Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 217

217. When the Star Casts a Shadow (2)

I wondered if I had seen things wrong, so I turned my head, but Monstrill was still there.

It was eerie knowing her name even though I had never met her before. Surprise flickered in her eyes as well.

“What is it? So, you’ve gotten to the point where you can see me? You must be quite starved.”

“Starved?”

“I mean, you’re lacking affection.”

Monstrill approached with a mischievous expression and extended her finger.

Before that hand could touch my cheek, Hyun-woo swung his hand to knock it away.

However, Hyun-woo’s hand only cut through the air.

Monstrill giggled and stepped back.

“But it seems you can’t quite touch me yet. Judging by the state of Yahr [a type of magical restraint] encroaching, it won’t be long, though.”

“Did you play some trick?”

Hyun-woo said, feeling around for the Restrainer Yahr. It had been bothering him already.

The Restrainer Yahr was, from the start, something under Monstrill’s influence.

The fact that such a thing was encroaching on a part of his body was unpleasant in itself.

“If I were going to play a trick, I wouldn’t do it so obviously that you’d notice.”

Monstrill whispered with a soft smile.

Like a cat, she circled around Hyun-woo at a distance where their skin would almost touch. He couldn’t feel her anyway, but it was still annoying.

“And if it’s a trick, I’ve been casting it since long ago, haven’t I?”

“And you’ve confirmed every time that it’s useless.”

“It doesn’t quite seem that way to me.”

Monstrill chuckled and took a step back. Then, she began to examine her own body.

“Let’s see, you have unique tastes. Beautiful, but short hair, jeans, a figure-revealing knit. But you don’t seem to like voluptuous figures. Still, it seems you like tall women.”

“…What are you doing?”

“My appearance isn’t fixed, darling.”

Monstrill said with a grin.

“At least, it’s been like that since I became a star. People see their ideal type through me. But usually, people don’t even know what their ideal type looks like. Even their gender.”

“Gender?”

“The gender also appears according to the person.”

Hyun-woo’s gaze wavered sharply before stopping again.

Fortunately, Monstrill was a woman, though with a boyish appearance.

He had never doubted his sexual identity, but still, you never know.

She was a bit different from Yoo-min’s appearance. But even so, who could he blame?

Even if she was different from his ideal type, the person Hyun-woo liked the most was Yoo-min. That wouldn’t change.

“That’s an interesting expression.”

“…Don’t be annoying. Just figuring out someone’s taste is hardly…”

“Ah, a man like a pine tree [unwavering and constant]. A rare type. See, people don’t really know their own tastes. Even when they meet their ideal type, they don’t realize it’s their ideal type, and they get uncomfortable and settle for a slightly lesser appearance.”

Monstrill smiled and crossed her arms. Then, she took out glasses from her pocket and put them on.

The shape of the glasses was subtly similar to the ones Yoo-min used in the lab, which was seriously irritating, but I couldn’t nitpick every little thing.

Her intention to tease me was clear.

“What do you want?”

“Remember what I said before? That you might know me.”

“I remember.”

Since Monstrill had said that, Hyun-woo had been subtly keeping an eye out for female ability users whenever he encountered them in the Difficulty: Easy area.

Whether they were affiliated with the Whispering Star or belonged to it.

Of course, if Monstrill’s gender wasn’t fixed, trying to identify her by gender was meaningless.

“But only victors can become stars. How can you be a star when the game isn’t over yet?”

“Ah, well, of course, my main body is different. But my proxy might know. I chose a proxy earlier than other stars. And I think that person is quite close to you.”

“…To me?”

“I don’t miss opportunities. Because I’m me, no matter what anyone says.”

Monstrill was equating the proxy with herself.

Hyun-woo was bothered by her words, but he tried not to think about them too deeply.

He didn’t want to needlessly suspect or distance himself from the people around him.

Hyun-woo couldn’t understand why she was hiding her identity.

“Don’t make it difficult and just reveal who it is.”

“No.”

“Then why are you doing this annoying thing?”

“Because I want you to keep thinking about me and being aware of me.”

Monstrill tilted her head around Hyun-woo like a playful child.

Because of Monstrill’s attitude, Hyun-woo deliberately tried not to guess her identity.

The more he kept her in mind, the more he was aware of her, the greater her presence became.

Since she was openly revealing her desires and approaching him, there was nothing to be wary of.

“Did you just come to chat?”

“I wish.”

When Hyun-woo asked about her business again, Monstrill seemed disappointed and distanced herself again.

“Unfortunately, neither you nor I seem to have much time right now.”

“Not much time?”

Monstrill raised her hand and conjured a stack of papers as if by magic.

Then, she stood close to Hyun-woo and began to show him the documents.

The documents were filled with meaningless letters arranged haphazardly.

Hyun-woo was about to ask what it was, but he closed his mouth when he saw the letters suddenly begin to align.

It wasn’t an ordinary document.

The moment he began to read the sentences, Hyun-woo began to hear a voice like metal grinding in his ears.

And the smell of sulfur and iron wafted through the air, and soon he felt a burning heat.

Before he knew it, Hyun-woo was standing in a hot, forge-like space.

Burning figures stood before him.

***

Molten metal splashed and melted from all directions, taking shape and being hammered.

Anything useful was carried away somewhere, but if there was even the slightest defect, it was repeatedly thrown back into the molten metal.

Around the giant furnace, monsters were constantly toiling to create new war equipment.

And in the deepest part of the giant forge, at the center that glowed brightest with molten metal, were two people burning.

“Still no word from Alv Hugin?”

The burning man opened his mouth quietly, but a thunderous sound, as if shattering metal, erupted.

If Alv Hugin’s steel skin had flames leaking out, this man was made of metal itself, losing more of his human side.

“I’m not your messenger. Rampel.”

Opposite him was a tall, thin man.

He had a feminine voice, but it was difficult to distinguish his gender, at least in form.

Like Rampel, he had a molten, iron-like appearance.

From the giant flagpole in his hand, molten metal was scattered instead of a flag.

The one called Rampel quietly stared at his opponent.

“Normally, Curie, I would have punished your arrogant nonsense in my own way…”

“Then we’d have a good time again.”

Curie muttered, seemingly pleased.

“Isn’t it thanks to the Star allowing us to conquer each other that we’ve come this far? But these days, there aren’t many opponents to fight. Everyone’s just dried up like dried fish.”

“You seem frustrated. It’s true that there aren’t many opponents to fight around here besides us. But you’ve heard the Star’s whispers too, haven’t you? Now is not the time for us to fight each other. Other stars are moving.”

“I know.”

Curie muttered, hugging the large flagpole even tighter.

“I heard those pig-dogs in the southeast are holding a disgusting banquet. I don’t know why those gluttons don’t get a stomachache and die. Their stomachs must be stronger than ours.”

“The dead are gathering in the north as well. Not only the apostles, but I’ve also heard that the proxy is moving.”

At Rampel’s words, Curie fell silent. After a while, Curie asked, as if confirming.

“The proxy? Is it that serious?”

“It smells like a great war for once. Why, are you scared?”

“I welcome war anytime. I’m just worried that our proxy might move.”

Curie said, scanning Rampel.

“You wouldn’t want that situation either, Rampel. You could lose your entire army that you’ve raised.”

“There’s no need to worry about that.”

Rampel said calmly.

“The Star of Conquest seems to think that it’s not a matter that requires them to move personally. I don’t know about the other stars, though.”

“That’s a relief, then.”

Curie lowered his massive figure and stirred the molten metal with the flagpole.

The molten metal hissed and cooled, soon forming a map-like shape.

Curie tapped a point like a crossroads on the map, muttering.

“Is that little guy really such an important factor that he could determine the victory or defeat of this war? Enough to break the ‘promise’?”

“The Wailing Star seems to believe so. The Star of Conquest seems to be half-doubtful, but since other stars are moving, we can’t just stand still.”

Rampel also mentioned Curie’s concerns.

“You don’t have to worry about the promise. I’ve already confirmed that several of our followers have been coming and going. I even heard that Kawa has entered.”

Curie snorted.

“Those beggar bastards will crawl into the kitchen cupboard if there’s anything to scavenge. It’s not strange at all. The battlefield is wide anyway, so I won’t go near the ‘promised’ land. You can go if you want.”

“Are you scared?”

Rampel provoked him once again, but Curie didn’t get angry. She chuckled and said.

“You’d have to be crazy not to be scared. It’s a land where even the proxies have promised not to invade. Youngsters like Alv Hugin or you don’t know that we’re holding onto this much territory and playing king thanks to that promise.”

Rampel seemed displeased with Curie’s calm voice. But then his gaze suddenly turned.

Rampel, who had been scanning the air, soon fixed his gaze on one spot. Hyun-woo was startled when he suddenly made eye contact with Rampel.

Without hesitation, Rampel instantly slammed his fist down towards Hyun-woo.

As molten metal splashed, Hyun-woo’s vision went dark. As his consciousness faded, he heard a voice.

“What is it?”

“Spiderling.”

***

“Hah!”

Hyun-woo gasped and regained consciousness. He almost stumbled for a moment, but someone quickly supported him.

Monstrill was holding Hyun-woo’s left hand. Hyun-woo was about to thank her, but then he wondered how she was touching his body.

The hand Monstrill was holding was the part encroached upon by the Restrainer Yahr. It seemed that she could directly touch this part.

“…Thank you.”

“Interesting, isn’t it?”

Monstrill said with a grin.

“This document contains the content of a conversation that took place sometime in the present or recent past. My followers all over the world are constantly writing this document. It’s also the most trivial of my powers.”

“…Is a war going to break out centered around here?”

“That’s right.”

“To take me?”

“That’s right.”

Hyun-woo’s mind became complicated.

He had felt the stars using all sorts of tricks to take him before, but this time it was a more direct method.

They were even preparing for war in case they clashed with each other.

Hyun-woo turned his gaze to Monstrill.

“Then what about you?”

“What about me? Would I be much different?”

Monstrill said with a grin.

“It’s true that I want to have you too. That’s why I came this time. I’m here to help you because I can’t let the other guys take you. Kang Hyun-woo. At least one of the stars has to be on your side for this fight to be fair, right?”

Monstrill said, leaning close to Hyun-woo. But then she distanced herself again and said.

“But don’t think of me too simply like the other stars. I’m a complex star.”

“I don’t know if you want me to think of you as simple or not.”

“I don’t know myself well either. Why am I helping you, Hyun-woo?”

Monstrill whispered with a smile.

“Is it because I want to make you my follower? Is it because I want to become the victor of this star [a powerful entity]?”

“That’s what you would have said with your own mouth.”

“You shouldn’t interpret the Whispering Star’s voice as you hear it.”

Monstrill whispered with a cackling laugh.

“Maybe it’s because of a past connection between you and me.”