24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 42

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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 42

Episode 42. The Arrow That Left the Bowstring (1)

“Jackpot.”

As soon as I arrived on the 51st floor, I muttered in a daze.

A village lined with wooden buildings bearing old signs for inns, restaurants, taverns, and the like.

This place where armored knights and weary-faced residents came and went was clearly human territory.

Gacha success in one try without a single reroll!

But before that, let me clarify one thing – I’m absolutely not a narrow-minded racist.

However, I never knew how moving it would be to see people without ears and tails.

Since I’m human and those people are human too, it’ll be much easier to gather information about the Tower of Babel.

Thinking that I’d be proceeding on easy mode from now on made my mood bright.

I fiddled with the surface of my mask while looking for someone suitable to strike up a conversation with.

For reference, the mask I’m wearing now isn’t my usual veiled mask, but a half-mask that covers half my face.

Wearing a veiled mask even in a place like this would be like openly advertising that I’m a suspicious person.

Just at the right timing, a young woman in medieval clothing passed by me.

I hurriedly pulled back the hood attached to my robe and asked.

“Excuse me, sorry to bother you. Where is this place?”

“…You don’t know where this is? This is ‘Casabl.'”

“Casabl?”

The woman frowned and tilted her head as if finding it strange.

Oops, did I get too excited and ask something that would make me look suspicious?

I quickly scanned the surrounding scenery.

This place, quite different from the beastkin territory ‘Kona,’ was actually a more familiar setting to me, but the people seemed more exhausted.

Beastkin definitely seem to have better recovery than humans.

I smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of my head.

“I was brought here half-dead and haven’t been recovered for long, haha…”

The woman nodded as if she finally understood.

“You’re a woman but you went to the front lines. But you seem to have recovered quickly?”

“Oh, yes. I was in supply so I wasn’t badly hurt. Plus everyone took good care of me.”

“Well, this place is relatively inland so the treatment for the wounded is pretty good.”

It seems my tactful guessing was correct.

The woman’s wariness seemed to soften a bit, and she was even patting my shoulder.

‘Okay, I’ll go with the concept of a supply soldier brought to the rear.’

I smiled with gratitude and casually asked.

“Right, that’s why I was brought here. Is there anywhere decent to eat nearby?”

First, I planned to go to a restaurant to gather information by eavesdropping.

The most candid social talk usually happens among old men drinking at traditional establishments.

And in fantasy worldviews, the saying “birds hear daytime words and mice hear nighttime words” doesn’t apply.

All secrets are traded in back corners.

Unaware of my dark intentions, the woman readily pointed in one direction and said.

“‘The Traveler’s Footsteps’ over there makes good stew. Since you just got discharged, something warm for your stomach would be good.”

In the direction the woman pointed was a small restaurant with a sign that looked ready to fall apart any moment.

It was exactly the image I had in mind.

“Sounds delicious. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. May Oerisa’s blessing be with you.”

The woman muttered an unknown greeting with a warm smile and continued on her way.

“Oerisa…?”

A god of this world?

The god who created a sanctuary called Prorovel or something but didn’t protect anything while black mist covered the continent?

It’s a name worth remembering, so I nodded.

Well, anyway, not a bad start!

Ding!

[Title Side Job Quest (7)

…At least until something suspicious appeared before my eyes.

“What’s this now?”

I narrowed my eyes and read the content carefully.

Side Job Quests always demand strange things at unexpected times, but this one is especially weird.

It’s called a ‘Title Side Job Quest’ but has nothing to do with the market.

‘What does it mean not to interfere with the scenario?’

I shook my head and summoned my forgotten helper Sam-i.

“Sam-i, this is strange. Is this really a Side Job Quest?”

[⁕ That’s correct. Side Job Quests are distributed under Babel’s judgment system.]

The response was so businesslike that I felt even more bewildered.

I decided to channel my inner delinquent.

“Hey, smile.”

[⁕ :)]

This is ridiculous, really.

‘Is it going through a rebellious phase?’

I clicked my tongue while standing with one leg cocked.

It definitely used to give clean answers without fuss before, but maybe it’s my personality problem that I’m getting annoyed.

The track record here refers to the past of clearing scenarios while selling 49th Floor Speedrun Packages.

Well, from the perspective of people worldwide, it would be an achievement worthy of praise.

‘But from Babel’s perspective, I’m no different from a cheater who used bugs to break through blocked routes.’

Wait, isn’t it fine as long as you clear it somehow?

It’s saying the process matters so it’s blocking me now.

The Tower of Babel is definitely a stickler for rules.

A quest that requires me to just stay still, no less.

Should I call it like a nasty boss who excludes you from work because they don’t like you…

And the reward being marked with question marks is also very unsettling.

“…Fine, let’s ask first and go double.”

I adjusted my mask and slowly walked toward ‘The Traveler’s Footsteps.’

In my experience, nothing is more useless than getting fixated on something and wasting time.

It’s not mature to forget your purpose while worrying about suspicious quests.

Since I have a clear purpose for coming to the 51st floor, there’s no reason to hesitate.

‘Should I try using Merchant’s Mark first?’

Since I’m in human territory, I won’t be attacked, and knowing the scenario will make it easier to handle emergency situations.

Of course, curiosity was stronger than that.

What exactly is the scenario content that made that Seo Jae-hyuk raise both hands and surrender?

‘Sam-i, I’m activating Merchant’s Mark.’

[⁕ It is not recommended to turn off the ‘Merchant’s Mark’ skill at your current location. Do you really want to proceed?]

Ah, why is it being so stubborn today?

I nodded my head vigorously with an annoyed expression.

How many seconds did I wait?

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

Along with the long-awaited ‘Merchant’s Mark’ OFF display.

[Main Scenario ‘Such Desperate Peace’ (Zone-Prorobel Ι Dimension-Ganashia)

The main scenario content I had been so curious about.

[■ Babel System > 49th Floor Notification

Other windows that appeared like supplementary explanations blocked my view.

Such Desperate Peace.

It was the name Chae Geun-dam mentioned when he came to recruit me, and seeing the actual content directly brings back memories.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’m directly viewing a scenario window.

Previously, I just went around selling items from floor to floor like a ninja.

‘Those were good times when I was selling Vita100……’

I was reading the scenario with the arrogant mood of a beginner when I clicked my tongue and muttered.

“No wonder Seo Jae-hyuk was flustered.”

All the scenarios revealed in the media so far had been one-shots.

The Falcon Kingdom scenario on the 49th Floor that had been a long-standing obstacle was also difficult, but that was because there were so many complicated sub-quests.

‘It wasn’t to this extent though.’

The fact that they’re explaining the scenario background knowledge in such detail means that background knowledge is important.

There had never been a scenario that required memorizing background knowledge until now.

I don’t know how far Aegis, the first guild to set foot on the 51st Floor among all guilds, has explored,

but how are you supposed to reconcile two races that are killing each other in the first place?

Moreover, there’s no hint about how to stop the black smoke that supposedly killed Echo’s parents.

‘The scenario hints must be the key, right?’

Could the ancient oath have been the catalyst that broke the harmony between the two races?

“What the hell is an ‘unwithered sprout’ supposed to mean?”

I shuddered at this parade of metaphors that didn’t seem to support the awakeners’ scenario clearing at all.

It already looks difficult enough, what’s the harm in being direct!

The possibilities are so infinite they might extend across entire dimensions.

‘Ms. Oerisa, if you’re still watching, please give me some help.’

That was the moment.

“You there.”

“Oh, yes?”

At the hand that suddenly grabbed my shoulder, I turned around in surprise.

A knight, smaller than Alessandro but much larger than me, was looking at me with a menacing expression.

Could it be that Oerisa is extending a helping hand so quickly like this……

“You look like someone I haven’t seen around here before. Take off your mask and state your name and affiliation.”

……No way.

It was clearly a situation where he grabbed me because I looked suspicious.

When I glanced back, the woman who had just recommended the traveler’s footsteps was watching me with her arms crossed.

I closed my eyes tightly in betrayal.

You definitely smiled warmly at me, lady……

Wasn’t that a blood oath to let it slide even if I looked suspicious?

“Hey.”

The soldier tightened his grip on my shoulder.

“Ah, well, I have burn scars on my face from spilling medicine while brewing it, and I’m currently being treated so taking off the mask is a bit……”

“Are you a spy?”

“No?!”

Why does he turn the wheel so sharply?

‘Even the beastkin weren’t this hostile, so why is he acting like this?’

I hid my flustered feelings and quickly turned my brain.

The smell of dirt, blood, and medicine emanating from the rusty armor tickled my nose.

I urgently opened my mouth.

“Ah, I’m a pharmacist who is the daughter of a merchant…… living near the newly built tower. I heard news that my father went to the front lines and couldn’t return, so I came to look for him.”

“Your father?”

“Yes, yes!”

Family stories are universal, they work well in other dimensions too!

I added in a sadder voice.

“I couldn’t get in touch with him, so I came to find him myself. He’s already not in good health, and it’s about time he would have finished all the medicine I prepared for him. If he’s passed away…… couldn’t I at least retrieve his body?”

“Which unit was your father in?”

“……Uh, I don’t think my father ever specifically told me.”

I answered hesitantly while sneaking a glance up at the knight’s face.

A deep smile had appeared on his menacing face.

Green light!

“The area near the tower was destroyed by war, so how did you come from there?”

Damn, it wasn’t.

I reflexively answered.

“Ah.”

“Ah?”

The knight smiled even more brightly.

Then he gave orders to his subordinates lined up beside him without hesitation.

“Lock her up.”

Ah, I’m screwed again.

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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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