The Tone-Deaf Healer Kills with a Song - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Tone-Deaf Healer Kills with Song – Episode 028
-I hope you had a wonderful time at Hanttae today, Yeom Ye-ah. I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow.
Tomorrow is the weekend, so why would they ask to see me again? If I actually had to come in on the weekend, that would be inconvenient.
I pulled out the crushed triangle kimbap and lukewarm coffee from my bag and started walking.
My plan for the weekend was to go to a Coin Karaoke and sing, or perhaps soothe the fatigue from recent events.
“Take care, Ye-ah.”
“Oh, goodbye. Aren’t you leaving now?”
“No, we’re heading out to clear a Dungeon tonight. A guerrilla Dungeon suddenly appeared, so we have to go support that.”
Sung Mi-ju shook her head, saying she had no choice because of her commitment to the Hunter Association, and walked away from me.
No matter how unique Hanttae was, when the Hunter Association gave orders, sudden overtime like this became inevitable.
Would something like that happen to me? But Sung Mi-ju didn’t seem particularly displeased. I’d heard that when a Dungeon suddenly appeared like this and you got dispatched, the money you made was substantial.
Guild Master, I’m clocking out now. Have a good day. The samgyetang was truly delicious. If anything comes up over the weekend, please contact me right away. You don’t need to worry about the time of day.
For someone who gave up their dawn for me, this much was something I could do anytime.
I didn’t bother checking whether he’d replied.
I’d done everything I needed to do. I walked slowly toward the Dormitory.
In the meantime, a window appeared before my eyes.
Attempting to reconnect with your assigned handler.
Estimated connection time: approximately 30 minutes. We apologize for the sudden connection error.
I nearly cried out without thinking, so I had to stand rooted in place and clench my fists tightly.
Liri was coming back. Since time between this world and Balder didn’t flow on the same timeline, it might have taken even longer.
These 24 hours felt like an eternity to me. It was always Liri waiting for me, but now that I was the one waiting, I felt even more sorrowful.
“Liri!”
Connection still in progress. Thank you for your patience. The connection error was due to personal negligence on the part of your assigned handler.
The estimated connection time may decrease or increase depending on your handler’s condition.
It looks like it’ll take about 30 minutes as mentioned before. At most 30 minutes, so whatever.
I started walking with lighter steps again. It was Friday, I’d cleared the Dungeon yesterday, I was getting to know the routes better, and Liri was coming back.
Perhaps because I’d eaten samgyetang this morning, I felt more energized than usual. If I go back, bathe, and sleep, it would be perfect.
‘Maybe I’ll ride a bicycle.’
Even if I’m introverted, moving around without talking to people is fine. Riding my bicycle around town—that’s my healing.
As the sun set dimly and I pedaled with my earbuds in, I couldn’t describe how good I felt.
But I should have known better. On days when I feel unusually good, something always goes wrong.
“….”
[Liri: Ye-ah!!!!!!!]
‘Liri!’
Just as I was returning the bicycle and heading back, Liri’s notification popped up right in front of me.
Seeing more exclamation marks than usual, it seemed like Liri had been waiting for me too, and my spirits lifted.
‘What happened? I heard you received a penalty.’
[Liri: I was so eager that I bent the rules a little that day. But it wasn’t such a severe penalty, and I can do well going forward, so don’t worry. Because you exceeded a certain threshold in the last Dungeon, I’ve been allowed to communicate with you much more!]
[Liri: Every time you cast a skill, so many windows appear. That was actually slowing down your skill casting speed. But after this agreement was finalized, I was permitted to reduce them!]
‘You didn’t have to go through all that trouble because of me, did you?’
I didn’t know what hardships he’d endured, but the fact that he’d already faced disciplinary action because of me and was now preparing some form of compensation made me deeply grateful.
There was nothing I could do in return. He had sacrificed so much for me, purely and genuinely.
What kind of being was a Handler to make such extraordinary efforts for their contractor? I could never devote this level of care to someone assigned to me at random.
[Liri: It’s only natural for you. Don’t worry, Yeom Ye-ah!]
‘Thank you….’
The moment I tried to respond, Liri’s messages came flooding in one after another.
Without any context or explanation.
[Liri: Behind]
[Liri: Behind you]
Behind?
The instant I turned my head, a searing sensation erupted across my throat, and something surged upward from within me. Blood? The thought flashed through my mind, followed by a burning sensation.
Something yanked my arm, and then consciousness slipped away entirely.

* * *
A classic cliché.
When you have an inexplicably fortunate day, something is bound to go wrong—that’s how it always works.
I’m not sure if it’s unique to this country, but it’s certainly happened to me countless times. It’s possible, I suppose.
The problem is that I never realize things are going well until after everything falls apart.
As consciousness gradually returned, the first thing to assault my senses was an acrid stench—something burning.
“Ah….”
My voice emerged hoarse and fractured. My last memory was the intense pain in my throat, a sensation as if someone were scraping at it.
Reflexively, I raised my hand to touch my neck. Moments ago, I’d felt blood surging upward, but now it was smooth as silk.
My throat felt parched, likely from dehydration, but otherwise seemed fine. I blinked slowly.
[Liri: You’re awake? Thank goodness, Yeom Ye-ah. I know this is startling, but let me give you the essential information. You’re inside a Dungeon. It’s not particularly large, but there’s persistent toxic gas circulating inside, so getting out quickly would be wise. The clear condition is to eliminate the plant-type monsters that emit the poison. Be careful of the people here.]
“You’re up?”
A chillingly gentle voice reached my ears. I recognized this tone.
The kind of voice someone uses when they’re trying to teach you something, tinged with subtle superiority. The voice itself was unfamiliar, but the feeling it evoked was not.
Speak of the devil. Liri’s message came to mind immediately.
[Liri: It’s Kim Kyung-hoon, a Hunter.]
Someone emerged slowly from beyond the poisonous haze.
From my seated position, I had to tilt my head back completely to see him—a massive man in a neat suit, though I couldn’t fathom his intentions.
He had the image of an earnest, virtuous man.
“Kim Kyung-hoon.”
“Did your Handler tell you? Anyway, those staff types always complain about having to do these cordial introductions between people.”
“It seems difficult to have a cordial introduction in a place like this. And was it you who attacked my throat?”
Ah, that’s right.
I’m still wearing the equipment Jung Hwan-jae prepared for me that day in the Dungeon. Plus the new piercing I received.
I’d wondered why breathing wasn’t difficult despite the poison pressing in—now I understood.
He was rude, yet he waited patiently and courteously while I got to my feet and straightened my clothes. Now I was beginning to understand why I’d called him rude.
“I certainly didn’t intend to rob you of your voice completely—just enough to make you struggle through the ranking matches. I’ve never killed anyone with my own hands.”
“I’ve killed a handler before, you know.”
“Please don’t be so sarcastic. You were kidnapped, after all—there’s no reason for you to be acting so confident here.”
At the mention of the handler’s death, Kim Kyung-hoon’s expression twisted for a moment. Whether it was because I’d touched upon an unpleasant memory of his, or simply because my tone had been too cutting and sardonic, I couldn’t say.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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