NOVEL WEB Chapter 31
Wyvern Egg.
Ironically, the first proper meal Shia had in that ‘other world’ was a wyvern egg dish.
During the first year when Shia became the Mangja Seongnyeo and lived in hiding, she only ate saltless grilled meat or foraged mushrooms from the forest. The next thing she ate was the “Titan of Wrath Atalyd,” but she couldn’t properly enjoy the taste because she lost her sanity in the throes of hunger and the smell of blood.
It was only when she was guided to the Royal Palace by Empress Menelapie that Shia could finally eat a proper meal with some leisure for the first time since coming to this world.
Gulp, gulp.
“You’re eating well.”
As Shia munched away without uttering a word, it was only after devouring about twenty plates nonstop that she finally sniffled and spoke.
“Hic, sniff… gulp… it’s so delicious…”
“I can’t know how it tastes. I asked Sir Adelmerke, the royal chef, to prepare something nice…”
“It’s really, really tasty… sniff…”
“Slow down, or you’ll get a stomachache.”
Disgracefully, after a year, Shia was crying as she ate, finally tasting proper food. Although what she was eating wasn’t just wyvern egg stew but was beautifully adorned with a colorful blend of spices, she shed tears purely from the fact that it had been nearly a year since she had eaten a proper meal.
Seeing Shia eat while crying unintentionally made Menelapie smile slightly.
“Well, are you a bit full now?”
“Hic, sniff… gulp… I’m really grateful…”
“I preferred how you bluntly grabbed my collar earlier. You don’t have to use honorifics just because I’m the emperor.”
“Um, I’m sorry…”
Remembering how she had glared at the emperor with a deadly stare after grabbing his collar, Shia lowered her head.
After being furious and crying like a rainstorm, she felt really embarrassed when she looked back.
“I said your anger was justified. The fault lies on this side.”
“…Hmph.”
“Seems you’ve eaten enough, so listen while you munch.”
“Yes, um… gulp… munch munch…”
“The prophecy said that you, the Mangja Seongnyeo, are not of this world. Is that right?”
“…..Yes… Huh? How do you…”
“You said prophecy, didn’t you? I might not understand how it works, but many things line up, so I asked just to confirm.”
Shia didn’t expect such words to come out of the emperor’s mouth, and she nodded subconsciously.
Thinking no one would believe her absurd tale of coming from another world, Shia had never intended to tell the emperor about it. She hadn’t anticipated Menelapie would bring it up.
Well, she had heard there was a palace magician.
If there was a palace magician, it meant magic existed, and though she wasn’t sure about the level of that magic, the fact that they’d been observing her existence for a year suggested that their magical civilization was quite advanced.
Monsters threatening humans, including the Titans that Shia had devoured, were a reality.
In such a world, perhaps the existence of someone from another realm might not be that astonishing after all.
“What kind of person were you?”
“….Compared to you, Your Majesty…”
“You can speak comfortably. After all, you are a being from another world, so there’s no need to strictly adhere to the laws of this world.”
“…..”
“Aha, you were stuck in a strange place. Well, you’ve managed to keep your humanity for a year, so I should order you to speak comfortably.”
“Ugh, okay. I got it.”
Reluctantly accepting to speak comfortably, Shia looked at the emperor with a tense expression.
There was no one in the dining hall.
Only a few attendants were carrying dishes. There was no one bold enough to spread the conversation they were having here.
“As you said… I came from another world. This body wasn’t originally mine. I was just very ordinary…”
“Please tell me in detail.”
“I’ll tell you as I remember…”
And so, Shia spoke about her past life in the other world.
She explained that she was originally a man and lived in a world where technology and science had developed instead of magic.
Due to a strange accident, she found herself as the Mangja Seongnyeo…
Despite hearing what seemed like nonsense from the emperor’s perspective, Shia felt as if not a single word slipped past her as he listened intently, nodding along.
“And I… am, in comparison to you, an insignificant person who has achieved nothing of note…”
When Shia first saw Empress Menelapie, she felt like she was witnessing an avatar of gold.
With her brilliant blonde hair and strong physique.
The young empress, who appeared to be around Shia’s age, had charismatic golden eyes that sparkled.
From their first meeting, Shia sensed that Menelapie was not just an ordinary person sitting on the throne.
Unlike the Mangja Seongnyeo herself…
Unlike Shia, who had pale skin like a corpse, Menelapie was the very embodiment of vibrant life.
Since coming to this world, she had been cooped up in fear, but the emperor radiated a dazzling brilliance that made her envious.
“Unlike me, you consider yourself insignificant.”
“Uh, yes… I mean, to put it in our words, I’m a loser. Even if I have power, I don’t know where to use it… I’m timid and weak…”
“That can’t be true. You endured a terrible hunger and suffering. Despite having the chance to go down to the nearest village and kill someone, you chose to keep your humanity. How could one so strong be weak?”
“But…”
“Trust my discernment. As an emperor, I must have a sharp eye for people, and you appeal to me greatly.”
However, the brilliantly adorned emperor rested her chin on her hand and spoke.
“There is no such thing as an insignificant person.”
“……”
“Every human is precious to someone and possesses their own value. A piece of dirt may look filthy, but with a little polish, it can shine like a pearl. So what of young, ignorant children? They can do nothing alone and would die if left unattended for a few days. Should we call such children valueless and insignificant?”
“B-but it’s not like that. Children need care…”
“Do you think adults don’t need care? Very few adults can accomplish anything alone. I too would struggle to govern without the aid of my eight palace scribes; without the mentor who taught me swordsmanship, I would have lost my life ten years ago during the Demon War. Even now, if I sleep without an attendant, I suffer terrible insomnia and feel terrible all day if I have nightmares.”
What a shock it was to hear that the perfect emperor also had sleepless nights.
Meeting Menelapie had been a very brief experience for Shia.
But from the aura and charisma she displayed, she seemed like the very embodiment of a flawless divine emperor; the fact that she couldn’t even sleep alone, however, surprised Shia deeply.
“I too am, in many ways, a flawed human. However, there lies value in what I can do and what comes from it. And you are the same.”
“……”
“Everyone has weaknesses and shortcomings. But there must also be values that correspond to those flaws.”
Oh no, it seemed like tears were about to fall again.
Sniff
“Humans are weak, which is why they strive to overcome, and while each individual may seem foolish, their great efforts deserve praise. Do you know why I like you so much? Because you’re pretty? I’m pretty too. The strength of the Mangja Seongnyeo? Well, that’s somewhat appealing but not a power I can’t match.”
“Then why…”
“I admire your humanity. It sounds a bit pansexual, huh? Haha, don’t misunderstand.”
The emperor smiled kindly as she shrugged her shoulders.
“Though you could have easily surrendered to hunger and found comfort, you recognized that such an act was terrible and worked tirelessly to overcome your flaws for a year. I’ve seen you suffer and strive, and that process is worthy of praise, and I willingly hold affection for that praise.”
Having no one to confide in, not knowing how to handle the hunger, Shia felt each of the emperor’s words pierce her heart in a way that felt almost unreal.
“It might sound a bit strange, but I truly like you. It feels as if I’m reconnecting with an old friend I’ve met somewhere before.”
“Th-thank you…”
“Haha, that’s enough. Well, although I may have ramble a bit, what I wanted to say was that you should regard yourself as someone greater.”
“But I’m just an outsider. Simply unlucky… No, it’s just that by chance, I ended up as the Mangja Seongnyeo.”
“I too was fortunate to become the emperor. I was lucky to have survived death. Luck is, after all, your fate and your ability.”
Feeling her face heat up in the presence of the smiling Menelapie, Shia realized that her cheeks were flushing even as a Mangja Seongnyeo.
Was there fire somewhere…?
“Haha, I now kind of understand what kind of person you are.”
—–
It felt easy to wake up, maybe because I had a good dream.
It was a bit amusing that eating wyvern egg stew had led to such a dream…
But it felt nice just to have seen a familiar face after so long.
-09:38
“What made you wake up so early….”
Even though it was just a memory from a dream, all of Menelapie’s words felt like advice for the current me.
It was a good day.
I had a long-forgotten dream, met Menelapie, and…
I wanted to meet her once more.
I thought maybe if I lay down again, I could dream of Menelapie or Teresa, but it seemed that since I was fully awake, I couldn’t fall asleep again even with my eyes closed on the bed.
“Guess I should get up.”
The dead body has strange physiological functions.
Despite having nearly no waste, it seemed I could still shed tears or saliva, so I didn’t think I was entirely ‘dead.’
As for food and digestion, with the traits of a ‘Malicious Entity,’ I could completely digest everything.
Well, rather than digestion, it would be closer to conversion.
Everything I swallowed turns into energy for this body to move or into Seongnyeok.
Thanks to that, there was no need for a bathroom aside from cleanliness.
I’ve lived for over sixty years in this body, but it’s still a mysterious frame.
[b][Miracle – Purification][/b]
Although it didn’t expel sweat or waste, I used the purifying miracle just to remove some dust I accumulated while sleeping.
It left me feeling cleaner than having just gotten out of a shower.
If Menelapie were here, she would have surely said, “Hey, quit complaining and hurry up and wash!” and pushed me into the bath, but sadly, there was nobody to push me in…
“Sigh, let’s just wash up.”
It’s not like Menelapie would come out of a dream to wash me.
I just felt like I wanted to take a shower.
Shh…
Still, with warm water pouring over me, I felt nice.
I had thought that as a dead person, I wouldn’t feel warmth or cold, but aside from the heightened threshold of pain, it turned out my senses had become quite sensitive.
I could smell better, and my hearing had also improved quite a bit.
After finishing my shower, I stepped out of the room and noticed a round sphere sitting on the table.
“Oh, right…”
Hunter Support AI Drone Camera.
They asked me to pick it up as soon as I completed my mission at the Association.
Yesterday I had been so high from the happiness of having eaten wyvern egg stew that I completely forgot about it.
Maybe I should take a leisurely stroll around and visit the Hunter Association, like the old folks do in the neighborhood.
After all, the Hunter Association and the Returnee Management Bureau are in the same building anyway.
However, it had suddenly become very troublesome to go out.
“…Hmm, since they say it has many features, can’t I just send the footage to the Hunter Association?”
It’s probably a function that exists despite me being terrible with machines.
I had almost forgotten about how I collected the wyvern eggs and subdued the wyverns in the Kurtala Mountains, but the drone camera had been able to follow me easily even when I completely disregarded it.
If it had that technology, there had to be a sending or mailing function out there somewhere.
The question was whether I could manage to send it or not.
Drrrring
“…Is that Yeonhwa?”
As I tied up my hair which was starting to get dry, my smartwatch rang loudly.
“Hey, big sis! Did you eat well?”
[I’m not a big sis…! Haah, did you wake up early?]
“I woke up quickly today, maybe because I had a good dream. What’s up?”
[Umm, big sis, just checking, but do you know about the Hunter Broadcast?]
“Hunter Broadcast? Why are you asking all of a sudden?”
Of course I know.
After returning, I wasted most of my time in this shelter because of the Hunter Broadcast.
For a month, I watched various Hunter broadcasts and even sponsored a few times, so I might not know everything, but I can suppose I know a fair bit about it.
Whenever I’m bored, I go to that genre called Hunter Gallery and look for interesting things.
“I know of it! Ah! By the way, I met a Hunter called Cheon Ah-Young in the Kurtala Mountains, and she said she was also a Hunter streamer. I thought it would be great to check it out since it’s connected. Who knows, I might even appear on her broadcast?”
[…..You didn’t know?]
“What don’t I know?”
In response to Yeonhwa’s voice, which somehow seemed to be holding back laughter, I slipped on my track pants.
Yeah, they felt a bit small, but they were still comfortable. Modern technology is great.
[Do you know the genre Hunter Gallery?]
“Yeah, it’s an online community of atrocious people who babble about hunters without caring about the genre.”
[Could you please take a look at the link I sent?]
“Link?”
[Um… Please don’t be shocked, big sis. You’re not in a hurry, so if you have time check it out at your own pace.]
As Yeonhwa sent me something, the hologram from my smartwatch opened an internet window.
Of course, I didn’t think Yeonhwa would trick me into a hate picture, so I clicked the link without suspicion.
And there it was…
[Lord, please grant me permission to become a righteous thief today.](431)
ㄴLikes: 1934
『Hehehehe!』
[Clip of me stealthily stealing a wyvern egg]
Captured fully, complete with a cheerful laugh.
[Mom! I’m going to be a wyvern egg when I grow up!]
ㄴ[To be eaten?]
ㄴ[That’s my real sister, lol]
ㄴ[Hahaha!]
ㄴ[The expression of the “Mangja Seongnyeo” is a sight to behold, lol!]
ㄴ[That look is seriously perfect in all aspects.]
ㄴ[Clip of a green frog grinning happily]
ㄴ[Get that ugly frog out of here!]
[That’s a real one, lol!]
….Why am I even here?
Umm… That’s definitely me from yesterday in the Kurtala Mountains, right? Did someone secretly take a side shot of me?
What the heck? What on earth is going on???
All sorts of thoughts raced through my mind.
What in the world could have caused my clip to spread like that among Hunter broadcast streamers?
Usually, I visit the genre called Hunter Gallery several times a day.
Yesterday, I had been busy cooking wyvern egg stew. I only gave a wyvern egg as a gift to Yeonhwa after arriving from Gyeryong to Seoul, so I didn’t have time to check the gallery.
‘What on earth happened in one day…!?’
Worried, I browsed other threads in the gallery, and they were a spectacle.
[Baby Seongnyeo Shia](213)
ㄴLikes: 2483
『Shia – Give me the egg.
Wyvern – Shia, you already took four eggs.
Shia – *Ugh, it’s going to be big; I’ve got to get them before I can leave. Just bring the eggs.
Wyvern – Are you planning to go out? You just smashed the leader’s face.
Shia – Ugh!!! I’ll just see what you got!
Wyvern – Cheap bastard.
Cheon Ah-Young – Hey Shia.
Shia – Cheon Ah-Young, welcome!』
What is this green dinosaur or frog supposed to be?
Why did they morph me with that?!
[LOL, that’s hilarious!]
[What did I just witness?]
[Hey, it’s sobering… It’s sobering…]
[Hahahahaha!]
[From today onwards, the Gallery Master is Baby Seongnyeo Shia.]
[Hahaha!]
[Hey, Shia never insulted the hunter, so why is it so spot-on?]
[LOL!]
“I can’t believe this is happening…”
I don’t remember the last time I had a headache after turning into a dead person.