The Grill-Wielding Saintess of the Dead – Chapter 153

Chapter 153 –  The Girl Who Eats Meat 1

[Look at the state of the Gallery Owner’s stream lately. Seems like she wants to hit rock bottom lol] (1142)

ㄴUpvotes: 989

『So please, just stream… ㅠㅜㅜㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Please…』

[True lol]

[A meme of an ugly frog spinning in circles.]

[The stream you want? Never going to happen lol]

[Back in the early days, she used to stream almost every day, morning, noon, and night, because she said she was lonely. But ever since she blew up, look at how her stream frequency has dropped lol]

[What’s up with streaming only once every three days lol]

ㄴ[It’s not every three days, it’s 3 days.]

ㄴ[?]

ㄴ[??]

ㄴ[What’s this guy saying?]

ㄴ[Are you seriously saying ‘three days’ means four days?]

ㄴ[No way.]

ㄴ[What are you talking about? ‘Three days’ obviously means 4 days, right?]

ㄴ[lololololol]

ㄴ[What a fool lolol]

ㄴ[This guy’s legit dumb..]

ㄴ[This one thinks ‘three days’ means four lmao]

[Unless the Gallery Owner’s too busy being eaten alive because of that VIP treatment, I won’t accept any other reason for her not streaming.]

ㄴ[This crazy guy lololol]

ㄴ[That direct hit lol]

ㄴ[? With who?]

ㄴ[Who else? That Hero or whoever, isn’t it?]

ㄴ[If it’s that, then yeah, makes sense.]

ㄴ[Do you want to be invited to their collaboration stream?]

ㄴ[Here’s someone hoping for a collab lol]

ㄴ[Oh no…]

ㄴ[Delete this lol]

ㄴ[Moderator: I’ve archived this.]

ㄴ[The mod appeared lolololol]

ㄴ[Can’t delete it now lol]

Once again, on the Hunter Gallery, where the genre of trolling and devoted fandom intertwined, tens of thousands of malicious netizens and fans alike were discussing their favorite topic, Shia, the Gallery Owner.

Recently, Shia hadn’t been able to stream much, with the events of Menelapie’s return, Lirisia’s issues, and the Elves’ situation all piling up.

Luckily, from the beginning, Shia had always had a free-spirited streaming schedule, turning on her stream when she felt like it and turning it off just the same, which gave her more freedom compared to other Hunter streamers.

Of course, even so, the fans, especially the more toxic ones, would always complain as long as Shia wasn’t streaming 24 hours a day.

No, actually, even if she did stream 24 hours a day, they’d probably start complaining that they were getting bored of it.

[Hey hey hey! The Gallery Owner’s on!]

[Is it a collab?]

[She’s on!]

[I’m holding my breath until the stream starts! Huff!]

ㄴ[No, she’s already on.]

ㄴ[So breathe, okay? lol]

ㄴ[Oh, right.]

[?]

[Hey, what’s up with the stream title?]

[Stream title? What’s wrong with it?]

[It’s not like it’s her first time doing something ridiculous lol]

While a large number of people were rushing to open the Switch platform to join Shia’s stream, the vanguard began to notice something strange.

The stream title was weird.

What’s that about again?

But then again, this wasn’t the first time Shia had done something bizarre in her streams.

Those who had watched Shia’s streams multiple times thought to themselves.

‘She’s probably up to some crazy antics again lol’

‘It’s gotta be something ridiculous again.’

‘What’s she gonna do this time? Make steak out of mosquitoes?’

‘Maybe she’s retrying that thing with the corn gnats?’

Ridiculous as usual.

No, at this point, they were so used to it that it didn’t even feel that outrageous anymore.

Come to think of it, maybe calling it ‘ridiculous’ was a bit harsh?

The moment they saw Shia’s stream title, the netizens’ brains froze.

[The Grill-Wielding Kaanf Girl – Shia Hunter]

What is this now?

Kaanf… no, an Elf eating… meat…?

○○○○

“I’m hungry!”

Earlier, Shia hadn’t even had time to eat because of the sudden escape of Lirisia after breaking her seal. Then, she spent hours in Yeonseo’s cabbage field, tidying up dungeon cabbages, only to be dragged into the National Assembly and ended up taking charge of the Elf, meaning it was now well past dinner time.

Even though she had eaten quite a lot of dungeon cabbage, that didn’t count as a proper meal since she hadn’t consumed any protein or carbohydrates.

As a result, Shia’s stomach was now stuck to her back, so she made a plan to enjoy a grand dinner with Menelapie and little Olga.

Of course, she wasn’t planning on serving just any meal since they had guests.

Little Olga.

Shia’s trusty Mangji Squad member.

The princess of the Elves.

And the last child of the World Tree.

Naturally, Shia had to serve her the most heartfelt course she could think of.

“So, this is where we came…?”

“Yep!”

In front of Olga’s eyes was a street lit up with countless neon signs, as if they were in the middle of a bustling nightlife district, with many signs advertising barbecue restaurants.

“Ta-da! Welcome to the Cheonan Asan Dumegol Monster Meat Dismantling Street!”

The New Cheonan Asan Station, a little way outside Seoul, was one of the places where several gates converged.

Of course, the dangerous gates had long been cleared, completely eliminated, or wiped out by concentrated Hunter attacks.

However, even if the monsters had been exterminated, the dungeons themselves remained, and thanks to this, Cheonan Asan Station, directly connected to the capital’s transportation line, had become a massive Hunter-exclusive complex as it merged with the nearby gates.

From F-rank dungeons to A-rank ones, this place was known as one of the most famous and largest Hunter districts in the country.

If you excluded Seoul, the Cheonan Asan Station Hunter Street was so established that every Hunter in Korea had to visit it at least once every two weeks. It was equipped with all kinds of Hunter infrastructure—Hunter-exclusive weapon manufacturers, equipment repair shops, and even an association office dedicated to introducing commissions to Hunters. The government even officially named the area Hunter Street and provided support for it.

And within this place that had everything Hunters could possibly need, there was a unique restaurant…

Right next to the dungeon, they would bring in edible monsters, butcher them right on the spot, and immediately turn them into food—a wholesale monster market exclusively for Hunters.

Of course, they also bought and sold edible monster meat, as well as rare herbs, odd plants, and vegetables found only in dungeons.

It was said that some of the butchers who dismantled the monsters were Awakened individuals with skills specifically tailored to expertly handle monster meat.

Bone carvers.

Butchers.

In other words, the meat that had passed through the hands of these professionals was nothing like the amateur dismantling work Shia had clumsily learned through internet searches.

“By the way, little Olga. Are you really okay with this?”

Menelapie looked down at Olga with a somewhat concerned expression.

Although Olga wasn’t exactly the same as the Elves from Menelapie’s world, it was a well-known fact that Elves were usually vegetarians.

Of course, there were exceptions like desert Elves or nomadic Elves living in harsh environments who raised livestock and ate meat. But those were rare cases. Olga, who came from the Great Forest and had lived as a near-strict vegan, would likely find it hard to accept eating meat.

“Yes, honestly, I thought I’d throw up… but maybe because I’ve watched so many of Shia’s streams, I don’t feel sick at all.”

“Hehehe, see? Our little ‘We-Sell-Fried-Leaves’ isn’t so fragile after all, right, Menelapie?”

“……”

Menelapie, who couldn’t comprehend how the nickname ‘We-Sell-Fried-Leaves’ could be considered a title for an Elf, had to accept that Earth’s internet culture was beyond her understanding—absurd and comedic by default.

“Phew…”

Shia took in the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat and charcoal, feeling a sense of comfort like she had returned home.

Meat.

Meat was great.

Sure, maybe you didn’t need meat to survive.

There were plenty of vegetarian foods out there packed with protein, like beans and tofu. And many people, for religious or personal beliefs, rejected meat, choosing instead to live in harmony with nature.

But do you know something?

Humans, by instinct, will eventually crave meat.

There were times when extreme vegetarians, full of anger, would stage strange protests outside a barbecue restaurant, disrupting business and inconveniencing customers until someone called the cops. There were even those who would mock and criticize meat-eaters as uncivilized on the internet.

But you know what I’ve never seen?

A normal person eating meat going, ‘Ugh, vegetarians are so inhuman,’ and mocking them.

You don’t see anyone crying, ‘Oh no, the vegetables have been growing under the soil for so long, only to be eaten by humans! Poor things…’ while treating vegetarians like they’re lowlifes.

Why?

Because people who

 eat meat don’t have any reason to get angry, so it’s only natural.

And that’s why I, too, am a meat enthusiast.

Meat is good.

Meat is great.

Meat is delicious.

Meat is amazing.

Grilling it alone makes it delicious.

Boiling it makes it delicious.

I love meat dishes like bulgogi, where it’s marinated and simmered in a rich, flavorful sauce.

Just take some rice, eggs, meat, soy sauce, onions, and garlic. Add some soy sauce, sesame oil, and cooking wine. Stir-fry it all, and you’ll automatically shout, ‘Oh yeah!’

You can deep-fry tender pork into a tonkatsu. Or you can take pork chops with a bit of fat, coat them in crispy batter, fry them, then finish them in the oven for a heavenly dish.

Sure, humans can live without meat.

But what’s the point of living long if you’re going to do it without eating meat? That’s what I’ve always thought, even before I became the Saintess of the Dead.

“I-I’m fine, Shia. I can eat something else here, can’t I?”

Olga glanced over at some herbs growing next to the dungeon.

It seemed she still had some hesitation.

“Shia, I think it’s too soon to push meat on an Elf. Perhaps we should go somewhere else?” Menelapie suggested.

“Menelapie, don’t you trust me?”

“……?”

Menelapie’s eyes widened in surprise at Shia’s words.

“Of course I trust you! If you said the sun would rise in the west tomorrow, I’d believe you!”

“Heh heh, then it’s fine.”

Nodding at Menelapie, Shia gently placed her hand on Olga’s shoulder.

“Olga, can you look into my eyes?”

“Yes?”

Normally, she might have let it go out of consideration for Olga.

They could’ve gone to a salad restaurant or even a place with more vegetarian options.

But I’m the Saintess of the Dead.

And now, I’ve been entrusted with the responsibility of caring for the Elves, including little Olga.

It is my duty to guide lost lambs.

Perhaps guiding this poor lamb, who knows nothing of meat, down the path of juicy flesh and tender cuts is my destiny!

Or not…

“Olga, why are Elves traditionally vegans… or vegetarians?”

“Well…”

A predictable response followed.

“Uh, because Elves love nature!”

Of course, the Elves believe in following the natural order of the forest and don’t want to disturb it. It’s a belief ingrained in their race.

“But Olga, you were born not long ago, right? Could it be that this belief wasn’t yours but something forced upon you like a tradition?”

“Well, that’s true, but I’m still an Elf.”

“Olga, times are changing. If this were your world, in the Great Forest, you might have to follow the traditions of the Elves and stick to being a vegan.”

But we’re on Earth now.

“This is Earth. And your Elven race has migrated to Earth. In the future, you’ll be living with me, not in the Great Forest.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Loving nature is good. Respecting life is good. But Olga, do you think that just because I enjoy meat, I don’t love nature or respect life?”

“….!”

At Shia’s words, Olga’s eyes widened as if she had been enlightened.

Respecting life.

Olga knew that was one of the Saintess of the Dead’s core beliefs.

Even though the Saintess loved meat, she was one of the most humane and life-respecting people Olga knew.

“Olga, when I was in the Great Forest, the Elves served me meat made from soy.”

“That’s right. Sister Zelkova from the Big Tree House made it for you…”

“It was delicious. So good, in fact, I couldn’t believe it was soy meat. Everything about it was perfect, except for the fact that it wasn’t real meat.”

But, Olga…

“If they can make meat from soybeans… don’t you think we should be able to make soybeans from meat?”

“Hah…!”

“It’s my turn to serve you this time. And since you’ll be sticking by my side from now on, it wouldn’t make sense for a member of the Mangji Squad to reject meat forever, right?”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right!”

“If you were in a leadership position, or if you had to set an example for other Elves, I wouldn’t say this. Leadership is a lonely and difficult road, where you must live by example. But right now, you’re not a leader. You’re the princess, an heir in waiting… which means you’re free to live as you please, aren’t you?”

Olga’s eyes sparkled as she grew more and more persuaded by Shia’s words.

That’s right.

Even Olga…

Had watched Shia’s streams as a member of the Mangji Squad, thinking, ‘That looks delicious,’ but lamenting that she couldn’t eat it because she was an Elf.

Just as Shia said, this was an experience she could only have now.

Experiencing meat as an Elf didn’t necessarily mean it was wrong!

After all, she was the child of the World Tree, the one who would set the rules and traditions herself!

Tradition and custom are important, but adapting to the times and changing with them is also crucial.

“That’s true! Today’s meat-eating… it’s actually an act of love for nature! By appreciating how precious meat and life are, I can use this experience to guide the Elves’ future stance on eating meat!”

“Exactly. You’ve understood me, Olga!”

“As expected from Sister Shia!”

“……………….Hehehe…”

And watching from the side, Menelapie smiled softly as she observed Shia finishing her magnificent speech as the “Meat Saintess.”

‘No matter how much I love my Saintess… it’s hard to deny that she’s spewing total nonsense…’

But, even her nonsense was divine and beautiful, so maybe that’s all that mattered.