The Nightingale Does Not Sing (2)
The Nightingale Does Not Sing (2)
After the acrid exhaust fumes began filling the city, the spirits started leaving the city one by one.
The reason you can't see Spirit Users in Dungeon City is exactly the same. Whether you're a Spirit User or not, all the spirits have vanished completely, so how could anyone claim to be a Spirit User?
And so, Orion from the Great Forest where spirits and nature live and breathe as one often dreamed of her hometown with spirits dancing under the trees.
'......That's.'
And in the backyard, she could see the exact same scene she'd seen in her dream. Countless spirits gathered in droves, dancing.
"ABCDEFG... Ah, who......?"
Ga-hee, who had been singing, felt the gaze on her and looked toward Orion.
The moment she stopped singing, the spirits all left her at once. Watching them go, Orion stepped forward.
"What... oh, it's Orion-ssi. Long time no see."
"Long time... no see."
"What brings you here? Here to see Dojin again?"
"......You sing well."
"Huh? Sing?"
Hearing Orion, Ga-hee glared at her like what are you talking about?
"Don't you know I'm in Muse?"
"Muse......?"
"I'm an idol! There are so many people who come just to see one of my concerts... You didn't know?"
"Yeah, I'm not into that stuff...."
Orion bowed her head apologetically to Ga-hee. Ga-hee, who hadn't expected an apology over something so trivial, awkwardly turned her head away.
"So, what's up?"
"Could I... hear more singing......?"
"Oh? I'm a singer, I don't perform for free."
"How much?"
"......Kidding, kidding."
She cleared her throat with a ahem, then asked Orion.
"Any song in particular you want?"
"A song I want?"
"Yeah, a request."
Hearing that, Orion thought she wanted to hear that same song from before again. At least recreating the exact situation would let her know if the spirits really came because of Ga-hee's singing.
"Then, the one from earlier."
"Oh, that song? Sure. Here goes─."
LaLaLa-.
Ga-hee lightly started singing. Orion had met plenty of bards who were pretty good singers, but none of them could hold a candle to her.
Her voice itself was heavenly harmony, and the melody she sang was so beautiful. Orion thought that hearing angels blow their trumpets must feel just like this.
And then-.
─Kkyaruk.
─Kkyahaha.
The spirits gathered.
One by one, spirits drawn by Ga-hee's singing voice flocked in, soon clustering so thickly that Ga-hee's face was completely hidden.
Orion slowly approached them. Ga-hee grumbled like don't interrupt my singing, but she didn't reject the forest fairy, the elf.
Hwaaak─!
Orion felt like she was back home after a very long time. The nostalgia was beyond words...... Unknowingly, tears streamed down her face.
Seeing tears from her singing, Ga-hee freaked out and stopped. The moment the song ended, the spirits vanished far away.
"Eek, why, why are you crying?"
"......No, just."
"Was my singing that amazing?? No, it's not that good......."
To think her singing had this kind of power—Ga-hee realized her own hidden talent and started pondering seriously with a grave expression.
While she was lost in thought like that, Orion looked at the spirit caught in her hand that she hadn't managed to shoo away.
─Kkyaruruk!
Sensing the elf's aura, the spirit laughed kkyaruk happily. She gently scratched its belly and held it out to Ga-hee.
"Can you see this?"
"Huh? Your palm? What's there?"
"Even though you can't see it......."
It was unbelievable. Even if it was just her voice summoning them, for someone with zero affinity to pull in that many spirits......
'At this level.......'
Looking at Ga-hee, Orion realized how she herself could get stronger. No more effort or talent could make her stronger.
She needed an external method. And the method she found was Ga-hee.
"Ga-hee-yang."
"Yeah, what......?"
"Want to come to the Dungeon with me?"
"......What?"
Idols have always shined brightest on the battlefield, after all.
"......What?"
"I said I want to go to the Dungeon with Ga-hee-yang. Leader."
"Hey, what the hell is this?"
Dojin tilted his head at Orion, who had come to see him with Ga-hee, and asked Ga-hee. Ga-hee made a dumbfounded face like I dunno either and tilted her head too.
Goddamn useless bitch, Dojin thought, tearing his eyes from Ga-hee and asking Orion again.
"What's that supposed to mean? She doesn't even know how to fight."
"Oh, it's fine. I'm not gonna make her fight."
"......Then why the fuck bring her to the Dungeon if she's not fighting?"
"I'll have her sing."
It was truly insane. Not like some battlefield idol or whatever—bringing Ga-hee to the Dungeon to make her sing?
"......I wanna say no, but guess I should hear the reason first. Why?"
"Thanks to Ga-hee-yang's Ability."
"─Ability?"
At that, Dojin wondered if Orion had figured out Ga-hee's Ability, [Ga-hee]. The one that charmed everyone regardless of age or gender.
If used in the Dungeon, it could make all monsters target her first.
"What Ability?"
Dojin eyed Ga-hee with a did she find out? look. Ga-hee, standing behind Orion, frantically shook her head no, but honestly, her word meant shit.
To convince Dojin, Orion explained the Ability she'd figured out.
"When she sings......."
"Sings?"
"Spirits appear."
"...What?"
What the hell kinda nonsense—Dojin had thought her Ability activated when singing and that she was busted for real, but he rolled his eyes at Orion.
She didn't look like she was joking, but spirits? Did those even exist in this world?
'No way, that?'
Dojin recalled the white glowing orbs floating around Ga-hee a while back when she was singing.
He hadn't seen them since and figured it was a mistake. If they were spirits, no wonder they were hard to spot.
But that alone wasn't enough to drag Ga-hee into the Dungeon. It was dangerous, and no guarantee the spirits would follow inside.
"...What can you do with spirits?"
"Hmm, well. For starters, I can shoot stronger skills."
"You?"
"Yeah. I'm an elf, after all. Handling spirits is basic."
"Hmm......."
Dojin let out a groan. Fair enough—he'd been feeling Orion's Ability slump lately.
She'd been a decent scout at first, but even that had low combat power.
Now hunting on the 30th floor, she was a deadweight—useless as a scout or in fights.
He just hadn't kicked her out yet.
"How much stronger?"
"Dunno, we'll see when we try...... But at least the monsters on this floor won't block my arrows."
"If that's true, let's try it."
"D-Do Jin? You're telling me to go to the Dungeon?"
Ga-hee freaked out at Dojin's words and shot back at him. But Dojin coldly judged and ordered her.
"Didn't you say you'd do whatever the boss says?"
"That was then! I'm a superstar now! I'm not doing whatever you say forever......."
"Yeah yeah, Superstar-nim. My back's about to break funding your fancy singing gigs. No help, no next concert till you earn it yourself."
"......No, that's a bit much."
"Right?"
Unlike Earth, where she could rake in fans nationwide or worldwide, in this Otherworld where her audience was just one city's worth, making profit was damn tough.
Dojin's group had zero clue about pro entertainment management. All they did was rent or build expensive venues for shows, and that was it.
No merch, no food sales—pure ticket sales turning a profit was insanely hard.
"Then get ready now."
"R-right now?"
"I'll go with you. You got 10 minutes."
"Ugh...... Gotta redo my makeup too...."
Ga-hee said that and bolted to her room. Idols had to be beautiful anytime, anywhere—she'd switch to battle makeup and come back.
While she was gone, Orion, now alone with Dojin, bowed her head to him.
"......Thanks, Leader."
"Grateful? Then prove it this time. Show me you can get way stronger."
"I'll do my best."
The two soon headed out front to wait for Ga-hee. She showed up 20 minutes late in some bizarre dress.
"Made you wait!?"
"......Go change."
"Whyyy!?"
"We're not heading to a concert, idiot? Change into something comfy for moving before I make you wear gym clothes."
"But I'm an idol......."
Hiiing, letting out a weird whine, Ga-hee went back to her room—and took another 10 minutes.
Luckily, this time it was normal activewear.
─Kieeeek!
Underground Dungeon 1st floor—a Goblin appeared from afar. It'd been ages since he'd seen one. The 1st floor was always packed, so Goblins were rare.
"Wow...... Dojin, why's there no one here?"
"'Cause we made it our own private space."
"That works? Then why'd the black curtain thing vanish too?"
"Got rid of that too."
"Badass. You."
Ga-hee said that and thumbs-upped Dojin. He brushed her off with just sing already.
"Ahem, here I go! 『Always』!"
Ga-hee struck an idol pose in the empty space with zero cheers, then started a cappella.
Dojin enjoyed the song while waiting for those damn spirits. But no spirits came—instead, Goblins drawn by the noise swarmed.
"Kieeeek!"
Puk-!
The Goblins were so outmatched now they weren't worth describing—Dojin massacred them while waiting for Ga-hee to finish.
After 3 minutes, one song done, no spirits—Dojin looked at Orion.
She chewed her fingers blankly like this can't be.
"......Orion?"
"No, I mean. It...... They definitely came before......."
"Maybe 'cause it's the Dungeon?"
"Ah, could be! Yeah, must be!"
"......What are you two on about?"
Ga-hee, sensing zero spirits and feeling left out, asked them.
Dojin shook his head like nothing and led her outside.
On an empty hillside path, he checked around, confirmed no one, then spoke.
"Sing once more here."
"......People will swarm."
"Keep it short."
"Hmm, okay then."
Ga-hee sang again. Different song from before. This time, spirits flocked.
Dojin watched the tiny sparkling spirits crowd around her, thinking it looked like a fairy tale scene.
"Stop."
Tuk—the song cut off, and the spirits all left. They glared at Dojin as they vanished, so he figured Ga-hee was useless in combat.
"This won't work."
"......Yeah. Guess we give up."
Orion muttered regretfully, watching them go. Without a tool to trap spirits, she couldn't use them.
And no such thing even existed.
"Huh? But it does work?"