The Tone-Deaf Healer Kills with a Song - Chapter 39

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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 039
Though I had never sung, musical notes began to drift slowly around me.
The snowman smiled brightly. It flapped its wings powerfully and soared into the air, gazing down at me.
Despite being merely a small snowman, it cast a shadow so enormous it could engulf me entirely. It resembled the form of a winged man.
Someone omnipotent was looking down upon me.
“I want to become skilled at the things I cannot do, the things that are impossible for me.”
Staff lines and notes began to shine in the same color as the jewel on my ring.
A window materialized before my eyes.
Stat ??? responds to your will.
The debuff ‘Labyrinth’ weakens.
My stat remained in ??? condition, yet one thing was unmistakably different.
Simply because I wished to improve, my stat adjusted accordingly—as if proving that until now, I had never truly understood myself.
I drew a deep breath and looked up at Liri. His face was that of a delighted child, as though everything had unfolded exactly as he intended.
“In truth, humans spend their entire lives without ever fully understanding themselves. It is an extraordinarily difficult thing. We live far too briefly to comprehend ourselves completely before death claims us.”
“That’s true….”
“Why do we live, why do we die. People often exhaust their very existence contemplating such questions. But if one could reach all that knowledge alone, why would the position of Handler even exist?”
Liri fluttered around me with joy at being able to guide me in this way.
No one had ever given me such unconditional affection. He had never demanded any compensation from me until now.
I had never heard a single account in history of a Handler demanding something else in exchange for sharing their power.
“Liri, why exactly are Handlers so devoted to their contractors? I cannot comprehend that psychology.”
Even family members—even those one loves most at a given moment—have limits to what they will accept.
Naturally, such acceptance varies depending on one’s condition that day, the actions of that person, or the expectations I harbor. Yet Handlers remained eternally faithful to their contractors.
Liri shrugged.
“No explanation would convince you now. If such an opportunity ever comes, I will tell you then.”
“I understand….”
“We seem to have spent quite a long time here. Why not go downstairs and converse with others for a while.”
Liri smoothly changed the subject. But I had no desire to press for answers by dwelling on such things.
I was simply hoping to understand someday.
Following his advice, I left the Terrace. The room was now filled with quite a few Hunters, whereas it had been empty before.
As a stranger appeared, their gazes lingered on me for a moment before drifting to Liri hovering beside me.
‘They’re walking around with a Handler’s manifestation. Who are they?’
That seemed to be the general thought running through their minds.
Since I had never officially conquered a Dungeon with others, their expressions held a hint of uncertainty even as they speculated.
It was only natural. Jung Hwan-jae had done his utmost to keep me hidden from public view, and when I came here, he instructed me to be careful about revealing my identity.
Had a soft voice not suddenly interjected from beside me, I might have stood there stupidly under those ambiguous gazes for quite some time.
“Yum.”
“Ah, ugh….”
Before a startled cry could escape, I quickly covered my mouth with my hand. It was a reflexive action.
The voice belonged to Hwa-jon, who had given me advice earlier. He gestured apologetically, his eyes crinkling slightly as if sorry for startling me.
“There are too many people watching you here. Shall we go somewhere else?”
“Where are we going…?”
“To hide a tree, one must go to the forest, wouldn’t you say? To the most crowded place.”
I couldn’t hide my bewilderment as I followed him.
He headed back to the Second Floor we’d just left. Elaborate displays of various cuisines lined the space, and busy chefs moved about their work.
The entire floor had been arranged as a buffet. He handed me a plate and walked ahead as if to say I should choose what I wanted.
Now that I thought about it, I was rather hungry. Keeping some distance from him, I piled several dishes onto my plate.
‘If I need to pay, I’ll settle it later.’
Besides, this venue had been prepared specifically for inviting Hunters—there was no way they’d ask me to pay.
As I walked between the tables with my food, Hwa-jon, already seated, raised his hand. He seemed to be someone who didn’t typically travel with a group.
People were scattered about, each dining with their own acquaintances, but Jung Hwan-jae was nowhere to be found among them.
I’d naturally assumed he’d be having a conversation in a place like this, but apparently that wasn’t the case.
As I sat across from Hwa-jon, he opened his mouth as though he could read my thoughts.
“The moment the other Hanttae Guild members arrived, they got into a fight with the Wind Guild. He went to mediate it.”
“The Wind Guild?”
“So Yi-yoon—in other words, Hunter Kim Kyung-hoon’s Guild.”
He smiled meaningfully, as if to say I should know better than anyone why the two didn’t get along, then calmly returned his attention to his meal.
He’d just dropped a bomb on me and was eating as though nothing had happened. I felt dizzy.
So Kim Kyung-hoon’s Guild members and our Guild members had gotten into a fight. And the people here were eating without a care in the world?
‘The world of rankers is so complicated….’
“Isn’t anyone stopping them?”
“It takes three Wind Guild members to match one ordinary Hanttae member. Jung Hwan probably went to stop it.”
“…But why So Yi-yoon?”
“That’s his real name. I heard he pretended to be related to Hunter Kim Myung-joo.”
In reality, the two have no connection whatsoever. He even got sued for it.
Hwa-jon shook his head with an amused expression and shrugged.
If he’d truly been known as the family of a famous equipment craftsman from the start, gaining early fame would have been effortless.
What exactly was this honor that blinded people so thoroughly? Without realizing it, I frowned slightly.
I stared down at my plate. Given that such trouble had erupted, I questioned whether it was even appropriate to spend time eating.
“It’s fine to eat.”
“Really?”
I’m currently suffering from the lack of ability to read debuffs, and Liri whispered into my ear.
There’s no point in going over there right now anyway—it won’t help. I might as well eat. I shoved the food into my mouth and swallowed.
Hwa-jon also seemed unbothered and soon focused on his meal as well.
But unable to bear the awkwardness, I opened my mouth.
“I’m late in saying this, but thank you for helping me back there and bringing me here…. I’m grateful.”
“Don’t mention it. When someone seeks to harm another, it’s only right that someone offers help. Besides, we might face each other in the ranking matches.”
Though I’d heard this person forfeits every ranking match. Was he saying he’d finally found an easy opponent and wanted to try seriously this time? Surely not.
He tapped his plate lightly with his chopsticks.
“Among the healers Hunter Kim Kyung-hoon has touched, few have escaped unscathed. I wasn’t a match for him, but there are indeed those who have fallen victim to him.”
“Are you referring to Hunter Harp?”
Unlike the relaxed expression from moments before, he nodded with a grave face.
There were far too many ears present to discuss the details. I possessed enough perception to understand that much.
When I refrained from pressing further, his expression softened once more.
It was certain that some incident existed between Harp and Kim Kyung-hoon, but whether Hwa-jon was involved in that affair remained unclear.
“If you don’t grow stronger here, you will inevitably face Kim Kyung-hoon in the ranking matches.”
“Not growing stronger means….”
“For instance, losing when you face me, or similar circumstances. The conditions for determining rankings include not only internal information but also minor conflicts from outside. If you’ve defeated him in external encounters, you’d be recorded at a higher rank immediately.”
“But if I can’t defeat you, who rank slightly above him, then I could end up facing him again, correct?”
Hwa-jon neither confirmed nor denied this. Instead, he glanced out the window once before rising with his plate in hand, offering no verbal response.
“You seem tense, despite appearing to understand my nature well?”
“Yes, I don’t let my guard down.”

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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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