24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 136

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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 136

 

Episode 136. Glimmerstona (1)

 

If we think of Aeteria as a small villa, Gearsgard would be the house located on the 4th floor.

 

Vernium on the 3rd floor, Floraban on the 2nd floor, and Berylsha on the 1st floor.

 

And the rooftop would be Glimmerstona.

 

But I fell from the 4th floor and arrived at the rooftop?

 

‘What kind of absurd situation is this?’

 

I just blinked blankly at this ridiculous result that completely defied the laws of physics.

 

The complex and intricate patterns of Glimmerstona still fluttered on the flag.

 

Then could it be that the top and bottom are connected in some kind of infinite loop structure?

 

‘Like a Möbius strip?’

 

Having experienced it firsthand with no way to refute it, my mind felt dizzy.

 

If that’s the case, then it means there are no continents or land masses like on Earth.

 

It’s just a place where several massive floating cities and various floating islands drift around.

 

Then of course I couldn’t see the bottom after falling for over 20 minutes.

 

There was no bottom to begin with!

 

“What kind of perverted dimension is this?”

 

I shook my head while cursing this innocent dimension’s identity.

 

‘Then there’s no reason to restart the engine, is there?’

 

Since I’d return to the rooftop even if I fell anyway…

 

I thought about the 5 islands endlessly falling and shook my head.

 

‘No, islands falling forever would be pure terror.’

 

And if the cities collided with each other, it would be a catastrophe.

 

I decided to set aside this incomprehensible dimensional structure and explore Glimmerstona for now.

 

I was naturally planning to come explore it later anyway, but maybe it’s because I experienced an unexpected situation.

 

I strangely feel like I’ve been pushed into this unprepared.

 

I began walking the streets while unnecessarily adjusting my robe carefully.

 

Glimmerstona is completely different from Gearsgard’s complex and noisy atmosphere.

 

Even though the morning sun has risen, it’s strangely gloomy – like Park Ji-woon after pulling an all-nighter, if I had to compare.

 

The roads stretch out in a perfectly straight cross shape as if measured with a ruler, with no side streets visible, and even the streetlights are just characterless straight gray pillars.

 

The uniformly square buildings made of gray stone were lined up in a row as if copy-pasted.

 

Walking slowly past the buildings, I muttered with a disgusted expression.

 

“…Did some pervert design this city?”

 

Even the distances between buildings were spaced at exactly the same intervals without an inch of error.

 

‘Is this a planned city?’

 

No, even for a planned city, what’s the point of matching everything from building colors to spacing?

 

The bars on every window and the angular nameplates at the entrances. Nothing looks soft.

 

It was a place that perfectly fit the description of desolate.

 

I thought there would be plenty of eccentrics like Kang Yeon-hee since this was the city of alchemy, but this was just…

 

It completely ruined my first impression.

 

After passing through the residential area lined with gray buildings and emerging onto a fairly wide main road, I finally saw people for the first time.

 

I brightened up and quickened my pace.

 

Right, no matter how strange this place might be, it’s still a place where people live.

 

Now I can properly explore and gather information!

 

…Or so I thought, but I retracted that thought within 10 seconds.

 

‘Why is everyone wearing the same clothes…?’

 

On the main road lined with identical buildings on both sides, countless people came and went, but something was strange.

 

A very quiet road where not even small coughs could be heard, let alone conversation.

 

It was so quiet that only the occasional sounds of footsteps and the soft rustling of robe hems could be heard.

 

It felt like everyone was walking straight toward their destination with their gazes fixed forward.

 

It looked like mindless puppets were wandering around rather than people.

 

Most strange of all was that all these people were wearing identical clothes.

 

‘Is it a law?’

 

I stood there dumbfounded, unable to hide my confusion as I observed the people.

 

All the pedestrians on the street were wearing robes of the same design.

 

Not a single person was dressed differently.

 

The robes even came in only three colors.

 

Gray, brown, and black.

 

Brown was the most common, gray came next, and people wearing black robes passed by only occasionally, few enough to count on one hand.

 

There must be some rule behind why they dress like that, but it’s such a desolate city that I can’t fathom what that rule might be.

 

Fortunately, since the Shadow Knight Order robe I’m currently wearing is black, I naturally blend in with the crowd.

 

‘This is quite an odd city.’

 

The inorganic scenery that doesn’t feel the least bit human keeps making me want to run away.

 

Even if I wanted to joke around and grab someone to gather information, here it’s just…

 

‘They don’t even notice me.’

 

Among all the pedestrians, I’m the only one standing around aimlessly.

 

For now, it seemed less suspicious to move in the direction the pedestrians were going, so I hesitantly followed them slowly.

 

The only change that occurred around this time was that people began entering different buildings.

 

Only then did I realize where this ‘main road’ I was standing on actually was.

 

The buildings people were entering had signs that were perfectly uniform in everything from font to size.

 

I hadn’t noticed because they had no character whatsoever, but this appeared to be a shopping district.

 

Grocery stores, potion shops, bookstores, restaurants, and so on.

 

I could tell what they sold, but there were no store names—just ‘Grocery Store.’

 

I run a market with the proper name ‘Friendly Market,’ and Kang Yeon-hee’s shop has the name ‘Yeni Potion.’

 

‘How can a city be this dreary and boring…?’

 

I even get the illusion that nothing would ever happen in this place.

 

Just then, one shop caught my eye.

 

[Recipe Shop]

 

“Oh.”

 

I let out a small exclamation without realizing it, then hastily covered my mouth and looked around nervously.

 

There might be some law against speaking on the streets.

 

The first impression wasn’t great, but Glimmerstone was still officially a city of alchemy.

 

Thinking of Kang Yeon-hee, I slowly made my way toward the shop.

 

Of course, the bigger reason was wanting to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the streets.

 

Ding-

 

Is it really okay to hang bells in this kind of atmosphere?

 

As I entered the shop while seriously pondering this newly formed prejudice, a greeting naturally followed.

 

“Welcome.”

 

It wasn’t particularly friendly.

 

Rather, it was a displeased tone as if treating me like an unwelcome visitor who came too early in the morning.

 

Still, it was the first time I’d heard a human voice in Glimmerstone, so it was welcome…

 

They say when someone usually treats you poorly but does something nice once, it sticks in your memory – it’s funny how hearing a human voice once in a situation where my expectations for the city had hit rock bottom made me feel relieved.

 

I cautiously opened my mouth.

 

“I’ll just browse around.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

Does this person have no intention of doing business…

 

Behind the counter, the back of a middle-aged woman wearing a gray robe was full of boredom.

 

Hearing her indifferent response, I paid no mind and began looking around the bookshelves.

 

Introduction to Basic Dissolution, Principles of Transformation, Unknown Element Combination Methods, The Relationship Between Iron and Water.

 

‘Ugh.’

 

My stomach, which I’d cleansed with a potion yesterday, felt like it was churning again.

 

Kang Yeon-hee probably wouldn’t particularly like this kind of stuff either.

 

I began examining the bookshelves a bit further inside.

 

‘Oh, this side is a bit better.’

 

Making Gold from Eggs, Elemental Magic from Sand, List of Completely New Inventions, and so on.

 

These were creative titles that were hard to believe were written by people living in such a bleak city.

 

I fiddled with the books and picked up a few to take to the counter.

 

I couldn’t keep loitering here forever, and I should go check out the shops lined up next to this one.

 

As soon as the owner heard the sound of books being placed on the counter, she let out a deep sigh and turned her head.

 

And at that moment.

 

“Oh my, I’m so sorry!”

 

The owner jumped up in surprise and suddenly bowed deeply toward me.

 

Hey, I’ve never been treated as a rude person anywhere!

 

I’m not the type to order people older than me to bow 90 degrees either!

 

Just as I was about to wave my hands in surprise and denial, one possibility flashed through my mind.

 

‘…Could it be because of this robe’s color?’

 

The only distinctive feature the shop owner could notice about me was the black robe.

 

If that’s the case, then black robes likely belong to people of higher status than gray robes.

 

After all, black robes were so rare on the streets that you could count them on your fingers.

 

‘If my guess is correct, this robe could be somewhat dangerous.’

 

The Shadow Knight Order’s robe that I’d been using fondly because it concealed my presence and was useful in many ways could inadvertently become a source of suspicion.

 

‘I should get a new one.’

 

…Of course, after making good use of this given situation first.

 

I looked at the trembling owner’s back of the head and opened my mouth.

 

“The atmosphere these days is terrible, isn’t it?”

 

I thought I’d started with something appropriately ordinary, and sure enough.

 

Fortunately, it seems I struck the right tone.

 

Seemingly relieved by my gentle tone, the owner quickly raised his head and answered hurriedly.

 

“That’s right, it must be inconvenient for you. From the perspective of managing the city, things have been particularly chaotic lately, so you must have a lot to worry about.”

 

Gone was his earlier half-hearted attitude, and now he was desperate to please me.

 

There was nothing bad about this for me.

 

I nodded and muttered as if frustrated.

 

“With everything being chaotic here and there, there are many troublesome matters.”

 

“Indeed, that must be the case. With outsiders constantly coming and going… the streets are noisy, and order keeps breaking down.”

 

From his words, spoken while rubbing his hands together obsequiously, I obtained one clue.

 

‘Outsiders’.

 

This was something I had already overheard in Gearsgard.

 

From that kind soldier who had offered to escort me home when I said I was lost.

 

‘It seems Floraban and Glimmerstona have formed a temporary agreement. This morning I confirmed that Floraban’s diplomat entered Glimmerstona.’

 

Floraban and Glimmerstona.

 

The combination of the city of rooting plants and the city of alchemy seemed somewhat awkward, but having heard about it, speculation was easy.

 

The outsiders the owner was talking about were surely the diplomatic party from Floraban.

 

‘Well, there’s a chance it might not be them.’

 

As I closed my mouth and pondered thoughtfully, the restless owner hesitantly added.

 

“They don’t even wear robes, and have no shame. The citizens keep feeling anxious.”

 

Listening carefully, his tone suggested that perhaps I, as someone of high position, could do something about it.

 

‘How often do these outsiders walk around?’

 

Of course, if someone dressed differently walked around among people wearing robes, they would attract attention and stand out.

 

Yes, like those people passing by outside without wearing robes….

 

‘…Wait a minute?’

 

I looked back at the window I had been casually staring at and opened my eyes wide.

 

Foreigners in green clothing passing through the middle of the gray city.

 

Even as everyone glanced at them with obvious discomfort, the foreigners from Flora continued walking gracefully across the city.

 

In addition to their clothing, their ears held definitive proof that they were foreigners.

 

Their ear tips, clearly visible since they weren’t wearing robes, were pointed and protruding.

 

A racial characteristic that could be recognized at a glance even from a distance.

 

My mouth fell wide open.

 

They were Elves.

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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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