Reporting Back 1
[At approximately 1:00 AM today, a nationwide Dungeon Overbreak was triggered. A total of 401 people, including 382 hunters who were active in the dungeons late at night and 19 association officials dispatched to support them, were caught in the break. Fortunately, the Hunter Association quickly assessed the situation and dispatched rescue hunters. Around 5:45 AM, the Hunter Association officially announced that everyone had been safely rescued, with only a few hunters showing mild signs of exhaustion...]
And now, I was sitting in some building that looked like a government office, a district office, or maybe a city hall.
According to Yeonhwa's grandmother, it was the Hunter Association and the Returnee Management Bureau... but naturally, everything here was completely new to me.
No, but seriously... what is this? You said you were going to buy me meat!
Why did we come here instead?!
When I glared at Yeon Seo with resentful eyes, she gave a sheepish smile and patted my shoulder.
"But it cannot be helped, child. It is quite difficult to find a meat restaurant open at eight in the morning. This grandmother of yours wishes she could feed you right this instant, but..."
Well, she had a point.
Even back in 2024 when I was still alive, restaurants that grilled meat at eight in the morning were incredibly rare.
It wasn't that taxi driver diners or twenty-four-hour joints didn't exist, but since Yeonhwa had used such grand words as 'The Yeon family never forgets a debt of gratitude,' wouldn't we need to go to some lavish buffet to make it look right?
It would be a waste for both me and Yeon Seo to squander the Yeon family's gratitude on a cheap diner.
By the way, Yeonhwa had gone ahead to search for a place that was open.
"More importantly, Sia. Are you truly a returnee?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but if Yeonhwa is right, then yes."
"Then there is something we must do first."
"Is it that returnee registration thing?"
"Indeed."
Yeon Seo and I were sitting in the civil service waiting room right in the center of the bureau.
"Tsk, normally Director Lee or the underlings would have rushed out to greet us... but they must all be skipping work because of some press conference. Tsk, tsk. Completely undisciplined..."
"..."
According to Yeonhwa, her grandmother, Yeon Seo, was a legendary figure among hunters.
Currently retired from active duty, she only stepped in during anomalies like the Dungeon Overbreak, spending the rest of her time farming in some quiet countryside.
Seeing how she mentioned high-altitude agriculture, she probably lived in a villa somewhere in Gangwon Province.
"We will grow old waiting at this rate. Sia, wait here for a moment. For them not to show their faces even when it is past 8:40... the world is truly coming to an end."
"...The sign over there says they open at 9:00, though?"
"Ah, child. In my day, even if the official hours started at nine, the rookies and the youngest would arrive by eight to clean up! They would tidy their seniors' desks, check the daily schedule, and if there were early visitors, they would ask what brought them here and prepare to start the day's work."
"...?"
That was a very familiar aura of speech.
It had that distinct, classic boomer energy...
Even if Yeonhwa's grandmother looked like a twenty-something idol on the outside, her inside was definitely that of an old grandmother.
"Um, did you work as a civil servant or in a counseling office back then, Grandma?"
"Hmm? No, I was always the one filing the complaints."
"...Oh."
I guess people's lives are the same whether it's my past life or the present.
Unable to wait any longer, Yeon Seo stood up.
"Wait here just a moment. I shall return shortly."
Once Yeon Seo vanished, I was left entirely alone in this vast waiting room.
I didn't particularly like being left alone, but I could endure it for a little bit.
It wasn't like I was a child.
Only after she left did I start glancing around the room.
Whoa, the TVs look like actual holograms now...
I didn't know what channel it was, but it looked like some kind of internet broadcast. Something very modern was playing.
Using the remote control left on the chair, I flipped through the channels. While there were traditional TV programs I recognized, there were also quite a few strange ones that looked like hunter broadcasts.
I've never seen this kind of broadcast before...
Hunter channels, dungeon exploration channels, gaming channels.
Of course, public broadcasting channels existed separately, but it was fascinating to see these kinds of things being broadcasted so casually on TV.
Right, I had disappeared from this world in 2024, and now it was 2088. A lot of things had definitely changed.
But while many things had changed, some things remained stubbornly the same. The distinct aura of government offices was one of them.
Naturally, this bureau, being a place that handled civil complaints just like a district office or city hall, carried that exact same vibe.
The only difference was that the visitors were hunters and returnees rather than ordinary citizens.
That feeling of rigid bureaucracy.
Friendly on the surface, but frustratingly inflexible, suffocating anyone who dealt with them.
That specific feeling of waiting patiently for your turn while listening to the occasional malicious complainant throwing a tantrum in the background.
Anyway, just sitting here drained my energy even though I wasn't doing anything.
For some reason, waiting in a place like this made my mood drop, making me feel annoyed and building up an inexplicable amount of stress.
This had been true even before I became the deceased saint.
It felt like my very soul detested drawing a waiting number.
Slide—
"Ugh, holy shit. I thought I was going to die."
"...Sigh, this month is ruined."
"Of all times, a break had to happen right during the promotion evaluation period."
Just then, the door to the waiting room slid open, and a group of people walked in.
Glancing at them out of the corner of my eye, I could tell they weren't ordinary citizens.
Their ranks seemed to vary, but judging by the faint mana and the strong presence they exuded, they were undoubtedly hunters.
"Huh? Someone's already here."
"Does that make us second?"
"Excuse me."
"..."
"Excuse me, miss over there! Are you deaf?"
"..."
Huh? What? Me?
I turned my head to look at the hunters, and it seemed they were indeed calling out to me.
"Sorry to bother you, miss. If you're here alone, could you swap places with us?"
"...?"
I simply tilted my head at the words of the muscular, tanned man with black hair.
I didn't quite understand what he meant by swapping places, but he was probably talking about the waiting order.
"We have a ton of dungeon byproducts to turn in. We need to submit them to the association, get them certified, dispose of them, and head straight back to the dungeon."
"We're really sorry. We're in the middle of our promotion period, so if it's not too urgent, could you let us go first? We have to head straight to Suwon by 9:30..."
Well, if that was the case.
When I nodded silently, the tanned man smiled, looking surprisingly good-natured despite his rugged appearance.
"Oh, thanks. Sorry if we seemed rude by cutting in, miss. Now that I look at you, your skin is incredibly pale. If I pass this promotion, how about I treat you to a meal?"
Actually, I wasn't even waiting for my turn here.
They were hunters, and I was a returnee.
Since the departments handling us were likely different, there was no point in me waiting in their line anyway.
"Hey. Stop."
Just then, a female hunter standing behind them grabbed the shoulders of the two men, her face stiffening.
"What's wrong?"
"Why is your face like that? Did you step in something?"
"That thing... isn't human."
"...?"
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted.
Clang!
The hunters drew their weapons in the blink of an eye, pointing them at me, the previous friendly air vanishing completely.
"...?"
"What are you?"
"What is the sensor picking up?!"
"That... shit, it's an undead!"
"What?!"
The petite female hunter seemed to be the leader of the group.
Given her mention of a sensor, she must have had the ability to detect that I wasn't a living human the moment she saw me.
But isn't this escalation a bit too fast?
Are you guys stupid?
What kind of undead would just sit quietly in the waiting room of the Returnee Management Bureau?
Well... it wasn't wrong that I was undead, though.
"I think there's a misunderstanding..."
"Misunderstanding, my ass...! Damn it, I knew something was off when we cleared the dungeon without a single scratch."
"It has reason and intellect! It might be an S-grade undead...!"
"Excuse me..."
Sigh, seriously.
A saint shouldn't be swearing, but...
It seemed my patience was wearing thin, perhaps because I was overwhelmed by the rapidly changing environment and the nostalgia of returning home after so long.
At the same time, I fell into thought.
According to Yeonhwa, I wasn't the only returnee.
There were returnees who had reincarnated as other races, and even skeleton knights existed somewhere. They should have easily guessed that I was a returnee even if I wasn't human. Why were they reacting so defensively?
Ah, the Dungeon Overbreak.
The dungeon where Yeonhwa and I had grilled the tenderloin of the Black Minotaur was originally an A-grade dungeon, meaning an S-grade boss like the Black Minotaur shouldn't have appeared there.
I doubted whether that thing was truly worthy of being called an S-grade boss, but setting that aside, the anomaly of the Dungeon Overbreak had mutated many dungeons across the country, putting many hunters in danger.
Because of the Overbreak, several dungeons had been upgraded to S-grade, forcing their entrances to be sealed. I recalled Yeon Seo mentioning earlier that the Hunter Association was busy tracking down any S-grade or equivalent monsters that might have escaped.
And when Yeon Seo had mistaken me for a monster trying to devour Yeonhwa and attacked me, she had been extremely wary of 'monsters with reason and intellect.'
There must have been some traumatic incident involving monsters that was deeply engraved in the minds of the hunters.
The hunters couldn't bring themselves to attack me rashly.
Believing that I wasn't just any monster, but an S-grade dungeon boss that had come out to deceive humanity, their eyes trembled like aspen leaves. The tanned man who had just been flirting with me was shaking down to his thighs despite his large build.
Let's just explain it simply. A single sentence saying 'I'm a returnee' should be enough.
"I am..."
"It's chanting! Attack!"
"Oh, shit!"
"Damn it, I didn't want to die today!"
...Well, you guys are certainly well-trained.
Hunters are protectors of humanity.
The moment I opened my mouth, they assumed I was a lich casting a spell that would slaughter countless people in the middle of Seoul, so they bravely charged at me despite the danger. It was a truly commendable attitude for a hunter.
Yes, you're doing a fantastic job, you idiots.
Left with no choice, I let out a deep sigh internally and was about to channel my holy power when...
"Why don't you children cool your heads a bit?"
Snap!
With the sound of a finger snapping, all the hunters charging at me suddenly vanished.
Only the weapons they had been holding clattered onto the floor.
"...Grandmother?"
"I know not what transpired in my brief absence, but my... the youth of today are certainly full of vigor."
Behind Yeon Seo stood a middle-aged man in a suit, looking pale as he bowed politely with his hands clasped together.
Who was he?
No, that wasn't the important part...
"Grandmother, where did you send them?"
"Ah, do not worry. I merely sent them to enjoy the cool breeze of the East Sea for a moment."
"...Excuse me?"
"Ah, it should be about time."
Snap!
"Pwah?!"
"H-Hieee...!"
"Uwooogh..."
"*Cough!*"
When Yeon Seo snapped her fingers again, the vanished hunters reappeared.
Unlike before, they were dripping wet and smelled strongly of the sea.
She really had sent them to the ocean.
"Gasp, gasp, gasp... what just happened?"
"T-That evil undead girl did this to us...!"
"My, you still have not learned your lesson. How about the West Sea this time?"
Snap!
And the hunters vanished once more.
"...Um, Yeon Seo... I mean, Grandmother. Don't you think that's enough?"
"Hoho, do not worry. The children's passion was simply too hot, so this grandmother is merely helping them cool down."
"Still..."
Snap!
"Gasp, gasp, gasp, gasp..."
"T-This undead..."
"We have to... we have to st..."
Snap!
"But why didn't you teleport me away when we fought? Couldn't you have sent me to the sea, or even into lava or the Earth's mantle like you did to them?"
"If one suddenly shoves something into the mantle, it might trigger disasters like earthquakes elsewhere, so one must be careful. Besides, Sia, my ability is not omnipotent."
"It certainly looks omnipotent."
"It only appears that way. That... miracle? Whatever it is you unconsciously wrap around yourself, it is similar to mana but far stronger..."
"I call it holy power."
"Ah, yes, holy power. At any rate, because of that holy power, it is nigh impossible for me to teleport you."
"I see. But shouldn't you bring the hunters back now?"
"Ah."
Snap!
"P-Please stop... I feel like throwing up... *urgh*..."
"My head is spinning..."
"Haa, haa, haa..."
I didn't know how many times they had been dunked into the ocean, but the hunters were now crawling on the floor, completely exhausted.
I did feel a bit sorry for them.
Even though they had tried to attack me, it was entirely based on a misunderstanding.
They were fundamentally good and diligent hunters, so it was only natural to feel pity for them after they had been forced to taste so much saltwater.
Miracle: Great Healing
"Ah?!"
"Huh...?"
The healing I used could save almost anyone as long as they weren't already dead.
And healing didn't just mend physical wounds, injuries, or illnesses; it could also completely cure physical and mental fatigue.
"Are you feeling better?"
"...Uh, yeah..."
"Y-Yes..."
Come to think of it, didn't they say healers and support classes were rare? If so, they must have been shocked by the sudden surge of healing energy.
"Now that you have regained your senses, stand up and apologize, children."
"Pardon...?"
"Who are you... *gasp*?!"
"L-Lady Yeon Seo!!!"
"Kyaa! Did you say Lady Yeon Seo?!"
Only then did the hunters notice Yeon Seo standing behind them, letting out gasps of awe.
Seeing how their faces, which had been pale and soaked in seawater just moments ago, instantly lit up with admiration and reverence, Yeon Seo was indeed an incredible hunter.
"Do not think of me as cruel. The child you tried to attack, thinking she was an undead monster, is not a creature from a dungeon. She is a returnee."
"Ah..."
"A-A returnee..."
"We are terribly sorry, Lady Yeon Seo... We truly believed she was an S-grade monster that had escaped during the Overbreak..."
"Yes, I understand. During a break, anything can happen. However..."
Yeon Seo smiled brightly at the hunters.
"The one you children should be apologizing to is not this grandmother, but that child over there, is it not?"
"T-That is true..."
"Y-Yes! We are sorry!"
"We apologize, Miss Returnee!"
I gave a sheepish smile at the hunters' apologies.
"It's fine. You didn't do it on purpose, and you're hunters. Are you feeling okay? I cast a healing spell, but I'm not sure if it worked properly."
"Y-Yes! We are perfectly fine!"
"Ah, and one more thing... that child is the savior of myself and my granddaughter."
"...*Gasp*..."
At those words, the hunters didn't just stop at a simple apology; they all bowed ninety degrees to me.
"W-We apologize once again!"
"Please forgive us!"
"No, no. Do not be so frightened. However, may I ask a favor of you?"
"Y-Yes...! We will do it! No, please let us do it! Anything for you, Lady Yeon Seo...!"
"If you happen to run into other hunters, I would appreciate it if you could tell them about this child. She is under the protection of the Yeon family. So, if anyone feels like giving her a hard time, or perhaps trying to assert their seniority over her..."
Yeon Seo then walked over to the female hunter with the detection ability and whispered.
"Tell them they will have to speak with me directly."
"...*Hic*...!"
"Y-Yes!"
"Understood! We will keep that in mind! We will make sure to tell every hunter we know!"
"Hoho, good, good. I do not dislike passionate hunters. Keep up the good work."
"Yes!"
"Ah, what are your names?"
"...S-Seong Yu-an!"
"Lee Hyun-soo."
"Kim Yu-jin! It is an honor, Lady Yeon Seo!"
"Very well, I shall remember them."
Yeon Seo then took my hand and led me out of the waiting room. The man in the suit followed closely behind us.
"...Um, Grandmother. Did you really have to go that far?"
"Hoho, I did play a little prank, didn't I?"
"Couldn't you have just explained it with words?"
"One thing I have learned at my age is that showing someone through actions is far more effective than a hundred words."
Seeing Yeon Seo smile with such mischief made her feel more like a child than a grandmother.
"But more than that, the hazing in the returnee and hunter world is harsher than you think. To avoid annoying troubles in the future, you need to establish a strong presence early on."
"...Is that so?"
"And, child, though you might not have realized it, you and those children almost had a major clash just now. I merely cooled their heads as well."
Was that it?
Since I didn't know how the hunter world worked here, I couldn't be sure, but Yeon Seo was a veteran hunter with decades of experience. She was probably right.
"Hoho, if you ever run into trouble in the future, just use my name."
Oh, that sounded pretty good.
Even to an outsider like me, Yeon Seo's status in this industry was legendary. Having her backing would make life much easier, wouldn't it?
In the fantasy world I lived in previously, I had also used Emperor Menerapi's name to secure various conveniences and comforts.
"Now then, let us go register your return."