24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 168

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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 168

 

Episode 168. How to Protect the Nest (4)

 

Green, with eyes wide open in disbelief, urgently approached Engine.

 

The engine, which had clearly been operating with its characteristic muffled noise, was now quiet as if nothing had happened.

 

“No, this… why…”

 

Green worked on the engine’s joints and tightened the bolts again.

 

Seo Jae-hyuk and Lee Hwa-yeon’s mana flowed endlessly into it, but the engine showed no signs of operating again.

 

It only made dull, scream-like sounds before stopping.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with the blueprint, so why on earth…”

 

Green dropped his hands with a face full of despair.

 

The hex wrench fell from his grip, which had been tense with pressure.

 

What weighed down Green’s pitifully hunched shoulders was heavy responsibility.

 

Green’s feelings, which no one had been able to pay attention to due to the hastily made decision.

 

He had simply wanted to pursue bigger dreams than at Gearsgard, but the pressure Green felt after being given the key role in preventing war was beyond imagination.

 

Seo Jae-hyuk and Lee Hwa-yeon could only watch, unable to easily open their mouths.

 

Both were terrible at things like comfort, and they had never conversed without Lee Hae between them in the first place.

 

Above all, for the strongest beings who held the 1st and 2nd rankings of a dimension, responsibility was something familiar they felt as naturally as breathing.

 

“I think… I’ve ruined everything.”

 

They knew nothing about the guilt that weak beings carry.

 

Tears formed at the corners of Green’s wrinkled eyes.

 

“It’s okay! We can try again!”

 

Lee Hwa-yeon hastily threw out a comment, but it didn’t seem to reach Green at all.

 

Green shook his head and muttered quietly.

 

“This… maybe the design itself was problematic from the start. I, I… wasn’t supposed to be the one doing this…”

 

“Oh.”

 

Lee Hwa-yeon hesitated.

 

Lee Hwa-yeon was an optimistic person who had no idea how to soothe others’ self-blame.

 

Lee Hwa-yeon looked back at Seo Jae-hyuk as if asking for help, but he was just as clueless.

 

Seo Jae-hyuk, who was even worse than Lee Hwa-yeon and didn’t have the personality to be gentle with others, only stared at Green with an expressionless face.

 

‘This is screwed…’

 

Just as Lee Hwa-yeon was about to give up, summarizing this situation in one word.

 

Knock knock-

 

A light knocking sound came from outside the research lab door.

 

Green, who had been despairing with a face carrying all the world’s burdens just moments before, looked up in surprise.

 

“Both of you hide quickly. If other mages happen to find out-”

 

“Huh? No. The mana outside belongs to Chae Geun-dam.”

 

“He must have returned already.”

 

At the casual words thrown by Lee Hwa-yeon and Seo Jae-hyuk, Green felt his heart tighten once more.

 

He would soon have to confess to Lee Hae, who would enter after opening the door, that ‘the research failed.’

 

That the hopeful method you mentioned, where all dimensions survive without war, would likely be impossible.

 

If he said that… how would he react?

 

Green slowly opened the basement door with a heavy heart.

 

And.

 

“…”

 

Green froze like a statue upon seeing the face visible through the opened door crack.

 

An unexpected being was standing before him.

 

“Why, what’s not going well?”

 

At the gentle and soft question, Green’s mouth moved.

 

“…Brother?”

 

Green burst into tears he had been barely holding back and wailed loudly.

 

Theowald, the most excellent mechanic he knew and who had always been on his side, was smiling warmly.

 

* * *

 

After hearing the briefing about the series of events that occurred during the process of inventing the new engine, I nodded as if nothing had happened and answered.

 

“I see. That’s fortunate.”

 

“So, I thought our plan was completely finished here. But it really is fortunate, right?”

 

Lee Hwa-yeon smiled with a relieved expression.

 

I smiled back with an expression like ‘these are the trials we face in life.’

 

‘That was close.’

 

Actually, I stopped by Gearsgard because a thought suddenly occurred to me.

 

We’d be bringing fairy dust from Glimerstona, and Florabon sponsored the magic circle.

 

I thought that if I brought Green’s brother to him, it would mean all four cities were helping equally.

 

If I didn’t have Silvester’s power, I wouldn’t have even attempted it in the first place.

 

‘Really fortunate.’

 

I swallowed a sigh while looking at the backs of the siblings standing with their heads together examining the blueprint.

 

Anyway, the saying ‘all’s well that ends well’ is for times like this.

 

I raised my voice and asked.

 

“How long do you think it will take?”

 

“Hmm, there’s nothing wrong with the design itself…”

 

Theowald answered carefully.

 

The person who hadn’t come to his senses until I went to Gearsgard to recruit colleagues was now quite serious, different from before.

 

I did well to sort things out on the airship.

 

Now he properly understood how significant the project he had joined was.

 

After Theowald finished his touching reunion with Green and reviewed the blueprint, the problem wasn’t the engine’s design.

 

It was the mana injection method.

 

No matter how much enormous mana was poured in, it would instantly leak out because the mana circuit inside the engine required delicacy.

 

Realizing this, Theowald and Green joined forces to fix the mana circuit.

 

Checking whether there were problems with the mana circuit was Seo Jae-hyuk’s job.

 

“About 3 hours should be fine.”

 

“It’ll be completed before dawn at the latest.”

 

Theowald and Green, who checked the clock, nodded with confident voices.

 

“Then it’ll be completed by morning.”

 

I nodded with satisfaction.

 

In this place where time was of the essence, the faster the better…

 

Rumble-

 

“Huh, what!”

 

Lee Ja-gyeom, who had been crouching in one corner dozing, jumped up in surprise.

 

A powerful mana wave strong enough to shake the entire underground research lab was surging from outside.

 

Seo Jae-hyuk and Lee Hwa-yeon, who had been concentrating on the engine, also instantly hardened their expressions and drew their weapons.

 

The basement filled with bright golden and silver mana, rippling.

 

Seo Jae-hyuk muttered in a deliberately cold voice.

 

“It’s Quentin.”

 

“His mana is going crazy? It’s dawn – is he in his right mind?”

 

“Ah, I think they noticed that you two left. If we leave them alone, they’ll find us somehow…”

 

Green, who had been calmed by meeting her brother, began trembling again.

 

Chae Geun-dam covered Green’s shoulders with a blanket and asked carefully.

 

“Couldn’t we calm him down by talking to him now?”

 

“That won’t be possible. Once Quentin becomes convinced of his suspicions, he sees it through to the end.”

 

Right, that’s why he fell for Babel and decided to sell out the entire city.

 

He’s consistent in many ways.

 

“Then we have no choice but to stop him. Seo Jae-hyuk, get ready.”

 

Lee Hwa-yeon picked up the Judgment of the Sacred Light that had been leaning against the wall.

 

The sacred light flowing from the mace blended with Lee Hwa-yeon’s mana, softly illuminating the space.

 

Her determined expression looked ready to enter battle at any moment.

 

But I firmly blocked Lee Hwa-yeon’s path.

 

“You two need to stay here.”

 

Lee Hwa-yeon’s gaze, sharpened like a blade before entering the battlefield after recognizing Quentin as an enemy, poured toward me.

 

Lee Hwa-yeon tilted her head to one side as if she didn’t understand and asked.

 

“Lee Hae, didn’t you say only Seo Jae-hyuk and I could stop Quentin?”

 

“That’s right. But Green, can you complete the Engine if even one of them is missing?”

 

At my question, everyone’s gaze focused on Green.

 

Green hesitated for a moment, then firmly shook her head.

 

“No, it’s impossible. Too much mana is needed, so if even one person is missing, it will take much longer. At least two more days.”

 

Reading the sincerity in Green’s expression as she spoke, Lee Hwa-yeon looked slightly flustered.

 

“Then…”

 

“Please focus on completing the Engine as quickly as possible, Seo Jae-hyuk and Lee Hwa-yeon. As for Quentin…”

 

I pointed to Chae Geun-dam, who had been standing to one side with a serious expression, observing the situation.

 

Despite being suddenly designated, Chae Geun-dam gazed at me with calm eyes without any particular disturbance.

 

“Chae Geun-dam needs to handle him.”

 

“Alone?”

 

This was a statement difficult to accept as a Walpurgis Nacht fan, but I held back.

 

I nodded and continued speaking.

 

“It would be great if Chae Geun-dam wins, but he just needs to hold Quentin back.”

 

“Would that be possible?”

 

Seo Jae-hyuk, who had been delicately channeling mana into the Engine, asked casually.

 

It was a bit shallow to be called concern, but too warm in tone to be called dismissive.

 

Chae Geun-dam met Seo Jae-hyuk’s eyes with an upright gaze, then nodded heavily.

 

“If that’s the role given to me this time, I’ll naturally stake my life on accomplishing it.”

 

“What’s with staking your life? It’s not like you have two lives.”

 

‘It’s not like you have a Merchant’s Mark cheat like me.’

 

While such determined responsibility is certainly necessary, I think it’s somewhat unfair for Chae Geun-dam to stake his life alone.

 

I can still vividly see his weary figure enduring the monster wave alone in the Placon Wasteland.

 

I forcibly erased the suddenly flickering melancholy image of the middle-aged man’s back and spoke up cheerfully.

 

“Now, our top priority is completing the Engine.”

 

“No, Chae Geun-dam alone? That seems difficult…”

 

“Lee Hwa-yeon, focus on what the leader is saying.”

 

I drew attention with a firm attitude, then seriously began assigning missions to each person.

 

“Chae Geun-dam’s goal is to divert Quentin’s attention. You don’t have to seriously confront him. Just hold out until Seo Jae-hyuk and Lee Hwa-yeon complete the Engine and join you.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“And you two, after completing the Engine, quickly join Chae Geun-dam. Then subdue Quentin.”

 

“Are you telling us to kill him?”

 

Seo Jae-hyuk asked in a calm tone devoid of emotion.

 

I hesitated for a moment, but nodded with a firm attitude as if I had never hesitated.

 

“If that’s the only answer, yes. But I think there’s only one answer.”

 

A Babel Cultist would struggle to the end if they struggled, but they wouldn’t surrender just because they lost.

 

Ultimately, the only way to end this scenario is to eliminate Quentin Ixion Berylsha, the strongest person in this dimension.

 

“So we’re fighting in the end?”

 

Green, who had been listening quietly, asked in a trembling voice.

 

It wasn’t out of concern for Quentin, but seemed to worry about having to face Quentin, who as far as Green knew was the strongest mage in the world.

 

“The fight with Quentin was predetermined. From the moment we decided to save everyone instead of choosing one city.”

 

At my rigid answer, Green lowered her head as if she had no choice.

 

Seeing Theowald pat Green’s shoulder with a troubled expression, I took a deep breath.

 

This is the ending we decided on.

 

Even hesitating is a luxury.

 

So we have to accomplish it somehow.

 

“Let’s go, Chae Geun-dam.”

 

I quickly turned and began climbing the basement stairs.

 

Between the heavy footsteps of Chae Geun-dam following behind, a voice suddenly popped out.

 

“What about me?”

 

Lee Ja-gyeom, who had been standing and just listening since he jumped up earlier, was raising his hand.

 

Perhaps embarrassed that he alone had been dozing while everyone else looked determined, his face showed he was reading the room.

 

“I feel like I should do something too…”

 

I stared intently at Lee Ja-gyeom’s face, which clearly showed his emotions.

 

Something to assign to an alchemist.

 

“Just stay alive.”

 

There’s no such thing.

 

I couldn’t ask Lee Ja-gyeom, whose physical body was only slightly better than mine, to fight together or contribute his speck-like mana.

 

As I was about to climb the stairs again with determination, I suddenly stopped.

 

Then I turned around and said nonchalantly.

 

“Ah, give Chae Geun-dam lots of potions.”

 

Hearing my words, Lee Ja-gyeom’s face lit up as he hurriedly opened his inventory.

 

Though it hadn’t been apparent until now, Lee Ja-gyeom was an alchemist affiliated with Sinrok.

 

Since Sinrok sent him, Han Ro-mi surely packed proper potions for him, and with those, Chae Geun-dam could hold out in better condition than in Placon.

 

Chae Geun-dam, receiving the obviously gleaming potion bottles, gave a short bow of gratitude.

 

Right, Lee Ja-gyeom’s role was definitely needed too.

 

I smiled at Lee Ja-gyeom as if to thank him.

 

…It’s definitely not because he’s providing potions I would have had to supply instead.

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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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