“A deal? What good is a deal when my own time flows only backward?”
Ed’s eyebrows furrowed at a forty-five-degree angle, and his pupils dilated.
He seemed considerably flustered by my proposal.
Indeed, who in this world would ever suggest a deal to a mythic entity?
…
Well, there is the Urban Legend Management Bureau.
But those people are half-mad from protecting the world, so they’re an exception.
I upended the eco-bag I had brought earlier, and eight wristwatches spilled out.
As they were products of the Shop, they couldn’t be called a specific brand, but their quality suggested they might sell for about 5,000 won at Daiso (TL Note: A popular Korean discount store chain similar to a dollar store.).
In short, they were cheap.
But who am I? I am the Merchant, one who knows much of this world.
When information and the Merchant combine, even a cheap watch can gain the power to be exchanged for a lump of gold.
“Now, Ed, look at this.”
“This is a very small watch. What is it made of? I’ve never seen such a material in my life…”
Ed held the watch up.
“However, no matter how rare the material or how uncanny the precision of this watch, it is meaningless.”
I knew that.
What value could a small watch possibly hold in a world where time flows backward?
“No, that’s not right, Ed. Look closely at the watch.”
“Closely… Oh, oh? This is!”
“Exactly. The watch is flowing in the correct direction!”
A watch flowing forward cannot exist in a world where time flows backward.
Thus, this watch was bound to possess immense value.
“You cannot imagine how many adventures I undertook to acquire this watch. Thirty years I spent venturing beyond the sea, sailing on ships. Only then did I finally find it!”
In truth, it wasn’t a product from a mythic entity; it was perfectly normal.
Some might accuse me of being a swindler, but a dash of MSG (TL Note: Monosodium glutamate, used here metaphorically to mean exaggeration or embellishment.) makes a deal all the more perfect.
“Thirty years! Yet you appear to be in your early to mid-twenties. Truly remarkable.”
“My time has already reversed significantly within this mansion.”
Ed nodded as if he understood.
“…So, how much can I buy this watch for?”
I offered a meaningful smile.
It was an invitation for him to make the first offer.
“How about 500 pounds?”
Approximately 200,000 won per pound at the time, making 500 pounds roughly 100 million won.
This mythic entity had made an absurd suggestion, offering a mere 100 million won for my eight watches.
“…Are you serious?”
“Hahaha… My apologies. Of course not.”
“Well, it’s not exactly that, but…”
“Then, 5,000 pounds…?”
“Ah… The very thought of purchasing this watch for mere money is…”
“Ah, I see. Of course, that’s understandable. In that case, I offer you the painting hanging on that wall. It is a piece whose value cannot be measured.”
“Tsk.”
This was more entertaining than I expected.
“Th-th-then, I shall offer you our family heirloom!”
“Trading the hope for the future for a mere family heirloom is a bit…”
Since it was already revealed that he was the main culprit, he wasn’t particularly dangerous, so a little more prodding wouldn’t hurt.
“All the jewels in the vault!”
“Haa…”
“The secret safe in the mansion’s basement!”
“No, you still haven’t grasped what I desire.”
“Ugh… Everything in this mansion!!”
“Tsk. Do you know the saying, ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’?”
“Yes? I do, but…”
“Then, naturally, a watch for a watch, wouldn’t you agree?”
“But if that’s the case, shouldn’t you have accepted when I offered the mansion?”
“Do I seem that greedy?”
“Ah—”
Ed seemed to be at a loss for words, unable to continue the conversation.
It felt as though all the stress I’d recently received from the Shop was finally relieved.
“Ah, I just have to go back to the past? Constantly, the future is meaningless! I’m destined to perpetually return to the past!”
Oh, why is he throwing a tantrum again?
*Clap!*
I clapped my hands softly to break the tension.
“Therefore, what I mean is that I wish to exchange all the watches in this mansion for my watches.”
“…I don’t understand why you would want mere watches, but very well.”
Ed extended his hand for a handshake.
“I will go retrieve the watches.”
“Ah, it’s quite alright. I’ll fetch them myself in a moment.”
“Pardon? How do you know where the watches are, and how will you retrieve them?”
“I have my ways.”
As soon as I finished speaking, I bolted out of the room.
Having dismantled watches from here hundreds of times, my route had long been optimized.
I would retrieve them several times faster than he ever could.
First, to the vault.
****
“Oh… You returned remarkably quickly.”
Indeed, only five minutes had passed.
Perhaps, since the watches here run backward, I should say five minutes *remained*?
I handed the wristwatches to Ed, unfurled my tentacles, and placed the newly acquired watches upon them.
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
“Yes, it was a good trade… I am truly grateful.”
Ed said, handing me the front door key.
A pleasant breeze and dazzling light streamed from beyond the door.
Carried on that breeze, Ed’s voice drifted back.
“If I study these mysterious watches, I might finally put an end to this terrible time!”
****
‘You’re back.
How did the ‘deal’ go?’
“Splendidly! It was an excellent transaction, satisfying to both parties.”
‘Hmm.
The wristwatches certainly seem several times larger now.
Roughly thirteen of them, I suppose?’
“I traded wristwatches for these watches, you see.”
‘You knew the watches flowed backward when you made the deal, didn’t you?’
“Of course. The fact that they flow backward is the most crucial part, after all.”
‘I thought your ‘idiot gene’ had momentarily activated, leading you to make a faulty deal.’
I gave it the finger again.
‘Anyway, could you explain the new product?’
My middle finger remained raised.
‘Tsk.
My apologies.’
‘Yes, sometimes I deserve an apology.’
“This product is called ‘Paradoxical Time.’ It reverses time within a certain range.”
‘A more detailed explanation seems necessary.’
“So, the moment you break this watch, it reverts all nearby buildings to approximately one week prior. It’s the perfect item for a town that’s been half-destroyed.”
‘Oho.
I can only marvel at your genius.
Indeed, I seem to have acquired quite a competent Merchant.’
Although it had just called me an ‘idiot gene’ or something, I was in a good mood, so I let it slide.
Since the next transaction is tomorrow, I should display the new products and perform a general overhaul.
“Ugh, why does this blasted Shop always have so much work?”
****
I looked behind me.
Kim Do-hyun was following, dragging a carrier.
“Team Leader, it seems what’s inside this…”
“Hey. Don’t say it. Just thinking about it makes my stomach churn.”
“But something keeps squirming inside.”
“Agh! I said don’t say it!”
“Understood.”
“…”
“Team Leader.”
“What now?”
“Where did the Bureau procure all this?”
“I’m not entirely sure. But you’d get hurt if you tried to find out.”
“…”
With that, there was silence for a while.
And it was I who broke that silence.
“Here we are.”
“A derelict factory this time.”
“Could this be a consideration to keep civilians out?”
“Perhaps.”
Upon opening the door, there, naturally, was the Shop.
“You’ve arrived as promised.”
The Merchant offered a disturbingly cordial greeting.
“I will buy all the products here.”
“Ah, just a moment. This time, I’ve prepared a rather special product.”
‘Another new product?’
“Behold this.”
It was a collection of watches, inconsistent in form.
The watches appeared to be running backward.
“This product is called ‘Paradoxical Time.’ And as for its ability—”
As the explanation continued, Kim Do-hyun’s mouth visibly dropped open.
Perhaps if someone else were watching, mine would be too.
To think of reversing time—could such a thing truly be spoken so casually?
I was beginning to understand why the Director General had sought to forge a friendly relationship with the Shop.
“However, there are limitations, such as being unable to reverse the time of living beings.”
Did that even matter?
With this alone, the cost and time required for building reconstruction could be drastically reduced.
The problem, of course, was its price.
“Hmm. While this product is truly precious, as this is our first transaction, I will offer it to you at a specially reduced price.”
The Merchant pointed at the carrier.
“From what I can tell, that one carrier should be enough for all of the ‘Paradoxical Time’ products.”
This was an unbelievably advantageous deal.
No matter how much was inside that carrier, it would be negligible compared to the cost of rebuilding structures.
Originally, the goal was to buy various products for research, but with this, there was no need for hesitation.
“Are you truly sure this is enough?”
“Absolutely! I wish you swift reconstruction. Farewell, customer.”
