Chapter 613

Simon frowned in confusion. “Mr. Eslinger, I’ve never understood why you’re so determined to control the Aickers. I mean, with your abilities, you could easily build your own powerful legacy.”

Bane snorted coldly. “What do you know about my ambitions? Cedric and I were once fellow apprentices under the same mentor, Mr. Gregory Sivan. From the start, Cedric was inferior to me in every way—whether in medicine, combat, or earning Mr. Sivan’s favor. The man wasn’t even in my league.”

Simon looked skeptical. “If that’s true, then why are you here all alone? Meanwhile, Mr. Aicker has established a family empire that’s thriving in Jayrodale.”

Bane’s expression darkened, his face twisting into a grimace. “Funny you should ask. My story isn’t too different from yours.”

He paced slowly as he continued. “Cedric was a nobody at the Advanced Medical Institute, a clown obsessed with weird herbs and remedies. I was respected, one of the Institute’s top figures, while he was ignored by everyone. But somehow, that pathetic fool became Mr. Sivan’s favorite.”

Bane clenched his jaw as his voice grew harsher. “Mr. Sivan even married off his daughter, our junior apprentice Beatrice, to that loser!”

Simon’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, are you telling me you’re just like me, who had his girl stolen? Damn.”

Bane’s scarred face twitched as he suppressed the urge to slap Simon. “Watch your mouth! My case is nothing like yours.”

He sneered. “Sure, Cedric inherited Mr. Sivan’s legacy and got Beatrice, but I didn’t fall behind him in terms of skill or power. Still, Mr. Sivan kept favoring him more over time, which drove me mad. I repeatedly asked why he treated me so unfairly.”

He explained, “Every time, he berated me, saying I was arrogant and lacked the humility necessary for medicine. He scolded me, telling me to learn from Cedric’s dedication and perseverance. He even said that Cedric’s slow, methodical approach was the true path to success.”

Bane scoffed bitterly. “As if I’d believe that nonsense. Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore. I broke into his hidden chamber, stole a manual on toxic arts, and began mastering it in secret.

“Then, on the day Mr. Sivan married Beatrice to Cedric, I crashed the wedding. I injured Mr. Sivan, kidnapped Beatrice, and made a spectacle of myself.”

He chuckled darkly before saying, “That was my moment of glory. Far better than you, stumbling around naked after fleeing the Aicker residence.”

“You think you can compare yourself to me?” he taunted, his gaze sharp and condescending.

Simon gritted his teeth, swallowing his humiliation. “You’re right. I don’t measure up to you. But look at yourself; you’re hiding from the world and wanted by the Advanced Medical Institute. All those grand stories don’t really match your current situation, do they?”

Bane’s eyes blazed with fury. “Bullshit! If it weren’t for the poison arts ravaging my body, causing constant skin decay that I have to suppress, I wouldn’t be in hiding!

“I also killed several disciples when I defected, and Mr. Sivan died not long after I injured him. That’s why the Institute put a bounty on my head.”

“Sure, the Institute is powerful, but I’ve killed every hunter they sent after me,” he added with a cold laugh. "Unfortunately, Cedric also hunted me relentlessly back then. I was forced to abandon Beatrice during my escape. That failure… it’s the one regret that haunts me to this day.”