Yeonhwa’s granddaughter.
Icicle Nine.
The youngest S-grade ice hunter.
She’s the true-blooded noble lady descended upon the modern hunter era.
In this land, even the rich second generation who flaunt themselves as powerful are nothing but weaklings compared to Yeonhwa. The children of politicians and ministers must bow at a 90-degree angle in her presence. If we were to place Yeonhwa in a medieval fantasy context, her status would be much higher than that of a duke’s only granddaughter.
Anyway, while Yeonhwa has countless grand titles and backgrounds, she surprisingly isn’t the kind of person who would be called a noble lady.
She entered the Hunter Academy on her own merit and became the youngest S-grade hunter by her own strength. She doesn’t even wear dresses to parties.
Recently, Yeonhwa found herself with plenty of free time and was lounging around at home without a care in the world.
When she first became an S-grade hunter, she expected to be thrust into far more dangerous and urgent battlefields, but such battlefields don’t come around every day.
She had tackled the giant dungeon that eroded Mapo District with Shia, but ever since then, Yeonhwa had been quite free.
“…What to do now?”
The Goblin Rangers who used to raid local cities and military bases hadn’t been seen since the last eradication a month ago, and there were no urgent dungeons nearby.
Having reached the level of an S-grade hunter, there was no need to push herself through dungeons anymore or train as desperately as before. She had also completely recovered from earlier fatigue.
It wasn’t that she was intoxicated by her own strength.
Yeonhwa was objectively self-reflecting and concluded that even against what used to be an unbeatable Black Minotaur, she would win now.
_Sigh… I’m bored…_
Yeonhwa usually watched hunter streamer broadcasts during her free time or when she wanted to relax.
She didn’t find all that much enjoyment in hunter streams; she had lived her life honing her abilities as a hunter without ever indulging in alcohol, smoking, or gaming. Hence, she had come to watch the streams because Yeonju mentioned it was trending.
After Shia, who had rescued her, started her own stream, Yeonhwa began watching only Shia’s broadcasts regularly.
Not that she knew if it was popular or fun. To Yeonhwa, Shia’s streams were the most enjoyable in the world and perfectly to her taste, and being with Shia made her feel at peace and reassured.
She didn’t know why.
The expression “love at first sight” didn’t apply here, but the sight of the once mighty Mangja Seongnyeo whom she admired now being called the “delusional saint” on stream was rather amusing.
So, whenever there wasn’t anything to do, Yeonhwa would fall asleep watching Shia’s streams or eat while watching Shia’s mukbang, and when Shia wasn’t streaming, she would binge-watch the archived old streams.
_Come to think of it, Grandma mentioned that Shia has become the representative of the elves…_
It was just something she heard indirectly from Yeonseo and Yeonju, but apparently, Shia has been quite busy lately.
Of course, even without that, ever since Shia’s drone camera broke, it had been a while since Shia streamed.
During a broadcast, when Shia’s clothes melted while hunting fish with a young elf and Shiplani, the genre’s hunter gallery had been buzzing for a while. To eliminate the vile trolls who dared to ogle at Shia’s skin, Yeonhwa used the power of her Yeon family to erase all the lewd images of Shia that scattered throughout the gallery.
The issue was that since that incident, Shia’s drone hadn’t worked, and her streaming alerts had been silent.
Perhaps when her clothes melted, Menelapie panicked and smashed the drone.
It was already the second time Yeonhwa had fully reviewed the reruns of Shia’s streams from the last six months, yet Shia had still not opened a new broadcast.
_Sigh, I’m bored._
Is this feeling of having nothing to do really this dull and irritating?
When Shia wasn’t streaming, she would often call Yeonhwa.
She would take Yeonhwa out for food, claiming she found a delicious restaurant online, and once, in the early morning, she suddenly called Yeonhwa, prompting her to rush out to a king crab specialty restaurant in Geoje Island.
There was truly no room for boredom.
However, Shia hadn’t called Yeonhwa today nor streamed anything.
_Ever since Menelapie the emperor arrived…_
Even though Yeonhwa had once been the most adored and looked after by Shia, it felt like that suddenly appeared Menelapie was taking Shia away from her and not giving her back.
Of course, Yeonhwa was aware of the relationship between Shia and Menelapie.
It was obvious to anyone that their bond was closer and deeper than she thought, and after hearing the past story of Shia released by Menelapie at the Returnee Management Bureau, Yeonhwa wiped her tears secretly.
Yes, she understood it all.
But still, no matter how much she understood, it bothered her quite a bit that the moment they arrived on Earth, Menelapie monopolized Shia so suddenly.
_What was I thinking…? Ugh, I’m frustrated…_
As Yeonhwa sprawled on her bed, a cold frost began to settle around her.
The stress or anger of Yeonhwa, an S-grade ice hunter, caused the temperature nearby to drop rapidly.
Ding ding ding!
Just then, her smartwatch rang with a call, and Yeonhwa simply flicked her finger to answer.
“I’m Hunter Icicle Nine. How can I help you?”
[Hey, dork!]
_Sister!?_
Hearing that familiar voice, Yeonhwa instantly sprung up from her bed.
Usually, she would have retorted, “I’m not a dork!” but after a long time of hearing Shia’s voice, her face brightened uncontrollably as she brought her smartwatch closer.
[What are you doing? Busy?]
“No, not at all! I’m super free. The Goblin Rangers haven’t shown up since the last eradication a month ago. There aren’t even any emergency gates near the capital region. No requests for help from other countries either. I’m really free. Really super free.”
[Oh, I see. That’s a relief. If you’re free, do you want to grab a bite together?]
“Food?”
[Yeah, remember how you and I used to eat together often? It’s been a while since the Mapo District erosion dungeon incident, so it’s about time we caught up!]
Yeonhwa couldn’t help but smile at Shia’s voice after a long absence.
No longer aware, her lips curved upwards.
“Sure, sounds great! Let’s eat something delicious together!”
[Great! I’ll send the location to you through the smartwatch. Come by there by 1 PM.]
What a relief!
Shia hasn’t forgotten about me.
Yeonhwa quickly threw on some clothes that were casually draped on her chair.
○○○○
“Dork!”
“Hoho, my dear! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“……..”
Sure, that’s right.
Menelapie must be here as well. Of course.
It was only natural that wherever Shia goes, the hero Menelapie would follow her as if a thread follows a needle.
It would be strange not to see them together after living alongside her for over 60 years.
Now that they’ve met again in this world, separating them would indeed seem odd.
“It’s been a while, Shia. And Menelapie…”
“Hehehe, you can call me freely.”
“No, I’m still comfortable with this.”
With a bright wave of hands from Menelapie, Yeonhwa struggled to suppress a feeling of unease.
She knew it was a little silly to feel uneasy, but feelings can often be hard to understand and pop up unexpectedly.
“Hehe, dork. Let’s go there today!”
“Where?”
“Remember that meat restaurant where I first had dinner with you and Yeonseo?”
“Ah.”
Thankfully, Shia didn’t seem to notice Yeonhwa’s subtle discomfort as she, with her characteristic bright face, took Yeonhwa’s hand and led the way.
The restaurant Shia mentioned was the beef place near Hapjeong Station they had visited shortly after returning to the Earth and completing their returnee registration with Yeonseo.
Although it was pricey, the quality of the meat was indeed exceptional, and especially for Shia, who was more than just a big eater, the excellent service of having the meat grilled for her made it a great memory for her.
“Apparently, a meat lifting ban has finally been lifted for the elves of Daesanrim!”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Remember that little elf girl who appeared on my stream before? She actually has quite a notable position among elves. She first proclaimed the merits of meat consumption, so now it’s just a matter of time before other elves catch on!”
“…Sister, I sometimes think, aren’t you the Meat Saintess instead of the Mangja Seongnyeo?”
“What do you mean? I’m the Mangja Seongnyeo, but there’s the meat fairy!”
In response to that, Yeonhwa looked up and down at Shia, still holding her hand.
A chest that definitely looked to exceed 130 cm.
A height surely over 180 cm, taller than most adult males.
Where in the world is she a fairy?
Even the biggest fairy in a C-grade dungeon wouldn’t exceed 50 cm…
“Oh, right. Well… that’s okay.”
If Shia says she’s a fairy, then she can consider her as one.
If she’s cute or pretty, it’s not completely unreasonable.
Although Shia might be a bit silly and often causes trouble, her looks aren’t lacking at all.
In any case, Yeonhwa, Shia, and Menelapie soon settled at the pre-reserved meat restaurant.
It was only 2 PM, but Shia had already placed the first order of an outrageous 20 portions of sirloin, 30 portions of tenderloin, and 20 portions of ribs, beginning to break records for the restaurant’s daily sales.
Chomp, chomp, yum.
“Delicious.”
“Shia, this is all cooked now.”
“Okay, thanks!”
As Yeonhwa grilled one portion of rib, Shia had already devoured 10 portions and was still hungry, calling for cold noodles and rice to devour.
Menelapie hardly ate, remaining by Shia’s side nearly like her servant, grilling meat for her. In fear that Shia might eat undercooked or unsavory meat, he made sure to flip the meat at just the right moments and placed added side dishes right in front of Shia first.
_I always think that Shia eats a lot… Menelapie doesn’t even touch the food._
Yet seeing that, Yeonhwa couldn’t help but feel she should be the one next to Shia.
I can grill meat well too; I sat there last time with Grandma…
“Hey, dork!”
“I told you I’m not a dork… But what is this?”
“What do you think it is?”
Suddenly, Shia passed a well-cooked piece of meat to Yeonhwa that had been given to her by Menelapie.
“…….”
For a moment, Yeonhwa felt an intense gaze but shrugged it off quickly as if it had never existed.
But what’s going on here?
Shia used to stuff her face during meals…
“Actually, Menelapie and I weren’t able to say our thanks to you. You’ve helped us a lot in settling in this world, and we haven’t been able to contact you because we’ve been busy with elf-related matters, and I feel sorry.”
“Sister, I can grill my own meat…”
“I just feel better this way.”
Eventually, Yeonhwa reluctantly accepted the meat Shia offered her.
Slurp, chew.
“Delicious…”
“See? Isn’t it?”
Yeonhwa’s face lit up with a smile while quietly savoring the meat, which indicated a rather high level of happiness.
However, the hand holding the chopsticks that Menelapie was using dropped slightly in irritation upon seeing that.
“Uh, Menelapie, why are you upset? Aren’t you eating? Not good?”
“I’m just not really hungry.”
“Eh? Are you sick?”
How could a hero be sick?
Even a dog passing by would laugh at that.
Seeing the transparent fox-playfulness in Menelapie, Yeonhwa cursed silently.
“Menelapie, eat this. My mom always said that even if you aren’t hungry, you should eat well and fill your stomach.”
“Your mother? Heh, then I cannot refuse.”
_Mother-in-law?_
_Huh?_
_Mother-in-law?_
Yeonhwa knew that Shia had regained Yoonjeong but couldn’t even imagine that Menelapie would refer to Yoonjeong as his mother-in-law.
Thus, Yeonhwa could not hide her astonishment and glared at Menelapie.
“I’m also hungry.”
“Hmm? Oh, here!”
“Ugh, Shia, I’m still far from full.”
“Today, there are many hungry little birds, it seems.”
Having played the role of a saint, Shia had often taken care of orphaned children from the war, feeding them. Now she felt a sense of that happy feeling again, giving out meat to Yeonhwa and Menelapie alternately.
“Ugh, did I drink too much soda?”
“Wait, didn’t Shia say that she completely digests everything she eats? That she leaves no waste and fully breaks it down?”
“It’s not the fluid…”
“Oh…”
Upon realizing something new about Shia’s physical state, Yeonhwa’s cheeks flushed a little.
The moment Shia went to the bathroom, a bit of awkward air formed between Yeonhwa and Menelapie, who were left alone.
“By the way, I must apologize to you first. I’m sorry.”
The first to break the awkward tension was Menelapie.
“Uh? For what?”
“Typically, I owe you quite a bit. Your status and personal details were all guaranteed by you, an S-grade hunter. I should have thanked you sooner, but Shia has been busy lately, which delayed that gratitude.”
“Is it related to that elf matter?”
“Indeed, unintentionally, Shia had to take responsibility for a whole race.”
Of course, Menelapie, Yeonseo, and Olgania negotiated with the government to resolve the difficult matters.
They talked about currencies, residents’ registration, health insurance applications, tax matters, and the direction of future elves in Daesanrim, including the registration of hunters and a variety of discussions.
Of course, it wasn’t without troubles.
Since both elves and humans are intelligent beings seeking mutual benefit, minor skirmishes were bound to occur naturally, so delays in negotiations were inevitable.
“And dork.”
“I’m not a dork.”
“Shia refers to you as a dork, doesn’t she?”
“But you aren’t Shia!”
“Ah, then I must have interrupted. Regardless, in the previous world, I bore the title of emperor.”
Menelapie’s smile was particularly benevolent and relaxed.
“In this world, I’m just an idle person. There’s nothing strange about where I go. I live in the present, forgetting the shadows of the past.”
“Is that so…”
Menelapie didn’t possess mind-reading abilities, but she looked at Yeonhwa as if she understood precisely what she was thinking.
“Shia was a saint. Not just I, but she received the love of everyone. Although she doesn’t realize how much love she’s received, she was certainly cherished and revered by many. While I founded the Rose Order to keep an eye on public sentiment, it was really born out of the fact that the public was favorable towards Shia and many admired her.”
“……”
“Having witnessed the multitude of feelings directed at Shia, I can sense the emotions you harbor towards her.”
“Well then, this will be a quick conversation. Just as I might have been jealous of you, did you feel jealous of me?”
“Jealousy? Me? Hehe, I wouldn’t dare harbor such a rebellious sentiment.”
“You seemed quite entertained by the earlier situation though?”
“That wasn’t jealousy; it was a mild complaint. Just a light-hearted whine, like if she can get a turn, so can I. While I may find it slightly bothersome when that pesky Black Witch acts up, I can still embrace that aspect. It is quite normal and good for humans to harbor warmth for humans and offer them mercy.”
Even hearing those words, Yeonhwa had nothing to say.
“I embrace everything. To be able to spend my ordinary days with Shia is my utmost joy, and as long as she exists just beside me in her current form, I wish for nothing more. Holding onto positive feelings, if Shia became the light of my world, I simply wanted to become the starlight within her universe.”
Yeonhwa felt that her heart was being fully pierced and that her hidden jealousy was being exposed.
“To welcome the starlight that shines upon my most precious person in the vast night sky; I, too, am one of those starlights. You and I both simply wish to become the starlight for someone.”
Only then did Yeonhwa loosen her tension and involuntarily smile.
No matter how it was phrased, it felt like they were just dancing around the topic in a graceful tone… but the conclusion of Menelapie’s words was simple.
_She welcomed becoming Shia’s footstool._
Click!
Rumble!
And as a silent peace treaty was signed between Menelapie and Yeonhwa, Shia returned from the restroom, seamlessly taking her seat.
“Ah, Shia! All the other meats are cooked too!”
“Hehe, Yeonhwa, while the meat dork gave was delicious, first… rice first…”
“Uh, thanks.”
What? Something felt different… No, it was Shia’s voice, but the mood or lightness felt entirely off.
Chomp, chomp!
“Wow, it’s delicious. After not eating anything since morning, it’s refreshing to finally dive into some meat.”
_Delicious…?_
_Haven’t eaten since…?_
Suddenly, Yeonhwa and Menelapie turned their heads to see who was seated where Shia should be.
And in the seat meant for Shia…
Chomp, chomp, chomp!
With a face that seemed to ask, “What about it?” Lirisia, the Witch of the Dark Star, was devouring Shia’s share of meat along with her bowl of rice.
“What’s up?”
In her shamelessness, munching voraciously on Shia’s food, Yeonhwa and Menelapie momentarily froze, pausing all thought and movement.
_What the heck is she doing here…?_
At that moment, it was almost certain that both Menelapie and Yeonhwa shared the same thought.
‘Should we kill her?’
