Chapter 152: Green Your Rivers and Mountains, Green Again 2
“By the way, Yujin.”
“Why?”
“Objectively speaking, wouldn’t it make more sense for the government to entrust the elf to you rather than me? Why haven’t you done anything? Olgania would probably prefer you too, right?”
Although Shia was a strong hunter, who was recognized by the association and received a commendation as a quasi-S-rank hunter, Yujin held a much higher social status and reputation than her.
Yujin had been active as a hunter since the time of the first Great Rift, around the same time as Yeonseo. Shia wasn’t particularly interested, but Yujin was a first-generation hunter streamer and still communicated with civilians through her broadcasts.
Although she didn’t broadcast as often as Shia, who seemed to stream non-stop, Yujin maintained a schedule of streaming once or twice a week. It was quite remarkable for a busy S-rank hunter to continue maintaining such civilian-friendly activities.
Naturally, Yujin’s social standing was high enough that she was considered second only to Yeonseo, and she was highly trusted as a hunter.
From the perspective of both civilians and the government, finding an S-rank hunter like Yujin was difficult, and it wasn’t without reason that the Korean government had authorized Yujin to establish and control a group of returnees.
Yujin was trusted by the government because she had the necessary social value and credibility as a hunter.
“Not to be rude, but I’m busier than I look, Shia. Do you think I’m like you?”
“…Huh? Why are you busy?”
“I told you before. I’m searching for the fragments of the Demon King.”
“But you haven’t achieved anything.”
“……”
That wasn’t wrong.
Yujin had established the returnee group with the government’s approval to monitor and locate the Demon King’s fragments, which might be invading somewhere on Earth.
However, the fragment that had corrupted Olgania’s body in the Great Forest was the first Demon King fragment Yujin had encountered since her return to Earth.
In other words, up until now, while she had found some suspicious clues and locations, she had never definitively discovered a Demon King fragment.
Because of this, some said that the returnee group Yujin led had turned into more of a social club for returnees rather than a vigilant organization guarding against the Demon King.
But that didn’t mean Yujin had been slacking off.
“Do you think all I do is look for the Demon King’s fragments? I’m also working as an S-rank hunter, eliminating rogue elements around the world.”
“Rogue elements? Like what?”
“Crazy cults that worship mana or hunters, or when monitoring for fragments, I also deal with criminal awakeners. I encounter things like that several times a day. Unlike you, who eats like a pig in your broadcasts, I lead a pretty busy life.”
“Hey, what? A pig?!”
“Hahaha, our Shia does eat heartily like a plump pig. You’ve observed well, false hero.”
That’s not a compliment, Menelapie!
“Please don’t be too harsh, Shia.”
At that moment, Olgania, who could be considered on Yujin’s side, smiled gently and tried to mediate.
“Yujin is an S-rank hunter, right? I heard that S-rank hunters on Earth always have to be ready for wartime conditions in case an S-rank dungeon or a peculiar dungeon opens. Isn’t that right, Yujin?”
There’s no way that’s true, but Yujin is an S-rank hunter, and I’m not. Is she subtly putting me down?
“Uh, yeah… that’s right.”
Why does that fake hero act so snappy with me but become so timid when Olgania speaks?
“And after the fragment in the Great Forest was destroyed, there have been suspicions of other Demon King fragments emerging across the Earth. Yujin’s work isn’t meaningless, is it?”
Shia, with her ability to see through lies, cast her gaze toward Yujin.
It wasn’t a lie.
Yujin’s words were true.
She wasn’t the type to talk much or explain unnecessary things, but it seemed she had explained everything in detail to Olgania in advance.
In fact, Yujin had been tirelessly working as the leader of the returnee group, searching for the Demon King’s fragments that could be lurking anywhere in the world.
In the process, she even made some friends in the shadows, gained influence in the underworld, but her determination to prevent the Demon King’s fragments from threatening Earth remained unchanged.
Even so, Shia didn’t particularly like Yujin.
So a funny thought—no, mischief—came to her.
“Huh? Yujin said that?”
“Yes, is there a problem, Saintess?”
“She’s lying.”
In that moment, I felt time freeze.
No, it was more like the air itself twisted for a brief second.
What? This feels like when Menelapie unleashed her full power…
“……What did you just say, Saintess?”
“It feels like a lie. What Yujin said.”
Crack!
Suddenly, the gentle forehead of Olgania produced a cracking sound, with veins visibly protruding.
“…Huh? No, that’s not…”
“You’re saying… Yujin lied to me?”
“Yep!”
“W-What are you saying, Shia?!”
The Saintess could see through lies but couldn’t tell lies herself.
However, this wasn’t some forced restriction; it was more of a personal belief that Shia adhered to.
Since she could pierce through others’ lies, she resolved to live without lying herself and without shame.
In other words, whether she kept that belief or not was entirely up to Shia.
Though the sadness of not adhering to her beliefs blurred her vision momentarily...
“Yujin.”
It was sad not to uphold her beliefs, but how could she resist teasing the fake hero?
“Were all the things you told me… lies? Were they really lies?!”
“…Uh…”
More than anything, Shia didn’t feel the slightest guilt in seeing the fake hero’s troubled face.
Please forgive me just this once, oh starlight.
Isn’t this too much fun?
“…!”
When I glanced at Yujin, she was staring at me with eyes filled with shock.
What are you looking at? If you’re upset, you should’ve taken better care of your girlfriend, you pathetic woman.
Would Olgania be acting like this if you’d treated her properly in the first place? This is happening because you didn’t give her the care she needed!
And now you want to dump all the responsibility for the elves on me while you sneak away? Not a chance.
“Y-You…!”
“Yujin, what are you doing? Where are you looking right now?”
Yujin, who had noticed Shia’s mischievous grin, tried to argue with her, but before she could, Olgania blocked her path, gripping her shoulder with fiery eyes behind her gentle facade.
Crack, crack!
“Ah, no, Olgania, this is a misunderstanding…”
“Even while I’m speaking, you’re still looking elsewhere?”
Crack!
“N-No, Olgania! Shia’s lying!”
“You’re saying the Saintess is lying? Isn’t it more likely that you’re trying to push me away again?”
“That’s not…”
“You did the same thing before. You pushed me away in the previous world, and you’re doing it here too. Did you think I wouldn’t notice? Did you think I wouldn’t catch on? I’ve known all along. Even though I knew, I’ve endured it until now.”
Crack! Crack!
The terrible sound of friction echoed as Olgania’s hand gripped Yujin’s shoulder tightly, her knuckles cracking as if her bones were being crushed.
Despite this, the gentle smile of the elf remained on Olgania’s face as she stared at Yujin, though her smile hadn’t moved in about a minute, accompanied only by the sound of her cracking bones.
Let me be clear.
Although she wasn’t unleashing her full power with the intent to kill, Olgania was a terrifying spirit fighter who could lead a battle against both Yujin and Shia at the same time.
If she got seriously angry, things could get quite scary.
“You told me, didn’t you? You said you had to monitor the fragments, that they might still be invading somewhere in the world.”
“Yes, that’s what…”
“You said we had to be apart for a little while, until the day those filthy fragments disappear from the world. You’re the one who asked me to bear it. I believed you because it was my hero’s words. But now you’re betraying that trust like this? Did you hate me that much, Yujin? You’re the one who said we’d always be able to see each other, even if we were apart. I accepted that. Parting was sad, frustrating, and painful, but I held on. But now… did you just not want to see me? Did you hate being with me? Did you not like me?”
“N-No! That’s not it at all…!”
“‘Not it’? Then what is it? Your attitude says it all. Right now, you…”
“……”
Uh…
Shia could sense the unsettling aura emanating from Olgania as her anger seemed to grow.
It felt like she had made a mistake...
“Hahaha, Shia, don’t worry. No matter what you say or do, I won’t be jealous or lose my composure.”
“Th-Thanks…”
No, it was kind of Menelapie to say that, but this wasn’t the time for it.
“O-Olgania, actually, it was a joke…”
[Please stay quiet, Saintess. Yujin and I are in the middle of a conversation.]
Thud…!
Uh...
Why is this so scary?
As the Saintess of the Dead, Shia had never felt fear, but today, she was experiencing the emotion again after a long time.
No…
It was genuinely frightening.
Olgania’s body was already possessed by a spirit, and her voice echoed in Shia’s head as if the World Tree itself was speaking directly into her mind.
…This situation was beyond help…
“Menelapie, should we go out for a bit?”
“Of course. Anytime with you is fine.”
“Ah, can I come too? When Big Olgania loses her temper, it usually takes a while.”
“Yes, yes, let’s get out of here quickly…”
Shia grabbed Menelapie’s hand and hurriedly left the room.
“Wait, where are you going, Shia? Explain yourself properly to Olgania…!”
[Yujin? Who are you looking at while I’m talking?]
“Guh…?!”
[Look at me. Look directly at me. Don’t look anywhere else.]
I’ve really held back a lot, you know?
Ignoring Olgania’s words echoing in her mind, Shia held onto the others and made an emergency escape.
‘Hehehe… I’m out!’
○○○○○
Meanwhile, at the same time, Lirisia realized just how deep the Mariana Trench was.
“Puhh…! Damn it!”
Sure, it was deep, but more than that, Lirisia was certain that she was probably the only creature to survive being thrown into a 10,000-meter deep abyss.
Of course, Yeonseo must have known that Lirisia would survive being thrown into the deep sea, which was why she did it.
Pant, pant…
Her body had been soaked in seawater and now, in the cool highlands, the chill was unbearable.
‘Ugh… It’s been a while since I felt fear…’
For reference, being thrown into the deep sea was a more unique and interesting experience than she had imagined, but it was also quite terrifying.
Even though Lirisia’s body was different from that of an ordinary human, she was no longer the Saintess of the Dead or the Witch of the Dark Star, so long-forgotten human emotions had unintentionally resurfaced.
Darkness was indeed a primal fear that stimulated a fundamental instinct in humans.
“Ugh… Gross…”
“Have you repented?”
“Yes, yes, I’ve repented… Wait, what are you doing with your hand…!”
Snap!
Unconvinced by the sincerity in her voice, Yeonseo snapped her fingers again, sending Lirisia flying somewhere else.
[Waaah… Sob…](I’m so miserable…)
“There, there. Stop crying now. Hush.”
[Sob. Sniff…]
Meanwhile, Yane, with her large and mature frame, was crying pitifully and shedding tears that didn’t quite match her size.
Yeonseo comforted her with the patience of a grandmother, holding Yane as she sobbed endlessly for over 20 minutes, unable to get over the trauma of being forced to eat dungeon cabbage.
‘This should be enough, right?’
Finally
“Cough, cough! Ugh…! Damn it… Cough! Ugh…”
Lirisia, who had been vomiting seawater, pulled off the strange octopus clinging to her thigh.
The octopus, though bizarre-looking like a deep-sea creature, tasted surprisingly good.
Anyway, even the high pressure of the deep sea couldn’t harm Lirisia’s body, but the difference in pressure between the outside and inside of her body had caused seawater to forcefully enter her nose, mouth, and ears.
Normally, she would have resisted with holy power, but Yeonseo’s spatial teleportation had caught her off guard, happening suddenly and without warning.
“Ugh… Who sends someone into a hydrothermal vent in the deep sea?! The temperature there reaches 400 degrees!!!”
“I thought you looked cold. Was that not considerate? If you’re still warm, I could…”
“No, no! I’m sorry! I was wrong! Please stop! Moo! I’ll work hard like a diligent black cow!”
It might have seemed like the Witch of the Dark Star was quick to surrender, but what else could she do?
It had already been the 38th time.
At this rate, she might end up exploring all the oceans and remote areas of the world.
Sure, she could resist if she wanted to, but she had already decided to stop causing trouble and live quietly.
“Before that, shouldn’t you apologize to this one?”
“Apologize?”
At the word “apologize,” Lirisia looked over at Yane, who was still being comforted by Yeonseo.
Oh, right, she’s here.
Lirisia hadn’t even heard the creature’s name, but she knew Yane was somehow connected to her because Lirisia was Shia from a parallel world.
Though she wasn’t entirely sure how it worked, the miracle of the familiar summoning treated Shia and Lirisia as the same person, so Yane was also considered Lirisia’s familiar. Because of this, Lirisia had immediately known Yane’s name and details when she summoned her.
So her name is Yane, huh?
It seems like the me of this world has terrible naming sense.
As Lirisia silently stared down at Yane, Yane became terrified again and burst into tears.
[Waaah!]
“Oh, don’t just stare. Apologize quickly.”
Though it was a little funny to see Yane, with her large frame, still shedding tears like a child, it was clear she was genuinely upset.
“Hah, fine. I’ll apologize. Is that enough…?”
“Do it sincerely, with genuine remorse. After all, you were once a Saintess.”
Yeonseo knew quite a bit about Lirisia’s background from Shia.
Of course, Yeonseo didn’t really expect a heartfelt apology from Lirisia.
Though she was a parallel-world Shia, she had fallen enough to become a witch instead of a saintess.
If Lirisia half-heartedly apologized again, Yeonseo was already prepared to send her to Mount Everest or the South Pole.
Lirisia knelt in front of Yane and gently held her hand.
[Eek!]
“Don’t be scared. I’m not going to eat you.”
[Wha-what!?]
Are you sure you’re not going to eat me…?
“Was it that painful being forced to eat all that cabbage?”
[…D-damn it…]
“I see. You’re a carnivore, and being forced to eat cabbage must have been really upsetting and sad. I understand now.”
[Waaah…!]
“And… Yoon-jung? Oh, your mother is worried about you? I see, I understand. I won’t do this again.”
[Boohoo…!]
Surprisingly, her apology did seem somewhat sincere.
‘Boohoo this, waaah that… I don’t really get what she’s saying, but Black Shia seems to understand everything.’
Speaking of which, by now, the documents should have reached the upper levels… and the presidential office.
“Well then… Let’s see.”
Yeonseo checked the coordinates transmitted to her smartwatch by the elves on Olgania’s side.
They had asked her to move an area of about 3 kilometers in radius.
As they say, strike while the iron is hot.
Alright.
It’s migration time.
Snap!
At the moment Yeonseo snapped her fingers, the vanguard of 500 elves, who had been preparing for migration in the Great Forest, were transported to Yeonseo’s dungeon.
“What the?!”
“Where are we?”
“Everyone, be quiet. This is the human territory we discussed earlier.”
“It’s bigger than I thought.”
“Is this a desert?”
Looking at the elves whispering amongst themselves, Yeonseo let out a short sigh.
Now Shia had to take responsibility for all those elves.