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 this is. I’m so relieved that Aegi 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… Aegi is Clara’s nickname. The baby’s prenatal name is Kkong-i. Because it was conceived on a day when the lake was frozen solid.”

Anton cleared his throat awkwardly with reddened cheeks.

Oh my, who asked?

Someone who just perfectly avoided death suddenly turning red in the face – this is also terrifying.

“Yes, yes… both Aegi and Kkong-i are fine…”

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

Anton’s face, 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 after meeting Anton too, it seems like it really is true love.

“But what was that thing that just attacked you, 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 seems he’s finally composed himself a bit.

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 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 to add anything 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 is still vivid, seeing him determined to return to Clara’s side, he can’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 need to sleep anyway, it’s a timely good suggestion.

Of course, being near Casabl is 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 and I haven’t even asked your name. What should I call you?”

“Please call me ‘Hae.'”

I smiled as naturally as a con artist.

* * *

This is strange.

Somehow there seem 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, Anton kindly explained.

“That big tent you see over there is the medical facility, and those small tents are the knights’ barracks, so it’s better not to go near them.”

I nodded very quickly.

There’s no way I, who was caught by knights and even went 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 are a lot of people.

“Amazing, isn’t it? Since this is a border area where the front lines meet the village, there are many people.”

So that’s why there are so many people.

It feels like the rear of the front lines meets the edge of the civilian residential area.

‘It’s a perfect marketplace.’

There are 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, calling it a stall was generous – it was just the level of putting goods on a table and selling them.

“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 seems to be demand.

‘But why herbs instead of potions?’

My question was quickly answered.

“Even making them all day produces less than 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 Ro-mi’s past interview, ‘consuming only raw materials is a very inefficient method of consumption.’

Besides, there doesn’t seem to be anything like a potion automation system here either.

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

Of course, I know that 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.

After finishing all the calculations in my head, I asked casually.

“By any chance, do you 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 each of B-grade and C-grade potions to the market stall.]

[No wait, maybe 300 each? As many as possible if you can.]

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

[> Middle Manager Message

– Unnie, why B and C grade all of a sudden? I’ve uploaded them for now! Ι Kang Yeon-hee (Bamanjang Store)

– But when is the bar manager coming ㅜㅜ Ι Kang Yeon-hee (Bar Manager Store)]

Good middle manager Kang Yeon-hee, who makes potions well and listens well, is also quick with 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 ever heard of a temporary 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!

Just mentioning the word ‘potion’ means everyone passing by on the street would peek at the stall.

Injured soldiers, their caring families, and even soldiers working at the treatment centers.

Questions from curious people poured out.

“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 reaction seemed somewhat lukewarm.

“It is a bit expensive…”

“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 Bamanjang and Babel Square, but I thought it was a reasonable price.

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 I be able to sell effective potions for 20 gold?

But the reaction wasn’t very good, so I was worried about what to do if business failed, when.

“Give me one B-grade potion.”

A soldier with bandages wrapped tightly around his limbs shouted.

“Here you go. That’s 20 gold.”

I glanced at the soldier’s appearance.

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

‘The effect would 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 suspicious people.

“How can you trust that and drink it?”

“Shouldn’t you check it somehow first?”

People whispered around, but 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 on the ground, 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-grade, no, 5!”

“10 B-grade here.”

“I’ll buy one of each type.”

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

I dealt with everyone with a benevolent smile.

This feels 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 was cheerfully serving customers when I unconsciously hardened my expression and turned my head.

Naked hostility that was evident in the voice itself.

An attitude as if contempt and disdain were completely natural.

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

And it was from one 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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