Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: The Siren's Feather Flute
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Chapter 173
"Now you can all take your earplugs out."
But for some reason, the party members' faces didn't look good.
"What's wrong?"
"Well... it is a monster, but seeing it like this makes me feel a bit sorry for it."
When Jeong-hyeon asked, Won-ho answered cautiously.
The Siren was smaller than expected, and it had sung under threat from Jeong-hyeon before dying, so they seemed to pity it a little.
"Well, it's a monster, so what can you do."
Jeong-hyeon replied nonchalantly, and the party members nodded.
In his view, other hunters seemed a bit soft.
It had been the same during his first hunt with Sun-hyeong's party.
They had killed zombies without mercy or method, but freaked out if he even tried to pull out a nail.
'Am I the weird one?'
Jeong-hyeon tilted his head as he returned to the cliff where he was supposed to meet A-young and Sang-hee.
Considering other hunters' reactions, he definitely wasn't normal.
However, Jeong-hyeon didn't think it was a big flaw.
It would be a problem if he acted the same toward people, but he never confused monsters with humans.
He figured his workshop experience had just toughened his stomach more than most.
"Ah, there they are."
Yu-jun spotted Sang-hee and A-young waiting below the cliff and brightened up.
"Is everyone safe?"
When Jeong-hyeon asked, the two nodded.
This island had no monsters except the Sirens.
There was no danger for two hunters.
But for some reason, their faces weren't great, and they bowed deeply to Jeong-hyeon.
"We're sorry, Party Leader."
"Yes?"
"We talked it over between us, and we're embarrassed too, but you basically cleared it single-handedly..."
Well, that was true.
Jeong-hyeon had felt annoyance surge a couple of times because of it.
But receiving the apology made his face heat up.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't the party's fault.
How were they supposed to anticipate and defend against the Siren's mental attacks?
"It's fine. We cleared it anyway, so that's good."
The mood suggested the others would grovel too if he didn't say this, so Jeong-hyeon waved it off casually.
Then he quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, how do we find the artifact?"
He looked up at the cliff where the Sirens' caves were.
Did they have to climb up there again?
Climbing the cliff wasn't hard, and now other hunters could help search, so finding it would be easy. But searching all those caves sounded tedious.
Just then, A-young called to Jeong-hyeon.
"Party Leader, we actually found this here."
"Yes?"
An artifact?
Jeong-hyeon looked at what A-young held out, full of expectation.
The other party members behind him did the same.
'But it's kinda small?'
The fact that A-young hadn't noticed it until now while holding it meant it was that compact.
Indeed, the item fit on one palm.
"Is this it?"
"Well... I'm not sure."
Even guessing its purpose was hard.
When Jeong-hyeon asked skeptically, A-young blushed and shook her head.
Then Won-ho spoke up as if he recognized it.
"Ah, isn't that a leaf flute?
"A leaf flute?"
"Yeah. You know, everyone made those as kids and blew into them, right? It looks similar."
With all eyes on him, Won-ho looked flustered, like he hadn't expected this reaction.
His childhood wasn't the priority now, so Jeong-hyeon picked up the so-called leaf flute from A-young's hand and examined it closely.
Won-ho seemed to know what it was, but its shape didn't match the name at all.
"But why is it made of feathers?"
"Hmm... yeah."
No wonder—it was bizarrely crafted from feathers in a way that made you wonder how.
Even when Jeong-hyeon squeezed lightly, it didn't come apart, so it wasn't ordinary.
"If it had been grass, we might not have bothered, but since it was feathers, we kept it."
"Right. It fell from the cliff while we were waiting for you, Party Leader."
"Hmm..."
Circumstantially, it seemed like the artifact.
It fell from the cliff around when Jeong-hyeon cleared the mission, so nothing else fit.
Plus, the feathers forming the flute were sunset-orange, matching the Sirens' feathers.
'But why a leaf flute as an artifact?'
Artifacts came in all shapes.
His pickaxe was one, and the ring from 'Lizardman Sanctuary' that went to Ji-hee was another.
Many artifacts he'd seen were useful, but plenty had unclear uses.
Still, a leaf flute was unique.
After pondering briefly, Jeong-hyeon suddenly held it out to Won-ho.
"W-Why?"
"Give it a blow."
"Me?"
Won-ho looked unusually flustered.
But no one else seemed to know how to handle it, so Jeong-hyeon had no choice.
"Everyone else, plug your ears."
"Eek!"
Realizing what blowing a feather flute meant, the party members panicked and backed away.
Sirens were monsters that enchanted hunters with song.
They cleared a Siren gate, and out came a flute artifact.
He didn't know the exact effect, but reasonable suspicion existed.
The party fled to a distance where Jeong-hyeon and Won-ho could barely see them, desperately blocking sounds.
'That should be enough.'
Earlier, plugging ears with cloth and fingers had blocked the close-range song.
No way this feather flute was stronger than the original, so that distance should suffice.
"Hmm... I don't really want to."
"No way it affects the user too, right? And I'm here if anything happens."
With no listeners, Won-ho switched to casual speech.
Jeong-hyeon reassured him.
He still looked unhappy but took the feather flute and brought it to his lips, blowing.
"Oh."
The flute was about two fingers long.
Jeong-hyeon hadn't expected much sound, but it rang out far beyond expectations.
Less like a Siren's song, more like an instrument, but no less beautiful.
Better than any instrument or song he'd heard.
And as an artifact, it wasn't just pretty sounds.
[Buff trait, 「Dullahan's Curse」 strongly resists mental attacks on the user.
Artifact, 'Siren's Feather', has no effect on the user.]
'As expected.'
The alert alone verified it.
The feather flute had Siren-song-like effects.
The wording was slightly different, so full testing outside was needed, but he'd confirmed what he wanted.
"That's good. You can stop now."
"...Done? The sound is impressive, though..."
At Jeong-hyeon's signal, Won-ho removed the flute.
He'd hated it before, but knowing it had no effect on him, he now appreciated the tone.
According to him, it played music just from blowing air, no skill needed.
Well, artifacts should have that much.
Especially if the user couldn't play.
"By the way, the Boss really immune to this song?"
"Yes."
"Amazing..."
"What happens if you hear the song?"
Honestly, Jeong-hyeon was curious too.
Why did top hunters, strong as they were, lose control over a song?
Not that he'd listen himself.
"Well, I don't remember exactly. Like meeting your ideal type in a fantasy?"
"Hmm..."
Less enchanted by the song, more blindly attracted to the singer.
He didn't fully get it, but had a rough idea.
But Jeong-hyeon didn't foresee the backlash from this statement.
"Is it over, Party Leader?"
Noticing the test end, party members approached cautiously.
Jeong-hyeon nodded.
"Yeah. Let's head back."
It was eventful compared to difficulty, but time to leave 'Birds of Kafke Island'.
***
Soon after, Jeong-hyeon and the party exited the seaside gate.
But their expressions weren't bright.
"Sigh... Doesn't even feel like we cleared a gate."
"Agreed."
A-young sighed, and Sang-hee chimed in.
They cleared the mission gate without casualties, but the process was just pathetically passing out.
Jeong-hyeon said it wasn't their fault, but they couldn't satisfy themselves.
Of course, that was internal.
"They're out!"
Those waiting outside rushed joyfully at the sight.
Especially toward Jeong-hyeon, the raid leader.
"How was it? No injuries? Incredible."
'Uncle still here?'
The executives who'd hounded him before entry were still there.
Big guild directors, yet so free.
Jeong-hyeon managed his expression and shook them off.
"Yes, thanks to your concern. I'm tired, so I'd like to wrap up with the staff."
"Oh, we're your superiors here. No need for staff. Talk to us. Come on..."
He'd implied no more talk, but they dragged him anyway.
'Ah, I want the flute...'
The enchanting Siren feather flute.
Jeong-hyeon hadn't expected to crave it so soon.
"Directors must be busy. Leave minor negotiations to staff, right?"
"Hup!"
"Ah, still..."
Of course, Won-ho bailed him out, before and after.
Thus, Jeong-hyeon(?) luckily dealt with staff on post-raid processing.
"Sorry for the directors' hassle. Shall we start?"
"No problem. Yes."
Panser Guild side: operations team leader and a few members.
Jeong-hyeon sat with Minji.
He handled contracts now, but couldn't forever.
He planned to gradually hand them to Minji, starting now.
Post-processing favored him anyway, no big deal. But boss authority mattered.
Minji was eager too.
"So, commission fee as original plan... How about raid details internally?"
"Submit in writing later."
"Got it. Thanks."
Before, weaker position meant immediate statements post-gate.
Now, written submission ok.
As clients, possible.
Guild members gave oral reports, convention.
This, plus brushing off Won-ho earlier, sparked rumors tormenting Jeong-hyeon later.
Second reason.
'Wanna go home...'
Jeong-hyeon hadn't imagined yet.