Volume 4 Chapter 67-2 Melody Of Domination
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
To show how the magic works, someone needs to play the instrument.
”Is there anyone who can play an instrument?”
Lifia raises her hand shyly.
”I learned a little when I was young.”
Lifia says she can play. No surprise, since she used to be a merchant girl. I admire her, and then Rozmiaque quietly raises his hand too.
”I’ve played small harps before. The structure is similar, so even a large one should be fine. With practice, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Lifia and Rozmiaque can both play. That’s helpful. It should be enough for our test.
But Rozmiaque’s offer is a bit surprising. Can this blonde elf really play? It seems to suit him, though.
I wonder if harps are common in elf villages.
”No, I learned after coming to the human lands. If you pretend to be a bard in taverns, you can easily attract women…”
”Father?”
Lifia’s cold gaze pierces Rozmiaque.
His face pales.
So, it’s a pick-up tool.
”Hii! N-not at all! That’s not what I meant…”
Watching Rozmiaque stumble, I feel disappointed.
”Did you flirt with Mother that way?”
”No, that… well, actually, she just happened to be heard playing by chance…”
Enough. I can’t watch this.
His romantic history doesn’t matter. First, we need to test the instrument.
”Lifia, please try it.”
”Yes, Master.”
Lifia sits in front of the harp. Her small hands touch the strings, and a gentle sound fills the air.
The first melody is bright and lively, like running through a sunlit meadow.
With each note, the Brownies start dancing and fluttering around. They join hands, form a circle, and spin.
”Yay! This is so much fun!”
Kéa bounces around in circles too. I feel like dancing myself.
As Lifia stops, the next song begins.
This time, it’s quiet and a bit sad. The melody brings distant memories, slowly filling the space.
The mood changes.
One Brownie sheds a tear, then another, and another.
Soon, sniffles are heard all around.
”Ugh, sniff…”
Yomi starts crying.
I feel like crying too. The fairies are frozen, sobbing together.
”Fairies are very sensitive.”
Rozmiaque explains quietly.
The Brownies’ emotions are more intense than ours.
”If we add magic, it could affect emotions even more deeply.”
Lifia suggests.
Even more than this? The current performance is already powerful. If we add magic, what will happen?
I can’t imagine. Testing it on our friends is too risky. It might even affect Tifi’s unborn baby.
”Let’s try it outside.”
I say, standing up.
If it’s monsters or wild animals, we can test it without worry.
We head to the motel docked with the pirate ship. A huge pirate ship is stored there.
The Brownies, who had been crouching, stand up as the music stops. They start working briskly.
We go up to the deck and open the shutter.
Before us lies the endless ocean. In the distance, a faint landmass appears, but no other ships are in sight.
Here, we can experiment freely.
”Are there any fish or sea monsters around?”
”Yes, some monster-like presences are approaching.”
Perfect. Let’s include them in our test.
* * *
As we sail, we continue testing the ‘Siren’s Harp (Abyssal Hymn).’
When Rozmiaque plays a light melody, small fish that usually flee start gathering around the ship.
Seabirds fly in from nowhere, singing together like a chorus.
Then, a large monster surfaces.
It has multiple tentacles, like a giant squid dozens of meters long. Is it a Kraken?
It stretches its tentacles toward the ship.
”It’s coming!”
Kéa puts her hand on her sword.
But the moment it hears the harp’s melody, the Kraken stops. Its tentacles droop, and it floats limply on the sea.
It seems to have lost all will to fight—or even to live. It doesn’t react when pecked by fish or seabirds.
Further testing shows we can send the harp’s sound far away using Lifia’s wind magic.
The wind carries the sound beyond the horizon, and even distant seabirds react.
The melody controls the emotions of all who hear it, sometimes rendering them powerless. And we can choose the targets, so allies are safe.
This harp truly controls hearts.
If used well, it will help us conquer the 6th floor of the dungeon.
The drawback is not being able to move while playing, but its power makes up for it.
”This is amazing. It’s like a magic tool from a fairy tale.”
Tifi murmurs, staring at the harp.
Her eyes show surprise, excitement, and a bit of fear.
”Since Mr. Taro, the hero, got it from the deep dungeon floor, we might be creating a legend right now.”
Even hearing that, it doesn’t feel real. Becoming part of a legend doesn’t sink in.
But we’ve gained this power. The question is how to use it.
I must use it in a way that doesn’t shame my wife and comrades.
Just as she was thinking this,
”Master.”
Lifia called out to me with a tense voice.
”There’s a strange ship near the land.”
What?
I take out my telescope and look.
Near the horizon, a faint object—a ship’s silhouette.
It’s a large sailboat.
Sailboats aren’t rare, but this one is odd.
Normally, ships fly flags showing their nationality or affiliation.
This one has none. Instead, a large emblem is drawn on the sail.
It’s a skull mark.
It’s a pirate ship!
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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