Ezren kept his face unreadable, though his mind raced. That had to be Orin’s master. But why would the church preserve his body instead of destroying it?


    Tobin led Ezren through the winding streets, eventually arriving at a small shop adorned with stacked leather rolls outside. The scent of tanned hides and animal fat filled the air, mixing with the rich, earthy aroma of the town''s daily bustle. Inside, a heavyset man with a graying beard sat behind a counter, inspecting a cured hide with practiced hands. His sharp eyes flicked up as they entered.


    "Well now, what do we have here?" the merchant rumbled, setting the hide aside. "Lookin’ to buy or sell?"


    “Sell,” Ezren replied, unfastening the bundle from his back. He carefully laid the pelts on the counter, unfurling them one by one. The merchant’s brows lifted as he ran his fingers over the fur.


    “Hells,” the man muttered, pulling one closer. “Ain’t seen skins this clean in a while. No ragged edges, no wasted fur—skinned by a master.” His gaze flicked up to Ezren, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “You do this work yourself?”


    Ezren gave a simple nod.


    The merchant grunted and turned his attention back to the pelts. “Wolf pelts go for two to five silver, elk for three to six, dependin'' on quality.” He stroked his beard thoughtfully. “These are top-notch, I’ll give you five per wolf and seven per elk.”


    Ezren crossed his arms, unimpressed. “Six per wolf, eight per elk. You just said these were the best you’ve seen in a while.”


    The merchant snorted and tapped a finger against his chin. “Best don’t mean I’ll go broke payin’ for ''em.”


    “They’ll fetch more once you work them into fine leather. No nicks, no wasted scraps—you’ll barely lose anything in the process. Less work for you, higher profit.” Ezren’s tone was calm but firm.


    The merchant eyed him, then the pelts, then sighed, clearly weighing his options. “You drive a hard bargain, stranger.” He tapped his fingers on the counter, considering. Finally, he nodded reluctantly. “Six for the wolf, eight for the elk. But don’t expect this kind of deal every time.”


    Ezren gave a small nod, the deal settled. “Fair enough.”


    The merchant counted out the silver coins, sliding them across the counter with a grunt of approval. Then, with a grunt, he reached under the counter and pulled out an old, weathered coin pouch. He slid it toward Ezren. “You might find a few more coins in there than you expected. A bit of a bonus for the fine work.”


    Ezren’s fingers brushed the worn fabric of the pouch before he picked it up, his expression neutral. He gave the merchant a sharp nod of acknowledgment. “I’ll be sure to take good care of those as well.”


    “Ezren hesitated for a moment, then spoke again. “if you want more of the wolf pelts i can sell you more. but first, i''ll need to borrow a room with a door for a few minutes."


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    The merchant paused, raising an eyebrow. “A room? For what?”


    Ezren''s gaze hardened slightly, though his tone remained calm. “Just something I need to take care of. It’ll be quick. I’ll pay for the use of the space.”


    The merchant leaned back, studying Ezren with a calculating look. “I’ll have to ask again—what exactly do you need a room for?”


    Ezren’s gaze didn''t falter, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. “I have my reasons. I won’t be long.”


    The merchant eyed him for a long moment before nodding slowly. “All right, all right. Back through the shop to the small room in the back. But no funny business.”


    Ezren gave a brief, respectful nod. “Of course.”


    As the merchant turned to lead the way, Ezren reached into his robe and activated the Mark of Orias, a dark and twisting symbol that flared on his palm. The air around him shifted as he focused his power. The swirling energies of his portal opened before him with a subtle hum, a rift crackling with dark mana. He stepped through, entering a shadowed space where he could work undisturbed.


    Once inside, Ezren began to carry the wolf hides Graos had made, one by one, into the room. The pelts were heavy, but Ezren handled them with ease, moving them from the portal to the room. Thirty wolf pelts in total, each one perfectly preserved, filled the space in a neat pile. The room smelled faintly of the fresh hides, rich with the scent of nature.


    Once the last of the pelts had been carried inside, Ezren closed the portal with a gesture, ensuring the room remained undisturbed. He took a moment to organize the hides before calling to the merchant.


    The door creaked open, and the merchant stepped inside, his eyes widening as he surveyed the room. “What in the gods'' names is all this?”


    Ezren spoke, his voice calm but firm. “I expect a better price for these wolf hides. They’re... a special batch.”


    The merchant’s eyes widened as he took in the sheer number of pelts stacked neatly in the room. His jaw dropped slightly, and he took a step back. “This... this many? I might not have enough gold for all of this.”


    Ezren raised an eyebrow. “So how much can you give me?”


    The merchant hesitated for a moment before replying, “I only have ten gold coins... max.”


    Ezren’s gaze sharpened. “It should be twelve gold and twelve silver. How about ten gold coins, and the rest in items from your store—let''s say, two gold and twelve silver worth of goods?”


    The merchant considered the offer for a long moment, then nodded reluctantly. “Alright, it’s a deal. But I’m not going any higher.”


    Ezren gave a small, approving nod. “Good.”


    With the agreement made, Ezren walked around the store, inspecting the items. After a quick search, he picked out several pieces that matched the value.


    He selected a Leather Vest with Pauldrons for 20 silver, an Assassin Dagger Holster Belt for 15 silver, gloves for 3 silver, boots for 5 silver, 6-use sacks used in grains(1 silver for 6), and a Burlap Rucksack for 16 silver.


    Ezren laid the selected items on the counter, and the merchant looked over them, nodding in agreement. After a moment, he reached into his pouch and handed over 10 gold coins to Ezren.


    As he slid the gold across the counter, the merchant leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. “How did you do that? Are you a mage?”


    Ezren didn’t even glance up, maintaining his calm composure. He gave a small shrug, keeping his voice casual. “I have an item with spatial storage,” he said, offering a simple explanation.


    The merchant paused, considering the response for a moment. He then nodded, as if accepting the logic. “Alright... well, if you’ve got more hides, don’t hesitate to come back. I’ll be more than happy to deal with you.”


    Ezren gave a slight nod, a faint smile on his lips, and turned to leave.


    As he stepped out of the store and onto the street, he saw Tobin approaching, a grin spreading across his face. “So, where’s next, boss?”


    ezren earn 10 gold coin and 15 silver.