The rest of the evening went mostly as expected. I mingled with a few of the local business owners and some of Marcus's close associates, exchanging pleasantries and subtle inquiries about potential business opportunities. Sky stuck to me like glue, her presence both comforting and unnerving. Despite her demeanor suggesting the wisdom of an older woman, she was only twenty-one, just two years older than me.

As the evening progressed, I observed the dynamics of the party. The wealthy townsfolk discussed business ventures and local politics, while the servants flitted about, ensuring everyone had what they needed. Marcus took a moment to share more personal details with me. His younger brother, Leo, had once again bowed his head in gratitude, thanking me repeatedly. It was a bit embarrassing, but I had grown somewhat accustomed to living this lie.

Marcus revealed that his daughter also had the disease and wasn't doing well, but my "remedy" had brought her back from the brink. Hearing this, a pang of guilt struck me. I was playing with people's hopes and lives, and their trust in my elixir felt like a sharp needle in my heart.

Throughout the night, Sky's watchful eyes never left me. Her dedication was admirable, but it also felt like a noose tightening around my neck. Eventually, as the party began to wind down, Marcus approached me with a final gesture of gratitude. He had arranged for Alice and me to stay for free at the Later Days Inn. He knew the owners, who were more than happy to accommodate us.

With a few parting remarks, I managed to keep my recipe mostly a secret. However, even at the Inn, I couldn't relax. A gallant guard followed a few paces behind me still as I held Alice's hand, guiding her inside. I turned to the guard, "Will you be staying here too?"

Sky smiled, "I take my job very seriously. If I am given a task, I follow through with it until the end. Right now, my task is you two, so yes, I will be close by."

I nodded, "How reassuring to have someone so skilled nearby."

Sky's expression darkened, her smile never wavering, "Wouldn't want anything to happen to such a talented herbalist, would we? Wouldn't want you getting lost late into the night."

I had no doubt she was mainly tagging along to keep an eye on me. I shrugged, "No worries, I sleep like a log. You won't see me until the morning."

I opened the door to my room. The Inn was small, with only a few main rooms. It felt rustic, but it was a place to stay for free, so I couldn't complain. As I was about to close the door, Sky whispered from behind me, "I can't wait to see you two in action tomorrow. I will be watching very closely. I heard elven magic is interesting to see up close."

I gulped as I shut the door, "Look forward to it. It's something I am proud of."

Once that was settled, I led Alice by the hand to her bed. My mouth was dry as I began pacing around the room. What was I going to do? If Sky discovered my scam, my entire operation would be ruined, and I could be thrown in jail—or worse. I sat down on the edge of my bed, head in hands, trying to think of a way out of this mess. One thing was clear: I needed Sky on my side. No amount of sleight of hand or talking could distract her from that watchful eye. I had many elixirs to make, and they would only work once. All roads led to one path: I needed her to understand my side of things, but that wouldn't be easy. I also needed her not to tell anyone else how the drug is made. I debated whether to lie to her about my accidental success, but in this case, I think lying would only make matters worse.

One thing that might appeal to her is Alice. Alone, I doubted she would hear me out; her role in the guard would make that impossible. Alice, on the other hand, could be convincing if I got her talking. That settled it: before I slept tonight, I would have to utilize Alice one more time. I needed her to say something impactful, but something we could conquer in one night. First, I needed to teach her my name.

Alice sat on her bed unmoving, staring into the void, fidgeting with her hands. I moved over to her, taking off her hat and removing her shoes, making her more comfortable. Once that was done, I began her first lesson. I grabbed her arm and put it to my face.

She jerked her hand back a little, but I kept putting her hand to my face, then I said, "Key." I kept doing this over and over again. Alice's initial confusion gradually gave way to understanding as I continued repeating the motion. I gently placed her hand on my face and said, "Key," over and over again. After a few minutes, she started to murmur the word back to me, her voice soft and hesitant. It was a small victory, but it gave me hope.

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I then moved on to the next part of the plan. I guided her hand to her own chest and said, "Alice." She repeated it, her voice gaining a bit more confidence each time. I smiled, encouraging her with a gentle squeeze of her hand.

Once I had that established, the harder part would be getting her to say "protect." I needed her to say it and understand what it meant. The goal was to have her say the phrase "Key protect Alice." I sat beside Alice on the bed, taking her hand gently in mine. Instead of trying to explain the meaning of "protect" in words, I decided to approach it differently. I leaned in closer to her, my voice soft and reassuring.

"Alice," I began, "I want you to remember something important. When you say 'protect,' it means I'm here for you. It means I'll always try to keep you safe, like when I hold your hand." I guided her hand to my face again, repeating the word "protect" in a calm, steady voice each time I did so. Alice listened attentively, feeling the touch and hearing the word in context. "Key protect Alice," I prompted gently, hoping she would understand the sentiment behind the words, even if their exact meaning was unclear to her. I decided to squeeze her hand every time I said protect hoping to drill the meaning of the word into her.

Alice repeated the phrase after me, her voice soft and trusting. I smiled, feeling a surge of hope that she understood the gist of what I was trying to convey. I kept repeating the phrase, needing to reinforce it in her mind. Finally, after an hour or so of working with her, a small voice came out clear as a bell, "Key protect Alice." With that, I tucked her into bed. She seemed to like saying her name a lot; I heard her muttering both of our names as she drifted to sleep. She was a cute girl; our first day had been action-packed, but I was happy to have met her. I fell asleep myself, but my sleep was restless; I tossed and turned a lot.

In the early morning, I decided to sneak out of the room to buy breakfast at the Inn's small diner. It wasn't anything fancy—just some bread with jam, eggs, and small cartons of milk. I woke up Alice, who grunted since it was still only 6:00 am. Her hair was all over the place, and she let out a protest, "Keey." I laughed at the small girl's first pout. I combed her hair and did what I could to dress her back up for the day, putting her top hat back on. Once she seemed ready, I decided to enact my plan; I wanted to get it over with. I put on my merchant clothes: a small green cloak, my gloves, and a nice undershirt. I stepped out the door; the person I was waiting for was already outside. She was in her full uniform, her sword at her side, her fierce blue eyes locked onto mine. I frowned, "Did you not sleep?" Sky didn't let her smile fall, "Not when I am on guard duty. It's part of the job."

I facepalmed; this woman was on another level. Just how devoted to her job was she? I decided to start with a leading question, "What do you view as just in this world?" I saw Sky's face falter a little at the question, not quite ready to answer something like that. Sky's expression hardened, her gaze sharp as she considered my question. Her lips pressed into a thin line before she finally responded, her voice measured but firm.

"Justice, to me, is about fairness and protecting those who cannot protect themselves," Sky replied, her eyes narrowing slightly. "It means upholding the law and ensuring that everyone has a chance to live without fear of harm or deception." I followed up with, "Do you believe in white lies, Sky?" Sky's expression remained serious, her eyes fixed on mine as she considered my question about white lies. After a moment's pause, she spoke in a measured tone.

"I believe that honesty is fundamental to trust," Sky began, her voice unwavering. "However, there are times when a small deception might be necessary to protect someone from harm or to achieve a greater good. But such decisions should be made carefully and with full awareness of the consequences." I cleared my throat, "Let me start by coming clean then. I don't have a cure-all. I know you're dedicated to your duty, Sky. You've been watching me closely, and I understand why. But I need you to understand something too: my medicine isn't a cure-all or made with elven magic, but it's real, and it works."

Sky's gaze didn't waver, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes now. "Go on."

I continued, my nerves causing butterflies in my stomach, "Given that what you are going to see today is nothing short of a miracle. However, that hope isn't made with some deep knowledge of herbs or some crazy elven magic, but rather it was created by me with my simple hands. I never intended to create something like this medicine, but can you at least trust me that I have the best intentions? I want to help the people of Edgefield with my ungifted hands."

She put her hand on her sword, "I knew you were a liar. Do you really expect me to believe that so easily?" I gripped Alice's hand almost unintentionally for support, and the small girl stepped in front of me. Alice put her small body between Sky and me and said, "Alice protect Key!" This was not as I intended; I was taken aback. With Alice's unexpected declaration, a tense silence hung in the air, bridging the gap between deceit and hope, where trust teetered on the edge of revelation.