He pivoted to "brown beans" and a few pieces of stockfish, traditional staples that were fast becoming luxuries. The Final Tally
By the time Elias reached the vegetable stalls, his bag was surprisingly light, but his wallet was nearly empty.
He grabbed a few liters of vegetable oil and a crate of eggs.
A decent cut of beef was quoted at a price that made Elias laugh nervously.
He reached for a small tin of coffee but put it back. The math didn't add up anymore. 📉 The Aftermath
At the butcher’s stall, the reality of the "200K" limit hit hard.
Elias stood at the entrance of the central market, clutching a leather bag containing 200,000 in crisp notes. Just a few years ago, this amount could have stocked a pantry for a season, or perhaps even served as a down payment on a small plot of land. Today, it was simply "the grocery budget." The Market Entrance