Chapter 39 : Only Silence Remains After the Commotion

Yeonhwa watched Shia's broadcast for a long time on her smartwatch, while sitting in a café near the Rotten Mountain Dungeon.

There were occasionally a few people who recognized Yeonhwa, the granddaughter of Yeonseo-nim, but since the café was in a relatively quiet area, she was able to enjoy her peaceful time undisturbed.

Yeonhwa didn't know much about Hunter broadcasts, but even for her, as someone unfamiliar with such shows, Shia's broadcast was quite enjoyable and easy to watch.

Of course, there had been other Hunter broadcasts that involved eating monsters or bizarre foods as the main theme.

But those broadcasts were mostly attention-seeking, full of provocative topics aimed at drawing views and viewers.

Compared to those streamers, Shia's broadcast objectively maintained a much better balance.

The appeal of bizarre food Hunter broadcasts typically revolved around the streamer eating revolting or disgusting monsters and dungeon by-products to attract attention, relying on grotesque humor and self-deprecating gags to gather viewers.

Naturally, with such topics, it was easy to cross the line.

Rather than being genuinely entertaining, the focus was often on showing the streamer suffering and gagging on punishment-like food.

However, Shia's broadcast was something never seen before, even on Switch, where countless content competed for attention.

She entertained viewers by frequently interacting with them in an exaggerated, clown-like manner, while never crossing the line.

If Shia had simply declared that she was going to eat the fearsome S-rank monster, the Centipede Dragon, without cooking it, viewers would have likely imagined its repulsive appearance and felt nauseous.

But Shia approached it in a normal, or rather, a professional way.

No, she cooked it like a specialized monster chef.

Instead of eating the monster raw like some grotesque centipede, she peeled off its shell, coated it in batter, and fried it to a crispy, golden perfection.

By the end, viewers were saying things like, "Huh? That actually looks delicious," and towards the latter part of the broadcast, many even commented that it looked tasty.

"Is Unnie Shia unexpectedly made for broadcasting?"

At least in Yeonhwa's eyes, Shia had pulled off the perfect broadcast.

Shia's claim that she had lived as the Empress's right hand and a Saintess for over 60 years didn't seem like a lie.

Despite having over 10,000 viewers on her first broadcast, Shia showed no sign of nerves, and instead, with what is often called 'exaggerated antics,' she skillfully led the viewers around.

Typically, low-level Hunter streamers often lose their backbone, whether it's due to money or the overwhelming opinions of the masses, and end up swept away by the viewers.

No matter how strong a Hunter is compared to an ordinary person, their nature and mind are still human.

If a large number of viewers tried to shake the streamer's broadcast, there was no choice but to be shaken, which was the fate of small-time streamers.

Even if the streamer got shaken, it would be fine if that added to the fun of the broadcast or elicited a good reaction from viewers, but in many cases, the end of a streamer swayed by the audience was not pleasant.

That was something Shia wasn't susceptible to.

"The Genre Hunter Gallery is completely in chaos…"

Even though Yeonhwa hadn't streamed herself, the Genre Hunter Gallery was flooded with posts about Shia, leaving her with a strange feeling.

Hundreds of people were staying in the Featured Posts Arena, engaging in heated debates disguised as discussions about whether or not Shia was an S-rank.

They even clipped parts of Shia's broadcast and filled the gallery with weird comments like, "Heu-eung, Noona…"

Well, considering the fact that an S-rank Returnee had appeared for the first time in decades, it wasn't strange that interest was so intense.

Perhaps it wasn't just the citizens of the country, but even foreign governments and Hunters who might be keeping an eye on Isiah.

[Summary of Today's 'Antics Saintess' Broadcast](943)

Likes: 1192

『

1. Broadcasted from a B-rank dungeon located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, called Rotten Mountain.

2. Planned to fry and eat a Blade Centipede.

3. Instead of the Blade Centipede, an S-rank monster called the Centipede Dragon appeared. Fried and ate the Centipede Dragon instead.

4. Thought it would be disgusting, but it was surprisingly well-cooked. If you didn't know better, it just looked like a giant piece of fried food.

5. According to the Antics Saintess, the flesh of the Centipede Dragon tasted like a mix of shrimp and crab meat.

The rest of the post is about her Hunter rank.

She hasn't officially had her rank evaluated, but judging by her skills, she's probably S-rank.

Considering how she crushed Wyverns' heads in the Kurtala Mountains and single-handedly hunted the S-rank monster Centipede Dragon in Rotten Mountain, her abilities are undeniable.

At minimum, she's at the upper end of A-rank.

However, we can't officially confirm if she's S-rank yet.

Even a journalist can receive a temporary Hunter license from the Hunter Association.

And regardless of the dungeon entry permit, since the Antics Saintess hasn't had her Hunter rank officially evaluated, we can only speculate for now.

It's true she's in a Schrödinger's rank situation—neither confirmed nor denied as S-rank.

Whether she's F-rank or S-rank, Isiah isn't an official Hunter at the moment.

She's just something in between—a civilian with dungeon access rights and a Hunter.

It's strange that she's able to stream with the Hunter Association's certification mark without being an official Hunter, but there are two possible reasons.

One, the Hunter Association may not have fully assessed the abilities of the Returnee Isiah yet.

We don't know if Isiah refused the Hunter Association's ability test, or if the association has its own reasons.

Since she's only had her first broadcast, it's hard to draw conclusions.

Two, it's possible Isiah's abilities are so undeniably S-rank that they've delayed assigning her a rank.

As you know, each S-rank is essentially a strategic asset for a country. Hunters ranked up to A-grade can be promoted through regular national Hunter exams or by subjugating specific monsters.

But to become S-rank, one must pass a separate test after reaching A-rank and meet certain standards.

If they suddenly granted S-rank to a Returnee without a proper test, it might create fairness issues, and other Hunters could complain.

So, there's a high chance they're withholding the rank until the promotion period.

In fact, we civilians don't know exactly how S-rank is determined either, so this can't be confirmed yet.

Sorry for all the 'we can't confirm this, we can't be sure,' but that's reality.

If Isiah participates in the nationally certified promotion match in the first quarter of next year, there's a high probability she'll be given S-rank.』

[Analysis Thread]

[So, is Isiah going to participate in the promotion match?]

Reply: [Not sure?]

Reply: [Probably? If she becomes S-rank, she'll be filthy rich.]

Reply: [She'll likely participate.]

[If Isiah becomes S-rank, would that make her the 11th S-rank in Korea?]

Reply: [Yeah, excluding China, Korea has the most S-ranks. Even now, it's the country with the highest S-rank ratio to population.]

[Starting today, I'm subscribing to the Antics Saintess.]

Reply: [Her nickname is so harsh lol.]

Reply: [Nah, 'T*tty Saintess' would've been better.]

Reply: [Watch the broadcast, she really does act up…]

[Well, she's still a small-time streamer.]

Reply: [Let's see if you're saying that later, lol.]

[Will she collab with other Hunters or streamers?]

Reply: [Who knows?]

Reply: [She's skilled enough on her own, so why would she bother with collaborations?]

Reply: [True lol.]

[Heu-eung, I want to be wrapped in the Saintess Noona's tentacles…]

Reply: [You're insane.]

Reply: [Me too…]

Reply: [WTF;]

"If I had to broadcast and saw people like that… I would've sent them all to my lawyer…"

Just thinking about being harassed by those malicious trolls and stalkers sent chills down Yeonhwa's spine.

However, Shia seemed to find it delightful, even calling those nasty viewers cute, so as a third party, Yeonhwa figured there wouldn't be any need for her to meet those troublemakers in court.

"Well, at least I won't have to meet my lawyer often."

Still, thinking that you never know, Yeonhwa archived the chats and posts of those who had 'crossed the line' in the Genre Hunter Gallery or on Shia's broadcast.

"Just in case Unnie Shia is not actually okay, but simply holding it in, it might all build up and explode one day, and when that happens, I'll make sure not a single one of them escapes from—"

"What's going to explode?"

"Eek?!"

It was then that Yeonhwa realized Shia's footsteps were as silent as those of an assassin.

There were people who, after hunting for a long time, naturally became accustomed to concealing their presence, and it seemed Shia belonged to that group.

In Shia's case, it wasn't from her time as a Hunter, but from the countless battles and wars she had experienced in the other world, likely honing her steps.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Phew, it's fine. By the way, it seems like your broadcast went well, Unnie?"

"Yeah."

Shia, sitting in front of Yeonhwa, flashed a radiant smile.

Every time she saw that pure, easy smile, Yeonhwa couldn't help but feel her heart relax, as if her tension was melting away.

It seemed that Shia must have enjoyed eating the fried Centipede Dragon, as her smile was even more vibrant than usual.

"You should've gone home first. Have you been waiting this whole time?"

"It was your first broadcast, Unnie. You don't even know the way back home yet. How could I just leave?"

"Thanks. Honestly, I was kind of unsure how I'd get back."

When Shia first mentioned eating 'fried Blade Centipede' during her broadcast, Yeonhwa had been beyond speechless—she had been utterly shocked.

What are you thinking!?

Unlike wyvern eggs, Blade Centipedes are filled with poison! They aren't even food in the first place!

Yeonhwa fiercely opposed Shia's decision to eat the centipede, even suggesting that they change the menu by restarting the broadcast.

She couldn't understand how anyone could eat something so grotesque and disgusting, but when she actually watched the broadcast, it was surprisingly okay.

No, capturing an S-rank Centipede Dragon by herself wasn't just okay—it was an extraordinary broadcast, and the final result of the Centipede Dragon fry didn't look bad at all. In fact, the broadcast wrapped up splendidly.

"Should I get a coffee too? I feel like the oily taste of the Centipede Dragon fry is still lingering in my mouth."

"Ugh… I can imagine."

"It's just fried food."

"I was just worried that the bitter, nasty liquid from the centipede might still be in your mouth."

"It's fine. Want to check for yourself?"

"No thanks."

Shia sat across from Yeonhwa.

Yeonhwa had called the car from the Yeon family, and it would likely arrive within 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sharing a simple cup of coffee at the café seemed just right.

"But Unnie, I've suddenly gotten curious."

"Hmm?"

"You know that dungeon by-products and monster parts sell for outrageous prices at Hunter Markets and auctions, right?"

"Yeah, even the claws from the Centipede Dragon I caught today are said to go for tens of millions, even billions of won. Some items at auction sell for tens of billions."

"…Don't you think it's a waste? That's like… how many chickens could you buy with that?"

It was a natural question.

There are countless types of food and dishes in the world.

And many of them would suit Shia's taste perfectly.

Even now, Shia orders about 30 servings of delivery food every day—chicken, bossam, and various other dishes.

Those delicious foods never get old. In fact, the owner of one chicken restaurant personally delivers the food to her, repeatedly thanking her and even giving her ten large drinks as a service.

She had practically become a benefactor, keeping the restaurants around the Hunter Shelter in business.

Given that, it wasn't as if Shia couldn't enjoy "normal food." So why did she do a broadcast where she cooked and ate monsters?

"I mean… you don't have to cook monsters, right? There's plenty of delicious food outside. Even if you need Malevolent Energy, you could just consume the required amount and sell the rest of the by-products to enjoy better food outside. Heck, we could even go out for beef together, right?"

Even just a wyvern egg—an initial-grade egg—sold for over 100 million won, and others were priced at over 30 million won each.

She could have made soy-braised dishes with those or eaten Blade Centipede tentacles raw, not to mention frying the massive Centipede Dragon.

Realizing what Yeonhwa was getting at, Shia smiled faintly and propped her chin on her hand.

"Bingu. Do you know what I thought about while streaming today?"

"…I told you I'm not Bingu."

Why was she changing the topic all of a sudden without answering the question?

"While I was streaming… I wonder. If it were me, I'd probably just be tired or out of my mind…"

"Yeah, like you said, it wasn't entirely comfortable… but still, I had so much fun."

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

If she was happy, that was really all that mattered.

How many streamers genuinely enjoy being Hunter broadcasters?

For most, the shift from hobby to profession only decreases their happiness.

"When I ate on stream, people ate with me. At the Returnee Shelter, I always ate alone, cleaned up alone. There was no family, and it was quiet. When night fell, and I looked out from the quiet shelter, the city lights were pretty. Maybe it was because Seoul in 2024 felt so different from the city I remembered, but that night view felt strangely unfamiliar, and I suddenly had this thought."

"What thought?"

"Is this where I really belong?"

After her return, Shia spent the first month drifting through life without purpose.

She ate alone, carelessly spending the 100 million won she received as a support fund, living as though she were a person simply unable to die, wasting away.

It wasn't that she had nothing to do.

It wasn't because she was hungry.

It was because living in this world felt empty and meaningless.

"But when I streamed, the viewers enjoyed watching me. Whether they were trolls or good-natured people… to me, they all felt precious."

Shia smiled, but somehow, she looked lonely.

At her core, she was a Returnee.

She had lived far too long in another world to feel truly connected to this one, having left behind her achievements and relationships there.

It would take a long time for the "rolling stone" to settle in this place.

"When I fried the Centipede Dragon, watching the chat go wild and then seeing everyone cheer when the fry turned out looking delicious… it made me feel like all of them were precious. Sure, some people crossed the line sometimes, but that's okay. I can forgive them. I'm not sure if I'm even in a position to forgive anyone, but as long as they watch me eat and eat with me… I'll be truly grateful."

Yeonhwa realized something.

Shia, who always seemed so fine on the surface, appeared deeply lonely in that moment.

Was that why she had been so boisterous from the moment she started her first broadcast?

"So, the conclusion is this: as long as people enjoy watching me, I'm happy. And while they do, I get to eat Malevolent Energy and enjoy the strange, yet delicious, monster cuisine. It makes me feel like I have permission to stay in this world."

Was it because of loneliness? Did she want more attention? Did she crave more interaction and connection with people?

"Ah, but it's not a serious topic, so don't worry too much, Yeonhwa. Obviously, I'm far more grateful to you and Yeonseo-nim than to those rude netizens."

"…Unnie, if you're lonely, why don't you just live with us?"

"How reckless of you to invite a stranger to live with you. You really don't know much about the world, do you, Yeonhwa?"

You can't just say things like that lightly, Yeonhwa.

You might end up being devoured.

Do you think I'm joking?

"Well, the car's here. Shall we go?"

"…Okay."

Yeonhwa's gaze as she looked at Shia held a peculiar glint.

○○○○

"Wow, she really skyrocketed in just a week…"

Cheon Ah-young, an A-rank Hunter and a popular streamer with over ten years of experience, was looking at the Genre Hunter Gallery and Switch, unable to close her mouth in surprise.

'Hunter Isiah.'

The peculiar woman she had hunted wyverns with in the Kurtala Mountains just a few days ago.

Of course, Shia was incredibly strong, much stronger than Ah-young herself, and even much prettier.

She had thought that if Shia ever became a Hunter streamer, she would undoubtedly blow up in popularity.

Thanks to the wyvern egg Shia had given her, Ah-young had successfully wrapped up her "One Week in the Dungeon" content in the Kurtala Mountains.

That episode set new records for viewership, audience count, and donation revenue for her dungeon streaming content.

"Hm, should I request a collab and try to ride her coattails?"

Leeching off someone else might sound negative, but in the streamer world, Ah-young was a senior and a professional.

They could form a mutually beneficial, win-win relationship.

Especially with someone like Shia, who was a guaranteed S-rank talent, teaming up with a pro streamer like Ah-young could lead to some fantastic content and a highly successful broadcast.

"…Hmm, no. I'll hold off for now."

But she couldn't be too sure just yet.

Shia had only finished her first broadcast; she was still a rookie among rookies.

Sure, she pulled over 10,000 viewers in her first stream, but she hadn't even decided on her broadcasting direction yet.

Moreover, not just in the Hunter world, but the Hunter streamer world was also more dangerous and harsh than people thought.

There were even Hunter streamers who had formed alliances with guilds to carve out their own power and territory. Those people were probably keeping a close eye on Shia, the rising supernova.

"Ugh, thinking about those jerks pisses me off again…"

Who do you think are the real enemies of Hunter streamers?

Monsters? Troll viewers? Netizens?

No, it's the other Hunter streamers.

Not just competitors, but actual, life-threatening, malicious enemies.

Shia probably didn't even realize how many enemies she had already made with her first broadcast.

"But still, I owe her for that wyvern egg…"

Cheon Ah-young sent a message to her manager and lay down on her bed.

"Still… considering how terrifying she was, I doubt she'll be taken down easily."

In fact, if Shia truly advanced to S-rank, she might just crush the noses of those despicable jerks.

"…Actually, the more I think about it, maybe I should really try to leech off her properly."

Cheon Ah-young fell deep into thought again.