I rubbed my hands together earnestly. "Right, this is the Elixir of Vitality, as I've dubbed it. This medicine I developed has properties that supercharge the immune system, making it incredibly effective at combating even the toughest diseases." The mayor stared at me intently, his grey eyes focused on my face.
"I'm here today, young man, because I've heard your product is somewhat of a cure-all. I've received reports that the drug is highly effective against White Iris Disease and wanted to meet the miracle worker behind it myself." Already? It had only been about an hour since I first sold it to the old man.
The mayor continued, "Yes, my brother Leo came by earlier to purchase from you. Well, his wife has already seen her condition improve drastically." He knelt down. "I... I can't thank you enough. I've come here personally as the mayor to express my gratitude. Maria has always been fragile. We consulted many doctors, but they all deemed her a lost cause. You have no idea how much this means to my family. I want to extend my hand to you. We'd like to welcome you to our home. My brother wants to host a feast in your honor."
I swallowed hard. This was far beyond what I had anticipated. Was it a placebo? What was happening? My medicine might as well have been colored water. Was this a trap? I was a complete scoundrel, unworthy of such praise. I decided it would be best to play along for now. I smiled, "I'm so glad my product worked as intended. There's no need for you to go to such lengths. After all, I do this for profit." I downplayed my contribution, hoping he would take the hint.
The mayor looked up, tears still in his eyes. "Please don't be modest. You're a miracle worker, not just for my family but for our entire town. These potions could fetch you a gold coin each or more, yet you sell them to us for 50 bronze? You might as well have given them away. You're a saint!"
Shit, this really isn't good at all. I felt like crap as I met his smile with my half-hearted one. "You're welcome. I just did what anyone would do, Marcus, sir." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Please, call me Marcus. My daughter also suffers from White Iris Disease. I'd like to propose a deal." My heart sank. I asked cautiously, "What kind of deal?" He grinned, "I'll buy your products, these elixirs, at their proper price—a gold coin each—but I'll need at least a hundred of them. We'll provide whatever ingredients you need, unless they're extremely rare. What do you say? Oh, and don't worry, we'll also find you some proper assistance. I'll assemble a capable team to help. This could completely resolve our town's issues!"
I paused for a moment. The offer, while extremely tempting, was also highly risky. I had no idea why they were being cured. However, it must be something to do with my elixir. I had to believe. It couldn't just be a coincidence. The only conclusion I could draw was that some herb I used accidentally turned out to be effective in curing the disease. I decided to take a chance. "Marcus... that sounds like a great deal for both of us. However, leave the fine craftsmanship to me. Crafting the medicine requires extreme precision. With that in mind, I'd only really need one assistant to speed up the process. If you don't mind, I already have someone in mind, someone skilled."
Marcus stroked his beard, still beaming. "Someone as skilled as you? Intriguing. Bring them to my office later. We should celebrate! How does 4:00 p.m. sound?" I smiled, my heart still pounding. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you." With that, Marcus and his guards walked away, a spring in their step. "See you at four, my boy. I'm the first house off Main Street." Once he was gone, I had time to think. I couldn't afford to have a large team of people watching me produce my fake elixir. It would be a disaster. They might ask too many questions that I couldn't answer, and they'd soon realize I was nothing more than a skilled liar if they noticed I couldn't perform any magic.
That left me with one choice: I needed an assistant I could trust, someone I could pay to keep their mouth shut. I had about two hours to find someone to bring to the party, or I'd have to skip town. Damn it. I hurriedly packed my things. I needed to find someone, anyone, who could play the role convincingly and wouldn't ask too many questions. The market square was bustling with a diverse crowd: merchants hawking their wares, children darting between stalls, and customers haggling over prices. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, roasted meats, and exotic spices, mingling with less pleasant scents of sweat and animals.
Navigating through the throng, I scanned the faces around me. The cobblestone streets, uneven and aged, with weeds sprouting from the cracks and muddy puddles from recent rains. Wooden carts laden with fruits, vegetables, and trinkets lined the roads, their owners shouting deals and trying to attract customers.
Shops along the dirt road were busy, colorful signs hanging overhead. A blacksmith's forge sent sparks flying as hammer met anvil, while a tailor displayed vibrant fabrics and finely crafted garments in the window. Street performers played lively tunes on flutes and fiddles, hats on the ground collecting coins from passersby.
I passed a group of travelers resting by a fountain, their weary faces hinting at long journeys. The fountain itself, an impressive stone structure, water cascading down in a soothing rhythm, a brief respite from the chaos around it. Further down, food stalls caught my eye, each offering tempting treats from skewered meats to sweet pastries, vendors eagerly calling out to potential customers. I spotted a few individuals wearing masks, likely due to the disease outbreak.
My heart raced as I continued my search. I needed to find someone quickly, someone who could play the part convincingly and wouldn't ask too many questions. Townsfolk moved about with purpose, many too absorbed in their own business to notice me. That's when I saw her. I almost missed her, leaning against the fountain with a small sign. The writing had faded beyond legibility, likely once advertising something, now worn away. How had she not noticed her sign had faded? That was my thought, but I held my breath as I met her gaze.
Her eyes were bandaged, the wraps tattered like her clothes. She wore rags, a small girl, perhaps fourteen. My heart ached as I looked at her. A child this young should be playing with friends, having fun. Why was she abandoned like this? I noticed small ears poking out from her head. They were rabbit ears. It clicked then. This shabby girl was a demi-human. Suddenly, her condition made sense. Even worse off than hybrids like me, demi-humans were barely considered human. Usually slaves or, at worst, executed. Humans weren't kind to them. They were seen as freaks, so the girl's state wasn't surprising.
She was like me, but to an extreme. Ostracized and left to die by society. Her small tin can, likely to collect any coins she could, was empty. I couldn't bear it. I pulled out a silver coin, flicking it into the can. The girl looked up, clearly blind, but hearing the coin's clink. She made a small noise, fumbling for the tin. Finally, her hand found it. Inside lay a single coin. She gripped it, pressing it to her chest, trying to call out to no avail. I announced myself, "Plenty more where that came from if you help me out." The girl made sounds, "Ugh, uh, huh." I paused. Shit, she couldn't even speak. I was a scammer, sure, but this was too pitiful. What must her life have been like?
Her clothes were rags, clearly blind, as evidenced by the small bandages over her eyes. She smelled, her white hair a mess. In reality, I was better off finding someone else for my scam, someone who could talk and appear more experienced. But my heart overruled my logic. This child would only be another mouth to feed, and I struggled to care for myself. Plus, I had a meeting tonight with the mayor. It would be challenging to convince them she was my assistant. I sighed. Wasn't it my job to bullshit, though? What was one more lie? I held out my hand to the girl, and she rose slowly. I didn't know if she understood me, but I offered, "Let's get you cleaned up." As she took my hand, a hesitant smile crept onto her face, and I realized that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something better for both of us.