Run: 2026-02-22-01KJ374QHATR0QSAB5K4JBH7HV

The market square was alive with a bustling symphony of a hundred voices. Elena weaved through the throng, clutching her satchel close to her chest. She was aware that the merchant would not be lenient—he had never shown patience, especially not towards a girl from the outer ring. "You're delayed," Gregor voiced, still scrutinizing his ledger. He ran a bulky finger down a column of figures and scowled. Positioning the parcel on the counter, Elena justified, "The bridge was impassable. I was forced to take a longer route." "Not my concern." Extracting the crystal from its cloth wrapping, he held it up, capturing the sunlight and casting miniature rainbows across the stall's canvas roof. Gregor's displeasure intensified. "This isn't my requested item." This reaction was no surprise. The aged merchant consistently found fault, regardless of the goods' quality. Elana defiantly folded her arms. "It matches your order precisely," she affirmed. "Blue quartz, uncut, freshly extracted from the northern mines. I witnessed its extraction firsthand." Gregor delicately turned the crystal, inspecting each surface. He scrutinized it up close and then extended his arm to view it from a distance. She likened his inspection to that of a jeweler examining a priceless diamond, despite Gregor's trade in far stranger commodities. Setting the crystal down, he exhaled and conceded, "Agreed. But next time, ensure better packaging. The edges are unprotected." Reaching under the counter, he produced a diminutive leather pouch, the coins inside jingling as he slid it in her direction. Elena grasped the pouch, testing its weight in her palm. It felt insubstantial. She loosened the drawstring and counted: only eight silver crowns. Their agreement had been for ten. "We agreed upon ten," she asserted firmly. "Agreements can change. The bridge toll has increased," Gregor explained, offering a thin smile that did not reach his eyes. "Take the proposed sum or reject it." She accepted. The outer ring offered limited options, and Gregor was acutely aware of this fact. Stepping outside the market and into the narrow lanes, Elena noticed the sun lounging low over the rooftops, casting elongated shadows across the cobblestones. She slid the pouch into her satchel and hastened her pace, determined to reach the bridge before nightfall.