Chapter 31

Chapter 31: I Want to Keep Having Good Dreams 2

While Shia was trying to gather her dizzy thoughts while browsing the Genre Hunter Gallery, a small meeting was taking place at the Hunter Association.

“So, there was no malfunction with the drone?”

“Yes.”

Kim Si-hyun, the Minister who also served as both the head of the Hunter Association and the Returnee Management Bureau, nodded at the report given by Chief Choi Bomi.

Since the moment Shia’s broadcast was transmitted, albeit accidentally, the Hunter Association had assigned personnel to monitor the real-time broadcast of Returnee Isiah.

Although the Association was uncomfortable with the fact that a Returnee, whose danger level hadn’t yet been properly assessed, was being broadcast live on a platform called [Switch], it was still fortunate for them to be able to closely observe Isiah’s activities in real time.

After all, the Association’s main goal was to gather information about Isiah, rather than paying attention to the noisy and chaotic chat windows.

“So you’re saying the live broadcast wasn’t done on purpose?”

“It seems like the live stream was accidentally triggered due to unfamiliarity with the drone’s operation. The holographic touch system is quite sensitive, and even dust or wind can sometimes trigger it.”

“Hmm, I see. After 64 years of absence, it’s understandable to be unfamiliar with technology.”

“Back in our day, even if there was a manual, not many people actually read it thoroughly.”

The AI drone camera that the Association had loaned to Hunter Isiah was a cutting-edge model that had yet to hit the market.

It had many features, and one of the reasons they gave it to the Returnee for free was to test the prototype.

However, the Association’s true objective was to evaluate Isiah’s capabilities as a Hunter in detail.

Although they had already received testimony from Yeonseo about being able to engage in combat with her, it wasn’t enough to assess Isiah’s full capabilities.

In their minds, they might have wished to confine Isiah in a lab as a test subject and run all sorts of experiments on her.

However, the consequences of mishandling a Returnee could lead to more problems than benefits.

With the increasing focus on protecting Returnees’ human rights, they couldn’t openly invade her privacy.

Thus, the Association had to support Isiah as a Hunter and collect detailed combat data and information about her.

How dangerous was she?

And to what extent did the ‘mental issues’ that Chief Choi Bomi mentioned impact her?

Was she a beneficial asset to the nation, or a dangerous threat that needed to be dealt with?

Thanks to the “broadcast footage” of the Kurtala Mountain Range, the Association could at least partially evaluate Isiah.

“According to the analysts, Returnee Isiah’s overall combat rank is undoubtedly S-class.”

“S-class… She’s the first Returnee to be classified as S-class since Yujin, right?”

“Yes, a more thorough examination will be conducted when Isiah officially registers as a Hunter, but it was fortunate that her accidental broadcast gave us this information.”

“She managed to kill a total of 132 wyverns without showing signs of fatigue. She also repeatedly resurrected freshly dead wyverns and killed them again over ten times. And it’s confirmed that she can heal not just one at a time, but the entire wyvern flock on the third peak of Kurtala Mountain with her wide-area healing abilities.”

“On top of that, the behemoth-like tentacles attached to her waist seem to possess a strength and power comparable to her own.”

“We’ll examine the special abilities during the second ethics review later, but it’s possible she has more abilities that we haven’t seen yet.”

“Haa… this is giving me a headache…”

As Chief Choi Bomi pointed out, the Association was troubled by the overwhelming power of Returnee Isiah.

“I think it’s safe to say that Returnee Isiah’s overall combat rank deserves an S-class rating.”

“Strength, reflexes, endurance, and physical resilience are all S-class. But what is this ‘Holy Power’? I’m not very knowledgeable in this area, so could you explain?”

“Most Hunters or Awakeners use ‘mana’ to enhance their bodies or use special abilities. However, it seems Returnee Isiah uses a power that is a superior version of mana, called ‘Holy Power’. For example, if you were to detonate a bomb with an equal amount of mana and Holy Power, the mana would destroy a room, but the Holy Power would destroy an entire building.”

If Isiah had been rated as A-class or lower, they could have quietly kept her hidden.

They could have supported her with psychiatric care and medication, like other Returnees who had mental health issues.

But Isiah, the Saintess of the Dead, was too powerful.

Some might wonder, “What’s the big deal if just one person possesses great power?”

But in today’s world, an S-class Hunter was an asymmetrical force, and each individual S-class Hunter carried the equivalent of a nuclear bomb.

No, it’s simpler to think of it as adding one more nuclear bomb for each S-class Hunter.

The biggest concern was whether or not they could safely control that nuclear bomb.

Once Isiah’s combat rank was confirmed as S-class, it was inevitable that she would be exposed to the media and the public. Other nations’ governments were particularly sensitive to the existence of S-class Hunters.

In this Hunter era, the quality and quantity of Hunters directly represented national power and had a profound impact on international politics.

Even though South Korea, with its small territory, entered a golden age after the Great Rift thanks to the existence of Yeonseo, the first and strongest Hunter, and the successful nurturing of her successors.

On the other hand, China has been on the decline since the Great Rift.

The “Saintess” incident in China, recorded in textbooks, still brings about bitter laughter.

“By the way, if Yeonseo finds out we’re having this meeting, she’ll storm in here immediately.”

“Aside from the issue of monitoring someone’s private information without their consent, the Human Rights Association will also cause a stir…”

“Not to mention the Returnee Union will jump at the chance to make trouble. Yeonseo explicitly warned us not to mess with Returnee Isiah…”

“But we haven’t exactly crossed that line of ‘messing around,’ have we?”

“Right. Though how Yeonseo perceives it might be a different matter.”

But there was still a major issue remaining.

“The public’s reaction is going to be a problem.”

“That’s right.”

“Haa… If only she had returned as a regular human, things would have been much simpler.”

“Well, not everything goes the way we want.”

[A Returnee with strength equivalent to Yeonseo, the living legend and humanity’s strongest Hunter, has appeared.]

At first, people might cheer at hearing this.

But what if they learn that this Returnee suffers from a condition akin to the disease of ‘Malignant Predation,’ and that she’s not human but a ‘Saintess of the Dead’?

And if it turns out she has undisclosed mental instability as well?

Of course, people would be afraid.

Some might even resort to extreme actions, like protesting to have her exiled.

There are people who accept Returnees, but not all Returnees are good people. Some have even formed terrorist groups, seeking to reclaim their rights.

“Of course, it’s not like there aren’t any non-human Returnees…”

There had been half-elves and Returnees with animal traits.

Some even returned alongside entirely different species.

But they were all categorized as ‘human species.’

Even if their races differed, they were living beings who weren’t hostile to humanity and could be considered subspecies of humans.

But Returnee Isiah was fundamentally not human; she was a special case, a Saintess of the Dead.

Even though her appearance might seem human, with excessively pale skin, her essence was that of the dead.

She was hostile to living beings and even admitted herself that she was suffering from ‘hunger.’

How the public would accept a Returnee who was undead was uncertain, even for the Hunter Association.

Though this accidental live broadcast of Isiah was convenient for the Association in terms of surveillance, the public’s reaction to her would influence their future policies.

“By the way, wasn’t there someone called the Skeleton Knight? Isn’t that person undead too?”

“His situation was much better than Isiah’s. That Returnee had no mental health issues and didn’t have a unique condition like ‘Malignant Predation’ either.”

“Yes, Minister Kim Si-hyun. As Chief Choi Bomi mentioned, the Skeleton Knight was accepted by the public because his outward appearance was entirely different from a human. People found him easier to accept, like the ‘uncanny valley’ effect. And besides, it was a completely different era back then, during the second Great Rift.”

The Skeleton Knight had returned 15 years ago during the second Great Rift.

At that time, when chaos was rampant, even a cat’s help was needed.

The Skeleton Knight Returnee contributed greatly, helping many people during the second Great Rift, which helped him build a positive reputation and swiftly integrate into society.

Fifteen years later, he became a local celebrity in Ansan, often taking photos with citizens and even participating in large-scale events with the Mayor of Ansan.

But now?

The situation was entirely different.

If the fact that Returnee Isiah was a Saintess of the Dead spread, the outcome would be unpredictable.

“As seen in the Skeleton Knight’s case, people might surprisingly accept her without much trouble.”

“Or they might not.”

The Association’s objective was simple.

[Is Returnee Isiah a threat to this country?]

Though the Association wasn’t completely clean, its fundamental purpose was to protect the interests of South Korea and the safety of its people.

“But hold on, didn’t you say the Skeleton Knight was accepted easily because of his good image?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“However, back then, the Skeleton Knight gained a positive image because he actively rescued people in danger during the second Great Rift. There was no need for the government to make an effort to promote him. These days, if the government tries too hard to promote or package a Hunter, it could backfire.”

“Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind… Isn’t the biggest issue how people will perceive Isiah? And… is she a ‘she’?”

“Before the Great Rift, she was male, but she’s now recognized as female.”

“Ah, I see. Anyway, the problem is how people will accept a non-human like the Saintess of the Dead, and the fact that we don’t have many means of controlling her, right?”

“In conclusion, yes, that’s the main issue…”

Even though it wasn’t like there were no dangerous people in peacetime, it would be difficult to achieve the same impact as during the Great Rift.

“So to summarize the issues we’re facing with Returnee Isiah: she possesses catastrophic power comparable to Yeonseo, yet has an unresolved mental vulnerability. She refuses to be affiliated with the state as a Returnee, her behavior is unpredictable, and we have no clue what she wants. In short, she’s essentially a nuclear bomb that we don’t know how to manage, right?”

“Yes, the ethics review confirmed that Isiah has some level of human morality, but to be honest, we don’t know when that might collapse.”

“As Chief Choi Bomi mentioned, it might never collapse.”

The Minister turned his gaze to the footage of Isiah’s broadcast that was still playing on the screen.

Seeing her giggling [Hehehe!] as she stole wyvern eggs, she looked just like a mischievous child, but inside her was the power of a nuclear bomb.

“So we need to monitor Returnee Isiah’s mental health while also avoiding any actions that might upset her, which could lead to her defecting to another country. At the same time, we can’t cross any lines because of Yeonseo’s warning.”

“…Right.”

What the hell? This is turning into a complete hell mode.

Chief Choi Bomi, Vice Minister Lee, Minister Kim, and the other Hunter Association staff attending the meeting all felt like their heads were about to explode.

We can’t do this.

We can’t do that.

But we also can’t just sit back and do nothing.

“Excuse me…”

At that moment, one of the attendees, who had been sitting at the end of the table, raised his hand.

“Uh, if it’s not too rude, may I offer a suggestion?”

“Of course.”

If this attendee had a solution to this mess, everyone would welcome it with open arms.

“So… this might sound strange, but what if we have Returnee Isiah host an officially sanctioned Hunter broadcast?”

“……….”

The room fell silent.

What kind of nonsense is this?

Did I hear that right?

Chief Choi Bomi frowned as if her head was hurting, and Vice Minister Lee bowed his head toward the Minister.

“I apologize, Minister Kim…”

“No, hold on. Why did you suggest that? Go ahead and explain your reasoning.”

Explain yourself.

I’ll hear you out.

But if it’s nonsense, you’re done for.

The Minister’s words carried multiple meanings, and the attendee gulped nervously before speaking.

“Y-you’re aware that Hunter streamers are quite popular these days, right?”

“Yes, the government has even encouraged A-class Hunters and higher to broadcast, saying it’s a good way to foster a friendly image with the public. And it actually works.”

“Exactly! While we haven’t asked Returnee Isiah for her opinion, if she were to be officially certified as a Hunter by the Association and host a sanctioned broadcast, it could resolve many of the concerns you raised earlier, Minister.”

“…Hmm.”

At the Minister’s thoughtful hum, Vice Minister Lee bowed his head again.

“I’m sorry. I’ll personally make sure to…”

“No, Vice Minister Lee. Think about it. His suggestion might sound far-fetched, but it actually makes sense, doesn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“It even solves the surveillance issue. If Returnee Isiah hosts an Association-certified broadcast, it would help the public perceive her as a non-threatening and safe Returnee.”

Let’s think about it.

If Returnee Isiah becomes a Hunter streamer.

The Hunter Association wouldn’t need to resort to shady methods or private surveillance; they could monitor her legally and officially.

Because she’s broadcasting.

Because the archives will remain.

Because her records and footage will stay on [Switch].

The Hunter Association needs to constantly monitor and update their data on Returnee Isiah, whether they like it or not.

And in the unlikely event that Isiah enjoys broadcasting, it could even help alleviate her mental distress.

Even if Isiah is undead, if she hosts an officially certified broadcast, people who were initially wary of her might start to think, ‘Oh? She’s certified by the Association? She’s probably just a unique Returnee.’

“And didn’t you say Isiah has some strange dietary preferences? Something about needing to consume a particular malignant substance?”

“Yes, it seems she mostly obtains it from monsters. I believe that’s why she made soy-braised wyvern eggs from the wyvern eggs in the Kurtala Mountain Range.”

“Then as long as she reports it, allowing her to consume any leftover dungeon materials should be acceptable… Doesn’t it actually sound like a good idea? Isiah might even consider it positively, right?”

“Uh…”

What is this? Why does it sound like a good idea?

“Chief Choi Bomi, when is Isiah’s next ethics review?”

“The schedule hasn’t been set yet.”

“Move it up if possible. Approve the whole Hunter broadcast suggestion and present it to Returnee Isiah. If it goes well, it could be beneficial for everyone, right?”

“Understood.”

○○○○○

At that moment, Shia was browsing the Genre Hunter Gallery, going through every single post related to herself.

Of course, at first, she was stunned.

Why am I here?

Clips of her, with her chest bouncing as if preserved in some kind of shrine, were plastered everywhere.

But as she scrolled through the posts, she realized that her chest wasn’t the important thing. These vicious people were strangely praising her for making soy-braised wyvern eggs.

Meanwhile, the clips and photos were all in high resolution, which was oddly amusing.

“…..”

At first, Shia had been flustered, but she gradually calmed down.

After all, it’s not like she committed any crimes or did anything wrong.

Sure, she had taught the wyverns the fear of death and made them submit, but since when did monsters have human rights?

In fact, people were praising her.

The dazzling combat that looked like something out of a computer-generated movie.

The anticipation that a new S-class Hunter might emerge.

There were, of course, posts and comments that crossed the line, but many praised her beauty, saying she had a large and beautiful chest and a pretty face.

“…….Hehe..”

Shia couldn’t help but feel good.

Even when reading the comments that crossed the line or those that were overly sexual, she didn’t mind.

She might not be a traditional saintess of classic fantasy, but Shia was the Saintess of the Dead.

She had lived as a saintess for over 60 years.

After everything she had gone through, this kind of light(?) harassment didn’t even qualify as an insult.

She could handle most of it.

She didn’t even get angry.

“..Am I pretty? Yeah, I’m pretty… Menelapie told me I was pretty, and Teresa also said I was pretty.”

Shia, who had once been a man, smiled as she looked at the images of herself posted on the Genre Hunter Gallery.

“Am I… streamer material?”

[Unnie, are you okay?]

“Ah! Sorry, Bingu. I was still on the phone with you.”

[It’s fine. I was making soy-braised wyvern eggs while talking to you, Unnie.]

“Oh… That sounds delicious…”

[Unnie, you had them yesterday, didn’t you?]

“But they were so good… And I bet the ones you made with wyvern eggs would taste amazing too.”

[Should I bring some over?]

“Really!? Ah, no… It was my gift to you, so you should eat it all yourself…”

[Unnie, each egg makes 30 servings. I can’t eat it all by myself.]

“Th-then I won’t refuse.”

As they exchanged words, Yeonhwa paused briefly.

[Unnie…]

“Yeah?”

[You weren’t really upset, were you?]

“Upset? Why? I’m fine.”

[You’re fine?]

Yeonhwa asked with a voice full of doubt.

Naturally.

The Genre Hunter Gallery is the largest community site in the country, with countless people constantly active.

And with that comes an overwhelming number of malicious users.

The gifs and photos of Returnee Isiah were being sold everywhere, entirely without Shia’s consent.

Any normal person would be expected to feel upset.

“I’m really fine. In fact, I feel a little good.”

[You feel good…?]

“People are enjoying watching me.”

[…What?]

You’re saying you’re not upset over that?

“Before I came here, I was… well, the right hand of Menelapie—no, the Empress. I helped slay the Demon King, but I wasn’t very bright, so I didn’t know how to handle politics. As a saintess and the Empress’s right hand, what do you think my role in the Empire was?”

[What was it?]

“It was to comfort the hearts of the people. I healed the wounded, bore the burdens of the sick, and listened to the words of the poor, the deprived, and the diseased.”

But healing the sick and soothing the hearts of the wounded sometimes brought unintended consequences.

Those wounded by the war with the demons often lashed out at Shia, using her as a punching bag for their frustrations.

Some saw her as an emotional dumpster and treated her poorly.

She had been repaid for her compassionate grace with horrible vengeance.

She had countless unfair and cruel experiences.

But Shia embraced all of it.

As a result, she and the Empress received the support and admiration of the Empire’s citizens.

Compared to that, what?

Genre Hunter Gallery? Malicious users? Keyboard warriors?

It wasn’t even itchy; it was cute.

“I may love meat… And even though I’m undead… I’m still a saintess. No matter the form, if I can bring people joy, it makes me happy.”

[………………]

Yeonhwa didn’t say anything for a moment over the smartwatch.

Perhaps she was in awe.

She had thought her older sister was just a bit eccentric, but now Yeonhwa realized that she was far more compassionate and benevolent than she had imagined.

If only she had shown such grace to the wyverns too…

Well, wyverns don’t have human rights.

Yeonhwa saved the IP addresses and screenshot archives of the malicious posts from the Genre Hunter Gallery that had crossed the line, collected through the Yeon family’s lawyer.

If her sister Shia had been hurt or angered by any of the inappropriate posts or comments, Yeonhwa would’ve wasted no time heading to court with the Yeon family’s lawyer.

She was fully prepared to show those keyboard warriors just how bitter reality could be.

But…

Considering Shia’s surprisingly joyful reaction, the Saintess of the Dead seemed genuinely pleased.

Maybe Yeonhwa could hold off for a while.

[Unnie.]

“Yeah?”

[Unnie, have you ever thought about doing a broadcast?]

“…Huh?”