Chapter 193: Help Me
A confirmation window appeared, followed by several warnings about permanent binding. Martin accepted every one of them, and only after the final message disappeared did he release the breath he had been holding.
Rias watched him from across the table. "You bought something expensive."
"How can you tell?"
"You stopped breathing."
"That doesn’t prove anything."
"It usually means you’re about to do something stupid."
Martin grinned. "Then your instincts are working perfectly."
Rias narrowed her golden eyes at him before returning her attention to her own shopping.
—
Several districts away, a party of players crossed a crowded stone plaza on their way toward a dungeon gate.
They looked like a typical mid-level group that had already spent far too many nights playing together. Their equipment came from several different sets, and none of the colors matched. One man carried a chipped two-handed axe across his shoulders, while a robed woman beside him ate from a paper bag without slowing down.
At the center of the group walked a broad-shouldered Warden wearing a cheap steel breastplate.
A notification appeared in front of him, and he stopped so suddenly that another player nearly walked into his back. Before anyone could complain, his eyes widened and he burst out laughing.
"Oh, I just got a message from the Auction House! Some idiot bought that useless armor!"
The axe-wielding player looked over. "Haha! Seriously?"
"Yeah! I’m so damn glad." The Warden slapped one hand against his thigh. "That shit was impossible to evolve, and it wouldn’t come off. I couldn’t even have sex properly in this game because of it!"
The woman with the paper bag nearly choked on her food, while the axeman threw his head back and laughed.
"Bwahahaha! Yeah, and you deleted your character just to get rid of it, right?"
"Yeah. I spent weeks trying to awaken the next piece. Weeks! I defended villages, guarded caravans, tanked bosses, and threw myself in front of every attack I could find, but the growth barely moved!"
"You also fed it that epic shield."
"And it ate the whole damn thing without giving me anything!"
The rest of the party laughed even harder.
The Warden dismissed the notification with a wide smile. He had placed the dormant armor on the Auction House almost as a joke and set the price high enough to recover part of what he had sunk into his deleted character.
He had never expected anyone to buy it.
"Some people really have too much money and no brains," he said. "I’ll take it, though! Thirty damn grand! We’re going to the pub tonight, and everything’s on me!"
"Let’s fucking go!"
The entire party cheered as they continued toward the dungeon entrance. Their voices carried across the plaza, drawing scornful looks from nearby merchants, resting adventurers, and several players waiting in line.
The former owner did not care. For the first time in weeks, the Worldshell Carapace was someone else’s problem.
—
Martin and Rias were finally done with their shopping spree.
They rose from their seats and left the stone table to make room for the players patiently waiting inside the Auction House. The hall had grown even more crowded during their visit. Every table was occupied, and impatient groups stood nearby, watching for anyone who appeared close to finishing.
The moment Martin stepped outside, the endless rain surrounded him.
Water hammered against the Auction House’s sloped roof and poured from stone gutters into the canals below. Magical lamps lined the nearby streets, spreading blue light across the wet pavement. Their reflections rippled and broke apart whenever raindrops struck the puddles covering the road.
The Auction House stood beside one of the district’s wider canals. Stone walkways ran along both sides of the dark water and were protected by waist-high iron railings, while arched bridges connected the neighboring streets. Small boats carrying players and goods passed beneath them every few moments.
Even with the heavy rain, the city remained crowded.
Players hurried between shops beneath enchanted umbrellas, while others wore rain-resistant cloaks. Some ignored the weather completely because they did not feel like wasting money on cosmetic protection. Beneath canvas awnings, merchants continued shouting over the downpour and the constant chatter of passing adventurers.
Martin lifted his face and let the cool rain strike his skin. After spending so long inside the crowded Auction House, the open air felt refreshing.
Rias stepped outside behind him, and the wind stirred her medium-length blonde hair around her face and shoulders. The rain quickly darkened several strands and pressed them lightly against her cheeks. Her fitted clothes did little to emphasize her flat chest, but the damp fabric hugged her narrow waist before stretching tightly over her thick ass.
Martin’s gaze lingered long enough for Rias to notice.
Her golden eyes narrowed. "What?"
"Nothing."
"You were staring."
"I was checking whether your new gear had arrived."
"My inventory is not attached to my ass."
"That would be an inconvenient design."
Rias rolled her eyes and walked past him, giving Martin another excellent view that did nothing to support his innocence.
They needed somewhere less crowded to examine their purchases. Equipping expensive gear directly outside the Auction House would draw attention, especially when plenty of players nearby were already looking for wealthy targets to follow, bother, or recruit.
Martin turned toward one of the quieter side streets, but he had barely taken three steps when he froze.
[Help me.]
The voice was soft and nearly lost beneath the rain.
Martin looked over his shoulder. Players passed behind him without reacting, while a merchant continued advertising waterproof boots from beneath a striped awning. Two armored women argued beside the entrance about which dungeon they should visit next.
No one seemed to have heard anything.
"Did you hear a woman calling for help?" Martin asked.
Rias stopped beside him and frowned. "Can you really hear anything over this constant rain?"
It was a fair point. Rain struck rooftops, pavement, umbrellas, canals, and hundreds of pieces of armor, blending into one endless roar that filled every corner of the street.
Martin listened carefully, but several seconds passed without anything unusual reaching him.
Then the plea came again.
[Help me.]
The voice did not come from the street. It slipped through the surrounding noise and reached him from somewhere deeper, speaking directly inside his head.
Martin turned toward the canal, where dark water rushed between the stone walls beneath the rain. The wake of a passing boat disturbed the surface as he searched for a familiar blue shell.
"Could Angel be asking for help?!" Martin perked up and rushed toward the railing.
Rias followed his gaze. "Angel?"
"She might be in the canal."
"Why would she be hiding in a canal outside the Auction House?"
"She likes water."
"She is the size of a small house."
"That doesn’t mean she can’t hide."
"It means she would be terrible at it."
Martin leaned over the railing and searched the water below. Warped reflections shifted across the surface, while pale fish swam near the stone wall and leaves drifted with the current.
There was no enormous dragon turtle in sight.
[Help me.]
The plea came again, clearer than before, erasing Martin’s remaining hesitation and sending his mind straight toward the most ridiculous solution available.
"Time for a swim!" he shouted.
Before Rias could stop him, Martin planted one hand on the railing, vaulted over it, and plunged toward the canal.
Rias’s golden eyes widened. "Wait! Wait a damn second, Martin!"
Splash!
Water erupted around Martin as he disappeared beneath the surface, drawing the attention of several nearby players.
Rias stared at the spreading ripples and clicked her tongue. "Why do I keep following this idiot?"
Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the railing and climbed over it. Her wet blonde hair streamed behind her as she jumped into the canal after him.
Splash!
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