24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 178

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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 178

 

Episode 178. What’s This About Now? (1)

 

As soon as I entered Babel Square, all the tension melted away and fatigue came rushing in.

 

I hadn’t even done leg exercises, just ran my mouth, yet my legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds.

 

Climbing the stairs to the 3rd floor was so exhausting that I even scolded myself for not installing an elevator.

 

‘Did I forget anything?’

 

I stopped in my tracks at the sudden self-doubt, then shook my head.

 

No, I didn’t make a single mistake.

 

You did well, Lee Hae-won.

 

Among those tiger-like S-rank Hunters, I spoke properly without crying, and even saved someone who was dying.

 

If Brother knew, he’d be shocked and say ‘Hae-won, you did that?’

 

So rather than thinking about other things, resting comes first.

 

Most importantly, Alessandro said he’d make pork kimchi stew and japchae and wait for me.

 

‘Can’t resist that.’

 

I barely managed to climb to the 3rd floor and opened the front door.

 

The familiar living room and sofa immediately came into view, and the spicy scent of kimchi stew hit my nose!

 

Plus, as if responding to the sound of the door opening, the booming voice of our household fairy!

 

“You’re back!”

 

Alessandro, who somehow seemed to have gotten even more robust and louder despite not exercising, came rushing out to greet me.

 

He was wearing a cute bear-patterned apron that I’d never bought him, from who knows where.

 

…Really impressive.

 

As I stared without even blinking, slightly shocked, Alessandro gently waved a tasting spoon and said,

 

“You! The stew tastes great. As expected, you have to use aged kimchi for good flavor.”

 

…Where on earth did he get aged kimchi from.

 

It was absurd, but I didn’t have the energy to express my bewilderment, so I just waved my hand and took off my robe.

 

“Ugh…”

 

A groan escaped naturally.

 

Just taking off the robe that had absorbed all those tiring hours made me feel like my fatigue was lifting.

 

Alessandro naturally took the robe and asked with a worried tone,

 

“You look particularly tired. Of course, you’re always tired, but… did something happen?”

 

“A whole lot happened. I really want to sleep right now.”

 

“That won’t do.”

 

When I looked up at his suddenly stern voice, Alessandro added seriously,

 

“This is my life’s masterpiece, so have at least one spoonful before sleeping.”

 

“…Ah, yes.”

 

How did the last knight commander of a fallen kingdom end up becoming our household fairy?

 

‘I don’t even want to ask…’

 

I shuffled over to the dining table.

 

Even though I’d never told him exactly when I’d be back, the table was already set with utensils.

 

Ah, maybe because I came back so tense, I’m getting touched by such small things.

 

‘Almost brought tears to my eyes.’

 

Then Alessandro smiled brightly and set a pot down on the table.

 

Appetizing kimchi stew with steam rising from it, japchae glistening with oil.

 

The visual was stimulating enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

 

‘But seriously, it’s way too eye-catching.’

 

I kept glancing at the yellow checkered kitchen gloves covering Alessandro’s thick hands, and finally couldn’t hold back my question.

 

“Wait, I never bought you aged kimchi, an apron, or those kitchen gloves. Where did they all come from?”

 

“There’s Kang Yeon-hee, isn’t there. Such a kind friend.”

 

It’s good that the two of them are getting along well.

 

It’s also good that Alessandro, who had nowhere to belong in this foreign land, became friends with Kang Yeon-hee and found joy in cooking.

 

‘I’m just the one who’s shocked…’

 

I decided not to ask any more questions.

 

Let’s think positively about everything, Hae-won…

 

I forced myself to look away from the kitchen gloves and picked up my spoon.

 

“How is it?”

 

“Alessandro is a genius.”

 

This time I really almost cried!

 

As expected, Alessandro’s cooking skills had improved even more.

 

If his name were Park Soon-gu instead of Alessandro, he’d have the skills to sell kimchi stew meal kits and sell them out completely.

 

Alessandro probably never knew he had talent for cooking either.

 

As I buried my face in the rice bowl and wolfed down the food, Alessandro smiled contentedly.

 

“So, what happened this time?”

 

Alessandro showed his concern again when I had almost finished my rice bowl.

 

“It’s too long a story to tell.”

 

My answer must have been quite firm, because Alessandro silently pushed the japchae bowl toward me.

 

‘…What is this feeling.’

 

Doesn’t this feel like a daughter brushing off her mom because she’s too lazy to explain?

 

Maybe because I don’t have a mom, I’m doing this with Alessandro.

 

I picked up a chopstick full of japchae and asked,

 

“But there was something I wanted to ask Alessandro.”

 

“What is it? Go ahead and ask.”

 

He’s reacting so cheerfully that I’m starting to feel a bit sorry.

 

‘I should treat him better from now on.’

 

Repeating this new resolution to myself, I asked what I’d been curious about all along.

 

“Were there other countries besides Falcon in your homeland?”

 

At the sudden mention of his homeland, Alessandro’s face, which had been full of laughter, hardened.

 

I’d been hesitant to ask about Falcon for some reason until now.

 

It was natural.

 

For Alessandro, who wasn’t an Earth Awakener, it would be a homeland he could never return to.

 

But I wanted to confirm my hypothesis that Falcon was just chosen as a stage, and that there were various other nations and regions in that world.

 

Alessandro was the closest person who could definitively verify that for me.

 

Alessandro, whose eyes had wavered for a moment, soon answered calmly,

 

“Falcon was just a kingdom. There was an empire nearby, and places where barbarians lived… the world is vast and large, isn’t it.”

 

The slight tremor in his voice was probably because he briefly recalled the scenery of his homeland.

 

“Have you ever been to other countries?”

 

“I haven’t. I lived my entire life within Falcon. But envoys from the empire came a few times, and sometimes I’d set out to subjugate barbarians who violated our borders. That’s about it.”

 

“Have you ever heard stories about Babel Towers being built in other regions?”

 

“Well… I’m not sure about that. After all, I was the first one to enter the Babel Tower even in Falcon.”

 

Right, he fell through a dimensional rift because he entered the Babel Tower.

 

But even the opened Falcon after clearing the scenario can’t be explored beyond a certain range.

 

So the empire and barbarian territory that Alessandro mentioned must be outside that range.

 

The problem is that I can’t confirm whether Babel Towers were built there.

 

As I stared intently at the kimchi stew with a serious expression, Alessandro quietly added,

 

“That seems to be an important matter for you.”

 

“I’m just curious.”

 

“It’s a matter related to the survival of this dimension, isn’t it?”

 

I tried to brush it off and move on, but no matter how much he chuckles, the instincts of a former knight commander can’t be ignored.

 

I answered with a somehow complicated feeling,

 

“…Yes.”

 

“You must be feeling complicated inside too.”

 

Complicated indeed.

 

If the Tower of Babel had been just a little more kind, would there have been no need for such worries?

 

Anyway, it was certain that this uncertain worry would continue until I got an accurate answer.

 

My expression must have been quite serious, as Alessandro lightly tapped the dining table.

 

“For today, just rest well. You look like you could fall asleep any moment.”

 

Alessandro gazed at me with eyes filled with complex emotions.

 

‘I feel sorry for no reason.’

 

Perhaps because I had forcibly dragged up memories of his hometown that had been barely buried, Alessandro’s mood seemed to have sunk into melancholy, despite having been joyful about making the kimchi stew of his life just moments ago.

 

I felt sorry for no reason.

 

Because I had reopened his wounds, yet had no words of explanation to offer.

 

I deliberately stuffed my mouth full of japchae and chewed.

 

“Delishush, really.”

 

Still, I hope this place becomes your daily life for now.

 

It was the maximum consideration I could offer, being clumsy at caring for others.

 

Perhaps noticing this immediately, Alessandro quietly smiled and muttered.

 

“I can see the contents, so chew before speaking.”

 

* * *

 

Time passed.

 

…Ah, this sounds like a really typical opening, but time really did pass.

 

Three months had passed since I discussed dimensional survival with the guild leaders in the Babel Management Bureau’s meeting room.

 

South Korea entered the Tower a total of three times based on the great Lee Hae-won’s reconnaissance information.

 

After journeys that took 13 days, 42 days, and 26 days respectively, South Korea achieved the remarkable feat of clearing up to the 64th Floor.

 

All sorts of things happened during the reconnaissance periods.

 

I got buried up to my neck in snowy mountains, a fortune teller gave me poisoned dumplings, I got struck by lightning and ended up with explosive hair.

 

I was even imprisoned three times.

 

Three reconnaissance trips, and I got imprisoned on all three.

 

With this, I became an E-rank Hunter with no stats but a physical body who had already been imprisoned five times.

 

‘Wow, that’s really no ordinary honor….’

 

Perhaps I was born with the fate of being imprisoned?

 

But aside from experiencing all sorts of incidents, I surprisingly accepted those situations quite calmly.

 

I guess I’ve grown a bit now.

 

I’ve become bold enough not to bat an eye at most situations.

 

The difficult part wasn’t the various situations, but the workload that came crashing like a tidal wave.

 

The time spent on each reconnaissance was considerable, and running the appraisal shop, repair shop, and market meant even five bodies wouldn’t be enough.

 

“Unnie, I’ve sent you this month’s settlement report.”

 

“I’ll organize the written inquiries that came to the repair shop and appraisal shop and leave them here.”

 

Having Kang Yeon-hee and Alessandro meant I had three bodies, so it was manageable.

 

Receiving the documents handed over by my first and second bodies, I nodded with satisfaction.

 

Without these two, I would have been sitting around guarding the market instead of going on reconnaissance, making my bold promises at the Babel Management Bureau meaningless.

 

‘Ugh, I would have aged terribly.’

 

Just imagining it was exhausting.

 

Then Kang Yeon-hee suddenly widened her eyes as if remembering something and said.

 

“Ah, unnie. My skill level went up, so now I can perfectly process materials I’ve never seen before!”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“So I can make some of the recipes you gave me before. There are some materials I need though….”

 

“Just tell me and I’ll buy them right away.”

 

“I also want that, Italian cooking?”

 

“Italian cuisine? Should I buy you a cookbook?”

 

Alessandro, who had mastered Korean, Japanese, and French cuisine, nodded with a shy face.

 

Ah, it’s so nice to have a lot of money and be able to spend freely without worrying about money.

 

In the past, I used to agree with the saying that having money doesn’t make you happy.

 

But thinking about it now, I think I was just rationalizing because I didn’t have enough money back then.

 

Being able to buy things without hesitation when the two people closest to me ask for something—what could be bad about that?

 

It even gives off boss vibes.

 

‘By the way, how much money do I have now?’

 

I casually opened my status window.

 

It was the first time I’d checked my status window in several months….

 

“Huh?!”

 

“What?!”

 

“Unnie, why are you suddenly like that?!”

 

When I widened my eyes and jumped up, the two of them were startled and looked at me.

 

No way, while I was working hard and neglecting my skills.

 

“I, I grew…?”

 

Without anyone knowing, my skill levels had gone up on their own.

 

> Unique Skills

 

[Dimensional Door Lv.3] [Item Appraisal Lv.4] [Repair Lv.Max] [Merchant’s Mark(P)] [Merchant’s Eye(P)]

 

And tremendously so.

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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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