They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System
Chapter 293 - 293 Someone

Chapter 293: Someone….

Anyone..

Help Me Chapter 293: Someone….

Anyone..

Help Me He hadn’t wanted the hassle of juggling it while carrying supplies.

A small, bitter laugh almost escaped his throat.

Brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant, Abuchi.

You walked into a foreign market, in a foreign kingdom, with no local currency and no phone.

What next?

Should I wear a sign that says ‘clueless tourist’?

The situation had just gone from annoying to mildly catastrophic.

He looked up just as the person in front of him, an older woman with bright, cheerful energy, thanked the seller and moved away, her brown paper bag packed with fresh goods.

It was now his turn.

The seller gave him a friendly smile.

“How can I help you today?” Abuchi froze for a second.

You help me?

Unless you’ve got an ATM, a currency exchange counter, or a way to telepathically message my friends, I don’t know how you can help me, sir.

Abuchi thought silently.

But with several people behind him already shifting impatiently, some muttering under their breath, he had no choice.

He stepped forward like he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Yes… uh…” He cleared his throat.

“I’ll have… 10 of those, seven of these… and one bundle of that.” His voice was calm.

His heart was screaming.

Okay, great.

I just made a royal fool of myself and ordered half the shop with a wallet full of the wrong money and no phone.

As the seller nodded and began packing the items into a small sack, Abuchi’s eyes flicked back toward his group.

He tried again to wave, subtly at first, just a quick lift of the hand.

No one looked his way.

Karen was still talking, brushing hair out of her face as she laughed.

John had taken out a small snack and was offering it around.

Nnenna looked deep in thought, possibly lost in her own world.

They were fine.

Calm.

Comfortable.

Completely unaware that their so called leader was seconds away from making a fool of himself at a vegetable stand.

He resisted the urge to groan and ran a hand down his face.

Why me?

Why like this?

I swear, next time I travel incognito, I’m bringing a backpack full of emergency everything.

As the seller handed over the neatly packed bag, smiling brightly like he just did him a favor, Abuchi knew it was only seconds before things turned awkward.

Because he was going to have to explain why he couldn’t pay.

Perfect.

Just perfect “Guys!

Guys!

I need help–” Abuchi called out, his voice louder now, panic slipping in.

But before any of his companions could glance over, or even react, the man behind him tapped his shoulder, his tone polite but laced with growing impatience.

“Excuse me… he’s done packing your order.

If you’re not ready, you can leave the line.

Or you can please concentrate and pay so we can all move along.

After that, you can go back and continue talking with your friends.

I don’t have all day.” Abuchi blinked, stunned.

“Yes… of course.

I’m sorry,” he mumbled quickly, ducking his head.

But inside, his brain was scrambling.

No phone.

No friends paying attention.

No local money.

I am so doomed.

Sweat began to prick the back of his neck.

His pride screamed at him not to embarrass himself further.

Still, there was only one thing left to try.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a neat stack of Lionara currency.

Come on, maybe, just maybe, they accept foreign money.

It’s possible.

Right?

Wrong.

He extended it toward the seller and immediately looked away, as if avoiding eye contact would somehow delay the inevitable.

But he couldn’t avoid it forever.

So he looked up.

And there it was, the seller was staring at the money with a puzzled expression, as if Abuchi had just handed him ancient scrolls instead of cash.

“Sir…” the seller finally asked, “what are these?” “Ah… those are Lionara c-currency,” Abuchi stammered, trying to keep his tone casual.

“Do you… accept that currency?” It was a hopeless question.

Even as the words left his mouth, he knew how ridiculous it sounded.

“No.

Of course not,” the man said with a flat, almost offended shake of the head.

“I… see…” Abuchi replied, his voice trailing off.

Embarrassment washed over him like a wave crashing down on a sinking ship.

He felt exposed.

Completely ridiculous.

His cheeks burned.

He could practically hear the judgment of the line behind him, feel the stares, sense the collective sighs of the people who just wanted to buy groceries and go home.

Fantastic.

I’ve just made myself the unofficial entertainment of the market.

He cleared his throat and stepped slightly back clutching the Lionara bills awkwardly.

He didn’t even dare to look back at the seller’s expression again.

Someone, anyone… save me.

Now the people in the line were giving him wary stares.

The kind that stung, even though no one had said anything out loud yet.

“What a foolish man,” someone muttered under their breath.

“Is he someone’s spoiled son?” another whispered.

Their gazes said the rest, judgmental, annoyed, amused.

Not a single one of them looked like they were on his side.

Abuchi could feel the weight of their stares pressing down on him, and it made his skin crawl.

Even if he’s a tourist, someone thought with a sneer, shouldn’t he have exchanged his currency yesterday?

It’s common sense, isn’t it?

The seller looked from the unfamiliar bills to Abuchi, then back at the line that was growing increasingly restless.

The large bag of fresh produce he had just packed, a generous bundle, too, with some of the best goods of the morning, sat untouched between them.

The seller’s excitement at making such a good sale was already fading fast.

“Sir,” he said, his tone clipped but polite, “you have to change your currency before you can buy anything here.” Abuchi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Please… I don’t have time to go and do that now,” he said quickly, trying not to sound as desperate as he felt.