You Are Not Allowed to Tarnish Him

As they spoke, they arrived at the Imperial Advisor's Manor.

On the way back, Grace couldn't help but feel she was being a little paranoid.

Leon Zane had managed to pull her mother back from the brink of death before. With his medical skills, he should've already cured General Evan Shaw's poisoning by now.

Everything else was probably just her overthinking.

But when she got there, the people at the Imperial Advisor's Manor wouldn't let her in.

Leon Zane's disciple, Lucas Lu, came out to deliver a message: the Imperial Advisor was in seclusion, treating General Evan Shaw's poisoning, and it would be finished by tomorrow morning.

If she insisted on seeing him, she'd have to wait until tomorrow.

Hearing this, Grace's eyes widened. "What do you mean? I'm a Spiritual Alchemist! If you're detoxifying him, wouldn't it be better to have me assist? Why won't you let me see him?"

"Uh... that's the Imperial Advisor's order. I don't really know the details!" Lucas Lu was an honest kid.

"Move aside, I'm going in!" With that, she tried to rush inside.

"Grace!" Shannon grabbed her arm. "Do you see that upright stone on the wall?"

Grace followed her gaze and spotted a rectangular stone standing sideways on the wall, etched with strange runes.

"I see it. So what?"

"That means the defensive spell array of the Imperial Advisor's Manor is activated. You can't get in."

"Defensive spell array? He actually activated the defensive spell array?"

"Miss Grace, the Imperial Advisor activated the defensive spell array to prevent outsiders from disturbing him while he detoxifies General Evan Shaw," Lucas Lu explained.

Blood rushed to Grace's head. "Then tell me, what method is he using to detoxify him?"

"Uh... Well... I'm not really sure."

"Why aren't you sure?" Grace pressed, enunciating each word. "Did he use medicine, acupuncture, or what? There has to be some method, right?"

Lucas Lu, who was never good at lying, scratched the back of his head. "As soon as the Imperial Advisor returned, he took General Evan Shaw straight into the bedroom and shut the door. I couldn't see anything, so I really don't know..."

Into the bedroom...

And closed the door...

Grace suddenly remembered the noises she'd heard at the teahouse: "I told you to go easy! Not bigger! It hurts so much..."

Could it be... she wasn't just imagining things?

"No way!" Grace suddenly burst out emotionally. "Absolutely not! I have to see General Evan Shaw!"

She took off running toward the manor.

But at the entrance, she was bounced back by an invisible force.

She froze for a moment, then tried to break through the force.

But the spell array was too strong. She hacked at it with her blade, tried to rip it apart with her hands, did everything she could—nothing worked!

The force was invisible and intangible—she couldn't see it or touch it, but there was no way in.

She tried to climb over the wall instead.

But this time she charged too hard—the rebound sent her flying off the wall, landing smack on her butt.

"Grace!" Shannon rushed over to help her up. "I told you, the defensive spell array is up—you can't get in. General Evan Shaw is with my senior brother. What are you so worried about? Why are you so worked up?"

"I'm only worried because he's here!" Grace scrambled up and pressed herself against the barrier, shouting inside, "Leon Zane! Give me back General Evan Shaw!"

...

"Leon Zane! If you don't have the right medicine, let me detoxify him! Why did you lock him up in your manor? What does that mean?"

...

"Leon Zane! Now I finally get why you're always at odds with me! You—pervert! Cut-sleeve! I won't let you defile him!!"

...