Main street wasn't hard to find. It was a little ways away from the market at the north end of town. He said his house would be the first one off the main road. I found it pretty quickly. It was huge, with white walls on all sides, and a bell on top. It looked almost like a church, but there were already people out front, a big oak tree covering the gates. Guards remained at the front entrance, blocking the way in. I explained who I was, and they decidedly let their guard down and opened the gates. I had expected just a small party or gathering, but in the few hours we had been apart, a lot more people showed up than I had anticipated. It would appear he was a pretty popular mayor. I recognized a few people passing by whom I had seen in the market.

Suddenly, the man himself, Marcus, came rushing over to me, a big smile on his face. "There we are, the man of the hour. Please help yourself to the food." Rows and rows of white tables were lined up across the outside of the house. I couldn't believe they had already prepared so much in the time I had parted from him. It seemed fully catered on such short notice. Marcus saw the shock on my face. "Oh, haha, you aren't used to our small town of Edgeville. We are all very close. One call is all it takes to have the local shops cater us for the day. Plus, my maids Martha and Fey do great work. Enough about them, though. Please, tell me about the little one here. Are you a father?"

He seemed to notice the little girl I was holding hands with. "Right, yes, um, this is my daughter. Her name is Alice." A ding rings out from a bell. I feel my heart beat at the ding. I continue, "Right, she's my partner too. I have taught her everything I can about medicine. She is almost as good as me. However, well, she is blind and mute, so she needs that bell to communicate. However, I assure you, her disability has never hindered her work. She can smell any of the ingredients, and what she can't smell, she can feel."

Marcus looked shocked, his eyes bulging out. "This young girl? Really?!" I smiled confidently, "She is a genius, I assure you. Right, Alice?" Alice rang the bell, and I casually but sneakily put a piece of bread in her hand. The mayor saw the response and calmed down a little. "Well, if she was trained by you personally, I have no reason to doubt it. After all, you are the genius that cured White Iris disease." A small chill made its way down my spine. "Thank you kindly, sir. If you don't mind, my daughter seems adamant to get some food. I will have to talk shop on the details of my drug later."

Marcus smiled, "Right, help yourselves. The steak and ribs are to die for. Lester family trade secret." I laughed and excused myself from talking to Marcus any longer. I led Alice to the buffet tables, holding her hand and beginning to pick out some food items for myself and her. I got her easy-to-chew stuff: some ham and cheese sandwiches and a few apple slices. I sat her down. We ate together in the corner of the party, at a secluded table near the side of the house. I began feeding her. She ate happily, letting out the occasional "mhmm" or "ahh," which was cute. She seemed happiest when she was eating. I had to admit I was getting attached to her.

Just as I had that thought, a woman walked over to me. Her presence sizzled all the nerves on my neck. I turned towards her, studying her as she walked with icy footsteps, her shoulder-length red hair swaying in the winter wind. Her complexion was tanned, but her fierce sky-blue eyes were the most striking thing about her. She wore a meticulously tailored guard uniform, more polished than usual for the formal party but still practical and ready for combat. A sword hung at her hip, a testament to her readiness and skill. Her hands and arms bore visible scars, each one telling a story of her extensive battle experience. She was followed by a small but noticeable red cape that signified a certain status in the town guard.

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I put on an air of friendliness, but internally I was screaming as she loomed over us. Her small smile made me relax a little. The woman introduced herself, "Key, I assume? I heard about you from the mayor. I expected someone... older. I wanted to formally introduce myself as the head of the guard in Edgeville. My name is Sky Walford. I was deployed elsewhere during the spread of the disease, but once I heard about it, I rushed back here only to discover the matter was settled. I must admit, you grabbed my attention." Just my luck that she would come back almost exactly when I had "cured" the disease.

I blushed a little, my guilt crawling up my back. "Right, um, I am Key. I developed the elixir, and this is my daughter Alice." The bell rang again, making my nerves go haywire. I blushed. "She, um, said hi." My nerves were getting the better of me. I couldn't form a complete sentence. I was good at lying, but her eyes looked right through me. Those blue eyes looked like they were searching the depths of my soul for any answer. Once she looked at Alice, she bent down. "Oh, this is your daughter? She is so cute. I have a sister like this back at home. I think they would be good friends." She stood back up. "Where is her mother?"

My mouth felt dry. "Her mother is no longer around. She, um, ditched us a long time ago, so I have been primarily taking care of her." Sky nodded. "Single father? Did you adopt her?" I frowned. "Um, no, she is my daughter by blood." Sky smiled, her eyes seeming a bit cloudy. "Odd, because she looks nothing like you." My spine began to tingle. It was like she could smell the lies coming out of my mouth. "Haha, so I have been told. She takes after her mother more than me." Sky's gaze sharpened like a knife. She studied Alice, the little girl happily nibbling on an apple I gave her. Finally, she concluded, "She is lucky to have you." Sky remarked softly, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and something else that I couldn't quite place.

Sky's gaze remained intense, her eyes darting between me and Alice. "You must have a remarkable bond with her," she said, her tone light but with an undercurrent of suspicion. "Raising a child on your own, especially one with such unique needs, can't be easy." It would appear she noticed Alice's blindness just by a single look. I forced a chuckle, trying to deflect. "Oh, it's definitely a challenge, but she's worth every bit of effort." Sky didn't seem satisfied with my answer. She crossed her arms, her posture radiating authority. "You know, Key, I've seen many people come and go from this town. Some of them with stories that didn't quite add up. It's my job to protect Edgeville, and that means ensuring the people here are who they say they are."

My eyes darkened slightly, a smile still on my face. "What are you implying?" Sky smiled back, closing her eyes. "One hint. If I smell even a single hint that you are up to no good, it won't end pretty for you." Before I had time to refute her, Marcus came back, clapping a hand on Sky's shoulder. He smiled. "Oh, you two seem to be getting along," Marcus said, his voice breaking the tension that had built between Sky and me.

Sky straightened up, her demeanor shifting back to a more casual one. "Yes, just getting to know our esteemed guest a bit better." Marcus smiled warmly, oblivious to the undercurrent of suspicion that lingered. "Good, good. Key here is quite the interesting fellow, isn't he?" I forced a smile, trying to maintain my composure. "Just trying to do my part." Marcus laughed. "Right, my boy, now I hate to talk business, but with Sky being here now, I figured I should tell you. You see, Sky offered to personally be your guard all day tomorrow. You can whip up the batches we talked about in the coming days, right? Well, I take these matters very seriously, and Sky here took the lead on this matter, so I hope you won't mind her tagging along."

My mouth twitched a little, but I couldn't refuse this request, judging by his eyes. I smiled. "Well, I see that the hospitality in this town is second to none. Yes, we would love to have Sky with us to oversee the elixirs. I think I will feel a lot better knowing that the head guard is personally willing to protect us, don't you, Alice?" The bell rang out, causing both of them to smile in response. Marcus held up his glass. "Let's make sure Edgeville stays the healthiest town around!" I joined the toast, masking my dread with a facade of confidence.