Chapter 38

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 38: The Celestial Voice (1)

Oscar stared at the giant screen.

With each simple dance move she performed in front of the microphone, her wavy, light-pink hair fluttered gracefully.

Her gentle, warm smile made her look more like a saint from a religious order than a singer.

-When I open my eyes to a sun-filled morning, my heart starts to race♪

What song should I sing today, what world will I meet today♪

But the most beautiful thing about her was her voice.

Her voice seemed to melt into the lively melody—just listening to it was enough to feel as though one’s heart was being healed.

“……She really does sing well. Is she famous?”

“Marin Maria. She emerged like a comet about three years ago. Known for her uniquely soothing voice, she’s often called the 'Celestial Voice' or 'Singing Saint.'”

So she’d managed to earn these grand titles in only three years.

“She’s like a mermaid.”

“I’ve heard rumors that she might actually be something akin to that.”

A bit of a strange answer; she either is or she isn’t, what does ‘something akin’ even mean?

Oscar, who had turned away from the screen, asked.

"That part, I don’t really know either. For more details, go hear her yourself."

“But why would a top star of her level need a bodyguard?”

Killian pulled a pass from his sleeve and handed it to him.

"Tonight at 10. The meeting place is room 1702 at the Grand Baran Hotel. But before that…”

He fished out a few bills and handed them over.

"First, get yourself a suit. Without one, they won’t even let you through the doors of that hotel.”

“…I’ll buy it myself. I do have money, you know."

Oscar adamantly refused the gesture.

No matter how close they were, he couldn’t take pocket money from his friend’s son.

* * *

As night fell, the city’s atmosphere transformed yet again.

Glittering.

The streets were so brightly lit that it was hard to tell if it was night or day.

‘Phew, at least I won’t be late for the appointment.’

After purchasing a suit and shoes at a tailor, Oscar put on red contacts and added a fake tattoo.

Since he had to impersonate Killian, he needed to look as similar to him as possible.

‘I didn’t have time to dye my hair, but this should be close enough.’

With his hair pulled back, his gaze looked much sharper than usual.

‘Grand Baran Hotel.’

Riding in the so-called ‘taxi’ that Killian had ordered for him, Oscar couldn’t help but admire it.

All the hotels built in Baran were beautiful and luxurious, but this one was on a whole different level.

‘…This place is insane.’

The hotel itself was perched on a massive artificial lake, standing there like a mirage, defying belief.

Its cream-colored marble facade reminded him of a grand palace, and the subtle golden lighting accentuated its elegance even more.

Above all, the only way to enter was to cross a bridge over the lake by car.

‘This place practically embodies the word “luxury.” Without a car, you can’t even get in.’

You could feel it was a place reserved solely for the wealthy, even before you reached the entrance.

As the taxi glided to a stop at the hotel entrance, a guard approached to open the door.

“Do you have a pass?”

“Here.”

When he handed over the pass Killian had given him, the guard ran it through an unknown device, then bowed his head.

“Mr. Killian Lockwood, identity verified. Please enjoy your evening.”

Once inside, the opulence was breathtaking.

From the colorful glass chandeliers adorning the ceiling to the gold statues scattered around, the place was dripping in luxury.

Oscar wondered how much money he could make if he sold even one of these decorations as he stepped into the elevator.

‘This thing is fast.’

Annoyingly, the diamond-adorned elevator was three times faster than the one at the White Tower.

He made a mental note to suggest upgrading to one like this when he earned more money.

Ding!

In an instant, he arrived on the 17th floor and knocked on the door of room 1702.

A rustling sound came from inside, followed by a cautious voice.

"Who is it?"

“I’m from the White Tower. Killian Lockwood.”

“…Oh.”

The voice brightened instantly, and soon, the sound of locks unlocking was followed by the door opening.

Standing there was a woman with a stern look, wearing rimless glasses.

“Welcome. This is our first time meeting in person. I’m Evelyn, Marin’s manager.”

“Nice to meet you.”

She looked him up and down, frowning slightly.

“Hmm…you look a bit different than I’d heard from the rumors.”

“Probably because I’m wearing a suit. I wouldn’t have been able to get in without matching the dress code.”

“Oh, true. That makes sense. Please, come in.”

Oscar followed Evelyn into the spacious room, surveying his surroundings.

‘My room at the White Tower is quite big, but…this is five times that.’

Big enough for a group to run around playing ball, really.

It wasn’t just spacious, though—it was filled with all sorts of luxurious decorations and furniture.

In the living room, a woman lay sprawled on the sofa, flipping through a magazine.

“Room service?”

“Get up, Marin. This is the mage who agreed to take on the job.”

“Oh, hello.”

The startled Marin Maria got up awkwardly and greeted him.

So, whether she’s called the ‘Celestial Voice’ or the ‘Singing Saint,’ she’s human after all.

In a way, her down-to-earth manner was endearing.

"Killian Lockwood, 4th-level mage from the White Tower.”

“I’m Marin Maria.”

After a brief greeting, Evelyn asked.

"What would you like to drink?"

“I’m fine, thank you.”

“Oh, in that case, just water for both of us.”

As Evelyn stepped out briefly, Marin gave a slight bow.

“First of all, thank you. You accepted the job without getting a proper explanation.”

“I’m not picky about jobs.”

“Really? I heard you have an over 80% success rate with assignments, so I thought you’d be quite selective.”

A success rate of over 80%.

With numbers like that, it’s no wonder he’s called a rising star at the White Tower.

In this field, a success rate above 70% is enough to earn one the title of veteran.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Oh, no. It’s not really my place to judge anyone… Um, could I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Um…do you think…are you a responsible person?”

“…Hmm.”

Well, he wasn’t entirely sure, but Killian was the son of Radan, a man known for his loyalty and the warrior of the forest.

So, probably?

After all, he’d kept his promise for this mission, even going so far as to send him as his substitute.

“Yes, I am.”

“Oh, good.”

Marin smiled, her hands clasped cutely together.

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Gun]

“I think responsibility is the most attractive trait a person can have.”

“Oh…is that so.”

In the silence that followed, Oscar glanced around the room, only to be taken aback.

Through a large window overlooking the artificial lake and the city, he saw an enormous bathtub right in the middle of the room.

Big enough to fit ten people without feeling crowded.

“…Why is there a bathtub in the living room?”

“Oh, I have a habit of taking baths while looking out the window when I’m composing.”

“That makes sense. Composing while looking at such a fantastic view must be inspiring.”

Apparently, successful artists had their own routines, and it seemed that this was part of hers.

A little while later, Evelyn returned, setting two glasses of water down as she stood beside Marin.

After taking a sip to calm herself, Marin finally spoke.

“To get straight to the point, I’ve been receiving threats recently."

"...Threats?"

Oscar’s eyes narrowed.

He had assumed she’d hired a bodyguard simply due to the rough state of security in Baran, but apparently, that wasn’t the reason.

"What kind of threats?"

“To explain that, I first need to clarify the importance of this upcoming concert."

"Please, look over here."

Evelyn turned on the TV with a remote.

On the screen played a video of Marin, one Oscar had already seen with Kilian.

"You might not know, but Marin's talent is at an exceptional level. Even though our company is small and couldn’t provide much support, she’s managed to land her first solo concert at Baran Dome in just three years solely on her skill."

“So it’s a big deal to perform at Baran Dome?”

“You’re joking, right? Think of it like… what's that famous award for mages again?"

"Oh, the Oscars."

Sitting shyly on the sofa, Marin muttered softly.

“Yes, it’s as remarkable as a magician winning an Oscar. A solo concert at Baran Dome—where you have to pass a rigorous selection process—is every singer’s dream stage. Only three or four performers get to stand there each year.”

“I see. I didn’t know that.”

“In other words, whether or not this concert happens is going to be a critical turning point in Marin’s life. The problem… is the person making those threats.”

“What exactly are they threatening?”

“It’s simple. They’re demanding the concert’s cancellation.”

Evelyn sighed deeply.

“And we even know who’s behind these threats.”

"...What? If you know who it is, why not confront them or, at the very least, report it?"

Seeing the shock on Oscar's face, Evelyn nodded.

“Of course, it’s not easy to understand the situation. Remember I explained how much this Baran Dome concert means?”

“Yes. Are you suggesting that…?”

“You probably guessed correctly. The person behind the threats is a rival singer of Marin’s.”

Jealousy can be a powerful motivator—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

“Who is it?”

“Ara Sweet, a female singer who debuted two years before Marin. She’s fairly talented and has a fanbase, but her album sales and booking rankings have been falling behind Marin’s recently.”

Oscar nodded in understanding.

“Was there a fierce competition for this concert spot at Baran Dome?”

“Oh my, hardly! Yes, there was competition, but it wasn’t exactly close. I won overwhelmingly.”

"...?"

Oscar blinked, looking at Marin, who was giving him an angelic smile.

So this was the legendary rivalry between senior and junior performers?

“So, losing the competition made her resentful, and if Marin gives up, the concert will go to her instead, hence the threats?”

“Exactly. And when we kept ignoring her, she escalated to death threats.”

After Oscar examined the threatening letter Evelyn had placed on the table, he looked puzzled.

“This doesn’t make sense. Why not simply report this letter to the press and be done with it?”

“...If it were that easy, we would have done so already.”

Evelyn let out a long sigh, then suddenly brought up something seemingly out of nowhere.

“Did you hear about the death of Baran’s mayor in his home a few months ago?”

“I think I read about it in the newspaper.”

“Ara Sweet is the only daughter of the candidate poised to become the next mayor of Baran.”

"...So that means?”

“Yes. Whether the media has been bribed or fears future retaliation, every outlet we approached has ignored our report. Every attempt to spread the information has been perfectly contained.”

With a family of that stature, it’s a burden no ordinary singer could bear.

Marin clasped her hands together and made a plea.

“Please, I really want to go through with this concert.”

“Hmm, this is a tough situation.”

With a family that influential, even the caliber of assassins they could hire would be high. They’d likely send a Level 4 professional at minimum.

“Is it too difficult? That’s why I’ve set the success fee at one million bells…”

“…One million bells?”

Oscar pressed his throbbing temples, feeling the pressure that Kilian had hinted at with talk of penalties and bankruptcy, and asked:

"Just one question. Am I the only person hired for this job?"

Please, say no.

But Evelyn avoided his gaze.

“It seems they’ve spread the word across all the media and mercenary offices; no one wants to take up our request.”

"......"

And they expect him to do this alone?

Oscar mentally calculated how much he’d earn from the development funding for the Cadena flu treatment and asked,

“What’s the penalty for breaching the contract?”

“...Penalty?”

“Yes, let’s call off the job.”

Even with his skills, protecting her in front of an audience of 100,000 was too much.

For her safety and the well-being of her fans, canceling the request seemed the best choice.

But just then—

“...Damn it, so you’re telling me to just cancel the concert? I’ve been working toward this for three years!”

A refined curse echoed through the high-end suite.

Startled, Oscar turned to Evelyn, but she only sighed deeply with a weary expression.

‘Wait, so the one who cursed just now was...’

Turning to look, he saw Marin’s expression had completely transformed as she demanded indignantly,

“You’re really funny, aren’t you? Aren’t you supposed to be responsible?”

“...Miss Marin, it seems you’re a bit… agitated.”

“Screw you, jerk. How am I supposed to not be agitated right now?”

The heavenly voice Marin Maria had been using was now spitting harsh curses.

Suddenly, she tore at her light-pink hair, and the silky wig dropped away, revealing short golden hair underneath.

‘Hold on.’

Oscar stared in shock at her changed appearance.

The tips of her exposed ears were covered in shimmering scales.

As far as he knew, only one race had such features.

“...A mermaid?”

It was the moment Marin Maria’s true identity was revealed.

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Gun]