The air in the alchemist's house was heavy with the scent of burnt herbs and unknown substances, and the wooden walls were covered with shelves filled with colorful bottles and strange bags.
Two young guards moved between the tables and shelves, opening drawers and turning over vials, searching for any trace of the poison described by the doctor.
The alchemist stood near the entrance, her arms crossed, her eyes watching them coldly with a hint of boredom. Beside her was the old doctor, and at the edge of the room, Iron was leaning against the wall, smiling as if it were merely an entertaining play.
The alchemist turned to the doctor and said with soft sarcasm: "I did not expect you to stoop to this level… you who claim wisdom."
The doctor replied with a faint smile carrying a sting of mockery: "And I did not expect to see you trembling like this… you who claim coldness."
Iron chuckled lightly as he looked at them: "I thought old ladies were always friends… but it seems you prefer to bite each other's necks."
The alchemist slowly turned her head toward him, her gaze fixed, then raised her hand and bit the tip of her finger deliberately, as if planting a promise in the air: "I will show you… you traitor."
The smile on his face did not move, as if it amused him more than it threatened him.
While the guards continued rummaging through the drawers, one of them said: "We're done, doctor… we didn't find any poison like the one you described."
Inside the alchemist's head, her voice laughed coldly: Of course, you won't find it, fools… I gave the only bottle to that vile traitor. Her gaze slid to Iron for a moment, and he gave her a small smile, as if he read her thoughts.
But suddenly, he raised his finger and pointed to a high shelf in the corner: "What's that there?"
The alchemist froze for a fraction of a second, then stepped forward, her voice exploding angrily: "Enough! You found nothing… get out now, and I swear you will regret it… especially you, accused one."
But when she saw the widening of his smile and the steadiness of his eyes, a shadow of fear crept into her heart that she did not admit.
The doctor had quietly moved toward the shelf, reached out, took the bottle Iron pointed at, examined it quickly, then said with a wicked smile and a gleam in her eyes: "We found it… hehe."
The alchemist stood frozen for a moment, then suddenly her eyes widened, and she fell to the ground as if the earth had pulled her feet away. How…? How did the bottle get here? The coldness crawled through her extremities, and her mind screamed: I gave it to him… with my own hands. I put it in his hand while looking into his eyes. Impossible…
The sound of the doctor's footsteps approached slowly, as she rotated the bottle between her fingers like it was a jewel: "Well then… I don't think I need to tell you that you must give me the antidote… now."
Heavy tears suddenly filled the alchemist's eyes, but they were not tears of weakness… but of boiling rage. She surged to her feet and ran toward Iron, her hands stretched out to claw his face, screaming madly: "You traitor… son of a bitch! You sold me for a worthless piece of glass!"
The two young men grabbed her by the arms before she could reach him, while she kicked and spat into the air.
Iron remained standing, tilting his head slightly, sticking out his tongue lazily, shrugging as if saying: I don't understand what you want from me.
She screamed as she was pulled outside: "I will make you pay… I swear by the blood of my deeds you will wish you were dead!"
...
The Medical Tent
The air inside was warm with the scent of boiled herbs. Garon lay down, his heavy breaths gradually stabilizing, and his features losing that deadly pallor. Next to him was an empty wooden cup that had held the antidote.
Selena sat at his head, holding his hand, her face wet with tears… but this time tears of relief. She whispered as she wiped his forehead: "Thank God… you are fine now."
The doctor was watching the signs with an expert eye, nodding with satisfaction as she applied more compresses.
Outside
The alchemist was still held firmly by the two young men, but her voice did not weaken. "By God… are you blind?! It is obvious that this deceiver is the one who put the poison! How could I do that?!"
She raised her chin defiantly, staring sharply at the doctor: "I have lived here perhaps before you even came out of your mothers' wombs! What benefit would I have? To kill someone from the village I feed with my own hands?"
She turned toward the guards, her expression shifting to a mixture of anger and despair: "And you accuse me instead of this insect who came days ago?! Think a little… how did he even know the bottle was with me?! How would he know the details of the poison if he didn't plan everything?"
She raised her voice, stomping her foot on the ground: "Damn you… he laughs in your faces, and you stand there like fools!"
Iron stood two steps away, hands in his pockets, a heavy cold gaze on his face, and a small smile that grew wider the more she shouted.
In the medical tent, where the dim light of oil lamps danced on the faces of those present, Selena stood beside Garon who seemed calmer but still pale. Garon's voice came out weak but firm: "Selena… summon the alchemist, and Iron… I want to hear all the details myself."
Minutes later, the alchemist was dragged in by the two young men, with Iron walking calmly behind her, his eyes observing the scene as if it were part of a show he had arranged himself.
The alchemist stood firmly before Garon's bed, raised her chin, and spoke in the same tone that had exhausted them since yesterday: "By God… it is obvious that this deceiver put the poison. I have lived here for decades, I feed you and treat you. What benefit would I gain from killing a man in my village? As for this insect who came days ago… he certainly planned everything."
Inside, she smiled sarcastically: 'Iron… do you think you have a place here? You're still the weak dick slave who has nothing but his filthy tongue.'
She finished her testimony and stepped back.
Iron advanced slowly, hands in his pockets, his voice calm but his words like knives: "I liked that you started your accusation by painting me as the deceiver… but let me ask you in front of everyone: why would I, who came days ago, care to kill a man I barely know… in a village I have no interest in?"
One of those present whispered to his neighbor: "His words are really logical…"
Another nodded: "The stranger does not gamble in matters that do not concern him."
Her eyes trembled for a moment.
He continued immediately, his tone mixing sarcasm with harsh logic: "If you want to lie… choose a lie that doesn't expose itself. I haven't been here for a month, and I dealt with Garon only for hours… while you know him and everyone around him. Any sane person will see that you had all the time and opportunity, while I'm… just a stranger."
The doctor, who was standing near the bed, said while staring at the alchemist: "In fact… his words made sense from the start. And you… I didn't like you since the moment you set foot in this village."
He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers: "Alright… do you want me to tell them what I saw at your place?"
Garon stared at him, while those present leaned forward a little.
Iron smiled lightly, then said sharply: "I came to visit you out of curiosity… but what shocked me is that you are planning to assassinate Garon… and with whom? With his brother."
The atmosphere froze, and Garon shrank on the bed, as if the word stabbed him in the stomach. "…my brother." He whispered, full of regret and pain.
Before they could catch their breath, a man hurried in: "Garon's brother is not at home… he must have fled."
Iron raised an eyebrow, his smile growing more confident: "As I expected… and I had previously asked to search for him. Now it is clearer: a brother jealous of his brother because of his authority… his wife… and wanted to kill him through an alchemist in exchange for something… maybe it does not concern me, but it seems important to you."
Inside, she screamed: Damn… this fool planned everything since his visit to me.
She stammered: "Yo… yo…"
Iron interrupted her, his voice like a whip: "Will you deny all this?"
She screamed, trying to turn the tables: "You also wanted to kill him!"
His smile did not waver: "And why? What would I gain?"
She was about to say "Selena," but Garon shouted with a voice that cut through the air: "Enough!"
He turned to all of them: "This man helped me… and whatever is between you… I thank him." Then to the guards: "Imprison her in the stable… until we find my brother."
Everyone left, leaving Garon, Selena, and Iron.
Garon looked at Iron, his voice weak but his eyes full of strange confidence: "Please… take care of my wife until I return home."
Selena's face blushed for no obvious reason, she lowered her gaze, while Iron tilted his head, a crooked smile playing on his lips: "I will… I will… I am here because I saw you two as the most honest people in this village… and I want to support you."
Then he added in a low voice, directed to Selena: "In my own way."