“Hey, Yujin.”
“What’s up?”
“If you think about it objectively, wouldn’t it be much better for the government to assign the Elf to you instead of me? Why aren’t you doing anything? Olgania would probably like you more.”
Isia was indeed an impressive semi-S-grade Hunter, recognized with awards from the Hunter Association, but surprisingly, her social status and reputation were much higher than Yujin’s.
She had been active as a Hunter since the first Great Rift, around the same time as Yeonseo. While Shia didn’t show much interest, she was a first-generation Hunter streamer, still consistently broadcasting and interacting with civilians.
Of course, even though she consistently streamed, it wasn’t as frequently as Shia. At most, she broadcast once or twice a week, but the fact that a busy S-grade Hunter was maintaining a civilian-friendly approach was quite remarkable.
Naturally, Yujin’s social standing was high enough that he was called the S-grade Hunter right after Yeonseo, and his trustworthiness as a Hunter was also significant.
From the perspective of both civilians and the government, S-grade Hunters like Yujin were hard to come by, which is why the Korean government didn’t hesitate to authorize him to create an officially recognized Returnee Group with free control.
Yujin had the social value and trustworthiness as a Hunter to warrant such government endorsement.
“I hate to say this, but I’m busier than you think, Isia. Do you think I’m like you?”
“…Huh? Why are you busy?”
“I mentioned it before, didn’t I? I’m searching for fragments of the Demon King.”
“But you haven’t had any results.”
“…….”
That wasn’t incorrect.
The reason Yujin established the officially recognized Returnee Group was primarily to monitor and locate fragments of the Demon King that might be invading Earth somewhere.
However, the fragment he shattered when Olgania was being consumed in the Elf Great Forest was the first time he had encountered a fragment of the Demon King since returning to Earth.
In other words, Yujin had discovered several suspicious circumstances or locations, but he had never definitively found a fragment of the Demon King.
Given that he was the head of a group with such a grand title, it was evident he had spent a significant amount of time with little to show for it, leading many to say that Yujin’s Returnee Group was more of a social club for returnees than a serious organization vigilant against the Demon King.
But that didn’t mean Yujin was just idly living a carefree life.
“Do you think I’m only looking for the fragments of the Demon King? I’m active as an S-grade Hunter too. At the same time, I’m sifting through various troublemakers acting up in different parts of the world.”
“Troublemakers? What kind?”
“Those crazy cults worshipping mana or Hunters, or when I find awakened criminals while watching over the fragments, I deal with them too. I see that several times a day. Unlike you, who eats like a pig on your broadcasts, I’m pretty busy.”
“What? Pig?!”
“Ho ho ho, our Shia eats like a lovely pig. You’ve seen it, oh false hero.”
That’s not a compliment, Menelapie!
“Don’t go too far, Shia.”
At that moment, Olgania, who could be considered Yujin’s ally, smiled gently and intervened.
“But Yujin is an S-grade Hunter, right? I’ve heard that S-grade Hunters in the human world need to be ready at all times to tackle S-grade dungeons or unusual dungeons that could open at any moment. Right, Yujin?”
It’s not like that could actually happen, but it almost felt like she was indirectly throwing shade at him for being an S-grade Hunter and not acting like one.
“Uh, yeah… that’s right.”
This false hero treated me like dirt, yet Olgania turns into a puddle the moment she speaks?
“And since the debris of the Demon King was destroyed in the Great Forest, there have also been suspicious signs indicating that fragments of the Demon King are still active around the world. So Yujin’s efforts are not entirely meaningless, right?”
Isia’s gaze, capable of discerning lies, turned toward Yujin.
It’s not a lie.
What Yujin said was true.
Yujin wasn’t one to talk much. He didn’t feel the need to explain himself on trivial matters, but it seemed he had discussed the situation in detail with Olgania.
In reality, Yujin had been leading the Returnee Group for a long time and had been diligently working to find the fragments of the Demon King, which could be anywhere in the world.
As a result, he ended up making friends in the dark and gained some influence in the underground world, but he still held the conviction that he wouldn’t let the Demon King’s fragments threaten Earth.
However, Isia didn’t particularly like Yujin.
So, it was a fun thought… no, a mischievous one.
“Huh, did Yujin really say that?”
“Yeah, is there a problem, Seongnyeo?”
“He said it’s a lie.”
In that moment, time seemed to freeze.
No, it felt like the very air itself was writhing for an instant.
What’s this? It feels similar to when Menelapie unleashes full power…
“……….What did you just say, Seongnyeo?”
“I think it’s a lie. Yujin’s words.”
Crack!
In that moment, a cracking sound echoed from Olgania’s serene brow, as muscles visibly twitched.
“……Huh? Ah, no, what do you mean…”
“Yujin’s words… the words he said to me are a lie, right?”
“Yeah!”
“W-What the hell is going on, Isia!?!”
The Seongnyeo can discern lies but can’t confess to them.
However, the inability to confess was less about a forced constraint and more about Isia’s personal beliefs.
She could see through others’ lies and chose to live without lying to herself.
In essence, whether to uphold that belief or not was entirely up to Isia.
Even if she was saddened by her failure to uphold that belief, she couldn’t hold back from teasing the false hero.
“Yujin.”
Even if she couldn’t uphold her beliefs with the sadness filling her vision…
“The words you said to me… were they all lies? Were they really lies?!”
“…….Um…”
Above all, Isia felt no shame at the sight of the flustered false hero.
Just let it slide this once, oh starlight.
This is just too funny.
“…….!”
When she glanced at Yujin, he was staring back at her with shock in his eyes.
Crack!
What are you looking at? If you’re upset, you should’ve managed your girlfriend properly, you weakling.
Would Olgania behave like that for no reason? You’ve left a gap in her heart by not managing her properly, and that’s the result!
And now I’m burdened with the duty of protecting the elves while you’re just sitting back doing nothing?
There’s no escaping this.
“…You…!”
“Yujin. What are you doing? Who are you looking at right now?”
As Shia noticed Yujin’s awkward expression and raised an eyebrow, Olgania quickly stepped in front of Yujin, grabbing his shoulder with fiery eyes.
Crack!
“Ah, no… Olgania, this is a misunderstanding…”
“While I’m talking, you’re turning your gaze somewhere else again?”
Crack!
“No, no Olgania! Isia’s words are lies!”
“The Seongnyeo’s words are lies? Isn’t it more likely that you’re trying to push me away again?”
“That’s…!”
“You’ve done this before. You did it in the previous world and here too. Did you think I wouldn’t notice? That I wouldn’t catch on? I’ve known all along. I endured because I knew.”
Crack!
The dreadful sound of bones creaking came from Olgania’s grip on Yujin’s shoulder.
Though Olgania wore a gentle elf’s smile while looking at Yujin, that smile hadn’t moved at all since a minute ago, only the cracking sound resonated.
Let me clarify.
Although she wasn’t using all her power to kill him, Olgania was a terrifying Spirit Fighter who could lead a battle equally against both Yujin and Shia.
If she truly got angry, it wouldn’t be pretty at all.
“You told me that even if we wanted to be together, we had to watch over the fragments. That they might be consuming where we are staying.”
“Uh, yeah…”
“You were the one who said we should just stay a bit apart to be together. You asked me to wait until the day all the filthy fragments in this world disappear. That was your word, my hero, so I believed you. But now you betray that trust so easily…? Did you hate me that much, Yujin? You wanted to stay away from me? You didn’t want to live with me? Am I not good enough for you?”
“Ah, no! That’s absolutely not…!”
“It’s not? Your current attitude says otherwise. Right now, you…”
“………”
Ugh…
As Isia felt the intensity of Olgania’s growing fury, she sensed something ominous welling up inside her.
This probably wasn’t a good idea…
“Ho ho ho. Don’t worry, Shia. No matter what you say or how you act, I won’t have any jealousy or rush over Yujin.”
“Uh, th-thanks…”
Wait, this isn’t the time for that.
“Ol-Olgania, I was just joking…”
Please be quiet for a moment, Seongnyeo. I’m currently talking with Yujin, aren’t I?
Boom….!
Eek…
Why do I feel scared?
As someone who had lived as the Mangja Seongnyeo, she had never truly felt fear until now; this was the first time in a long while.
No…
This is genuinely terrifying.
Moreover, Olgania’s body was already imbued with spirits, and her voice echoed in Isia’s head like the World Tree itself was broadcasting straight into her mind.
…Yeah, there’s no stopping this…
“Menelapie, shall we go out for a breath of fresh air for a moment?”
“Of course. I’ll go with you any time.”
“Can I come too? When the great Olgania’s eyes turn, it can take a while to calm down.”
“Y-Yeah, let’s escape quickly…”
With that, Isia grabbed Menelapie’s hand and quickly exited the room.
“Hey, where are you going, Isia! You need to properly explain to Olgania…!”
Yujin? Who are you looking at while I’m talking to you?
“Hick…!?”
Look at me. Look directly at me. Don’t look anywhere else.
Me.
I’ve already held back so much, you know?
Isia desperately ignored the resonance from Olgania and began her emergency escape while holding onto the other two.
Hehehe… I don’t know…!
○○○○○
At that same moment, Lirisia realized just how deep the Mariana Trench was.
“Puhaaaaak..! Damn it!”
Not only was it deep, but Lirisia was certain that she was the only creature to have survived after being shoved down to 10,000 meters in the deep sea.
Of course, Yeonseo knew that Lirisia would be fine even after being submerged in that depth, so she probably intended this kind of hand-holding.
Gasp, gasp, gasp…
Her body had completely absorbed the seawater and then moved to a cool highland, and the chill was something else.
Ptooie..! How long has it been since I felt fear…
The feeling of being submerged in the deep sea was more unique and interesting than she had imagined but was also quite terrifying.
Even though Lirisia’s body was incomparably different from an ordinary human’s, she was no longer the Mangja Seongnyeo or the Witch of the Dark Star, and her long-forgotten human emotions resurfaced against her will.
The darkness surely stimulates fundamental, primal fears in humans.
“Ulp… damn it…”
“Have you reflected on your actions?”
“Y-Yeah, I’ve reflected… wait, stop holding my hand…!”
Snap!
With a voice lacking sincerity, Yeonseo flicked her finger again, sending Lirisia flying somewhere.
Pweeeeee…! (So sad…!)
“Alright, alright. Stop crying now.”
Hiccup. Huh…
And Yane, surprisingly large and mature, was sobbing despite her size, expressing her sorrow well.
Lirisia had forced the dungeon cabbage down her throat, leading her to cry for over 20 minutes already, while Yeonseo benevolently embraced her with a grandmotherly heart.
‘This should be enough, right?’
Slowly…
Gag! Gag! No way…! Gag! Pweeee…!
As Lirisia detached a tentacle from the creature sticking to her thigh, she spit out the seawater flooding into her throat.
Slurp, slurp… The octopus, though bizarre and deep-sea looking, was surprisingly tasty.
In any case, even the high pressure of the deep sea couldn’t harm Lirisia, but the difference in pressure between her body’s insides and the outside forced seawater into her mouth, nose, and eyes against her will.
Under normal circumstances, she could have just resisted using her Seongnyeok, but Yeonseo’s spatial movement hit her like an ambush without warning.
“This isn’t great…! Why would you toss me into a hydrothermal vent… that goes up to 400 degrees!!”
“I thought you looked cold. Was it an unnecessary consideration? If you’re hot, then…”
“No, no! I’m sorry! I made a mistake! Stop! I’ll become a diligent black cow!”
Once, the Witch of the Dark Star seemed to be surrendering too quickly, but what can she do?
This was the 38th time.
At this rate, she might explore all the oceans and corners of the world.
She could resist if she wanted to, but she sought to live quietly without causing too much trouble.
“But don’t you think you should apologize to this child first?”
“Apologize?”
At the word ‘apologize,’ Lirisia saw Yane, who was being petted by Yeonseo.
Oh right, she’s here.
In truth, Lirisia hadn’t even heard Yane’s name, but she was the parallel world’s version of Shia.
Exactly how that happened wasn’t clear, but the miracle of calling forth subordinates treated Shia and Lirisia as the same person, meaning Yane was also treated as Lirisia’s subordinate; thus, Lirisia could read Yane’s name and information the moment she summoned her.
So, Yane’s name is Yane?
My naming sense in this world must be atrocious.
As Lirisia silently gazed down at Yane, the latter seemed to sense her gaze and burst into tears.
Pweeeee…!
“Now, now, don’t look at me and hurry and apologize.”
Having grown quite sorrowful, Yane was still shedding tears like raindrops, looking somewhat comical.
“Sigh, fine. I’ll apologize. Is that enough…?”
“Do it sincerely, with genuine feeling. Were you not once a Seongnyeo?”
Yeonseo already had some insights about Lirisia’s detailed matters, having heard them to a certain extent from Shia.
Of course, Yeonseo wasn’t expecting a sincere apology from Lirisia at all.
Though she was a parallel world’s version of Shia, she had fallen so far that she had become a Witch instead of a Seongnyeo.
If Lirisia carelessly threw out yet another half-hearted apology, Yeonseo was prepared to send her to the top of Mount Everest or Antarctica.
And Lirisia knelt on one knee before Yane and firmly held her hand.
Yike!
“Don’t be scared. I won’t eat you.”
Baaah!?
You can be sure I won’t eat you, right…?
“Was forcing you to eat cabbages that painful?”
……Dammit…
“I see. You’re a carnivore, so that must have been very sad and hard for you, huh?”
Hic….!
“And… Yoonjeong? Ah, you’re worried about that guy’s mother? Alright, alright. I won’t do it again.”
Pweeeing…!
Oddly enough, the apology itself seemed to carry some sincerity.
Pweeing, kkeeek… What she was saying makes no sense to me, but it seems the Witch understood it perfectly.
Now that I think about it, documents should have already gone up to the higher-ups and the Presidential Office by now.
“Alright then… let’s see here.”
Yeonseo read the coordinates from the smartwatch that Olgania, the elf, had provided.
They said to move an area of about 3 km, centered around that coordinate.
As they say, “Strike while the iron is hot.”
Okay.
It’s time to move.
Snap!
The moment Yeonseo snapped her fingers, the advance team of about 500 elves, who had prepared for migration from the Great Forest, were teleported to Yeonseo’s dungeon.
“What the?!”
“Where is this?”
“Everyone, please be quiet. This should be the human’s private land I mentioned before.”
“It’s bigger than I thought.”
“Is this a desert?”
Seeing the elves murmuring among themselves, Yeonseo let out a short sigh.
Now, all these elves had to be taken care of by Shia.
