Chapter 301 Strange Illnesses

Mystro, being thoughtful as always, handed Tilda a handkerchief. “Tilda… are you okay?”

“Yeah! I’m fine! This is the first time I’ve ever learned my mentor’s real name!”

Tilda took the handkerchief and wiped her tear-streaked cheeks, then smiled brightly at Mystro. “Seriously… why does my idiot mentor keep disappearing? Doesn’t he know how worried I get?”

Mystro paused before saying, “I only heard it as a rumor. Members of the Kerrigans aren’t close. We all follow really strict old traditions. Anyone in the Kerrigan line who’s super talented is said to be born with a cursed fate. People with that fate always clash with other strong ones. Uncle Harvey’s fate is the worst. Even my grandparents died because of it. My dad said Uncle Harvey was the smartest genius in all of Kerrigan history. There was no one else like him.”

A cursed fate?

Tilda remembered seeing Harvey study stars and dabble in the occult. So he really knows all this stuff… She also remembered that a month before he disappeared, he had read her fortune. He said she had the Omega blood type, was tough as nails, and was born to shake the world. With that fate, even if she died because of some huge mistake, she might get a second chance and turn ruin into something miraculous. He warned her to be careful. Danger would come, and if she failed to get through it, it could take her life. He didn’t say more. Saying more would break some taboo, even for someone as powerful as he was. “Fortune-telling” is something you might not believe, but sometimes it’s scary how true it is. Back then, Tilda kept his words in her heart. She never thought… the one trying to kill her would be her own relative! Because she wanted family love from the Jensons, Tilda let her guard down. She ended up dying in a fire with nothing left. But fate gave her another chance at life, a chance to change everything. Harvey’s predictions were never wrong.

“Could it be… he left us because he was afraid his cursed fate would hurt us?”

Mystro nodded.

“Very likely. Before he died, my grandfather saw that Uncle Harvey’s fate was too deadly. He ordered that Uncle Harvey be removed from the family records. Even if he wanted to see his younger siblings, he could only visit once a year. Uncle Harvey came every year until my father had a car accident. He was in the ICU, barely alive. Uncle Harvey was at our house then. It was like he realized something. He packed up and left. Not long after, my father got better and left the ICU.”

Tilda lowered her eyes. “So… he didn’t disappear because of some outside force. He left to protect us, so his fate wouldn’t hurt us.”

Thank goodness.

At least he didn’t provoke someone he couldn’t handle.

He vanished, wandering the world, all to protect his students.

“Uncle Harvey was gentle. Even though I barely remember him, I still remember his big, steady hands patting my head. Oh, right, Tilda. Speaking of fate–it’s not just you and me. Two months ago, I actually met another one of Uncle Harvey’s apprentices! We reunited!”

“What?!”

Tilda almost stopped breathing. Her mind felt tight, as if she couldn’t think straight. One shock after another hit her. First, I reunited with Mystro. Then, I learned my mentor’s real name. And now, I finally understand why he’s traveling the world, taking students, giving them homes, and sparking their talents before suddenly disappearing! And now, Mystro is telling me… he found another one of Mr. Harvey’s apprentices?!

What a huge surprise!

“M–Mystro… where are they now?”

“Right now, he’s on a tough assignment. He’s not in Motrar. And he’s a doctor, but not a normal one… His medical methods are very unusual. He moves through the underground, black markets, and secret groups. They call him the Mad Doctor.”

Tilda blinked. “The Mad Doctor?”

She had never heard that name before, maybe only in an anime.

“He only takes rare, strange illnesses, and his fees are crazy high. The stranger the disease, the more excited he gets. With his natural talent, normal cases don’t interest him anymore.”

Strange illnesses!

Tilda’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“That’s it!”

“Hm? Tilda, why are you so excited all of a sudden?”

“Here’s the thing…”

Tilda quickly explained Dane’s unusual condition.

“I never imagined your senior would have this. If Liam hears, he’ll be really interested.”