I Transferred to the SSS-rank Crafting Field - Chapter 30 - Do you know the sounds of the Sea’s cries? (5)

Chapter 30

07 – Do you know the sounds of the Sea’s cries? (5)

The sea spirit and the children were waiting for us at the tower in the center of the city.

-Here, here!

Cha Taeyang waved while standing on the terrace. When Choi Kwon-young and I entered the room, the sea spirit, who had been lounging in a relaxed manner, opened his mouth.

–Now, let’s get started with the story.

The sea spirit began to confess the truth behind Sheila.

More than 50 years ago, the people of Sheila did not know the seafolks existed. However, the weak-hearted seafolk occasionally saved people in distress…which became the starting point of their problems.

–Seafolk can comfortably breathe both on land and in the sea. However, children who haven’t developed gills sometimes need to go out under the sun.

Young seafolk were vulnerable, and their caregivers were always with them. Caring for and protecting children was part of a seafolk’s nature–their reason to live.

Perhaps because of that, seafolk parents’ scales naturally grew colorful and flashy. Perhaps it was an evolutionary response to draw dangerous attention to them instead of to their children.

–One day, a weak-hearted child saved a land-person who had been floundering in the storm.

From that day on, rumors about mermaids with beautiful, vibrant scales began to circulate on land. People wanted to see these mermaids, whose scales were more brilliant and mystical than any gem in the world.

–Soon after, children who had gone to sun themselves were kidnapped. The caregivers that had gone to find them also went missing.

–So that’s how Oceanbloom fell…

–No–that wasn’t all.

The seafolks decided to negotiate with the land-people. Representatives left for the land to find a recipe to obtain legs from an ancient library.

And, that delegation returned with bright smiles.

The seafolks decided to exchange Oceanbloom’s treasure and wellspring, the ‘Deep Sea Pearl,’ in return for the captured children. Without the pearl, Oceanbloom would lose some of its ancient powers for a while, but they could get their children back.

Children were more valuable than treasures; everyone agreed to this deal.

–However, the land-people didn’t keep their promises.

–They took the pearl and locked up the delegation that had come to broker the deal.

When the sea spirit, who couldn’t forget the tragedy of that day, faltered, Atera continued for him.

The land-people had become increasingly deceitful. Not only did they continue to kidnap the children that had been sunning, but they also used those children as bait to capture more seafolk.

After learning that a caregiver possessed the most beautiful scales, they compelled the captured adults to raise the kidnapped children. Then, before the splendor was lost, they auctioned off the seafolk and made them playthings.

–I was born through that process.

–Unable to bear this, these desperate children broke all sorts of taboos and made futile wishes. And yet you…yet you…!

Choi Kwon-young, standing next to me, was the main character in the Avenger’s subjugation. I had nothing to say–not even a few words. I couldn’t explain that it was all because of the main quest.

The one who should have kept his mouth shut more than anyone else, Choi Kwon-young, asked with an irreverent expression–

–And, in the meantime, what have you done?

–I can’t leave the cradle.

–I see.

–Did you think I wanted to sit still…

Choi Kwon-young rose from his seat and approached the sea spirit.

–What if I bring back the captured seafolk on your behalf?

–Ridiculous! Do you think I’d trust you?!

The agitated sea spirit pointed at us.

Atera, who had been sitting calmly, hung onto his arm–

–Ah–Astrona, these people are different! They kept their promise with me. Thanks to them, I could come to Oceanbloom. I…I’ll vouch for them.

–Athena-yah, you’re still too young and naive. Didn’t Farran tell you? Don’t trust land people.

Whichever way I looked at it, the current situation was a critical juncture on the path to Hidden Piece.

If we couldn’t persuade the sea spirit here, all our efforts until now will have been in vain.

‘Is Atera’s trust, gained from the previous quest, not enough? At times like this…’

–Then, let’s do a test.

–What

–I understand how Astrona-nim feels. But, we’re different from Sheila’s residents. Give us a chance to prove our sincerity.

If we can’t accomplish our goals with one quest, we just need to add another!

Choi Kwon-young laughed unpleasantly at my words and grinned–

–The hidden piece must be seized, after all. Sounds perfect.

***

When we returned to the house, the moon was already high in the sky.

“I guess there’s no concept of time when we’re underwater, in the ocean.”

Still, it’s fortunate that our goal has been achieved.

–Give us a chance to prove our sincerity.

Even though it was a sudden request, the sea spirit threw us an A-level quest as if he had been waiting for that remark.

—There are three more seafolk who were part of our delegation party, alongside Farran. Tell them that Oceanbloom has not yet fallen and bring me their answer.

Bring him the answer… That’s simple enough to say, but harder to accomplish. How are we supposed to find people that disappeared 50 years ago in just three days?

“He said that the lifespan of a sea-person is longer than that of a regular human being, so they wouldn’t have died…”

All I could do was sigh at the consequences of my actions. Even this opportunity was hardwon through Atera’s desperate pleas.

My mouth dried up when I saw the decreasing–each second lost–timer.

“How should I explain this to Hunter Han Cha-hyun?”

“Why do you look so sullen?” Cha Taeyang, who had been throwing the dokkaebi up in the air and catching it, approached me. 

‘Honestly, is that alright? The dokkaebi is fine with that?’

“…Dokkaebi-nim?”

“Yahoo! Hahaha! Kim-seobang, hello!” Contrary to my worries, the dokkaebi burst into laughter with a clear, bell-like voice.

“Unni, is there a problem?” Cha Taeyang asked, sitting next to me.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

Cha Taeyang stared before saying, “Unni, I heard you sighing as if the ground was caving beneath your feet. You always do that–thinking, deciding, and jumping in all by yourself.”

“I do?”

Cha Taeyang frowned at my response, as if she was almost dumbfounded, “Think back to the Field–When you told me to go back by myself or when the move you pulled off with the chandelier. You just suddenly used a skill. Back then, too! Though I’m specialized in close-combat, you jumped out in front of me.”

“That’s because Hunter Cha Taeyang is still a minor…”

“I heard that age doesn’t really matter to Hunters.”

I was at a loss for words; I couldn’t really deny her words.

As if that was inadequate to explain herself, Cha Taeyang added a few more comments about my actions. There was more than one occasion when I hadn’t properly sought out Cha Taeyang’s opinion, although we were both Hunters. Incredibly rude of me.

“You know, I think Unni is being considerate of me. Still, I’m just saying… Treat me like a colleague and not like a child.”

“Hunter Cha Taeyang.”

“If we think and brainstorm together, we might come up with better results.”

“I’ll try to do so from now on.”

“Ahh, what’s that? That’s such a milquetoast answer,” the dokkaebi piped up.

Cha Taeyang, who had been discouraged by my words, chuckled and stood up. “I’ll let it slide for today.”

Then, she abruptly went into her room. Choi Kwon-young, as if he had been waiting for this opportunity, descended from the second floor.

“What’s with your expression,” I grumbled.

“Aren’t I just smiling ordinarily? Is there a problem with that?”

What an unpleasant smile–like a grandfather’s pride at seeing his grandson’s competence.

‘He isn’t even that much older than me…’

Soon, wiping the smile off his face, Choi Kwon-young went straight to the point, “Check your Hunter Watch.”

The Hunter Watch? While talking with Cha Taeyang, I received a message from Han Cha-hyun.  It appeared that he had messaged me first because I hadn’t reported in.

“Wasn’t the message incredibly interesting?” Choi Kwon-young asked.

“What is the possibility that this Medea isn’t the same as Medea from Oceanbloom?”

Choi Kwon-young replied with silence.

There was no coincidence in the World’s Towers. 

The greedy Medea. At a surface glance, she sounded completely different from the Medea we heard about, but she was probably the same person.

Medea. And the God of Sun, Helium. We’ll have to learn more about them.

“Fortunately, we have a good informant.”

“I’ll call over Atera.”

Atera decided to stay with us for a few more days while the Sea Spirit organized his home. In return, she promised to tell us everything she knew; I didn’t expect to need her help so quickly.

Atera, who had been chatting with Cha Taeyang, was startled by our mention of Medea and rushed out. “How ridiculous! Everything is the opposite!”

When she listened to the myth of Eidolon ² In ancient Greek literature, an eidolon is a spirit-image of a living or dead person; a shade or phantom look-alike of the human form. from us, she cried, “It’s all wrong, from beginning to end! Where in the world did you hear this?!” Her voice was loud–a rare occurrence. 

Her body shook as she explained the myth that she was familiar with; it was completely different from what Han Cha-hyun had heard.

“There was no land in the beginning of the world. Medea gave up part of her territory for Helium, who was born by the God of the Heavens’ mistake. And yet, Helium betrayed her.”

After hearing Atera out, I replied to Han Cha-hyun.

What happened today, the subquest that might open the path to the hidden piece, the seafolk mythos… I also informed him that Choi Kwon-young had arrived as additional manpower.

Finally, I added a postscript suggesting he should investigate further into Helium. I hesitated a few times, wondering if I was being presumptuous; I repeatedly wrote and erased before pressing the send button.

“That’s not a bad suggestion.” Choi Kwon-young said after peeping at the message.

“There may be an answer in someplace unexpected. Well, the decision to do so or not is up to Hunter Han Cha-hyun.” I buried myself in the sofa.

Too many things happened today–things that ordinary C-class Hunters couldn’t even imagine unfolded before me without giving me a chance to take a breath.

“Are you exhausted?” Choi Kwon-young, tilting over a bit as he stood, asked.

Going from low-level farming or running Fields to running quests all day was no easy feat. Even now, my overworked body was screaming.

I thought I was controlling my expression, but my exhaustion must have been obvious.

However, I had no intention of stopping here.

“Of course not.” 

This was something I’ve always envied–I couldn’t be tired of questing already. Rather, I was looking forward to it.

‘If I don’t have at least this much fighting spirit, then I should quit being a Hunter.’

When I smiled with my teeth exposed, Choi Kwon-young shook his head and climbed the stairs to the second floor once more.

TL: The story may seem like it’s jumping around, bc it’s referring to messages not yet privvy to the readers, but it’ll get there. Don’t worry *too* much haha.

Also, Cha Taeyang is right–Gaho needs to realize that she’s been too independent…to a fault. She’s not even availing herself of the guild’s resources!