Chapter 5
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 5: I Want You to Resolve the Curse
Hunters Inc.
The hunter company I worked for before I set up the laundry.
One of the top guilds competing for the lead in the South Korea Guild Rankings.
A guild containing South Korea's renowned elites, led by the Guild Master Lee Chaerim.
It was also my former workplace.
To me, who was suffering from the debt incurred because the laundry wasn't doing well:Recruiting Dungeon Porters500,000 won per run, 800,000 won for AwakenedLife is not guaranteedBeing a dungeon porter was a quite attractive job. A job you could absolutely do as long as you were an F-Rank Awakened. It was a dangerous '3D' (Dirty, Dangerous, Difficult) job where your life was on the line, but the pay was plump.
My daily life consisted of roaming around dungeons as a porter and washing hunters' clothes as a side job.
That's when I first met Lee Chaerim.I'll pay you double your daily wage, so why don't you work with us? If there are any stains or anything, I'd like you to remove them and such.Because the hunters belonging to us are a bit particular, you see.Thanks to belonging to Lee Chaerim's team, I was able to end my life as a porter earlier.
She's a benefactor. The greatest benefactor who helped me pay off my debt.
I looked at Lee Chaerim. Her trademark white uniform. Even while taking the enemy's attacks from the frontlines, her uniform absolutely never gets dirty, so the nickname attached to her is the Pure White Knight.
There weren't many times that uniform got dirty.
Even while going in parties together, the number of times I mended her clothes wasn't that many. About once a week?
I washed it cleanly and handed it to her as if it had never been soiled even once.
It brings back memories.
It was hard, but it was enjoyable.
While I was surprised by the visit of the boss of my former workplace, Elena was praying with a deeply moved face.
"Oh God. You have finally answered this girl's prayers. You are finally looking after the lamb suffering from hunger. Honestly, I thought you had forgotten about this girl."
At the consecutive visits of S-Rank guests, she was praying with her whole heart.
"Honestly, I even thought about quitting. Amen."
It also seems like she's cursing at God pretending to complain. Mm. Even if she's an excommunicated saintess, is it okay for her to be like that?
Leaving her behind, I greeted Lee Chaerim.
"What brings you here?" "It seems I'm visiting too late. Originally, I wanted to be your first customer, so I tried to come as quickly as possible, but the dungeon raid was delayed."
Lee Chaerim smacked her lips as if it was a shame.
"I heard the news regarding the dungeon raid."
I heard the news that several guilds, including Hunters Inc., jointly raided an S-Rank dungeon.
I heard it was an unprecedented large-scale raid. I also heard the news that they were trapped in the dungeon fighting for months.
"Did you finish the raid well?" "It ended successfully. We repelled the boss, and we completely sealed it by destroying the dungeon core located at the center."
Lee Chaerim, having looked around the store, gave a faint smile.
"It's neat. It's clean and well-organized, so it's nice to look at."
Until the day I quit my job, Lee Chaerim asked me if I couldn't just stay at Hunters Inc.Do you really have to leave Hunters Inc.? Don't worry about dangerous work. I can protect you. I'll make sure monsters can't reach you, just like now.I had refused several times. Because there was something I wanted to do.
"You had a reason for saying you wanted to set up a laundry even when I kept telling you to keep working with me like that."
Quietly observing the laundry, she twisted her lips at the heat filling it.
"But this heat... It seems another guest came and went first." "Ms. Carmilla came and went." "Carmilla did? Hmm, is that so?"
She glared at the heat for a moment, then changed the subject.
"I came because I want to make a request."
She took off her trademark white uniform and held it out to me.
"Please get rid of this sound that drives people crazy." "What does that mean?" "These clothes are cursed."
At that moment.Kyaaaaaaak-!Are you number one?Are you that great?If you make a mistake, you die. If you make a mistake, it's over.Lee Chaerim! Lee Chaerim! Please give me an interview!Bitch! Die! Just die!The screams of malevolent thoughts filled the inside of the laundry.
In an instant, the air froze coldly.
The first guest brought heat, the next brought a chill.
What is all this right from the first day?
"It won't work?" "My purification isn't working on it."
Elena withdrew her holy power with a sullen face.
As soon as I saw the clothes full of malevolent thoughts, I asked Elena.
Saying, "It's time to show the saintess's special purification service!" she rolled up both her sleeves, but even with Elena's holy power, the curse placed on the clothes was perfectly fine.
"Ugh, this was my chance to rip off a huge bonus and extra fees..."
Leaving the despondent Elena behind, I looked at the white uniform emitting the screams of malevolent thoughts.
It was a uniform that gave off an unpleasant energy just by looking at it.
You're saying you walked around a dungeon wearing this?
Furrowing my brow at the demonic energy and malevolent thoughts felt from the clothes, I looked at Lee Chaerim with a face of disbelief.
"Are you saying you seriously walked around a dungeon wearing this?" "Usually it's fine. Because it doesn't scream all the time. But when I enter a dungeon, it gets like this after a certain amount of time passes." "...No, even so, still."
To think she walked around a dungeon wearing clothes that clearly reek of demonic energy just by looking at them. What was she going to do if she suddenly got caught in an abnormal status condition?
"You normally don't permit this kind of flaw, do you." "..."
Lee Chaerim was a guild master as fastidious as the rumors say.
She was famous for being particular about taking care of everything from equipment to consumables.Equipment is no different from a hunter's life. You must choose your equipment more carefully than anyone else. Be careful even when choosing a single consumable.Equipment you can't manage is no different from not having it! What's scarier than the enemy is an incompetent ally. Therefore, feel gratitude towards Kim Jinsoo, who manages your equipment right now.That was the reason she always took me to important dungeons.
She, who appealed the importance of equipment more than anyone else. Is carrying this kind of equipment? She ran dungeons carrying an item where an accident could burst out at any time?
You, Lee Chaerim? There's no way that's possible.
You're not Lee Chaerim, are you?
"Right. Normally I wouldn't have acquired it, but..."
She let out a sigh.
"I don't know either. Why I acquired this item." "What does that mean?"
That's strange? This woman, she might really not be Lee Chaerim.
The Lee Chaerim I know was cautious in any situation, a woman who wasn't swayed by small temptations. And that Lee Chaerim acquired this cursed item without even knowing it?
Isn't that strange?
"Would you understand if it was to see you?" "...Are you serious?" "It's a joke."
Lee Chaerim gave a self-deprecating smile.
Something is different. She was definitely different from the Lee Chaerim I knew.
She was clearly a woman like steel who absolutely wouldn't break, yet.
The expression of the Lee Chaerim who visited our clinic today was a little different from the past I knew.
She was a bit more exhausted. And she looked tired.
A strangely haggard face.
"Try checking the item with your Appraise skill."
Lee Chaerim, having read the look in my eyes, pointed at the white uniform emitting malevolent thoughts.
I placed my hand on the uniform where all sorts of screams were heard.
Just as I checked Carmilla's dress, I read the uniform Lee Chaerim brought.
[Coat of Snowflakes Encroached by Resentment] Rank: S-Rank (Cursed Status) Category: Armor / Uniform Durability: 995 / 1,000 Contamination Level: 92% (Purification Urgent) Main Fabric: Hair of the Bitterly Cold Yuki-onna / Deep Sea Spiderweb Blend 75% Subsidiary Materials: Reactive Mithril Thread 20% Lining: Yeti Leather 5%
[Possessed Curses and Status Effects] [Curse: Outcry of the Masses] The masses' expectations, jealousy, criticism, and desire have stuck to the fabric like sticky tar. During combat, inflicts 'Status Effect: Auditory Hallucinations of Desire' with a 33.3% probability. When auditory hallucinations occur, combat concentration decreases.
[Status Effect: Resentment Chilling to the Bone] You gain a Slow effect due to the curse of the fabric filled with the Yuki-onna's resentment. When Slow triggers, it rapidly lowers the surrounding temperature and slowly freezes the wearer's body temperature.
[Option: Madness-Laced Defense] The Yuki-onna's scream reduces physical-type attacks by 50%. Reduces mental-type attacks by 30%.
[Additional Option: The Weight of the One Who Bears It] When the curse triggers, Charisma increases by 1 Rank. If Auditory Hallucinations of Desire do not trigger, Agility increases by 1 Rank.
[The more the equipment is used, the higher the Contamination Level gets.] [When the Contamination Level reaches 100%, an additional curse will trigger.]
I had no choice but to let my mouth drop open.
An S-Rank equipment, no less. The effects were also excellent. Charisma is a stat that has the effect of not only increasing the party members' stats somewhat by raising allies' morale, but also decreasing the stats of normal monsters with low Charisma.
Raising this by 1 Rank couldn't help but be efficient for Lee Chaerim, who focuses on party raids.
An amazingly wonderful item, even taking into account that there's a curse.
However, just with this, there was absolutely no reason for her to insist on this item.
"No matter if it's S-Rank, isn't it a cursed item?" "When I first got it appraised, it was an item without a curse." "It had no curse?"
Tons of fatigue were smeared on the face of Lee Chaerim nodding her head.
"I didn't know it would turn out like this either. Yerin probably didn't know either." "Did you leave the appraisal to Yerin?" "Right. I directly received the appraisal of the Shrine Maiden. When getting the item appraised, I also purified it with holy water she crafted herself."
Item appraisal isn't unconditionally correct. Because if it was an appraiser lacking in skill, there were many cases where they couldn't decode all the letters written on the equipment. But if it was Yerin's appraisal, the story was different.
The appraisal of her, a famous temple shrine maiden, was famous for not being wrong. Furthermore, if she even purified it with holy water, she would have decoded any hidden curse just in case.
And yet it was cursed, you say.
'It didn't react to Elena's holy power either.'
A cursed equipment that wasn't purified even after pouring holy power on it. The fact that holy power doesn't work means it's not a curse intentionally carved by someone. It's probably a curse contained in the Yuki-onna's hair, the material of the uniform.
A curse carved into the equipment itself could only be unraveled by a blacksmith or alchemist, not a saintess.
Things like that happen occasionally. Items where a curse or blessing is applied only when a specific trigger is activated, I mean.
"You went into a raid wearing this?" "Yeah, because there was no curse placed on it at that time. And then suddenly a trigger activated inside the dungeon, and it became cursed." "When was that?" "2 weeks ago."
The contamination level went up this much in just 2 weeks?
Contamination Level: 92% (Purification Urgent)
[The more the equipment is used, the higher the Contamination Level gets.] [When the Contamination Level reaches 100%, an additional curse will trigger.]
The Contamination Level was a numerical value that appeared on cursed items. If you were going to use a cursed item, it was important not to let that value reach 100%.
But 92% means. It really means it has reached the absolute limit.
'Because you can't predict the scale of a curse attached to an item of this grade.'
If you suddenly got hit with a 24-hour stun inside a dungeon, that just means you die.
It means the curse can be as intense as its S-Rank performance.
"Why didn't you throw it away?" "I told you. That I purposely didn't throw it away to meet you." "Are you serious?" "I'm telling you it's a joke, right?"
This person. Are you saying you're going to joke around with a cursed item right in front of you?
Elena, who was watching that sight, stealthily approached me and whispered.
"Boss, I think it's the devil's whisper. Ms. Chaerim might already be possessed by the devil." "..." "Let's say we'll dispel the curse during this opportunity and get extra fees..." "Don't say useless things." "Yep."
Elena obediently backed off. Lee Chaerim, who watched that sight with a laugh, said.
"I couldn't think of anyone but you. No matter how much I thought about someone who could resolve a curse with a trigger vicious enough to avoid a Shrine Maiden's appraisal."
Chaerim stared at me and spat out the words.
"There was no one but you, Jinsoo." "I am a skilled mender, yes." "Yeah, that's why I came looking for you, Jinsoo."
Smiling brightly, her gaze fell onto the uniformly white uniform.
"At first, I thought it was just ringing in my ears. I figured it was because I was tired after finishing the dungeon raid. But... the sound kept getting louder." "The sound got louder?" "Yeah, and it felt like the curse was getting stronger the more actively I participated. As if the clothes were sucking up other people's desires and expectations."
I looked at the curse attached to the item once again.
'Outcry of the Masses'.
The masses' expectations, jealousy, criticism, and desire have stuck to the fabric like sticky tar.
I felt like I knew why the name of the curse was like that. The curse acquired in the Forest of Screams was just a simple trigger.
A growth-type curse of a kind that uses it as food and gradually grows stronger the more famous the being is to the public.
To such a curse, the S-Rank Hunter Lee Chaerim was the greatest prey.
Currently ranked 4th in the domestic hunter rankings. Guild Master of Hunters Inc. One of the hottest hunters domestically.
She was a hunter who received everyone's expectations and jealousy upon herself.
Honestly, I was super surprised when I got a scout offer from Lee Chaerim too, you know?
No, a big shot like this wants me?
Thanks to Lee Chaerim, I was able to wrap up my hunter life quickly, and was able to reopen Sanctuary Laundry, my hometown, like this.
Lee Chaerim, my light, my salt.
"Have you not tried leaving it with other mages? Things like Purification Magic or Curse Removal Scrolls, you know." "Why should I go looking for them? When there's the greatest expert capable of washing and mending equipment among everyone I know right here."
She stared at me. Oh my, how embarrassing. If you put me on an airplane like that, I might fly away, you know?
"Even if you do this, there won't be any discounting the mending fee or anything like that." "...Didn't you say you'd give a discount for the same guild back then?"
That's right. I did say that, didn't I?
When I quit my job, there was something I said to her.I will give a 10% discount to Hunters Guild members.Ugh, why did I do that?
Listening to Lee Chaerim's words, Elena looked at me with eyes of contempt.
"Boss, I did not raise you to be such a person. A discount, you say. No matter how urgent the customer is, a discount like that is a sin! It's an act of drinking seawater on a raft. Ahh, God will punish you, Boss."
You crazy miser. You have to give discounts for customers to come.
"Let me see if mending is possible for now." "Mm, how long do I have to wait?" "I can check the possibility quickly. Please sit over there and wait."
She sat on the sofa made for guests.
I grabbed the uniform to check whether mending and washing was possible for the uniform from which people's screams were still being heard.Kyeeek! How dare you!I'm telling you to let go!The sound of the malevolent thoughts throwing a fit scraped my ears. They tried to reject one who was not the owner.
Look at these guys? Filtering people when you're just malevolent thoughts?
Are you looking down on a laundry boss right now?
It's a natural rejection reaction. Because originally, cursed equipment causes intense rejection reactions if it's not the cursed target.
In severe cases, a 'binding' phenomenon where the equipment itself couldn't be taken off often occurred.
I should consider it fortunate that it's not to that extent.
"Kuh!"
The hand grabbing the uniform tingled because of the demonic energy.
"Are you okay?"
At the sudden situation, Lee Chaerim was flustered and asked.
"I'm fine. I handled cursed equipment often when I was in the guild, you know." "That's true, but..."
Having actually left it to me, she still looked anxious. Not knowing what to do, she fidgeted on her seat.
I feel like there was a scene like this in the past too.
It was when I was first hired by Lee Chaerim and we raided a dungeon together.Are you okay?I remember her being surprised at the rejection reaction shown when I tried to mend a team member's cursed equipment back then too. The exact same scene as back then.
I unconsciously smiled at the thought of the past.
"It brings back memories." "Huh?" "There was a similar time in the past too, you know. When I was a rookie porter." "Ah."
As if she remembered, she gave a faint smile.
"I worried a lot back then in case you might get hurt." "Isn't an S-Rank hunter having too much fear?" "I-it's being cautious. Not being fearful." "Such a person uses a cursed item like this?" "The performance is so good, so... Anyway, I came before the Contamination Level filled up, didn't I."
It's true she came in time. But it's not very Lee Chaerim-like, I guess you could say.
Why did such a cautious person dare to shoulder this kind of risk?
Why?
I just don't know.
She said herself it was to see me, but that was practically a joke.
It clearly seems there's another reason, but.
Smacking my lips, I looked at the uniform and began a precision appraisal.
[Skill: Precision Appraisal]
Beyond simply checking the status of cursed equipment, it was a skill that could check whether it was a curse that could be dispelled, or if it was to the extent that part of the equipment had to be cut off.
When the precision appraisal ended, the system recommended 3 methods that could remove the curse.
Is it because it's an S-Rank cursed item, as expected?
[Recommended Laundry Course] [Economy Course - Forced Bleach] Using strong acidic detergent and bleach, forcefully decolorizes the 'Outcry' and 'Resentment' stained on the fabric.
[Required Materials] Strong Bleach (B), Noise-canceling Earplugs.
[Effects] Curse: Outcry of the Masses - Deleted. Option: Madness-Laced Defense - Deleted. (Defense drops significantly) Side Effects: The 'Hair of the Bitterly Cold Yuki-onna' gets damaged, losing its luster and becoming brittle. S-Rank equipment may be demoted to A-Rank.
*System's One Word: It's like burning down a thatched cottage to catch bedbugs. Perfect for getting cursed at by the clothes' owner.
An economy course. It was a laundry course used only when there are no laundry items or specific skills. A laundry course used only in really urgent situations or inside a dungeon. A wash that succeeds without special items, but the item's rank could be lowered. Instead, I will absolutely not use this.
[Standard Course - Chill-Soothing Dry Cleaning]
Dry cleaning using Requiem Oil. Soothes the Yuki-onna's resentment, and lowers the sensitivity of the Mithril thread to reduce auditory hallucinations.
[Required Materials] Requiem Oil (A), Coolant (A), Neutralizer.
[Effects] Curse: Outcry of the Masses -> Mitigated to Option: Whispers of the Crowd. (Frequency of auditory hallucinations decreases, becomes controllable) Status Effect: Resentment Chilling to the Bone is maintained. Durability restored to 100%.
*System's One Word: It's a safe wash. If you are a Cleaner, wouldn't there be a better way?
A truly safe laundry course. A laundry course that can only be utilized if you have an A-Rank material called Requiem Oil. Because it's an S-Rank item, the materials it eats are also no joke.
It's not like I don't have Requiem Oil, but.
'Even using that doesn't dispel it 100 percent.'
[Status Effect: Resentment Chilling to the Bone is maintained.]
This is what makes me hesitate in my choice. There's no need to purposely hold onto a curse that continuously lowers body temperature if you get caught in Slow with a random effect.
I looked at the last method.
[Premium Course - Thawing]
Hand wash using sufficient mana. Melts the cold emotions of jealousy, fear, and desire engraved in the clothes with hardship and mana.
[Required Materials] Solvent of Silence (A+), Sunshine Softener (S), A large amount of magic power
[Effects]
Curse: The curse effect of Outcry of the Masses disappears. (Special Effect) Curse: Outcry of the Masses -> Evolves into Authority: Absolute Silence. (0.79%)
Status Effect: The curse effect of Chilling Resentment disappears. (Special Effect) Status Effect: Chilling Resentment -> Mutates into Blessing: Unleaving Spring. (18.2%) Durability restored to exceeding 200%.
*System's One Word: A wash that grinds in an artisan's soul. The cursed Yuki-onna is reborn as a maiden of spring.
Is it because it's a premium course. The conditions are intense?
The required items are A+ Rank and S-Rank. The Solvent of Silence is already in the store. So it can be used immediately, but.
'Sunshine Softener is an item that requires the blessing of a spirit.'
It was a fabric softener crafted by processing a spirit's blessing.
It's difficult right from the start.
"Guild Master." "Ah, yeah. Did the analysis finish?" "There are two methods for this, would you like to hear them?"
I explained the Standard Course and Premium Course that could dispel the curse. Lee Chaerim, who quietly listened to that:
"I'd like to request the premium one." "The extra fee comes out to quite a bit, is that okay?" "Of course. Who do you think I am."
As expected. The financial power of an S-Rank Hunter is truly immense.
"God will bless you, Sister. This is a special green tea with holy water frozen ice floating in it."
As soon as she heard the talk of a premium course, it was Elena bringing out a beverage for Lee Chaerim. Her eyes were sparkling brightly trying to receive an extra fee.
"Fufu, please rest while drinking this, Sister."
Hey, your intentions are way too obvious.