The Grill-Wielding Saintess of the Dead

Chapter 21: Adaptation 4

-Hunter Academy, Central Auditorium

[This concludes the official presentation of the hunter name for A-rank Hunter Icicle Nine, Yeonhwa. Please rise and give a round of applause to our new next-generation Hunter, Yeonhwa.]

Clap clap clap

On the stage in the large auditorium of the Hunter Academy, which fosters the next generation of South Korea’s Hunters, government officials, Hunter Association personnel, and even senior high-ranking Hunters were applauding the appearance of a promising new rookie.

In the audience, Yeonhwa’s classmates, instructors, and professors who taught her also clapped so loudly that it seemed like the auditorium might collapse.

It was no surprise.

The fact that Yeonhwa was now not only above her peers but even higher than the faculty of the academy had just been confirmed with official documents and announcements bearing the government seal.

Her achievement in surviving after defeating the Minokentaur in Nafthar Great Forest, which had transformed into an S-rank dungeon during the Dungeon Overbreak a month ago, played a significant role in this recognition.

Although Yeonhwa had been saved by Shia, the feat of taking down the Minokentaur on her own was enough for the government to bestow her with a hunter name, proving her abilities.

Of course, it wasn’t as if there were no A-rank Hunters in the academy.

Many Hunter Academy graduates contribute to society, tackling dungeons and protecting citizens.

However, Yeonhwa became the first Hunter from the academy to receive an A-rank Hunter certificate and an official government-issued Hunter name less than a month after graduation, so the academy was in a festive mood.

“Wow, it feels like just yesterday when she was swinging her sword under me…”

“Pfft! How does an instructor get outclassed by their student?”

“Tch, are you picking on me just because I’m the only B-rank here?”

“Yeonhwa! You did it!”

“Congratulations!”

“Icicle Nine! Icicle Nine!”

“At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before she reaches S-rank.”

“The Yeonhwa you graduated with has already earned her Hunter name and become an A-rank Hunter, but what exactly are you doing at home? Staring at your computer all day, giggling over those weird girl characters in anime. Are you sure you even graduated from the same Hunter Academy? Did Mom pay that expensive tuition for this?”

“…I’ve already graduated, though…”

“Unemployed, talking back…?”

“Wow…do you think I’ll ever get a Hunter name?”

“I don’t know…but there’s hardly been anyone who rose to A-rank as quickly as Yeonhwa—I mean Icicle Nine.”

“Is it because she’s Yeonseo’s granddaughter? She climbed to A-rank pretty fast.”

“Isn’t Yeonseo coming?”

“Now that you mention it, Yeonseo’s nowhere to be seen.”

A Hunter name held great symbolic meaning for a Hunter.

It wasn’t something that could be obtained simply by being A-rank.

Only A-rank Hunters with a clean record and exemplary character could be given a Hunter name.

Receiving a Hunter name symbolized that the Hunter was saying, “I am clean, with no criminal record. I am one of the world’s top Hunters and can protect the citizens.”

Along with this name came the eligibility to receive free equipment from the Hunter Association.

In addition, there were various other benefits, such as tax exemptions, discounts, priority use of public transportation and services, and even the privileges of a civil servant at the level of Grade 5 or higher.

It was essentially a global identity card.

Moreover, a Hunter with a Hunter name often garnered the popularity of celebrities or idols, to the point that they were seen as heroes straight out of comics or novels.

In some cases, fans of a particularly popular Hunter would even choose the Hunter’s name for them.

In reality, A-rank Hunters with a Hunter name were often the first to be deployed to save people when dungeons or gates suddenly opened, endangering civilians.

As for Yeonhwa, instead of her fandom or others deciding her name, she chose her own Hunter name.

She didn’t particularly like when Shia had called her ‘Bingu’ before.

After the noise finally died down, and after the usual tedious speeches and handshakes with government officials, Yeonhwa was left alone in the waiting room.

“Congratulations.”

“…Grandmother.”

She hadn’t heard the door open, but it seemed Yeonseo had teleported to this place.

“You said you couldn’t come.”

“If I’d come to the Hunter name ceremony, people would have focused only on this old lady. Today’s star is my granddaughter, so I purposely came late.”

Yeonseo placed a flower garland around Yeonhwa’s neck and handed her a metal nameplate engraved with her Hunter name, which she had specially ordered.

Her only granddaughter had become an A-rank Hunter and received a Hunter name, so how could she not attend, even if it meant putting everything else aside?

“I was quite anxious and worried, but my granddaughter has finally made it this far.”

“…”

Not all A-ranks were equal.

In fact, true hardship awaited from the moment a Hunter name was bestowed.

“Remember this, Yeonhwa. The real challenge starts now. You must understand just how heavy a burden that Hunter name will place on you. You must also realize how easily human lives can be lost…”

Though the general public and lower-ranked Hunters were unaware, A-rank Hunters with a name and S-rank Hunters were sent into battlefields far more dangerous than anything they had faced before, where life and death were always on the line.

While people slept peacefully at night, high-ranking Hunters, those who had reached the realm of heroes, fought tooth and nail to keep monsters from crawling out from under their beds.

The vast array of benefits they received, the guaranteed wealth, was all in place to honor the Hunters tasked with protecting humanity.

Although dungeons and gates had stabilized recently, mutated dungeons, camouflaged dungeons, and sudden monster armies still occasionally poured through the cracks somewhere in the world.

Yeonseo, who had retired, had been deployed countless times in battles that determined the fate of humanity.

Even now, if an emergency arose, she would drop whatever she was doing—even if it was watering her carefully grown cabbage patch—and rush off to the dungeon.

“Yeona… your sister also became an A-rank at your age and received her Hunter name.”

“…I remember.”

That was why Yeonseo had often told Yeonhwa to quit being a Hunter.

She had warned that it wasn’t as easy a job as it seemed and that having power wasn’t everything.

But at the root of it all was her grandmother’s grief—she couldn’t bear the thought of losing Yeonhwa as she had lost Yeona.

Yeonhwa, like a dungeon addict, kept diving into dungeons every day, hunting monsters stronger than herself. Each time she returned, Yeonseo’s heart burned with worry.

Losing her sister had made Yeonhwa determined never to rely on anyone else.

Losing her sister had made her want to become stronger.

On the other hand, Yeonseo, having lost one precious granddaughter, didn’t want to lose the only one she had left.

They understood each other, but neither could back down.

Yet, Yeonhwa ultimately achieved her goal.

Even when her life was on the line and her body was battered, she successfully completed her challenges.

Pushing herself to the limit and beyond, Yeonhwa grew stronger in a short amount of time, eventually earning her A-rank Hunter name at the age of 21.

It wasn’t just talent but also the result of painstaking effort.

“To be honest… even now, I wish you would stop this work.”

“…That won’t happen. Besides, Grandmother, you’re retired but still do dangerous work.”

“Yes, that’s true…”

Yeonseo placed her hand on Yeonhwa’s shoulder, her smile tinged with bitterness.

“I’m always sorry, and I’m always grateful. Just growing up to be so strong and reliable is a great blessing for this old woman.”

“…Yes.”

“It would have been nice if Shia, who saved you, could have been here too… Please, I beg you, live longer than me. Don’t get hurt, don’t suffer, and don’t overexert yourself.”

“I’ll try my best.”

“Good. That’s enough.”

Yeonseo pulled Yeonhwa into a tight embrace.

“And make some friends. Isn’t Shia a good start? Why didn’t she come?”

“…It’s a boring, uneventful event. As a Returnee, she might feel uncomfortable attending something like this. Besides, Shia Unnie is strong enough to fight Grandmother, so why would she attend a mere A-rank promotion ceremony?”

“I came, didn’t I? I’m sure Shia would have come if you’d asked.”

“That’s…”

At Yeonseo’s words, Yeonhwa found herself at a loss for words.

She had once been so small that she didn’t even reach Yeonseo’s waist, but now she was taller than her, and Yeonseo had to stand on tiptoe to gently caress Yeonhwa’s soft cheek.

“This old woman just wishes you could enjoy life a little more.”

“You’re one to talk, Grandmother. Even in retirement, you didn’t get to enjoy yourself much either…”

“Hoho, don’t you think watching you is what I enjoy most?”

At that, Yeonhwa couldn’t help but smile.

“Anyway, thank you for coming, Grandmother. I’ll… try to follow what you’ve said.”

“Good, good. Now, go. You should celebrate with your weaker professors and classmates.”

Beep beep beep

At that moment, Yeonhwa’s smartwatch buzzed on her wrist.

Who could it be?

Maybe one of her classmates asking where she was…

“Shia Unnie?”

“Shia? That girl…?”

“Why is she calling me…”

“Answer it quickly. Don’t worry about me.”

Yeonhwa answered the call from Shia, fiddling with her smartwatch.

“Hello?

[…Yeonhwa.]

“Unnie?”

As soon as she answered, Yeonhwa sensed that something wasn’t right from Shia’s voice.

She and Shia hadn’t had many deep interactions yet.

Yeonhwa had been busy for the past month, going through the government qualifications to receive her Hunter certificate.

But Shia’s voice, after hearing it again after so long, sounded far more urgent than she remembered.

The strong Shia Unnie.

The Shia Unnie who had saved her life was sounding desperate?

“Unnie, what’s wrong? Please, tell me.”

[Can you come quickly…?]

“Unnie, calm down. What’s going on?”

[I’m in big trouble…]

“…!?”

Big trouble.

As soon as Yeonhwa heard those words, she felt a chill run down her spine.

Shia was much stronger and more composed than her.

For someone like her to suddenly contact Yeonhwa and ask for help made Yeonhwa feel that nothing else mattered anymore—she had to go to Shia right away.

[Sorry for reaching out suddenly. But…you were the only one I could think of.]

I was the only one.

Hearing those words, Yeonhwa unconsciously gripped her smartwatch tighter.

“I’ll be right there, Unnie. Let’s meet and talk in person.”

[…Thank you so much.]

As soon as Shia told her where she was, the call ended.

After the call ended, Yeonhwa bit her lip in anxiety.

“Grandmother, I’m sorry. It seems something urgent has happened with Shia Unnie.”

“It seems so.”

Having overheard Shia’s voice, Yeonseo also realized the gravity of the situation.

“Go quickly.”

“…But.”

It was also a grandmother’s duty to help soothe her anxious granddaughter.

“I’ll follow you right away. If something serious has happened to Shia, you must help her. I’ll greet the other professors and officials on your behalf, so hurry along.”

Yeonhwa’s eyes widened at those words.

“Thank you, Grandmother…!”

With that, Yeonhwa hurried out of the room.

She even took off the high heels she had worn for today’s ceremony, holding them in her hands as she ran at full speed.

There was no time to take a train or anything else.

The running speed of Yeonhwa, who had now officially received her A-rank Hunter name, was more than enough to leap between densely packed buildings.

‘Please, please let nothing bad have happened…!’

After Yeonhwa disappeared, Yeonseo moved to clean up the aftermath.

After the Hunter name presentation ceremony, it was customary to exchange brief greetings with high-ranking members of the association, senior Hunters, or legislators, but having heard that Shia was in trouble, it was up to the old woman to help in these situations.

No matter what anyone said, Yeonhwa was someone who had lost her sister at a young age.

And now, with the person who had saved Yeonhwa’s life asking for help, it was only natural for her to drop everything and run to Shia’s side.

“Hmm, even though Shia has a peculiar personality… I don’t think she would have hurt someone without reason…”

Returnees come from a world completely different from ours.

But on the other hand, they could be described as survivors who managed to live and return from that entirely different world. As such, it must be difficult for them to adapt to modern ethics and society.

Let me give a simple example.

Imagine a Returnee who lived in a survival-of-the-fittest world like the Savannah for decades, not just a year or so.

What do you think would happen if that Returnee, while walking down an alley, got into an argument with someone shady?

No, what if it wasn’t just a street thug but an awakened criminal?

Would a Returnee, whose mind operates solely on the laws of survival, want to resolve the situation peacefully?

Of course, nothing might happen, but on the flip side, anything could happen.

The Returnee Bureau and ethical audits exist to prevent such unfortunate incidents, but accidents can happen at any time.

Especially since Shia, aside from her strength, is strikingly beautiful.

Even as a woman, Yeonseo had to admit that Shia’s beauty could leave one in awe.

Combined with the massive reservoir of holy power she possessed, it was easy to imagine her being harassed by some unsavory character in an alley.

“Ah, Director Lee? Could we postpone our dinner plans to tomorrow? Something came up.”

[What?! But we’ve already made the reservations…]

“I see you just came out of the Sangin-dong golf range. Would you prefer to talk to this old lady in person rather than over the phone?”

[We’ll reschedule right away. Don’t worry about it, Yeonseo-nim!]

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

There could be a chance that Yeonhwa alone might not be able to handle whatever happens.

Yeonseo prepared to adjust her schedule, thinking of the worst-case scenario.

As soon as she finished cleaning up after Yeonhwa, she would head straight to Shia.

○○○○○

“………”

“Shia Unnie!!”

“Ah…!”

Having sprinted all the way to a building near Dangsan, Yeonhwa finally stood in front of Shia, catching her breath.

Yeonhwa, who had rushed here at full speed from the Hunter Academy without taking a car, was in a disheveled state.

Her blue hair, tousled from the wind as she ran at full speed, was a mess. Her stockings were completely torn at the feet from running barefoot after her high heels got in the way.

In contrast, Shia looked perfectly fine, wearing the same white holy robes she had worn when Yeonhwa first met her.

Thank goodness. Is nothing wrong after all?

“Yeonhwa, what’s with your appearance…”

“Unnie, Unnie! Are you okay?! What’s wrong?! Did something bad happen?!”

“…Uh, well…”

“Ahem! Is this your family or friend, finally here?”

At the voice that came from beside them, Yeonhwa’s eyes flared as she turned.

You’re the scoundrel who caused trouble for Shia Unnie…!

“Hurry up and pay the bill. I’ve got to get ready for the dinner service.”

“…Pardon?”

As soon as those words reached her ears, the fire in Yeonhwa’s eyes extinguished as if a wave had washed over it.

What did they just say?

“Unnie? What’s going on…”

“Sigh. This young lady has quite an appetite. She ate more than 50 servings, along with a set of blood sausage soup and sticky rice cakes for dessert, and now says she doesn’t have any money!”

“…?”

Yeonhwa’s head slowly turned toward Shia with a creak.

“…Unnie?”

“…”

And Shia, like a mute with a mouthful of honey, avoided Yeonhwa’s gaze.

Wait, what?

Did she say Shia Unnie ate over 50 servings of blood sausage soup?

I know Shia Unnie’s appetite is massive.

Didn’t she nearly devour a whole Black Minotaur when we first met?

But…what? She has no money?

Did she really call me after a whole month… for this?

“…How much is it?”

“Eight thousand won per serving of blood sausage soup for 53 servings. Nine sodas, 10,000 won worth of sticky rice cakes. That comes to 452,000 won!”

“…Here.”

Beep

As the receipt printed from the register, Yeonhwa stared at Shia with a hollow, empty gaze.

Feeling guilty under that intense glare, Shia hunched her shoulders and kept her head down.

“…Goodness, young lady. It’s fine to have a good appetite, but next time, carry some money with you, alright?”

“Yes…”

As they stepped out of the shop, a brief silence settled between the two.

Maybe because of Yeonhwa’s ice abilities, it felt like a chilling wind was swirling around her.

“Unnie.”

“Yes, Yeonhwa… I’m really sorry, and thank you…”

“Look at me.”

Shia found herself being dragged along by her wrist.

What is this?

I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please let me go.

“Unnie? Didn’t you receive 100 million won in support from the Returnee Bureau a month ago? That’s no small sum, right?”

“Uh, y-yes… It’s not a small amount…”

“So why did I just pay for your blood sausage soup? And why did you say it was urgent, making me take off my shoes and run here from the academy? My stockings are completely torn. And now, this? Was the emergency you mentioned really that you couldn’t pay for your soup?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Haah…haah… Unnie, I won’t get angry. Just tell me. Where did all that money go? What have you been doing for the past month?”

“…Well…”

“You wouldn’t lie as a Saintess, would you?”

“…N-no…”

With no excuse left, Shia hung her head and began to confess her wreck of a lifestyle to Yeonhwa.

She stayed up until dawn watching Hunter broadcasts, movies, novels, or anime, and then fell asleep.

She woke up around lunchtime and ordered at least ten servings of fried chicken, pork belly, or rice bowls, lying in bed and munching on them.

Around 6 PM, she’d take a bath, then sit back at her computer or lie in bed again to continue watching the broadcasts she had started or finish reading the manga she had put down earlier.

When she got hungry, she ordered another 20 servings for dinner.

This was how she spent her days, not even realizing how much she was spending.

Sometimes, she even threw in donations while watching Hunter streams if she saw a scene she liked.

Having confessed everything without a single lie, Shia avoided Yeonhwa’s icy gaze.

The look in Yeonhwa’s eyes was so cold, it felt as though frost might form.

It wasn’t that Shia had trouble adapting to modern society as a Returnee; rather, her entire lifestyle was a disaster, and Yeonhwa had discovered every detail of it. Shia must have wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

“Ah, so you blew through all your money on delivery food, movies, Netflix, and stream donations, didn’t even realize your smartwatch’s funds were depleted, then stumbled into a soup shop because the smell was good… and only when you’d eaten over 50 servings did you realize you were out of money, huh? Hah!”

“I’m really sorry. Like I said earlier, you were the only person I could think of to ask for help…”

“Did you know I was supposed to be greeting legislators and attending a celebration party after receiving my A-rank Hunter name today? I dropped everything and ran straight here because I was worried the person who saved my life might be in danger. Do you have any idea how anxious I was?”

“…Hrk…”

Shia’s face twisted as if she was on the verge of tears.

How embarrassing.

I want to die.

But I can’t even die.

I’m a worthless mushroom…

A totally useless mushroom…

I’m the Saintess of the Dead who made Yeonhwa pay for my soup…

Yeonhwa stared at Shia silently for a while before a grin slowly spread across her lips.

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“Where do you think? I’m going to make you into a proper person.”

“…Eh…”

For the first time since becoming the Saintess of the Dead, Shia felt something akin to fear from someone younger and weaker than herself.