Chapter 181: Shell Away
“More than ready!” Balthazar said to the captain.
“Great,” said the veteran. “Come with me then. I only need to sort out a few more things and then I can take you to where you want to go.”
After saying goodbye to the mayor, the crab followed the man down the city square and through the busy streets of Marquessa. The people no longer rushed past him without so much as a glance, instead noticing his presence and greeting him warmly or nudging each other from a distance as they pointed at the famous crab who saved the city’s mangoes.
Not the way he had envisioned becoming famous in a new city, rescuing a bunch of fruit, but if it meant people recognized and respected him—and more importantly, gave him free pastries—he was more than happy to take it.
“Going to skip town without saying goodbye, are you?” a young woman’s voice said from nearby.
Olivia, wearing a studded leather tabard and her neck-length hair tied into a ponytail, came out of a side street with a wide grin on her face and her hands on her hips.
“No, I just thought you would be too busy breaking pieces of pottery over some poor sap’s head to come say goodbye to an old crab,” Balthazar replied, throwing his pincers up.
The niece of the baroness chuckled. “I’m already on thin ice with the milkman, so I’m staying away from his jugs for the time being.”
Joining the crustacean and the captain, the young woman walked alongside them up the street.