The Grill-Wielding Saintess of the Dead

Chapter 77 The World Tree Leaf Pancake 5

“You don’t have to speak formally with me. Actually, I’d prefer it if you spoke comfortably!”

“Okay.”

Well, I’m fine with speaking comfortably.

Even though she was an elder, Olgania’s appearance and personality were lively and cute like a girl of her age.

I had a feeling that if she grew up, she would become a very beautiful and noble elf.

As the last daughter of the World Tree, she seemed to possess something far more noble than a regular elf.

“Uh, um, just once…”

“Hmm?”

“Could I… could I hug you, Shia, just once?”

Why was this young elder suddenly rushing the intimacy?

Given the generally hostile attitude of elves towards outsiders, I hadn’t expected her to ask for something like this.

Well, granting the wish of a young girl isn’t something I couldn’t do.

I answered by opening my arms wide.

“…Kyaa..!”

Then Olgania leaped into my arms as if diving into a bed.

“Hehe, hihihihi.”

From the cool and small form of Olgania, I could feel that she was still just a child… but her touch was a bit peculiar.

I couldn’t quite explain it, but there really was something… something odd.

It felt like the creepy touch of a perverted man trying to grope the chest of a large-breasted high school girl on a crowded subway, but that must be my imagination, right?

There’s no way Olgania, who radiated such a holy and noble aura, could be anything but a saint-like elf.

“Hehehe, it’s real. Hehehe… KawaiiHorned, I told you this wasn’t surgery. Those betas lost all their points… Hehehe, it’s real. It’s real.”

“………”

I heard nothing.

I simply fulfilled the small dream of a young elven elder.

I heard absolutely nothing.

I had to think that way.

For a while, Olgania rubbed her cheek and hands against me, enjoying the feel of my embrace.

Well, I have to admit, my chest is large and soft.

It’s no wonder it feels good.

“Actually, I didn’t mention it, but from the moment I put in the request, I was hoping you would come, Shia. I’m sorry if that upset you.”

In conclusion, Olgania had specifically targeted me, even though she wasn’t an S-rank hunter herself but had chosen someone with power comparable to S-rank.

Olgania had known about me, the Saintess of the Dead, for several months now.

She submitted her request to the association with all sorts of strange conditions attached.

Apparently, she even knew Yujin already.

In simpler terms, even though it wasn’t deliberate, she had aimed for me from the start.

I’m sure the association, upon receiving Olgania’s request, must have been bewildered at first.

“She’s not S-rank, but she’s as strong as S-rank. She’s a rookie, so there isn’t much information about her, and there won’t be any diplomatic issues if we send her. Where can we find such a convenient hunter?”

And then there was me, who fit that description perfectly.

I hadn’t even been assigned a hunter rank yet. It hadn’t even been six months since my return, and aside from hosting a hunter broadcast, I hadn’t drawn much attention, so there was little risk of any diplomatic incident.

So, through S-rank Hunter Yujin, who had verified my identity, I received the elves’ request—or more accurately, Olgania’s request.

Of course, in the end, it wasn’t the Elven Council that made the request.

I was staying here as a personal guest of an individual elf named Olganiafarceti.

“So, Olgania, can I ask why you called me?”

“Oh! I completely forgot… but wasn’t it explained in the request form? The Chaos Ants are showing signs of flooding into the Great Forest…”

If the Saintess of the Dead, Shia, is the god of culinary delights, then the Chaos Ants could be considered gods of overeating.

They consume both organic and inorganic matter indiscriminately, digesting everything into mana-concentrated nutrients, which they then offer to their queen for the prosperity of their species.

Even the regular ants, the most numerous and classified as soldiers, have massive bodies, reaching three meters in length.

Their reproduction rate is so overwhelming that, given enough time, they could overrun the Earth.

Of course, humanity, having recognized the threat Chaos Ants posed to survival, had designated them as the highest priority for extermination after the Great Rift.

By now, they were nearly extinct on Earth, except for some states in the U.S.

However, the Elven Great Forest wasn’t on Earth but in an Invasive Dungeon that had shifted from another world.

Even though Chaos Ants were nearly eradicated on Earth, humans couldn’t fully monitor what was happening in the elves’ domain.

With the elves’ characteristic secrecy and their peculiar hostility toward humans, hunters hadn’t been able to enter the Great Forest until now, which allowed the Chaos Ants to flourish there.

But fundamentally, I had a question.

“Is that really all?”

“…….”

At my strangely cold words, I felt Olgania’s delicate body tremble slightly as she clung to me.

It was a simple reason.

While I sensed the truth in Olgania’s words, I also felt a subtle trace of deception.

“I realized when I saw that Elanarre, the Captain of the Lotus Knights. That person seems to be at least the equivalent of a high-tier A-rank hunter, if not higher, right?”

I couldn’t be certain since I hadn’t fully gauged her strength, but seeing how she instantly coated her sword with the power of spirits, her potential might even be comparable to that of an S-rank hunter.

As the captain of the knights protecting the Elven Great Forest, it wasn’t strange for her to wield such strength.

Of course, if she and I fought… I can’t guarantee an easy win, but I’m confident I’d eventually come out on top, regardless of how long the battle drags on.

Even if she’s on par with an S-rank hunter, it would be tough for me to claim an instant victory as if swatting a fly, no matter how strong I am.

And the other elves who aimed their arrows at me earlier, though their skills varied, were all at least B-ranks.

Since elves are a long-lived race, they would naturally be superior to humans on average in many ways.

Moreover, this is the Elven Great Forest, their home turf.

Even if humanity brought an army to wage war, there’s no guarantee of victory against the elves of the Great Forest, let alone the Chaos Ants.

Though the World Tree is burned, I can still feel the blessing of its growing seedlings. Would the elves, blessed by the World Tree, really be driven to the brink by mere Chaos Ants?

“It doesn’t seem like you called me here just because of the Chaos Ants, Olgania. I can’t quite figure out why you targeted me yet.”

I still had too little information. And it seemed like Olgania was hiding something.

The coughing elves also bothered me…

“……..T-that’s…”

“Don’t say you just wanted to see me because you’re a fan. I can easily tell if you’re lying or telling the truth.”

“…..”

If Olgania truly had been watching my broadcasts from the beginning as one of my fans, the “Dead Titty Squad,” she would already know.

That’s why Olgania hesitated and closed her mouth, seeming to carefully consider her words.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to hide it.”

“Is it hard to talk about?”

“…Yes.”

“Even to your own kin?”

At my whispered question, Olgania’s shoulders flinched.

This is it.

It must be something hard to discuss even with her own people.

That’s why she sent the request on her own without getting approval from the other elders.

“You don’t have to tell me now.”

“……..”

“But remember one thing. Even though I’ve shown a playful side in my broadcasts… I’m still a saintess.”

I gently stroked Olgania’s head.

Her brilliant platinum blonde hair somehow felt fragile.

“A saintess is someone who brings hope. Someone who becomes a light. Someone who heals wounds. Olgania, now that you’ve called me, I can’t leave your pain, or anyone else’s, unattended.”

“………..”

“So even if it’s not now, you can tell me anytime.”

I don’t know how much of a burden this young girl, Olgania, is carrying.

The elves, who fled to Earth after their World Tree burned down in their previous world.

In this time of racial crisis, where they have become hypersensitive and reject humanity, this child, who is both one of the elders leading the elves and called the last daughter of the Mother World Tree, bears the weight of it all.

Even though she smiles and remains lively, well…

To my eyes, she’s just a child.

I may be the only one treating an elf like a child based solely on their appearance, but what can I say?

That’s how I feel.

“If you ever need my help, or my touch, just say the word.”

“Shia… I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize. Young elves shouldn’t get into the habit of apologizing so easily.”

I didn’t know what kind of expression Olgania was making as she hugged me.

I could easily guess, but well, what can you do?

“Shia, actually…..!”

Knock knock knock.

At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted Olgania, and I gently stroked her head before stepping away from her.

Given that Elanarre had warned Olgania not to get close to me earlier, if anyone found out we were on good terms, things might get complicated.

“Pardon the intrusion. Human… ah, Olgania-sama!?”

The elf who had been so cold towards me suddenly wore a look of shock upon seeing Olgania in my room.

“O-Olgania-sama, what brings you to this human’s room…?”

“Ahem! I was just having a simple conversation with the human I invited as a guest.”

Olgania responded curtly, giving the elf who entered a sideways glance, as if nothing had happened.

“Well, if you had informed us, we would have dropped everything to accompany you and ensure your safety! It’s dangerous to be alone, Olgania-sama! If the human were to do anything to you…”

“Are you implying that the guest I personally invited is a brute, Agatha?”

“…..!”

“I’m quite disappointed. Are you treating me like a blind child simply because I’m young?”

“I-I will correct myself! Please forgive me…!”

“I appreciate your quick reflection. I’ll be watching.”

“Yes!”

Oh, so Olgania wasn’t just a delicate girl after all.

She knew how to wield her authority and dignity as an elder to some extent.

“By the way, Agatha, what brings you to this room?”

“Ah, it’s dinner time, and I came to inform the human…!”

“If my guest is treated with any disrespect or receives discriminatory treatment…”

“I swear that will never happen. As Olgania-sama’s guest, I will offer the human the best hospitality.”

“Good. You may go ahead. I will escort Shia myself.”

“Understood.”

With that, the elf named Agatha disappeared like a shadow.

“Hehe, shall we go, Shia?”

“Yeah.”

Just a moment ago, Olgania had shown a dignified side as an elder, but now, she was snuggling into my soft embrace again, rubbing her face against me.

If I were in Olgania’s shoes, I wouldn’t deny that the maternal warmth emanating from my chest could be addicting.

“Shia, please don’t hate the elves too much.”

Olgania’s voice trembled slightly.

“It’s not that we’ve always hated or avoided humans… but in the previous world, the World Tree was burned down by humans. Even after coming to Earth, many elves still can’t forget the trauma and memories…”

The World Tree, which had been the spiritual foundation and mother of their land for thousands of years, had been burned down by human hands.

It’s no wonder they felt that way.

It’s true that the rude behavior of the young elves angered me, but they too were wounded.

Those who are hurt tend to raise their defenses against everyone.

They fear that their already painful wounds will be torn open further, or that they’ll leave scars forever.

The elves are just scared of that.

Considering the extreme trauma they’ve been through, I think they’re treating me fairly well, all things considered.

“Don’t worry. That won’t happen.”

“…Thank you.”

As a saintess, it is my duty to heal wounds and soothe pain.

Don’t worry, Olgania.

Just because you’re an elf doesn’t mean I’ll ignore your pain.

Besides, as a streamer, I can’t turn my back on my devoted viewer.

○○○○○○

Dinner time.

Without a doubt, Shia considered meal time the happiest, most sacred, and holy time of her day.

Humanity and other intelligent beings developed because of “food.”

To eat delicious and healthy meals, people worked, developed civilization and culture.

If they had surplus wealth, they exchanged it for tastier and more abundant food, and human society reached where it is today.

If there’s someone who doesn’t appreciate the value of food, don’t associate with them.

Anyone who disregards the most fundamental and sacred aspect of humanity doesn’t deserve to be treated as human.

That’s Shia’s view on food and meals, and at times, she even felt that the sanctity of food surpassed her own status as a saintess.

‘Maybe I’m actually the Saintess of Food?’

She would sometimes mutter prayers to God or the stars absentmindedly, but in truth, Shia didn’t serve any particular god.

If she did serve a god, it would undoubtedly be one related to food or eating.

And that evening, as always, the sacred time arrived for Shia.

An elven meal, no less.

Though she had lived for over 60 years in the previous world and fought alongside elves on the battlefield with the Demon King, she had never actually been treated to an elven meal.

Even though her first encounter was with those rude kids, she was finally about to eat an elven meal.

How could she not be excited about the elves’ food?

Elves love nature, but that doesn’t mean they strictly limit their diet.

In fact, the shadow elves, who were once Shia’s comrades in the previous world, were crazy about fried shrimp.

The desert elves, who had formed an alliance with the empire, made jerky from Agolian sandworms, which had an incredible flavor.

There were countless other specialties, dishes, and delicacies that still lingered in Shia’s memory.

Moreover, as a long-lived race, even the elven soldiers, porters, and laborers possessed cooking skills far superior to ordinary human chefs.

Of course, given their long lives, it was only natural they had honed their cooking skills to an exceptional degree.

In that sense, Shia had high expectations.

“Wow…”

The place Shia was led to was a large dining hall where vines and tree branches wound along the walls and ceiling, spiraling across the ground.

The warm smell of rice and bread, the scent of raisins and mushrooms, and even the sound of something frying in oil echoed like a soft melody.

Other elves were gathered there, eating together, so it seemed to serve as a communal dining space.

“You’re here, human. Just sit anywhere. Olgania-sama, your seat is prepared over here…”

“I’ll sit with her. How could I eat alone and leave my guest?”

“…Understood.”

Though Elanarre had spoken stiffly to me, she immediately bowed her head in response to Olgania’s words.

Watching this made me realize that maybe my “Dead Titty Squad” is more impressive than I thought.

No, well, perhaps this is just a special case with Olgania.

Though, things rarely go the way I expect…

The dishes brought out by the elves were quite impressive.

Perhaps Olgania had informed them in advance that I was an enormous eater since the portion on my plate was significantly larger than what the other elves received.

The amount of food on my plate was about ten times that of the other elves.

It still didn’t seem like enough, but well…

Elves typically ate about half as much as humans.

“Hehe, in the Elven Great Forest, even nameless leaves, small grasses, and flowers are precious dew and food for us.”

As Olgania proudly shrugged her shoulders, the first thing served was bread filled with raisins and chestnuts.

Elves, with their eco-friendly nature and the expertise of bakers who have baked for thousands of years, produced bread that couldn’t be compared to the mediocre raisin bread humans made.

When I pressed it lightly with my fingers, I could feel the warmth, and the spot I pressed slowly returned to its original shape.

They say bread that bounces back when pressed is usually delicious, and the smell of this bread assured me it would be great.

“I wasn’t sure whether you’d prefer rice or bread, so I told them to bring everything.”

Next, there was slightly firm, shiny rice steaming with a rich aroma, and I was confident that, with just some spam, I could continue eating it all night long.

The land of the elves is blessed by the World Tree and spirits.

Given that the wheat and rice grown there are of the highest quality and flavor, I didn’t need to explain how incredible they must taste.

To put it simply, this rice alone would be worth dozens of times more than regular rice in the human world.

Following that, grilled mushrooms infused with mana from the Elven Great Forest were served, and even the smell was extraordinary.

If Olgania hadn’t told me, I would have thought it was meat, as the aroma was that rich.

The lotus root and other root vegetables marinated in an unknown colorful sauce and dressing were not only fragrant but also pleasing to the eye.

Wow, just look at all those side dishes.

Even the salads made from leaves and herbs I didn’t recognize numbered over ten varieties, and there was even tofu and soy sauce!

Fried tofu cooked in vegetable oil, and mushrooms and tofu stewed in soy sauce were served.

And then there was ‘leaf tempura,’ which matched Olgania’s nickname, “LeafFriedforSale.”

Each leaf from the Elven Great Forest was said to have an exquisite taste and texture, akin to druppers, but what would it actually taste like?

“Churup…”

It would be strange if it didn’t taste good.

As expected of elves.

There was no need to hold onto any grudge from earlier against those rude brats.

With just one meal, any resentment could easily be soothed.

There was no reason to harbor hatred or malice toward others.

“Go ahead and eat.”

“Huh?”

“Elves don’t have any prayers or rituals for meals. You can start eating whenever you’d like, Shia.”

“No, that’s not it…”

Hey, not everything is out yet, right?

“What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Uh… is this everything, by any chance?”

It can’t be.

When there are side dishes, there should be a main dish, right?

After all these appetizers to whet my appetite, there should be a main course—something like meat.

Olgania, having read my expression, nodded as if she understood what I meant.

As expected of my loyal fan, the “Dead Titty Squad.”

She could tell what I wanted to say just by looking at my face…

“Elves are traditionally vegans!”

“……Son of a b*tch.”

“Sorry, what was that?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Shia’s mood soured rapidly.

“Wow, haha. Really. Looks delicious. Thanks, Olgania.”

“Right? Right? I knew it would suit your taste, Shia!”

“………”

But I couldn’t crush the happy smile of Olgania, my dedicated fan, “LeafFriedforSale,” could I?

Feeling my eye twitch slightly, I picked up my spoon.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Yes! Please enjoy! Let me know if you need more, Shia!”

“…Sure.”