Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: The Bureau's Deal
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Ding—B5 floor.
"Long time no see here."
This was normally the squad leader's job, but thanks to yesterday's injury, I'd been sent down in his place.
I knocked on the door and cautiously opened it. Inside sat a middle-aged man with thick eyebrows, sipping his coffee.
"Good day, Headquarters Chief."
"Hmm... Kim Do-hyun from the New Tale Investigation Squad, right?"
"Yes, that's me."
"You've done us a huge favor this time. Casualties weren't too high considering the tale's scale. We nearly faced astronomical losses."
In truth, aside from nearby buildings being half-demolished and a handful of civilians plus dozens of bureau staff dying, the damage was minimal.
Given the tale's size and severity, it was a miraculous outcome.
"Thank you."
"Of course, if we'd confiscated that candy beforehand, none of this would've happened."
"...I'm sorry."
"Well, can't be helped. We didn't have much intel on talefication ourselves—how could you have known?"
"..."
"The group suspected in this incident is under investigation; we'll nab them soon. But that's not the only reason I called you here."
The chief cleared his throat and looked at me.
"Sorry, but could you turn off your phone? This is highly sensitive. Naturally, nothing I say from here on can leak out."
I powered down my phone and nodded.
"What I want to tell you is about that Tale Shop—the culprit behind this mess, and its solver too."
"The Tale Shop... sir?"
"Yes. We've analyzed the recovered items based on your reports, and their value is beyond imagination. As you know, tale items aren't easy to obtain, and even then, side effects are unpredictable."
"Yes."
"But the shop's items had no abilities beyond what the merchant claimed. Know what that means?"
I listened silently to the chief.
"Exactly. Reliable products with zero side effects. Pills that cure colds and even hallucinations, flesh that covers a full day's meals—their worth is obvious. And the product lineup's expanded, right?"
I was starting to get the gist of where he was headed.
"...We have an infinite supply of fingers to spend."
"The merchant might one day demand vital organs like hearts or brains."
"Do you think one criminal's life outweighs the value of those items?"
The chief's expression was deadly serious.
From the moment I'd first met him, he'd judged people solely by their utility.
Anyone in a position to run the bureau probably ended up that way.
"Haha, if it crosses the line, we'll eliminate the shop—but from the reports, the merchant seems pretty amicable."
"...Yes, no sense of hostility toward humans."
"That's why. Upper management already held a meeting on the shop. Judging by your face, you've figured it out."
The chief took a sip of coffee.
"Right. We want the New Tale Investigation Squad—you and Squad Leader Park Se-jin—to handle secret transactions with the shop."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Squad leader, you sure you're good to move already?"
"What, just a sprained back. Your finger grew back already?"
"Yeah, got treated just now."
The sky outside the hospital was so blue it felt like yesterday was all a dream.
But the peace didn't last. Construction noise from the distant ruins—now total wreckage—stirred memories of the past few days' hell.
"Tsk."
The squad leader still smarted from losing to a tale, clicking his tongue.
"Choi Seong-min's in custody for questioning. The rest of his family is safely protected."
"Good."
"Squad leader, I have something to report."
"Huh?"
I summarized my talk with the chief.
His face grew more furrowed with every word.
"...So why us?"
"To minimize the number of people who know about the shop."
"Fair enough. If word got out we're trading with a tale, it'd be global chaos."
"Yes."
"Ha... We're the New Tale Investigation Squad—investigators! Our job's to probe tales and hand off intel. Right? So why dump this on us?"
"..."
"This mess started with that damn shop anyway. I get upper management's thinking, but..."
Feeling further complaints pointless, the squad leader pulled a cigarette from his pocket.
"Squad leader, you can't smoke yet."
"Quiet. I promised myself one today."
"...Understood."
He lit up, and a bitter scent wafted over.
"We heading straight there?"
"Yeah."
"Talk on the way then."
"Squad leader, shortcuts are—"
"I know!"
His palm lightly smacked the back of my head.
It didn't hurt.
As he grumbled and puffed away, I rummaged in my pocket.
I set aside my weapon for potential threats and pulled out a business card.
Tale Shop
> Hours: 1:21 PM ~
Familiar card. The squad leader stubbed his cig in a portable ashtray and approached. "Let's go." ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Ahh... slept great."
Spending a few days like this, bedding on the floor wasn't half bad.
"Still got time, right?"
About twenty minutes left.
The day had finally arrived.
What were all my efforts for?
A friendly relationship with the Tale Management Bureau!
"You really suffered for this, self!"
What bullshit.
"Hey. I'm in a great mood here."
The Shop had never once spoken politely to me, and it was getting ruder by the day.
I shoved yesterday's fresh batch of Dream Solvent into a drawer at random and checked my wares.
"With future trades in mind, time to stock other products."
The neighborhood looked fully half-wrecked, so next up: 'Paradoxical Time' seemed perfect.
Once the Bureau deal wrapped, I'd fetch it right away.
Lost in thoughts of new goods, time ticked over.
The door opened. In walked Kim Do-hyun and a woman with a familiar vibe.
That look, coming with Do-hyun—she had to be Park Se-jin.
"Good to see you again, customers. What brings you today?"
"Merchant, do you know about transactions?"
What kinda question was that?
"Not sure what you mean, but asking a merchant if he knows trade is like asking a mathematician if he knows multiplication, wouldn't you say?"
In other words, stating the obvious.
"Then... good."
Relief washed over Do-hyun's face.
What, thought a tale wouldn't grasp something that basic?
"By the way, that lady's a first-timer... Mind sharing why you're together?"
At my words, Park Se-jin stepped forward.
"Tale Merchant."
"Yes?"
"We're from the Tale Management Bureau."
Should I act shocked? Nah, play it cool.
"And we... want to conduct regular transactions for your goods."
Finally!
"In return, the Tale Management Bureau won't mark this shop for elimination and will purchase expensive items regularly."
Yes!
"However. To that end, Merchant, we ask you prohibit trades with civilians."
Huh?
No can do.
I had no desire to sell to civilians and stir trouble, but I'd traded with the Label Library.
By sharing stories of my visitors.
If this deal went through, no stories from the Bureau.
Couldn't tell the librarian then.
All this for that future—can't let it end here.
No.
If so, the Label Library couldn't have prophesied my success.
"I'm positive on everything else, but that last demand's tough to accept."
"Then the Bureau's remaining option is."
"But! A little compromise on both sides, and we can make it work."
"A little... how?"
I didn't need hordes of civilian customers.
"Exactly five civilians per month as guests."
"...Give us a moment."
Park Se-jin huddled with Kim Do-hyun, whispering.
Couldn't hear a thing, but I had other ears.
"Shop, tell me what the customers are saying."
"What do you think?"
"The chief sees this deal as crucial, so we should push for it somehow."
"Tsk, victims are the Bureau's problem."
So that's it.
The chief—now I knew whose brainchild this was.
A guy like that would greenlight trading with a tale.
"Fine. But three civilians max—that's our limit. Also, civilians must exit via simple amputations like fingers."
Three was tight, but workable.
"Understood. We'll do that."
"I'll inform the Bureau. Tomorrow'll be our first trade."
Just a verbal agreement, but mentioning the chief made it ironclad in my mind.
"..."
"By the way, when does the exit door appear?"
"Pardon? You came to the shop—you gotta buy something first."
"?"
What.