24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 56

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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 56

Episode 56. The Arrow That Left the Bowstring (15)

Upon hearing the news, Anton collapsed to the ground as if crumbling.

Unlike me, who just stood there blankly unable to express anything, Anton pounded the ground and wailed as if it were his own affair.

That sight seemed to express my complicated feelings on my behalf, so I quietly remained in place.

Listening to Anton’s crying, I had this thought.

I couldn’t keep my resolve to stay one step back like a spectator.

There was Remy, to whom I had given my heart in such a short time.

Anton weeping for the small child who had left this world, Clara whom I had directly saved, the kind turtle beastkin Gilliard, the rabbit warrior Onak, and even Echo who smiled brightly and welcomed me.

‘I hadn’t intended for this to happen.’

It seems I had already come too far down a path of no return.

After crying for a long while, Anton and I buried Remy’s body properly in a sunny spot.

In the forest where Anton and I had first met.

Since it was a remote place with few people, Remy would no longer have to hear cruel words.

Kneeling in front of the small mound that was too modest to call a grave, Anton quietly murmured.

“Goodbye, Remy.”

Ah, the greeting “goodbye” seemed even sadder because it was so ordinary.

Anton, whose eyes were swollen from crying, looked back at me with a forced smile.

“If you have anything you want to say, please do so, Hae.”

I stepped forward.

Honestly, I wanted to say I would eliminate every human in this dimension.

But making him hear such words even in death seemed too cruel, so I was satisfied with just stroking the small mound as if patting his head.

It may not be as soft as your hair, but I hope soft grass grows here.

I swallowed those words silently.

Anton slowly stood up, clasped his hands together, and bowed his head.

“O Oerisa, Mother of Light, please receive this small soul into your embrace. Death is not an end but a new beginning, and darkness cannot obscure the light. Though this flesh returns to earth, the soul shall find eternal peace in your embrace. Rest in peace within Oerisa’s light.”

What he murmured in a choked voice sounded like something you might hear at a memorial service.

After finishing his words, Anton smiled faintly.

“I wanted to at least do this much. It didn’t seem like we could hold a funeral at the temple.”

“Do they normally hold funerals at the temple?”

“Yes, but Remy wasn’t affected by holy power… so the priests avoided him.”

That damn holy power.

There was a reason for the priest’s attitude of not wanting to waste time.

Though it was already past, one corner of my heart felt heavy again.

Then, struck by a sudden thought, I looked at Anton and asked.

“…Wait a minute. Why wasn’t Remy affected by holy power?”

Since the beastkin also seemed to worship Oerisa, it appeared that all races were influenced by holy power regardless of species.

So why only Remy?

Anton, who also seemed troubled by this, answered quietly.

“I don’t know. They said Remy had been like that since he was very young. But does it matter? When the baby is born, they were planning to take Remy to Kona…”

As if tears might burst forth again, Anton pressed his lips tightly and turned his head sharply to the side.

He was probably crying silently even now.

I moved several steps away, thinking to give Anton some time.

Then I leaned against a large tree standing right beside me and sat down, gazing intently at Remy’s grave.

Would Remy have lived if holy power had worked on him?

Though hypothesizing was no longer useful, I kept thinking of “what ifs.”

Was it because this was the first death among those I remembered having conversations with?

…While thinking this, I suddenly tilted my head in confusion.

‘Huh, wait.’

Something seemed about to come to mind.

Holy power.

I felt like I had forgotten something important related to holy power…

With an uneasy feeling, I rummaged through my mind.

Let me retrace my steps so far.

Then I remembered the scenario participant sharing message that Ahn Yeon-seo had sent to Han Romi.

[■ Babel System > Scenario Participant Sharing Message

– Han Romi, the raid team is currently at a standstill, unable to find a way to enter the sanctuary. There’s a massive wall of holy power surrounding Prorobel that completely blocks approach. The raid team plans to move to Reikam, a nearby village. Please join us at Reikam instead of Prorobel. -Ι Ahn Yeon-seo (Dimension-Earth Ι Zone-South Korea)]

“Ah-!”

I suddenly shouted and jumped to my feet.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

Anton, startled as well, looked around frantically with a frightened expression.

Ironically, it was only after the mixed-blood Remy had passed away that I realized the important hint.

The meaning of the “unfading sprout.”

The wall of holy power surrounding Prorobel.

Then it meant that only mixed-bloods unaffected by holy power could break through that wall and enter Prorobel.

* * *

“Wait a minute. What did you say?”

Anton frowned as if he couldn’t understand after hearing my story.

Well, if I were in Anton’s position, I probably would have made the same expression.

I explained again calmly.

“Long ago, beastkin and humans made a peace treaty and got along well, but Agemor got angry and spread a fog that destroyed the object sealing that treaty, which is why their relationship became so bad.”

“…Yes.”

“To restore that object, it needs to be taken to Prorobel to receive divine blessing again, but only mixed-bloods unaffected by holy power can enter Prorobel.”

“Yes…”

“Do you understand?”

Anton, who had been immersed in grief just moments before, blinked his eyes as if confused by the sudden influx of vast information.

Well, it was a conclusion derived from combining the basic scenario information with what Gilliard had told me, so it would be quite complex to accept all at once.

Anton, who had been rolling his eyes, finally opened his mouth cautiously after a long while.

“So… are you saying that if Remy had been alive, he could have solved all of this?”

“Exactly. The fact that holy power didn’t work on him actually had great significance.”

“Ah…”

Anton, understanding my explanation, sighed.

Though we didn’t say it, we both probably felt the same way.

Because it was lamentable that Remy, who had only suffered in all kinds of cold treatment, was actually someone who could reconcile everyone.

Because it was unbelievable that this situation of killing each other could end in an instant.

Anton muttered bitterly.

“If we had told Remy, he would have definitely been happy. That there was a place where he belonged.”

“That’s right.”

Remy, who had never found his place anywhere and was only ignored, would have definitely been happy.

If we had asked for his help, he might have proudly said we could touch not only the top of his head but also his ears.

I muttered with a sinking feeling.

“But now there’s nowhere to ask for help, since the only beastkin-human mixed-blood is… the baby in Clara’s womb.”

But there’s no time to wait for the baby to be born safely and grow up enough.

I steeled my heart coldly.

I had forgotten for a moment, but the situation was too dire to spend sufficient time mourning.

Agemor’s erosion was still sweeping through this floor, and if we failed to clear Floor 51’s scenario like this, our dimension would also face a destruction ending.

I needed a Plan B.

Babel must have prepared a way to clear this scenario even without mixed-bloods.

Even if it was extremely difficult, there was no other choice.

Then Anton spoke up with a puzzled tone.

“There is one.”

“Huh?”

I was so flustered that my words came out strangely.

It was hard to believe, but Anton’s expression was so innocent that I stupidly asked.

“Where?”

“In Kona. That’s why I was trying to take Remi there. I heard there’s a mixed-blood child living happily in Kona.”

“Kona?!”

“Yes, didn’t you know?”

It was even a familiar place name.

I stammered and slowly asked.

“Wh-who, who is it?”

“What was the name, I definitely heard it…”

Anton touched his chin with a face full of contemplation.

A clue about the mixed-blood child that must remain somewhere in Anton’s memory.

If I could just learn that name that would save both races and this dimension, and furthermore save our dimension too, I could solve half the problems we faced.

But the name that came from Anton’s mouth after much thought was completely unexpected.

“Echo… was it?”

I opened my eyes wide and asked in surprise.

“Echo?!”

That small and cute cat beastkin, the adorable Echo?!

At the suddenly familiar name, I couldn’t react easily and stammered.

Anton nodded and continued.

“Yes, from what I heard from Clara, she’s a very lively child. It seems there’s no discrimination in the beastkin village. I thought it would be nice if Kong and Remi could grow up in such a place too.”

He seemed completely unaware that I had saved Echo and promised to be lifelong friends.

I stared blankly at Anton’s face, lost in wistfulness for clear reasons.

Anyway, my destination had become clear.

“I should go meet Echo.”

“Wait, Lee Hae!”

Anton urgently grabbed me.

The hand holding my arm was trembling slightly.

“Are you thinking of taking that child to Prorobel right now?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You can’t make a child do such dangerous work. That child doesn’t know anything…”

“Anton.”

I cut off Anton’s trembling words.

I understood Anton’s feelings completely.

He was someone who fell in love with a beastkin in a situation where the world encouraged mutual hatred and hadn’t lost his caring heart.

He must think of Echo as an ordinary child, not the key to the scenario.

But reality wasn’t so easy.

“Remi died because of this situation where beastkin and humans hate each other.”

Unable to refute my words, Anton closed his mouth heavily.

“If this situation continues, Echo, Clara and your child, and other mixed-blood children who will be born in the future might face the same fate.”

“…”

“I may not know Remi as well as you do, but… if it were Remi, she would definitely have stepped forward to take on this task. Echo would be the same.”

Yes, Echo would definitely do the same.

She was a pure child who, despite being afraid of me as a human, said she didn’t really understand why beastkin and humans had to fight.

If she could help stop them from fighting each other, she would clench her small fists and help with anything.

Leaving Anton behind with his head down silently, I took out Nokgacheon from my inventory.

Seeing Nokgacheon emerge from thin air, Anton flinched and stepped back in surprise.

“What is that?”

“This is my horse.”

Leaving Anton unable to react, I climbed onto Nokgacheon.

“I’m going now. See you again soon, Anton.”

“…Alright. Take care of yourself, Lee Hae.”

After giving Anton a light farewell, I looked down at the small grave mound.

A crude wooden board was stuck on top of the tomb that Anton and I had clumsily made.

[Remi, rests here]

This wouldn’t be the last time.

Thinking that, I quietly murmured.

“Goodbye, Remi. See you again next time.”

Next time I’ll play with you longer.

I put my foot on the pedal and set off without lingering.

Now it was time to return to Kona.

While driving Nokgacheon at maximum speed, I forcibly swallowed my guilt.

Guilt for not being able to protect Remi, and guilt for having to burden Echo with this responsibility.

‘Sorry, Echo.’

But it was something only that child could do.

In this continent of hatred where everything was crumbling, the only one who had sprouted new life.

Only Echo, the unwithering sprout, could do it.

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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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