Do you know the feeling of time stopping?
There are often stories where athletes feel a mix of adrenaline, tension, and excitement, causing the movements of their opponents to appear extremely slow, making time seem to accelerate.
Of course, for hunters and Awakened Ones, who can be seen as physically transcending humanity due to mana, even the experience of time acceleration that athletes describe isn’t anything special—it’s an everyday occurrence for hunters.
Even Yoonjeong, Shia’s D-grade hunter mother who is still physically young, possesses athletic abilities that could easily surpass past triathlon champions.
This alone is enough to illustrate just how much of a gap exists between Awakened Ones and ordinary humans.
However, hunters too experience similar moments of heightened awareness akin to awakening.
Since most hunters have been in life-or-death situations at least once due to monster battles, special gimmicks, or the extreme environments of dungeons, they can also experience a sense of time slowing down, especially when mentally pushed to the limit. In Hunter Academy, they refer to such phenomena as bullet time.
It’s not due to adrenaline or hormones, but rather mana taking that role, enabling hunters to handle these phenomena freely. It’s said among hunters that as powerful as one’s abilities may be, tapping into the experience of bullet time is crucial to truly surpass the barrier of becoming an A-grade hunter.
Though Shia, even after becoming the Mangja Seongnyeo, hasn’t faced situations that extreme, bullet time exists for her as well.
Her athletic prowess regarding speed and strength greatly exceeds that of most humans, so it’s natural. However, there were moments when she too experienced such intense tension.
The first was during her battle with the Mawang, and another was a moment three years after defeating him when she mistook Teresa’s clothes for her own and heard a crackling sound simultaneously meeting Teresa’s gaze.
Another time was during a long-awaited trip with Menelapie, where they chose a beautifully scenic place for the day, only for Shia to end up spending the whole time in a restaurant eating what could be simply called meat stew back on Earth, until Menelapie’s patience wore thin.
And today, Shia faced another bullet time moment.
Crunch crunch
What the heck is that? Why are you eating that? I mean, crunch…
“Hey!! You crazy b*h!!!!!”
In that instant, Shia’s furious scream unleashed a powerful wave of sound, resonating with her Seongnyeok, shaking the surroundings.
“Ugh, my ears are gonna fall off. Did you channel your Seongnyeok into that sound?”
“That’s not the point! Why are you eating that!!?!?”
Of course, it was true that Shia had unconsciously infused her voice with Seongnyeok, approaching something akin to supersonic levels. Thanks to that, Lirisia had her eardrum temporarily burst and recover while Menelapie, nearby, got her hair tousled by the sonic wave, needing to fix her hair again.
“Hey! Why are you eating it?”
“You never said I couldn’t!”
“………..”
At that, Shia felt momentary dizziness and had to smack her forehead in disbelief.
“…How can you just eat something that belongs to someone else?! Even if it’s not the right time, you were a Seongnyeo!”
“Is it against the rules in this world?”
“Of course, it is!”
“Then did you always pay for everything in the previous world?”
“Well, that’s just…”
Shia, who was about to say “of course,” remained silent, faithfully adhering to her belief that “The Seongnyeo cannot lie.”
Because, truthfully, Shia had never paid for food even once in the previous world.
Most of the time, it was either Menelapie or Teresa who treated her, or people would thank and say they received salvation from the Seongnyeo without expecting to pay for their meals.
Even if it weren’t the case, how could anyone demand food prices from the Mangja Seongnyeo Isia, the right arm of the Emperor of the largest human empire who single-handedly saved humanity from the Mawang?
“…..”
“See? You’ve never paid, right?”
Neither had Lirisia, as she too had been a widely praised Seongnyeo who once didn’t pay for food in the previous world.
In the end, despite now being the Witch of the Dark Star, having such an experience somehow remained important.
“Anyway, the previous world and Earth are different! You must have some memories!”
“Yeah, crunch. I’ll be careful next time, gulp.”
“Oh, no… Hey!!”
As Lirisia tried to bring an enormous cabbage to her mouth again, Shia snatched it away.
“What the heck?”
“What do you mean, what? I’m warning you not to covet what belongs to others as a Seongnyeo!”
“Oh, really? You’re such a uptight Seongnyeo. Why don’t you try some?”
“Try some what?!”
“It’s really tasty, you know.”
“…..”
Shia knows how delicious dungeon cabbage is more than anyone else.
Unintentionally, she had stolen Yeonseo’s dungeon cabbage, and after a series of twists and turns, she had managed to obtain a few cabbage pieces, enjoying them thoroughly.
Of course, she had attempted to cook butter pork belly stir-fried with dungeon cabbage, only to fail miserably, but the dungeon cabbage still left her drooling from how deliciously sublime it was.
Filled with mana, this cabbage grown from well-maintained dungeon fields during moderate drought and optimal temperatures fetches a premium outside, easily costing a fortune.
Even with money, it was so precious that one couldn’t buy it, and even though Shia had devoured all the dungeon cabbage she had received from Yeonseo, she couldn’t carelessly ask for more later when she found out the worth of it online.
It wasn’t about the money.
She had heard that even Yeonseo, alone, produced too little dungeon cabbage to spare, so how could she shamelessly ask for it?
Hence, even after gobbling up everything Yeonseo had given her, Shia couldn’t ask for more of that delicious dungeon cabbage.
That crispy texture, the subtle sweetness, and refreshing moisture infused with mana, making it perfect with any food in this world…
Drip… drip… drip drip…
“Slurp….”
“Pfft, look at you drooling.”
“…Huh!?”
Shia suddenly realized that the dungeon cabbage in her hand had somehow come closer to her mouth.
No, it wasn’t that the cabbage moved closer.
It was Shia herself who unconsciously brought the cabbage to her mouth to eat.
‘What am I doing…?!’
“Appetite is the most basic desire.”
“Why are you saying this out of nowhere…?”
“However, you… no, you need to consume the malicious entity. But how admirable! Rather than taking it from an intelligent being, you chose the path of self-discipline.”
When Lirisia suddenly whispered softly like ASMR in Shia’s ear, Shia froze.
Moreover, her earlier lighthearted tone had vanished, and she spoke with a regal elegance fitting a Seongnyeo.
“No one wants to sacrifice anyone. Your heart and nobility, always wishing to remain the Mangja Seongnyeo, deserve to be praised.”
“……”
“So what’s wrong with you eating just one cabbage?”
“……!”
Thump, thump, thump
What sound is that?
Is it the beat of my heart being gradually influenced by the scent of dungeon cabbage and the thrill of anticipation?
Lirisia’s smile grew as she sensed Shia’s heartbeat.
Her devilishly alluring smile looked more captivating than the title suggested and was truly beguiling.
The hand of the malicious entity gently caressed Shia’s cheek.
“Isia, remember this. You are the highly praised Mangja Seongnyeo. No one blames you, and nobody doubts your nobility. Your sacrifice as a Seongnyeo will be adored, just like here. So eat. Get drunk.”
“………….”
“Are you hesitating? If so, I can’t help it. Hand it over. I’ll consume it all without sharing with anyone…”
Chomp
“What?”
“Hah!”
Snap!
Shia, unable to let go of the dungeon cabbage that was trying to escape her grasp, instinctively took a big bite.
The Seongnyeo had succumbed to temptation.
Chew, chew
Swallow…
“……”
“How does it taste? It’s good, isn’t it?”
“….It’s delicious…”
Super delicious.
Extremely delicious.
Truly, utterly delicious.
As Shia’s face relaxed into a smile, Lirisia couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.
Good. Conspirator confirmed.
“Ah, Shia…”
“Ah….!”
That’s right.
Menelapie is here.
“Shia, what do you want to do?”
“I… I…”
“What do you want to do? Just wipe that drool off and babble…”
“Ah, no! I was asking Shia!”
“Okay, okay. What do you want to do, Shia?”
Shia pondered over the situation.
Sure, even if she lost her way, strayed, and failed to uphold her duties as a Seongnyeo, there was always someone there to support her from behind.
“Hah, I want to eat…”
“Do you want to eat?”
“….But, I’m a Seongnyeo… Is it okay…?”
Menelapie.
If she has Menelapie, then Shia will never succumb to flattery.
And even if she were to falter, it would be natural for Menelapie to restore her to the right path.
If Teresa had encouraged Shia to indulge and stray in the previous world, Menelapie had always played her role in firmly guiding and leading Shia like a parent.
Even if Shia tended to doze off, it was Menelapie who had taught her the royal etiquette, language, and laws within the Royal Palace, and whenever Shia had a weak heart, she was there to reinforce her mindset as the Emperor.
It hadn’t always been about scolding.
As a companion, comrade, and family, Menelapie had always been there for Shia, lending her strength and holding her hand.
Sure, even if I make a wrong choice, with Menelapie…!
“Hah, Shia.”
Menelapie would surely…!
Crunch
“Delicious, isn’t it?”
“Eh…?”
“…What the hell?!”
Suddenly, Menelapie yanked the cabbage from the ground and took a massive, satisfying bite of it, making not just Shia, but even Lirisia’s pupils expand in shock.
What the…?
Why are you eating this…?
What, exactly?!
“Mmm, it’s definitely delicious. Chew chew. The crops I cultivated on my former imperial farmland never tasted this good.”
“…….”
“…….”
“Hm? Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Ah, um… Why is Menelapie eating this…?”
“Why am I eating it? Didn’t Shia just say she wanted to eat it?”
“Yeah, that’s true, but…!”
That’s correct!
It’s true that I succumbed to temptation! I wanted to eat dungeon cabbage!
That’s even true for what I want to eat right now!
But shouldn’t you be stopping me!?
“Hah, come on, Shia. You seem to be misunderstanding something.”
“…Misunderstanding?”
“I treated you harshly in the previous world because I was the Emperor standing in a high position.”
“Emperor…?”
As long as Shia maintained a minimum level of dignity, she was granted considerable freedom. However, in the previous world, Menelapie had always exhibited a strict and militaristic demeanor that made one question if she was even human.
“With countless people to lead, and their fates and lives resting upon my shoulders, I too had to be a paradigm for everyone. So, inevitably, you, my right arm and companion, had to be an example for others as well.”
“…….”
“Even now, the harshness I showed you comes to haunt me in dreams. But now I am no longer the Emperor, am I?”
Eh…
“I’m not the Emperor anymore. I’m your personal hero. So, Shia, if you desire, you can joyfully leap into the abyss of hellfire.”
“Ah, no…”
“If you didn’t want the cabbage, you can give it to me, Shia. I’ll bear it all. I can’t let my Seongnyeo take the blame for being a cabbage thief for just one bite.”
Menelapie’s words were, quite simply, to say:
Eh, I’m not putting on airs anymore.
I’m gonna have fun just like Shia.
Being a cabbage thief sounds fun too.
I mean, I never really had a chance to have some real fun as Emperor, but now I guess I can, right? Epic!
Emperor and Hero become a cabbage thief… LOL, even I think that’s hilarious.
As Shia read the lively atmosphere radiating from Menelapie, she absentmindedly drifted off, while Lirisia, observing everything with a third-party’s perspective, tilted her head in confusion.
‘This… hero…?’
Wasn’t he the majestic Emperor during their first meeting…?
He used to be a very impressive and noble hero… so what is this?
But the conclusion was already set.
Crunch crunch.
Soon, in the esteemed high-altitude cabbage field cultivated by the legendary Yeonseo, the sound of munching and mulling over something delicious echoed throughout the area.
○○○○○○
Recently, Yeonseo had been quite busy.
To be honest, even after retiring as a hunter, she was already very busy, but now, darting about due to the Mountain Guild in China and the Mawang’s fragments, she was crushing unofficial Mountain Guild goons without concern.
From the beginning, there was a long-standing vendetta against the Mountain Guild ever since the first Great Rift, and the stifled grievances that had built up during a quiet time out of truce began to spill out due to Shia and her reincarnated mother, Yoonjeong.
‘In the first place, that foolish clique thinks they can do anything against a woman like me who has the Mawang’s fragments…’
Of course, it might be a delusion, but we, as well as the head of the Mountain Guild, Cheon Danaa, were certainly recognized as clear enemies of Yeonseo and the Korean hunter community. Eventually, they would have to clash sooner or later.
Thanks to Shia, that timing was unexpectedly accelerated, and Yeonseo, striking first at the Mountain Guild, managed to crush unofficial underlings and laboratories, gaining some fragments of the Mawang in the process.
‘Well, that alone would have taken time…’
The real issue was whether there were also goons from China or the Mountain Guild lurking within the Korean hunter scene, as Yeonseo found herself under frequent pressure and attempts to hinder her movements.
The ones openly accepting money from the Chinese were pathetic. A week later, those fools would surely be purged from both the business and political spheres.
However, the issue at hand was different.
There were blatant provocations coming from countries that had no connection whatsoever, be it America, Czechia, Sweden, or sometimes Morocco, with no apparent connection to her whatsoever.
Normally, she wouldn’t care to give it any attention and could brush them off without a thought.
However, why? What was the purpose of these internal saboteurs and the goons from the Mountain Guild lurking in those distant lands? It made no sense, even worse, they raised their voices as a demand for help and testimony from Yeonseo regarding the colossal dungeon erosion occurring in the Mapo District of Seoul, leaving her with no breathing room.
‘Didn’t Shia say something about how the Mawang’s fragments can corrupt and tempt humans?’
We, having experienced the great war against the Mawang in the previous world, could surely understand what the Mawang’s fragments entailed.
There was still a lack of information.
Hah, I feel like I just want to turn some heads 720 degrees…
Should I do it?
No, I have to hold it in. The rebellious spirit within me….
It was only effective during the time of the first Great Rift to just eliminate those pests. Acting that way now would only result in chaos that would be hard to manage.
The nuisance is secondary; ultimately, the politicians are workers.
Even in this era of hunters, it is their role to care for the ordinary lives of civilians. And no matter how great and strong Yeonseo may be, recklessly slaughtering people like a mad tyrant because they annoy her isn’t going to end well for the country.
No, to be honest, maybe it wouldn’t matter if I killed them all… There are more than enough workers available….
Smack!
Anyway, after getting some work done, Yeonseo finally returned to her personal dungeon, where her villa was built…
Chewing…
Slurping…
Swallow…
“………….?”
She found three cows enjoying dungeon cabbage.
One cow… two cows… three cows…
White cow… black cow… yellow cow…
What is this, not a golden or silver axe?
What on earth…? Miss Fairy, I’ve never even lost a cow…
Wait, what is actually happening?
“Shia…?”
“…..Eh…”
Is this a dream?
Did cows learn to talk recently?
Feeling a little busier than usual, Yeonseo found herself slipping into unconsciousness.
