24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 37

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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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Dimensional Item Specialty 24-Hour Friendly Market Episode 37

Episode 37. Lee Hae Universe (1)

When designing the Babel Square branch, I created three complete peace zones where no abilities could be used.

‘Friendly Appraisal’ and ‘Friendly Repair’.

And the last one was the information desk.

Alessandro’s workplace as middle manager and Babel Square’s information center.

Though I called it an information desk, it wasn’t a place made to hand out maps, protect lost hunters, or make announcements.

Someday, people would try to dig into the ‘Friendly Market’, and they would somehow approach Babel Square to find me.

If I had to talk with them, I thought I needed a space where safety could be guaranteed, so I made the information desk.

Having Alessandro guard it was also one of the reasons – it would make it easy to filter out the riffraff.

‘Of course, I never thought they’d come so openly.’

It was a place I made openly, but I really didn’t think they’d actually come looking for me.

If Lee Hwa-yeon had known about Lee Hae, she would have come straight to the information desk too.

I shook my head while thinking.

I couldn’t put our upright Alessandro in front of someone like Lee Hwa-yeon.

If those two had a power struggle…

‘Wait, would it be evenly matched if Lee Hwa-yeon arm-wrestled him?’

Walking while having useless thoughts, I sighed deeply seeing the information desk in the distance.

I had walked slowly, but arrived too quickly.

Things you don’t want to do always come up this fast.

I opened my inventory and took out a black mask with a black veil.

It was a mask I prepared for when I’d play the role of market owner, but I didn’t expect to use it this soon.

With the robe completely pulled over me, I became a faceless spirit whose body shape couldn’t even be recognized.

When I met Chae Geun-dam, I was recklessly wandering around with just the Anonymity skill, so he might know my body shape.

‘So what.’

What can he do when I want to hide it even now?

Thanks to telling Alessandro in advance, Chae Geun-dam was waiting obediently inside the information desk.

I took a deep breath and entered the information desk.

As soon as I opened the door, a familiar back greeted me.

“It’s been a while.”

Chae Geun-dam slowly stood up and turned his head.

It was still a calm and heavy voice, but his eyes somehow looked tired.

“You changed your mask.”

“Yes, it’s trendy.”

“Ah.”

Chae Geun-dam blinked at my insincere answer.

Why Chae Geun-dam was looking for me… I actually had a rough idea.

‘No need to bring it up first though.’

I plopped down across from Chae Geun-dam and opened my mouth.

“Do you happen to know about the 51st Floor scenario?”

First strike wins.

Perhaps flustered that I dove straight into the main point without delay, Chae Geun-dam frowned his dry face.

“I came here with a separate matter to discuss.”

“But I asked first.”

Chae Geun-dam just blinked slowly.

Childish, but first strike really is the answer.

“As you know, floors that haven’t been cleared yet are classified. I haven’t been there yet either. Why are you curious about the 51st Floor scenario?”

“If you haven’t been there ‘yet’, then you must be included in this clearing team, Chae Geun-dam?”

Thinking he was instantly seen through, Chae Geun-dam pressed his lips into a straight line.

This taciturn and naive hunter still doesn’t know that clamming up like that is a dead giveaway.

Suddenly imagining how hard Vice Guild Leader Lee Min-jeong must work to cover for him, I got a little teary-eyed.

“Anyway, it seems like you came to ask me for something, so let’s at least hear about the scenario before I listen to that.”

“It seems you also haven’t been to the 51st Floor ‘yet’, Lee Hae.”

“Yet? I have no intention of going to the 51st Floor at all.”

As always, I’m quite skilled at playing dumb.

Since this was our second meeting, Chae Geun-dam wasn’t unaware of that fact.

After staring at me intently for a while, Chae Geun-dam eventually chose to change the subject.

“What’s the reason you chose that mask?”

“Because it’s pretty.”

“……”

Chae Geun-dam frowned as if asking if I was serious.

The attempt to change the subject was good, but my answer was so absurd that he seemed deflated.

Silence flowed through the information desk.

If I had more leisure time, teasing Chae Geun-dam would have been quite entertaining.

‘But I’m a bit busy right now.’

“If you want something, you should have brought something to give in return, Chae Geun-dam.”

At my quiet urging, Chae Geun-dam closed his eyes tightly as if he had no choice.

“The scenario’s name is… ‘Such Desperate Peace’. I’ll only know the details once I go in.”

At Chae Geun-dam’s answer, as if half giving up, I quietly turned my thoughts.

‘Hmm.’

Thinking of the 51st Floor I experienced, achieving peace would definitely be desperate.

Probably something about reconciling humans and beastkin.

Or solving the Black Mist.

I’m not just randomly guessing – this is based on my own big data.

Babel demanded an ‘unachieved ending’ in the 49th Floor scenario.

It was a scenario to drive out the Dark Mages from Falkon, which would have been destroyed and occupied by Dark Mages originally.

If Ganasia continent was destroyed by Black Mist as I saw, and humans and beastkin reached their end killing each other, then guessing the scenario content isn’t difficult.

Then Chae Geun-dam quietly spoke.

“I have a request.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Can you help us this time too?”

So obvious it’s not even surprising.

It was the request I expected.

I’m just an E-rank hunter, but Chae Geun-dam’s eyes were serious as he made the request, not knowing that fact.

Well, of course he did faint in amazement at my omnipotence for making the impossible possible on the 49th Floor.

But this time is different.

Hearing Echo’s story, there was no particular reason humans and beastkin had bad relations, yet they’d been fighting for a very long time.

‘If it could be solved with Gold, I would have stepped in already.’

There was only one answer to give.

I firmly shook my head.

“No.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Because it won’t work this time. That’s all.”

I had a clear reason – this wasn’t a scenario where I could be active as a helper – but there was no need to explain that.

Chae Geun-dam urgently added.

“Since I told you the scenario name, I should be able to ask for help…”

“Uh, if you put it that way, I didn’t gain anything from helping on the 49th Floor, did I? Didn’t Mr. Chae Geun-dam secure his guild members’ lives, the scenario clear, and the prestige of being the world’s first to clear the 49th Floor?”

“…….”

“I gave you three things. Then shouldn’t I receive two more in return?”

Only now remembering that I had helped unconditionally back then, Chae Geun-dam pressed his lips tightly shut.

“Couldn’t you help us just once? This time there could be even more casualties. Please, I’m begging you to reconsider just once.”

Chae Geun-dam earnestly pleaded once again.

Without even properly knowing my true identity, for the sole reason of protecting everyone’s lives.

‘Come to think of it, it was because of this stubbornness that I backed down before.’

As a fan of Wolpae’s number one, I felt a corner of my heart grow heavy for no reason.

To think I’d become weak to such things just because I could breathe a little easier.

I realized for the first time today that this was my weakness.

But I really had no choice.

“I absolutely cannot help this time.”

If I were some overpowered protagonist with incredible abilities, maybe, but this time there really was nothing I could do.

I had plenty to do once I returned to the 51st Floor.

I needed to enter the Tower of Babel in the human territory before anyone else, and I had to search for research materials that were the relics of the mages Onak had killed.

Most importantly, I didn’t even want to be officially recruited into the guild alliance’s raid team.

Disappointment flashed across Chae Geun-dam’s dry face.

Then, Chae Geun-dam, who had been moving his lips slightly, leaned forward toward the table.

“Do you know that the Babel Management Bureau is looking for Lee Hae?”

It was an unexpected opening.

‘Of course I know, it’s been weeks since I ignored the summons with the Hunter Management Director’s name plastered all over it.’

I wonder if this person knows that I’m putting off something terrifyingly scary for as long as I possibly can.

But I didn’t answer and just shrugged my shoulders.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but Director Park Ji-woon is not someone to be taken lightly.”

“I don’t think anyone would be easy for you to deal with, Mr. Chae Geun-dam.”

“……Director Park Ji-woon is someone whose thoughts cannot be read. The fact that he’s looking for you is not something to ignore. Nor should you ignore how the Babel Management Bureau might view you for disrupting the Tower’s system they had perfectly controlled. Of course, it seems you’ve been hiding well so far…….”

Chae Geun-dam placed both arms on the table.

With his hands clasped together, Chae Geun-dam looked more serious than usual.

Already having a stern face, Chae Geun-dam spoke as if reciting, his expression even more heavily subdued.

“I already know Lee Hae’s real face.”

Eyes devoid of any playfulness glared at me sharply.

‘Huh?’

I was momentarily flustered.

The aura of an S-rank hunter who seemed capable of causing trouble even in the neutral zone of the information center was surging.

This S-rank hunter was now threatening me with all his might.

‘But what can I do about this?’

Unfortunately, I was someone who had already built up immunity after meeting that malicious fan Lee Hwa-yeon.

“Mr. Chae Geun-dam, you have absolutely no talent for threats.”

“……What do you mean?”

“Are you certain that the face you saw on the 49th Floor is my real face? You must have guessed that the entire country would be looking for me, so there’s no way I would have appeared boldly with my bare face, right?”

“…….”

“My original face isn’t even under this mask and robe, so I’m curious how exactly you found it.”

As if at a loss for words, Chae Geun-dam opened and closed his mouth.

Even as I spoke, I thought I might be going too far.

This was all because I’d developed a habit of speaking nastily.

I could understand if Chae Geun-dam got angry and flipped the table.

However, this calm hunter who never got angry just hung his head and didn’t respond further.

‘Ah, my heart’s going soft again.’

I steeled myself and spoke clearly.

“Let me tell you clearly once more. I have absolutely no intention of helping this time.”

At my firm answer, Chae Geun-dam’s eyes wavered.

Chae Geun-dam, who was about to respond, soon let out a deep sigh.

Then he muttered in a much more subdued voice.

“……I understand. I’ve put you in a difficult position.”

This person, why is he really so kind?

Where did that stance of leaning forward over the table go?

I’m just ordinarily kind myself, but because my opponent is on another level, I feel like I’ve become a really bad person.

Chae Geun-dam, who had been hanging his head for a while, slowly stood up from his seat.

His face showed clean resignation, accepting that the deal had fallen through.

“Then I’ll have to find my own way.”

“I’ll cheer you on.”

“Thank you.”

Ouch, my conscience.

His voice saying thank you was so earnest that I smiled awkwardly under my mask.

I was glad I was wearing a mask that could perfectly hide my face.

Chae Geun-dam, who had been pondering while gripping the door handle of the information center, turned around to look at me.

“We’re going in three days from now in the morning. If you change your mind, please help us.”

So, I absolutely have no intention of doing that.

‘Geez, he’s a man who doesn’t know how to give up.’

Chae Geun-dam hesitated, then added one more thing with complete sincerity.

“If it’s possible this time as well.”

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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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