Chapter 24 - Underground Grocery Store #2
Underground Grocery Store #2
Translator : Elizabeth
"Wow... There are, really many things."
"Because the Underground Grocery Store is equipped with food ingredients for diverse customers."
Food ingredients.
Bella is saying that items for customers visiting from unknown territories, not for people, are lined up in abundance.
"So the Dessert Shop is..."
"You can come this way."
As she said, here in the Underground Grocery Store—
Vast areas spread endlessly, enough to be unimaginable as being underground, overwhelmed my vision.
Some meats, greens, and various other things were just there mak mak—
Ugh... Just looking at them feels like mental strength is being shaved away in real-time.
"But before that."
"...Eh?"
Bella, who stopped walking while guiding for a long time, looked back at me.
That gaze comes up scanning from my toes slowly to the top of my head.
"I will serve you first."
"Wh, Where to...?"
"The Customer has currently visited our Underground Grocery Store with VIP rank."
"Right...?"
"To provide the best service to the Customer visiting our Underground Merchant Guild, we will visit the Clothing Store first."
"Cl, Clothing Store?"
No, you said it's a Grocery Store, why is there such a thing...?!
"This way."
No, thinking with common sense, it's not strange either.
My current outfit is like, shabby attire going into a neighborhood convenience store.
Jik. Jik.
Above all, slippers dragging jil-jil under bare legs are super uncomfortable too.
"I, don't have money though...?"
"No need to worry."
"?"
"Because the first customer of the Clothing Store can choose clothes as a special promotion."
No, what is that.
While it's a place selling terrifying meat and stuff, there's uselessly human service...!
While I was going uh-uh-uh like that, before I knew it, I was walking under lights brightly illuminating the street.
Click. Click.
Bella's gait going ahead was unstoppable.
"...."
Gazes of existences that couldn't be seen as humans at all were felt from here and there, but I had no choice but to bow my head deeply with a burning sensation on my face and follow Bella.
Thinking about it, other excellent members or customers would walk around here dressed up immensely, right?
Did, did I have to pay more attention to my attire...?!
"U-woo..."
"Why are you doing that?"
"Th, Thinking about it, I think I dressed too roughly..."
"No need to worry. I will serve you."
So just what is that serving...?!
The scenery unfolded under dazzling lights boasted an alien splendor as if moving a legendary black market as is.
While being a Grocery Store, flashing streets like almost a huge underground merchant guild were continuing endlessly.
"Arrived."
The place entered bewilderedly like that was—
"...Ah."
Enduring and enduring things tormenting my mind and vision for a long time like that, finally arrived at the desired point.
【Silhouette de Noir】.
"U-eh..."
It's not made of some huge building, but entering itself is brilliantly resplendent enough to feel rejection.
So many twinkling things...
"Please enter."
Following Bella bewilderedly.
"Hic."
From afar, a doll-like existence without a face approached softly.
"Welcome, Customer."
At the appearance of the entity welcoming Bella and me in a form similar to a mannequin, I ended up sticking right behind Bella.
"Came to purchase Excellent Member-nim's clothes."
Head click, click.
The mannequin looking at me and Bella alternately soon stepped back one step and bowed politely.
"Identity confirmed. Please enjoy to your heart's content."
"Is, is it okay to just enter like this...?"
"Originally clothing sales facilities require reservation, but 'VIP' Customers can use them without a separate reservation."
"Oh..."
Something a, amazing...
Actually was our Director super bourgeois? Did I choose well to live in the Daycare...?!
"This way."
Watching Bella entering inside the building skillfully without blockage, my gaze went to the 'Mannequin' waiting quietly next to us.
"Hic."
I had no choice but to move my steps hurriedly following Bella, the only guardian, for no reason.
.. ... ....
"Th, This. Isn't the outfit too short...?"
"Suits you well."
Bella, arriving at a place where clothes likely to fit my body perfectly were hanging dangling.
Immediately brought something like a black dress from somewhere and dressed me.
Faltered again and received and w, wore it but...
Among the clothes I wore, seems like the most aggressive one...?!
In nurse uniform time, there were at least stockings covering bare legs, but this feels completely different...!
Not only does it form lines fitting the body tightly, it keeps brushing here and there, bothering me.
"Suits you well."
"Are, aren't there other clothes..."
"It is the most optimal, best clothing obtainable at this clothing branch currently. Perhaps."
Bella asked expressionlessly, tilting her head slightly.
"Do you not like it?"
"If I don't like it...? If...?"
"There is no responsibility on the Customer. Just, the reputation score of the corresponding clothing store drops."
Reputation score drops?
Just looking at it, words that seem to cause damage...?!
"Suddenly became okay."
"Suits you well."
To Bella, saying the same words like a robot, I had no choice but to come out of the clothing store pressing kkuk kkuk on the hem of the skirt for no reason.
Jingle.
Coming out of the clothing store, we finally moved to the Dessert Shop.
Sitting appropriately at a table and waiting, steaming cocoa and a cup of coffee arrived on the desk.
For reference, the person who set it up had the appearance of a skeleton without a single piece of flesh.
Diet state where even our Doctor would fold a move and enter, yeah.
Like that, wriggling for a long time and drinking cocoa blowing hoo hoo, I started talking about the main point slowly.
"Does Bella know about Sunshine Daycare?"
"I know."
"Then Director too...?"
"Yes."
"...How?"
"The Underground Merchant Guild, including our Underground Grocery Store, exists for all customers. Especially 'Director-nim' the Customer mentioned was a customer possessing potentially outstanding value, especially for our Underground Merchant Guild and Grocery Store."
Potentially outstanding value?
"Has Director come here before...?"
"She has come exactly once."
"Did she purchase too?"
"She did not do purchasing activities. However, just by visiting itself, rank assignment was completed automatically, so we came to serve her as an Excellent Customer."
Then, is the criterion for Excellent Customer how strong the corresponding Anomaly entity is? Is that the criterion?
Since our Director was strong enough to blow away even high-rank Sungjin Mental Hospital nurses mak...
Bella stared at me with two yellow eyes.
Precisely, as if recalling the existence I had a connection with, revealing deep curiosity as is.
"Therefore, in our Merchant Guild, we granted treatment befitting that and rank to the Customer."
"Aha..."
"Since the Customer seems to have a very special connection reaching the Customer I mentioned too, we granted VIP rank automatically."
"Th, Thankful..."
"A natural thing."
At the sudden praise (or not praise), awkwardness rushed in and the conversation stopped for a moment.
Inside the Dessert Cafe, strangely enough, appropriate noise was filled even though people did not exist.
Clattering, sounds of other existences whispering, etc—
A comfortable atmosphere, just like coming to a real cafe, was situated.
"Umm... For now I didn't come to buy this and that right now immediately so..."
"Understood. You want to look around the shopping district slowly with me."
"Ah, yes...! And..."
"Yes."
"Because there is one thing I want to ask."
"If you speak, I will listen attentively."
Attentively...
With a burdensome feeling for no reason, I opened my lips carefully.
"By any chance, about people wearing black suits... do you know a bit...?"
"I know."
"....!"
Black suits.
An unidentified group that might be closely related to the Administration Bureau too, and—
'Bastards who dropped our Director and Doctor into hell.'
Deep discomfort rises the moment I recall, strength enters between eyebrows gently.
The expression had no choice but to harden naturally.
"Even within this area right now, there are customers the Customer mentioned."
"...Eh?"
"Because the Underground Merchant Guild is always open to anyone."
Looking at Bella with her expressionless face where pride dwells, I couldn't help but ask.
"Then are those people, people similar to me or Bella?"
"Correct."
"...."
What is this.
Then Anomaly set up a place called Administration Bureau to block Anomalies, and made them active mak?
No, as expected it was strange from the beginning.
Even if saying it's to rescue people, making them active inside various spatial Anomalies by creating manuals—
It was clear it was a crazy act as expected.
"Detailed matters about people the Customer mentioned are no longer possible due to information protection of other customers."
"Ah, yep."
For now seems I heard all immediately necessary information...
'What do I do now?'
Quest is still silent, and I don't know Director's exact intent either.
Should I think while looking around roughly?
With such thoughts, I came out of the Dessert Shop and walked the street aimlessly.
While going to the Antique Shop? Such a place receiving Bella's guidance for now.
"Sa, Save me...!"
From somewhere, a voice calling us was heard.
".....?"
Turning my head, a bloodied man was looking at us with desperate eyes.
'Ah.'
Black suit.
Just like seen in the Daycare and Hospital, an Administration Bureau agent who entered with some purpose into this Anomaly.
And as soon as I saw his miserable appearance, my steps stopped.
"Why are you doing that?"
"...Uh, umm."
I worried for a moment.
It’s not an environment where I can help like in the hospital time either. The surrounding space is too open too.
This is a bit difficult...
It's not a situation itself where I can help or whatever.
Seems a long time has passed since vitality disappeared from his pupils already.
[- If you think you yourself might be in danger when helping, abandon boldly.
↳ No matter how desperate and urgent it is, eventually one's own life is the most important rule. What use is it all after dying?]
Absolute rule of the gallery, and the absolute law Administration Bureau agents must know.
Not being greedy beyond what is permitted to oneself.
Judging by that point,
Like dead fish eyes, rather than intellect already—
It is all that he spoke to himself who doesn't know if I'm Anomaly or person, according to pulsating survival instinct.
"Cheer up."
I spoke, just in case.
"...U-ah."
Look at this.
As soon as hearing the voice coming out of my mouth, he is immediately terrified and steps back.
"Ah, there was a runaway food ingredient. No need to care. The butcher will come soon and organize it."
"....."
"Is there anything you want? Or, shall I treat you to a meal immediately using that food ingredient? If you want, tasting immediately..."
Listening to the words, I tilted my head.
"Meal treat?"
"Yes, if you want."
Means butchering him immediately and bringing him in front of me.
Ugh... Terrible, that is.
'...No.'
Then doesn't it mean they can supply to me by other methods too?
"This, can I pack it too?"
"Yes."
"Oh... Then I want it fresh and alive."
"Possible."
Wow, is this the dignity of VIP authority?
I requested Bella with confident gestures.
"Then this person, this, treat him too and make him regain his senses a bit, and can you pack him to this person's hometown?"
"Isn't it the Daycare?"
"Uh... Because I want to hunt and eat him alive later."
"Is that so."
"Yes. Since I want to enjoy him in the 'freshest state' by hunting directly later, please pack as a top quality product."
...This would be quite Anomaly-like words, right?
Bella, who understood the meaning of my words, nodded silently like that and snapped her fingers.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
From somewhere far away, hideous red lumps of flesh ran urgently and.
"Hiek! Hiiiiiek!"
Took the terrified agent and disappeared somewhere.
"Is alive, right?"
"Yes, delivered certainly."
"Wow...!"
What, Bella is immensely competent...!
And, me. Save this?
So that the gallery can praise me like this more.
That there is such a kind Anomaly in the world!
Only then later when I return to Earth too, I can live comfortably without caring about looks or anything, yeah.
Cherishing the wicked wish deep inside my heart, I tried looking around here and there together with Bella continuously.