24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 98

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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 98

Episode 98. The Lost Puzzle Piece (4)

There’s always an intention behind the stories Babel shows.

Even if it seems coincidental, it absolutely can’t be carelessly overlooked.

Iona, dying after being struck by a harpoon.

And the melody that Atari hummed forlornly while left alone.

I held onto the bookshelf with the mermaid illustration and muttered blankly.

“Wait, so this worldview and that worldview are the same?”

The memory I saw when I appraised the magic harp, I thought it was a memory that could only be seen from an incredibly old ancient item.

That was all because of what the blue-eyed merchant had said.

But thinking about it again now, that blue-eyed merchant probably didn’t know how old the harp actually was either.

Saying it was very old but well-preserved was probably just random sales talk to sell the item.

‘The time periods might not differ as much as I thought.’

Where Atari and Iona were attacked was probably the waters near Laoko.

The big event called the Kraken subjugation wouldn’t have happened for no reason.

It would have some connection to humans attacking mermaids and the sirens of the past.

“Let’s search.”

I began rummaging through the small, modest library once again.

This time I focused on mermaids and sirens instead of the Kraken.

Not only that, I tried not to miss anything about subjugation, war, and hunting.

However, after going through all the few books available, what I found was just one line.

[The subjugation force discovered sirens.]

In the record where ‘sirens’ appeared directly, I turned the page with hope.

However.

“Are you kidding me! Someone tore up the history book!”

A people who forget their history have no future!

‘This is why this dimension perished!’

Village chief Minota would probably give an endless, slow sermon about how blasphemous that sounds if he heard it, but I pushed that thought aside and continued turning pages.

There was no gain.

I turned to the last page in disappointment, but all the pages that might have been helpful after the torn pages were also torn out.

I was sure important clues would appear after this, but there was nothing more I could obtain.

‘Ah, should I just leave, forget the scenario and everything.’

With the rushing sense of futility, the desire to be free rose up like a chimney.

But the last bit of conscience clinging like a thread at the edge of my heart was holding me back.

It was conscience stemming from the ‘reason for summoning’ that I had briefly postponed while being absorbed in my act.

‘What could be the reason he said he needed me.’

Park Ji-woon said he needed me and asked me to come here.

It probably wasn’t to wake him up.

And there’s no way he’d ask an E-rank like me to find a missing S-rank Hunter.

But waiting for Park Ji-woon, who knows when he’ll wake up, just to hear that reason would be a pointless waste of time.

In Park Ji-woon’s judgment, there must have been something that only I, as the administrator of Friendly Market and a merchant who’s like a sidekick in this Tower, could do.

“Couldn’t he have said what that was in a message before fainting.”

I grumbled as I stood up.

The library I had ransacked looking for information was nothing short of a mess.

Of course, I didn’t find much nutritious information here.

“Fine. I’ll just have to use my head.”

If I can’t solve it with my body, let’s try solving it with my head.

After wracking my brain and pondering for a long time, I soon let out a deep sigh.

There’s only one thing I can do right now.

“I have no choice but to meet the Kraken.”

The answer must be at the scene.

* * *

“Absolutely not.”

Kim Seol cut me off sharply.

“Why?”

“Because I can’t trust you.”

I flinched involuntarily at her cold expression that left no room for compromise.

I had thought she had a rather cold impression, but I thought it had been somewhat resolved after coming to Laoko together.

I was bewildered by Kim Seol’s suddenly sharp attitude.

I asked in as nonchalant a tone as possible.

“You let me go to the library just fine, didn’t you?”

“That was within my mana detection range. The sea is not allowed.”

What the heck.

So I was enjoying freedom within Kim Seol’s palm?

It wasn’t even freedom to begin with, but under surveillance?

But saying no because it’s the sea isn’t logical either.

Kim Seol’s title is ‘Ruler of the Frozen Sea’.

Even if the sea doesn’t freeze, Kim Seol has the power to ignore such natural laws and freeze the sea.

Moreover, 「Brilliant Water Scales」, one of Kim Seol’s specialties, is an overpowered skill that freezes a wide area and changes it into a field favorable to her.

Kim Seol’s mana is maximized on frozen fields, making it possible not only to detect surroundings but even to restrain enemies who set foot on the field.

If she spreads the field range more loosely, she can clearly detect even several kilometers away.

‘But what, it’s not allowed because it’s far?’

What I wanted to go to was just the sea a few kilometers away where buoys visible from here were floating.

Having such skills but saying no just because it’s far was unreasonable.

I pressed my chest that was blocked with frustration and spoke more gently.

“Hey, but we have camaraderie from surviving the mermaid den together. Trust me once and let me go. Who knows? I might bring back an amazing clue.”

I spoke with complete sincerity without mixing in any nonsense, but Kim Seol still expressed her refusal with a rigidly hardened face.

“I said no.”

“Then who else is there to go with me? I’ll be back soon. I can just set a time and come back within that time.”

Actually, if I wanted to, I could open a Warp Gate and leave from here.

I’m not even a participant in the scenario to begin with, so I don’t know why I’m going through all this trouble to persuade her.

Could it be because of the clear emotion subtly showing on Kim Seol’s face?

The inner feelings that subtly showed throughout our journey from waking up in the air bubble on the seabed to coming to Laoko.

That emotion I had pretended not to notice and passed over.

‘But so what about that?’

Kim Seol isn’t my mom or dad, or even someone involved in the same scenario.

I’m here with her out of goodwill, and Kim Seol has no authority to force my actions.

But at that moment, Kim Seol resolutely turned her head away.

“The discussion ends here.”

I, who had tried to handle the situation flexibly somehow, also began to get angry at her forceful attitude.

“Hey, don’t just decide on your own…”

I couldn’t hide my irritation and urgently grabbed Kim Seol’s wrist.

That was the moment.

The oppressive feeling as if the small inn room had instantly transformed into the middle of a deep ocean.

I didn’t even have time to sense it.

In the blink of an eye, sharp ice had shot out and was aimed at my throat.

The ice shard, so transparent you could see completely through to the other side, looked ready to pierce through my neck at any moment.

The cool chill flowing from the ice made me break out in goosebumps.

And.

“…Take your hands off.”

Kim Seol was glaring at me with a rigidly hardened face.

Her characteristic blue magical power rippled in her pupils.

What was transparently reflected in her eyes, which had become as clear as a resort’s ocean, was deep hostility.

I unconsciously stepped back, distancing myself from Kim Seol.

“Don’t cross the line.”

Her cold tone suggested she was barely tolerating my insolence.

The naked killing intent, whose reason I couldn’t fathom, stung my skin sharply.

I could have died from Kim Seol’s attack just now.

But before that fear, what filled my head was doubt.

‘Why?’

I could understand her being suspicious and uncomfortable with me.

But such clear hostility?

Intuitively, I had a feeling there must be a definite reason behind this hostility.

But I’m not the type to thoughtfully back down here, thinking I should be understanding.

I shrugged my shoulders and said.

“Then I’ll go with someone else. Yeah, I’ll go with Jaein! Hong Jaein.”

Since she was a supporter, she’d be the lowest priority in terms of necessity, so I thought I’d presented a perfectly appropriate compromise.

But Kim Seol remained resolute.

“How can I trust you.”

Her voice had grown even colder, making me realize I’d made the wrong choice somehow.

Kim Seol, who had been staring at me with eyes like the calm sea before a storm, added in an extremely cold tone.

“I’ll go. Come down to Floor 1 in 10 minutes.”

I realized her intention like a bolt of lightning.

It wasn’t because she wanted to go with me.

‘She has no intention of leaving me with the other people.’

It was too aggressive and sharp a decision to be just because she didn’t trust me.

Kim Seol quickly turned her back and went outside, as if she didn’t want to be in the same space as me any longer.

All that remained in the room was the chill Kim Seol had created to threaten me.

Only then did I realize.

That the sharpness Kim Seol possessed wasn’t being poured out just because I was a stranger.

* * *

Going out to the open sea was easier than expected.

When Kim Seol reached her hand outside the small boat and lightly let her magic flow, the boat instantly left the dock as if it had a motor attached.

The ‘Ruler of the Frozen Sea’ was still a ruler of the sea, after all.

Now that she’d recovered from the kraken’s magic nullification ability, Kim Seol was an overlord that no one could touch, at least on the sea.

…My situation of going together with such a Kim Seol who hates me is legendary.

Soon, white buoys marking the kraken’s territory came into view.

“Once we pass there, it’s the kraken’s territory. Let’s prepare.”

Kim Seol didn’t even answer and stared at the distant horizon.

I let out a deep sigh and hung a bright light at the bow of the boat.

It was called a ‘Luminous Light,’ a cost-effective item I’d purchased for exactly 7 Gold.

[Luminous Light (D)

A lantern that emits bright light visible from up to 3km away.

Duration is approximately 5 minutes.]

Since the kraken is a giant squid, wouldn’t it appear right away if I decorated like a squid fishing boat?

It’s quite a strategic approach.

The effect of the light brightly illuminating the water surface that was only dimly lit by moonlight was tremendous.

I thought Kim Seol might be startled by this light and ask something about it…

“…Hey, Kim Seol.”

But Kim Seol had no interest in the light whatsoever, just lost in deep thought, endlessly gazing only at the horizon.

I understand that I triggered something.

But since I don’t know why she’s acting like this, I’m going crazy with frustration.

‘I’m going crazy with injustice.’

Whatever circumstances Kim Seol has, I didn’t do anything wrong.

“Let me ask.”

“…”

“What exactly did I do wrong that you’re suddenly treating me like a criminal?”

“…”

“At least let me know what I’m being cursed for.”

But there’s no answer.

Has she just decided to keep her mouth shut?

Now I’m not just angry, I’m bewildered.

Kim Seol, who had fallen from my only bias, my unwavering favorite, to an unlikeable tight-lipped character in an instant, remained stubbornly silent.

That was the moment.

The magic flowing from Kim Seol’s hand was cut off and the boat suddenly stopped.

This must be the kraken’s magic nullification ability.

“This is-“

The moment Kim Seol opened her mouth, realizing this fact.

Without any time to prepare, the bottom of the boat was pierced and water shot upward.

Kim Seol with her magic blocked and me, just an ordinary person in every way.

We instantly lost our balance and fell from the boat.

“Ugh, my nose stings.”

I barely managed to grab onto a plank from the boat that had become a wreck before sinking into the water.

Kim Seol was holding onto another nearby plank, breathing heavily with a pale face.

Her face looked greatly shocked, unable to grasp what had just happened.

…No, rather than that, it looked like she was still wandering in some memory.

I barely managed to approach Kim Seol’s side and wrapped around her protectively.

She seemed to extremely dislike having hands on her body, but it couldn’t be helped.

With her magic sealed, Kim Seol was no different from an ordinary person with slightly better physical abilities.

And those tentacles leisurely approaching, cutting through the current.

To protect Kim Seol, I had no choice but to step forward.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs.

If this kraken could understand words, if it was really looking for something.

It shouldn’t attack me, someone who could communicate.

I’m the one and only existence in this dimension who can listen to the kraken’s story!

“Hey, Kraken-!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“If you hit us like this, we’ll die!”

At that moment, the sea became calm as if by magic.

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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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