Chapter 5: Aspiring streamer Eluke (2)

My first weekend in Korea in twenty years flew by in the blink of an eye.

I couldn’t rest at all. I had to take on all the housework in Seoyoon’s stead.

Seoyoon tried to dissuade me, but I felt uncomfortable and forced myself to take on the burden. My conscience pricked me, too, to simply give my blessing and let it slide.

But there was so much to do: washing dishes, sweeping the floors, laundry. Even in our small home, it felt daunting after so long.

“I haven’t done much physical labor.”

As Pope, my duties were primarily mental: worship, speeches, doctrine review, document review, and so on. There was absolutely nothing physically demanding. At best, it was just a morning warm-up.

It wasn’t easy, but a full-body ache was more tiring than a headache.

Fortunately, the housework wasn’t terribly tiring.

“You worked hard, Oppa.”

Seoyoon handed me a can of Coke after finishing everything and sitting on the sofa.

It was a can of Coke, but the outside was black, not red.

“What is it? Is it black sesame-flavored cola?”

“No, it’s zero cola.”

“Zero…?”

“It’s a zero-calorie cola.”

Calorie-free? How could that make sense?

Then it wouldn’t have sugar in it, and if it wasn’t sweet, there’s no reason to drink cola.

Was it a recent invention? Or was it something that was always there and I just can’t remember?

I was curious, but I opened the can and took a sip.

“Oh. It’s fine.”

As soon as I took a sip, my face felt as if it had brightened. It was sweet yet tangy. It was just as I’d hoped.

“Not bad, right?”

“How can something this delicious have no calories?”

“I don’t know that either…”

Of course, Seoyoon, being an ordinary person, had no idea how drinks were made.

“Anyway, thank you.”

I continued to sip my cola. The chicken didn’t suit my taste, but this one tasted great.

“Mom, what’s that?”

Just then, Erina came over and asked. It wasn’t so much curiosity as it was a desire to try it herself.

“Come here.”

I sat our eldest on my lap and handed her a Coke.

“Try it.”

“Yes!”

Erina cautiously brought the can to her lips. She paused, tilting her head in confusion, before quickly taking sips. It looked delicious.

They say parents feel full just by watching their children eat, and there was some truth to that. Just seeing my daughter enjoying it made my tongue happy.

As I watched Erina slurp down the Coke, Seoyoon suddenly spoke.

“Honey, I used my vacation days tomorrow. Let’s go out together.”

“Going out? Where do you want to go?”

“I have to go report my return.”

“Oh, I guess I should.”

Now that I think about it, I couldn’t just live like this. ‘Park Siwoo’ was missing on paper.

If I was going to actively exploit my returnee status, reporting it was essential.

“Thank you. For taking such great care of me.”

If it weren’t for Seoyoon, my family and I would be wandering the streets right now.

I felt it once again, how fortunate I was that the only person I knew was so kind.

“Thank you. I can do this much. You’re Siwoo oppa, of all people.”

“As a token of my gratitude, next time I’ll bestow a blessing stronger than ‘Blessing of Life’.”

“I won’t refuse. Is this really that good?”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

We smiled at each other.

Despite the seven-year gap, my bond with Seoyoon felt closer than before. That realization made me smile warmly.

It might be premature, but I couldn’t help thinking:

Returning was the right choice.

The first Monday after my return.

I set out with Seoyoon in the morning to prepare for our outing.

I paid special attention to fashion. My usual ceremonial robes were too conspicuous, so I decided to wear Seoyoon’s clothes.

“How’s this?”

Seoyoon picked out a simple white t-shirt and jeans for me.

I checked myself in the mirror, looking up and down. It suited me quite well.

“Very nice.”

I especially liked that it didn’t draw attention. It matched my taste, honed by years of modest living as a Pope.

Seoyoon nodded, seemingly pleased.

“But it’s a bit tight around the chest and hips. Don’t you have anything bigger?”

“…Oppa, how old did you say you were?”

“Probably mid-thirties.”

“How is this the body of a mom in her thirties? What kind of maintenance is this?”

“…”

I didn’t reveal the truth about the blessing of youth. It was a closely guarded secret. If it got out, everyone would clamor for it.

Anyway, this seemed sufficient for outing clothes.

I didn’t borrow underwear, though.

I didn’t want to wear someone else’s, it wouldn’t fit, and it’d be uncomfortable. The cons outweighed the pros.

Instead, on Seoyoon’s recommendation, I used nipple patches… which were surprisingly comfortable.

“Put this on too.”

Finally, I put on a long padded coat, and the preparations were complete.

“Liam, take good care of them.”

Before leaving, I didn’t forget to entrust the kids to the unemployed Hero.

“Leave it to me.”

With Liam seeing us off, Seoyoon and I left the house.

Our destination was the nearby administrative welfare center. The name was unfamiliar, but it turned out to be just the local government office.

I thought the name had changed while I was gone, but apparently, it had been that way for a while.

‘Local government office’ was more intuitive and easier to understand, so why the change?

Anyway, the center wasn’t far. A leisurely walk got us there quickly.

“Should I have put a hat on you?”

Seoyoon muttered just before we entered.

“What do you mean?”

“Your pink hair stands out too much. Everyone passing by keeps glancing.”

“Did they?”

Pink hair wasn’t common in Korea. It was a bold style, mostly for celebrities.

I absentmindedly touched my long hair and shrugged.

“It’s fine. I’m used to attention.”

As a Pope, I was revered by all believers and admired across the continent. My name once echoed through the land.

Even before that, as a saint in a Hero’s party that defeated the Demon King, I was no stranger to scrutiny.

And from my experience, being the center of attention wasn’t a big deal.

“Let them stare. It might make for good conversation. It could even lay the groundwork for my popularity.”

“…You’ve got the perfect personality for a streamer. You weren’t like this before.”

“True.”

We chatted as we entered.

It was a Monday after a non-operational weekend, so the center was packed.

Seoyoon grabbed a number ticket, but the waitlist was long. It’d be a while before our turn.

“Should we have come earlier?”

“Seoyoon, cultivate the habit of patience. It’s a noble virtue that enriches life.”

“…I see.”

Though she seemed a bit reluctant, Seoyoon complied quietly.

I waited patiently too, sitting upright with my hands on my knees.

There were whispers behind me. A few older women were talking about my unusual appearance by Korean standards.

But other than that, I didn’t attract much attention.

Maybe because it was the most tiring day of the week, everyone was indifferent, just glancing at my striking hair and eyes.

‘This is awkward…’

I’d boasted about being used to attention, but people were more apathetic than expected. Modern society cared less about others than I thought.

A bit embarrassed, I kept my eyes forward.

Finally, our turn came.

At the counter, the staff flinched upon seeing me. Was someone finally noticing my stunning beauty?

“Uh… Can I help you?”

“…”

They just thought I was a foreigner and got flustered.

Of course, busy and tired from work, they wouldn’t notice my looks.

“I’m here to report my return.”

Seoyoon spoke for me. The staff was visibly startled this time.

“Please wait a moment.”

Leaving those words, the staff disappeared and returned after a while with a middle-aged man who looked important.

The balding man bowed politely to me.

“Would you follow me? We’ll escort you inside.”

Was he the center’s director?

Regardless, my demeanor wouldn’t change.

“Of course.”

Seoyoon and I followed him to a room deep inside the center. It looked like a reception room.

“Please wait here. Would you like a drink?”

Seeing the older man fawn over me felt a bit pitiful, so I declined.

Soon, the director left, and Seoyoon whispered.

“He seems like the director. Who’s he calling?”

The question was answered about thirty minutes later.

Creak.

As Seoyoon and I chatted to pass the time, a woman I’d never seen entered the reception room.

Plain appearance, neat suit.

Not a welfare center employee. Who could she be?

“Greetings. I’m Hainha, an NIS agent.”

“…NIS?”

Seoyoon raised her voice, eyes wide.

I was surprised too, but more curious.

“Is it okay for an NIS agent to reveal their identity?”

Hainha shook her head at my question.

“By protocol, no, but agents handling returnees are an exception.”

Sitting across from me, Hainha spoke stiffly, pulling documents from her bag and placing them on the table.

She then opened a laptop and continued.

“We’ll now proceed with identity verification. Answer my questions accurately.”

With a slight nod, the Q&A began.

“What’s your name?”

“Park Siwoo.”

“Resident registration number?”

“911002. I don’t remember the rest.”

“Family relations?”

“My father is Park Jeongho… My mother is probably Lee Mija.”

Hainha recorded my answers and continued asking.

Though I fumbled a bit, the questions weren’t hard, so the verification wrapped up quickly.

“Understood. Now we’ll proceed with returnee certification. First, how were you transported to the other world?”

“Possession.”

“Through what medium?”

“The game Apolis Tales.”

Her stoic expression cracked slightly at my answer.

But she quickly resumed typing mechanically.

After much back-and-forth, as Seoyoon started dozing off, the process finally ended.

“You’re done. You’ll be registered as a returnee in a few days, and your identity will be recreated as requested.”

Having said her piece, Hainha packed her documents and laptop and stood up.

“See you later.”

The mechanical agent, who had even bowed and greeted me, left the reception room without acknowledging me.

“…How rude.”

Do NIS agents get a “license to be rude”? I was probably the only returnee in Korea, yet I felt so inadequately treated.

Perhaps they treated returnees like a nuisance to manage?

It was quite possible. Those in high positions for long often lose touch with reality.

That’s why our church was once rife with bad habits and abuses. I later corrected everything, though.

“What? It’s over?”

While I was briefly reflecting on the past, Seoyoon, who had been dozing off, woke up.

I straightened her disheveled hair and stood up.

“Let’s go.”

Now that I’d reported my return, it was time to start preparing to make some money.

Before heading home, we stopped by the supermarket for some shopping. We were going to buy the broadcasting equipment essential for becoming a streamer: a webcam and a microphone. For now, those two seemed sufficient.

“Will this be enough?”

“Yes. Please buy something cheap.”

Since it wasn’t my money, I didn’t choose expensive equipment. Seoyoon, perhaps not so well-off, only recommended cheap options.

“I’m starting to feel bad.”

It seemed the burden was starting to wear on me. As an ordinary office worker, it couldn’t be helped.

I’ll pay you back double when I earn more money. Right now, I’ll have to depend on you more, though.

Only after we’d picked out all the broadcasting equipment did we head home.

On the way, Seoyoon asked,

“When are you going to start broadcasting?”

I’d been pondering it.

When would be the best time? What day of the week, what time should I start to generate the most interest?

Lost in thought, I suddenly had a realization as we approached the house.

“Seoyoon, I just remembered this old saying.”

“What does it mean?”

“Take the bull by the horns.”

There was no need to rack my brain.

When in doubt, just go for it.

It was the advice of a friend who had helped me get to where I am today.

“I’ll start today.”

From the moment I made my decision, everything went smoothly.

With Seoyoon’s help, I set up the broadcasting equipment in my living room and changed into my formal attire.

Next, I logged onto a streaming site.

The broadcasting platform I chose was Twitch.

Unlike YouTube, it focused on live streaming.

I’d studied it in advance, so setting up the stream wasn’t difficult. I quickly finished everything and even entered an appropriate title.

I thought “The Returned Pope” would suffice, but Seoyoon shook her head in disagreement.

“This isn’t enough. It doesn’t really hit the mark.”

Seoyoon pondered for a moment before writing down a new title.

“The Returned Pope, Who Overwhelms with Her Beauty, Appears!!!”

Was this really better? It felt so cliché.

I wasn’t sure, but I decided to just do as she said. Seoyoon knew more about internet broadcasting than I did.

“Are you ready?”

“Of course.”

I said a quick prayer before clicking “Start Broadcast.”

“Oh, radiant sun… If you see me, please cheer me on. If you have the time, please grant me a suitable miracle.”

Whenever I took on a new challenge, I needed to borrow the strength of the Goddess.

The stream began, and I faced the webcam, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves. I adjusted my posture, ensuring my ceremonial robes looked pristine, and smiled confidently.

“Hello, everyone! I’m Clitia Elluke, a former Pope from another world, now returned to Korea after twenty years. You may also know me as Park Siwoo. Welcome to my first broadcast!”

I paused, glancing at the viewer count. It started at zero, but within seconds, a few curious souls trickled in.

“Let me share a bit about myself. I was once a saint in a Hero’s party that defeated the Demon King. Then, I became a Pope, revered across a continent. Oh, and I’m a mother of three now—yes, I gave birth to them myself!”

A chat message popped up: “Wait, you’re a mom AND a Pope? That’s wild!”

I chuckled. “Wild, right? Life in another world is full of surprises. Let me tell you about the time I met my husband, the Hero—well, former Hero, now professional kid-entertainer.”

The viewer count climbed slowly, hitting double digits. I leaned into the camera, letting my natural charisma shine.

“Today, I’ll share stories from Apolis Tales, the game that pulled me into another world. Ever wonder what it’s like to face a Demon King? Or maybe you’re curious about divine miracles? Stick around, because I might just show you one.”

Another chat: “Show us a miracle! Prove you’re a Pope!”

I smirked, raising a hand. “Patience, my friend. The Goddess doesn’t perform on command… but maybe if you’re lucky.”

I caught Seoyoon’s grin from the corner of my eye. She gave a thumbs-up, signaling I was doing well.

“Let’s start with a story. Picture this: a battlefield, the Demon King’s castle looming in the distance, and me, a saint, standing beside a reckless Hero who thought flirting was a battle strategy…”

As I spun the tale, the chat lit up with reactions—emojis, questions, and even a few donations. The viewer count crept toward 50. Not bad for a first stream.

I felt a spark of confidence. This was my stage now, and I was ready to make it work.