Chapter 169: Don’t Mess with My Food 2
Yeonseo’s granddaughter.
Icicle Nine.
The youngest S-rank Frost Hunter.
A true noble lady who descended upon the modern Hunter era.
Compared to her, even the offspring of corporate tycoons who claimed to rule over this land were nothing more than powerless kids.
Not only were the children of senators and ministers forced to bow at a 90-degree angle before her, but even the senators themselves would have to do the same.
If Yeonhwa's position were compared to a medieval fantasy setting, she would rank higher than the only granddaughter of a grand duke, who held more authority than the king.
In any case, titles and backgrounds associated with Yeonhwa were numerous and grand, but surprisingly, she herself wasn’t someone that would typically be called a noble lady.
She enrolled in the Hunter Academy on her own and became the youngest S-rank Hunter by her own strength.
She didn’t attend parties in fancy dresses either.
Recently, with her schedule considerably loosened, Yeonhwa had been lying around her room with nothing much to do.
When she first reached the S-rank, she thought she’d be deployed into far more dangerous and urgent battlefields than before, but such battlefields didn’t appear every day.
Although she had recently tackled the giant dungeon that encroached on Mapo-gu with Shia, Yeonhwa had plenty of free time afterward.
“........What to do.”
The goblin guerrilla units that used to raid rural towns and military bases hadn’t shown up since their last extermination a month ago, and there were no urgent dungeons either.
Having reached the rank of S-rank Hunter, there was no longer any need to push herself to the brink in dungeons.
There was no need to be so fixated on training and improvement as she had been before.
She had long since fully recovered, so there was no fatigue either.
It wasn’t that she was intoxicated with her own power.
Looking at herself objectively, Yeonhwa could now say that she would be able to defeat a Black Minotaur, which she couldn’t have even faced before.
‘I’m bored...’
Yeonhwa usually spent her spare time or rest periods watching Hunter streamer broadcasts.
It wasn’t that she found Hunter streams particularly amusing, but she had always lived a life solely focused on honing her abilities as a Hunter, never touching things like alcohol, cigarettes, or games.
As a result, when she started watching Hunter streams, it was simply because Yeonju mentioned they were trendy, so she occasionally checked them out.
And ever since Shia, who had saved her life, started streaming, Yeonhwa had exclusively tuned in to her broadcasts.
Regardless of whether the broadcasts were publicly entertaining or not, Shia’s broadcasts were the most enjoyable and suited her tastes.
Yeonhwa felt a sense of peace and reassurance as if her soul was calm whenever she was with Shia.
She wasn’t sure why.
Although it wasn’t exactly love at first sight, seeing the strong and imposing Saintess of the Dead who had saved her fall apart on her broadcast while being called the "Antics Saintess" was both refreshing and genuinely funny.
Thus, when she had nothing to do, Yeonhwa watched Shia’s broadcasts until she fell asleep.
She watched Shia’s mukbangs even while eating.
And when Shia wasn’t broadcasting, she meticulously watched the archived replays stored on her Switch channel.
‘Come to think of it, according to Grandma, Shia unnie became the representative of the elves...’
Though it was just something she’d heard from Yeonju and Yeonseo, Shia was reportedly quite busy lately.
Even aside from that, Shia hadn’t streamed in quite some time, ever since her drone camera was destroyed.
During a hunt with a young elf and Sheep Lani on her broadcast, Shia’s clothes had melted off, causing an uproar in the genre Hunter gallery for a while.
To weed out the vile people who would undoubtedly make lewd comments after seeing Shia’s bare skin, Yeonhwa used the influence of the Yeon family, which she rarely wielded, to erase all of Shia’s obscene images spreading across the genre Hunter gallery.
The issue was that ever since that incident, Shia’s drone had been damaged, and Shia’s broadcast notifications had not been sounding.
Most likely, when Shia’s clothes had melted, the nearby Menelapie had panicked and smashed the drone.
It was already her second time thoroughly watching all the archived replays of Shia’s broadcasts from the past six months, yet Shia had still not started a new broadcast.
“Haa, I’m bored.”
She hadn’t realized that having nothing to do could be so dull and infuriating.
When Shia didn’t broadcast, she often called Yeonhwa.
Sometimes she’d find a popular restaurant online, grab Yeonhwa’s wrist, and energetically drag her to eat.
Once, Shia had summoned Yeonhwa at dawn, and, fearing an emergency, Yeonhwa had rushed out only to end up at a King Crab specialty restaurant on Geoje Island.
In other words, she hadn’t had a chance to be bored.
However, now Shia was apparently very busy, as she hadn’t called Yeonhwa or broadcasted.
‘Was it after the Empress, Menelapie, arrived...’
Shia used to care for Yeonhwa and spent a lot of time with her, but from Yeonhwa’s perspective, it felt as if Menelapie, who suddenly appeared, took Shia away and wouldn’t return her.
Of course, Yeonhwa understood Shia and Menelapie’s relationship.
It was obvious that the two were much closer than she had initially thought, and after hearing Shia’s past story that Menelapie had shared at the Returnee Bureau, Yeonhwa had secretly shed tears.
Yes, she understood it all.
But even with all that, still… monopolizing Shia as soon as she arrived on Earth felt a bit annoying.
‘What am I even thinking......haah, it’s annoying...’
A cold frost began to form in the air around Yeonhwa, who was lying sprawled out on her bed.
When the S-rank Frost Hunter Yeonhwa was stressed or upset, the temperature around her would rapidly drop.
Beep-beep-beep.
At that moment, her smart watch rang, and Yeonhwa picked up the call with a simple finger flick.
“This is Hunter Icicle Nine. What’s the matter?”
[Binguya!]
Unnie!?
Hearing the familiar voice, Yeonhwa immediately sat up in bed.
Normally, she would have replied, “I told you, I’m not Bingu!” but hearing Shia’s voice after a long time, Yeonhwa unknowingly brought her smart watch close to her face, beaming.
[What are you doing? Are you busy?]
“No. I’m really free. There’s been no news about the goblin guerrilla units since the last extermination, no emergency gates around the capital area, and no foreign requests for help either. I’m really free. Super free.”
[Oh, I see. That’s good. Then, if you’re free, want to grab a meal together?]
“A meal?”
[Yeah, we used to eat together a lot, right? But ever since the Mapo-gu dungeon encroachment incident, it seems like we haven’t met up for a while, so I thought it might be time.]
Hearing Shia’s voice after so long, Yeonhwa unknowingly smiled.
No, without realizing it, the corners of her mouth had crept up on their own.
“Yes, I’d like that. Let’s have something delicious together.”
[Great! I’ll send you the location via your smart watch. Please come there by 1 o’clock.]
Thank goodness.
Shia unnie hadn’t forgotten about me.
Yeonhwa immediately threw on a jacket that was haphazardly hanging on a chair.
---
“Binguya~!”
“Heh, it’s been a while.”
“........”
Alright, fine. Of course.
Of course Menelapie would be here too.
Naturally.
If Shia unnie is going somewhere, Menelapie, the Hero, would always be right beside her, like thread following a needle.
It makes sense; their bond...
They had spent more than 60 years together.
After being reunited in the same world, it would be strange if they were separated.
“It’s been a while, Shia unnie. And, Menelapie…”
“Heh-heh, I’ve told you to feel free to call me by name.”
“No, I still feel more comfortable like this.”
Yeonhwa hid her faintly awkward feelings toward the waving Menelapie as best as she could.
She thought her own feelings were rather petty, but emotions are inherently difficult to understand, and they often pop up unbidden.
“Hehe, Binguya. Let’s go to that place today.”
“That place?”
“You remember the beef place we went to with Yeonseo unnie and you?”
“Oh.”
Fortunately, Shia didn’t seem to notice Yeonhwa’s subtle awkwardness as she cheerfully grabbed her hand.
The barbecue restaurant Shia mentioned was the one they’d gone to near Hapjeong Station when Shia had first returned to Earth, right after completing her returnee registration with Yeonseo.
The food had been pricey but delicious, and it had left a good impression on Shia.
Given that she was practically an extreme glutton, it seemed that the excellent service of grilling the meat for customers had left a lasting impression on her.
“There’s been a decree among the elves of the Great Forest to lift the ban on meat consumption!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Do you remember the little elf girl who appeared on my broadcast last time? She actually
holds a pretty high position among the elves. Since she was the first to be introduced to the honorable practice of eating meat, it was only a matter of time before it spread to the others!”
“…Unnie, sometimes I wonder, are you really the Saintess of the Dead or the Saintess of Meat?”
“What do you mean? I’m indeed the Saintess of the Dead, but don’t forget there is also a Meat Fairy out there!”
Hearing that, Yeonhwa’s gaze traveled up and down Shia’s form.
A bust that seemed well over 130…
An impressive height well over 180, taller than most adult men.
In what way is this a fairy?
Even the biggest fairy that appears in a C-rank dungeon with the Tooth Fairy wouldn’t be taller than 50 cm…
“Ah, yes. Well... okay.”
Well, if Shia unnie says she's a fairy, then I’ll just think of her as a fairy.
If it’s about being cute or beautiful like a fairy, well… I guess it’s not completely off the mark.
Though she’s a bit silly and often over-the-top, her looks aren’t lacking, after all.
Anyway, Shia, Yeonhwa, and Menelapie managed to secure seats in the steakhouse they’d reserved in advance.
Even though it was only two in the afternoon, Shia started with an enormous order of 20 servings of brisket, 30 of tenderloin, and 20 of ribeye, almost like she was single-handedly setting the restaurant’s daily sales record.
“Chomp chomp, it’s delicious.”
“Shia, everything here is cooked to perfection.”
“Mm, thanks!”
While Yeonhwa was eating just one serving of ribeye, Shia had already torn through ten servings and was still unsatisfied, moving on to cold noodles and rice.
Menelapie hardly ate any meat herself, instead working like Shia’s personal assistant, grilling the meat diligently beside her.
She flipped the meat on the charcoal grill at just the right moments to ensure Shia didn’t eat anything undercooked or unappetizing, and made sure the extra green onions were always placed in front of Shia first.
‘I think this every time, but Shia unnie sure eats a lot... And Menelapie isn’t eating either...’
However, watching the scene, Yeonhwa couldn’t shake the feeling that she should be sitting next to Shia instead.
I’m good at grilling meat, too, and last time with Grandma, I was the one sitting in that seat…
“Here, Binguya!”
“I told you, I’m not Bingu… By the way, what’s this?”
“What else?”
Suddenly, Shia held out a perfectly cooked piece of meat, freshly handed to her by Menelapie, directly to Yeonhwa.
“.......”
For a brief moment, Yeonhwa felt an intense gaze on her, but it vanished quickly as if it had never been there.
What’s with this out of the blue?
When Shia’s eating, she usually just shoves everything straight into her mouth...
“Well, actually, Menelapie and I never got to thank you, Yeonhwa. You were the one who helped us the most in settling into this world as Returnees. And I feel a bit bad since I couldn’t even call you once because of the recent busy period with the elf matters.”
“Unnie, I can grill my own meat…”
“But it just makes me feel better this way.”
In the end, Yeonhwa reluctantly accepted the meat Shia offered and popped it into her mouth.
Chomp, chew chew.
“It’s delicious…”
“Right?”
Yeonhwa quietly smiled after taking Shia’s meat, her expression radiating pure contentment.
Watching this, Menelapie placed her chopsticks down with a slightly irritated motion.
“Huh, Menelapie, what’s wrong? You’re not eating? Don’t you like it?”
“I don’t have much of an appetite.”
“Are you sick?”
The idea of a Hero feeling sick? Even a passing dog would laugh at that.
Seeing Menelapie’s clearly cunning act, Yeonhwa inwardly sneered.
“Menelapie, you should eat this. My mom always said, even if you don’t have much appetite, you should eat to fill your belly; it’ll make life feel more enjoyable.”
“Your mother said that? Well, then I can’t refuse.”
Mother-in-law?
What?
Did she just say mother-in-law?
Yeonhwa knew that Shia had reunited with Yoonjung, but she had never imagined that Menelapie would refer to Yoonjung as her “mother-in-law.”
Yeonhwa couldn’t hold back her astonished expression as she stared at Menelapie.
“Unnie, me too. I’m still hungry.”
“Hmm? Ah, here!”
“Shia, I still have a long way to go before I’m full.”
“Lots of little birds today, huh?”
In her previous world, Shia often fed war orphans while acting as a saintess, so she now alternated between Menelapie and Yeonhwa, giving them each servings of meat, reminiscent of those times.
“Ugh, did I drink too much?”
“Huh? But Shia unnie, didn’t you say everything you consume gets fully digested, leaving no waste at all?”
“Not liquids…”
“Oh…”
Realizing this new fact about Shia’s body, Yeonhwa’s cheeks reddened a little.
As Shia left briefly for the restroom, a somewhat awkward tension filled the air between the remaining two, Yeonhwa and Menelapie.
“Now that I think about it, I owe you an apology. I’m sorry.”
It was Menelapie who broke the silence first.
“Huh? For what?”
“Well, I owe you a lot, after all. I realized that an S-rank Hunter like you vouched for my status and identity. I should’ve thanked you sooner, but with all the recent business with Shia, I was a bit delayed.”
“Is it the matter with the elves?”
“Yes, Shia has, in a way, taken on the responsibility for an entire species.”
Of course, the difficult matters had been managed through direct negotiations with the government by Menelapie, Yeonseo, and Olgania.
They discussed everything from currency matters, resident registration, and insurance coverage, to tax details and the future path for the elves of the Great Forest, including Hunter registration.
Naturally, there had been some friction.
Since both elves and humans are ultimately sentient beings pursuing their interests, there were bound to be some conflicts, and thus the discussions had been prolonged.
“And, Bingu.”
“I told you, I’m not Bingu.”
“Yet Shia calls you Bingu, doesn’t she?”
“You’re not Shia unnie.”
“Hmm, then I suppose I overstepped. Anyway, I carried the title of Empress in my previous world…”
Menelapie’s smile was warm and gentle.
“…but here on Earth, I’m just someone with free time. No matter where I go, it’s not unusual. I live in the present, having left behind the shadows of the past.”
“Is that so…”
Although Menelapie didn’t have any mind-reading or telepathy abilities, her gaze seemed to suggest she knew exactly what Yeonhwa was thinking.
“Shia was a saintess. She received love from not only me but also from countless others. Shia herself probably doesn’t realize just how beloved she was, but she was genuinely cherished and even venerated by so many. While Shia might think the Rose Order was just my tool to gauge public sentiment, it was actually formed because there were so many people fond of her and supportive of her.”
“……”
“After observing many people’s emotions toward Shia, I can somewhat sense your feelings for her, too.”
“…Then, let’s get straight to it. If I was jealous of you, does that mean you were also jealous of me?”
“Me, jealous? Hmm, I wouldn’t indulge in such petty feelings.”
“For someone supposedly without jealousy, your reaction was pretty telling a moment ago.”
“That wasn’t jealousy, just a little complaint. Like a light grumble, asking for the same favor as others. If a troublesome Dark Witch were to stir up trouble, it might be slightly annoying, but even that I can tolerate. It’s natural and good for humans to hold each other in fondness and kindness.”
Hearing those words, Yeonhwa was left momentarily speechless.
“I love everything about this. Spending these small moments with Shia is my greatest happiness. As long as she’s here with me, just like this, I have nothing else to wish for. She has been the light in my world, just as I want to be a star in hers.”
Yeonhwa felt as if her heart had been laid bare, with all her hidden envy exposed.
“How could I refuse to become one of many stars for someone so precious to me? You and I both, in the end, wish to be a light for someone else, don’t we?”
At that, Yeonhwa couldn’t help but let her guard down and smiled slightly without realizing it.
In the end, Menelapie’s grand and elegant words came down to something simple.
‘Welcome to being Shia’s doormat.’
Clack.
Whirrrr.
And just as a peaceful truce was silently reached between Menelapie and Yeonhwa, Shia returned to the table from the restroom.
“Oh, Shia unnie. The rest of the meat is ready!”
“Heh, Shia, while the meat Bingu gave you must be tasty, first, here, have this bowl…”
“Mmh, thanks.”
What’s going on? That voice sounds a bit… No, it’s Shia’s voice, but the atmosphere and tone feel different somehow.
Chomp, chomp chomp.
Munch munch.
“Wow, this is amazing. Eating meat for the first time today after missing breakfast… feels like life’s worth living again.”
Amazing…?
First meal…?
Yeonhwa and Menelapie turned their heads, finally looking at the person sitting in Shia’s seat.
And in the seat where Shia should have been…
Chomp chomp chomp.
The former Witch of the Dark Star sat there, munching away on Shia’s meal as
if daring anyone to object.
“What? Got a problem?”
Chewing on Shia’s meat and even scooping her rice without shame, Lirisia munched away while Yeonhwa and Menelapie froze, all thoughts and movements halted.
Why is she here…?
For this one moment, both Menelapie and Yeonhwa seemed to share the exact same thought.
‘Should we kill her?’