Chapter 136: The Saintess is Smiling
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 136: The Saintess is Smiling
The Saintess first learned of Kim Min-su when she was just starting out on the internet.
It was back when she would lose track of time, glued to the computer all day, surfing the web.
At the time, social media wasn't as active as it is now, so there wasn't much to see. Once she finished checking the real-time search rankings and a few news articles, she would run out of content.
That was when she decided to explore the abyss.
She had the idea that if she looked through the countless question-and-answer posts existing in the world, she might find something interesting. With that single thought, she dove deeper into the abyss of the internet every day.
At first, her cringe tolerance was so low she couldn't bear to read most of the posts, but as time passed and she grew accustomed to it, she discovered a pearl hidden in the deep sea.
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[I have a concern about a girl I'm seeing] - Sweet Cadet
-This is Sweet Cadet’s 106th concern post-
Hello, this is already my 106th time posting.
Thank you for kindly answering all my questions, from the trivial ones to everything else so far.
It really makes me feel like the world is a warm place.
Actually, there is someone I like.
I haven't been able to show it much yet, and we haven't even spoken properly, but I definitely want to see this through to the end with her.
With Valentine's Day approaching, I want to give her some chocolate.
I want to make it by hand.
Would girls find that burdensome?
Please let me know!
[Answers 0] [Likes 0] [Dislikes 0] [Comments 0]
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It was a pure, innocent romantic sentiment that seemed untainted.
It wasn't a contrived story or a staged performance, but a raw, unrefined gem of a tale.
'This is... precious.'
The Saintess was instantly captivated by Sweet Cadet’s posts.
Only then could she understand the feelings of viewers who never missed an episode of a morning soap opera. How could anyone miss out on such stimulation?
That day, she stayed up all night reading every single one of Sweet Cadet’s questions, watching the budding romance from a front-row seat.
Losing track of the days, she sat before the computer, moving nothing but her mouse, wondering who Sweet Cadet could be.
'He’s revealing more and more about himself...'
Given that his nickname was "Sweet Cadet," there was a high probability he was actually an Academy Cadet. Or at least, someone who was about to become one.
Looking closely at his questions, while the Academy itself wasn't mentioned, there were numerous mentions of things related to education. This meant he was receiving "education" before becoming a Cadet.
'Seeing as he's receiving character education... he's definitely an Innate Awakened.'
Since the author was Korean, these details were easy to deduce.
'But the real treasure is what's underneath.'
Sweet Cadet’s posts were merely filled with the fluttering, ticklish emotions of a budding romance. They weren't particularly funny or thrilling. Even if someone else's love life is interesting, it's not usually enough to keep someone checking back every single day.
However, the reason she continued to follow Sweet Cadet’s posts was simple.
The guy who replied to Sweet Cadet’s questions wrote in a way that was just too hilarious.
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Re: [I have a concern about a girl I'm seeing] - Pure Love Diary Writer [Tae-yang Rank]
Hmm.
First of all, I’ll accept your thanks, but you shouldn't do these things so easily.
Many people start to think favors are their rights if you keep doing them...
I’m worried that your, shall we say, excessive goodwill and heart might actually end up hurting you. (Wink)
Anyway, getting to the point, I actually think Valentine's Day is... a day when you should be receiving.
Isn't that how it usually goes? You give on White Day, and you receive on Valentine's Day.
In the manga, various reference materials, and even the videos I watch!
In every single case! There has never, ever, ever, NEVER been a case where the man gives the chocolate.
Wait.
You must never! Become a pushover. I understand your desire to express your feelings actively...
I really do... but there is such a thing as a 'line.'
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'He writes in a way that makes me want to beat him up.'
How could someone reveal their own level so blatantly in such a short post? It felt like no great literary master could ever defeat the Pure Love Diary Writer.
What was the point of a poet agonizing over every word, struggling to write a single line? They could never surpass a sentence like, "There has never, ever, ever, NEVER been a case."
From then on, the Saintess waited incessantly for the exchanges between "Sweet Cadet" and "Pure Love Diary Writer." No matter how grueling her daily routine was, she felt a surge of energy whenever the ding-ding of a notification rang on her phone.
After years of watching their exchanges, she unexpectedly discovered that "Sweet Cadet" was the Hero, Kim Min-su.
It wasn't through obsessive stalking or dark internet background checks. One day, Sweet Cadet had simply dropped every hint possible to reveal his identity.
He mentioned entering Victory Academy, using a sword, being incredibly skilled, and becoming the rank 1 among the first-years. He had laid out his personal information quite explicitly.
The funny thing was that it didn't matter, because no one except her and the Pure Love Diary Writer ever looked at Kim Min-su’s questions. It felt less like an anonymous confessional and more like a confessional with his real name attached.
As a result, the Saintess felt an incredibly strong curiosity toward Kim Min-su.
At first, she started leaving comments, which she hadn't done before. When there was no reaction, she tried toughening her tone. Eventually, she even reached the point of hurling sincere insults, but she never had to worry about being banned.
Because...
"Saintess! Again! You’ve been reported again! What on earth are you doing on the internet to get reported as a malicious user?"
"Perkus, where else am I supposed to relieve my stress? Have you already forgotten what happened when you told me to exercise and I ordered equipment for a private gym?"
"...Even though we rerouted the IP address three times, those lunatics eventually found the address, spread rumors that the Saintess was working out, evaluated your body, and blasted articles everywhere..."
"Exactly. Since I suffer that much, can't I cause a little chaos under an alias?"
Because she had Perkus.
There was no way a portal site could refuse when the Pope himself pressured them not to sanction an account. It wasn't even a major corruption case; it was just a request to "ignore" reports coming in against a specific user account.
From the portal site's perspective, they were more than happy to build a connection with the Holy Kingdom by granting such a trivial favor. In fact, they were even prepared to turn the Saintess's account into a fully secured one and manage it strictly.
Thus, the Saintess's account became immune to being banned for "minor" reports like hate speech or insults.
Backed by her invincible account, the Saintess began to speak 'the harsh truth' to Kim Min-su and the Pure Love Diary Writer.
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ㄴㅇㅇ:: Honestly, if you wanted to live like a human being, you wouldn't be posting about your love life on the internet lol. Are you still not in your right mind?
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Sometimes she would deliver a stinging rebuke.
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ㄴㅇㅇ:: [[IMG_1]] (Minsu's Scream) This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? This is you, right? Is it for real that you're blubbering in the middle of the street? lolololololololol
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When his wounds were open, she would tearfully rub salt in them for the sake of his growth.
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ㄴㅇㅇ:: It’s so obvious you’re a solo-since-birth virgin. You do wash yourself, right? I’m so worried~
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And when he got too discouraged, she would occasionally look after him warmly, fearing he might stop posting altogether.
After spending years like that, the Saintess thought it was finally time.
Now that Victory Academy had sent out the notice for joint training, there was no longer any need to just watch through a computer screen. She had been looking for an excuse to go to Korea, and this was something to be welcomed with open arms.
Furthermore...
"Saintess! The place you wanted to go so badly! The place I wanted to send you as quickly as possible! We’re going to Korea!"
"That’s good. Very good."
For some reason, Perkus was the most proactive, so things proceeded at a very rapid pace.
She arrived in Korea in the blink of an eye. Her first priority was to find the Hero, Kim Min-su, and she felt not a shred of regret for doing so.
"So, I... that's when I said it... 'Don't touch me anymore. Because. I. Want. To. Kill. You.'"
A thick, pathetic, cringe-inducing voice drifted from beside her.
A self-staged drama made of one hundred percent bluffing and lies.
The Saintess looked down at Min-su, smiling brightly beneath her veil.
"I see... That's truly wonderful. Do you perhaps have any other stories?"
"Of course, as many as you want. Even if this night ends, my bundle of stories won't run dry."
"I'm so looking forward to it."
She meant it.
The Saintess laughed inwardly, clapping like a seal.
'I want to see him blubbering just one more time... I wonder if there's a way.'
Imagining a better future, the Saintess was smiling.