A Fair Price

Althwyn at sundown was a patchwork of warm lantern light, dark alley mouths, and the constant hum of people refusing to sleep early. Stalls were still open, merchants barking last-minute deals. The air smelled of roasting meat, spilled ale, and damp cobblestones.

The merchant’s shop sat in a busier street lined with ornate signs swinging overhead. His storefront was tidy but guarded by a heavy oak door, the glass panes inset with iron latticework. He ushered the group inside quickly, locking it behind them.

“Right,” he said, heading for the counter. “Let’s get this done before the guild shuts for the night.”

The Crimson Spear clustered near the counter, Aiden leaning on his spear while Nyra produced a folded parchment. “We’ll need you to sign off that the escort was completed without incident,” she said.

“Without incident?” Morgana muttered under her breath. “Guess the goblins, orcs, and roadside murder attempts don’t count.”

Nyra’s eyes flicked toward her. “They were handled. That’s all that matters.”

The merchant chuckled, taking the form and signing it with a practiced flourish. “There. I’ll have it stamped and delivered to your guild before morning.”

Lyris nodded in approval, tail flicking lazily.

When the group began to move toward the door, Morgana stayed put. “Hold up. We’ve got something else to discuss.”

She reached into her cloak and withdrew a small cloth pouch, placing it on the counter. Five large, deep-red gems rolled into view, catching the shop’s lamplight with almost unnatural brilliance.

The merchant’s brows rose. “Well now… these aren’t the sort of trinkets one finds lying around.”

“They’re old,” Morgana said bluntly. “And I don’t care about sentimental value. I want to sell them. Tonight.”

He reached for a what looked like to be a magnifying glass, inspecting each gem with careful precision, turning them to catch the light. 

“Rare cut. Excellent clarity. I’d place them each at… one hundred gold. Perhaps a touch more, but that would require a bigger shop with richer safe.”

“One hundred each,” Morgana repeated, her tone flat but thoughtful, as she tapped her chin.

Alright. So two gold can feed a family of three for a year. Which means one gem is like… fifty years of groceries. Shit. 

She straightened up slightly. Then one gold is about a thousand bucks, which makes this one gem worth about a hundred grand back home. And I have more of them. Okay, yeah… maybe don’t start waving them around in the street.

“I’ll take the hundred each,” she said at last. “For these five only. The rest stay with me.”

“Prudent,” the merchant said approvingly. “Gold is heavy. Gems are easier to carry… and to hide.”

“Exactly.”

The coins came from a locked chest beneath the counter, counted in neat stacks. When she pulled the pouch of gold toward her, the weight was ridiculous. 

Five hundred coins, each one cold and solid in her hand as she touched them. She tied the pouch to her belt, the leather creaking under the load.

“Pleasure doing business,” he said.

She turned to look at the merchant, giving him a wink. "I will come and find you if I need more gold. Make sure to put aside some for me."

The merchant wasn't sure if he should feel happy or worried as he watched her leave his shop with a satisfied grin. She was already outside when she realized that she didn't know the man's name...

Fuck… I didn’t even ask his name. The thought itched at her for a moment, but she didn't want to turn around and ask it. It would look weird. 

She didn’t like not having details. But she took in the storefront, polished oak counter, brass scales by the window, glass display cases with neat rows of rings and pendants. 

The shop’s sign outside was carved into the shape of an ornate gemstone, “The Gilded Setting” painted in deep green. She’d remember the place.

The group lingered for a moment in the glow of the lantern-lit street. The merchant locked his door and disappeared into the shop’s dim interior, leaving them to their own devices.

“Where’s the best place to stay in this city?” she asked the adventurers by her side.

Darren thought for a moment. “The Willow Hearth. Clean rooms, fair price, no questions asked. Head two streets east from here, you’ll see the sign, a green door with brass hinges.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Just don’t flash that purse around on your way there,” he added knowingly.

Morgana gave him a thin smile. “I’m not stupid.”

Lyris stretched. “Willow Hearth, then?”

“Willow Hearth,” Aiden confirmed.

They walked the rest of the way in relative quiet, the glow of the Willow Hearth’s lantern coming into view down the street.

The inn was easy to spot: a sturdy, two-story timber building with a green-painted door and brass hinges gleaming in the lamplight. A warm spill of light came through its windows, along with the muted hum of conversation.

Inside, the smell of baked bread and roasting meat was thick in the air. Behind the bar stood a broad-shouldered man with a close-trimmed beard, polishing a mug.

“Evenin’,” he greeted. “Rooms or drinks?”

“Both,” Aiden said with a smile. “But we’ll take the rooms first.”

“I’ll be getting my own,” Morgana cut in, stepping to the counter. “Single, quiet, preferably with a lock that actually works.”

The bartender gave a short nod. “Four silver a night. Two if you don’t mind a smaller bed.”

“Four’s fine.” She slid the coins across.

He handed over a brass key with a carved tag. “Top floor, third door on the left.”

“Thanks,” she said, tucking it away. Then, to the group: “Enjoy your little party. I’m going to enjoy some peace and quiet.”

Aiden looked like he might protest, but Nyra’s sharp glance kept him quiet.

The next morning, the city looked different. Bright, bustling, and loud in a way the night never could be. The air was crisp when Morgana stepped out of the inn, her cloak pulled loosely around her.

She had decided to use her Phantom Guise. Yes, it drained a lot of mana, and she felt hungry the more her mana got drained, but thanks to her passive, Endless Mana Flow, she was managing to keep up with the cost without much effort.

Her appearance looked human save for the faint, unnatural gleam in her eyes. It was easier to move around and do her business this way. No wings cramped under her cloak, no horns catching on fabric.

She spotted the Crimson Spear already gathered near the door, Nyra, Darren, Lyris, and Aiden, all geared up.

She was still debating what to do with her day when Aiden spoke up. “We’re heading to the Adventurers Guild to report in. You should come with us, get your ID sorted out.”

She gave a slow shrug. “Sure. Saves me figuring out where it is later.”

He smiled, clearly pleased, and the group set off together down the cobblestone street, the city waking up around them.