Online: Eiodolon Realms – Child of Ruin-Chapter 36 - 35 – Silver Tongues and Shady Deals

The city looked smaller than before.

Or maybe it was just that Rai and Alex had seen too much in the last few days—puzzles, monsters, dead alchemists, and enough herbs to start their own pharmaceutical empire. After stashing most of their loot in a hidden spot beneath a half-collapsed ruin just outside the village, they’d returned with only two spatial rings and a few select items to sell.

No point in drawing attention.

"Feels weird being back," Alex muttered, adjusting the leather pouch at his waist. "Like we’ve been gone for months."

"It has been just two days," Rai said, his tone dry. "Though most of it was underground."

"Still counts."

The streets were as lively as ever, people trading common monster drops, newbie NPCs herding goats, and a few vendors shouting about their "one-time-only, super rare" goods that had the same crap textures as every basic item in the early game.

"What’s next?" Alex asked.

"We sell bits and pieces over the next few days. Small amounts. Different vendors. No patterns. No heat."

"And after that?"

"We gear up."

Alex tilted his head. "For what?"

"Velondar. And Oblivion’s Ascent."

Alex’s eyes lit up. "The guild."

Rai nodded. "We need coin, reputation, and power before we get there. We’re not walking to a path of success in this city with just some rags and a dream."

They walked toward a corner shop near the alchemy hut. The merchant there, "Gravin’s Odds & Ends" was one of the few licensed to deal in rare herbs. The sign above the shop creaked, the painted letters half-faded, and the inside smelled like dusty mushrooms and desperate negotiation.

"You sure this is smart?" Alex asked, keeping his voice low. "Selling this much, this soon?"

Rai didn’t answer immediately. He led them into the shop, which was in a small narrow alley with similar suspicious shops.

Finally, he said, "We need coin. To register officially in Velondar. For housing. Guild resources. And, if I’m being honest, a few surprises."

"We could’ve sold it to that noble merchant in Velondar," Alex muttered.

"That would attract attention," Rai replied. "This guy, Gravin, he’s greedy. Greedy men are predictable."

Alex gave him a skeptical look. "Greedy men are also dangerous."

"Exactly."

A short, balding man sat behind the counter, his beard streaked with oil and the look in his eyes far too sharp for someone selling dried ginseng and cracked mana flasks.

Gravin.

Rai didn’t trust him on sight.

"Welcome, welcome!" the merchant said, eyes already scanning their belts, their rings, their expressions. "Young adventurers! Looking to buy? Sell? Trade? Perhaps... appraise?"

Rai stepped forward calmly, placing a small vial on the counter. It shimmered slightly, a reddish-gold tincture extracted from one of the more obscure herbs they’d found. Potent, but not dangerous. Just enough to bait interest.

Gravin leaned in. "My my! where did you—no, no, don’t tell me! The mystery makes it more fun."

Rai said nothing.

The man picked up the vial, sniffed it, then dipped a copper testing stick into the liquid. The stick hissed.

Gravin’s eyes widened a fraction. "Oh, this is... hm. Common Wildroot mix. I’ll offer twenty silver."

Alex blinked. "What?"

Rai chuckled, almost kindly. "You’re off by a decimal. Try again."

Gravin sniffed. "My dear boy, I’ve been in this trade longer than you’ve been alive. This is amateur stuff. Good color, sure, but no real potency. Twenty silver is generous."

"It burns a testing rod on contact," Rai replied smoothly. "That reaction’s from Enraged Emberstem extract. Wildroot doesn’t do that. You’re either blind, or you think we’re stupid."

The merchant’s smile tightened, but he didn’t drop the act. "You have a good eye. I’ll admit, it’s... slightly rare. I could go forty. Final offer."

Rai leaned forward, lowering his voice. "We passed three other merchant stalls on the way here. One of them works directly with the Merchant Guild in Velondar. If I leave now, he’ll smell the tincture on me and offer five times that without a test. But I came to you first." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

A beat of silence.

Gravin hesitated. "Sixty-five silver."

"You’re still trying to rob me in broad daylight."

Alex leaned in. "Do you want us to leave?"

Gravin grumbled, finally pulling out a small satchel of coins. "Fine. One gold. But you didn’t hear that from me."

"Good, now that we have discussed that we can’t be fooled, lets discuss the real business."

Hearing these words from Rai’s mouth Gravin had a look of greed understanding Rai had even more valuable stuff with him.

Gravin exhaled slowly. Then he barked a laugh.

"Gods, I like you. Fine. Let’s do business."

Gravin’s eyes narrowed as Rai pulled out a tray from his satchel and placed it on the counter. Dried crimsonroot, bottled moonleaf essence, shadowfern oil, three alchemical orbs, and a tiny case of mana-threaded powders glinted under the lantern light.

Gravin said nothing for a full ten seconds. Then he leaned in, lifting a monocle and adjusting it with a twitch of his cheek.

"Well now," he breathed. "These are not beginner finds. Where’d you come across moonleaf?"

"Does it matter?" Rai asked, calm.

Gravin grinned. "Not at all."

He began inspecting each item with exaggerated care. Smelling, tapping glass, even muttering a few appraisal spells. Alex shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.

They sat at a small side table, where Gravin produced a hidden stash of cleaner parchment and finer weighing scales. He tallied items properly now—consulting a price book Rai noted was accurate, if slightly outdated.

"One-sixty," Gravin finally offered. "But in coin, not credit."

Rai nodded. "And throw in a distortion charm."

Gravin raised a brow. "That’s not part of the offer."

Rai shrugged. "Then I’ll just walk away and sell to Ralvek in Velondar. He owes me a favor."

Rai didn’t know Ralvek, no in this life atleast.

Gravin grimaced. "You’re annoying."

"But profitable."

A long pause. Then Gravin sighed and reached into a drawer, pulling out a polished blue crystal.

"It is a single use equipment. It will allow the user to masks small magical traces. Good for a few minutes minutes."

Rai reached out and shook his hand.

"Pleasure doing business."