CHAPTER 3: Velmiris

Lidia was in awe.

The marketplace of Velmiris was like something out of a fairy tale—or one of those fantasy movies where the budget clearly went toward elaborate sets.

Brightly colored awnings stretched across stalls overflowing with exotic wares, the air thick with the mingling aromas of spices, roasted meats, and freshly baked bread. Merchants barked out their prices, their voices weaving through the din of clinking coins, footsteps, and laughter. Lidia strolled through it all like a tourist in a new city, wide-eyed and slightly overwhelmed.

"This is insane," she muttered under her breath, dodging a man carrying a sack of onions the size of small boulders. A fruit vendor on her left shoved a ripe mango in her face, while a boy zipped past her feet, carrying what looked suspiciously like stolen apples.

Naturally, Lidia's awe-struck state meant she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, which is why she smacked right into someone.

"Watch where you're going!" a grumpy man growled, clutching a sack of potatoes.

"Sorry, my bad!" Lidia called, already moving away. She didn't have time to engage with Potato Man. She had bigger fish to fry—namely, fencing the golden sconce she had "acquired" from the temple. It was practically burning a hole in her conscience—not because of guilt (Lidia wasn't exactly plagued by that) but because she needed to sell it fast and turn it into cash. Or coins. Whatever currency they used here.

Her eyes landed on a small shop tucked between a weaponsmith and a stall selling questionable-looking potions. A wooden sign dangled above the door, reading "Falthor's Curiosities." The place looked shady enough to buy stolen goods but respectable enough not to murder her in an alley.

Perfect.

The bell above the door jingled as she stepped inside, and Lidia instantly felt like she had walked into a hoarder's attic. The shelves were packed with dusty vases, ancient-looking trinkets, and books so old their covers were peeling. A suit of armor in the corner seemed to be watching her, and she swore one of the porcelain dolls on a shelf blinked.

"Afternoon," croaked a voice.

Lidia turned to see the shopkeeper—a man so short she had to stop herself from doing a double take. He barely came up to her chest, with wire-rimmed glasses perched on his stubby nose and suspenders that seemed to be losing a battle with gravity.

"Welcome to Falthor's," he rasped, looking her over like she was one of his questionable artifacts. "What can I do for you?"

Lidia slung her bag onto the counter and pulled out the sconce, plopping it down with the flourish of someone presenting a Fabergé egg. "I've got something you'll love."

The man picked it up, squinting at the ornate gold design with the same expression her coworkers used to have when they found a typo in her reports. "Hmm. Gold, alright."

Lidia grinned. Gold was gold, after all, no matter what world you were in. "So, how much?"

The man hesitated, his lips pursing like he was sucking on a lemon. "It's very… pretty. Well-crafted. I'll give you two silver coins and one gold."

Lidia blinked. One gold coin and two silvers? For this masterpiece?

Was this guy kidding?

She crossed her arms and shook her head. "No way. Two gold coins, or I walk out of here right now."

The man raised an eyebrow, looking more amused than offended. "You new around here, miss?"

She hesitated, her brain scrambling for a response. Admitting she was new would be like painting a target on her back. So, she scoffed and threw him a look of mock offense. "New? Please. I've been around longer than you've been buying junk in this hole."

The man smirked, clearly not believing her. "Alright, alright. How about this? Three gold coins. Take it or leave it."

Lidia's eyes narrowed. Why did he suddenly up his offer? Was she being played? Did she care? Not really. She snatched the coins from the counter and shoved them into her pouch. "Deal."

The man waved her off like she was a particularly entertaining stray cat. "Pleasure doing business with you, miss. Come back if you find any more treasures."

She walked out of the shop feeling a mix of accomplishment and suspicion. Three gold coins were better than she had expected, but there was no time to dwell on it. Her stomach let out an embarrassing growl loud enough to startle a nearby pigeon.

Right.

Food.

She needed food.

Her eyes scanned the stalls until they landed on one with a woman frying what looked like chicken. The golden, crispy skin glistened in the sunlight, and their aroma so mouthwatering it was practically criminal. Lidia's feet moved before her brain did.

"How much for one?" she asked, already imagining the glorious crunch of that fried goodness.

The woman smiled sweetly. "Two gold coins."

Lidia froze mid-reach. "Excuse me?" she finally managed, her voice an octave higher than usual. "Did you just say two gold coins?"

The stall owner, a sturdy woman with arms that could probably wrestle a bear, nodded matter-of-factly. "That's right, love. Two gold coins."

Lidia's eye twitched. Her grip on reality wavered. Two gold coins?! That's like trading a diamond necklace for a bag of chips! She swallowed hard and tried to maintain her composure, plastering on a smile so fake it could have been sold as counterfeit currency.

"Oh, uh… haha, yeah, cool, totally makes sense," she said, voice wobbling. "But, uh, hypothetically speaking…" She leaned in, dropping her voice like she was asking about something totally normal. "How much of this… delicious, uh, fried poultry… could I get for a silver coin?"

The woman raised an eyebrow but didn't seem suspicious. She jabbed her thumb at the grill. "Five pieces."

Lidia froze. Her smile faltered. Five pieces? For a single silver coin?

"Oh," she breathed out. "Oh, wow. That's, uh… that's interesting."

Her brain started doing backflips trying to piece it together. She quickly ran the math—not her strong suit, but desperation gave her clarity. If one silver coin could buy five pieces, that meant… silver had more value than gold here?

She stared at the woman, her soul leaving her body for a moment. He duped me. That sneaky little gremlin in the shop duped me!