Run: 2026-02-22-01KJ3A1CHM1N2J358XXMSFK0PW

The market square buzzed with a hundred voices in chorus. Elena navigated the throng, her satchel clutched close to her heart. She was aware that the merchant would not tolerate tardiness — his patience was non-existent, especially when it came to girls from the outer ring. Gregor stated, his gaze fixed on his ledger, "You've arrived late." He traced a thick finger down a column of figures, scrutinising them. Elena placed the package on the counter, explaining, "The bridge had collapsed. I was forced to take a detour." "That's not my concern," he retorted. Unwrapping the bundle, he raised the crystal to the sky. Sunlight danced off its surface, casting tiny rainbows across the stall's canvas roof. Gregor's scowl intensified. "This is not my order." She anticipated this response. He always found fault, regardless of the items' quality. Elena stood with arms crossed, defiant. "You're mistaken. It's precisely what you wanted," she declared. "Blue quartz, unaltered, from the north's mines. I personally witnessed its extraction from the earth." Gregor meticulously rotated the crystal, examining each face. He scrutinised it at close range, then held it at a distance. In Elena's perception, he resembled a jeweller evaluating a diamond, yet his trade extended beyond jewellery. With a sigh, he set it down, conceding, "Agreed, but for future transactions, ensure proper packaging. The edges are vulnerable." Beneath the counter, he withdrew a small leather pouch, its contents clinking as he slid it towards her. Elena grabbed the pouch, assessing its weight. Its lightness concerned her. Opening it, she counted: eight silver crowns. Their agreement had been for ten. "We agreed upon ten," she asserted. "The bridge toll hike happened after our initial agreement," Gregor explained, offering a hollow smile. "Accept this, or refuse it." She acquiesced, knowing her limited options from the outer ring. Gregor was well aware of this reality. Elena departed the market, entering the narrow streets. The sun sank low, casting elongated shadows across the cobblestones. She stowed the pouch in her satchel, hastening her steps. If she hurried, the bridge would be reached before nightfall.