Chapter 20
20. I’m Just a Normal Merchant, but in Babel?! (5)
I… must’ve heard wrong.
“I have to stay here.”
…Nope, I didn’t hear wrong.
With a serious face, Cha Geundam repeated himself and gripped his greatsword again.
It was the natural stance of someone who’d fought with the same weapon for years. His eyes, which looked flustered earlier while talking to me, were now blazing with calm determination.
‘He looks like he didn’t understand a single word I said?’
Feeling absurd, I dropped my calm act and spoke quickly.
“What are you talking about? Finishing the scenario comes first!”
My argument was completely logical.
He’d fought three waves already and had his stats drained. His current combat power had to be way lower than usual.
Trying to endure a fourth wave like this was basically suicide.
‘Is this guy seriously standing here with thousands of monsters on the way?’
I threw both hands in the air in disbelief.
But Cha Geundam remained calm.
“Yes, the final goal is the scenario. But…”
He paused mid-sentence and looked at me.
His voice was steady—too steady compared to my panic.
“My role is to stop the monster waves. While the guild members push the scenario forward, I must make sure no monsters reach the village. If even one passes this point, they will go straight toward the village.”
I couldn’t say his judgment was wrong.
He’d already held back three waves alone; thanks to him, the guild was searching for quest items safely.
But…
“No, seriously, why? If you’re the strongest here, you should hurry and join them so you can clear the main scenario sooner!”
“That’s a last resort. Holding as many monsters as possible here is more efficient.”
“What about calling your teammates? You’ve got all the items now. Bring them here and clear this wave together… and then go to the main scenario?”
“They’ll lose their stats too. Better I take the hit alone. I’m just doing my part. I trust my guild.”
‘What is WRONG with this man?’
Why is someone this noble and optimistic allowed to walk around making regular people like me feel guilty for existing?!
His voice didn’t even tremble—just a clear, firm conviction that belonged only to people who lived for their duty.
Facing the direction the dust was rising from, he pulled out his communication device and typed something without hesitation.
Then he looked at me with an apologetic expression.
“Could you deliver the items to the guild members in the village? The village is small. You’ll find them easily.”
So he had contacted them already.
I wanted to scoff in his face—just sell the items and go home to rest, that was the plan.
But the words wouldn’t come out.
Because, looking at his face, a different emotion began creeping up.
‘…This is weird.’
What I felt wasn’t irritation.
It was… curiosity, and something close to respect.
To stay here like this, in a situation like this—what kind of mindset does it take?
He was a type of person I couldn’t understand.
Someone is not calculating profits.
Someone faithful to their own role.
Someone who trusted their people completely and protected their backs.
“…Why do you go this far?”
I blurted out without meaning to.
Cha Geundam frowned slightly, as though my question was the strange one.
And he replied in the most natural tone:
“Do I need a reason?”
A face full of weight—too heavy for a guy in his early thirties.
He genuinely seemed confused why I’d ask.
‘Is he stupid? Or crazy?’
To someone like me, who lived day by day thinking “idealism is a luxury,” this kind of devotion made no sense.
The only reason I tried to help clear the 49th floor was because of the whole “world-ending danger.” It wasn’t because of any noble mission.
I’d always watched the Babel climbers from a distance, thinking:
What’s taking them so long?
They’ll clear it anyway. Why so dramatic?
And now I felt embarrassed for ever thinking that.
If the climbers from other guilds had this kind of mentality too…
‘…damn. That’s actually kind of badass.’
Not like emotional, heartwarming badass.
But “holy crap, that’s cool” is kind of badass.
While I was internally suffering from secondhand awe, Cha Geundam asked again:
“So may I ask this favour?”
And before I could stop myself, I answered without hesitation:
“Okay.”
Cha Geundam looked surprised, then nodded calmly.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I can focus here.”
I scratched my head.
Somehow I’d gotten dragged into something again, but… if I ran away, it would probably bother me for a long time.
‘Ugh, this is so not my personality.’
I knew my own temperament well enough to sigh.
If I stayed any longer, I’d probably end up handing him my liver and kidneys, too. Maybe sit here brewing potions like a dedicated support NPC.
So I turned away like the wind and mounted my bike.
“Then, I’ll go now.”
“May fortune be with you.”
Why is he saying stuff like that?!
I stared in shock, then saw his back—still standing firm, facing the horizon where dust clouds rose.
Even standing alone, he had this overwhelming presence.
Should I really leave him here like this?
It was ridiculous for an E-rank like me to worry about an S-rank… but still.
And just when I hesitated—
“…Huh?”
I blinked.
Cha Geundam looked back when he heard my stunned gasp.
“What is it? The monsters will be here in ten minutes. If you don’t leave soon—”
“Your sword. That sword you’re holding.”
Even before he could protest at my rude interruption, I rapid-fired the words:
“It has a crazy latent ability!”
“…Latent ability?”
He frowned, clearly hearing this for the first time.
But my Identify skill was showing me something insane on his greatsword.
***
[Guardian’s Greatsword ‘Moonlight’ (S)]
A greatsword that fought countless battles beside the Celestial Guardian.
A special magic circuit is engraved along the blade, amplifying the user’s mana.
/Latent Ability/
If the sword is planted vertically into the ground and pure mana is infused continuously for 10 minutes, a wide-area Guardian Field will be created. Within 30 meters, designated allies gain +30% defence and +30% mana recovery.
As I recited the hidden ability word-for-word, Cha Geundam’s eyes widened.
He’d stayed calm through everything until now—but this surprised him the most.
“Is that true? It really had this kind of ability?”
“Yes. The activation condition is just hard, but there’s no downside. You just need to pour mana for 10—”
After dealing with garbage-tier latent abilities my whole life, seeing a real one felt surreal.
Cha Geundam touched the blade reverently, like he’d just gotten a new teammate.
‘Wait… do other S-ranks also not know their weapons’ hidden abilities?’
If so…
I… might actually become rich from this??
While I was having very ethically pure thoughts like that, Cha Geundam murmured:
“So you can identify items’ hidden abilities… It’s an incredible skill.”
Behind him, the dust cloud was getting closer.
…Oh, right. This place is a monster-wave hotspot.
“That’s right, that’s right. Anyway—please survive.”
His praise felt nice, but right now the marching monsters were a bigger concern.
I wanted out of the 49th floor right now!
***
[⁕ Manager, please don’t forget to promote the market :)]
Ah. Right.
Thanks, Saemi.
I paused before leaving and flicked my hand.
A business card fell out of thin air.
Cha Geundam froze.
“Y–you…”
I snatched the card midair and bent slightly like a sleazy salesman.
Then, totally inappropriate for an approaching monster army, I handed the card to him.
“This has been the Friendly Market’s manager, Lee Hae—ahaha…”
Cha Geundam, who’d been bracing for a life-or-death fight, stared at me like I’d lost my mind.
“…Are you perhaps insane?”
“I’m not, bye!”
Okay, rude. No need to call me crazy.
I pedalled away, building speed.
“Lee Hae.”
“YES?!”
His voice carried through mana.
“Thank you.”
When I looked back, he was standing there—like an unbreakable guardian, sword in hand, ready to face the coming storm.
A figure that would never yield.
***
Later…
‘Nice. Nice.’
I sipped Vita100 and congratulated myself.
A bit embarrassing, but honestly? Pretty perfect execution.
Meanwhile, the bespectacled woman fiddling with the crystal orb whispered in awe:
“It’s all real. These are all items required for the sub-quests. Even the ‘Ninth Prophet’s Crystal Orb’… With these, we can skip everything and unlock the main scenario.”
The surrounding guild members erupted in cheers.
Earlier, they’d all eyed me with suspicion, but the moment they confirmed the items, they flipped like pancakes.
“Everyone, grab your assigned items and move. Geundam is holding the line alone—let’s open the main scenario ASAP.”
The mood instantly sharpened.
People grabbed items and rushed out.
Only I, Glasses, a kid wearing an eyepatch, and a pale woman who looked exhausted despite not fighting remained.
‘Probably the healers or supports?’
While I looked around, Glasses suddenly grabbed my hand and shook it like a pump.
“A wandering merchant of Placon… I still can’t believe we met someone like you!”
Geundam figured me out instantly, and I ditched the lie because it was tiring, but here?
Surrounded by Walpurgis people?
I resurrected the lie with pride.
“How could that happen? Well, Sis, obviously, Geundam hyung is a chosen one!”
The eyepatch kid chimed in casually.
I glared.
Chosen one?
Ha?
EXCUSE ME???
I was the VIP here!
I supported the dark mages, appraised Geundam’s sword, gathered twenty sub-quest items myself, bundled them into a neat package, and even sold them at a discount!
Has there ever been a supporter this dedicated? In the entire world??
“But this is why we trust our guild master.”
Their words stabbed into my chest like arrows.
***
[Awakener Lee Haewon – Friendly Market Admin (EX)]
> New Alert
– Title Acquisition Quest (5) Completed.
A notification popped up, and I forced a bitter smile.
Not ideal, but… a reward is a reward.
‘I like chicken anyway.’
I shook my head at Eyepatch’s baseless worship of Geundam.
Then—
***
[■ Babel System > Floor 49 Alert]
- Sub Quest “Remnants” completed.
- Sub Quest “Cleo’s Request” completed.
- Sub Quest “Runaway of the Royal Palace” completed.
…
A giant window lit up in the sky for all outsiders to see.
One by one, Walpurgis members were turning in their items.
“It’s unbelievable we made it this far…”
Glasses whispered.
After twenty rounds of sub-quest completion notifications—
At last.
“…It’s the main scenario.”
The sickly-looking girl finally spoke.
Up in the dark sky, a brand-new mission appeared.
***
[■ Babel System > Floor 49 Alert]
– Main Scenario ‘Lord of Darkness’ has been unlocked.
[Main Scenario – ‘Lord of Darkness’]
Seal the Dark Lord, the black mage who threatens the Kingdom of Placon,
and restore peace.
Everyone stared at the sky with dream-like faces.
Those who returned the items.
Cha Geundam, who was holding the waves alone.
Even I, a total extra, felt strangely tense.
‘Why am I feeling weird…?’
This wasn’t even my quest, but something in my chest felt tight.
And then—
Knock, knock—
A dull knocking noise broke the silence.
Glasses stiffened instantly and drew a dagger, inching toward the door.
Reaching a sub-quest or two wasn’t unheard of, but achieving the main scenario was a first for any guild—there was zero information on what came next.
Even I held my breath.
Knock, knock—
Again, the cautious knocking echoed through the inn.
Then Eyepatch slowly raised his hand.
“…Um, this…”
“Shh! Hyunjun, stay quiet!”
“No, Deputy Leader. The sound isn’t coming from outside.”
He pointed downward.
“The knocking… is coming from below the floor.”
