Ezra’s brows furrowed as he looked at Dustin bitterly,
“Ah, so you’re Dustin,” Alistair said, recognizing Dustin. After all, the recent family event, especially the Dew Balm formula debacle, was still fresh in his mind.
“Mr. Welch, I heard that your father is suffering from hysteria. Would you mind if I take a look?” Dustin offered with genuine concern. Alistair eyed the young Dustin skeptically. “You?”
He thought, “Dr. Busch may have recommended you, but you don’t exactly strike me as an expert.”
“Dustin, that’s kind of you, but we already have Sir Crane helping us. No need for you to trouble yourself,” Joanne interjected.
“Did you hear that? With Sir Crane here, we don’t need you,” Ezra added with a sneer.
“Young man, don’t play around when a person’s life is at stake. It’s no time for you to fool around,” Theodore warned sternly.
“Dustin, let it be.” Brooke shook his head. He knew that saying anything now wasn’t wise. “Very well. Since Sir Crane is so confident, I won’t insist. Please, go ahead.” Dustin gestured, yielding. If Theodore could truly cure Welch Senior, Dustin was content with that.
“Hmph! At least you know your place.” Theodore glanced indifferently at Dustin before entering Welch Senior’s room. Soon, the others followed suit. They walked quietly and cautiously.
“What is this?” Theodore scanned the room, his brows furrowing in displeasure. “Why is Mr. Welch Senior tied up? Don’t you know this will interfere with treatment? Untie him immediately!”
“Sir Crane, you may not be aware of the full situation. When my dad’s condition takes a dark turn, he becomes uncontrollable and aggressive. We had no choice but to restrain him,” Alistair explained. The memories of his father’s violent fits still haunted him.
“Don’t worry. With me here, Mr. Welch Senior won’t pose a threat. Please, untie him,” Theodore assured them confidently. Alistair hesitated momentarily, then glanced at Joanne, who gave a confirming nod.
“Untie my dad!”
“Right away, sir,” The two Welch family members responded in unison. They quickly untie Welch Senior.
“Sir Crane, untying Mr. Welch Senior might not be a wise move. If his hysteria happens, you could be in danger,” Dustin cautioned.
“Ridiculous! I’ve faced much bigger challenges. A mere hysteria won’t trouble me.” Crane scoffed.
“Dustin, you may be inexperienced, but Sir Crane isn’t. Observe and learn. Maybe you’ll learn something valuable, Ezra taunted.
“Is that so? I’ll be watching closely, then,” Dustin replied with a shrug, choosing not to engage further. Once the restraints were removed, Theodore approached the Welch Senior. He examined Welch Senior’s eyes, mouth, tongue, and teeth and conducted a basic examination on him..
“If I’m not mistaken, the patient has fallen prey to witchcraft, which has disturbed his mind and triggered these bouts of hysteria,” Theorore stated.
Impressed, Alistair praised him and inquired, “Well done, as expected of a real expert. Is there a solution to it, Sir Crane?”
“A mere lower-level witchcraft won’t pose any challenge. I’ll easily dispel it with a talisman,” Theodore replied casually. Then, he took out a yellow talisman paper adorned with mysterious symbols from his pouch.
“Amazing!” Alistair exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. “Sir Crane, please proceed with the treatment. Afterward, we will reward you handsomely.”
“Of course.” Theodore nodded in satisfaction. He teasingly pointed the talisman at Dustin. “Young man, pay close attention as I break this malevolent spell.”
He confidently slapped the yellow talisman paper onto Welch Senior’s forehead. Suddenly, Welch Senior’s body jerked, and he opened his eyes.