The man still seemed a little skeptical of my miracle drug. "How do I know it will work? How much are you charging?"

I stated calmly, "I will be honest with you, this is a trial run for this product. You see, it's so effective that I'm trying to sell it in small amounts right now. I can't have anyone stealing my recipe either, so I can't really offer you a free sample. However, how about this: 50 bronze, and it's all yours. That's a steal for a revolutionary product like this, trust me." I leaned in, faking a bit of nervousness. "I am a bit scared of its success. I don't know that I can handle the business."

With that, the man's jaw dropped. "Just 50 bronze coins? Really?"

I nodded. "Just for you. Don't tell too many people you're getting such a good deal. I just saw you in the market and heard about your wife. I am so sorry to hear that she isn't doing well. I just had to call out to you."

The man gave me a small smile. "Thank you, son. Your help is... much appreciated." He seemed to be holding back some tears as he handed me the 50 bronze coins. I handed him the elixir, and my heart dropped a bit when I saw his expression. I responded, "She'll be fit as a fiddle before you know it."

The man nodded. "Thanks again. You're a very kind young man." With that, he took the product and walked away in a hurry. I felt bad for him, but I have learned to suppress my emotions. That fake hope wasn't meaningless. At the very least, he could go home today smiling for his wife.

Not a bad haul for the first sale. I realized pretty quickly that 50 bronze was at the top of the man's budget. Maybe with some of my other customers, I would extort a little more off the top. I noticed a few stares from some of the other stalls and customers. The black-haired boy seemed to catch on to my stall, having seen the older man buy something. He walked closer to me, his eyes half-closed, lidded. He was tall and deep scares made it seem like he had seen battle even at his young age. He wore a serious expression.

"Hello. I just wanted to introduce myself since we've reached a slow point. I am Tyrune, a herbalist just like you. I just wanted to inquire about your remedy."

Oh shit, this was bad. One word from someone like this, and I would be finished. I should have chosen a better spot out of his line of sight. I cleared my throat, ready to bullshit my best. "Nice to meet you. My name is Key. Nice to meet a fellow herbalist like yourself. My apologies in advance if I infringed on your usual business. I am just a humble traveling salesman."

He laughed. "I am not trying to stiff-arm you or anything. You are free to sell wherever you want. However, I did have a question." His face grew serious again. "That product you have, that elixir—you made it yourself? I saw you sell it to the older man. Is it a cure?"

Shit, he was onto me. I had to mask my true intentions. I gave him a fake worried smile. "No, it is not a cure. As far as I am aware, a cure for White Iris disease doesn't exist, and I am not skilled enough to produce something like that. However, it is a remedy of sorts that my mother passed down to me. It should boost the immune system in a notable way. The goal is basically to help the body fight the disease naturally, so it should be effective on this disease."

Tyrune looked a bit skeptical still. "Natural immunity? You are aware that the disease is not like the common cold. This isn't something the immune system can fight on its own."

I gulped nervously, trying to act like I was confident. "Right, yes, I am aware of that. However, my mother had a remedy that she passed down to me, something us elves have always kept as a close-guarded secret. This product here doesn't simply boost natural immunity; it supercharges it. Think of it like a powerhouse to produce natural chemicals to suppress the disease. It has some magical effects, so it is not completely rooted in science."

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The bullshit that spewed out of my mouth seemed to calm Tyrune a bit. "I was going to say, if you didn't have a convincing response, I would have tried to run you out of town." He slapped me on the back. "You really seem to know what you're talking about, at the very least. I won't ask what kind of herbs you used since it's your product, but still, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of magic is in it? I am curious about mixing my herbs with magical remedies too, so if you don't mind sharing, I would love to know."

I smiled, trying to appear genuine and slightly conspiratorial. "Ah, that's the real secret, isn't it? The magic involved is something only a few elves are taught, and it's less about the specific herbs and more about the process. It's a technique that infuses the essence of the herbs with a unique form of elven energy. It's not something that can be easily replicated without the proper training and heritage, you see. My mother taught me how to channel this energy in a way that enhances the natural properties of the herbs."

Tyrune looked intrigued but still skeptical. I continued, "If I could teach it, believe me, I would. But it's one of those things that's more instinctive than learned. It's a bit like asking a bard to teach someone without a voice to sing—they can show you the techniques, but the magic has to come from within."

Tyrune nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with my explanation. "I understand. It's more about the connection and the energy than the ingredients themselves. Fascinating. Well, Key, I wish you the best of luck with your sales. Perhaps we'll have more to discuss another time. In return for telling me that, I will send some of my customers to you. I don't have anything to help with the disease myself, so I figured I would send them your way."

I beamed brightly and genuinely. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't know how to repay that kindness."

Tyrune smiled back. "No worries. I am happy to help, from one herbalist to another. The people here need hope, and if your product is as good as you say, I think it would be beneficial for both of us if you gave them your medicine. I can't exactly do business if I have no customers, can I?" He laughed and began walking back to his stall. His trust was like a sharp needle in my heart. Regardless of how shitty I felt, I needed to keep selling my product, and Tyrune's extra business would help. Tyrune began sending people over to me, old and young, to buy my cure.

A young man wrapped in a scarf blocking his face bought two elixirs for 1 silver. Then I spotted a bigger, fatter, bald man that came over. He seemed well off, with an expensive golden watch on his hand and a well-kept suit. He approached me with interest. "Tyrune told me you got treatment for that terrible White Iris disease? I trust Tyrune. Been doing business with him for a while. Where are your prices, son? I would like to buy one."

I nodded. "Right, well, considering the product, I don't really list a price. Something like this, I like lowering the price depending on the customer. Normally, a gold would be standard for a product like this, but since this is the trial batch, how does 2 silver sound?"

The man gawked. "Only 2 silver? You sure, boy? That's cheap."

I laughed. "Hey, when you sell medicine like this that saves lives, charging anything more than this seems greedy. I want to do what I can for the people here."

The man nodded, placing two silver on the table. He smiled and thanked me again before taking his leave. With that, I had netted about half of my quota for the day, and it had only been an hour or two. Today was going smoothly—almost too smoothly—so I decided to eat a lunch I had packed for today. I swapped my sign to "closed" and took out a sandwich with salami and cheese I had bought earlier. I drank some lemonade with it, which was refreshing. Just as I had begun to relax, a man approached my stall. He had a thick white beard. He was skinny and had an eye patch on his face. He was followed by two guards. He wore nice rich silks and furs, and had a sharp silver blade on his side. His expression was somewhat serious.

The man introduced himself. "Hello, young man. Sorry to bother you on your lunch break, but I have a few questions for you." I put down my lunch. My body tensed. Was this it? Did they discover my scam and decide to arrest me before I could flee? I feigned innocence. "What can I do for you, my good man?"

The man smiled slightly at my respectful demeanor. "Right, your name is Key, correct? I am Henry Lester, the mayor here in this town. I have heard the rumors of your new product. Care to tell me about it?"

The mayor's interest in my elixir could make or break my entire operation. I met the mayor's eyes, ready to sell him the biggest lie of my life.