That took quite a while.
I thought you'd run off the moment you stepped out the door since you didn't come back for so long.
The moment I returned to the shop, a window that had already become somewhat familiar popped up.
Complete with its usual sass.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙About six hours have passed since you left this place.
"How long was I there?"
It felt like less than two hours subjectively, but it had really taken that long?
It seemed like more time had passed inside the dream than I'd realized.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙So, did you get anything out of it?
"Shouldn't you at least ask if I'm okay first?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙We can hear about that after you tell me your haul.
"No. Ugh..."
You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but the shop's unique way of talking was specialized in getting under people's skin just the right amount.
I took a breath to cool off and pulled the gem from my pocket.
"Here."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙What is that?
"Momentary Dream raw material producer."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ho. No wonder it took so long. Do you know how to use it?
I didn't know how to mass-produce it like the Tale Management Bureau might, but I had a rough idea of how to produce Dream Solvent at least.
"More or less. Got any water and a cup?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Check the drawer.
I opened the drawer and found four bottles of mineral water and a single glass cup.
"Hey, there was a blanket here last time, wasn't there?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Think of it as another reward you can get from selling merchandise. I'll appraise whatever you sell and give you something of equivalent value in return. For reference, I've used up everything saved from that blanket and what you have now.
"Why didn't you tell me something like that beforehand?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Because that was originally being saved up to make a bedroom.
"Huh? Then what about my bedroom?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You'll have to wait a bit longer.
Pushing aside my regret, I opened a bottle of water, poured some into the cup, and dropped the gem in.
"Not much water, so if I leave it like this for about four hours, it should change."
I set the cup on the counter and looked around the shop.
"How is there not even a clock in this shop? Hey, what time is it now?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Noon.
"When do we start business?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙As long as it's today, you can start whenever you want.
"Okay. Then I'm going to sleep. Wake me up around seven."
Even as a tale, I was sleepy, and my mind felt foggy.
Makes sense—I'd barely slept a full day since possessing this body.
Of course, I'd spent quite a while inside the dream during the Pediatrician's Dream, but since that dream was one of the main culprits behind my fatigue, it didn't count.
I spread the blanket out in an empty spot and flopped down onto it.
It wasn't as good as a bed, but surprisingly soft.
"..."
There's that saying: when you're too exhausted, you can't sleep.
That was exactly my situation right now.
Separate from not being able to fall asleep, the blanket warmed my body, easing the tension, and only now did I start to objectively assess my current predicament.
Could I ever get back home?
Honestly, at this point, survival was the real question, let alone going home.
The Tale Management Bureau might not be too interested in the shop right now, but if victims started piling up, they'd draw their blades.
No matter that I was a tale, winning a full-on fight against the Tale Management Bureau was impossible.
As I'd felt in the Pediatrician's Dream, my physical prowess wasn't bad, but mentally, I was basically a regular person—completely vulnerable.
To grow stronger faster than now, I'd have to sell merchandise in the end, but with just fingers, it felt like even a year wouldn't get me strong enough.
Which meant I'd have to charge high prices, but if I priced everything like "one eyeball" or "one kidney"...
The Tale Management Bureau would come hunting me down with fire in their eyes.
Or they'd add a daily routine like "open 10 doors for Tale Management Bureau agents."
Having expended so much mental energy, sleep finally started to creep in.
"Ah, what about the final boss though..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
While the Merchant was deep in slumber, Park Se-jin and Kim Do-hyun were waiting in their car.
"There's only the grandma there anyway, right? Do we really need to keep watch?"
"Hey, this is all about patience. You wait like this, and hidden evidence pops up."
"Still."
"And I'm not doing this for no reason. Think about it—would you leave your mom alone at home to go out eating with the family? Especially when you live together?"
"Yeah, that's true."
"Well, maybe the grandma's just in poor health, but the problem is how likely it is that Choi Seong-min smuggled out some merchandise."
"The candy... right?"
"Yeah, and drugs."
Based on victim testimonies, they'd roughly figured out the item's functions, excluding the name that panic had made them forget.
"Even if Choi Seong-min shows up, we keep surveilling for now."
"Got it."
An hour passed with nothing happening when Park Se-jin spoke up.
"Speaking of, what happened to that little kid from before?"
"Investigation confirmed it was child abuse, as expected. Both parents had beaten the kid pretty badly."
"Ugh, worse than tales."
To Se-jin, "worse than tales" was the height of condemnation.
"The kid's younger sibling was on the verge of dying from malnutrition."
"So that's why the kid went for the flesh? What about the parents and the other kids?"
"The children are under protection, and the parents were arrested and taken straight to the station."
"Good."
And about five more hours passed.
"Didn't you say he'd be back in two hours? Sure, he might take the kid around to cheer her up and run late, but leaving grandma alone like that?"
"..."
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"I'm hungry. Go get some burgers."
"Sure."
Do-hyun stepped out of the car without complaint—this wasn't the first or second time.
He was getting hungry anyway.
And 30 minutes later.
"Did that bastard go to America for burgers or what? Why isn't he back?"
The moment Se-jin went to call Do-hyun, a car pulled up to Choi Seong-min's house.
"Damn it, why now of all times."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇⚠️ WAKE UP ⚠️Get...
Up.
"...Hm? Whoa!"
The Merchant jolted awake, unable to help being startled—a red window hovered intrusively right in front of his eyes, like a GIF of its figure.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙It's already 7:30. How many times do I have to call you?
The Merchant realized he'd overlooked something important.
"Guess it's because you don't make any noise."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ah. Right.
Brushing off the shop's somewhat idiotic response, the Merchant spoke.
"I was thinking while I slept, and at this rate, I'll never get a bedroom."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Probably.
"The real issue is, if some rare item shows up and I try to sell it for a high price—like, say, one eyeball—people won't buy it. Right?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Hm.
"Plus, customers depend on luck anyway, so at most four a day would be a stretch."
...
"And as you know, the Tale Management Bureau will come for us before long."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ah. That should do it.
"Huh?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Your bedroom will get pushed back a bit, but I've thought of a way to get more customers.
"Great that you thought of something... but doesn't it feel like my bedroom keeps getting delayed? My body's already aching in spots."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Give up.
"Tch. So what's the method?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙I'll make you business cards.
"Business cards? Gonna put my name on them or something?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙No, business cards need more than just a name—they need a map to the store too. I'll make you business cards with a map to the door.
"Wait, is that even possible?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Of course. If there's sufficient nutrients, that is. Not possible right now. Probably... yeah. Two fingers should make about one card. So start doing business. You've already passed the promised time.
"Hey, hey. Just wait. Let me fold the blanket first."
As the Merchant folded the blanket, he noticed the cup glowing green.
"Oh, right. Hold on a sec more."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙What's up? Shirking duties already?
"Look at that cup. It's done."
The Merchant picked up the cup and removed the gem inside.
The gem's color had dulled.
"In this state, it'll be unusable for about a day."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙What are you going to do with that liquid? If it's Momentary Dream, you already have enough.
"It's not for that—it's Dream Solvent. And you can make more than just Momentary Dream with it."
The Merchant selected one feasible recipe from the dozen or so that came to mind.
"I'm going to make Someone's Dream."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Someone's Dream?
The Merchant pricked his finger, let blood drip into the Dream Solvent, and chanted an incantation that sounded risky even to his own ears.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙What did you say?
"No idea. Just does the trick if I say it."
As the Merchant said, the Dream Solvent transformed into a single red-tinged mochi ball.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Intriguing. So what's Someone's Dream for?
"Exactly what it sounds like. Eat it, think of someone as you sleep, and you'll enter that person's dream."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Oho.
"I think this could sell for two fingers."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Why?
"People who want to sneak into their crush's dreams or uncover someone else's secrets? Nothing beats this."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Crush's dream, huh... creepy. Well, fine. Now start business.
No sooner had it said that than the shop door opened.
And stepping through was Kim Do-hyun: tall, with a face that screamed by-the-book.