“KyahaHAHAHA! Hunting? You? The Emperor?!”

After the commotion with Jeus, Shia and Menelapie returned to their designated train car. After hearing what had happened, Teresa burst into a fit of laughter, pointing her finger shamelessly at Menelapie as the train was about to leave.

How could it not be funny? In the previous world, she was always revered as a hero or an emperor. Even when she secretly went on patrols to gauge public sentiment, her unique golden aura and blonde hair made it impossible to hide her identity, always leading to adoration from everyone around her.

It wasn’t for nothing that Menelapie entrusted Teresa with the shady tasks and established the Rose Order, assigning the responsibility of caring for the people to Shia.

No matter how hard she tried to hide her identity, Menelapie lacked the talent for subtlety, and her glamorous presence surrounded her like a shining halo.

“Well, I guess Menelapie has such stunning looks… It’s no wonder she gets hit on by guys.”
“Not by guys, but by girls, Mom.”
“Huh…? Girls?”
“That blonde tanning jerk named Jeus was being all flirty, I nearly threw up.”

Even now, just thinking about it made Shia puff up her cheeks in anger.

Who dares to mess with my hero?!

Watching Shia, Menelapie was grinning, clearly enjoying the moment.

“Anyway, Menelapie’s a total knockout by Earth standards, let alone from the previous world, so be extra careful. I mean, how can you be so oblivious to the riffraff out there?”
“Uh-huh, got it. I’ll be careful too.”
“Cluck! Slurp.” (Yeah right.)

“…Enough already.”

Teresa gazed at Shia with a cool, piercing stare for a moment.

‘That silly pig doesn’t even consider what she might have done herself.’

Just for reference, Teresa had caught up on all of Shia’s broadcasts from the last month, including the hidden camera incident and the stalker situation.

Besides that, Shia from the previous world had also been somewhat… oblivious to her surroundings.

“By the way, ‘face thug’….? That’s not exactly a flattering term; is it an insult?”
“No, it’s a slang for teenagers that means someone is exceptionally pretty but carries a violent vibe. It’s more of a compliment.”
“Oh? So, that makes Shia a chest thug, huh?”

Shia let out a small sigh at Teresa’s words.

“This isn’t a time for jokes, Teresa. It’s not just Menelapie; we need to be cautious of Mom, Yane, and Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess. They all have stunning looks, right? That Jeus guy, or whatever his name is, could try to hit on them. With hunters from all over the world gathered here, God knows what rough characters are lurking around. So everyone needs to be careful, got it?”
“Well, we’re fine…”
“Cluck?” (Am I cute?)

Yane tilted her head cutely after licking the Mermaid Princess, and it was hard not to find it endearing, as it didn’t seem like an act of mischief but a genuine childlike demeanor.

“The greed of humans… Tsk. But could you not keep this Yane child so close to me?”
And Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess pushed Yane away, still wanting to cling to her.

Of course, Shia’s answer was already decided.

“Nope, not happening.”
“Hey, Mermaid, just accept it.”
“………”

Though Shia didn’t shower Yane with extraordinary affection, she at least categorized her as “my person.”

According to Teresa’s analysis over the past month, without even realizing it, Shia and Yane had developed a bond that made it impossible to separate them.

This meant that whether intended or not, Yane became Shia’s first subordinate in this life, so Shia decided to let it be as long as it didn’t cause any harm. It was simply an expression of affection from someone who liked her.

“Especially Teresa, you already look like total fodder, so you need to be extra careful.”
“What did you just say, you little… Ah, right, I do need to be cautious.”

At that moment, Teresa and Menelapie exchanged glances.

“Ahaha, by the way, Mom doesn’t know, huh? Menelapie here used to be…”
“Hey, Black Witch, shut it.”
“Yeah, screw you. Anyway, Mom, you see, back when Shia would fall asleep….. Mmmph!?”

As Teresa attempted to blabber on as usual, she was swiftly silenced by Shia’s hand clamping over her mouth, squirming in vain. However, her present form was far too weakened compared to her prime, leaving her unable to resist Menelapie’s grip.

[Let go, you crazy bi—!]
Mmmph!
Gulp!
[Urghhh!!]

With Teresa’s mouth blocked, she immediately sent a mental shout directly to Menelapie’s brain, but since it wasn’t a good idea to let her talk too much, Menelapie used her Golden Eye to absorb Teresa’s blood and paralyze her body instead.

As a result, Teresa’s frail and delicate body slumped like a soaked towel.

If she had been an ordinary, less specialized doll body, she wouldn’t have been paralyzed, but Teresa’s doll was a high-performance magical doll that was almost indistinguishable from a human.

“Ugh… ”
“Oh dear… Mom, I think Teresa just fell asleep because her child’s body is quite fragile.”
“….No, this doesn’t look like just sleeping….”
“Pardon me, could you please take care of Teresa for a moment? We’ll be heading to the Hunter Train’s launch ceremony with Shia, so you can just unpack your things first.”

As Yoonjeong tried to say something, Menelapie took charge with her characteristic slyness and dominant aura, cradling Teresa like a baby.

“…Uh, yeah, okay… Yane, and you, Mermaid? Let’s go.”
Cluck!
“I understand, Seongnyeo-nim’s mother.”

Thus, Yoonjeong took Yane, the Mermaid, and Teresa to their accommodation to tidy up and unpack.

[You bastaaard!!!]

Of course, although Teresa’s body was paralyzed, her mind was still perfectly fine, and she was shouting mental curses at Menelapie. Still, she simply ignored Teresa’s thoughts and brushed it off.

With just the two of them left, Menelapie looked towards the train door.

“Bingu, you can come in now.”
“Huh?”
“I said not Bingu.”

Mumbling in a sulky tone, Yeonhwa opened the door and stepped in, raising her hand high.

Wow, Bingu! When did you arrive?!

“Hello, Bingu!”
“It’s not Bingu! It’s Icicle Nine!”

Even without spreading her sensory enhancement through Seongnyeok, Shia was quite perceptive, meaning Yeonhwa’s skills as a Hunter had improved enough that Shia failed to notice her approach this time.

On the other hand, Menelapie always had analytical skills due to her hero powers, so that was a different category.

Naturally, Yeonhwa was participating in this Hunter Train as Korea’s youngest S-grade Hunter and the beloved of the Yeon family.

However, she seemed to have been quite busy as the Young Lady of the Yeon family lately, not even meeting Shia for a week leading up to the departure of the Hunter Train, scurrying around here and there.

“I only came after receiving the call, but I have to hurry. They keep asking me to represent the Hunters at the oath ceremony…”
“Don’t worry, it will be over quickly.”

However, Menelapie’s smile quickly faded, replaced by a serious expression.

‘When Menelapie looks like that, it must be something serious…’

There must have been a reason for Yoonjeong to hand off Teresa just to create some space.

At least Yoonjeong brought her along this time for a relaxing vacation without a care in the world.

No matter how dangerous things might be, Shia and Menelapie would protect the group, ensuring a safe, peaceful trip.

Originally, Yoonjeong had lived alone due to her debt, and her biological parents were worse than nothing. Before meeting Shia, her new life surely felt like a continuous struggle. Only after meeting Shia did a glimpse of a bright path begin, and even a month ago, when they visited Busan for summer vacation, it was the first time in this life that Yoonjeong had seen the sea.

Thus, Shia hoped this trip would be filled only with joyous occasions for Yoonjeong, and Menelapie and Teresa agreed to participate in that wish.

“I do apologize for momentarily leaving Teresa with you, not wanting Mom to hear, but I think it’s essential to tell you and Shia something.”
“What is it?”
“Actually, Teresa accessed the magical system of this train and managed to scope out some humans nearby.”

“Huh? When? And wasn’t Teresa too weak to do that right now?”
“Well, apparently, since the train was designed using magical engineering, she said it’s easy to infiltrate and take control with just a small amount of mana. I don’t know the details.”

In truth, this Hunter Train was built with the aid of many engineers from the Returnee community, incorporating technology and magical engineering that humanity in 2088 could not even hope to replicate.

Of course, this would be a piece of cake for Teresa, given she was a great Black Witch already well-versed in magic and possessed hundreds of experience points.

“What a relief. So that’s why the train management room went into a frenzy earlier when an unidentified intruder appeared and disappeared inside the magical system? That was Teresa?”
“Thanks, I’ll mention that to her later.”
“Just don’t call me Bingu!”
“I’m grateful, Ice Elfin!”
“Hold on, Shia! That’s a bit much…”

Cough! “Anyway, Teresa, even in her weakened state, was a remarkable Black Witch who couldn’t be matched by anyone in our world… I mean, in my previous world. In her field of magic and magical engineering, I don’t think anyone can approach her level.”

What Teresa did was inject her shadow into the train’s internal magical system to meld with its overarching control system, monitoring various surveillance and detection mechanisms to identify potential threats.

While it was a bold and risky move, Teresa’s actions were not without their merits.

“There are three of them.”
“Three?”
“Three?”
“I sense beings with cracks in their souls.”
“…..”

Shia’s face paled at that statement.

Yeonhwa looked at Menelapie, trying to make sense of what was being said.

“I can’t pinpoint their identities. The moment Teresa tried to access the humans through the magical system, they sensed it and hid.”
“Tsk, cunning bastards.”
“Wait! Soul cracks? What does that even mean?”
“Simply put, it means a person who has forsaken their soul.”
“Is this serious? I’ve never heard of such a thing…”

“It’s about the fragments of the Demon King.”
“What?”

Menelapie crossed her arms and closed her eyes, as if she had a headache.

Of course, both Shia and Menelapie no longer saw the Demon King as a significant threat.

Right now, if the complete form descended, Shia had enough strength to defeat the Demon King on her own, and Menelapie was just as capable.

Although, they were somewhat worried about Teresa’s weakened state.

But what truly concerned them were the other Hunters, Yoonjeong, and the potential fallout from any incidents.

The existence of the Demon King was already a gigantic troublemaker, and Menelapie and Shia were apprehensive that the Hunter Train, meant for Yoonjeong’s peaceful family trip, might turn into chaos.

Of course, Yeonhwa, unaware of this, grew serious upon hearing the term “fragments.”

“Whether one seeks to gain power from or pledge their body to the fragments, anyone possessing a fragment will ultimately have their soul distorted.”
“That’s hardly reassuring. Even without the Demon King’s fragments, a person’s soul can end up twisted, and how can we tell if it’s not due to possession or reincarnation…?”
“That’s precisely because of the fragments of the Demon King.”

“Then are you saying at least three people suspected of being hosts to the Demon King’s fragments are on this train right now?”
“Correct.”
“Among all these Hunters, or Hunter-related personnel and government agents, three of them presumably possess the fragments of the Demon King?”

“It could be even more than that. Just because someone possesses a fragment doesn’t mean their soul will necessarily distort, either…”
“Then we need to stop the train right now…!”
“Wait, don’t do that.”
“Huh?”
“This is an international event, right? If we claim that the Demon King’s fragments are dangerous and call for an immediate stop, how many people will actually listen to us?”
“……”

Shia’s point wasn’t wrong.

In Korea, thanks to Yeonhwa, the Young Lady of the Yeon family being closely associated with Shia, the political community had a certain level of awareness about the dangers posed by the fragments of the Demon King. However, information on the Demon King and its fragments had not been publicly disseminated until now.

Since official statements regarding the fragments and the Demon King were lacking, even if Yeonhwa had authority, her credibility would plummet if she suddenly said to the British queen, “We need to stop the Hunter Train because there are Demon King fragments and their hosts!”

Even if the danger of fragments was acknowledged in other countries, significant investments by various nations and corporations in the Hunter Train meant that there were numerous political ramifications involved.

One couldn’t just cancel the departure of the Hunter Train the day before it was scheduled to launch.

“And those Demon King fragments are known to snarl at each other.”
“Oh, that was what Teabag meant.”
For reference, the fragment that Shia tore from Wang Soyoung was still being used as a teabag by Teabag.

Surprisingly, Teabag had remained obedient to Shia.

Every time Doc dropped it in hot water, it would scream about how it rather be dead or call her the Devil Saint.

And if Shia hadn’t sensed any malevolence from the fragments up close, it meant that the fragments were consciously keeping low profiles around her.

“No matter how it’s just the fragment and not the main body, if they expose their identity or decide to act out, the surrounding area will likely suffer extensive damage.”
“That’s true. More importantly, I’m really looking forward to this Hunter Train; I don’t want it to tank already.”
“So what do you plan on doing?”
“Unless we can figure out what’s going on, we should proceed with the trip. No matter how dangerous they are, they must have at least some safety measures in place.”
Menelapie looked towards the outside.

Although the New Busan Station was bustling with Hunters making their final preparations for departure, the city of Busan, just a day before the launch of the Hunter Train, was flooded with crowds celebrating an enormous festival.

If those fragments and their hosts chose to run riot or escape now, then no matter how strong the Saint and the Hero were, they would struggle to protect all those civilians.

“Then it might be better to set the Hunter Train rolling first. Should those fragments or hosts try anything, we can step in.”
“Right. At least if the train is in motion, it’s less likely that they will cause chaos among civilians.”
“They’ll probably head towards a dungeon or a gate.”
“So we’re decided? We’ll observe the situation for now. But if anything unusual happens, we’ll inform each other immediately.”
“Understood, Menelapie.”