In another part of the city, another person was getting ready for the day.

In a luxurious house in the city center, the mayor was looking at multiple suits.

Today is a very important day. For the first time in years, a nobleman is coming to inspect the town. This was his chance to rise. If he could attract the nobleman's attention and gain his support, then his dream of turning this place into something decent might come true.

Everything has to be perfect.

"Are you still at it? Stop doubting so much. No matter what you wear, I'm sure nobody will be impressed by your attire," a voice sounded behind him.

The mayor frowned at those words, as true as they may be. He grabbed one of the suits and turned to the person who had spoken earlier. "Marilyn, darling. If you're so eager to comment, help me choose a suit. How about this one?"

Behind him stood an older woman with a refined air. Her features, though affected by the passage of years, remained radiant, giving her a touch of energy lacking in people of her age. If it weren't for her white hair, she could easily be mistaken for a younger woman.

Marilyn, the mayor's wife, sighed in exasperation and examined the suit carefully. "It's fine. I suppose. If I were you, I'd worry more about the nobleman not arriving before you at the town hall. If we make the inspector wait, then we'll really have a problem."

"Don't talk nonsense. The letter I received said they would arrive at noon. It's just dawned. Is it impossible for them to be late?" the mayor responded, unsatisfied with his wife's response to his choice of clothing.

"And since when do nobles follow what's expected of them? If you wait for them at noon and they arrive earlier, do you really think they'll apologize for it? Most likely, you'll be the one to take the blame," his wife replied.

Upon hearing his wife's words, the hand reaching for the other suit stopped. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" the mayor shouted.

His wife was right. If the inspector arrived earlier than expected, he would be blamed for not waiting for them.

He soon forgot about choosing the suit and picked up the one his wife had recommended. In a few minutes, he was out of the house, ignoring his wife's shouts about breakfast.

...

His workplace was in the same area, so he didn't have to run for long. Even so, at his age, it's not advisable to exert oneself like this.

"Good morning, Mr. Mayor."

When he arrived at the town hall, his secretary was already at her desk, reviewing some documents.

"Phew, Phew. Has the inspector arrived yet?" the mayor asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"No, Mr. Mayor. There's still quite some time before the agreed-upon hour," his secretary said, somewhat surprised. The mayor usually remembers these kinds of things. It's not common for her to have to remind him of his meetings.

Upon hearing that the nobleman had not yet arrived, the mayor breathed a sigh of relief.

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"That's good. Let me know when they arrive. If anything happens, I'll be in my office," he said after catching his breath.

"Oh. Mr. Mayor, someone wants to speak with you." Seeing that he was about to go to his office, his secretary remembered she had a message to deliver. With the previous surprise, she had already forgotten."

"Mmm. Is someone waiting for me? I don't remember having anyone scheduled for today." His steps halted, and he put his hand on his chin, trying to remember.

"No. This person showed up without an appointment. He says he wanted to talk to you about the doctor's matter."

"So it's him." Just by mentioning that topic, the mayor already knew who he was referring to. After all, it wasn't the first time he had spoken with him.

"Send him to my office. I'll see him in a minute. It shouldn't take much time." After that, the mayor climbed the stairs and entered his office.

To be honest, he wasn't looking forward to having this conversation. The amount of effort he put into getting people to move on with their lives was incredible. It's not pleasant to see someone trying to bring it all back up again.

Knock, Knock.

He barely had time to get comfortable in his chair when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

"Sit down. Don't stand." Without giving him time to speak, the mayor welcomed him.

"What do I owe this pleasure, young man?" After sitting in a chair, the man seemed to want to say something but didn't know how. Having repeated this conversation on other occasions, the mayor already knew what he wanted to ask.

"Mayor," the man began, "I've come to ask you to reconsider your decision," he said nervously.

The old man silently shook his head, looking at Trent with pity. Most people managed to move on with their lives after that tragedy, but some remained stuck in the past.

Seeing the disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes, it was obvious he hadn't spent the night at his home. And considering the strong smell of alcohol, he already knew where he had been.

"Trent. We've talked about this before. I'm not going to dismiss the town's only doctor just because you don't want him here," the mayor said firmly.

"How can you say that?" Trent, one of the lumberjacks in town, protested against his decision. "After everything that happened—"

"What happened wasn't the doctor Matthew's fault," he cut him off before he could continue the conversation in that direction. "We're not even sure Lewis had anything to do—"

"Don't mention that name!" Trent suddenly shouted, making the mayor jump out of his chair.

"Of course, it was his fault! The whole town knows it!" Trent's tone of nervousness had vanished, leaving only anger, anger that he directed at the mayor.

"From the beginning, he never had any interest in living with us. All he cared about was money. Despite everything, we decided to put up with him for the good of all, but we all know what happened next." At this point, his voice could be heard from the hallway.

"Where was he when we needed him?" he reproached from the other side of the table that separated them both.

The mayor fell silent upon hearing this. He had heard this argument and many more in the past.

Who is capable of knowing the truth?

Whatever happens, happens. It can't be changed. Now, what's important is to rebuild our lives and do everything possible to prevent such a thing from happening again.

Unfortunately, some people are not able to see something as simple as this.

"Even if that were the case, Doctor Matthew has nothing to do with that incident. Don't direct your anger against an innocent person. You, of all people, should know why the town needs a doctor. You're lucky that one arrived in town."

"Up to now, Doctor Matthew hasn't done anything that could endanger the lives of the townspeople. On the contrary, it's thanks to his work that people don't have to worry about falling ill. The townsfolk appreciate his presence, and everyone he's treated has spoken well of him. Even the mercenaries have been more active in the dungeon because of the doctor's presence, generating more income for the town."

After he finished speaking, the two remained silent. The elderly mayor sighed inwardly. Despite the way he had reprimanded Trent, he didn't blame him for his behavior. Many people lost a lot in that incident, himself included. But that doesn't mean we should blame others and unleash our anger on the innocent. It's that kind of behavior that destroys you from within.

Seeing Trent silent, the mayor thought he had understood what he was trying to convey. Unfortunately, his next words made him realize it was just an illusion.

Trent clenched his fists tightly. "Is that it?" Trent asked with fury in his tone.

"Excuse me?" the mayor said, confused.

"Is it about the money?!"

"Are you willing to forget what happened for money?!"