24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 55

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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 55

Episode 55. The Arrow That Left the Bowstring (14)

I had briefly stepped away to handle the commission fee settlement between Babel Square and Bamanjang Store.

No, I had been away longer than expected.

There was the problem of Alessandro being clumsy with computer work, and I spent more time than anticipated consoling Kang Yeon-hee who was crying about when I’d return.

Still, since I had promised to have dinner together, I hurried toward the back of the infirmary, worried that Remi might feel disappointed.

“Remi?”

Remi wasn’t there.

It seemed she had left in a hurry, as unfinished laundry was still hanging in the washtub.

‘If she’s not here, she might be at the stable.’

But Remi wasn’t at the stable either, and the house I had learned about through Anton was also empty.

I searched every corner of that small village, but no one knew the whereabouts of little Remi.

When I asked about Remi, they showed such disgust that I barely held back from hitting them.

I headed back to the infirmary where Remi spent most of her time.

“Remi?”

I called Remi’s name as I lifted the infirmary tent flap.

Among the many healers who showed no interest in me, one middle-aged male healer who had been grinding some unknown herbs turned around in surprise.

His greasy, shiny forehead was bright enough to illuminate the inside of the infirmary.

“Remi’s not here?”

“Why are you looking for her?”

Oh my, look at the way he talks.

I was quite offended, but I’m an adult who knows how to control my emotions.

“I promised to have dinner with Remi, but I don’t see her.”

“Dinner with such a filthy brat… Anyway, cancel it for today. I sent her on an errand.”

“Where to?”

“Where else, the front lines.”

“Ah, the front lines… What did you say?”

He answered so casually that I almost just accepted it and moved on.

Remi is only 11 years old.

Even Anton, an archer positioned in the rear, says he feels the fear of death every time he goes to the front lines, and an 11-year-old goes to the front?

It was such an absurd story that I let out a hollow laugh and asked again.

“Why would Remi go to the front lines? She’s 11 years old.”

“Emergency medical supply delivery. That’s how it always is. The front lines are dangerous, so we can’t go ourselves.”

What the hell is this crazy bastard babbling about?

They can’t go themselves, but it’s okay for an 11-year-old kid to go?

‘These people are really disgusting.’

I’m the same species as them, but their statement made me want to cleanly draw a line and pretend to be a different race rather than be associated with these creatures.

‘Ah, if only I had Merchant’s Mark, I would have punched him and run away.’

But I’m currently in the position of an outsider.

Normally I should head straight to Cona, but both Anton and Remi keep weighing on my mind.

I don’t know how much longer I’ll end up staying here.

Moreover, with Casabli probably searching for me just around the corner, I need to remain as harmless a merchant as possible.

“You crazy bastard, so when will Remi return?”

“Did you just curse at me?!”

“No? I was being self-deprecating? Oh my, I’m such a crazy bastard. I didn’t even know Remi went to the front lines and made a wasted trip, you idiot. That’s what I meant, you know?”

The man frowned as if he found my shameless explanation suspicious.

‘That forehead is perfectly shaped for flicking…’

Having such rebellious thoughts, I soon smiled lightly.

Then, with the face of ‘Lee Hae-on, a handsome man who looks pure and pitiful when quiet,’ I asked innocently.

“So when will she come back?”

“I don’t know. If it’s quick, today. If the front lines are chaotic, it could take several days. Ah, that Remi. She probably didn’t even finish the laundry before leaving.”

The man answered carelessly and waved his hands dismissively as if telling me to leave quickly.

That’s when it happened.

“Multiple severely wounded incoming from the front lines!”

At the voice that rang out roughly from outside the tent, the man’s face immediately hardened seriously.

“Get out, right now!”

The man who shouted sharply at me, along with the healers who had been moving with tired faces, began busily preparing beds.

Strong alcohol for disinfecting wounds and cloth to use instead of bandages.

The potions they had bought from me and various herbs were loaded onto carts for immediate use.

And exactly one minute later, the clean green tent began to be stained with bloodstains.

I never thought I’d see so many wounds in my life.

No, it wasn’t even at a level that could be lumped together as ‘wounds.’

Missing limbs or twisted bones were common, and there were even cases where large holes were pierced through bodies.

I knew that beastkin and humans were at war, but this was the first time I had witnessed such direct damage, making my stomach churn.

It was a scene difficult to handle even with a strong mentality.

“This one’s hopeless. Take down the soldier’s name.”

“This wound doesn’t seem treatable with medicine alone. Where’s the priest? Are they coming?”

“What on earth happened? This doesn’t look like a sword wound.”

“An unexploded shell went off without warning. That’s why there was such heavy damage over there…”

While the healers and soldiers were having a serious conversation, someone entered through the tent door.

A soldier with wounds all over his face as if hit by fragments set down what could barely be called a stretcher – a small stretcher – and said.

“This is the last one.”

A very small stretcher that could be carried by one person.

On it lay a child.

A child that none of the busy people in the infirmary, driven by responsibility to save the wounded, paid any attention to.

I couldn’t believe my eyes and muttered quietly.

“…Remi?”

The one I had promised to give tuna mayo rice balls for dinner tonight.

The one who had been excited, wondering what other things besides sandwiches tasted like.

11-year-old Remi was lying on the stretcher, covered in blood.

* * *

Even to me, who had no medical knowledge, Remi’s wounds looked serious.

She wasn’t regaining consciousness at all, and looking closely, I wondered if she might already be dead.

What was sad in the midst of this was the fact that no one in this tent was paying attention to Remi.

Yes, there were many soldiers more severely injured than Remi, so I could understand that even if I gave them a hundred concessions.

‘But this isn’t right.’

She’s really just a child.

Something deep in my chest felt like it was about to surge up.

I hurriedly opened my inventory.

If the healers won’t pay attention, then I’ll treat her myself.

I held an A-grade potion to Remi’s lips and poured it in while whispering.

“Remi, drink this. You have to drink it.”

However, the potion only flowed down along her lips, and unconscious Remi couldn’t swallow the potion.

In my desperation, I chose the method of taking the potion in my own mouth and feeding it to Remi directly.

One A-grade potion, that seemed insufficient so two bottles, just in case so three bottles.

“…Remi?”

But Remi’s condition didn’t improve even a little.

‘Damn it.’

The cold reality that even A-grade potions couldn’t save her struck me hard.

Then what other method was there?

S-grade potions with better effects.

‘Right, something like Hanromi’s potion….’

Since the Dimensional Market had everything, there must surely be potions even better than Hanromi’s.

[> Available Items for Purchase

– Tears of the World Tree 68,200G

– Solar Vitality Water (Made by: Letorkinie) 30,719G

– Dawn Wind Star Flower Elixir (Made by: ■■■) 15,400G]

‘This is ridiculous.’

I clenched my fist and stared blankly at that window.

Even when I asked to show only the cheapest potions with S-grade effects, this was the result.

I should have expected this from when it cost 1,000 gold just to appraise Hanromi’s potion.

The gold I had was 5,817 gold.

Currently I didn’t have enough gold to buy an S-grade potion, and Kang Yeon-hee couldn’t make S-grade potions yet.

Remi’s face, still lying motionless, was pale beyond description.

This couldn’t be happening.

I strongly grabbed the robe of a priest who was moving to see another patient.

“Please look at this child too. Please.”

However, the priest coldly knocked my arm away, and the robe easily slipped from my hand with just that.

Was it because I was just an E-grade awakener that I couldn’t even properly grab someone’s robe in this situation?

Anger welled up at my own powerless appearance.

The priest glanced at Remi and replied coldly.

“Can’t heal her.”

“Just look at her properly once. You never know.”

The priest let out an annoyed sigh and placed his hand on Remi’s stomach.

The warm golden energy flowing from the priest’s hand seemed to envelop Remi, but.

“See, it doesn’t work, right? This kid doesn’t respond to divine power.”

The divine power couldn’t penetrate into Remi’s body and just scattered uselessly.

Unable to believe this situation, I muttered blankly.

“Why….”

The priest left me in my dazed state and went to find another patient.

Wasn’t divine power supposed to be like a cure-all?

If potions don’t work and divine power doesn’t work either….

Was primitive treatment the only answer left?

But this wasn’t a situation where I could be picky.

I hurriedly moved my steps.

My target was the middle-aged healer who had yelled at me to get out earlier.

I grabbed the healer who was wrapping bandages and earnestly pleaded.

“Excuse me, please look at Remi.”

“Can’t you see? This person’s leg is severed right now.”

The patient I glanced down at really did have one leg blown off.

But Remi’s safety was more urgent to me.

It might be selfish, but to me, Remi who was dying neglected seemed like a more critical patient than this unknown soldier.

I stammered as I spoke.

“Remi is just a child. Even if you hate her, she’s a kid who worked here. You can’t just leave her like that.”

Perhaps feeling some pangs of conscience at my words, the healer’s hands stopped wrapping the bandage.

I urgently added.

“You’re a healer. You should save her first and see.”

Hearing those words, the healer glanced at me with complicated eyes.

Then he handed the bandage he was holding to another healer and gestured toward me.

“Let’s have a look.”

“Huh.”

A sigh of relief escaped me without realizing it.

Right, someone who had worked the front lines for years would be able to help Remi.

The healer pulled a cart and hurriedly headed to Remi’s side.

I followed behind him with tense nerves.

However, the healer who looked down at Remi muttered regretfully with eyes drained of all fighting spirit.

“It’s already too late.”

“…What did you say?”

I heard him.

I just asked again because I couldn’t believe it.

“She’s already… gone.”

The man glanced at my face and pronounced the verdict once more in a calm tone.

Meanwhile, a voice calling for the healer could be heard from the other side.

“Victor! I need you to look at this!”

The healer urgently left his spot, and I stood there blankly and placed my hand on Remi’s pale cheek.

I could still feel warmth.

“…Really?”

Just a few hours ago, she had been sitting next to me with a dignified face.

I slowly raised my hand and stroked her disheveled hair.

Blood and dirt were stained between the bright ochre-colored strands, making it dirty, but.

‘Still soft.’

A relationship of less than an hour of facing each other.

A relationship of just sitting by the laundry area sharing trivial talk, too awkward to call close.

Just that kind of relationship, yet I didn’t even know what to call the emotion I was feeling now.

It wasn’t sad enough to make me feel like collapsing.

It wasn’t anger welling up either.

Just… just.

Remi was dead.

I couldn’t even give her the rice ball we were supposed to eat together, and so suddenly like this.

Suddenly I thought I might never be able to eat that rice ball again.

And perhaps….

I thought I might not be able to keep my resolve to remain a bystander one step behind forever.

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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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