Chapter 20 : Adaptation 3

The Returnee Management Bureau has a transmitter that can track the location of a returnee with their consent.

It's not like an electronic anklet attached to a criminal's ankle.

Instead, it's permission to track the returnee's location through a smartwatch worn on their wrist.

The main purpose is to prevent any potential accidents, but it's also used to protect the returnee and, conversely, to protect ordinary citizens from dangerous returnees.

Of course, usually, surveillance of the returnee's location ends completely after the third ethics audit is completed.

"She haven't left their house for a month."

The Returnee Management Bureau also received the location information of the Saintess of the Dead, Shia, just like any other returnee.

Naturally, not just anyone could access this information.

Only those with the authority of an ethics auditor or higher were allowed to view it.

Choi Bomi, the ethics auditor and psychological counselor for Shia, sighed as she looked at the information showing that Shia was still holed up at home with no signs of leaving.

"Could that returnee be dead?"

"What are you talking about? It looks like she's moving a little, so they're just staying still at home."

Choi Bomi felt a sudden, chilling sensation at her subordinate's words.

As they confirmed the information about Shia's location, they began gathering data on her daily patterns.

That data would later become useful for the ethics audit.

She's needed to determine whether the returnee was living a normal life, if they were unable to adapt to the outside world and were slowly rotting away in isolation, or if they might die like an elderly person in solitary death.

If there were any signs of such things happening, Choi Bomi would have to step in and provide maximum mental care for the returnee.

"Still, isn't it a bit serious if she haven't left the house for a month? Even just to throw out the trash?"

"Well, yes, but…ugh. It's not like we can install surveillance cameras in her house to find out what they're doing."

"Didn't something happen in the past when they tried that?"

"Yeah, some perverts hacked the CCTVs and sold the footage on the dark web. I think Yeonseo took care of those bastards. Anyway, unless it's a real threat, we can't touch their privacy. Regulations are always made after incidents happen."

The Returnee Shelter intentionally assigned returnees who passed their 'ethics audit' to live in the same building.

If they didn't have family, they could at least build relationships with other returnees in similar situations.

Restoring human relationships is key to maintaining mental health.

But Shia, the returnee who called herself the Saintess of the Dead, hadn't left her house at all, making it impossible to know what she was up to.

"Hah, if it's just that she's feeling lazy and doesn't want to go out, that'd be fine…but if it's depression or a mental issue keeping her indoors, that's a big problem. If something happens to returnee Isiah, Yeonseo might get angry…"

Yeonseo had already left a unilateral message to Director Lee and Choi Bomi: "Don't mess around with that girl."

No one knew how Yeonseo and the returnee had become so close in such a short time, but if a living legend like Yeonseo said to leave her alone, they had to comply.

"Come to think of it, isn't it about time to offer the returnee some sort of employment proposal after a month?"

"Right."

Returnees are generally eligible to receive various forms of employment and self-reliance support from the Bureau.

A returnee as powerful as Isiah would usually be offered a position as a 'hunter.'

If they didn't want to be a hunter, they could take on short-term mercenary jobs or complete missions offered by the Hunter Association to make money.

However, most powerful returnees preferred to become hunters.

Not only was the income substantial, but by completing the missions set by the Hunter Association, they could lead a very comfortable life.

Even returnees without powers could be offered suitable jobs based on their experiences and abilities from the other world.

Many returnees had found employment with energy corporations or the Bureau of Technological Cooperation, using the knowledge and skills they brought from the other world.

"If it's returnee Isiah, they'll probably get a hunter offer, right?"

"Probably. To think she could even engage in combat with Yeonseo…I expect she get a pretty high rank."

"Wait, with Yeonseo!?"

"Oh, don't mention this anywhere. If the returnee's personal information leaks online, it'll be a disaster."

"Don't worry, Director Choi. It's not my first day on the job…oh? Director, look! They're moving!"

"Where? Where?"

Director Choi's eyes widened as she confirmed on the holographic screen that Shia had left her house for the first time.

Luckily, it seemed Shia wasn't trying to commit suicide or in any kind of trouble.

She was finally stepping out after a month.

"Just keep an eye on her, and report any unusual activities."

"Yes, understood."

○○○○○○○

"Wow… that's crazy…"

"Oppa, where are you looking? Wow…"

"Is she a celebrity?"

"Never seen her before…"

The gazes of passersby were all on me, likely drawn by my large pool of holy power and my appearance, which suited the title of "Saintess."

But, lost in my own thoughts, I didn't react.

No, to be precise, I was too wrapped up in my own loneliness to care about their stares.

"I finally go out, but… I have nothing to do."

The world of 2088 had changed far too much from the one I once knew.

I already realized this on the first day I fell into the dungeon, but now everything I had known had become something completely different.

I still wasn't sure whether I had returned to my original world or stumbled into a near-future parallel world.

This place felt foreign, like it wasn't where I belonged.

The flashy neon signs, despite it still being early in the day, hurt my eyes.

Even though the world of hunters had emerged, office workers and students were still busy with their daily lives.

Amidst the crowd, I didn't even notice the glances people gave me.

My mood was too gloomy, too distracted.

'There are still so many people in Seoul in 2088. I thought a lot of people died during the Great Rift, though…'

For almost 90% of the past month, I'd been holed up inside, watching all the movies and cartoons I'd missed out on or ordering delivery food.

If I wasn't doing that, I'd be lying in bed, watching hunters raid dungeons on live broadcasts.

Sometimes, I called myself the "Unemployed Saintess" and even imagined myself as a mushroom spore growing inside the walls as I drifted off to sleep.

The most I'd moved in the past month was when I took a shower or went to the door to pick up my delivery.

But it's not like I was doing absolutely nothing.

I did skim through the general history and events that happened while I was away from this world.

Although I didn't have the energy to really study, it was fun reading the timeline and events like I was flipping through a novel.

And during that process, I realized just how incredible Yeonseo, the S-rank hunter I'd gotten to know, really was.

'Yeonseo has saved humanity over ten times, just from what's known… she really is a living legend.'

Anyway, this current society was one rebuilt after humanity had collapsed from the Great Rift, thanks to the efforts of first-generation hunters like Yeonseo.

If I had returned in the 2030s, I would've thought I'd landed in a post-apocalyptic world.

But now, decades after humanity teetered on the brink of extinction, society and its systems had been reestablished and rebuilt.

The gates had stabilized.

Dungeons had become money-makers for hunters and nations alike, and even when dangerous dungeons appeared, there was a systematic response that minimized any harm to civilians.

As the dungeons became more stable, cities were rebuilt, infrastructure was restored, and naturally, the population recovered.

In conclusion, 2088 was similar yet drastically different from the 2024 I had disappeared from.

Prices hadn't inflated as much as I expected, and the population had only increased slightly compared to 2024.

"Hah… should I go watch a movie? No, I can do that at home…"

I had come outside, but I didn't know what to do.

It wasn't in my nature to randomly approach people like some street thug with a "Hongdae disease" and try to make friends.

Despite being surrounded by so many people, I felt only silence.

The quiet amidst the crowd.

The loneliness amidst the crowd.

The solitude in the crowd, you could say?

Even though countless people passed by me, I felt like I was the only one left in the world.

No, it wasn't just a feeling.

I was alone.

In 2088, there was no one who knew me.

No family, no acquaintances, no friends.

Not even a single close friend.

Despite being surrounded by people, I was still lonely.

Though I'd lived for 85 years, I still remained the 21-year-old adult I was back in 2024.

By accident, I had aged.

By accident, I had become the Saintess of the Dead.

By accident, I had become a returnee.

'Ah, I'm feeling melancholic again…'

As I walked, it felt like I was sinking deeper into that gloomy mood, sighing along the way.

I'd already lived over sixty years in "the other world."

Everyone who knew me, all the relationships I had built, and all my achievements—everything had happened in that other world.

Now, as a returnee, I was just another person in this world, someone who had come back after 64 years.

"Sniff, sniff…"

And just like that, my melancholic mood was swept away by a fragrant scent coming from somewhere.

"Oh… what a delicious smell."

Growl.

Even though I had eaten thirteen chickens earlier, the malevolent glutton inside me stirred.

I wasn't just someone who consumed food; as the Saintess of the Dead, I could eat far beyond what was physically possible.

'If I'm tormented by hunger, I might lose my sanity. If I lose my sanity, I might attack people. If I attack people, I'll become a criminal in this society. If that happens, I might become enemies with Yeonhwa or Yeonseo. If I hurt or kill Yeonhwa, I'll be in a life-or-death struggle with Yeonseo. Then I'll become the most hated public enemy of this society, and I'll never be able to settle down anywhere again…'

So, I should eat as my heart desires!

Justifying my greed to gorge myself like a pig, I followed the scent to its source.

Though I had an undead body as the Saintess of the Dead, oddly enough, my sense of smell and taste were far more sensitive than a normal human's.

Like I was being guided by a navigation system, I wandered in the direction of that delicious scent teasing my appetite.

As I strolled along, my large pool of holy power swayed, drawing the attention of those around me as a bonus.

"Is it… here?"

Before long, I arrived at a restaurant with a sign that read [Our Neighborhood Blood Sausage Soup].

It wasn't quite dinner time yet, so the place wasn't too crowded, but the cauldron bubbling away gave off the thick, fragrant smell that had enticed me.

"Slurp…"

Ah, I'm drooling.

Unconsciously, I wiped away the saliva dripping from my mouth with the back of my hand.

'Why does my dead body produce so much saliva…'

I'd wondered about it many times before, but even Teresa, the dark witch, couldn't fully analyze my body. How could I figure it out?

It was just something I had to accept.

Anyway, I stepped into the blood sausage soup restaurant, almost as if I were in a trance.

As soon as I stepped inside, the smell intensified.

I forced myself to gulp down the saliva that was about to flow out like a waterfall and sat down.

"Thank you for the meal."

"Please come again~"

I glanced at the table where the previous customer had just left and sized up the portion of their blood sausage soup.

For a normal adult human, it was enough to leave them full and satisfied after one bowl.

But I wasn't normal.

I was the Saintess of the Dead, a malevolent glutton, a fragile little lamb highly vulnerable to hunger, and someone who ate far beyond what was physically possible.

After gauging the portion size, I raised my hand to call the staff, realizing I was the only customer.

"Excuse me."

"Yes! Oh my, young lady, you're quite the looker. Are you new in the neighborhood?"

"Yes…"

"Oh, you've got good taste. These days, it's rare to see a young lady eating blood sausage soup. I must have lost my mind—sorry, I'm supposed to take your order. What would you like? We have blood sausage soup and a mix of intestines as well."

"…Slurp…"

Intestines… blood… that smell… bean paste… radish… soybean sprouts… ah…

Trying to maintain a neutral expression despite the faint scent of the ingredients wafting through the air, I spoke to the kind-looking staff member.

"For now… um… I'll have ten bowls of blood sausage soup."

"Ten bowls? Oh, are you expecting a group? I'll move you to a bigger table then. There's a spacious spot over there."

"No, I'm fine."

"So, are you here with friends?"

"I don't have friends…"

"Oh, then what about your parents? Family?"

The innocent goodwill of the staff hit me right in the heart.

I felt a ticklish sensation inside, but I couldn't boldly declare, 'So what if I'm alone!' So, I replied quietly.

"I'm alone…"

"…You're going to eat ten bowls by yourself?"

"Yes…"

"You? Really?"

As the staff member's expression became more and more peculiar, I suddenly felt myself shrinking a little.

Why? What's wrong with eating ten bowls of blood sausage soup by yourself?!

"Oh, ah! That's right. You must be a hunter, young lady? Yeah, that makes sense. I hear hunters eat a lot. Sure, if you're a hunter, it's possible…"

Ha-ha… their sales smile had become a bit stiff, though they still smiled at me.

Having worked here for a long time, they'd seen hunters with hearty appetites, but never one who could eat more than four bowls of blood sausage soup.

But, a customer was a customer.

If I ordered ten bowls, they had to serve them.

This wasn't some drunk or someone who'd lost their mind, so maybe I really could finish all ten bowls.

The staff member soon set the side dishes on my table and began ladling blood sausage soup from the bubbling cauldron into the earthenware bowls, one by one.

They added rice directly into the soup, sprinkled chopped scallions, and mixed in seasoning—a truly harmonious combination.

'Wow, that's a lot, even for me…'

But as I watched from afar with sparkling eyes and drooling, I didn't care at all.

No, rather than just watching, I couldn't take my eyes off the soup for even a second.

The moment the cauldron was opened, the fragrant smell of intestines and blood sausage wafted through the air, and I couldn't look away.

"Gulp…"

What is blood sausage?

Blood sausage soup, also known as haejang soup, is typically made by boiling beef bones and tough cuts like tendons for a long time to create a refreshing and delicious broth.

When the tendons become tender, that's when the soup reaches its peak flavor.

At that point, blood sausage, bean sprouts, and radish are cut into large pieces, then seasoned with bean paste or spices, and the whole mixture is simmered until the blood sausage soup is complete.

The soup base is made from beef bone broth, so the iron and marrow from the bones combine to create an incredibly rich flavor.

The blood sausage adds its own iron and protein, making the soup highly nutritious with a dense, flavorful broth.

However, blood sausage is coagulated cow's blood, which causes it to be a divisive food.

Some people love it to death, while others find it repulsive and refuse to eat it for life.

As for me, the Saintess of the Dead and a malevolent glutton, blood sausage was… a divine ingredient.

Fresh, delicious blood.

I, who had consumed countless malevolent beings, knew how much blood enhanced the flavor of meat.

"Here you go, young lady. Ten bowls, just as you ordered! Be careful, they're hot…"

"Hawup! Gulp! Gulp!"

"Oh my! Isn't that hot?!"

The blood sausage soup had just been taken from the boiling cauldron, and even though it was served in a still-steaming earthenware bowl, I began eating as if it were just a normal snack.

The staff member watched in shock.

"Hawup, gulp! Delicious… gulp, slurp…"

Thirty seconds.

It took me just thirty seconds to eat all the rice, radish, blood sausage, intestines, and tendons in the bowl.

The way I calmly yet swiftly devoured everything, without spilling a drop, was nothing short of astonishing.

"Oh my, oh my… she must've been really hungry."

And within another thirty seconds, I had finished the broth as well.

In total, it had taken about a minute for me to completely finish a steaming bowl of blood sausage soup.

"Wow… young lady, slow down or you'll get a stomachache…"

"Hawup! Gulp! It's delicious. It's really, really delicious. Gulp!"

Before they knew it, the staff member, staring in awe at my rapid soup consumption, began to feel like they were witnessing something supernatural.

I continued savoring the refreshing broth, shoving the fragrant, flavorful blood sausage into my mouth.

At first, the staff had thought they'd have to ask me to leave if I ate messily, but strangely, I ate neatly, without spilling a drop.

My hair remained neat, and despite the heat, I didn't sweat a single drop.

Ten minutes later, I had finished all ten steaming bowls of blood sausage soup.

"Hah… burp… yeah…"

This is it.

This is it, dammit.

This is heaven…

I gazed up at the ceiling, my eyes filled with happiness and bliss.

If anyone saw me, they might mistake me for a drug addict savoring the afterglow.

"Auntie."

"Yes, young lady? Ready to pay?"

"I'll have ten more bowls…"

"…What?"

Apparently, I wanted to extend this blissful experience for a little longer.

"No, ten bowls isn't enough… just give me the entire cauldron."

"What?!"

And the staff member's face turned pale with shock.

That cauldron… it's enough for fifty people…?!