24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 109
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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24-Hour Friendly Market Specializing in Dimensional Items Episode 109
Episode 109. One Thing After Another (4)
“Oh, right. I gave you a Quest.”
I muttered blankly and clicked the window.
‘When was the last time exactly?’
It’s been so long since I’ve seen a Quest window that my memory is hazy.
The Quest arrived at such an unexpected timing that I was so flustered I almost forgot about being troubled by the Ahn Yeon-seo and Seo Jae-hyuk problem.
But what was even more bewildering was the content of the Quest.
[Title Job Quest (8)
To successfully operate and expand the market, complete the following tasks.
1) Import and sell 100 types of items from other dimensions. (0/100)
2) Sell 100 types of items from this dimension to other dimensions. (0/100)
3) Repair B-Grade or higher items. (0/10)
4) Appraise A-Grade or higher items. (0/10)
However, do not interfere with scenarios while performing the Quest.
Reward: Unlock new title skill
Penalty: Title extinction]
I stuck my tongue out at the outrageous demand to do everything possible, but only for a moment.
I was licking my lips at the tempting reward of a new title skill when I blinked at the three characters ‘penalty’ attached to the last line.
“…Extinction?”
I didn’t misread that, did I?
It means my small and precious title will be extinguished, right?
[⁕ That’s correct 🙂 If you fail to complete the Quest, your title will be revoked :)]
Sam-i kindly confirmed it for me, and I shouted with wide eyes.
“Extinctiooon?!!”
In all the Quests I’ve performed so far, there has never been a single case with a penalty attached.
But the first penalty given is none other than title extinction?
A title is an important element that allows an awakened person to play the role of a hunter.
Of course, I’m not playing the hunter role, but I’m still doing something similar like scouting or reconnaissance.
Is that all?
It’s a dutiful title that supports my daily life with various fees and rent.
I’m using it quite efficiently, so what law allows giving and then taking it back!
[⁕ Your title is ‘Open Market Manager’. Awakened individuals must be faithful to their title’s duties :)]
Sam-i kindly guided me once again.
But I became even more dumbfounded.
“…Are you saying you gave me a Quest because I haven’t been making money?”
[⁕ You have been neglecting market management recently :)]
Ah, I see…
I made a sour expression and stuffed five potato chips into my mouth at once.
If I had to be honest, it’s not wrong.
It’s true that I’ve barely paid attention to the market since the 53rd floor expedition.
That’s all because I was meddling with scenarios.
If I assume Babel had hopes when giving me the ‘Open Market Manager’ title, I probably should have focused on ‘market management’ as the title suggests.
Did they perhaps want me to play the role of a building owner who puts effort into building management?
“Ugh, I don’t want to do it!”
I shouted and stretched.
A repetitive Quest that can’t be solved at once but requires steady work.
Since it can’t be finished with just a day or two of suffering, it will consume quite a bit of time and energy.
‘Well, my skill levels will probably rise as I do it.’
I suppressed the urge to throw everything away and tell them to go ahead and try, and forced myself to find the positive aspects.
Repair skill is level 2, Dimensional Door and Item Appraisal skills are level 3.
It’s been quite a while since they leveled up, probably because higher levels require more proficiency.
The Item Appraisal skill seems to have risen because I’ve been using it everywhere.
‘I haven’t been doing much repair work.’
While thinking that, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.
The fact that the Mask of All Things, which had somehow become an essential item for my outings, was crying beautifully split in half in my inventory.
I put down the potato chip bag and opened my inventory.
Looking at the Mask of All Things split cleanly as if folded and cut in half made me sigh involuntarily.
Kim Seol probably doesn’t know she cut it so neatly.
Well, I learned the profound lesson that even S-rank items can be broken by S-rank hunter skills.
‘But is that really a lesson I needed to learn?’
Having such useless thoughts, I sighed and used my skill.
[‘Repair’ skill is being used on ‘Mask of All Things’.]
[68,230G will be deducted.]
“This is crazy…”
I failed to control my language at the ridiculous amount.
I thought it would be resolved around ten thousand gold at most, but what is this absurd amount?
I remember not having much gold, so if I fix this, I’ll be broke immediately.
[Gold in possession: 870,340G]
“No, I’m not.”
I’m quite rich…?
An enormous number that’s about 100 times what I thought I had.
It felt so unreal that I checked again, but the number was the same.
I could just buy a new Mask of All Things.
‘Did they deduct this much in store fees during that time…?’
Or did Kang Yeon-hee make another amazing invention and sell it like crazy?
Either way, this fantastic balance is probably thanks to the intermediate managers Kang Yeon-hee and Alessandro.
Even without me sending messages to ask for favors, they seem to have done well on their own, making the boss happy.
They must have been worried sick since the boss hasn’t been around for a month.
I nodded with a satisfied smile.
My head kept hurting because there was too much to think about, but I feel refreshed after receiving financial therapy.
‘Well, my title is also that of a merchant.’
Making money is the most important thing.
“So from now on, I’m going all-in on the Quest.”
The Quest window I had opened earlier showed only the repair section with its number increased by one.
Since the Quest mentioned “don’t interfere with the scenario,” what I needed to do was clear.
Focus on the Quest for now, ignoring the scenario.
…No, wait.
‘Something sounds off?’
Not caring about the scenario was my principle from the beginning!
I shook my head and grabbed hold of my wandering thoughts that had briefly gone in the wrong direction.
Ever since learning about the dimensional destruction event, I had been more entangled in the scenario than I thought.
From the 49th floor to the 53rd floor, there wasn’t a single scenario that Lee Hae-won hadn’t influenced.
But I know it myself too.
Maybe I had been arrogant.
Maybe I had made the presumptuous mistake of thinking things wouldn’t be resolved without my intervention.
Well, given my title, it’s true that things would go easier if I intervened.
But the Quest is telling me not to do that.
My role is Open Market Manager, not scenario supporter.
In that sense, this Quest seems like a signal telling me to “return to the starting point.”
I got up from my seat and stretched long.
I had been thinking I should meet Ahn Yeon-seo, but I changed my mind.
“Whatever happens, happens.”
Honestly, what could Ahn Yeon-seo do just because she finds me suspicious?
I haven’t harmed South Korea, and I haven’t harmed Aegis either.
‘I did skip work without notice though…’
That’s truly an unthinkable grave sin, but anyway, I haven’t done anything wrong in the end.
Of course, I did button things up wrong when I first met Ahn Yeon-seo.
Acting suspicious because I was worried about my identity being exposed?
I admit it.
But I spent a month in the Tower, and during that time the wrongly buttoned button fell off.
Spending time worrying and panicking about being caught is too wasteful, and I have a lot of work to do.
Most importantly.
‘Having Ahn Yeon-seo suspicious is better than having my title disappear.’
The penalty written in the last line of the Quest brought me completely back to reality.
If my title disappears, I’m just a supernatural ordinary person.
Without stats, I can’t even pretend to be an awakener, can’t open the market, can’t enter the Tower of Babel.
And if I lose my title, what happens to the foreign worker Alessandro?
Even if I pretend otherwise, I’m someone who cares about employee welfare.
It wouldn’t make much difference even if Nam Pu-reum suspects me.
“No, now that I think about it, this is ridiculous.”
I grumbled quietly.
They’re the ones who suspect first without any evidence, so why should I be scared?
I keep thinking of myself as a weak E-rank Hunter, so even my heart has become weak.
“Right, Lee Hae-won. You’ve become famous anyway, so be prepared.”
I hypnotized myself and took out my phone.
The name I searched for in my contacts was none other than ‘Real Estate.’
‘Since I’ve already become suspicious, might as well become more suspicious.’
Well, I’ll be spending a lot of time in the Tower because of the Quest anyway, and the management fees for maintaining a studio apartment just to avoid suspicion are a waste.
It’s an undeniable fact that Babel Square is the safest place for me.
I’m moving out.
* * *
[Going into secluded training, probably won’t be reachable]
[Guk Min-seong: ?]
He has no sincerity at all.
I carelessly threw my phone aside and pressed down the blanket, stuffing it into one side of my suitcase.
Since this was a decoy studio apartment, there wasn’t much to pack.
A few sets of clothes I wore when commuting to Aegis, blankets and pillows, and about 5 bags of moist and crispy cream cheese sweet potato latte flavored truffle butter potato chips.
The only important thing here was the materials Park Ji-woon gave me.
The materials containing testimonies from guilds that witnessed Brother.
‘Brother really wandered around everywhere.’
With a sudden question in mind, I called Sam-i.
“Sam-ya.”
[⁕ I’m Sam-i :)]
“Does Brother have a similar title to mine?”
It was a question that came after some thought.
[⁕ There is only one ‘Market Manager’ in this dimension :)]
A firm answer came back, but it wasn’t very satisfying.
The single quotes are attached in a very concerning place.
It sounds like Brother has some other special title that’s not ‘Market Manager.’
‘Are Brother and I a set, by any chance?’
For example, ‘Dimensional Trading Specialist’ or ‘Gold-specialized Tax Accountant’…
[⁕ No :)]
I guess not, then.
It’s as ridiculous a title as ‘Neighborhood Peddler Friend.’
I’ll read through Brother’s materials again later in a safe zone.
“Why is this so light?”
Maybe because I lived carelessly, the suitcase with no belongings was light enough to carry with one hand.
I left the empty studio apartment as if no one had ever lived there.
Then I coolly concluded the matter I had been pretending to ignore.
[I’ll be busy for a while so I won’t have time. Let’s have a meal next time we get a chance!]
The reply from the unsaved number was meaningful.
[Don’t you really have anything to talk about? I thought Ms. Lee Hae-won would want to discuss something.]
I snorted at the text that seemed to say they’d let it slide this once.
There’s something I learned while roaming the 53rd floor with Kim Seol.
“So what.”
Exactly—attitude.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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