24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 53

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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 53

Episode 53. The Arrow That Left the Bowstring (12)

Anton, who had tried to hunt the swan beastkin Clara but ended up in that kind of relationship with her, bowed his head again and spoke.

“What a strange twist of fate. I’m relieved to hear that Aegie is safe.”

“The baby seems to be fine. It must have been difficult, but I guess it endured well in its mother’s womb.”

“Ah… Aegie is Clara’s nickname. The baby’s prenatal name is Gong-i. Because it was conceived on a day when the lake was frozen solid.”

Anton cleared his throat awkwardly, his cheeks reddening.

Oh my, who asked?

Someone who had just perfectly avoided death was suddenly blushing – this was terrifying too.

“Yes, yes… both Aegie and Gong-i are fine…”

“To think Aegie was imprisoned – I thought only I had been summoned. She’s not even alone in her body, so how much she must have suffered… I’m worried about whether she’s safe now.”

Anton’s face, which had reddened from shyness, soon grew heavy with worry for Clara.

Your situation isn’t exactly easy either, being conscripted for falling in love with a beastkin.

As expected of a couple, they both act exactly the same way.

I thought Clara had fallen into Stockholm syndrome, but now that I’ve met Anton too, it seems like it really is true love.

“But what was that thing that attacked you just now, Anton?”

“That was Chris. He was my comrade, but he was tainted by Agemor’s erosion and became like that…”

As I thought.

So when you’re tainted by Agemor’s erosion, you lose your sense of self and become a black monster like that.

It was quite shocking that he crumbled to dust when I used Repair on him.

Would the result have been different if I had used purification?

It was a moment when I suddenly missed Lee Hwa-yeon, the guild leader of Baekdan, whom I had never missed even for a single moment.

“They say when you come into contact with Agemor’s erosion, you hear voices. They keep asking about sharp emotions like resentment, jealousy, and anger. If you affirm them, you transform like that. He had endured until the end, but eventually…”

Anton muttered sadly and hung his head low.

“Still, it’s fortunate. He won’t have to suffer anymore.”

Well, if you put it that way.

The living must go on living.

I quietly waited for Anton to compose his emotions.

Anton, who had been hanging his head for quite a while, quietly let out a sigh.

It seemed he had finally composed himself a little.

His legs, which had been trembling like aspen leaves, also seemed to be okay now.

“Get up for now. But how did you end up coming all the way here? Isn’t this place close to the front lines?”

“That’s right. I received a reconnaissance mission near the front lines.”

Anton looked around with a worried expression.

“I was relieved because I couldn’t see any signs of Agemor’s erosion, but I never imagined something like this would happen.”

Who would imagine that their friend would try to kill them, Anton?

I didn’t bother adding words and just patted his shoulder.

“I should head back now. If Clara has returned to Kona, she’ll be safe, and I need to safely return to Clara’s side too.”

Anton’s eyes burned with the will to survive.

Though the image of him trembling in fear earlier was still fresh, seeing him determined to return to Clara’s side, he couldn’t help but be an admirable husband.

“Do you have a place to stay tonight? The sun will set soon.”

“…What?!”

I looked up in shock.

Sure enough, the sun was setting beyond the hill.

My plan to reach Kona before sunset had turned to bubbles.

Perhaps reading the despair in my expression, Anton smiled lightly and said,

“How about staying with me for tonight? There are several inns converted from houses. It’s near the front lines, but it’s relatively safe since it’s in the rear.”

Since I needed to sleep somewhere anyway, it was a good proposal.

Of course, being near Casabl was a bit unsettling.

‘But I’m in Brother’s form right now, so they won’t recognize me.’

Brother and I don’t look much alike anyway.

I readily nodded my head.

Anton smiled back as if relieved.

“Ah, you’re my lifesaver but I haven’t even asked your name. What should I call you?”

“Please call me ‘Hae.'”

I smiled naturally like a con artist.

* * *

This is strange.

Somehow there seemed to be more people at the front lines than in Casabl.

On one side, tents were lined up in rows, and behind them, buildings were each receiving guests.

The scene of hundreds of soldiers and civilians bustling about was so lively it was hard to believe this was the front lines.

Perhaps thinking I was curious because I was looking around here and there, Anton kindly explained.

“That big tent you see over there is the medical station, and those small tents are the knights’ barracks – you’d better not go near them.”

I nodded very quickly.

There was no way I, who had been caught by knights and taken to a stone prison, would stand before knights’ eyes.

“The inn is this way. It was about 70 gold per night, but I’m not sure about now.”

I listened to Anton’s words with one ear and let them out the other, busy looking around.

There really were a lot of people.

“Interesting, right? Since this is a border area where the front lines meet the village, there are many people.”

So that’s why there were so many people.

It felt like the rear of the front lines met the edge of the civilian residential area.

‘It’s a perfect marketplace.’

There were many wounded soldiers and quite a few civilians too.

This must be an area with very high demand for potions.

“Anton, are there merchants here too?”

“Yes, the shopping district is over there. Why? Do you need something?”

“I’m curious about something – do medicines sell well here?”

“They can’t sell enough of them, especially for minor injuries since they can’t even get proper treatment. Look over there.”

Where Anton pointed, there was a stall that was falling apart.

No, it was barely even a stall – just items placed on a table for sale.

“That’s the medical supplies stall.”

…I don’t even see any medicine bottles or ointments?

The shop stall was just piled high with unidentifiable herbs.

Still, seeing soldiers with poor complexions occasionally passing by, there seemed to be demand.

‘But why herbs instead of potions?’

My question was quickly answered.

“Even working all day, they can’t make even 20 bottles, but there are too many soldiers getting injured. When they put out potions, they sell out in a day, so they just sell the raw materials.”

Anton let out a deep sigh.

According to Han Romi’s past interview, ‘consuming only raw materials is a very inefficient method of consumption.’

And it seems there’s no potion automation system here either.

‘To provide such honey-sweet information to a merchant hungry for money.’

Of course, I know I’m in a position where I need to ask the strategy team to defeat Agemor and go to Prorovel to receive Paroxia’s blessing.

But I’m an E-rank with the ‘Open Market Manager’ title.

Without gold, I can’t do anything.

Gold is essentially my combat power.

Having finished all the calculations in my head, I asked in a casual tone.

“By any chance, do I need some kind of qualification to sell things here?”

“No, this is the front lines so we can’t keep track of all that stuff. But why do you ask?”

Why ask?

To uphold my duty as a merchant.

[Yeon-hee, send 100 B-grade and C-grade potions to the market stall.]

As soon as I sent the message to Kang Yeon-hee, a reply came back immediately.

[> Middle Manager Message

The good middle manager Kang Yeon-hee, who makes potions well and listens well, is also quick at handling work.

I looked at Anton and grinned.

Anton, who unintentionally saw my smile, flinched in surprise and stepped back.

“I’m going to sell some things.”

* * *

“Now, this isn’t an opportunity that comes every day.”

Have you heard of a simple street stall?

“Selling potions! Great effects!”

Though I was shouting some old-fashioned sales pitch, I was confident.

Because this is a dimension where potions themselves have run out!

It means that just mentioning the word ‘potion’ makes everyone passing by on the street peek at the stall.

The wounded soldiers, the families caring for them, and even the soldiers working at the treatment centers.

Curious people’s questions poured out all at once.

“Are these real potions? They’re not fake, right?”

“Where did you get them?”

“How much are they?”

I answered only the last question with a kind business smile.

“C-grade potions are 3 gold each, B-grade potions are 20 gold!”

I thought it was a reasonable price, but the response was somehow lukewarm.

“It is expensive though…”

“Still, potions are sold out, so we can’t not buy them when they’re piled up like this.”

“We need to be able to trust the effects. What if they’re fake?”

It’s a bit more expensive than what’s sold at Ba-man-jang and Babel Square, but I set the price thinking it was reasonable.

I should have known the consumption level of the Ganasia continent in the first place.

If a run-down inn room costs 70 gold per day, shouldn’t effective potions be sellable for 20 gold?

But the reaction wasn’t good, so I was worried about failing in business when.

“Give me one B-grade potion.”

A soldier with bandages wrapped tightly around his limbs shouted.

“Here it is. That’s 20 gold.”

I glanced at the soldier’s appearance.

Judging by his limping gait and weakly trembling arms, it seemed he had severe external injuries but couldn’t receive treatment.

‘The effect will be more dramatic.’

At the jingling sound of gold coins, I smiled brightly and handed over the potion bottle.

I couldn’t help but smile when he was going to personally demonstrate the potion’s effects in front of the suspicious people.

“How can you trust that and drink it?”

“Shouldn’t we check it out somehow?”

Though people whispered around him, the soldier who received the potion put it in his mouth all at once without any doubt.

And a few seconds later.

“My goodness…”

“Greg really got better!”

The soldier who drank the potion dropped his crutch to the floor, sat down, and began to sob.

I didn’t know, but this soldier seemed to be quite a famous person in this area.

The news that ‘Greg walks without crutches’ spread instantly and took over this area.

What would that mean?

“Give me 2 C-grades, no, 5!”

“10 B-grades here.”

“I’ll buy one of each type.”

“I’m a treatment center soldier, could I possibly buy about 100 potions?”

I dealt with everyone with a benevolent smile.

I feel good.

Ah, so this is when you use the phrase ‘business is booming.’

The potions that Kang Yeon-hee had generously prepared were all turning into money and steadily accumulating in my pocket.

[Gold in possession: 5,817G]

Seeing my enriched account warmed my heart.

That’s when it happened.

“Hey, you filthy bastard!”

An aggressive voice came from the front of the stall.

I, who had been cheerfully serving customers, unconsciously hardened my expression and turned my head.

The naked hostility that seeped right through the voice.

An attitude as if contempt and disdain were perfectly natural.

“Get lost quickly! People feel uncomfortable when you’re here!”

And that was from another human being, to a very small child.

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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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