Chapter 122 — Cleaning is Best Done with Water (2)
My mind went blank, but my body moved quickly. I scooped up Chirp and turned on the TV, raising the volume. Then I wrapped Chirp in a towel. I wasn’t sure if there were any surveillance cameras around, but if I got caught, how would I explain this? Saying, “Oh, a baby bird just flew in out of nowhere” wouldn’t work—there were already pictures of him all over social media.
— Chirp, chirp, chirp!
Wrapped in the towel, Chirp began crying. It sounded like he was hungry. I couldn’t let it be known that I had access to my inventory here. Looking around, I pulled a blanket over us. But seriously, how did Chirp even get here? Was I dreaming?
I didn’t have many magic stones for feeding him in my inventory since I’d left most of them back home. I managed to feed him a couple of D-rank stones, but Chirp kept crying pitifully.
“Chirp, hold on just a bit, okay? But really… is it even you?”
— Chirp chirp chirp! Cheep-cheep! Chirp-cheep!
He must’ve been really starving. But the only magic stone I had left was the S-rank one meant for recharging Grace’s power. Should I go out and get some stones?
— Cheep…
“Chirp, Chirp?!”
Chirp suddenly went limp, his cries fading like air escaping from a balloon. Panicking, I pulled out the S-rank magic stone, and even though he still seemed weak, Chirp bit into it with intense fervor.
— Chirp.
Finally, after devouring the entire S-rank stone, Chirp plopped down, flapping his wings with a satisfied look.
— Chirp!
“…Let’s hope you don’t get a stomachache.”
— Cheep-cheep!
He was full of energy now and let out a happy chirp. Phew, at least he seemed fine.
“Chirp, how did you even get here?”
— Chirp?
“Don’t tell me you somehow got a teleportation skill?”
Just in case, I activated my Promising Talent skill, but his status window looked the same as before. Of course, it was possible that he’d gained a skill outside of his optimized initial abilities, but teleportation was a bit far-fetched.
‘If this really is Chirp, the people back home must be freaking out.’
Maybe I should’ve drafted a “Chirp Appearance Contract” just like with Seong Hyunjae. Who would’ve expected him to show up here, even more unexpectedly than Seong Hyunjae’s appearances? But there was no way I could keep him with me, and I couldn’t exactly hand him over to Noah either.
— Chirp!
Now full, Chirp started dozing off while clinging to my sleeve with his tiny beak, as if he didn’t want to be separated from me. Well, guess I had no choice.
‘I’ll have to ask Seong Hyunjae for help.’
I could just claim that Seong Hyunjae had secretly brought Chirp to me. How on earth did Chirp manage to find me here? The mystery of how he crossed such a distance was concerning, but it was also a little endearing. Chirp wasn’t your average bird, that’s for sure. Though if he keeps doing this, I’ll be in trouble.
In the shallow children’s pool, Chirp was happily paddling around. Though the water was deep for a baby bird like him, he was surprisingly good at swimming.
‘It really feels like I’m on vacation.’
Under the bright sky, the infinity pool stretched out toward the ocean, with no one else around but me. Just the hotel staff, my bodyguards, and a few observers. When I mentioned wanting some time to myself, they’d cleared the entire pool area. I hadn’t even gotten in the water, just sitting and enjoying the view, and it was a refreshing change.
‘So this is why people pay so much to travel.’
Though, in my case, it was more like a kidnapping. The service had been excellent before, but now that I was cooperating, they were spoiling me even more… Plus, since this was a forced break, I didn’t even feel guilty about the tasks I’d left behind in Korea. It wasn’t my fault, after all.
“Maybe I’ll check out the bar tonight.”
People had recommended it, saying the atmosphere and night view were stunning. Still, disabling my poison resistance and having a drink was probably unwise. I wish Peace and Blue could’ve come too. It wasn’t exactly a vacation, but still, it felt like something was missing without them.
“Here’s your mango juice~”
A hotel staff member handed me a glass of juice in a cheerful voice. She sounded young. When I turned around, I saw a short female employee smiling brightly.
“So Chirp is really here, huh.”
“…Excuse me?”
“It’s me, Yerim.”
As soon as I heard her whisper, the hotel employee’s appearance began to change. She was still wearing the same uniform, but she shifted from a petite adult woman into a middle school girl. Wearing glasses with no lenses, Yerim grinned.
“Myungwoo made me this item overnight. With it, I look like the designated person. The conditions for using it are a bit tricky, and it doesn’t work on people who’ve already seen my true appearance, but it’s handy.”
Yerim explained while fiddling with her glasses. It seemed like a useful item, though with limitations.
“…Where’s the hotel employee you copied?”
“Oh, she’s resting somewhere safe. It wouldn’t do for her to be awake.”
Good, so she hadn’t killed anyone. Items that let you take on someone else’s appearance often came with gruesome conditions. Not that Myungwoo would make something like that, but I was still worried.
“Should we just get out of here now? I can use my teleportation skill.”
Yerim whispered as she scanned the surroundings. Normally, there’d be no reason to stay here any longer. The ones we were targeting were the Korean Association, not these overseas traffickers. But…
“No. I need to stay here for a few more days.”
Yerim tilted her head, confused by my response.
“A few days? Don’t tell me, Mister, are you planning to relax here…”
“I mean, I am getting some rest, but that’s not the reason. Actually, it’s perfect timing that you’re here. I was going to call you. I need your help with something.”
“My help? Are we going to wipe this place out?”
My little Yerim, always so intense. We were going to wipe it out, though.
“Have you been practicing your skills a lot?”
“Yes. I can handle water pretty well now. It’s nothing compared to what was used in the Lake Dungeon, but I’ve improved.”
“Nothing compared, you say. That was a mythic-grade skill you were up against. It’s practically impossible to master completely. Even drawing out a tiny bit of it is more than most people could ever do. Just look at me.”
Without natural talent like Yerim’s, most people wouldn’t be able to replicate what she did after just a single use. I told her she’d worked hard and that I was proud of her, making her blush and smile shyly.
“I’ll stay close by, so just call me if you need any help.”
“Don’t just stay close by—do some sightseeing while you’re here. Isn’t there a Di○neyland nearby?”
“It’s closed.”
It’s already shut down? A casualty of the dungeon break. I think even the Statue of Liberty got sliced in half around this time.
“Oh, by the way, the Guild Leader came too.”
“What?”
Yuhyun? Alarmed, I looked over at the staff nearby, but they were all unfamiliar faces.
“What about his responsibilities in Korea?”
“They decided to go with the ‘little brother rescues his big brother’ storyline~”
That works, I suppose. Yerim picked up the empty glass and left. Now, where was Yuhyun hiding?
The number of hotel guests continued to increase. Surprisingly, there weren’t many guild leaders from hunter guilds; most of the attendees were high-ranking officials and corporate figures. Due to the challenge of sourcing young monsters, the Monster Breeding skill required transactions with various guilds. Identifying unawakened individuals also demanded extra effort to scout, recruit, and awaken them.
For hunter guilds primarily focused on dungeon raids, managing this kind of operation would be a hassle. It was far easier to just pay a fee and entrust the young monsters to me. My neutral stance and the fact that I was setting up a breeding facility had made this possible.
‘Though, if my other skills are revealed, the situation might change.’
If all my skills were exposed and I ended up at auction, every famous S-rank hunter from around the world would probably show up. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
“It’s surprising to see deals being made in such a normal banquet hall. When I think of human trafficking and auctions, I imagine something much darker.”
“It wouldn’t fit the times.”
Gregson replied with a polite smile.
“If you prefer a more traditional atmosphere, I can arrange it.”
“No, this modern setup suits me better.”
Would a “traditional atmosphere” mean shackles on the ankles, shabby clothes, and slave traders with whips? Definitely better to stick with modern.
“Actually, I have a proposal.”
Sitting down across from the slave trader, I saw his face shift to a look of polite curiosity.
“I’d like a couple of veto rights.”
“Veto rights?”
“Yes. I may have accepted my situation, but I’d still rather not end up with just anyone. And, due to the nature of my skills, they work best when I’m willing. If I’m forced, my efficiency drops.”
After all, you take better care of pets when you’re comfortable.
“Letting the merchandise assess the buyers could add to the entertainment, no? Of course, since I’m seeing everyone here for the first time, I’ll evaluate the bidders based on items they present.”
“Evaluating based on items, you say.”
“These days, it’s all about items rather than money, isn’t it? I want to see how adept they are at acquiring rare items and how generous they are in offering them.”
“They won’t put forth high-grade items.”
“Of course, I don’t intend to actually take them. It’s just a performance. Now, hear me out…”
It wasn’t hard to convince Gregson. After all, it wasn’t a bad suggestion. Quite the opposite, in fact—so long as he remained oblivious to my true intentions.
They could sell my rights, but I’d be damned if I didn’t get some perks out of it.
“Are all the preparations complete?”
“Of course.”
Seong Hyunjae answered, glancing out toward the ocean. The sea beyond the large glass windows seemed close enough to touch. Gentle waves lapped under the slightly overcast sky. Hopefully, it wouldn’t rain tonight.
My auction party was set for tonight. I’d volunteered to be the bait, accepted Seong Hyunjae’s proposal, and even added a few embellishments myself, but I couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of regret. I was almost swearing under my breath.
“…I want two favors, not just one. I won’t settle for less.”
“These days, people who feel cheated seem to pass the time by touring with pets and training equipment. You looked like you were having a great time.”
Chirp was just too cute while playing. When did he even see that? Ugh, I’d promised myself a peaceful life when I returned to the past, and look where that got me. I wanted to ask the gods where my life was headed.
— Chirp.
Chirp flapped his wings in my arms. I stroked his round little head when a man in his mid-thirties approached us. Normally, no one would approach me while I was with Seong Hyunjae, so who could this be?
“Hyung.”
One word was all it took to recognize him, despite the altered voice. A moment later, the man’s appearance shifted. It was Yuhyun. Seong Hyunjae, having caught on quickly, smirked.
“So the young master is here as well.”
“Are you really going through with this ridiculous act?”
Ignoring Seong Hyunjae entirely, Yuhyun spoke. The glasses actually suited him quite well.
“He’s not a hotel employee, then. Who is he?”
“A participant in the auction.”
“You really managed to catch someone and change their appearance.”
“Hunter Noah helped.”
With Noah’s stealth skill, quietly kidnapping someone would’ve been easy. Especially since they were both S-rank hunters.
“You two make a good team. Keep up the friendship.”
“Cut the nonsense. You were supposed to get out as soon as you could. And now there’s an auction?”
“If things go sideways, Seong Hyunjae should be the one to win the bid.”
Yerim had eagerly offered to “buy Mister,” but she still hadn’t paid off her debts. It was a relief Yuhyun was here as a participant, since Seong Hyunjae would have to leave midway. If some random guy won the bid, he’d probably run off immediately, but it would still be infuriating.
“…I should’ve stopped you from volunteering as the bait in the first place.”
“Hey, I’m completely fine. I’ve been eating well and getting good sleep.”
I was following the plan to a T, staying perfectly healthy, but my younger brother’s frown didn’t ease. Well, I guess this isn’t exactly normal, even if life throws strange things at you sometimes…
“You should try enjoying the situation a bit, young master.”
“If you had family caught up in something like this, would you be enjoying it? …Forget it.”
If it were Seong Hyunjae, he’d probably be making it even grander just for fun.
“Let’s settle down and have some lunch together.”
The seafood around here was delicious and not fishy at all. Once the job was done, we could even do some sightseeing. And I fully intended to max out the card limit they’d given me.
I called Yerim over under the pretense of needing some errands run, and we spent a pleasant evening until dinnertime. My brother muttered complaints from time to time, but his mood seemed to lighten up. Maybe once we’re back, I should plan a day out with the others, too.
Finally, night fell, and the city lights sparkled against the darkness. I took the microphone in the grand hotel ballroom.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us this evening. As you all know, I am tonight’s special auction item.”
To all participants, I’ll be the one conducting my own auction.
–TL Notes–
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