Starting Earth's Cultural Revolution! [04]
Starting Earth's Cultural Revolution! [04]
I found myself humming a tune.
I'm in a mood several times better than usual.
It feels like I have the whole world in my hands.
Why, you ask?
Because of the black bag sitting on my desk.
I never imagined I'd receive something like that.
My hard work as an A-rank hunter really paid off.
Good job, me. So good!
I opened my closet. I don't need my hunter gear.
I reached for a simple white blouse.
This looks much better in front of the camera.
A comfortable and natural outfit suits me better. Honestly, I really hesitate to wear hunter gear even at home after a hard day.
But it's a bit boring like this.
Let's make sure my bra strap is showing just a little.
Everyone will like that, right?
I checked the mirror once and tidied up my hair.
Makeup not too heavy, and I'm ready.
I sat in front of the computer and pressed the broadcast button.
The waiting screen appeared, and a moment later, the viewer count started to climb. I pulled the microphone toward me lightly. Calming my breathing.
"Hello, everyone. You've come again today."
The chat poured in instantly.
"I am in a good mood, that's right. I'll tell you why later. You'll all be surprised!"
I smiled slyly, secretly enjoying the impatient chat. Not a single person guessed it right.
I had already decided on the broadcast topic.
It was just the other day that I got a call from the Hunter Bureau.
Did they say they were looking for beta testers?
So I asked a few things. I asked if it was okay to use an item that hadn't been officially released yet on a broadcast.
The answer was positive. They even asked me to be proactive about it.
From my perspective, there was no reason to refuse.
Who knows when an opportunity like this will come again.
Ah, right. I need to finish my greetings.
"I've been resting because I've been so busy lately. A lot of Gates have been bursting. It was quite tough holding the line down here while all the S-rank hunters were out."
"You know S-rank isn't something just anyone can reach. I like this position, so I don't have much greed for it. If I became S-rank, I probably wouldn't be able to stream this comfortably, right? There would be national security issues and such."
It's better to cut off boring questions.
If it flows the wrong way, the atmosphere gets heavy.
Let's quickly change the subject to something else.
"Today, I'm going to show you something special. This."
I turned the camera.
The black bag on the desk came into view. It doesn't have any special features on the outside. Even I was indifferent until I knew what it was.
"Wrong! Wrong! You're all wrong."
The chat window moved faster.
I teased them a little more. I matched the timing while watching the speed of the chat.
"It's a trade good brought by the Dragon Princess-nim."
The chat window stopped.
For exactly 0.5 seconds.
"Ahem! It's the dignity of an A-rank hunter."
I said triumphantly.
This is what's fun.
This is why I'm an A-rank hunter.
To feel this sense of superiority.
"I can't do anything about that."
The chat window kept scrolling up.
I checked the viewer count. It doubled in the blink of an eye. Someone is probably broadcasting this situation in real-time.
Maybe it's on the hunter community.
Or maybe it spread to general communities too.
As expected, the Dragon Princess-nim's reputation is amazing.
The viewer count doubles just from the name alone. Honestly, I couldn't really grasp that her presence was at this level. Because I've never seen her in person.
I've only seen her in photos or videos.
A youthful face and pink hair.
The chubby tail was also impressive.
I hope I can see her sometime later.
Now it's time to show it properly.
I pulled the bag closer to the camera.
A black, ordinary-looking bag.
There was really nothing to it.
No magic circles, no glowing patterns.
The kind of thing you could sell anywhere in a shop.
"The design isn't bad. I think it would be perfectly fine to carry around like this."
I unfolded the manual that came with the bag.
I read it carefully. Authentication method, usage, precautions, etc. In order. There was nothing complicated. It was actually so easy it was almost scary.
The first step was to lightly cut my fingertip.
"Starting from here is a bit scary, though."
I made a small cut on my fingertip.
A little blood welled up. It didn't hurt.
I'm an A-rank hunter, why would this hurt?
It was just that the procedure was a bit unfamiliar.
I brought my hand to the opening of the bag.
The zipper opened, and the inside was visible.
A vortex filled with starlight was slowly rotating. Even if I peered into it, I couldn't see the end. It was like an illusion of staring directly at the Milky Way right in front of my eyes.
I stared at it for a while.
One second. Two seconds. Ten seconds.
Endlessly, continuously.
"They call it a Subspace, but it's dreamy."
"Let's test the performance."
I started putting the items on the desk inside. A bottle of water. A charger. A thick book. A small dumbbell. And then, even the cushion that was on the chair.
It all went in.
Before I knew it, the desk was empty.
I picked up the bag.
Lightly, with one hand.
"It's incredibly light?"
"I don't know that either."
I took the items back out.
The book, the dumbbell, the cushion. They were all fine.
I took them out in order and placed them on the floor.
The more I thought about it, the weirder it got.
Whatever it is...
It really makes no sense.
I checked the viewer count again.
It exceeded 300,000.
Anyone who has been broadcasting for a long time knows what this number means.
It's the highest concurrent viewer count ever.
Will an opportunity like this come again? I can't guarantee it.
Since it's come to this, I'm going to milk it for all it's worth. Today is a 24-hour broadcast!
"It's not officially released yet. I'm a beta tester too, so I don't really know."
I'm just a tester, though.
But being the first to reveal this on a broadcast...
It was a pretty good feeling as a hunter.
"Let's look one more time."
I opened the zipper.
The vortex started spinning again.
The chat window was plastered with screams.
How much higher will it go? If my fellow streamers see this, they'll all be scrambling to get a bag, right?
Imagining that scene made me feel strangely thrilled.
The viewer count kept going up.
There was no sign of it stopping.
The really fun part starts now.
✦✦✦
My name is Lucia.
I am one of the only two Transcendental-rank hunters in the United States.
The whole world watches me.
Embarrassingly, everyone says the same thing.
That I am the most holy and noble woman.
I opened the door to the prayer room.
The inside was full of people.
Those praying with their eyes closed.
Those sitting quietly.
Those with their heads bowed.
Various faces, various ages.
Everyone was wishing for something.
Those who have been saved, and those who want to be saved.
There was a pious heart, but...
There was also no shortage of unholy hearts.
Those gazes turned toward me in unison.
I accepted them silently and did not stop walking.
I straightened my back and stared straight ahead.
Whether it was admiration or resentment...
I was already used to such gazes.
I knelt and sat down.
I wrapped my hands around the silver bag.
A Gate opened again this morning.
It wasn't big. It was a scale I could handle alone. Fortunately, there was no damage to civilians.
People praised me and offered prayers.
"The Messenger of God has come."
"The Transcendental-rank hero of America is God's messenger!"
"Oh God, thank you for your mercy."
Foolish.
The true salvation of this world...
Must be with Him.
To not see the truth.
That scene wouldn't leave my head.
I can't forget it. The overwhelming despair.
The helplessness and fear felt right in front of my eyes.
The pouring monsters.
The number pushing in like a wall.
The woefully insufficient manpower.
What changes if I am the only Transcendental-rank?
There is a limit to one person's power.
I am not a hero or anything.
Please, I beg you.
Please leave me alone.
It was heavy.
The weight of the lives I had to protect.
Suddenly, I wanted to run away.
I hated the position I had to take responsibility for.
Short-cropped silver hair and pure white wings.
The color of the magic power was also a holy light.
People called me the second coming of the Saintess.
To the point of receiving invitations from the Vatican multiple times...
All sorts of organizations wanted me.
A Saintess who can't save anything.
That word suited Him better.
The one who suppressed everything with overwhelming power.
The most beautiful existence in the world.
I, too, was saved by Him.
The day countless Gates opened.
S-rank hunters collapsed one by one.
The defensive line they were guarding was breached.
My feet tried to step back on their own.
If I turned around and ran away now, maybe I could live. But I couldn't do that.
Behind me were those who hadn't escaped yet...
Civilians.
Truly terrible hostages.
If it's like this, I can't even run away.
Cowardly. I wanted to be protected too.
In that desperate moment.
Finally, salvation descended.
As a pink flash covered the sky, countless shadows covered the monsters. Without leaving a trace. Very cleanly. Some people trembled in fear while watching that...
But that didn't matter.
Found you. I found you! The savior!
The one who will save me from this nightmare!
The Salvation Church started from that day.
The doctrine is simple. To worship Him, the Messiah of the new world. Anything more was unnecessary.
Others pointed fingers and called us crazy, but they couldn't touch the Salvation Church founded by a Transcendental-rank hunter.
At first, it was a small number. Ten people, twenty people.
There were few civilians. Most were composed of hunters. There was one commonality.
They were survivors of the Gate's nightmare.
Explanation was unnecessary.
They already knew.
The overwhelming power He showed.
People gathered. Much more than expected, much faster than expected. There were those who doubted, but it kept growing.
People who needed salvation were everywhere.
I waited and waited. Endlessly.
He finally gave a revelation.
A holy relic in the shape of a bag.
At first, I didn't believe it. That He would personally bestow it. But when I saw the real thing, I couldn't doubt it anymore.
I could tell at a glance.
That it was not an object made by humans.
I looked inside the bag.
The inside had no end.
The believers gathered on one side and looked this way.
Faces waiting piously.
Expectation was contained in their eyes.
I stood up from my seat.
I had them come forward one by one.
Each stood in front of the bag.
There was no one rushing.
Everyone was calm.
Those shedding tears. Those clasping their hands together.
Those who lost their words and just looked down at the bag.
No explanation was needed.
A mother who brought her child led the child's hand to touch the entrance. The child didn't cry even after seeing their hand disappear.
I looked at them one by one.
"This is a Holy Relic."
At the low and quiet voice...
The prayer room fell silent.
"All shackles have been broken. Now there is nothing that cannot be contained. With His wisdom, humanity is moving forward."
A believer raised their hand.
It was a middle-aged woman.
"Can we use this?"
"Yes."
"How is such a thing possible?"
I looked down at the entrance for a moment.
The vortex was spinning quietly.
"It is His grace and mercy."
I didn't say more.
Time was needed for those words to settle.
The believers bowed their heads again.
The low sound of prayer crawled across the floor.
"...Thank you."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
The light from beyond the window stopped on the bag.
It is as calm as a painting.
...From within it, a faint light leaks out.
I wish I could let more people know.
Of His existence. Of His greatness.
Of His flight. Of His love.
I must convey it to many humans.
I lifted the bag high.
The swirling vortex and starlight.
It was always difficult to understand.
But such things are trivial.
It is natural that humans cannot fully understand what God has made. You don't have to try to understand.
Just God. Him.
You just have to believe.
I knelt again and wrapped my hands around it.
The light of the prayer room settled on my wings.
For a very long time, I did not move.
"Oh God. My God. My lovely Lord."
Please do not abandon me.
Please give eternal salvation to your little lamb.
So that that day is never repeated again.