24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 20

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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 20

Episode 20. I’m Just an Ordinary Merchant, But in Babel?! (5)

Ah, I must have misheard.

“I must guard this position.”

…No, I didn’t.

Chae Geun-dam muttered once more with a serious expression and readjusted his grip on his great sword.

A natural stance that only someone who had fought with the same sword for a long time could possess.

Where had that bewildered look in his eyes gone, the one he’d shown throughout our conversation?

His eyes burned even brighter, contrasting with his calm tone.

‘It doesn’t seem like he understood a word I said?’

Feeling absurd, I abandoned my composure and spoke quickly.

“What are you talking about right now? Going to complete the scenario should come first!”

My suggestion was reasonable.

Having had his stats drained while blocking three waves, Chae Geun-dam must be much weaker than usual now.

Yet trying to block even the fourth wave was nothing short of a suicidal act.

‘Is this person really facing a thousand-unit monster wave right now?’

I was so dumbfounded that I raised both hands in the air and lowered them again.

However, Chae Geun-dam remained calm.

“Completing the scenario is the ultimate goal. But…”

Chae Geun-dam stopped mid-answer and looked back at me.

The voice that followed was completely different from my urgent tone—a calm voice.

“Blocking the monster wave is my role. While the guild members carry the Quest items and perform the main scenario, I must prevent any monster from reaching the village. If monsters pass through this point, they’ll head straight toward where the village is.”

I couldn’t say his judgment was wrong.

He had blocked three monster waves alone so far, so thanks to that, the guild members must have been safely searching for items.

But…

“No, so I don’t understand? If Chae Geun-dam is the maximum fighting power, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to quickly join up and clear the main scenario first?”

“That’s a last resort. It’s most efficient for me to block as many monsters as possible here.”

“Since you’ve obtained all the items, how about calling your companions to solve this wave together… and then going to the main scenario?”

“Then even my companions would have their stats drained. In that case, it’s better for me to handle it alone. I’m just doing my best at what I can do. I trust my guild members.”

‘What is this person saying?’

Why is this person so positive and upright that he makes an ordinary citizen who was just sitting still feel guilty?

Moreover, there wasn’t a single waver in his voice.

It was a clear tone imbued with the unique dryness of someone who moves forward solely toward their goal.

Standing straight facing the direction where dust was blowing, Chae Geun-dam took out a communication device from his pocket and began inputting something without hesitation.

Then he looked at me apologetically.

“Could you deliver the item to the guild members in the village instead? Since the village isn’t large, you should be able to find them quickly.”

It seemed he had contacted the guild members.

Since I had only planned to sell the item and then go home to rest comfortably, I was about to refuse with a sneer.

But the cold words of refusal wouldn’t come out of my mouth.

Looking at his serious expression, some other emotion was slowly rising up.

‘…This is strange.’

I pressed my lips together tightly and stared quietly at Chae Geun-dam.

The emotion rising now wasn’t dissatisfaction or irritation.

Rather, it was closer to strange curiosity and respect.

To say he’d guard his position in this situation. What kind of mindset must one have to think like that?

He was an incomprehensible type of person.

Someone who wasn’t calculating, was faithful to his role, and completely trusted his people enough to leave everything to them.

“Why… do you go that far?”

At the question that unconsciously slipped out of my mouth, Chae Geun-dam rather frowned as if it was strange.

Then he asked back with a nonchalant attitude, as if it were natural.

“Is a reason necessary?”

A face with considerable weight that didn’t quite suit a man in his early thirties.

Chae Geun-dam asked as if he was genuinely curious whether a reason was needed.

‘Is he an idiot? Or is he crazy?’

To me, who had lived earning day by day and considering beliefs like that a luxury, such devotion was only unfamiliar.

Even my offer to help him clear the 49th Floor was due to anxiety about the extreme danger of ‘world destruction’ being right around the corner, not because of any sense of mission.

The thoughts I’d had while watching hunters climb Babel had been simple ones.

When the hell are they going up, why is everyone making such a fuss when they’re going to break through this time too.

I was becoming ashamed of myself for thinking that way while sitting in my room.

If hunters from other guilds were also climbing Babel with this kind of mindset…

‘That’s fucking cool.’

It wasn’t that I was moved to tears or deeply impressed.

I was just amazed by the S-rank hunter’s coolness.

While I was panting, intoxicated by Chae Geun-dam’s coolness, Chae Geun-dam asked once more.

“So may I ask this favor of you?”

Without any hesitation, a surprisingly firm answer popped out of my mouth.

“I understand.”

Chae Geun-dam, who looked at me in surprise, soon nodded his head calmly.

“Thank you. Thanks to Lee Hae, I can focus here.”

I scratched my head.

It felt like I’d gotten strangely involved, but if I had coldly run away, it probably would have bothered me for a long time.

‘Ah, this isn’t my image though.’

Knowing well about my own temperament objectively, I let out a deep sigh.

If I stayed here any longer, I’d probably end up sitting down saying I’d give him my liver and gallbladder too, acting as a potion supporter.

I turned around like the wind and got on my bicycle.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“I wish you good fortune.”

Even saying something like that?!

Turning around in shock, I discovered Chae Geun-dam’s back as he stood looking far into the distance where dust was blowing.

To have such heavy presence even while standing alone, is it really okay to leave him like this?

Though it’s funny for a mere E-rank hunter to worry about an S-rank hunter.

It was then, as I was hesitating because my feet wouldn’t easily move.

“Whoa.”

My eyes widened at the unbelievable fact.

Chae Geun-dam, who had been steeling his mind in preparation for the decisive battle, turned around as if asking what was wrong.

“What’s the matter? The monsters will arrive within 10 minutes. If you don’t leave quickly…”

“Chae Geun-dam, the sword you’re holding right now.”

Before Chae Geun-dam could be bewildered by my rudely cutting off his words, I continued like a machine gun.

“It has an awesome hidden ability?”

“…Hidden ability?”

Hearing my words, Chae Geun-dam frowned.

A face that had never heard of such a thing.

But the ‘Appraisal’ skill I had unconsciously used was showing that the great sword had an insane effect.

[Guardian’s Great Sword ‘Moonlight’ (S)

A great sword that has endured many battles beside the Guardian of the Heavens for long years.

Special mana circuits are engraved throughout the entire blade, providing an effect that amplifies the user’s mana.

/Hidden Ability/ When the sword is thrust vertically into the ground and high-purity mana is continuously injected for 10 minutes, it creates a wide-area protection field. Defense and mana recovery speed of designated allies within a 30-meter radius increase by 30 percent.]

As I smoothly recited the hidden ability visible to my eyes, Chae Geun-dam’s eyes also widened in surprise.

Until now, he had maintained his composure fairly well, but this was the most shocked I’d seen him since we met.

“Really? It had such an ability?”

“Yes, the activation conditions are difficult, but it’s a hidden ability that won’t cause you any loss if you use it. Having to inject for 10 whole minutes though…”

After only identifying trashy hidden abilities, it was fascinating to see a decent hidden ability for the first time.

Chae Geun-dam carefully stroked the blade of his great sword with eyes like he’d gained a new ally.

‘Could it be that other S-rank Hunters are also using their weapons without knowing their hidden abilities?’

Then I… might be able to make some good money with this, right?

While I was continuing my somewhat materialistic thoughts, Chae Geun-dam muttered.

“You can even identify the hidden abilities of items? That’s truly an amazing ability.”

Behind him, the dust storm was gradually approaching.

…Come to think of it, this place was a monster wave hotspot.

“Yes, yes, well, that’s right. Anyway, please survive.”

To the praise he threw at me with apparent emotion, I gave a casual response and smiled.

Rather than leaving Chae Geun-dam alone or having the value of my appraisal skill recognized, the approaching march of monsters was a more important problem.

I want to get out of the 49th Floor quickly!

[⁕ Manager, you mustn’t forget to promote the market too :)]

Ah, right.

At Sam-i’s words that I had forgotten, I stopped trying to leave and gestured at the air.

At the business card suddenly falling from thin air, Chae Geun-dam was left speechless.

“U-until now.”

I snatched the business card and smiled while slightly bowing my waist like a courtier.

Then, in an attitude completely inappropriate for a situation where a monster wave was approaching, I slyly held out the business card and said.

“I-I was ‘Lee Hae’ from Friendly Market, ahaha…”

Chae Geun-dam, who had been standing stiffly with tension before the battle, muttered in a bewildered tone.

“Are you perhaps crazy…”

“No I’m not, I’ll be going now.”

How embarrassing, calling someone crazy.

I got on my bicycle and began to slowly pick up speed.

“Lee Hae.”

“Yees?!”

When I responded loudly to the sound from far away, a small voice infused with mana came back.

“Thank you.”

In the spot I looked back at stood a guardian who seemed like he would never break, holding a sword that resembled him, standing firm.

In a posture that would guard his position without breaking under any trial, just as he had promised.

* * *

‘Good, good.’

I sipped my Vita100 and praised myself.

It was a bit embarrassing, but this much is fine!

No?

It’s almost perfect!

Meanwhile, the woman wearing horn-rimmed glasses who had been fiddling with the crystal orb in front of me muttered in disbelief.

“It’s really true, everything here is items needed for sub quests. ‘Crystal Orb of the Ninth Prophet’… we can really skip the sub quests and open the main scenario.”

The woman’s position in Wolpae must have been quite high, as the guild members surrounding us cheered at her words.

The people who had been wary of me at first changed their attitude like flipping their palms as soon as they confirmed I had brought sub quest items.

“Come on, everyone quickly gather the items and move out. Geun-dam is blocking alone, so let’s open the main scenario as fast as possible.”

At Horn-rimmed Glasses’ words, the excited atmosphere quickly subsided.

After that, the Wolpae guild members, each carrying several items, began to leave quickly.

What remained were me, Horn-rimmed Glasses, a young-looking boy with an eye patch, and a woman with a pale complexion who looked tired despite not having fought.

‘Are they healers or supporters?’

Just as I was casually looking around, Horn-rimmed Glasses grabbed my hand again and shook it up and down vigorously.

“A wandering merchant of Falkon, how could we meet such a benefactor?”

I was quickly caught when dealing with the sharp-sensed Chae Geun-dam and gave up lying because it was annoying, but this place was crawling with Wolpae guild members.

Having brought up my identity as a wandering merchant of Falkon again, I scratched my head with an awkward smile.

“What do you mean how, sis. It’s all because Geun-dam hyung is a chosen person, obviously!”

At the words of the young kid with the eye patch who had been sitting quietly, I glared.

Chae Geun-dam was chosen?

No?

That’s all because I’m the benefactor!

Giving vitamins to dark mages, appraising Chae Geun-dam’s weapon, and even buying all the sub quest items individually to make and sell them as a package!

Where else would you find such a supporter on this Earth!

“That’s why we followed only the guild leader, trusting him.”

The words of those who don’t know the truth are stabbing at my heart.

[Awakened Lee Hae-won – Open Market Manager(EX)

> New Notification

– Title Achievement Quest (5) has been completed.]

At the notification that appeared just then, I gave a bitter smile.

Better than nothing, I completed a quest so let’s consider it good.

‘I like chicken, anyway.’

I looked at Eye Patch who was praising Chae Geun-dam and shook my head.

That’s when it happened.

[■ Babel System > 49th Floor Notification

– Sub Quest ‘Remnants’ has been completed.

– Sub Quest ‘Cleo’s Request’ has been completed.

– Sub Quest ‘Fugitive of the Royal Palace’ has been completed.

…]

Notifications ringing out one after another on a window that appeared brightly in the air for all outsiders on the 49th Floor to see.

The sub quest items that the Wolpae guild members had taken were finding their proper places one by one.

“To think we really made it this far…”

Horn-rimmed Glasses muttered quietly in an emotional voice.

For quite some time, 20 sub quest completion notifications passed, and finally.

“…It’s the main scenario.”

The sickly-looking woman who had been sitting quietly without saying a word muttered.

The new mission that appeared in the dark sky was demanding the conquest of the 49th Floor.

[■ Babel System > 49th Floor Notification

– Main Scenario ‘Lord of Darkness’ has been opened.]

[Main Scenario ‘Lord of Darkness’

: Seal the Dark Mage threatening the Falcon Kingdom, the Lord of Darkness, and restore peace.]

Everyone stared up at the sky with dreamy expressions on their faces.

The Wolpae guild members who had brought their sub-quest items to their designated places, and even Chae Geun-dam who had been holding off the monster wave alone.

Even I, who was seeing the moment a quest occurs for the first time.

‘This feels strange.’

It wasn’t even my quest, yet somehow a corner of my heart felt oddly tight.

That was the moment.

Knock knock-

From somewhere came a dull knocking sound that broke the silence.

Horn-rimmed Glasses tensed up instantly, drawing her dagger as she approached the entrance.

Clearing a few sub-quests was a stage that other guilds had reached before.

However, since Wolpae was the first to reach the main scenario, there was no information whatsoever about what would happen next.

Even I, who had inadvertently become part of this, held my breath while staring at the closed entrance.

Knock knock-

Once again, a cautious knocking sound echoed inside the building.

Horn-rimmed Glasses quietly put her finger to her lips as she approached the entrance step by step.

Then, Eye Patch, who had been quietly rolling his eyes around, carefully raised his hand.

“But this…”

“You need to be quiet, Hyun-jun!”

“No, Vice Guild Leader, this isn’t from outside.”

Eye Patch gestured somewhere while muttering as if something was strange.

“It’s coming from below.”

The place Eye Patch pointed to was the floor of the tavern we were standing on.

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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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