Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 32

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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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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 32

 

 

She liked old things.

More precisely, she liked the stories tied to old things worn away by the passage of time.

A brooch that some playboy gave to a widow.

A lighter that saved some war hero’s life.

What was this person feeling at that time?

Why did such a thing happen?

The fantasies that started from small clues always delighted her.

Even fantasies that contained only a tiny bit of truth did the same.

Perhaps that’s why she majored in antiques.

She cries out.

The One Who Became a Star, who has traveled the world and seen all kinds of precious things, also cries out.

Books gnawed by insects and mold.

Old military uniforms and shoes.

Some coins and medals.

A few lighters and vases.

Johann approaches the market stall with heavy steps and strokes his chin.

He picks up an old crutch. An old crutch with golden metal reinforcements here and there, though it’s impossible to tell when it was even made.

“How much is this?”

“Oh, ten dollars will do, dear.”

“…This?”

“A bit expensive?”

But there’s no choice.

After losing her retirement pension and house to the subprime mortgage crisis, all she had left were these items that had been gathering dust in the attic storage, left behind by her husband who died 15 years ago.

For her, who had a duty to see and hear as much as possible, who had a duty to meet her husband someday and tell him about how she had lived, she couldn’t sell her husband’s collection for a pittance.

“So please understand, dear. Instead, I’ll give you that for eight dollars. I don’t know if you’ll have any use for it though. Oh, surely you’re not a troublemaker, are you?”

“…Can I say no comment?”

“Hoho!”

She bursts into laughter and gives him some candy as a service.

‘She’s a good person.’

His mind is made up.

“Hey, kid. Can’t you see we’re talking here?”

A face full of irritation.

He notices the impatience hidden within it.

Under that staring gaze, the middle-aged man looks at the old woman with a guilty expression.

“Ma’am! This really is a rare opportunity.”

They all buy these things because they remind them of their mothers.

The reason for buying these useless old things that can’t even be used as decorations is because they remind them of their deceased mothers.

“Fine! I’ll give you 1,500 dollars, no, 1,800 dollars!”

“Th-that much?”

“You should hurry up and sell these so you can go inside and rest. At your age, it’s not good to be out in the cold wind…”

“Ah, I can’t listen to this anymore.”

He can’t listen to this any longer.

“…Hey, kid.”

“Do you have business with my child?”

“Larry!”

Larry, who approaches just in time, blocks Johann’s way.

He hands Johann a bag containing lobsters.

“What’s going on?”

“This man seems to be trying to scam her.”

“Huh?”

“Wh-what is this kid saying!”

The middle-aged man turns pale.

Larry and the elderly lady furrow their brows.

“Scam?”

“Yeah. This person seems to know the value of these items.”

The One Who Became a Star says.

That not a single thing the middle-aged man has said so far is true.

That he’s full of nothing but greed.

His behavior is so blatant that it’s obvious even without using Reading on the middle-aged man.

“Look here! That’s…”

“Just look at this.”

“It’s a crutch?”

“More precisely, it’s a crutch gun.”

“…Huh?”

“Do you see the metal parts here?”

“A… matchlock gun?”

A powder pan, hammer, trigger, and other parts are attached to the side of the crutch.

“It’s an item used in Europe from the late 18th to early 19th century.”

An item designed for officers with leg disabilities. This means it’s an item from 200 years ago.

Johann points to the metal plate next to the matchlock gun parts.

“It says RN here, right?”

The letters referring to the Royal Navy, which boasts a long history in Britain.

Then Johann points to the cursive writing next to it that says Captain Morris.

“It says Captain Morris here.”

“So it does…”

“If this is an item used by a famous officer who was wounded in a famous battle… Well, even if it was an unnamed officer, since it’s a 200-year-old item, couldn’t it fetch 100 dollars per century, so 200 dollars?”

No.

Captain Morris’s full name is James Nicol Morris. He’s one of the officers who stopped Napoleon’s advance at the Battle of Trafalgar.

In this battle, he was shot in the knee and used a crutch until the moment he died.

‘If this really belonged to that person, it’s worth at least ten thousand dollars.’

But he can’t say this. It would obviously look strange.

However, even what he said was enough to surprise everyone.

“What?! Really?”

“Is, is that true? This old crutch was such a valuable item?”

“Yes. I’m sure because I saw it in a book at the school library. And this…”

Johann picks up an old book the size of an adult’s palm from among the books and opens it.

“It’s the Jay Treaty.”

The Jay Treaty signed between America and Britain in 1794.

It was negotiated and concluded by America’s chief diplomat John Jay, hence the name, and its contents included the withdrawal of British forces from American territory, America’s payment of pre-independence debts to British merchants, and America’s right to trade within British territories in the Caribbean.

And this book was a record that detailed the contents and negotiation process of that Jay Treaty.

“It’s a book that only some high-ranking officials from Britain and America possessed at the time.”

He doesn’t know which of them owned this book, but if it was someone quite famous, there’s no telling how much its value would soar.

Thud!

“My goodness…”

Johann glances at the elderly lady covering her mouth, then looks at the middle-aged man who is now backing away hesitantly.

“This person was trying to sweep away these treasures for just a thousand dollars.”

This elderly lady’s last hope.

The money that should be used to build more memories.

Stories of the future.

That’s why he’s a scammer. Not just any scammer, but the kind that can never be forgiven.

“Wow!”

“That’s amazing, kid!”

People who had been interested in Johann’s clear voice applaud. They glare at the middle-aged man, putting pressure on him.

“Get lost, you scammer!”

“Get out of here! Get out!”

Gritting his teeth!

“You’ll definitely regret this later, ma’am!”

As people’s expressions turned menacing, the middle-aged man hurriedly fled, and the elderly lady thanked everyone.

People waved their hands saying it was nothing, patted Johann’s head as they dispersed, and the elderly lady tightly held Johann’s hand.

“How can I be so grateful?”

If it weren’t for Johann, she would have been happy not knowing she sold it for a pittance.

What to do with a thousand dollars, where to go.

She would have pondered that, then made her husband’s favorite apple pie and gone to her husband’s grave to tell him every detail of what happened today.

‘And later she would have been scolded by her husband.’

She might have cried tears of injustice then.

Johann’s eyes light up as he pats her hand, saying it’s fortunate.

“Grandmother, by any chance was your husband from a family of soldiers for generations?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

It was accurate.

Her husband had said his family were soldiers for generations even before immigrating to the American Continent. Her husband too had been proud all his life of being a soldier who participated in the Vietnam War.

“I thought so…”

At the puzzled looks from people who hadn’t completely dispersed yet and Larry’s gaze, Johann quickly adds:

“I thought so when I saw this military uniform.”

More precisely, it was because of the pocket watch attached like a badge to the military uniform.

The pocket watch that shocked both the ‘Appraiser’ and ‘The One Who Became a Star’, with no patterns and only an inscription engraved inside.

 

To my adjutant Billy Ronan.

 

‘Billy Ronan!’

Billy Ronan, one of the adjutants to Benjamin Rush, who was one of America’s founding fathers and a soldier during the Revolutionary War.

If this military uniform also belonged to Billy Ronan, if this pocket watch was really given by Benjamin Rush, then this set of two items might be worth whatever price is asked.

“One of my classmates really loves these old military uniforms, and he said this was a uniform worn during the Revolutionary War.”

There are also many other military-related items like medals.

They’re all in good condition, so he guessed that the family must have been soldiers for generations.

“So you should get it appraised. Who knows? It might be a famous person’s military uniform.”

“…Wow.”

“The child is very smart, isn’t he? You must feel full even without eating.”

“Haha. He does go to Fairmont School.”

“Oh! That’s why!”

“Hey kid! What about mine? I brought this from the attic too!”

Worn-out curtains and a grotesquely shaped doll.

A wooden toy train, a dented whiskey bottle, and other items catch his eye.

“Hmm. You should just throw it all away as trash… Huh?”

Johann tilts his head as he looks at one of the items displayed at the neighboring booth’s stall.

 

“Thank you. Thank you so much. How can I repay this kindness?”

“Haha. It’s nothing.”

The appraisal he couldn’t do properly because of Larry. Still, this much should be worth the candy he received earlier.

“So… this is fine too.”

Johann reluctantly offers the pocket watch.

While it would have tremendous value on its own, it’s a pocket watch that would be worth even more as a set with the military uniform.

‘Larry might be disappointed later if he finds out.’

“B-but!”

“If you’re going to give it to me, then… I’ll take this!”

Johann picks up the book containing the contents of the Jay Treaty.

“W-would that be enough?”

“Maybe… this might be the most valuable antique here, Grandmother.”

The elderly lady bursts into laughter at Johann’s meaningful words as he narrows his eyes. The burden on her heart is lifted.

“Thank you. Thank you so much…”

She doesn’t know exactly how much she’ll get if she sells everything, but she should be able to survive for at least a year.

Considering rent, it might be less than that, but it’s still time to find a grateful business owner who might employ this old body.

She can see a little more.

She can hear a little more stories.

What Johann gave her wasn’t just a simple appraisal, but time to live in the future.

Surprised by the thick tears falling, Johann looked at Larry as if asking what to do, and Larry smiled warmly while patting Johann’s head.

‘You studied hard.’

Not just digging into your own talent.

You also empathized with others’ stories.

You readily stepped forward against injustice.

Johann, who seemed a bit lacking in that area perhaps from living with wolves.

Larry found those qualities very admirable.

“Well, we’ll be going now.”

“Get home safely. Take care, little Superman.”

Larry turns around with a gentle smile and looks at Johann.

“What should we do now?”

First, they need to eat the lobster.

The lobster that must have gotten cold during all the commotion. They need to finish it before it gets even colder.

“No, we need to find treasure.”

“Treasure?”

Johann shows the small painting, about the size of an adult’s palm, that he just bought from the neighboring stall.

A starry night sky, a fox standing on a building rooftop playing guitar.

The booth owner said the organizers gave him just one painting to sell along with his other items.

“I saw something similar over there.”

That one was a moonlit night sky with a fox singing on a building rooftop. And the owner of that stall was someone selling those kinds of paintings and keychains.

“This must definitely be one picture.”

“Oh, that’s a reasonable deduction! There’s continuity.”

Two paintings that share similar imagery despite the booth and stall having completely different items.

If it’s a coincidence, it would be a truly wicked coincidence.

“If my thinking is correct…”

The organizers of this Rose Bowl Flea Market might be running a secret event.

“Haha! Really? Then shall we start treasure hunting right away?”

“…Let’s eat first.”

Growl!

The smell of the cold lobster is knocking on his stomach.

“Hahahaha!”

 

* * *

 

His steps quicken.

His eyes rapidly scan the market stalls.

‘She’s really going to regret this.’

Ada will regret not seeing this lively appearance.

Larry films Johann with his mobile phone to capture this moment.

“Over there!”

In front of a window with yellow light streaming out, a white fox playing piano.

“Look at this!”

Johann places it above and below the fox painting playing guitar.

“I was right, wasn’t I?”

“…It really is?”

The buildings where the two foxes are located match.

Johann and Larry look at the Booth Owner.

“Are the Event Organizers running a secret event by any chance?”

“Well…?”

‘There’s something here!’

They look at each other and nod at the Booth Owner’s meaningful smile.

Now Larry becomes serious too.

“Let’s go!”

“Yeah!”

As the two hurriedly leave, the Booth Owner takes out a walkie-talkie from under the market stall.

“A family that collected three paintings has appeared.”

-Roger.

The Booth Owner watches the direction Johann and Larry disappeared with a pleased smile, then takes out another Piano Playing Fox painting from under the market stall and places it on display.

 

‘Where is it? Where could it be?’

They’ve collected up to the Drum Playing Fox.

A fox playing drums under streetlight illumination below the building where the singing fox is.

But the painting isn’t complete.

Between the four foxes, there should be another fox.

“Could it be bass?”

“It might be…”

The guitar in the guitar-playing fox painting has no strings.

So they can’t distinguish whether it’s bass or electric.

“Phew. Let’s rest a little.”

The sunlight grows hotter as it approaches noon.

Sweat drips down, and after walking for over two hours with aching knees, Larry wanted to just lie down.

“…Tch! Fine.”

It’s the moment he turns his head looking for a place to rest.

Ding-a-ling ding-a-ding!

A sound that captures the ears and forces the eyes to turn.

Larry discovers a beige truck and opens his eyes wide.

“Oh, it’s an ice cream truck. It’s been a while?”

“Ice cream truck?”

“Ah, you haven’t seen one yet.”

Ice cream trucks that quietly appear in neighborhoods when the weather starts getting warm.

They’re quite wicked beings that appear on weekends to give dreams, hope, and cold sweetness in exchange for stealing precious allowance money before disappearing.

“Ah, so that’s an ice cream truck.”

Among the beings he had accessed, some had bought from them many times in childhood.

“Should we get ice cream?”

“Great!”

The ice cream truck shaped like a square van.

Approaching with a heart pounding from new experience, a pleasant Chubby Uncle greets them with a bright smile through the open window.

“Welcome! This is the ice cream truck!”

“I’ll have vanilla flavor… Johann, what about you? You can order multiple flavors together.”

Since it’s the format of putting ice cream on a cone, multiple flavors are allowed.

“Really? Then vanilla, chocolate, strawberry all…”

Johann, who was speaking, closes his mouth.

He points to the side of the window.

“Larry.”

“…Oh.”

Pamphlets placed beside the window.

Among them, one pamphlet with buildings identical to the building where the foxes are and a night sky catches their eye immediately.

It read:

 

Play adventures and explorations with family, lovers, and friends.

Rose Bowl Flea Market.

 

With trembling hands, he reaches for the pamphlet.

He takes out the four paintings and places the pamphlet in the center.

“Ah.”

That’s right. It fits perfectly.

Bang!

The sound of fireworks exploding.

Startled, they turn around to see a Young Man with a Staff Card around his neck approaching with a bright smile.

“Congratulations on winning the event!”

Gasp!

The hair on the back of his neck stands up, and excitement fills his chest to the point of aching.

It was real. The Rose Bowl really was secretly running an event.

“This is your winning prize!”

The Young Man holds out a coupon.

A coupon that allows them to eat ten foods for free at any restaurant or food truck within Rose Bowl Flea Market.

“Wow!”

“Congratulations!”

Unknown people congratulate them and stare intently at the paintings Johann and Larry are holding.

Hurriedly grabbing family members’ hands, they set off on adventures.

“Johann.”

“Yeah.”

Snap!

One more bookmark is added.

High-fiving while looking at each other with bright smiles, they looked at the ice cream truck.

“All mix please!”

“Vanilla in 7 layers!”

The coupon held out gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.

 

* * *

 

“Again?”

“We need to consider the practical value, Larry.”

Lobster is one of the expensive foods sold within this flea market.

More expensive than that, the most expensive is steak. When you get free coupons like this, you need to eat well and stock up.

“Haha! Oh, they sell both over there. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

The restaurant is already full. Even around where they are, since it’s a bit late but still lunchtime, there are hardly any seats visible.

Larry sits Johann on a vacant bench they were lucky to claim and quickly heads to the restaurant, and Johann sighs while chewing his taco as he watches him go.

The taco he was planning to eat after the lobster.

‘The level is different…’

He had suspicions since the owner was Hispanic, but this is on a different dimension from what he ate at Fairmont School.

“So this is real taco…”

Fresh guacamole sauce and rich, salty meat, crisp vegetables all brought together by the flour bread tortilla.

‘If handmade is this good, what level must Taco Bell be?’

Taco Bell, the famous Mexican food chain with over ten locations in LA alone.

It was the moment Johann, thinking he must visit Taco Bell next time, was sucking down his lime drink.

“If you’re not buying, get lost!”

A shout that didn’t just hit his ears but captured them.

‘…Why?’

Why on earth is that irritated woman’s voice gripping his ears?

As Johann turns his head, an Asian man with tattoos covered by a thick jumper and a woman with large spots all over her face carve themselves into his vision.

‘Who are those people?’

A phenomenon he absolutely cannot understand.

Johann, who had been furrowing his brow, looks at the market stall in the couple’s booth and unconsciously stands up.

“Huh?”

‘What is that?’

‘Appraiser’ and ‘The One Who Became a Star’ begin shouting again.

Telling him to hurry and run over.

 

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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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