Merchant Crab

“No, this can’t be right,” the bewildered crab said, reading through the text in his eyes over and over again, but arriving at no different conclusion.

“You have reached the maximum level…” he repeated to himself. “At level 15?! How does that make any sense?”

Balthazar started pacing back and forth in front of the bazaar’s counter, his mind racing to find logic in that new development.

“Why would the max level be 15? And I’ve seen plenty of adventurers out there way beyond that level!”

He rubbed his chin with his silver pincer, while clacking his iron claw as he walked around in circles, lost in thought.

“This system. This damnable system. From the beginning, there’s always been something wrong with it. I keep trying to ignore it, keep trying to not think about it, but each time this thing keeps making that more difficult.”

Balthazar looked over his attributes.

[Level 15]

[Attribute Points: 1]

[Strength: 3] [+]

[Agility: 2] [+]

[Intelligence: 24] [+]

[Skills]

“This still seems to let me assign attribute points…”

He hesitantly pressed the plus sign next to his Intelligence with his eyes, as he had always done from the start, and it changed to 25.

“Yes, still works. Now there’s just the skill point.” The crab paused, looking at his one remaining skill point and the list of his skills. “What if this really is the last level I can get? That means I will not get any more skill points.”

His stomach dropped slightly, thinking how little thought he had given to it until then. He had never considered those points as a finite resource, made any plans for them, or double checked any of his choices before. Now that he had abruptly discovered that might be his last one, it was as if he was experiencing choice paralysis over it.

“Should I spend it on something entirely new while I still can?” the crab muttered to himself while standing alone in the middle of his bazaar. “Or should I use it to improve one of my already selected skills for one last upgrade while I still can?”

His eyes drifted over to his list of skills.

[Charisma: S(+5)] [Medium Armor: A] [Speech: A] [Reading: B] [Fishing: C] [Imbuing: C] [Leadership: B] [Slashing Weapons: C]

His Charisma, still boosted by his imbued golden shell. Balthazar remembered the past comments about how imbuing wasn’t supposed to be permanent, and the questions on how his use of it didn’t seem to run out. Yet another unanswered mystery, but one he was sure had to be related to whatever odd thing was going on with his system.

His Slashing Weapons skill, the Medium Armor, even his Fishing skill. All things he recalled already having some proficiency on when first discovering skill points. They were all worthy options for upgrading.

And then there were still things like Speech, Reading, and even his more recent Leadership skill. He liked them all, and knowing there was only one point remaining, he could not decide which one was more important to invest in.

“This is ridiculous!” Balthazar exclaimed, as he hopped on his stool and slammed his powerful iron claw against the counter. Fortunately for him, the carpenter’s work proved sturdy, and the wood did not budge under his strike. Unfortunately for him, that did not serve of much consolation against the annoying fact that he, Balthazar, the proud and confident crab, was now finding himself too hesitant to make a choice, even a reckless one.

He wondered what had changed. The old crab had never been one to second guess himself, or hold back from taking a chance without caring much for the consequences that might come later.

It was as if he now felt differently about everything. As if he now felt he had something to lose. As if he had things he... cared about.

Other than just himself, naturally.

Balthazar realized he now had many things he was never used to before, and one of them was responsibility.

Something else he was not accustomed to was self-reflection.

With a long sigh, the crab dismissed away all his system menus.

“I guess I’ll just save that skill point for now. Wait for the right moment where I might need it, just in case it really is the last one I’ll get. I need to make it count.”

Crossing his arms, Balthazar looked out of the bazaar, his gaze lost on the rays of sunlight that pierced through the clouds and hit the ground outside.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“If only I could discuss this with someone,” he let out, with another sigh. “But the only adventurer I ever encountered that seemed to know about these things had to go and vanish after one visit. So many damn adventurers pass through here every day, but of course, the one I need never shows up again.”

It had been weeks since Balthazar had put the word out that he was seeking to deliver a message to Ruby the enchantress, but he had yet to hear any news back.

Lacking in patience, the crab decided he would not keep waiting, and that he needed to try again, and harder this time.

***

“And you are absolutely sure nobody has seen or heard from her lately?” Balthazar asked, standing outside his bazaar with nothing else near him other than a very inconspicuous berry bush.

“No, I already told you, nothing yet. Don’t know how many more ways you want me to explain it to you,” the piece of shrubbery replied.

“It’s just that I really need to speak with her, Rob,” the crab explained.

“What do you want with that one anyway?” the thief asked. “I’ve done some digging on this enchantress since you first asked me to find where she was, and let me tell you, your Ruby lady has quite the reputation.”

“What do you mean?” asked Balthazar, intrigued to find out more about the mysterious woman.

“She moves around a lot, and wherever she goes, trouble seems to find her. She always seems to be looking or researching for something, and asking inconvenient or strange questions. Most people think she’s kind of a nutcase, full of conspiracy theories. A few think she’s hiding something. Whatever is the truth, she seems dodgy, you might want to be careful who you associate yourself with, bud.”

“Really?” the crab said, giving the shrub his most ironic stare possible.

“Alright, fine, I guess I get that’s not saying much coming from me,” Rob responded, making shuffling noises that Balthazar suspected came from him shrugging and throwing his hands up. “But at least you know what I’m about. There’s no doubt on whether I am a criminal and a thief. With this mysterious scarlet enchantress? Who knows what you’re getting yourself into. All I’m saying is, she smells like trouble to me, and I’m telling you, I got a nose for these things.”

“Yes, I’m sure you do,” the crab said. “Just like I’m sure you have a nose for precious gems.”

“Wow, uncalled for, man,” the hidden adventurer said. “No need to be so cranky. I also have some good news I think you’re gonna like.”

“Oh? And what’s that?” asked the crab, his interest suddenly piqued again.

“It’s about your favorite rival merchant, Antoine.”

“Really? Please, do share!” Balthazar requested, visible excitement transpiring through his slightly wicked smile. “The anticipation is killing me here!”

“Well, first he was seen being very irritable at his emporium the day after your new friend Henrietta didn’t go back to him. Most people don’t know why, of course, but some mentioned he was going around the corners muttering stuff about toads and how he should have known better. They must be thinking he’s kinda losing it, hah!”

Balthazar let out a booming laughter of pure satisfaction, accompanied by an amused giggling from the bush next to him.

After the two of them finished laughing over Antoine’s woes, Rob continued.

“It doesn’t end there, though! A couple of days later, he found out your baker girl was moving out of his market spot and to a new one. He was not amused, heh. My sources say he went straight to the town offices to find out who her new spot belonged to, demanding an audience with them, probably planning to strong arm them too. My contact in there said his face was redder than a tomato when he heard his old business partner, Tristan, was the one who owned the space. Yelled and shouted, said it couldn’t be. His stupid little mustache was all curled up by the time he stormed out of there, stomping his feet like a spoiled brat who didn’t get his way. I’m telling you, man, even though I’m not the one who has beef with him like you do, it was hilarious to hear about it.”

Balthazar listened to every word being related to him with unwavering attention, holding back his laughter as best as he could, his face turning red as his cheeks filled up with air.

Rob’s hands opened a larger clearing between the leaves of his shrub as his eyes peered through to give the crab a better look.

“Are you alri—”

Unable to hold it in any longer, Balthazar finally exploded into laughter, his cackling echoing all the way around them, through his bazaar and pond, over the plains to the west, and against the mountain to the east.

Nothing in a long time had brought him so much amusement and joy as the mental image of his nemesis Antoine having his plans frustrated by a crab and being extremely mad about it. It was purely cathartic.

After a couple of minutes, as Balthazar’s laughter finally wound down, Rob spoke again.

“You, uh… you done there?”

“Y-yes, I’m… I’m done now,” the crab responded, still struggling to speak between his final panting and wheezing. “I just… I just really needed that today.”

“I can tell,” the thief said, sounding vaguely concerned. “So, anyway, it seems your dear enemy is none too pleased with your moves. I’d be careful about a response. I doubt he will just let this go and do nothing to get back at you.”

“And that’s why I have you,” Balthazar said, having finally regained his composure, but still wiping away a tear from his eye. “You keep doing your thing, and keep me informed of any danger coming our way.”

“Speaking of danger,” said Rob, shifting around in his bush, “I heard some rumors at a tavern last night that might concern you.”

“Oh yes? And what were they? Were they talking about a handsome crab who lives by the side of the road?”

“No, not like that,” the other responded, trying to sound serious. “Some adventurers who had come to town from the Black Forest through the plains and got a little lost for a while said that when night started falling, they heard haunting sounds out in the distance and spotted ethereal green lights over the horizon. They said they ran the other way and made it inside the gates as quickly as they could, so never found out what it really was, but they seemed really shaken up by whatever they experienced out there.”

“Hmm, I wonder what that could have been?”

“Not sure, but it might be related to something else that happened earlier this week.”

“And what was that?” Balthazar asked.

“Some party of adventurers set out to the plains early in the morning and said they found a dead adventurer on the side of the road,” the thief told. “It wouldn’t be that unusual, except for the fact that this guy looked… strange. He was this very large guy. One of the party members recognized him as some pompous fighter from the guild, except he was dressed in wizard robes. Now why in the world would a fighter be out there in the wild wearing arcane clothing instead of his armor?”

“Uh… yes, very odd indeed,” Balthazar agreed, trying to sound as casual as possible about it.

There was certainly no need to make any mention of his previous interaction with the now deceased adventurer. Surely there was no relevance. He bought the robes out of his own free will. The poor merchant had no blame for his bad decision making. He was an innocent crab.

“Anyhow, that wasn’t the worst part,” Rob continued. “When they found him, he was pale as a corpse.”

“Wait, didn’t you just say they found him dead?” Balthazar interrupted. “So, wasn’t he already a corpse?”

“Well, yes, but… it was a way of speaking, man, alright?!” Rob responded, shifting around abruptly and causing some leaves to fall off the bush.

“A dumb way of speaking, but sure, go on.”

“His face was frozen in a terrified expression of shock, like he was petrified in the middle of screaming. They said he had no visible wounds or any other signs of harm that could have killed him. It was as if he died from… horror.”

Balthazar paused after listening to the emphasis Rob put into that last word.

After a moment, the crab suddenly spoke. “Bah! I’m sure it’s nothing!”

“I don’t know, man. There might be something out there. Something dangerous. These plains are vast, but maybe watch your back out here at night.”

“You adventurers love to make up tall tales,” said the boastful crab. “If there really is something out there, I’m sure it won’t scare me.”