Chapter 33

Every time I evolve, the world looks different.

The rise in cognitive ability and the growth of my body intertwine, making it feel like the density of time itself flows differently.

Like the protagonist of a certain boxing manga.

But it wasn’t severe enough to make me think much of it before.

Now, the difference is so extreme that I need time to adapt.

Every moment of daily life feels slow and boring.

Our times are so out of sync that it feels awkward.

In martial arts novels, when they say the strong are lonely, I used to think it was nonsense, but now I get it.

If time passes and I evolve a few more times…

“So, how much?”

“100,000 coins.”

“……”

I equipped the suspiciously expensive, choker-shaped Sealing Orb.

A blue rune flashed once, and my whole body felt heavy, like I was carrying sandbags.

The effect is clear, but it’s a waste of money and doesn’t feel good.

Groaning, I plopped down on a chair.

“What’s this?”

Lately, Miho, who’s grown into a teenager, showed interest in the Sealing Orb.

Her long, fluffy red tail near her tailbone swayed gently with her movements.

It might look a bit silly, but it’s a training method that simultaneously hones Magic Power control and endurance.

In her human form, reproducing only a part of her body, and in the right place at that, requires high-level control.

That’s why I lifted the slightly struggling Miho and sat her on my lap.

“It’s a super tough workout tool.”

“How tough?”

How tough, you ask?

“Try it yourself.”

As if that was her goal from the start, Miho quickly put on the Sealing Orb I handed her.

Then, her complexion turned pale, and she hurriedly took it off.

“…I don’t like this. It’s scary.”

I knew it.

I chuckled and took the Sealing Orb back.

This orb isn’t just a tool to lower physical abilities.

It stops the flow of Magic Power, confuses basic senses, and makes it impossible to move normally.

For Miho, who’s deeply connected to Magic Power and has extremely sensitive senses, it must’ve been a terrifying experience.

Her crumpled expression as she moved away from the orb was cute.

“Is it effective?”

“Yeah. It’s good. Just moving around with this on will help.”

I tried creating an Aura on my hand.

It formed for a moment but soon lost shape and fizzled out.

Hmm. The difficulty has spiked.

Unlike before, I need to focus intensely just to condense Magic Power and create an Aura.

It’s like suddenly carving stone after playing with clay.

After a few more attempts, I barely managed to create a faint Aura.

“By the way, where did the three go?”

Since yesterday, the demon kids have been missing.

They’re a bit careless, so I’m a little worried.

“Hmm… it’s a secret.”

“A secret?”

“Yeah. They said not to tell anyone where they are until they say so.”

Huh. Did they hit puberty now that they’ve grown a bit?

I chuckled and took off the Sealing Orb.

Then, I spread my Dimension Power to sense my surroundings.

There they are.

Surprisingly, the trio was in the hidden cavern where I once caught an Orc-like monster.

I don’t know how they found it, but they were chatting and laughing among themselves.

What’s amazing is that Airos sensed my gaze and reacted.

Interesting. When did they get so skilled?

They’re still no match for Miho, but among the three, Airos is the best.

Though they’re all about the same level. Anyway.

I sat quietly in the chair, passing the time.

Once I get used to this sensation, I plan to go out and train.

I wish someone from that dimension would come over, but lately, no one’s been showing up.

I want to fight someone more diverse than the usual monsters.

Whenever I say that, someone always comes.

Are they not coming today?

“Oh, here they come.”

As soon as I said it, I felt a twist of Dimension Power from far away.

A rift.

I moved there with a welcoming heart and checked the situation.

I’ll decide whether to take off the Sealing Orb after assessing it.

Grrrroooar—

From within, a massive green-skinned monster emerged.

It looked about three meters tall.

Its body was packed with muscles.

Not just huge muscles, but ones that clearly held extraordinary power.

It doesn’t seem like an Orc.

Maybe an Ogre.

In terms of raw strength, it looks like it could hold its own against most large species.

This one, I’ll have to take seriously.

I reached up and fiddled with the Sealing Orb around my neck.

Then, the Ogre spoke.

“Ahem. Ahem. Greetings. I am Alberator Betaarm III. An Ogre who humbly runs a general store. First, I sincerely apologize for suddenly visiting your dimension like this.”

“Huh?”

The surprisingly polite and respectful tone made me instinctively respond formally.

What? What just happened?

This is the first time I’ve had such an intelligent conversation here.

I was momentarily stunned, and my guard dropped.

My concentration…

I pulled it up and observed the guy’s actions.

“No need to be so wary. Well, I get it. Most who come to this dimension have invasion in mind, so your reaction is understandable.”

The Ogre nodded and explained his situation in a soft voice.

“As I mentioned earlier, I run a universal store. It might sound a bit boastful coming from me, but it’s quite large. Probably ranks within the top ten across all dimensions.”

“So.”

“At my level, most of the time is spent not on operations or negotiations, but on meeting with higher-ups or wasting time day by day. It’s like casting a fishing rod and staring at it all day. I don’t want that. Do I have that much time? Will I ever have enough time not to regret it later? Life is too short to enjoy it leisurely. I still have the desire to climb higher.”

The Ogre’s words were long and slow.

But the pacing and appropriate non-verbal expressions made the long story not boring at all.

Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing.

It’s embarrassing that he came dressed neatly in a suit, and that an Ogre runs a universal store.

Even more, it’s shocking that the sophistication in his words is not inferior to mine.

Has he achieved a moral accomplishment comparable to mine?

Impressive.

[…]

I heard Belva sigh from somewhere, but I ignored it.

The Ogre continued.

“So, I’m running the business myself, on the ground.”

“Running the business?”

“Yes. Mainly entering primitive dimensions where resources are still intact or dimensions at war to trade. It’s a bit of a one-shot deal.”

Saying that, the Ogre laughed.

Even his laughter is refined.

Wow. What is this?

Am I really listening to this green monster?

“Huh.”

Annoying, but now the Ogre doesn’t seem like an enemy.

My guard has loosened.

Even when I tried to deliberately raise my killing intent, for some reason, that worn-out smile overlapped with the staff at Earth’s luxury shops, making it all seem futile.

After a moment of thought, I opened my mouth.

“Tell me. What do you want? I’ll listen and judge.”

At my words, the Ogre smiled and took something out of his pocket.

Small, shiny… a coin?

A bit disappointing.

Did he think currency would work here?

“No. Take a closer look.”

I examined the coin the Ogre carefully handed over.

It’s an ordinary coin.

Except for the unique pattern engraved in the middle.

As I confirmed it, the Ogre coughed a few times and drew my attention back to him.

“Ahem. This is the symbol of our universal store. It’s made of a mineral called Mithril. If you bring us the same mineral, we’ll sell you whatever you want, depending on its purity and weight.”

He added that I should discuss what to ask for with the Watcher.

He knows about the Watcher’s existence.

When I asked, Belva said such cases are rare.

That Ogre must be a very important figure within the dimension.

Most people don’t even know about the Watcher’s existence.

Hmm. Interesting.

It feels like my horizons are expanding.

The prejudice that Ogres should all be wielding clubs and acting barbarically has completely disappeared.

I gladly accepted the offer.

Buying Mithril with coins and buying items with Mithril.

When I compared the rates, buying from the Ogre was much cheaper.

“Hey.”

[…No, it’s unfair! Don’t you know about overseas shipping? The farther it is, the more expensive it gets. Right?]

What a ridiculous excuse.

I ignored Belva’s words and watched the Ogre moving beyond the dimension.

“It was a good deal.”

As I was about to say the same, the Ogre added as if he remembered something.

“By the way, invaders probably won’t come much anymore. There was a recent terrorist attack, and an entire family disappeared. The culprit hasn’t been caught yet. With the times being chaotic, the guild will likely lay low. I heard it was a secretive assassin family. Who knows? What could have happened for such an important family to disappear?”

Saying it was just chatter, the Ogre winked at me.

He knows. That it’s related to me.

…More than that, an Ogre winking.

[Disgusting.]

“Right.”

At my reaction, the Ogre coughed and quietly disappeared.