details:
1. Merging a leaf vertex merges a `Patricia Trie` path (while
adding/modiying vertices) and adds a leaf node with payload
2. Merging a Merkel node merges a single vertex to the `Patricia Trie`
and registers merkel hashes
3. Action 2 can be used before action 1 in order to construct a
Merkel proof as required for handling `snap/1` data.
4. Unit tests show that action 3 is benign for now :)
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