The Double ( or More ?) Life of The Fake Heiress

Nikolal glanced at the pill in his eldest son’s hand. His expression was muted, which was a stark contrast to Johnny’s animated reaction upon hearing it was a Class B remedy.

“What’s this you’ve got?” Nikolai inquired.

It’s an antidote pill, can cure all sorts of poisons.” Dane replied. His face was lighting up with pride. “It’s a new concoction I developed with my mentor. It’s been rated Class B, so my mentor says I’ve got a shot at making Senior Pharmacist this year.”

Nikolai’s face remained stoic, barely showing a ripple of emotion. He simply patted Dane on the shoulder and said in an even tone. “Well, give it your all.” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“Dane’s gunning for Senior Pharmacist already?” Asher blurted out from the side.

The leap from a mid–level to a senior pharmacist wasn’t minor. Some folks might spend a lifetime stuck between junior and mid–level, as the title of a senior pharmacist truly tested one’s innate talent and skill in concoction. Asher couldn’t believe that Dane was on the brink of earning his senior title in his forties. This would surely elevate the Reeves family’s stature in Ashford even further.

Johnny, overhearing the conversation, was taken aback. He thought Dane’s Class B antidote was impressive enough, but now a jump to senior pharmacist? The Reeves family was on the rise.

He glanced at Owen, hoping to nudge him to offer Dane some praise, but noticed Owen’s indifference. Johnny remembered that Owen only had a keen interest in politics and not much else. Johnny cleared his throat and took it upon himself to compliment Dane

Vanity is a common trait, and Dane was no exception. Though his face showed modesty, his eyes betrayed a hint of pride.

Nikolai observed his son, expecting to feel elated, but strangely felt nothing, which resulted in his unusually calm demeanor. He stroked his beard and turned to Mirabella, the top–tier pharmacist in the room. With her presence, the achievement of becoming a senior pharmacist didn’t seem too extraordinary, did it?

Dane was about to hand the pill to Owen when Nikolai quickly placed a hand on his, causing Dane to look at his father in confusion. “Dad, what’s the matter?”

“You think Mr. Owen is showing signs of poisoning?” Nikolai cut to the chase.

Dane nodded, “Yes, I can’t rule out the possibility.” That was why he had Asher fetch his painstakingly crafted antidote pill. If it hadn’t been for Owen’s special status, he wouldn’t have parted with it so readily.

“it’s not poisoning” Nikolai said, stroking his beard. “I considered that this morning and had a blood test done, along with a medicinal scan. There are no toxins.”

Dane’s face showed surprise. “You’ve tested already?”

“Yes, there’s no mistake, Nikolai stated with authority. He might not be part of the Pharmacists‘ Guild, but the Reeves family had been in the alternative medicine game for centuries. They could certainly identify

poisoning

Dane fell silent, pondering. If it wasn’t poisoning, could it be some new, rare disease?

“So, your antidote pill is probably useless in this case. Without a clear diagnosis, any medication could