Run: 2026-02-22-01KJ38DR3PQQ3Z1T37WV5H9SM3

The market square was alive with the hubbub of a hundred voices. Elena weaved through the throng, her satchel secured close to her chest. She was aware that the merchant would not linger — he never lingered for anyone, especially not a youngster from the outer ring. "Your tardiness is unappreciated," Gregor announced, without lifting his gaze from his ledger. With a frown, he trailed a fat finger down a column of figures. Elena placed the parcel on the counter. "The bridge was impassable. I was compelled to detour." "Not my concern." He unwrapped the covering and inspected the crystal under the daylight's glow. It captured the sun's rays and cast miniature rainbows onto the stall's canvas roof. Gregor's frown intensified. "This doesn't align with my specifications." She had anticipated this objection. The elderly gentleman would always find a reason to grumble, regardless of the items' pristine state. Elena folded her arms, asserting herself. "It meets your exact requirements," she stated emphatically. "Untouched blue quartz, extracted from the northern quarries. I personally witnessed its extraction from the rock." Gregor slowly turned the crystal, examining each facet. He scrutinised it closely and then observed it from a distance. To Elena, he resembled a jeweller evaluating a diamond, although Gregor's trade involved more exotic objects than mere jewellery. He placed the crystal down and heaved a sigh. "Acceptable. But henceforth, package it with care. Its edges are exposed." Reaching beneath the counter, he withdrew a diminutive leather pouch. The coins within jingled as he slid it in her direction. Elena grasped the pouch, its weight seemingly insignificant. Opening the drawstring, she found eight silver crowns inside. They had initially agreed on ten. "Our initial agreement was for ten," she remarked matter-of-factly. "That agreement preceded the bridge fee increase," Gregor retorted, his grin insincere and reserved, never reaching his eyes. "Accept or decline, as you see fit." She accepted. She perpetually accepted his terms. The outer ring didn't afford her many alternatives, a fact that Gregor was well aware of. Elena exited the marketplace, entering the constricted lanes beyond. The sun dipped low above the rooftops, casting elongated shadows across the cobblestones. She tucked the pouch into her satchel and hastened her stride. If she proceeded with urgency, she would reach the bridge before dusk.