Atonement Slice – The Lily's Muddy Triumph

Holy Church, the saintess's private chambers. Isha von Estel was huddled in the corner of her bed, buried under the covers. The only light illuminating her pale face was the bluish glow from her smartphone screen.

One Flower Lily. That was the nickname she'd agonized over before settling on. Yeah, this is perfect. Anything too saintly screamed amateur. But something like PizzaLover or PepperoniKiller felt way too tacky. It had to guarantee total anonymity while retaining nobility and elegance—a single flower blooming proudly amid the muddy swamp of an online community. Impressed by her own naming genius, Isha had posted under the title Atonement Slice.

"……."

An hour after the post went up, Isha's fingers trembled faintly.

"Ughhh……."

Isha kicked at the blanket. A tsunami of embarrassment crashed over her. She'd written it with total sincerity—a devout cleric's anguish and inner conflict before the greasy temptation of worldly pizza. The liberation of that first bite colliding with guilt. Elevated through the keyword atonement, it was literature incarnate!

"Th… these ignorant fools. They can't grasp the depth of my words…."

Reality was brutal. Every refresh brought more downvotes, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hate piling up exponentially.

—Knock knock

"Saintess. It's Yohan."

Isha jolted, shoving her phone under the pillow. She cleared her throat.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Priest Yohan entered. His face was etched with worry.

"Saintess, training time has passed. The vice-captain is waiting…."

"……I'm not going."

Isha grumbled curtly, burrowing deeper into the covers.

"Pardon?"

"I'm… not feeling well today. Tell them I'm skipping training."

"S-Saintess?"

Yohan couldn't believe his ears. Who was Isha von Estel? The iron lady who'd never missed a session, even in the midst of beast wars or raging fevers. And now she was ditching? His gaze drifted to the empty pizza box on the table.

No way….

His face paled.

That pizza's the culprit!

The mysterious food from that scammer Lee Han. She'd forced it down to analyze the enemy's power, but its evil aura was clearly corrupting her pure body and soul.

"Saintess… is the injury from that pizza severe? I'll fetch the medic right away!"

"No. It's not that."

Isha mumbled into her pillow.

"I just… want to be alone. I need time for mental training. To shield my soul from the world's malice…."

"The world's malice…."

Yohan fell solemn. She'd devoured the pizza to scout the enemy, bearing the world's pain alone. Her vessel was beyond mortal comprehension.

"Understood. I'll handle the knights. Please… find your inner peace."

Yohan drew a pious sign of the cross and withdrew. The moment the door shut, Isha yanked out her phone again.

"……Just you wait. I'm taking 1st."

Poisonous resolve glinted in Isha's eyes. Mental training forgotten, she jotted down every downvoter's ID in her interrogation notebook.

Seoul outskirts.

"Lee Han. Contest deadline's up."

Black Rose handed over her tablet PC. The screen brimmed with thousands of entries in an Excel list.

"Hotter response than expected. Power of free subscriptions, huh~?"

I lounged crookedly on the sofa, cracking a canned beer as I scanned it.

"Lemme see. Anything decent?"

My scrolling finger halted.

Overwhelming downvotes. Unprecedented forum massacre. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yet my lips curled softly.

"One Flower Lily."

Perfect trigger for my laugh.

"This… is Isha."

"……Pardon?"

Black Rose's eyes widened.

"The saintess? Nah, no way. Nickname's too… dated. Like an 80s shojo manga heroine."

"Nope. Definitely her."

My gaze grew distant, drifting back to a day in the regressing, doomed world.

And now, in this peaceful era, she'd dusted off One Flower Lily. Even if the venue was a cesspool forum.

"Pfft."

How could I not laugh?

"Still the same. Stubborn? Pure?"

"Lee Han? Don't laugh alone—explain. Really the saintess?"

"Yeah. And right now…."

Eyeing the monitor's hate storm, I pictured her plight.

"She's hurting bad."

Even a tough saintess—could she weather this barrage? Probably kicking blankets or skipping training in gloom right now.

"With Isha's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠personality, she'll read every comment. She'd be too mentally wrecked to swing her holy sword if I showed up."

"Uh… isn't that good for us?"

I rubbed my chin. Moderate stress builds character; excess poisons. More than that, I couldn't let her get hurt over something trivial like naming a pizza. Her trials should come solely from me.

"Rose. Pick this one."

I pointed at Atonement Slice.

"Lee Han, you're insane? See those downvotes? 1st place means user riot. Fairness backlash tanks the shop's rep!"

"Fairness?"

I crushed the can into the trash.

"Since when do we care? Plus, who's the boss here?"

"…You."

"Exactly. Boss's call. Who argues?"

"Still, need a justification…."

"Got one. 'Boss relates 'cause he's got tons to atone for.' Post that notice."

Black Rose eyed me, probing the sincerity in my gaze.

"Call it… a little comfort for her."

Added inner thought: 'Remember forever while chowing my pizzas. Who saved your black history.'

"Sigh… Fine. If you say post, I post."

She grumbled, typing away.

"But really the saintess? What if some rando pops up thanking us later?"

"Bet my wrist on it."

I stared at One Flower Lily onscreen with conviction.

She's a lily through and through.

Holy Church, Isha's chambers. She lay facing the wall, phone abandoned on the desk far away.

Won't look. Absolutely not.

Yohan was right. The gallery was toxic—a magic tool amplifying inner darkness. Never again.

—Bzzzt.

Her ears perked at the short vibration.

Notification? No. Ignore it. Probably another hate alert. Your post sucks, no thanks—just pollutes her holy power.

Results… out?

Human hearts are sly. Five thousand downvotes, yet a sliver of hope poked through.

Okay. Just check the winner. Congratulate humbly and close. That's saintly poise.

Isha crept up, hand shaking as she approached the desk. Lit the screen. Launched Hunter Inside app.

"Hoo…."

Deep breath. Eyes squeezed shut, then peeked while scrolling.

"……?"

Isha rubbed her eyes, peering again. No mistake. It said One Flower Lily.

"I… I won?"

Her mouth gaped slowly. Piercing five thousand downvotes. Overcoming tens of thousands of hates. Her sincerity had reached them.

"I won! I won!"

Isha leaped onto the bed. Saintly dignity? Long gone to Andromeda.

"See that, haters! Boss has taste! My words connected!"

She hugged her phone, rolling across the sheets. Lifetime ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠free. VIP. Black card. Fireworks in her brain.

Reason felt iffy, but who cared now? Justice prevailed.

"Yohan! Yohan!"

Barefoot, Isha flung open the door, yelling. Yohan rushed from the hall's end.

"S-Saintess? What's wrong? Intruders?"

"Pizza for dinner! My treat! Eat up!"

"Pardon…?"

Yohan stared blankly. The terminal depression case from moments ago now beamed like she'd conquered the world.

Bipolar for sure?

His worries deepened, but Isha's face bloomed with a lily-like radiant smile. Today, atonement and grudges on hold—she'd savor this sweet victory.