasped, "Let...go!"

"Huh?!" Alexander, however, had no choice but to comply. Dominic fell back into the tub with a splash, coughing violently.