“Hey, pig. It seems like we keep forgetting because we keep meeting each other again; but the fact that we met in the first place is nothing short of a miracle.”
“Well, it’s a lie to say I don’t want to meet Shia’s dad, but…”
“No, no. It’s not entirely unreasonable… If mom has been reincarnated to meet me, maybe dad could be the same?”
“Shia…”
“Yeah?”
Teresa chuckled and turned her body around while burying her head between Shia’s breasts.
With her head snug between Shia’s chest, Teresa began passionately explaining her area of expertise after a long time.
Ah, the soft and pleasant pressure is making my brain work just fine.
“When I was lecturing at the magic tower, there was a theory proposed by the Glatucus School called the Celestial Circulation Theory. To summarize it simply, the reason humans can use mana is that each has a circuit suitable for their soul. This circuit is sown based on innate genetic factors, and this foundation of the soul is proportionate to the entropy naturally distributed in the universe…”
“Yeah, got it!”
Hmm, right. You didn’t understand a thing.
With a mark of confusion appearing on her forehead, Teresa seized Shia’s breast that was pressing against her face with a playful grip.
The power of this doll-like body might be weak, but at least I can pinch hard.
“Ow!”
“What do you mean you can’t understand if I haven’t even started yet!”
Teresa knew that in her previous world, towers of magic would pay handsomely to invite her for lectures, and so she wanted to smack this clueless Seongnyeo if she could.
“Hey! Do you even know how expensive my theory lectures are?!”
Even if I just scrawl something on parchment and toss it at students, they’d go crazy, yet this Seongnyeo doesn’t know how to properly utilize me.
“…Ugh, so what is that, you nerd.”
“What do you mean nerd?! You clueless Seongnyeo!!”
It’s already been over two weeks since Teresa came to Earth.
Although witches are smart by nature, she had undeniably picked up quite a lot of words and ideas from Earth.
When you think about it, since day one, Teresa managed Shia’s internet account as if it were her own, and understood concepts like broadcasts, chatting, and sponsorships.
By the way, the sponsorship given to Shia back then was Teresa’s doing using Shia’s account, so there was no way she didn’t know the word ‘nerd.’
“Haah, our Shia is smart, but… she doesn’t study.”
“I don’t need to study… Ouch! Don’t pinch me, Teresa!”
“Eek… (I don’t get it either…)… slurp…”
“Ew, stop licking… to summarize roughly…. what the witch is saying is that every person has a set amount of soul assigned, right?”
“Oh, I didn’t think the mermaid would be the smartest here.”
Teresa’s eyes widened at the surprising emergence of someone who could understand her.
I thought this weirdly named creature was just another food source for Shia, but it turns out their intellect is quite high.
There’s a good chance they’re much smarter than Shia.
“Yeah, the mermaid princess just summarized what I wanted to say.”
“Um… so what does that mean? What does it mean that the total amount of soul is fixed?”
“Haah, okay… Let’s skip everything in this theory realm… Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that Shia’s father went through a reincarnation process like your mother did.”
At Teresa’s words, Shia’s ears perked up.
Not just Shia, but Yoonjeong was also looking at Teresa, and Menelapie, preparing breakfast in the kitchen, was secretly eavesdropping.
“So, what is the possibility that Shia’s father is still alive in this world with a population of dozens of billions at the time of 2088? If reincarnation happened in 2030? Or 2040? What if he hasn’t even reincarnated yet?”
“Umm…”
“Ah, while your mother’s case is miraculous, your mom is actually younger than you, making it a bit of a peculiar mother-daughter relationship…”
If you think about it, Shia is currently 85 years old, and even when combining Yoonjeong’s previous life at 19, Yoonjeong would still be much younger than Shia.
“Then let me ask you this. What are the chances that your father would be in this country, Korea, that you live in?”
“…Super low, I guess.”
“Yeah, no matter how you narrow down the possibilities. The fact that you and your mother met in the first place is already miraculous. And this world is not exactly safe, either, right? There are monsters and Awakened Ones? Even if your dad reincarnated, he could’ve gotten caught up in the Great Rift disaster; it’s hard to guarantee his life, especially if he’s not an Awakened One.”
“………”
Shia clamped her mouth shut at Teresa’s words.
The chances… are indeed low.
Too low.
Even considering the miraculous reincarnation, if calculated scientifically by the witch, the possibility of Shia meeting her dad again would converge towards zero.
That’s the way of the world.
Even if you yearn for a miracle, and even if you’re a Seongnyeo who brings miracles,
the miracle you wish for doesn’t come easy.
“Shia, don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying I dislike or deny the fact that your father is still alive. In fact, it would be nice if he is. We could chat, and if we met, I could even thank him for giving birth to such a lovely daughter.”
“Thank you… wait, what? Huh?”
What did you just say?
Shia looked at Teresa with a dazed expression, but Teresa smoothly brushed off Shia’s confusion as if it were commonplace.
“Just don’t get your hopes up too high.”
“……..Right.”
“Even if miracles happen two or three times, on the flip side, unfathomable misfortunes and setbacks may come as well.”
Having experienced countless bizarre situations and setbacks, Teresa was genuinely giving earnest advice this time.
Given the current situation where she hadn’t had a single reincarnation on Earth, Teresa’s anxiety was valid.
Hah, in any case, the possibility is extremely low?
It would be a lie if Shia said she wasn’t disappointed, but to hope for more luck than this is undoubtedly reckless.
In the first place, even just reuniting and living with one of Teresa, Yoonjeong, or Menelapie is already a miracle beyond luck for Shia.
She thought she wouldn’t meet them again and had already reunited three times.
Who can guarantee there won’t be a fourth?
In the first place, Teresa is a witch who pursues high probabilities and certainties.
While she might momentarily become reckless and emotional concerning Shia’s matters, her original essence is one that avoids uncertainties.
The fact that Teresa speaks so coldly may stem from her concern for Shia becoming too attached to a possibility that is very low and might get overly disappointed.
“Then, mom…”
“Huh?”
“If, and I mean if, we were to meet dad again, what would you do first?”
“What would I do?”
“Shia, don’t…”
“Teresa, can’t I just have a happy thought?”
At Shia’s words, Yoonjeong crossed her arms and fell into thought.
Before getting caught up in the Great Rift disaster, Shia’s family had been quite harmonious.
Especially since Shia’s parents had such deep affection for each other that they got married after a speed date; even in their 40s, they lived joyously as if they were still newlyweds.
The positive and kind-hearted personality that Shia has can largely be attributed to her harmonious family.
“I don’t really know…”
“Something you’ve wanted to do together for a long time. Or something you’ve always wanted to eat together?”
“I don’t know, something I wanted to eat…”
slurp
At that moment, as Yoonjeong licked her tongue, Shia felt a slight chill down her spine.
She didn’t know why, but every time Menelapie or Teresa were behind her and she felt a piercing gaze, she got this exact feeling.
“What? I don’t know about anything else, but I really want to hug and kiss him.”
“…Mom.”
“Oh, ahem. Let’s pretend I didn’t say that… Actually, you know, when I first met you, Shia, I was a bit pushy, right? If we end up meeting again, I think it’s better to just show it through action rather than dragging it out or making excuses like last time.”
Thinking back, Yoonjeong had significant regret over the memories of how she avoided Shia almost hesitantly when they first met.
Not really engaging in proper dialogue and saying no to her daughter just turned the incident into a snowball effect without a good reason.
If possible, Yoonjeong wished she could go back in time and shout, “I’m your mother!” the very first time they met in that dungeon where corn bugs dwelled.
“I’m fine with it, really.”
“But you skipped the S-class hunter exam because of me…”
“I’ll level up this time on the Hunter Train.”
“Is that so…”
“But mom.”
“Hm?”
“If dad reincarnated and married another woman, what would you do?”
Crack!
Upon hearing Shia’s words, Yoonjeong gripped the hotel remote control so hard that it broke apart.
Yoonjeong might be a low-grade hunter, but still, she was a hunter.
And at a young age, she had plenty of growth potential.
“……..”
“Oh my gosh, I broke it without realizing…”
“What, it’s okay… I have plenty of money.”
Well, while the chances of Dad being reincarnated are low… if he did, he definitely wouldn’t cheat, right?
Reincarnators cheating does sound a bit odd but…
‘By the way, the Hunter Train assembly is tomorrow…’
Surely nothing will happen, right?
But every time I think this, something strange tends to occur.
True, the Hunter Train would gather the finest hunters from all over the world, turning it into a fierce battleground of all kinds of forces, so it’d be odd if there weren’t any incident.
“Shia, mother. Dinner is ready.”
“Wow, that was quick.”
“Oh! What’s the menu?”
“Kimchi stew made with boar neck meat from the hotel lobby, rice, fried egg, ham fritters, and kraken fermented shrimp!”
“Oh my.”
Now that’s irresistible.
○○○○○
Hunter Train Start Date D-1
While regular civilians were enjoying the festival spreading across all of Busan, the hunters were different.
“Hey, is your equipment ready!?”
“I’m finishing this up!”
“Is the enchanted ammunition enough?”
“The guild leader said to switch it all to Greden ammo!”
“That stuff is so expensive!”
“We dug tons of it out in the Suyol Plains last time. Apparently, we’re planning to use it all on this Hunter Train.”
Hunters checking their equipment and loading them onto the Hunter Train.
“Heh, thanks, Yujin. You didn’t have to do this for me…”
“Well, Olgania’s first official event is this time, right? So I’m worried, take care of this stuff.”
“Once inside, we’ll be together anyway, right?”
Since Olgania was recognized as an official ‘Elf Nation’ from Earth, she was now making her first move with Yujin, and the elves from the Great Forest accompanying them were also preparing to board the Hunter Train.
“Wow, there are elves this time?”
“Weren’t they recognized as a nation last time? They’re from the Great Forest, right?”
“Filthy foreign sub-species…”
“Is this the end times? Even non-humans on the Hunter Train…”
Of course, among the countless gathered people from across the globe, there were those who naturally loathed ‘non-humans.’
Olgania, while pretending to have a cheerful conversation with Yujin and caucus about the environment, noticed the hostile stares of the elves hidden behind her bright smile.
‘Right now, the train hasn’t even departed, but once it does, I don’t know what those lowlives will do.’
Naturally, there were numerous protests at the moment elves were recognized as an official nation on Earth.
While things had gone more smoothly than expected, it was clear that they needed to carefully navigate through future interactions.
“This Hunter Train’s purpose is…”
“Please be informed of the Prime Minister’s instructions thoroughly.”
“Queen will be visiting in person, so everyone should be mindful not to commit acts of disrespect.”
“Yes.”
“Keep an eye on the Indie side. Their hunting purpose seems less about monsters than other hunters.”
“While concerning dangerous elements were detected, we can’t turn anyone away without solid evidence.”
“In any case, once we’re inside, it becomes a matter of the government at that point. The President also issued such an order, so please relay that appropriately.”
“Yes.”
The agents and government officials given orders from their respective countries.
Thanks to that, Shinj Busan Station, rebuilt after the Great Rift, was teeming with countless crowds due to participants and relevant parties for the [Hunter Train].
And then Shia…
“Here are the boarding members!”
“Oh, um…”
The Hunter Association personnel receiving Shia’s application scanned her surroundings intently from under their sunglasses.
Usually, the hunters boarding the Hunter Train are a select few.
Instead of mobilizing more lower-grade personnel, guilds send their elite hunters fully equipped for survival and performance within the Hunter Train.
Consequently, even the mightiest guilds typically assigned only around five individuals.
Sure, including blacksmiths, cooks, doctors, or personal aides, that number might rise, but civilians are almost never taken along on the Hunter Train.
“D-grade hunter Yoonjeong. Unranked Returnee Menelapie Haleum. Unranked Returnee Teresa Kaitlyn. And… Unranked Yane? Is your name Yane?”
“Squawk!”
“….Are you a mutation-type hunter? And with it, an Elder Mandragora, and a mermaid? You’re bringing all of them!? Is there a tamer hunter among you? What about the permits?”
Ugh, so annoying.
Already passed through seven inspections since arriving at Shinj Busan, and repeating the same answers was getting old.
Of course, but these guys are just doing their jobs.
Shia decided to greet the approaching personnel with a smile.
“We have permission from the Hunter Association, no issues here?”
“Permission? Wait a moment… Ah, here it is. But are you really sure about this?”
“What’s that?”
“…Once again, be advised, the Hunter Train can be life-threatening. If you’re unsure of your abilities…”
“Ah, if that’s the case, I’m fine~”
Shia’s bright smile reminded the Hunter Association personnel from the U.S. branch of a past incident where they had taken an unqualified group aboard the Hunter Train to a terrible end.
The accidents brought by monsters and disasters were not the real issue.
For civilians not informed, once the Hunter Train departs, the inside transforms from paradise for the strong to hell for the weak in an instant.
While there are opportunities on the Hunter Train, those assume you can get off the train in one piece.
‘If you board the Hunter Train with a naive mindset… you might never get down.’
Feeling the unsettling gaze of the U.S. branch personnel, Teresa stepped forward boldly.
“Hey, you bastard!”
Thud!
“Yow!?”
And she kicked him squarely in the shin.
Although it was a simple kick without mana, given the strength of her doll-like body, it seemed to inflict considerable pain.
“Shut up and just stamp the signatures! Whether we die in there is your concern, right? And can’t you see the crowd behind us piling up?!”
“….Yes, yes! Sorry about that.”
What the heck, who’s this little brat… was a thought that almost tumbled out of the hunter’s mouth, but you can’t gauge hunters and awakened beings by their looks.
Although she looked like a child, she might be well over sixty in actual age.
“Well, whether you live or die is your loss.”
Ultimately, the agent finally surrendered, checked Shia’s application and confirmed there were no disqualifications, allowing Shia’s party through.
“Teresa, don’t you think that was a bit much?”
“Didn’t you see him glaring at Shia?”
“What’s worrisome is that.”
“Worry or not, when did we start worrying about others in public?”
“I’m not so sure about me and Shia, but you should be concerned for yourself a bit, don’t you think?”
“Ugh, damn…”
“Haha, let’s head up. We should sort out our stuff first after getting our rooms….”
“Wow, is that the Seongnyeo Isha?”
Gasp! No way, is the Mangja Clan here?!
“Oh, do you know me?”
“Yes, I’m Kim Geunyoung from the Korea Branch Hunter Association. Speaking of which, Isha Hunter is still under a temporary hunter license, so it must have been tough for all the foreign agents to come this way.”
“Oh, that explains why everyone’s been inspecting us so much.”
Phew, it’s quite a relief knowing there’s a Hunter Association agent who knows who I am, leading to a quick process thereafter.
Within ten seconds, the agent finished processing and handed over the documents while lowering their head.
“Welcome aboard the Hunter Train. Enjoy your hunt.”
“Enjoy your hunt?”
“That’s the catchphrase for the Hunter Train.”
Oh, I see.
Enjoy the hunt!
“Right, let’s make it an enjoyable hunt.”
“Shia, we’ll carry our luggage first.”
Thud, thud… the sounds of primal need floods my head… time to die…
“Hey, hey, isn’t that Elder Mandragora wilting…?”
“Oh no, the pot! Where’s the pot for the flower!?”
With that, while Menelapie and Teresa took others onto the Hunter Train, Shia decided to take a brief walk around.
The bustling scenery of Shinj Busan Station was quite engaging.
Not only the neatly organized areas of the station but the grand structures caught her eyes, but what fascinated her the most was the sea of people.
‘Everyone here are Awakened Ones.’
Countless hunters, government officials, and even foreigners were present whom she wouldn’t get to see on a normal day.
Sounds of metal clattering as equipment was checked, and a few hunters seemed to already be arguing, while vendors selling food were also visible.
Thinking further, there might even be awakened cooks here?
If so, I hope they could board the Hunter Train!
Once the Hunter Train officially begins, we might be able to collect a variety of ingredients like never before.
Hehe, what could there be…
I’ve heard that in North Korea and Russia, there are vast uninhabited areas where monsters have built their own ecosystems; I wonder if I could find some mammoth meat too?
slurp…
Thud!
“Huh?”
“What?”
Lost in thoughts of delightful food, Shia suddenly bumped into someone.
Oops, I need to be more careful about letting my thoughts wander when food is on my mind.
“I’m sorry.”
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
As the man calling her halted her in place, she finally looked up.
‘Whoa, he’s huge.’
This guy was massive.
Shia herself was already about 180cm tall for a woman, but the man she just bumped into had to be almost 3 meters tall… or perhaps even more.
‘Is he human…?’
Sniff.
He did smell human, but…
What kind of person is this massive?
He seemed even taller than that guy from the San Guild, the one who was called Baek Yoon.
Though his height and physique were of impressive proportions, his face surprisingly wasn’t frightening at all.
Should I say he seems gentle?
He has that look of a friendly neighbor.
“You, girl. What’s your name?”
“My name? Yes?”
“I find it fascinating that you didn’t bounce away after colliding with me.”
The man spoke to Shia in English.
Of course, after living over 60 years in the last world, Shia had completely forgotten English, so she tilted her head for a moment before activating the translation mode on her smartwatch to have a conversation.
“Ah, can you hear me? I’m Isia. Nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
“You don’t know my name?”
His face momentarily stiffened in surprise, but he soon seemed to come to an understanding, extending a huge hand toward Shia and grinning widely.
“I’m Wooden Blackhand from Texas.”
