Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 142: Crowds, Mana, and a Market Gem

"Yes, of course!" Damien replied eagerly.

He couldn’t wait to see what the marketplace would be like.

...

People.

Everywhere.

No matter where Damien looked, the streets were packed with people.

It reminded him of a famous theme park on Earth.

The streets were actually much wider than the noble district’s roads, but the countless small shop stalls and street vendors lining both sides made them feel narrow.

Despite the bustling crowd, it wasn’t just humans Damien saw.

He spotted people with black hair similar to his own, as well as others with dark skin and silver hair. He even saw a few people with horse-like ears, similar to Theo, and others with dog-like ears.

Oh, and there was someone with rabbit ears too.

Then there was someone with two large antlers growing out of their head. Were they supposed to be a deer?

And plenty of other species Damien couldn’t even begin to identify.

That said, humans still made up about half the crowd, with non-humans accounting for the other half.

As Damien walked, his eyes darting around to take in the vibrant scene, Elyon suddenly leaned against him.

"E-Ely—er, El?" Damien corrected himself.

Elyon’s face was pale.

"Cedran, can we take a break?" Elyon said weakly.

"Over here," Cedran replied without hesitation, leading them into a side alley between two buildings.

"El, are you okay?" Damien asked, concerned.

Elyon had mentioned his discomfort with towns before. Maybe this level of crowding was just too much for him.

"...I’m sorry..." Elyon muttered. "The chaotic mana in the crowd overwhelmed me... I feel a little sick."

Oh, right. Elyon could sense mana.

The dense, jumbled mana of the crowded streets must have made him feel nauseous.

Maybe...

Damien decided to test something. He linked his arm with Elyon’s, pulling him close.

"W-What are you doing?" Elyon stammered, startled.

"How do you feel now? Still sick?"

"Hm? ...No, actually. I feel fine now. Must be because I’m only sensing your mana."

Damien smiled, relieved that his idea worked.

It seemed Damien’s constant outflow of mana was a real thing. Elyon had once mentioned feeling comfortable when he was nearby, so Damien had suspected this might help—and it worked.

"Is this okay now?" Damien asked.

"Yes, this will do," Elyon replied, his tone steady and no longer weak.

"Sorry for the trouble. I’m fine now," Elyon added, bowing slightly to Cedran.

"Good. Then let’s return to the main street," Cedran said, taking the lead.

Damien followed closely, staying arm-in-arm with Elyon.

"...Though I must admit, it’s becoming a bit too pleasant..." Elyon muttered under his breath.

Damien glanced at him, exasperated. "I can’t be held responsible for that."

...

The group resumed their exploration of the bustling market.

Damien had briefly worried that staying so close to Elyon might draw unwanted attention, but no one seemed to care. In fact, there were plenty of couples walking closely together, just like them.

The main street was lined with small stalls and vendors that resembled a flea market. For now, they were browsing one of the many displays.

"Hey, young man, you’ve got an eye for quality!" the shopkeeper called out, grinning. "That’s a pendant made of amethyst harvested from the Sacred Mountain, deep within the Eternal Ice Wall. Perfect for warding off evil! How about it? A fine gift for your lady friend?"

Damien blinked his eyes. The shopkeeper seemed to have mistaken Elyon that was cloaked with robe, for a shy girlfriend.

At least in this crowd, Elyon’s scent or voice wasn’t giving him away as male.

The shopkeeper held up the pendant, its purple gemstone set in a polished gold frame. It was quite ornate.

"How much is it?" Elyon whispered in Damien’s ear, sending a faint tickle down his spine.

"Uh... Five small gold coins?" Damien replied, a little unsure.

Damien had been studying prices and numerals from other stalls, and while he was getting the hang of it, some shopkeepers had quirky handwriting that made deciphering tricky.

Elyon nodded his head. "That’s correct. This one has a habit of connecting their letters, making it harder to read. By the way, the gemstone is real, but the gold is low-purity, and there’s no enchantment on it. Five gold coins is daylight robbery."

Elyon’s sharp gaze swept over the stall’s wares, eventually settling on something else.

"That green beryl there, priced at seven silver coins, has a faint magical aura. It’s a quiet decent to buy."

Damien followed Elyon’s lead, spotting the item in question. It was a green gemstone with silver fittings—likely a single earring.

Though Damien wasn’t well-versed in jewelry, the gem’s color reminded him of Elyon’s vibrant green eyes. It was striking, and Damien found himself liking it.

"Alright, I’ll take this one," Damien said, handing the shopkeeper the green earring. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Technically, Damien wasn’t spending his own money, so he didn’t want to waste it frivolously. Cedran had instructed them to buy something—anything—after spending time at a stall to avoid potential disputes.

"Ah, you’ve got taste, young man," the shopkeeper said, pocketing the seven silver coins before tossing the earring toward Damien.

"Whoa!" Damien caught it just in time, startled.

The shopkeeper had already turned around to another customer.

"Ah, miss, this pendant here? It’s also from the Sacred Mountain within the Eternal Ice Wall. It’s perfect for ensuring a happy marriage—it’s said to bring husbands home early every night!"

"Oh my, it’s lovely! But isn’t it a bit pricey?" the woman replied, intrigued yet hesitant.

"Heh, I can’t beat that! Four small gold coins and eight silvers—or wait, I’ll lower it to five!" the shopkeeper declared, but before Damien could protest, the man had already moved on to help another customer.

"Well, at least I got what I wanted," Damien muttered, pocketing the green earring.

The gem was beautiful, but it felt strange to just keep it stashed away.

"Ely," Damien called, turning to his companion, who was scanning nearby stalls for their next target.

"Hm? What’s up?" Elyon replied.