The Grill-Wielding Saintess of the Dead

Chapter 142: The Witch of the Dark Star 1

Menelapie, dressed in pajamas, was lecturing Yane, who was standing before her in similarly loose pajamas.

Of course, it was only natural, but for beings like them, who had long transcended normal human bodies, underwear was nothing more than a nuisance.

So, today, they simply wore their pajamas, without any unnecessary layers.

“Do you understand, child? People… no, whether it’s you, me, or anyone else, in order to convey our intentions, we must use words.”

[Kiii…]

Listening to Menelapie, Yane tilted her head in confusion.

It seemed Menelapie was scolding her for something that had happened earlier in the day—specifically, for wandering off without saying a word to Yoon-jung, leaving her behind.

Of course, just because Menelapie was speaking, it didn’t mean Yane fully understood everything.

‘Why do I have to say something? Humans must have senses like me. So, why do I need to speak just to tell them where I’m going?’

“Ordinary humans don’t have as sharp senses as you. What they can smell in front of them, the blurry sights they see, and the momentary sounds they hear—there may be differences from person to person, but in the end, that’s all.”

[Kiii… Senses… different, yes… Kiii… Me and humans…]

“Yes, that’s right. And Yoon-jung is one of your guardians. Since you are still young, you must always inform your guardian.”

[But… It doesn’t make sense… Yoon-jung is weaker than me… Kieeng… I’m stronger than Yoon-jung… So why is she my guardian? Why?]

Yane’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

Though Yane had never fought in battle, even before she had received Shia’s blessing and taken on a human form, she had the strength of an A-rank monster.

And now, after undergoing the process of Ascension, she had evolved into an even more powerful being.

Comparing her to Yoon-jung, who was merely a D-rank hunter, was like comparing heaven and earth in terms of strength.

From Yane’s perspective, it didn’t make sense for someone weaker to be her guardian.

“Is that so? Then, child, would it be fine if Yoon-jung stopped caring for you?”

[Kiii…?]

Yane’s head tilted further, seemingly not understanding what Menelapie meant.

“You don’t seem to understand. Let me make it simpler. If someone were to offer you something delicious while you’re walking and ask you to follow them, what would you do?”

[…Follow! I like delicious things!]

“Yes, delicious things are nice. But, people who offer you something without reason often have wicked intentions.”

[Wicked, wicked? Wicked!]

“It means bad thoughts, twisted intentions.”

Hoo…

[Kii!?]

Menelapie stroked Yane’s swaying hair gently and, as if trying to tempt her, leaned in close, whispering into her ear.

Yane’s eyes trembled wildly at the sudden touch, clearly startled by the sudden intimacy.

“What if someone gave you food and then hugged you like this?”

[Hi, hiii… Good… Good…]

Wait a minute… That’s not right…

“Ahem. What if, instead of me, someone else hugged you suddenly?”

[Someone else?]

“Yes. Let’s see… What if it were someone who looked like that scary man on the television box?”

[KIEEE!!! No! No! I don’t like it! I hate it for some reason!]

Yane, with her vivid imagination, immediately imagined herself being hugged by someone other than Menelapie, Yoon-jung, or even her master, Shia.

As soon as she pictured being embraced by a stranger, goosebumps erupted all over her body.

She hated it.

She didn’t know why or how to explain it, but… she hated it so much.

“There are all kinds of people. Some might lure you with food, then tear your skin apart, dig into your insides, and turn your body into a plaything before discarding you.”

[Hiiiiiii…!]

I’m scared of human society…!

Understanding Menelapie’s words, Yane’s body shook with fear.

“Yoon-jung was worried that some thug had taken you away when you disappeared without saying anything. She was so alarmed that she spent the whole day exhausted, running around looking for you. If you had just told her you were going to see Shia using the drone, none of this would have happened.”

[…Because of me… Kii… eeeng…]

What did it matter that she was stronger than Yoon-jung?

In reality, Yane lacked experience, knowledge, and understanding of human society.

Just as Menelapie had said, it wasn’t a matter of being strong or weak.

Yoon-jung was not only a mentor who supported Yane’s life and taught her things, but also someone who protected her from unseen dangers in human society.

“So, you should apologize to Yoon-jung’s mother, right?”

[U… Un… Un… Okay.]

“When that happens, just say, ‘I understand.'”

At Menelapie’s words, Yane nodded and got up, heading to the room where Yoon-jung, tired from the day’s events, had fallen asleep.

“Heuu, Yane? What’s up?”

[Kiii, kiii…]

Yoon-jung, exhausted from searching for Yane all day, was lying in bed groaning.

Though she was only a D-rank hunter, her concern for the innocent Yane’s safety had driven her to search frantically, running from neighborhood to neighborhood without a break.

When Yane entered, Yoon-jung pulled down the handkerchief she had placed on her forehead to cool off and smiled weakly to show she was okay.

[Kii… Kiiing… Kkyeeng… I’m sorry…]

“Oh, no, no… It’s okay. It’s okay, really.”

[Kiiiii…]

“It’ll heal up soon… Do you want to sleep with me?”

[Kie…]

Though Yane had the appearance of a full-grown adult and intelligence close to that of a mature person, mentally she was still just a child.

As she touched Yoon-jung’s slightly feverish body, she wondered if it was because of her actions that Yoon-jung had become like this.

‘I really did something wrong.’

Yane was the type who, if reprimanded, would understand, and if taught and disciplined, would learn.

Although this was Yane’s first day truly living as a human and making mistakes, if such incidents happened again, there would surely be appropriate punishment next time.

“Hmm… Can I put my hands down now?”

And beside Menelapie stood Shia, still in her pajamas, holding her hands up like an elementary school student being punished.

One might wonder what was so difficult about having the Saintess of the Dead hold her hands up for a long time, but even Menelapie’s heart ached at the thought of having to discipline her.

It hadn’t been long since they had reunited so emotionally, and now she was already having to impose punishment on Shia.

Of course, one might ask what right Menelapie had to punish Shia in the first place.

However, in their previous world, Menelapie had been both Shia’s guardian and representative, teaching her all the courtly etiquette required as the Emperor’s right hand in the royal palace.

This small mishap, which had caused Shia’s mother so much hardship, could be seen as Menelapie’s responsibility since she had been in charge of Shia for over 60 years.

Even though they were no longer in the imperial palace, Shia and Menelapie still maintained the relationship of a hero and a saintess, so Menelapie was in a higher position.

Objectively speaking, Shia hadn’t committed any major wrongdoing, but as the saintess, just causing her mother trouble was enough to warrant this small punishment of holding her hands up for a while.

“Have you reflected?”

“Yes…”

“Then you may stop.”

The Saintess never lies.

If Shia said she had reflected, then she truly had.

“Now, isn’t there something you need to do?”

“…Do I really have to?”

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

“…Alright, I’ll do it. Ahem! I, Shia, failed to properly manage Yane because I was too distracted by food, causing my mother a great deal of trouble…”

It had originally been Shia’s responsibility as Yane’s owner to manage and teach her, but Shia never really showed much passion for teaching anyone.

As a result, Yoon-jung had naturally taken on the task of helping Yane learn language and how to live in human society.

So any mishaps that arose from that could indeed be considered Shia’s fault.

“I’m sorry, Menelapie. You all manage so well on your own, and with so many attendants… I think I just got too used to living on my own.”

“No, that’s not it. What’s important is that you’ve found what needs to be corrected when you make mistakes. What matters is not repeating those mistakes.”

Menelapie gestured with her arm, pulling up the blanket invitingly.

Shia, familiar with this gesture, crawled under the blanket next to Menelapie and rubbed against her warmth.

For the record, the body of the Saintess of the Dead, while it looked no different from a human’s, maintained a lower body temperature due to the influence of her holy power and malevolent energy.

As long as she was well-nourished,

it wasn’t an issue, but during times of hunger or fasting, her body temperature would drop rapidly, making her feel cold to the touch even in the middle of summer.

That’s why Menelapie’s body always felt incredibly warm to her.

Just like in the old world.

There had always been three beds—one for me, one for Menelapie, and one for Teresa—but in the end, we always used just one bed.

The bed was big enough, and I always needed someone’s warmth when I slept, as nightmares often plagued me due to the overwhelming dark energy within me.

“You’ve worked hard today.”

“Worked hard? You’ve had it tougher.”

Menelapie didn’t say anything, but she had actually felt a surge of murderous intent so strong that she wanted to tear apart those despicable people who had crossed the line in their chat earlier.

If this were the previous world, she would have slaughtered them without a second thought, without even giving them a chance to explain themselves.

Had I not begged her to let it go, her sword might have been soaked in their blood.

Though we weren’t in the imperial palace anymore, and I wasn’t wearing the luxurious negligees or expensive silk undergarments reserved for royalty, the sensation of lying together with Menelapie still made me feel like nothing had changed from back then.

“By the way, have you been practicing making that soup?”

Menelapie casually opened her smartwatch, reading up on Earth’s history and hunters as she gently patted my head.

“Hehehe, did you like it?”

“It reminded me of Gluttony Lobster. But this was the first time I’ve tasted such a balanced bitterness.”

“Haha, I’m glad.”

“If I get the chance, perhaps I should try cooking for you next time.”

“Huh? You’re terrible at cooking though.”

“Now, now, Shia. Wasn’t I the one who made you the Alraune Pollen Pilaf?”

“Wasn’t it Teresa who made that?”

“No, it was me. That witch didn’t contribute more than thirty percent.”

“I’ll have to ask her when she comes back.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“Teresa told me she did all the cooking.”

“Ah, the Saintess doesn’t trust the Hero? What is the world coming to?”

“Pfft…”

Honestly, this entire situation felt luxurious and unbelievable to me.

To be able to lie here, chatting with Menelapie before bed, a person I thought I would never meet again—it was like a dream.

The memories of the 60 years we spent together came flooding back.

There wasn’t really anything important to say, but… I was just happy.

Simply happy.

In the room across from mine, my mother was there.

And next to me was Menelapie.

Just the sensation of Menelapie softly stroking my head made all my worries vanish.

“I wish Teresa were here too…”

“…Don’t worry.”

That witch…

No, that she-cat won’t take long to come.

“By the way, Menelapie… You know, right?”

“Yes.”

Menelapie had probably already figured out what I was about to say.

The sharp golden eyes of the mighty Hero had already grasped the meaning behind my words before I even said them.

“There are a lot of those filthy, vile fragments of the Demon King in this world, too.”

“…Yes, far more than I expected.”

The Demon King. Though I had already defeated it once, its true nature still remained unknown.

It wasn’t just some ordinary living being, but a being that invaded countless dimensions simultaneously, targeting not only my ‘previous world’ but also the worlds of countless returnees.

It was always vile, always filthy, always deserving of hatred.

And now that the Demon King was extending its hand toward Earth, my home, how could I, as the Saintess, sit idly by?

Originally, I would have fought it alone.

It would have been lonely.

I would have been angry.

I would have been terribly annoyed.

“But now, I have you. And if necessary, I also have Unnie Yeonseo and Yeonhwa. I feel really secure.”

“That’s reassuring. Is ‘Unnie Yeonseo’ the Earth Hero who helped me earlier today?”

“Did Yeonseo seem like a hero to you too, Menelapie?”

“I can’t say for sure, but that’s how she appeared to me.”

“Based on what?”

“I’m not a fool. If a woman named Yeonseo has been protecting this world called Earth for over 60 years and still continues to do so, how could she not be a hero?”

“Simple.”

“But the most certain.”

Shia hadn’t always thought of Yeonseo as Earth’s hero.

Even now, she wasn’t entirely sure if Yeonseo was truly the hero of Earth.

Being a hero wasn’t something dictated by gods or other powerful beings; it was more about whether the one hailed as a hero truly carried the mindset of a hero.

If there was a hero, there were always companions to support them, like a saintess or a witch.

In Yujin’s case, her previous world had its own saintess, as well as warriors like Olgania, mages, knights, and archers, so it was slightly different.

But having companions, including a saintess, was a common fact for a hero.

However, as far as Shia knew, Yeonseo didn’t have any companions… at least not that Shia was aware of.

Of course, Shia didn’t know all the rules behind how a hero was chosen, but she had decided to believe in it.

“Yawn… Actually, I wanted to talk to Unnie Yeonseo about something important…”

“Was it related to the Demon King?”

“Yeah, just before you arrived, a lot of people in a nearby country called China were found trying to use fragments of the Demon King. The dungeon where you appeared was also created by the Demon King’s fragments acting up.”

“A typical case of corruption or erosion.”

“But it’s okay. The Demon King’s fragments haven’t yet reached me…”

Crunch!

“…Huh?”

“Shia?”

Just as I was about to drift into a deep sleep next to Menelapie, a shock struck my entire body as if my heart had been pierced.

It wasn’t painful.

If anything, it felt more like being startled, like when a muscle cramps.

But normally, something like this wouldn’t have bothered me at all… except for this time.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch…

Crash!

Something had broken.

It had broken.

It had broken.

“…The seal… has broken…”

“What?”