Merchant Crab
Chapter 222: You Can’t Argue Against Crabs

“This is way too much, Balthazar!” Madeleine said to her friend, stretching her arms open in a shrug of bafflement. “I can’t accept your offer!”

The crab kept lazily chewing on his fifth slice of almond pie as he rolled his eyes at the baker sitting on the wooden step in front of him.

“No, it’s not, and yes, you can, Madeleine,” he said slowly, mouth parts smacking loudly as he worked through the sticky bits of caramelized nuts sticking to the roof of his mouth. “Tristan rented your spot on the market while you were gone. You wouldn’t let us kick out the flower girl occupying it now. But you also can’t just go on without working, can you? So, it’s only right that I come up with a solution.”

“But… but…” the girl floundered, arms flailing around. “I’ve always worked in town! I can’t just come work down here, this is your spot! Who am I even going to sell my baking to? I know you’re one hungry crab, but I need more than just one client.”

Balthazar chuckled as he wiped his mouth on the back of his pincer.

Something about tasting the girl’s baking again was putting him in a good mood. After all that time on the road looking for her, and daydreaming about those heavenly pastries, it was a delight to sit by his beautiful home again, enjoying a slice of pie alongside his favorite human person. It was just like old times. And by old times he was actually thinking of just a couple of months ago.

“Once you spend more time down here you will realize how much traffic has increased lately. We may not get many townspeople through my bazaar, but we get tons of adventurers these days—more every day now too, thanks to this new dungeon next door. And trust me, those guys have way more coin than your usual Ardville clients, along with way less restraint when it comes to spending it. You will make a killing selling your delicacies!”

Madeleine stared at the crab, her brow knitted in a heavy expression of inner conflict over what her friend was telling her.

“Besides,” Balthazar added, “you just said so yourself, this is my spot, so I’m free to choose who I want doing business alongside me here! And I’d very much like to have you working here, next to us, your friends.”

A smile cracked through the girl’s crust of worry and she shook her head.

“You just want me baking right next door, you glutton.”

Balthazar smacked his mouth parts loudly. “That too!”

The two friends laughed, and the baker relaxed her shoulders, despite a small hint of concern still remaining on her face.

“Five ovens, though?” Madeleine said. “I’m just one girl, Balthazar! Don’t you think that’s a bit much?”

The merchant shrugged.

“Always plan for the long run. A good business grows and expands, so best to already have those ovens ready, I hear they take a while to build. If your baking’s popularity takes off like I expect it will, you will be glad to have them.”

The girl cocked an eyebrow at him. “You’re not planning to keep me locked inside all day long baking nonstop for you like Beatrix, I hope?”

The crab laughed nervously.

“No, no, of course not. You can take fifteen-minute breaks twice a day and go outside, unlike in her lair!”

Madeleine’s head snapped to him and she stared wide-eyed at her friend for a moment before she saw the smile cracking through his expression and they both burst into laughter.

“But,” the merchant said between chuckles, “I will provide you with a better kitchen than the dragon did, or my name isn’t Balthazar.”

The baker shook her head with amusement as she wiped the corner of her eye.

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“Even so, don’t expect me to have the hands to use five ovens at once all the time, mister.”

Balthazar shrugged. “That’s fine. Maybe in time you will take on apprentices.”

Her laughter died down, and her eyebrows arched up.

“Apprentices? Me? I… I’m not sure that I’m qualified to be teaching my craft to anyone!”

“I beg to differ,” the crab said nonchalantly as he bit into another piece of almond pie. “Just give it some thought, alright?”

Seeing his friend’s gaze go distant as she pondered everything he had just said, Balthazar looked away, choosing to give the girl a few moments to reflect upon her own thoughts.

Glancing over to the back of the bazaar, the crab saw Mason and John still measuring the area where the kitchen was to be built. A few paces away from the two craftsmen, the merchant spotted a bright green goblin carefully observing their every move from between two stacks of hay, like an eager student attempting to absorb every little detail.

Balthazar was quite amused at Druma’s attempt at being stealthy in his lurking while wearing a tall and pointy wizard hat that stuck out of the hay bales like a flag announcing his location.

The merchant chuckled upon seeing how focused the two veterans were in their measurements that they hadn’t even spotted the goblin yet. If it had been him, the crab would have spotted such a poor attempt at spying on him right away, he was certain of it.

The mason and the carpenter were now both hunched over a large piece of parchment, both with pencils in hand, spiritedly debating something about their drawn plans.

While the kitchen’s construction would require mostly stone, John’s skills could still be useful for the few parts that would be made of wood, so he offered to stay and help with the project as well. And since Mason seemed quite keen on working with his old friend again, Balthazar had no issue accepting more free labor from the local retirees.

After all, what else would they be doing with all their free time? Sit on a porch complaining about the noisy kids? Watch the grass grow? Feed the birds? No, the crab was certain none of those options—especially the last one—would be anywhere near as productive for them as working for the famous merchant crab.

The amount of free exposure these guys will get! It will do wonders for their careers! Balthazar thought to his own buttons. Until he realized he had no buttons and decided to keep thinking to his own swimmerets instead.

“Look, Madeleine,” the merchant said, after returning his attention to the baker. “You know I wouldn’t suggest you come work here if I wasn’t certain you’d make good business. If there’s something I know and value is making coin, and I wouldn’t steer you wrong on that. And Ardville is right there, a stone’s throw away, so it’s not like you will be going far from everyone else you know up there. You’ll just be coming down here every day to work instead of the market. You know everyone here would love to have you around too, and I’d like to think you enjoy our company and my little pond too, so what’s wrong with taking my offer?”

The young woman sighed, and then she smiled at the crab, her head tilted slightly.

“You and your honeyed words, mister merchant crab. I guess I’ve been bested here. There’s just no arguing against you, is there?”

Balthazar chuckled at his friend’s words, knowing full well there had been no glowing text saying “The Gift of the Crab: Success” in his vision, and that he didn’t need them or any other silly system skill to convince her he was right.

“That’s right, don’t even bother trying, miss,” the crab said as he stood up. “Now, if this discussion is over, let’s go inside if you don’t mind. It’s getting chilly out here.”

Madeleine stood up, grabbed her basket, but instead of following Balthazar inside, she turned and started heading up to the road.

“Hey! Where are you going?” the confused merchant asked, skittering after her.

“Back to town,” the baker replied, sticking her nose up in mock-defiance. “Since I can’t talk you out of this idea, and since you won’t let me pay you rent, I’m going to have to show you my appreciation in some other way. I need to go buy some supplies.”

“Baking supplies?” Balthazar asked as they reached the main road.

“No, nothing for baking,” Madeleine said as she marched on back to Ardville. “I’m going to buy some needles.”

“Needles?!” the crab repeated, watching the girl as she walked away, leaving him confused by the side of the road. “Should I be worried?”

She cracked a sly smile and carried on walking, leaving him without an answer.

After seeing the baker make it safe and sound to the gates in the distance, the merchant turned to go back inside. As he did, something huge coming up from the other end of the road made him jump in place.

“Bouldy! You’re finally back!” Balthazar exclaimed, running to meet the golem, who approached with his usual friendly smile.

“Friend!” greeted the giant.

As the crab got closer, his eyestalks curved up to look at the top of the golem’s head.

“Uhh… What are you wearing up there?”