Chapter 30 : I Want to Keep Having Good Dreams 1

Wyvern egg.

Ironically, the only proper meal Shia had eaten in 'the other world' was also a dish made from wyvern eggs.

During the first year Shia lived as the Saintess of the Dead, avoiding people, all she ate were pieces of roasted meat with no seasoning or mushrooms plucked haphazardly from the forest.

The next thing she ate was the 'Titan of Wrath, Atalyd,' but at that time, she couldn't truly savor it as she had lost her senses, overwhelmed by hunger and starvation after smelling blood.

It wasn't until she was guided by Empress Menelapie to the imperial palace that Shia could, for the first time since arriving in this world, leisurely enjoy a proper meal.

Gulp.

"You're eating well."

Shia, who had been silently devouring about twenty portions, finally hiccupped and spoke.

"Hic, gulp… It's delicious…"

"I wouldn't know how it tastes. I asked Sir Adelmerck, the imperial chef, to put in some extra effort, but…"

"It's really delicious. Truly, really delicious… Hic…"

"You can eat more, but take your time, or you'll get indigestion."

Despite the unsightly tears streaming down her face, Shia continued eating her first proper meal in a year.

Though it wasn't exactly the wyvern egg stew but rather a dish garnished with vibrant spices that looked as if gold dust had been sprinkled on it, the mere fact of eating a proper meal after nearly a year brought tears of sorrow to her eyes.

Even while crying, Shia continued to eat steadily, and Menelapie found herself smiling unconsciously.

"How about it? Is your stomach full now?"

"…Hic, gulp… Thank you so much…"

"I preferred it when you grabbed my collar and spoke boldly. There's no need for you to use formal language or act so polite just because I'm the Empress."

"I-I'm sorry…"

Recalling how she had grabbed the Empress by the collar and glared at her as if ready to kill, Shia lowered her head in shame.

Now that her anger and tears had passed, it felt incredibly embarrassing.

"I told you that your anger was justified. The one at fault is me."

"...…"

"Now that you've had enough to eat, listen while you finish."

"Yes, gulp… Munch, munch…"

"According to the prophecy, you… the Saintess of the Dead, are not a being of this world, is that correct?"

"…..Yes…? How, how did you know…"

"Didn't I say it was in the prophecy? I don't fully understand the mechanism, but many of its predictions have been accurate. I just wanted to confirm."

Shia nodded unconsciously, surprised to hear those words from the Empress instead of speaking them herself.

Shia had thought that telling people she came from another world would sound too absurd for anyone to believe, so she never intended to reveal this to the Empress. However, Menelapie brought it up first.

Well, there were royal mages, after all.

If there were royal mages, that meant magic existed, and while Shia didn't know the extent of their magic, the fact that they'd been observing her for a year suggested a civilization advanced in magical knowledge.

There were monsters threatening humanity, and even a titan, whom Shia had consumed.

In a world like that, someone from another world might not be considered that extraordinary.

"What kind of person were you?"

"…Compared to Your Majesty…"

"I told you to speak comfortably, didn't I? As someone from another world, you don't need to adhere strictly to this world's laws."

"….."

"Heh, you're oddly uptight about the strangest things. Then again, I suppose that's why you managed to keep your humanity after a whole year. Shall I command you to speak casually?"

"Uh, okay. Got it."

After reluctantly agreeing, Shia looked at the Empress with a slightly tense expression.

There was no one else in the dining room.

Only a few attendants were around, carrying dishes, and none of them were bold enough to report the conversation happening here to anyone.

"As Menelapie said… I came from another world. This body isn't mine either. I was just, very ordinary…"

"Tell me more, in detail."

"I'll tell you what I remember…"

So, Shia began to speak about herself from the other world.

She even mentioned that she used to be a man and that she came from a world where technology and science, instead of magic, had developed.

That due to a strange accident, she woke up as the Saintess of the Dead…

Despite hearing what must have sounded like nonsense from Shia's perspective, the Empress didn't dismiss her words. She even nodded, listening carefully to everything Shia said.

"And, compared to you, I'm… just an insignificant person who hasn't accomplished anything."

From the moment Shia first saw Empress Menelapie, she had felt as if she were witnessing the embodiment of gold.

Brilliant blonde hair and a strong physique.

Though the Empress appeared to be about the same age as Shia, there was a charisma in her golden eyes that gleamed intensely.

From that first encounter, Shia felt that Menelapie wasn't someone who sat on the throne for no reason.

Unlike Shia, who was the Saintess of the Dead…

Menelapie radiated vibrant life, in stark contrast to Shia's pale, corpse-like skin.

While Shia had spent the past year cowering in a forest, fearing everything, the Empress seemed to shine so brightly that Shia couldn't help but envy her.

"Saying you're insignificant compared to me…"

"Yeah, I mean… in my world, I was just a loser… Even though I had strength, I didn't know how to use it… I was timid and weak…"

"How could that be? You endured the agony of starvation, enough to drive anyone mad. Despite countless opportunities to descend to the nearest village and kill people, you chose to maintain your humanity. That doesn't sound weak to me."

"But still…"

"Trust my judgment. An Empress must have keen eyes for assessing people, and from my perspective, you're more than worthy."

The Empress, whose radiant appearance was as dazzling as ever, leaned her chin on her hand and spoke.

"There's no such thing as an insignificant person."

"..."

"Every human being is valuable to someone, and they all have their own worth. A dirty, mud-covered stone can shine like a pearl if polished just a little. Do newborns have no value because they're helpless? Babies can't do anything on their own and would die in a few days if left unattended. Are they worthless and insignificant because of that?"

"That's not what I meant. Children need to be taken care of…"

"Do you think adults no longer need care? Very few adults can accomplish anything completely on their own. Without my eight imperial secretaries, I would have a hard time managing my empire, and without the warrior who taught me swordsmanship, I would have lost my life in the Great Demonic War ten years ago. Even now, without attendants by my side, I suffer from terrible insomnia, and if I do manage to fall asleep, I wake up in a foul mood after nightmares."

The revelation that the Empress, who had seemed perfect, suffered from nightmares came as a bit of a culture shock to Shia.

She had only just met Menelapie.

But from the aura and charisma the Empress exuded, Shia had thought her to be the epitome of perfection—a flawless ruler in every way. Yet, here she was, saying she couldn't even sleep without assistance…

"I, too, am a flawed human in many ways. But I also have things I can do, and those abilities give me value. The same goes for you."

"..."

"Everyone has weaknesses and flaws. But equally, everyone also possesses something valuable to counterbalance those imperfections."

Oh no.

I think I'm about to cry again.

"Humans strive to overcome their shortcomings. And while each individual may seem foolish at times, their efforts are commendable. Do you know why I like you so much? Because you're beautiful? I'm beautiful too. Because you're strong, being the Saintess of the Dead? That's appealing, but it's not strength I can't compensate for."

"Then why…?"

"I admire your humanity. It may sound like a pansexual's remark, but don't misunderstand."

Menelapie smiled warmly, shrugging her shoulders.

"You could have given in to hunger at any moment and taken the easy way out. But knowing how terrible that act would be, you spent a whole year tirelessly trying to overcome your flaw. I saw you suffer, and I saw your effort. That journey alone is worthy of praise, and I hold genuine affection for you because of it."

Having no one to confide in.

Not knowing what to do about this hunger.

Simply enduring and holding on—Shia felt as if every word from the Empress pierced her heart.

"It may sound strange, but I truly like you. I feel as though I've reunited with an old friend I haven't seen in a long time."

"…Th-thank you…"

"That's good enough. In the end, what I wanted to say is that you can think more highly of yourself."

"But I'm just an outsider. I only became the Saintess of the Dead by chance—no, by bad luck."

"I also became Empress by chance, and I survived death by luck. Luck is also part of your destiny, and it's part of your ability."

As Menelapie smiled, Shia felt her face heating up.

Though she was the Saintess of the Dead, whose heart no longer beat, her face still burned.

Could it be… a fire somewhere?

"Heh, I feel like I know a little more about who you are now."

○○○○○○

Perhaps because I had such a good dream, it was easy to wake up.

It was funny that I had such a dream just because I ate wyvern egg stew…

Well, seeing a familiar face again after so long was enough to make me feel good.

-09:38

"You're up early…"

Though it was just a memory from the dream, everything Menelapie had said felt like advice for my current self.

It was a good day.

I had a dream from long ago.

I saw Menelapie again.

…I wish I could meet her one more time.

I thought maybe if I lay back down, I could have another dream where I'd meet Menelapie or Teresa.

But I was already fully awake, so no matter how much I lay there with my eyes closed, sleep wouldn't come.

"…I guess I'll get up."

A corpse's body has some strange functions.

Although I essentially don't have any waste to expel, I can still cry and drool, so I guess this body isn't completely dead.

As for food and digestion, thanks to my 'Malevolent Predator' trait, I can completely convert everything into energy or holy power to sustain my body.

No, it's more like transformation rather than digestion.

Everything I chew and swallow turns into energy that powers this body or becomes holy power.

Because of that, I've never had to go to the bathroom except to wash, which is a very big plus.

I've lived with this body for over 60 years, but it's still quite the mystery.

[Miracle – Purification]

Although I don't sweat or expel waste, I used a purification miracle to clean off the dust I'd accumulated while sleeping.

Now I was as clean as if I'd just taken a shower.

If Menelapie were here, she'd definitely scold me, saying, "Oh, stop fussing and go take a bath!" and shove me into the bathhouse, but unfortunately, there's no one now to push me into the bath…

"…Let's just wash."

It's absolutely not because Menelapie appeared in my dream and made me want to wash.

I just feel like washing, that's all.

Swoosh…

Still, standing under warm water felt nice.

I had thought that being a corpse would mean I wouldn't feel cold or warmth anymore, but other than my pain threshold increasing, my senses had actually become more sensitive.

I could smell things better.

My hearing had also significantly improved.

After finishing a moderate shower, I left the room and saw the round device sitting on the table.

"Oh, right…"

It was a Hunter assistant AI drone camera.

The association had told me to bring it back after completing the mission.

Yesterday, I had been too caught up in the joy of successfully eating wyvern egg stew to think about it.

Should I take a casual stroll to the Hunter Association like an old man making his rounds in the neighborhood?

After all, the Hunter Association and the Returnee Management Bureau were in the same building.

But… I felt incredibly lazy about going out.

"…Hmm, doesn't it have a function to send the video directly to the Hunter Association?"

Surely it must. I'm not the best with machines, but such a feature should exist.

Even after all the chaos of collecting wyvern eggs and subduing those wyverns in the Kurtala Mountains, the drone had still managed to keep up with me at full speed without any trouble.

With that kind of technology, surely there's a way to send the footage or email it somewhere.

Whether or not I could figure out how to send it, however, was another question.

Beep-beep-beep.

"…Yeonhwa?"

Just as I was tying up my fully dried hair, my smartwatch rang loudly.

"Bingu? Did you enjoy the wyvern eggs?"

[It's not Bingu…! Ugh, you're up early, I see?]

"I woke up quickly today because I had a good dream. What's up?"

[Hey, Unnie, I just wanted to ask… Do you know about the Hunter Broadcasting?]

"Hunter Broadcasting? Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?"

Of course, I knew about it.

After returning, I had wasted most of my time in this shelter watching Hunter broadcasts.

I spent an entire month checking out various Hunter shows, and I'd even donated a few times.

While I wasn't an expert, I considered myself fairly knowledgeable about Hunter Broadcasting.

Whenever I was bored, I'd go to a place called the Genre Hunter Gallery and find entertaining stuff there.

"Yeah, I know. Oh! Now that I think about it, I met a Hunter named Cheon Ah-young in the Kurtala Mountains. She's a Hunter streamer too. I was thinking about checking out her stream since we crossed paths. Who knows, I might even appear on her broadcast?"

[…..You really don't know, do you.]

"Don't know what?"

Yeonhwa sounded like she was trying to hold back her laughter as I finished tying my hair and put on my sweats and hotpants.

Hmm, they seemed a bit small, but they were still comfortable. Modern technology is amazing.

[Unnie, do you know the Genre Hunter Gallery?]

"Yeah, it's that notorious internet community where people gossip about all kinds of Hunters, right?"

[Take a look at the link I sent you, then.]

"A link?"

[Just… don't get too shocked, Unnie. There's no rush, so take your time and go through it when you're ready.]

As Yeonhwa sent something, a hologram internet window appeared on my smartwatch.

Of course, Yeonhwa wouldn't prank me with something inappropriate, so I clicked the link without hesitation.

And there it was…

[Lord, please grant me permission to be a righteous thief today.](431)

Comments: 1934

『Hehehehehe!』

[Gif of someone stealing a wyvern egg]

The gif clearly showed me using my tentacles to steal wyvern eggs.

And I was even laughing with a childlike grin on my face.

[Mom! I want to grow up to be a wyvern egg!]

Reply: [To get eaten?]

Reply: [This dude is crazy lol]

Reply: [LMAO]

[Saintess of Kanttabiya, your expression is hilarious. Lol]

Reply: [Her expression is on point, really lol]

Reply: [That expression is, in every way, perfect.]

Reply: [Random gif of a green frog smiling contentedly]

Reply: [Get that ugly frog out of here]

[I'm dying, seriously LOL]

…Why am I there?

Wait… wasn't that me in the Kurtala Mountains yesterday? Did someone secretly record me?

What is this? What on earth is going on???

A thousand thoughts raced through my mind.

What the hell is this?

Why is my gif circulating like I'm some Hunter streamer?

Normally, I visit the Genre Hunter Gallery multiple times a day.

Yesterday, I had been too busy making wyvern egg stew.

Right after returning from Gyeryong to Seoul, I gave Yeonhwa one of the wyvern eggs and came straight home, so I hadn't had time to check the gallery.

'What the hell happened in just one day….!?'

Curious, I checked out more of the trending posts, and things only got worse.

[Saintess Shia, the Crybaby](213)

Comments: 2483

『Shia – Give me the egg

Wyvern – But, Saintess Shia, you've already taken four eggs.

Shia – Ah, shut up, I won't leave until my belly's full. Now bring me another egg.

Wyvern – Do you even plan on leaving? You just turned the leader's head into mush…

Shia – Ah~ shut up!!! Want me to show you what Great Healing feels like?

Wyvern – You damn woman.

Cheon Ah-young – Hey, Shia

Shia – Welcome, Cheon Ah-young』

What the heck is this? A green dinosaur or frog? What is this now!

Why did they Photoshop me into that thing!?

[LOL this is too funny]

[What did I just see]

[Nightmares…nightmares incoming…]

[LMAO]

[From today on, the gallery lord is Crybaby Saintess Shia]

[LOL]

[Shia has never cursed, but why does it fit so perfectly?]

[LOL]

"No way, this is giving me a headache…"

I couldn't remember the last time I had a headache since becoming a corpse.