Rebirth: She Cuts Ties and Takes Revenge (Noelle Kain) novel Chapter 562

"Got it."

The Medicine Department's urgent matter dragged on until late into the night.

The head, the smiling, chubby man named Alvin West, sat at the main seat with an unusually serious expression, like he'd become a completely different person.

He gathered all the disciples together and announced they would be conducting another inventory check of the medicine vault.

The Medicine Department's vault stored over 100 rare medicinal ingredients. Some were older than anyone currently alive on the island. Normally, they stayed locked away, and only the head and Mark each held a key.

Today's inspection happened because several medicinal ingredients no longer matched the records.

"Three ingredients are missing." Alvin's voice wasn't loud, but it landed heavily, like a stone crashing into water. "Graymire, frostseed, and redthorn. All three are extremely rare. You can't buy them outside, and there isn't a second supply anywhere on the island. Especially the graymire. It was passed down by the previous head two generations ago. There was one ounce total. Half an ounce had already been used, leaving half an ounce behind. Now even that remaining half ounce is gone."

Everyone exchanged looks. Someone quietly said, "Wasn't the graymire used just last month? I saw Mr. Shelton take it myself."

"It was used." Alvin nodded, his eyes sweeping across every disciple present. "But the records clearly state only half an ounce was used. Yet the vault is missing the entire ounce. So where did the other half go? Who took it? Who used it? Who sold it?"

Nobody spoke.

Noelle stood near the back of the crowd and listened quietly.

She noticed that Mark hadn't said a single word all night. He sat leaning back in his chair with his teapot in hand, eyes half-open like he was dozing off.

But the fingers gripping the teapot had tightened slightly, the knuckles turning pale like he was holding something back.

The inventory inspection continued deep into the night.

Every ingredient had to be weighed again, registered again, and checked again. The medicine vault was cold and damp, and several younger disciples shivered nonstop from the cold, but nobody dared suggest leaving.

In the end, they still failed to find the missing half ounce of graymire, and the frostseed and redthorn were nowhere to be found either.

Alvin let out a tired sigh and rubbed his temples before dismissing everyone and saying the investigation would continue tomorrow.

Before they left, he added one more thing. "Nobody speaks of this outside the department. If word spreads, the Medicine Department will become a laughingstock."

…

By the time Noelle stepped out of the Medicine Department, the sky had gone completely dark.

She walked back toward the dormitory alone. The night wind carried the mountain's cold scent of grass and trees, whipping her sleeves sharply in the breeze.

After walking a short distance, she suddenly sensed something wrong behind her.

Someone was following her.

She neither turned around nor quickened her pace. She slowly slipped her hand into her sleeve and touched the needle she always carried with her.

The footsteps behind her grew closer and faster.

Suddenly, a figure rushed out from the shadows and slammed hard into her.

"S-sorry, sorry..."

The person kept their head lowered, sounding panicked. Without stopping, they quickly ran off and disappeared at the end of the alley like a gust of wind.

The Duncans are dangerous.

Be careful.

Who's warning me?

Someone inside the Duncans?

Or someone from one of the other Four Great Families?

She thought about many things. Christine's strange behavior. Then Sebastian.

The dinner he cooked for her the night he left.

The way he sounded when he held her and whispered, "I love you."

The image of his back as he walked alone into the darkness without ever looking back.

She couldn't wait any longer.

Whether the Duncans were hiding a trap or a battlefield, she was going in either way.

Only by stepping inside could she find out what Christine really wanted, uncover the truth about the Pattons, and find Sebastian.

She opened her eyes and blew out the candle.

…

Early the next morning, the Duncans really did send someone over.

This time, it wasn't a servant boy. Gavin came personally.

He stood outside the entrance of the Medicine Department in a brand-new gray robe, his hair perfectly combed without a single strand out of place. The polite smile on his face looked carefully crafted, almost artificial.

The moment he saw Noelle step out, he bowed slightly and spoke in a calm, respectful tone. "Ms. Kain, Ms. Duncan said that today is the final needle-therapy session, and she insists on having you there. The carriage is already prepared outside."