Streaming? Me? Why? 3
The Hunter Association’s stance was finalized in short order.
Approve Lee Sia's streaming license as quickly as possible and provide full administrative support.
Over the past week, the Association had closely monitored the fallout of the accidental broadcast. They watched how Lee Sia reacted, and how the netrunners of the Hunter Gallery responded to her.
They had even assigned a staff member to monitor the Genre Hunter Gallery in real-time, tracking every piece of information related to Sia and reviewing the access logs of her smartwatch.
Just to be sure, an Association official had quietly questioned Yeonhwa.
"Sia-eonni didn't mind at all," Yeonhwa had testified. "In fact, she said she was happy. She told me that in her previous world, she used to comfort the masses and heal the sick. Even when I offered to file lawsuits on her behalf, she just laughed it off, saying it felt like watching children play. She might be a bit eccentric, but she really is a true saintess."
The Association had fully expected the netrunners to go wild over the sudden appearance of a new hunter possessing S-grade combat power. The public image of S-grade hunters, established by Yeon Seo, carried a status that transcended mere heroism; it was only natural for people to be enthusiastic.
The biggest concern had been how Sia herself would handle the attention. If it triggered her psychological trauma, the stream—and everything else—would go down the drain.
Fortunately, Yeonhwa's testimony convinced the Association that the Deceased Saintess was entirely unaffected by the toxic, line-crossing comments of the netrunners. Judging by the overall situation, they concluded that Sia would adapt to streaming far more easily than expected.
Streaming was not for the faint of heart. It required a thick skin to endure the endless rumors, the obsessive stalking, the insults, the harassment, and the malicious mockery of toxic netrunners.
Yet Sia possessed a mind resilient enough to overlook it all with grace. Whether that resilience came from a truly unbreakable spirit or a mind so thoroughly shattered by past horrors that petty internet malice couldn't even register, the Association couldn't say. Either way, their assessment confirmed she was highly suited for the platform. All that was left was to fast-track her approval.
The Hunter Association wasn't doing this out of pure kindness. Allowing Sia to stream was simply the most convenient and mutually beneficial way to monitor her while satisfying her Evil Nature consumption.
In fact, dragging their feet and risking a hunger seizure from her undead condition was a recipe for an irreversible disaster. Since the Association had been preparing for this for a week, the final approval went through instantly.
"There's a yellow badge next to my name."
"That means you've received official verification from the Hunter Association."
The verification badge was essentially a government guarantee: This hunter is officially certified by the Association as highly skilled! Watch with peace of mind!
While many streaming hunters coveted the badge, the Association's screening process was notoriously strict and time-consuming. Most streamers didn't bother. However, obtaining it guaranteed a baseline viewership. No viewer could resist the flashy combat and overwhelming action of a highly skilled hunter.
"Uh... monetization settings? Screen layout?"
"How do we set this up...?"
"Yeonhwa, have you ever streamed before?"
"Of course not... Grandmother streams occasionally, but she left for Afghanistan yesterday, so I can't really ask her."
Wait, Grandmother Yeon Seo streams...?
"Yeon Seo-ssi streams...? I can't picture it."
"Yes. She does something called 'High-Altitude Dungeon Farming,' though I don't watch it very often..."
For a while, Sia and Yeonhwa fumbled with the account settings on the smartwatch. The support AI drone provided by the Association was state-of-the-art; a single press of the broadcast button would automatically optimize the camera angles and focus on the subject. But the account configuration and stream setup were completely foreign to them.
Honestly, it was overwhelming. There were endless options for stream quality, chat filters, traffic management, and custom emotes. Sia had no idea what any of it meant.
Though internet streaming had existed before the Great Rift in 2024, Sia had never been a streamer back then. Now, with decades of technological advancement and a dizzying array of interfaces, she was completely lost.
Unfortunately, Yeonhwa was of no help either. And asking the Hunter Association to configure a personal stream felt inappropriate. Who asks a government agency to set up their chat filters?
"It's fine. Let's just turn it on."
"Are you sure, Eonni?"
"Yeah. We'll just do a simple self-introduction today."
Still... something felt a bit off.
Streaming.
Even before 2024, I hadn't known much about it. I had never really followed any streamers, and before I could even enjoy my youth, I was swept away by the Great Rift.
Admittedly, the streams in this returned world were far more entertaining than I expected. Watching hunters broadcast their raids on TV and the internet was incredibly fascinating to someone who had been gone for sixty-four years.
Well, because of that, I ended up spending a good chunk of my 100-million-won returnee support fund on stream donations instead of just food...
I had hoped to live a lazy life of eating and watching streams, but I never imagined I would be the one behind the camera.
Yet, it was genuinely exciting. Seeing my name, 'Lee Sia,' discussed in various ways on the Genre Hunter Gallery brought me a strange sense of joy. I still didn't quite understand why. Perhaps it reminded me of the days when the citizens of the Empire revered me as a saintess.
Even the netrunners Yeonhwa called toxic didn't seem all that bad to me. If anything, they were almost cute.
If someone asked if I was prepared... well, I didn't need preparation. I wasn't nervous about streaming. I was still a bit conflicted about what kind of content to make, but it didn't make my hands shake or weigh heavily on my mind.
No, what held me back was something else entirely.
Is it really okay for someone like me to stream? Am I allowed to laugh and play as I please?
Sitting in my chair, I locked eyes with the drone camera. Its mechanical lens felt like the resentful gaze of the humans I had devoured.
During my first hunger seizure, I had consumed one hundred and ninety-two humans, regardless of their guilt or innocence. Among them were strangers, but also Tia, who had been so close to me.
Can someone like me really live a peaceful life, streaming for fun? Leaving the past behind in another world, forgetting everything, acting as if nothing happened...
Am I allowed to be happy? Do I have the right to live like this? Can a wretched, deceased saintess who deserves to die afford the luxury of seeking happiness?
The shadow of my past, unnoticed while I was moving forward, caught up to me the moment I stopped to look back. Was it the shadow of my sins, or a phantom of my own creation? I could almost see the mangled faces of those I had devoured standing right before me.
—We have already forgiven you.
A familiar voice echoed from somewhere. Tia Lauria. The captain of the 3rd Division of the Imperial Knights, who had stood by my side for over a decade... and the first person I devoured during my hunger seizure.
Tia, Tia... how can you forgive me? I haven't even forgiven myself.
—It sucks, but what's done is done. You couldn't help it. Even if it was awful at first, after living inside your head for decades, you start to understand, whether you want to or not.
—That's right!
—I forgive you too.
—Me too.
—We've told you so many times. We forgive you.
Rosimia Maltaris, Glutia, Zvie...
Is it really that easy to forgive?
—We've lived in your soul for decades. Of course we've seen your memories.
—We know how much you writhed in guilt, Saintess.
—Like it or not, we are one with you now.
—Sigh, we would have been executed anyway if we survived. This is honestly better.
—Hehe, becoming one with the Saintess is actually a win...
—You lunatic.
There were so many tombstones erected in my mind. Whether they were real souls or just illusions I created to rationalize my guilt, I didn't know. I had no right to speak to them. Yet, despite everything, my lips curved upward.
Thank you.
It was a useless apology and a plea for forgiveness for things that could never be undone, but I couldn't help but feel grateful to them.
Closing my eyes, the memories of that day rushed back. The horrific past tried to bind me like a spiderweb. In the previous world, whenever I struggled with guilt, Menelapie would stay by my side. Theresa would eventually join us too. But who did I have now?
"Eonni, are you okay?"
"...Yeah."
Looking at Yeonhwa, who was watching me with concern, I realized I was incredibly lucky. For a deceased saintess who deserved death, I was always blessed with relationships far better than I deserved.
"Sia-eonni, I'm starting the stream now."
"Oh, right. Go ahead."
As Yeonhwa gave the signal from behind the drone, I raised my head. The dark shadows that had clung to my ankles were gone.
Hello.
The cold gaze of the drone camera no longer felt so unfamiliar.
The toxic netrunners lurking in the Genre Hunter Gallery immediately swarmed Lee Sia's stream. It looked no different from her broadcast in the Curtala Mountain Range. There was no title, no set topic, just the name 'Lee Sia' as the host. The only difference was the yellow verification badge next to her name.
For her first official broadcast, the viewer count instantly shot up to four thousand, and the number was climbing rapidly in real-time. Yeonhwa, watching from the side, was stunned by the sheer volume of traffic. Even active B-grade hunters struggled to maintain a thousand viewers; Sia had drawn a massive crowd the second she went live.
Sia, however, simply sat quietly on the sofa, staring into the drone camera.
"It's fine. Hello," Sia said softly, scanning the holographic chat window. The chat froze for a brief second at the sound of her voice.
"Tentacles?" Sia murmured.
Miracle: Holy Body Descent
"Like this?"
With a faint pulse of holy power vibrating through the room, five thick tentacles sprouted from Sia's lower back like a blooming flower.
Sia smiled at the chaotic chat. The crude jokes and toxic remarks didn't bother her at all; to her, they were just the cute, harmless antics of children.
The tentacles writhing around her seemed slightly annoyed by the chat. Shh, stay calm. Listen to me. What do these kids know?
Sia calmed the tentacles, letting them drape over her shoulders like snakes, and faced the camera again.
"Hello. I'm Lee Sia, and starting today, I'll be streaming with the Hunter Association's official verification."
"You can ask your questions slowly. I'll try to answer most of them today." Sia smiled and bowed slightly toward the camera. "And thank you so much. I didn't expect so many people to show up."
Sigh, men... well, I used to be one, so I can't really blame them.
"Let's start with the simple questions."
"Yes, I'm a returnee. I came back about a month ago through the Naftare Great Forest dungeon."
"I don't really know my rank," Sia replied.
"I really don't. The Association told me not to talk about it yet since I haven't taken the official combat evaluation. Just think of it as Schrödinger's rank. If you think I'm C-grade, I'm C-grade. If you think I'm S-grade, I'm S-grade. Believe whatever you want."
Yeonhwa was impressed by how smoothly Sia handled the chat. Despite it being her first stream, Sia conversed effortlessly, drawing on her decades of experience as the Emperor's right hand. While her striking visuals and voluptuous figure initially drew people in, it was her conversational skill that kept them engaged.
"Eighty-five."
"I was twenty-one during the first Great Rift in 2024. I was transported to another world and returned a month ago. Chronologically, I am eighty-five years old."
"But the Returnee Management Bureau evaluated my mental age as twenty-one."
"So I'm going to speak casually. It's much easier, right? It would be pretty boring if an eighty-five-year-old grandmother spoke to you in formal Korean all the time."
Sia controlled the flow of the chat effortlessly, sometimes teasing them, sometimes acting like a seasoned professional. Yeonhwa watched in awe.
"Actually, I haven't decided what kind of stream to do yet. Even though I have the Association's verification, I think it would be a bit boring to just go into dungeons and slaughter monsters like everyone else."
"It's fine. Don't curse at him," Sia said with a gentle smile. "He's just a pitiful soul who probably can't meet women in real life, so he has to release his dark desires toward me through a screen. Even though I can't actually show him anything, I don't mind being the subject of his sad little delusions."
"Haha, I'm just kidding. Don't take it too seriously. Anyway, I want to do something a bit different from other hunter streams."
Sia stood up from the sofa. The tentacles on her back wriggled and reached out, gently grabbing the drone camera to adjust its angle.
"Do you guys know what a Blade Centipede is?"
"To celebrate my first stream, I'm going to do a fried Blade Centipede mukbang!"
"Wait, what did you say, Eonni?" Yeonhwa gasped, just as shocked as the viewers in the chat.