Isolde gently tapped her fingertips on the table, recalling the mobile grocery shop parked outside the castle.
The carriage looked run-down, but its interior space was abnormally vast.
She didn't believe that a wandering merchant capable of crossing the northern lands to deliver the remains of a Mooncrown Unicorn would only have these few items for sale.
Ur fell silent for a moment.
Then, he sighed softly.
“It seems dealing with smart people isn't always a good thing.”
Ur spread his hands, his tone quite candid:
“Your guess is correct. I indeed have many good things hidden away. High-tier skill books, special materials, ancient contract fragments, forbidden potions, and even a few dangerous collectibles that I wouldn't recommend any customer touch lightly.”
Isolde's eyes flickered slightly.
“And?”
“And so, it's not that I don't want to make this money.” Ur spread his hands slightly. “It is just that the God of Contracts does not allow us to personally create imbalance.”
Ur's voice grew softer, and the smile on his mask faded a bit.
“If wandering merchants could sell anything and dared to sell everything, this continent would have fallen into chaos long ago.”
Isolde sneered. “You make it sound like you have morals.”
“Not morals, exactly,” Ur said honestly. “We value balance more.”
He raised his hand and gently tapped several items on the table with his fingertip.
“A wandering merchant's transactions depend on fate, but they also depend on boundaries. Whether a customer meets me is fate; what I am willing to offer is a judgment call; and whether the sold items will immediately disrupt the balance of power is the bottom line.”
Isolde narrowed her eyes. “The bottom line?”
“Yes.” Ur bowed slightly. “A merchant can muddy the waters, but they cannot personally flip the entire river over. Otherwise, not only will the buyer die, but the seller will also be dragged down with them.”
He spoke casually, but the meaning hidden behind his words was far from light.
Isolde understood.
Wandering merchants didn't lack better goods.
They simply couldn't sell them on a whim.
At least not to her, not right now.
She had just taken Crow Candle Castle, destroyed Grey Dove Monastery, and forged a deadly feud with the Holy Court.
If Ur were to hand her a few more items capable of rewriting the balance of power, it wouldn't be a transaction anymore—it would be openly pushing the continent's situation off a cliff.
When that time came, it wouldn't just be the Holy Court and the royal family targeting her.
Even the old monsters truly hiding in the shadows would trace the transactions and set their sights on Ur.
Isolde disliked being restricted.
But she disliked putting herself in the dead center of everyone's attention even more.
Seeing her silence, Ur chuckled again. “Besides, among the items I have presented, there is already a Fallen Fragment.”
His gaze fell upon the 【Hourglass of Dusk】 through his mask. “This sincerity is already heavy enough.”
Isolde looked at the fragment, choosing not to expose his scheming.
Still, for a wandering merchant to stock a gold fragment was already exceptionally rare.
And the items she had acquired this time weren't bad at all.
The Hourglass of Dusk fragment, though currently unable to be pieced together into a complete Legendary-grade skill, was a potential trump card for the future.
This trip could already be considered a bountiful harvest.
Isolde lowered her eyes and withdrew her hand from the table.
“Fine.”
The smile on Ur's mask brightened again. “You're not going to press further?”
“Even if I did, you wouldn't sell,” Isolde said flatly. “Instead of wasting my breath, I might as well digest what I can actually use first.”
Ur nodded earnestly. “Exceedingly wise.”
Isolde glanced at him. “Once I've digested all of this, I'll come back to ask you about the rest.”
“Of course.” His tone was cheerful. “To a merchant, repeat customers are always welcome. Especially a guest like you, who has excellent taste, can afford the price, and always brings surprises.”
“That's good.” Isolde placed the 【Hourglass of Dusk】 fragment into its box, her voice calm. “After all, I am still quite law-abiding... for now.”
Ur: “For now?”
Isolde looked up. “Didn't you say so yourself? Transactions depend on fate. I'm just not sure if you'll be able to produce what I want next time.”
Ur looked at her and suddenly let out a low chuckle.
“Very well. Then, out of this rare fate of ours, I shall show you one last thing.”
He pulled open his coat and retrieved a small black box from one of the countless inner pockets.
“This item might be more suitable for the silent maid at your side.”
Lia, who had been standing behind Isolde, turned her dull grey eyes slightly toward him upon hearing this.
Ur extracted a silver-grey circular core from a compartment in the black box.
The core was only the size of a coin, its outer layer wrapped in fine holy silver threads, sealing a very faint blue-white light within.
It looked like something specifically designed to stabilize a fragile object.
Isolde reached out and took it.
A system prompt surfaced.
【Special Material: Basic Puppet Core】
【Primary Attribute: Aberrant】
【Compatible Branch: Dollmaker / Contract Executor】
【Material Use: Stabilizes fragmented souls, repairs doll drive circuits】
【Compatible Target: Soul Contractee Lia】
【Auxiliary Effects: Improves action precision, unlocks basic self-repair】
【Required Auxiliary Materials: Soul-Sealing Wax, Holy Silver Ore, Undead Afterglow】
This item was indeed suitable for Lia.
Its focus was not on increasing lethality, but rather stability.
It allowed the fragmented soul and this doll body to be more stably bound together.
This was far more valuable than a simple “attack boost.”
Isolde suddenly recalled what had happened that morning, when Lia had uncharacteristically asked her about a “proof of identity.”
At that moment, she suddenly realized that she had indeed always treated Lia as a tool in the past.
A loyal, useful doll maid who never disobeyed an order.
She was so useful that Isolde had almost forgotten there was actually a soul stuffed inside Lia's shell.
In her past life, she had also been treated as a tool by others.
She knew what that felt like.
She could be ruthless, she could scheme, and she could lure her enemies into traps.
But those standing by her side should at least have a modicum of choice.
Lia did not yet understand what she wanted.
She simply stood there quietly, awaiting orders.
It didn't matter; growth could happen slowly.
First, let her stabilize and obtain a more complete core.
Once she truly began to understand what “self” meant, she could speak her own answer.
Isolde placed the Basic Puppet Core on the table and looked up at Ur.
“Name your price.”
Ur extended his white-gloved hand, speaking in a leisurely tone. “One thousand gold coins, a box of glowing crystals, half a box of high-purity holy silver ore, plus a high-tier staff.”
Isolde frowned. “Did you see that I just came into some money and decided to mark up the price by thirty percent on the spot?”
The curve on Ur's mask did not change in the slightest.
“You misunderstand. These are life-saving rare materials and top-tier skills.”
“Yet why do I feel like you're tailoring your prices to how deep my pockets are?”
Ur said earnestly, “That only proves my precise judgment of my customers' needs.”
Isolde twitched her lips. “Profiteer.”
Ur bowed slightly. “Thank you for the compliment.”
Rate on N.U.
