24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 185

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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 185

 

Episode 185. Troublemaker (2)

 

The person who burst in without even hiding their excited breathing was a young man who looked like he might be around high school age at most.

 

Like Siena, he was a pure white person who seemed to have no pigment whatsoever, but if anything was new, it would be his fine, short hair.

 

His mouth was trembling wildly as if he had received some great shock.

 

Siena, whose pleasant time with me had been interrupted, glared at the man with a hardened expression.

 

“I’m currently conducting an interrogation. If it’s not important, let’s talk later.”

 

Her cold voice seemed to freeze the interrogation room, but the man showed no signs of calming down.

 

Rather, as if Siena’s words went in one ear and out the other, he breathed heavily without even covering his bright red ears.

 

“It is important, right now at Oripium…”

 

“Tommy, I said I’m currently interrogating-”

 

“The entity in Enclosure 18 is attempting to escape again!”

 

As soon as she heard those words, Siena turned her gaze toward me for just a brief moment.

 

‘Oh my?’

 

I reflexively maintained a stupid expression.

 

I’m not interested, I don’t really know, why are you looking at me?

 

When I looked at her innocently with eyes that conveyed such meaning, Siena turned her head back toward the door.

 

Then she slowly stood up with efficient movements and said.

 

“Let’s talk outside.”

 

“B-but Siena, right now the other keepers are blocking it but it’s not enough-”

 

“Right now.”

 

‘Oh, she’s angry…?’

 

Even though it was just one word, it carried tremendous weight.

 

If you could say words can stab people, this would be exactly that kind of situation.

 

The man called by the ordinary name Tommy moved his lips then finally clamped them shut.

 

Just before stepping out the door, Siena cast a firm gaze toward me.

 

“Don’t move.”

 

The door closed immediately.

 

“…”

 

I was alone all day today, and now I’m alone again.

 

I sat there blankly and looked around the interrogation room.

 

In this pure white space that showed no desire for interior design, there was nothing to look at.

 

If I could hear any sounds from behind the door, I’d at least try to eavesdrop, but the soundproofing must be impressive.

 

Then now would be the perfect time for another brainstorming session.

 

‘What is the entity in Enclosure 18?’

 

Tommy’s urgent cry in a voice on the verge of tears was stuck in my mind.

 

He said ‘again.’

 

That one word stuck to my ears.

 

It means this isn’t the first time, and it’s repetitive.

 

It also means that despite experiencing it multiple times, it’s difficult enough to handle that they seek Siena’s help.

 

If multiple keepers blocking it still isn’t enough, it must be an incredibly strong entity.

 

“This feels fishy somehow?”

 

I leaned back against the chair and looked up at the ceiling.

 

I have no evidence, but it definitely feels unusual.

 

No, I’m not just making baseless claims – this strangely smells like a scenario.

 

Wherever I went, these ‘event’-like incidents were always connected to scenarios.

 

‘There’s something here.’

 

That entity that has attempted escape multiple times – it’s definitely going to play a significant role in the scenario.

 

The problem is I can’t confirm it right away.

 

I have to sit here obediently as a well-behaved prisoner.

 

That’s the only way I might get a chance to obtain information about how this dimension operates.

 

‘But how do I ask Siena more questions?’

 

If I keep playing dumb here, she’ll really look at me with contempt.

 

That would be a complete failure in building rapport.

 

Then the door opened again.

 

Siena entered with an even colder expression.

 

Tommy’s face following behind her was pale with shock.

 

Just as I was about to feel sorry for him since he clearly looked like he’d been properly scolded by his superior, Siena spoke stiffly.

 

“I need to step away briefly, so he will handle guiding you to the isolation room. I’ll call for you again once the matter is resolved.”

 

“Ah, yes…”

 

Siena gave Tommy a brief look.

 

Tommy startled and bowed his head.

 

“I’m Tommy.”

 

Geez, I’m just a suspicious intruder, but you’re being too polite.

 

My gaze naturally went to the crown of his head, which was lower than my eye level as I sat.

 

‘His cowlick… is on the left side.’

 

I gained one piece of completely useless information.

 

Looking quite uneasy, Siena hesitated and couldn’t easily take her eyes off Tommy.

 

But since the ‘monster escape’ report seemed to be a very serious matter, she silently turned and left the interrogation room.

 

So now what’s left is.

 

“Hello, I’ll help you move.”

 

…only the young keeper Tommy, who doesn’t look reliable in the slightest.

 

After confirming Siena had left, Tommy quietly raised his head.

 

The eyes looking down at me were the same silver color, but had a distinctly different light from Siena’s.

 

Young eyes that fully revealed the considerable shock from what he had just reported and Siena’s scolding.

 

Maybe seventeen or eighteen years old?

 

He had a face that was too young, even for being young.

 

Of course, that didn’t make me softhearted.

 

“Shall we go?”

 

I just thought he’d be an excellent target for obtaining information.

 

* * *

 

I didn’t know that the place I was confined in was called an isolation room rather than a prison.

 

It looks like a prison to anyone, so it’s funny that they specifically call it an isolation room.

 

Anyway, since I’m going back to be confined again, I should feel troubled and such, but.

 

“Oh, this isn’t the right way… it was the left path.”

 

The person escorting me is directionally challenged, so I can’t feel that way…

 

When I came with Siena, it only took about 5 minutes, but Tommy has been leading me around for 20 minutes now.

 

‘This isn’t even the same path I saw before.’

 

Right, I may not have lived my years in vain, but I should be more mature than Tommy at least.

 

Before asking information-gathering questions, I attempted some light ice-breaking.

 

“You were so startled earlier, that might be why. Are you okay?”

 

“Oh, um… I’m fine. I was really shocked earlier though. Ah, you must have been surprised too, Lee Hae. I suddenly barged in like that…”

 

Thinking that I was worried about him, Tommy showed his emotions openly and made a tearful expression.

 

Making a tearful face made him look even younger, which flustered me, but I didn’t bother showing it.

 

I made a sympathetic tearful expression as if I deeply empathized with his feelings.

 

“Not at all, I was actually worried about what kind of situation would make you turn so pale.”

 

“Th-that’s a bit difficult to tell you…”

 

Tommy drooped his shoulders dejectedly.

 

I could see his will to properly maintain secrecy, considering it classified information.

 

But strangely, he seemed sorry that he couldn’t tell me, so I decided to be a bit more emotional.

 

“Ah, right. Of course, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that, I’m sorry. It’s just that I was brought here without knowing anything, and I was anxious not knowing what was happening, so I asked something difficult. I’m really sorry, truly. I was just worried about you, Tommy.”

 

I said “sorry” three times.

 

Each time I said it, I apologized very sincerely, as if placing a heavy burden on Tommy’s shoulders.

 

When I backed down first, a faint sense of guilt appeared on Tommy’s face.

 

It wasn’t even faint, actually he felt incredibly sorry.

 

It might not be exactly a healthy method, but guilt is really useful.

 

“Well, you see, this is…”

 

Because it makes people open their mouths at times like this.

 

Tommy, with his shoulders hunched up, spoke weakly.

 

“One of our enclosures where we raise large monsters keeps causing trouble. This time there was another problem…”

 

“Enclosure 18?”

 

“Huh, how did you know…? Ah, do you also work at an enclosure, Lee Hae? Well, of course, all Delpium residents work in monster breeding, so naturally.”

 

No, I don’t.

 

You told me that.

 

I almost clicked my tongue at Tommy’s innocence as he widened his eyes as if he had figured something out.

 

‘This is a bit much to call innocence…’

 

He must have been so shocked that he forgot what he said earlier.

 

He even leaked the information that ‘all residents of Delpium work in breeding-related jobs.’

 

It’s helpful, but is it really okay for your social life to tell me everything I probe for, Tommy?

 

I was slightly worried that I might be looking at him with pitying eyes without realizing it, but fortunately he didn’t seem to notice.

 

Tommy began muttering as he slowly moved his steps.

 

“That dragon…”

 

“Dragon…?”

 

The monster in Enclosure 18 was a dragon?

 

I decided to listen quietly without picking unnecessary fights.

 

If I left him alone, he’d probably tell me his bank account password too.

 

“Yes, it’s huge, the enclosure is enormous too, and it’s highly intelligent. It attempted to escape several times before, but this time… it seems to have almost finished growing. It kidnapped a keeper and attempted polymorph.”

 

Tommy shook his head as if the mere thought was horrifying.

 

“If it weren’t for the individual seal embedded in the monster’s body, it would have gotten loose without fail.”

 

“Ah, that individual seal.”

 

When I responded with a knowing comment, Tommy nodded and responded enthusiastically.

 

“Thanks to the individual seal, none of them can leave the barrier. No matter how intelligent and high-grade an individual is, it can’t remove that individual seal, so that’s fortunate.”

 

So they’re saying they’ve carved magic formulas or something into each monster’s body?

 

All the dragons I’d seen in media were archmages who ignored human laws.

 

‘A formula strong enough to contain such beings?’

 

“Still, it was causing a rampage inside the enclosure… the keepers were in danger. But since Siena went with Chloe, it should be fine for a while.”

 

“Chloe? I don’t know… I’ve never met her.”

 

I hastily changed my words, worried I’d be treated as a spy if I said I didn’t know.

 

Tommy, who didn’t notice the awkwardness, immediately nodded.

 

“Chloe is really strong. Probably similar to Siena? The Chief Manager said it takes both of them to easily subdue it, so it’ll probably be resolved quickly.”

 

Oh my, so there are multiple Chief Managers besides Siena…?

 

“Have you met all the Chief Managers?”

 

“Ah, I’m still low-ranking so I’ve only met three of them. But now that I’m doing rotation duty, I’ll be able to meet the other seven too, right?”

 

“…”

 

So there are a total of 10 people strong enough to subdue a dragon…?

 

And if I think about it carefully, it also sounds like exposing my identity would be a piece of cake.

 

He said everyone in this dimension works in breeding-related jobs.

 

Then the Chief Managers are probably the highest rank here, right?

 

No matter how much Seiporamonium isn’t a small dimension, it doesn’t seem to have as many inhabitants as other dimensions.

 

So when Siena said she’d pass my name to other managers, it’s not much different from saying she’d investigate the identities of all subordinate employees under those 10 people.

 

‘This is bad.’

 

I might have to kidnap someone like that dragon and wear their face…

 

I asked calmly, trying not to show my anxious mood.

 

“When do you think Siena will arrive?”

 

“Hmm… she said she’d take a Black Wyvern with Chloe instead of the Griffin, so it’ll probably take about an hour and a half? Maybe 2 hours.”

 

I nodded gratefully to Tommy, who had the amazing talent of an information dealer, giving me more answers than I asked for.

 

At least an hour and a half.

 

Plus, she went riding a different monster instead of the Griffin.

 

My mind raced quickly.

 

‘Then now is the optimal timing to talk with the Griffin.’

 

I looked at Tommy with an innocent face.

 

Having such a careless escort beside me, what I needed to do now was decided.

 

Obviously, there was only one thing.

 

“Where is the Griffin?”

 

Jailbreak.

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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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