< Cleaning Should Be Water Cleaning (2) >
The inside of my head became pure white, but my body moved fast. I quickly held Chirpie, and turned on the TV and raised the volume. Then I wrapped Chirpie with a towel. I didn’t know if there was a security camera or not, but what should I say if we got caught? I had already put up too many photos on social media, to just say that a baby bird came in from somewhere.
-Cheep cheep cheep cheep!
Wrapped up and held in the towel, Chirpie started to cry. It was the sound of it whining that it was hungry. It couldn’t be caught that I could use my inventory, though. After looking around the surroundings, I covered myself with a blanket. But seriously, why was Chirpie here? Was this a dream?
I had taken out and left behind most of the magic stones for feeding Chirpie, so there weren’t many in my inventory. I fed it two D-Rank magic stones, but Chirpie kept on sadly cheeping.
“Chirpie, endure it a little. But is it really you?”
-Cheep cheep cheep! Chirp chirp! Cheep chirp!
It looked like it was really hungry. But the magic stone remaining in my inventory now was just the S-Rank for charging Eunhye. Did I have to go and get a magic stone?
-Cheeeeep……
“Ch-chirpie?!”
The baby bird who had been cheeping drooped down with a sound like air deflating. Why, why was it like this? When I took out the S-Rank magic stone, hoping that it was because of hunger, it started to fervently tear into the magic stone even while still weak.
-Cheeep.
Chirpie, who had eaten up all of one S-Rank magic stone in the end, flopped down and flapped its wings.
-Chirp!
“…I don’t know, even if you get sick.”
-Chirp chirp!
Vigor reappeared and it was letting out satisfied cries. Whew, first of all, it was relief that it was okay.
“Chirpie, how did you really come here?”
-Chirp?
“Did you happen to get something like a teleportation skill?”
Just in case, I used the Seed-Leaf skill, but the status window was the same as always. Of course, there was the possibility that it gained a skill other than the optimized initial skills, like Peace’s juvenile transformation, but a teleportation skill was too out of the blue.
‘If it really is Chirpie, they should be alarmed because it suddenly disappeared. Should I have made a Chirpie appearance contract, too?’
Though, that it would appear like this was twice as unexpected as Sung Hyunjae appearing. Besides, I couldn’t carry it around and it was a bit much to entrust it to Noah.
-Cheep!
Chirpie, who was dozing off, maybe because it was full, got up, flapping, and bit my sleeve with its beak. While biting hard as if it didn’t want to be apart, it started to doze off again. …There was no helping it.
‘There’s no choice but to ask it of Sung Hyunjae.’
I could probably just say that he stole Chirpie away and brought it over for me. Chirpie, this punk, really, where is this that it would come find me? I didn’t know the method it used to come over a long distance and I was worried, but at the same time, it was praiseworthy. As expected, Chirpie wasn’t normal. Though if it kept on being like this, then it would be difficult.
-Chirp chirp.
Chirpie was swimming, splashing around, in a kiddie pool. Even though the depth was small, it was deep water for Chirpie, but it swam incredibly well.
‘It feels like I really came on vacation.’
There were no guests other than me at the sea and the continuing infinity pool under the clear sky. There were only hotel employees and security plus surveillance guards. At the one utterance that I wanted to relax alone, they really chartered it as a whole. I didn’t go into the water, but my mood was refreshed just sitting, leisurely looking at the scenery.
‘Is this why people put in a lot of money to go on trips?’
Though in my case, I was kidnapped. The reception was originally good, but when I was cooperative, it became more luxurious…… And since it was a compulsory vacation, there wasn’t much qualms about the things I left in Korea. Since it wasn’t my fault.
“Should I try going to the bar in the evening?”
It was recommended, saying that the atmosphere and the night view were incredible. It would probably be too much to turn off the poison resistance and have a glass, right? It would’ve been great if Peace and Blue had come with me. I didn’t come here to play, but still, it was a waste.
“Here is the mango juice~”
A hotel employee held out a glass of juice along with a lively voice. The voice was young. When I turned my head, I saw a short female employee smiling.
“Chirpie really is here, huh.”
“…Excuse me?”
“It’s me, Yerim.”
The moment I heard the soft whisper, the female employee’s appearance changed. The clothes were the same, but she became a middle school girl, instead of a short adult woman. Wearing glasses without the lenses, Yerim grinned.
“It’s an item that Myeongwoo ahjussi stayed up the night to make. If you use this, you’ll be seen as a designated person’s appearance. Though the usage conditions are difficult and there is no effect on someone who has realized the original appearance even just once.”
Yerim said, fiddling with the glasses. It was a convenient item, but the conditions were difficult, she said.
“…What about the hotel employee whose appearance you borrowed?”
“She was placed somewhere well. She shouldn’t be awake.”
It was a relief. So she wasn’t killed. There were a lot of cases where there was the condition of killing the person, for items that stole others’ appearances. There was no way Myeongwoo would make that kind of thing, but I was worried just in case.
“Should we escape right away? Should I use the instant movement skill?”
Yerim said softly, searching the surroundings. Normally, I wouldn’t have had any need to stay here longer. Since the one I was trying to catch was the Korean Association, not foreign human traffickers. But.
“No. I have to stay a few more days.”
Yerim tilted her head at my words.
“For a few days? Ahjussi, are you possibly trying to rest while you’re at it……”
“It became so that I’m resting, but there’s a different reason. Anyways, it’s good that you happened to come. Even if you didn’t, I was going to call you over. I need your help, too.”
“My help? To sweep this place away?”
Our Yerim was indeed aggressive. Though we really were going to sweep it away.
“Did you practice your skills a lot?”
“Yes. Now, I can wield water well, too. Though it’s insignificant compared to that time in the lake dungeon.”
“Insignificant, you say – comparing against a myth rank skill. In the first place, getting completely familiar is close to impossible. Even taking something away from it very slightly should be something that normal person wouldn’t be able to do? It’s so, just looking at me.”
Unless you had innate talent like Yerim, you wouldn’t even be able to imitate it with just using the skill once. When I told her that she worked hard, that she was really impressive and suffered a lot, she gave a small smile as if a little bashful.
“I will be as close nearby as possible, so if you need my help, please call me anytime.”
“Instead of that, go sightseeing while you’ve come all the way here. Isn’t there an Di*ney Land?”
“Apparently it closed.”
Did it close already? It was the harmful effects of dungeon breaks. The Statue of Liberty was probably cut in half around now.
“Right, the Guild Leader also came along.”
“What?”
Yoohyun did? Taken aback, I searched where the employees were, but they were all unfamiliar faces.
“What about the matters in Korea?”
“We decided to go with the story of the younger brother coming personally to save his hyung~”
That would also be good. Yerim took the empty glass and left. Where was that Yoohyun guy?
***
The hotel’s guests kept on increasing. Surprisingly there weren’t many guild leaders of Hunter guilds, and it was mostly people in power who were ordinary people. For the magic beast rearing skill, dealings with other guilds were necessary, at least because of the issue of supply and demand for baby monsters. And for discerning Unawakened People, an inconvenient job of scouting the other person and Awakening them was necessary.
As Hunter guilds that were mainly active in dungeon attacks, it was actually troublesome to manage. It was more comfortable to just pay a reasonable fee and entrust baby monsters, rather than dragging me to guilds. That reason was also big in how I was able to stay neutral and make a rearing facility.
‘Though the situation probably would change if my other skills were revealed.’
If all the skills were exposed and I went into the auction, then all of the entire world’s famous S-Rank Hunters would probably watch. But it wouldn’t do for that kind of unfortunate incident to happen.
“That deals are made in a normal banquet; it is a surprise. A darker scene than that comes to mind when I think of a human trafficking auction.”
“It does not suit the current era.”
Gregson said, with a kind smile.
“If you want a classical atmosphere, it can always be prepared.”
“No, it is alright. Modern things are more to my taste.”
If it was a classical atmosphere, would it be something like putting shackles on my ankles? With an agonized face and shabby clothes, and the slaver swinging around a whip. It should definitely be modern, rather than classic.
“Besides that, there is something I would like to suggest.”
I said, sitting opposite to the slaver. It was an indulgent face telling me to speak, whatever it was.
“If you would give me about two vetos.”
“Vetos?”
“Yes. I have said I have accepted my current situation, but I do not want to go over to anyone. With my skill’s characteristics, the effectiveness is also not good if I am forcefully dragged away.”
My heart had to be at ease, for me to raise kids well with all my sincerity.
“Isn’t the merchandise assessing the buyer also entertainment in its own way? However, since they are all people I am seeing for the first time today, let us use items to appraise the buyer candidates in order for me to use the veto.”
“You are saying that you will assess them with items.”
“Nowadays in the world, is it not items, rather than money? Looking at the ability to get ahold of precious items, and also looking at their generosity in giving those things without hesitation.”
“Isn’t there no reason to hand over high rank items?”
“Of course, they would not really be giving them away. It is a type of performance. Here, please continue to listen.”
It wasn’t hard to persuade Gregson. Since it wasn’t a bad idea. Rather, it was the opposite. If you didn’t know my inner intentions at all.
My human rights were being sold, so didn’t I have to get some additional benefits at least?
***
“Are the preparations done?”
“Of course.”
Sung Hyunjae replied, looking a little toward the sea. The sea past the large glass window was close enough to be right in front of our noses. In the slightly overcast weather, it was calmly making waves. It would be good if it didn’t rain at night.
My auction party was this evening. I played the role of bait, and beyond just accepting Sung Hyunjae’s suggestion, I directly made it bigger, but even so, I deeply felt regret, wondering what I was doing. I felt like cursing.
“…Please deduct two. I will feel upset with one, so it will not do.”
“It looks like upset people do rounds on training equipment nowadays. You looked like you were having a lot of fun.”
I mean, that was because Chirpie playing was cute. And when did he see that? Whew, how long had it been since I resolved to quietly and comfortably live once I regressed, that it’s like this now? I wanted to ask god where my life was flowing to.
-Chirp.
Chirpie flapped in my arms. I was petting the round head, when a man around his mid to late thirties came over to us. If I was with Sung Hyunjae, most people couldn’t or wouldn’t approach – who was it?
“Hyung.”
The voice sounded different, but with that one utterance, I was able to realize it right away. Then, the man’s appearance changed. It was Yoohyun. Sung Hyunjae also noticed quickly and quirked his lips up.
“As expected, the young master has come.”
“Are you really going to continue this seriously unfunny thing?”
Yoohyun spoke, not even looking toward Sung Hyunjae. Glasses actually suited him well.
“You’re not a hotel employee – who are you?”
“An auction participant.”
“You sure caught him well and changed appearances.”
“Hunter Noah helped.”
If Noah, who had a hiding skill, also collaborated, then it probably wouldn’t have been hard to kidnap one person. On top of that, both of them were S-Rank Hunters.
“The two of you click together well. Keep on being friendly like that.”
“Don’t say something weird. You originally said you would be reasonable and leave. But now it’s an auction.”
“If things go wrong, then get the winning bid.”
Yerim went ‘I want to buy ahjussi!’ and showed the will to, but what would a kid who hadn’t paid back all of her debt yet buy? Sung Hyunjae had to leave in the middle, so it was a relief that Yoohyun came as a participant. Even if a wrong guy got the winning bid, I was going to run off right away anyways, but still, it would feel dirty.
“…I should’ve stopped you starting from when you said you would put yourself forward as bait.”
“Hey, I didn’t get a single scratch. I ate and slept well.”
I was completely fine like I promised, but that little brother didn’t loosen his frowning expression. I mean, if you live for a while, then this kind of thing could happen… though usually not.
“Young master also shouldn’t act so stiff, and should have fun with the situation.”
“If it were you, if your family was in this sort of… no, nevermind.”
If it was Sung Hyunjae, he would probably go beyong having fun to making the situation excessively bigger.
“Calm down, and let’s eat lunch together.”
The seafood cuisine in this neighborhood didn’t smell fishy and was delicious. And if it ended well, then we could go sightseeing. While I was at it, I should use the card I received prudently up to its limit.
***
With the excuse that I would make her go on a small errand, I called Yerim over and had fun until dinner. That little brother complained from time to time, but it seemed like his mood relaxed a lot. Once I returned to Korea, should I go on a trip with the other kids, too?
Finally, the sun set, and it became night where the night view sparkled. I accepted a mic at the fancy hotel banquet room.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming here today. You must know very well, but I am today’s special auction merchandise.”
Participants, I will emcee my auction.