The Gryphon, as expected, was filled with people. My only goal was to find Maximilian and then leave.

  Jasmine and Ophelia did not make this easy.

  My veil remained as a [Cryotheurge], but my active role was that of a [Chirurgeon]. I figured the cold aura would work well enough to make sure people didn’t talk to me. If that didn’t work, I had Jasmine to fend them off, or Ophelia here to scare them away.

  Jasmine had immediately left my side to talk to Mary, then to Mr. Marlow, Then Mrs. Marlow, then, I think, one of our old classmates. I lost track of her right quick.

  Ophelia was easy to spot, but she had two major disadvantages. The first was that she was new around, which made her a focal point for this quiet town. The second one, and this was news to me, was that Ophelia was attractive.

  Our booth was surrounded by people, and while most of them acknowledged my existence, it was clear that they wanted to talk to her. Ophelia’s ability to engage in conversation, give a warm smile, and make anyone feel like the center of the world was… impressive.

  I just received her sardonic praise, and constant conversations of being useful. While I guess I didn’t want that much attention, it felt weird to have everyone gloss over to talk to her instead.

  Oh, and buy her food. Apparently, Ophelia’s newest craving is banana pudding, and while she enjoyed the peasant bread, she had two main attributes that made Mr. Marlow wait on her hand and foot.

  She was obscenely rich, and obscenely hungry.

  I finally got up, excusing myself from the scene. Jasmine was already chatting to someone else, and some random person immediately took my seat in the booth.

  I grimaced, but no one seemed to take mind. I looked around, trying to find anyone to orient myself with, or even hover around. If not that, a small, quiet corner where I could read.

  A soft, slender hand touched my shoulder. I immediately stiffened and began to pull away, turning around quickly.

  “Apologies, Lady Hart. You had seemed lost, and I endeavoured to give you some succor.” the man said. He was incredibly tall, and his long, platinum-blonde hair came down to his waist. His face was slender and smooth, and outside of his voice leaning a hair-masculine and the lack of breasts, I would have assumed he was female.

  I then looked down at my lack of breasts, and my flowing white hair. This was not doing well for my self-confidence. “Do… I know you?” I stuttered out.

  “Aywin, Sentinel of the Red Leaf Kingdom,” he said, giving me a genteel bow. His hand clasped over his heart, and… even now, I found his movements very, very… soft. I think the other word would be graceful.

  The only Aywin I knew was an elf, and he should have been in bed. I looked at his face again longer than I’d like too, and then spotted the pointed ears.

  I opened my mouth, but then immediately shut it. I only knew him since I did a house visit. Instead, I opened my eyes.

  The small parasites in his body were still there, but not as many and the larger ones had disappeared. He wasn’t healthy, but he wasn’t as deadly sick as I last saw him. I glanced around, looking at people’s faces and then their ears, and spotted no elves.

  I guess this was fine.

  Aywin waited for me to say something, his gaze expectant. So, I looked at him.

  He returned the look with a smile, and patted my shoulder once more. His hands were soft. I continued the stare, finally blurting what was on my mind. “How do you know me?”

  “Lord Birch, Druid of the Sylvan Order, had requested my assistance to establish an adventurer’s formation in your town, Lady Hart. He spoke highly of you, and I wished to meet you.”

  The way Aywin talked soothed me, but at the same time, felt ethereal. I could tell common wasn't his first language with the way his elvish accent went, but his command of words was just… perfect. It sounded lyrical to me, and with how soft his voice was, I just wanted to keep listening.

  I shook that thought off.

  “Should you be here?” I continued, then looked down at his chest.

  “Yes? My health has taken a rather splendid upturn, and while I’m not at my ideal circumstances, I feel much better than when I was on the road.”

  I raised my finger and followed one of the squirming worms in his gut. As it reached the surface of his body, away from his offal and towards his muscle, I pushed my finger in.

  Aywin lurched, buckling in his abdomen. I looked up at his pretty face. “You’re not better. I was also not asking if you should be here.”

  Aywin offered me an apologetic smile, flashing me his perfect teeth. I just started brushing everyday, and my gums kept bleeding!

  “I do offer my sincerest apologies, Lady Hart. I had not had a chance to speak to the healer who had cured me and thanked her for her efforts. I was not aware of any bedrest orders I was given, and I felt spry enough to walk about.”

  I looked at his smiling face, then at Ophelia. She was chatting with a few men and women, not having glanced at me once. Jasmine was talking to some of our old classmates. I then turned my head to find Noel.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Aywin followed my gaze, and then moved his hand off my shoulder. “The Druid is not here. He was scouting an area for the formation hall. I was seeking our first guests, and while my main objective was to find the knights, it is a happy coincidence that I met you as well, Lady Hart.”

  I was just complaining about being ignored, and now a very… pretty? Handsome? Guy was talking to me first! And although I knew this was Noel’s husband, it still felt flattering.

  “I… appreciate it. But I…don’t know. I shouldn’t know you, you know?”

  Aywin nodded, and then spun to be to my left. His arm reached up to place its palm on my opposite shoulder and pulled me into a caress. Elves seemed to be touchy people, but since he knew Noel and Noel seemed obsessed with hugging me, I was okay with Aywin doing it too.

  And he did feel nice.

  “I understand. Sentinels of any Forest are not exactly something an average person would see everyday. But I know the druid, who knows you, and no other reason, Lady Hart. I would think it’s in our best interests to make acquaintanceship for the sake of our mutual colleague.”

  “...I don’t fully grasp what’s going on between you two, but should you be announcing that? And, I don’t even know what a Sentinel is.”

  Aywin smiled. The reaction wasn’t what I was expecting, as he leaned in. His smooth, warm face rested against my hair, and his lips came down to my ears.

  “Lady Hart,” he whispered. “There is nothing criminal with companionship and adventuring allies. However, the explicit relationship between our mutual acquaintance and I would be best left silent. Likewise, the fact I am an elf is not an issue here, if that is what you’re wondering.”

  Again, his speaking and tone sounded like music. I shook the feeling off. “Ah. Okay. So you’re just friends. And elves are… fine? I’ve never seen one in my life before…”

  “I have,” another soft voice came from behind me.

  He too had long, flowing hair and sparkling blue eyes, but he looked more like a handsome man – one that I’d expect a traveling minstrel to look like. Except I recognized his face.

  “Maximilian!” I excitedly stated, which caused him to smile.

  “I see Nyla’s Chosen recognizes her flock. I am honoured that the goddess sees fit to talk to me.”

  Aywin smiled as well, and offered Maximilian his hand. “Aywin, Sentinel of the Red Leaf Kingdom.”

  Maximilian took the hand and clasped his fingers around it. They then shook. “Maximilian Beauregard, Speaker of the Holy Light, even though I was a humble fisherman.”

  Aywin shook his head, “Nonsense. As Danu says ‘the only path worth walking is your own’. Mayhaps your Goddess offered you to a new Lord to bring the holy light. I wouldn’t hold any ill refrain in my thoughts to be a Speaker.”

  Maximilian chuckled, “Of course an elf sees in the long view. Lord Skye and Lord Birch tell me that you’ve come to set up the Adventurer’s Guild here?”

  “Absolutely! I am already getting quests and assignments from the townsfolk. Apparently a goblin tribe has set up shop in the Lyrelle Forest, and the Valencian Bandits are upping their robberies. Lord Skye tells me that his knights needed the training, Ser Beauregard.”

  Maximilian nodded, before turning around to show us his booth. Two men I recognized were also there; Lucas and Lionel. They both waved at the three of us. We approached, and immediately the two sitting got up.

  The four then looked at me.

  I returned that stare. I was internally very glad that people stopped trying to touch my hand when they were getting ready to greet me.

  Aywin looked down and laughed, and his hand returned to my shoulder. “After you, Lady Hart.” For his lanky and rather lithe appearance, the elf was strong! His gentle push was more like a guiding hand, directing me to the empty part of the booth. He slid down beside me, before waving his arm to the opposite side. “Noble Sers, if you would?”

  The three nodded, each giving a small genuflect towards us. It felt incredibly odd.

  “So, Lady Hart,” Lionel began. “Adri–” Lucas jabbed Lionel in the ribs. “Okay! Lord Skye said you cured his wife’s mother.”

  I said nothing to that. I had promised to myself that everything about my patients was confidential.

  Lionel waited for a moment, before continuing on. “...Okay. Would you mind checking me out soon? I’ve been having a hard time breathing, and I…”

  I peered at him. My eyesight focused.

  He had a small cold and a rather common infection. Something that could be solved with some herbal medicine. But…

  “Not here. Everything I do must be held in sacred trust. Between me, the patient, and the goddess.”

  Maximilian turned his head to stare at Lionel. “Told you. Though, now, it seems like our best interest is to find her a place to start her practice.”

  “I… don’t want to be a [Chirurgeon] though. I want to be a [Farmer],” I responded quickly. Aywin patted my back.

  “You are not limited to picking one life path or the other, Lady Hart. You can do both. You have the talent for it.”

  I smiled at Aywin, before turning my attention back to Maximilian. “What is a frost conduit?”

  “A floating rock,” Lionel interjected, which again, made Lucas jab him in the ribs.

  Maximilian snorted, raising his hand up. One of Mr. Marlow’s children ran towards us, and he ordered three ales. Aywin wanted wine.

  I again said nothing. Aywin looked at me then at the child. “Peach Brandy.”

  “A Frost Conduit is basically a floating rock, yes. It’s a conduit stone that’s been bathed in ice magic.”

  “...Can I just make one?” I asked. The child came back with the ale, wine, and peach brandy. Aywin pushed the brandy towards me, and dropped a few gold coins on the tray. He then slipped the kid a gold coin as well.

  “Yes, you could, Lady Hart. You’d need a manastone and then charge it with your blessing.” Maximilian said.

  “Whe–”

  “I have one you can have, Lady Hart.” Aywin offered. “I’ve no need for it.”

  "That is surprisingly easy." I blinked, stunned by the simplicity. Maximilian offered a knowing nod.

  “Manastones aren’t exactly rare, but I know this town has none. You’d have to buy it from Flowers-By-The-River, or make your own distilling pure Mana.”

  I looked between the men. “Is it that simple? Then why is it my first quest?”

  Aywin glanced at me. “Distilling pure mana isn’t something that most people could normally do. You’d have to find the essence, and then solidify and bind it. Likewise…”

  Maximilian continued. “Frost Conduits, like all conduits, are elementally attuned. Many people use it as the basis for freezing technology.”

  That caught my attention. I could freeze corpses.

  I COULD FREEZE VEGETABLES.

  I immediately stood up. “Thank you for your time. I have THINGS I need to do.”

  Aywin grabbed my hand. “Drop by the Adventurer’s Guild when you get the chance, Lady Hart. I would love to talk to you more.”

  Maximilian looked at Lionel and Lucas. “And we would consider it an honor if you could set up the clinic.”

  I frowned. Even more expectations. I rose my hand up to the sky to wave them off.

  Aywin got up though, and gave me another hug. He was soft and warm, and… I guess between him and Noel, I was glad to have the honor.

  Ophelia and Jasmine didn’t see me leave however. That was only slightly disappointing, but I could now freeze vegetables.

  And bodies, I guess.