Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 85

The Player Who Became a Constellation – Chapter 85

Chapter 85

“……”

A silence fell.

Everyone stared, eyes wide, their gazes darting between the three kings.

The King of the Node, mounted on a six-legged horse.

The King of Nordrian, struck by an arrow and fallen.

And King Photor, also struck by an arrow.

Confusion reigned.

The Node, who they believed to be allies, had suddenly attacked King Nordrian.

‘What on earth is their scheme!?’

King Photor was equally bewildered.

He couldn’t fathom the Node’s actions.

They had captured Prince Chaser, ostensibly to exchange him as a hostage, only to kill him on the spot, triggering a full-scale war.

Yet, after igniting the flames of war, these Node, despite being dispatched, hadn’t actively participated in the battle.

Then, just as the Nordrian kingdom teetered on the brink of collapse, they suddenly reappeared and intervened.

And now, when it seemed they were finally assisting the Nordrian kingdom in earnest, they shot an arrow at King Nordrian without hesitation.

And it struck his chest.

King Nordrian already bore deep wounds on his shoulder and side.

As old as he was, even for a Node with their renowned stamina, an arrow piercing his chest was a death sentence.

This meant certain death.

They had driven King Nordrian to his demise.

‘What are they thinking… Oh?’

King Photor’s eyes widened gradually.

‘No. This is…!’

It was a calculated plan.

Killing Prince Chaser before their eyes, biding their time until the Nordrian kingdom was on the verge of ruin, then rejoining the war….

And ‘killing’ King Nordrian too…!

“You bastards…!”

King Photor clutched his chest.

Blood poured from the arrow wound.

“From the beginning, you were aiming for the Nordrian kingdom and my kingdom!?”

They were the true invaders.

Waiting for the two forces to weaken before finally stepping in!

That way, they could capture King Nordrian and himself.

That’s how they could seize both kings!

King Photor was convinced he had deciphered their scheme. But the King of the Node refuted his accusations.

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“What?”

“We simply desired food, horses, and fur. However, the scale of the war escalated, and we felt the reward was insufficient for the effort.”

The Sleipnir [Odin’s eight-legged horse], ridden by Loki, moved forward step by step.

“If you hadn’t harmed Prince Thorsen, if King Nordrian hadn’t offered me this kingdom, I wouldn’t have gone this far.”

“……”

“Well, regardless of the process, the outcome has become favorable for us.”

This land would become Asgard’s [realm of the Norse gods], and by capturing King Photor, the Forman kingdom would also fall into Loki’s grasp.

“Do you truly believe that the Nordrian kingdom and the Forman kingdom will submit to your control after this!?”

Killing his own child so cruelly, insulting and killing even himself. And even killing King Nordrian, who requested the dispatch of troops.

The backlash from the people would be severe.

Riots and rebellions would constantly erupt, and in the end, the King of the Node would bring about his own destruction.

“They may not be subordinate immediately, but that backlash will dissipate over time. The justification is ample.”

In the first place, the Forman kingdom initiated the invasion. There’s no issue with him and his son dying.

The only potential problem was King Nordrian.

Even though he came to aid the Nordrian kingdom, there was no apparent justification for harming King Nordrian.

But that was only the case if King Nordrian died.

“King Nordrian. Are you alive?”

Nordrian spat out blood.

He barely managed to open his eyes and look at Loki. He moved his lips.

‘The, kingdom…. To the people…. Mercy….’

It seemed he was too weak to even produce a sound.

“He was a king who fostered peace in tranquil times. But in these turbulent times, he is a king who lacks the wisdom to overcome them. But he will be sufficient to manage this land.”

“……”

“Step down from the throne and serve me. And witness.”

Loki manipulated space and produced a potion.

Clang!

When he shattered the potion, a blood-red liquid cascaded over Nordrian’s body.

“What kind of power the being you serve possesses.”

The potion seeped into Nordrian’s wounds. Then, his body began to convulse.

“Kuh-!”

The sound of bones breaking echoed, and the twisted bones realigned, regaining their proper position.

Missing bones grew anew and hardened firmly.

The aged skin peeled away, and new flesh sprouted beneath.

Nordrian opened his eyes wide.

Fresh air filled his lungs with each breath.

His mind was clear.

The pain vanished, and his body felt as light as a feather.

It felt as though he had become 10 years younger.

Nordrian gazed at his trembling hands.

It was not an illusion.

His skin was smooth and unblemished.

Nordrian rose from his seat.

He staggered, as if his newly reconstructed body felt foreign.

“Y-Your Majesty?”

Nordrian’s soldiers and people stared at him with shocked expressions.

“S-Such a miracle…?”

Others were astonished, but how must the person who experienced it feel?

‘Is this a dream? Is this a dream?’

King Nordrian had been granted a new body.

“What is it, what is it!”

Conversely, King Photor appeared to be trapped in a nightmare.

King Nordrian, whom he had desperately suppressed, was standing tall, not only unharmed but even younger than before?

“King Photor.”

“……”

Loki approached King Photor.

“It seems there will be no backlash from the Nordrian kingdom. Rest assured and die.”

King Photor’s face paled.

At the same time, he became desperate.

He himself was currently fatally wounded. If he didn’t receive treatment immediately, he would surely die.

If it was the power of the king before him, he could also live.

“L-Let’s negotiate! W-We, our Forman kingdom will also follow your kingdom! So-. S-Save me!”

“It’s too late for that.”

“……!?”

“You killed too many people of Asgard.”

“I-If you kill me, the soldiers will strongly resist!”

It was a lie. The soldiers were already frozen, unable to fight or flee due to Loki’s overwhelming presence.

“Don’t worry. As a former king, I will grant you the courtesy of a painless death.”

That bastard intends to take his life no matter what!

“W-Wait a minute!”

Loki raised his spear and swung it.

“I will sever that head without pain….”

Slash!

“And send it to your kingdom to announce your defeat.”

King Photor’s head fell and rolled on the floor.

“Rest in peace.”

At the death of their king, the Forman soldiers were terrified and retreated.

Loki turned his head and addressed a man who appeared to be a commander among the frozen Forman soldiers.

“Hey.”

The commander screamed in terror.

“Y-Yes?!”

“Take the head of the Forman king and inform your army.”

“……”

“Halt the massacre, discard your weapons, and surrender. Tell them that if they don’t, I will kill them all.”

“……!”

“30 minutes. Resolve it within that time.”

“Y-Yes, I understand! Standard-bearers! Standard-bearers, follow me!”

The Forman commander hurriedly departed with the standard-bearers.

“King Nordrian.”

“Yes? Ah… Yes.”

King Nordrian bowed his head.

“S-Speak… please.”

He stammered, his mouth twitching as if he was uncomfortable with honorifics.

“Send the remains of the dead Forman soldiers to the Forman kingdom.”

“Yes? Ah, I understand.”

Could it be that he was trying to show respect even to the enemy?

But King Nordrian had no choice but to freeze at the next command.

“Stick them all on skewers and display them in front of their kingdom.”

“……”

“Tell them that if they don’t surrender within 3 days, I will invade the Forman kingdom.”

King Photor’s suspicions were not entirely unfounded.

This King of the Node was indeed planning to devour two kingdoms.

King Nordrian wanted to object to that statement.

He feared that such actions would incite not only the Photor kingdom but also the other kingdoms in this land to resist.

But when he met Loki’s gaze, the words caught in his throat and refused to emerge.

‘I have unleashed a monstrous being upon this land.’

The King of the Node before him would not be content with Astoria Island.

Perhaps… the same fate awaited the northern lands.

Soon, the entire continent would be affected.

King Nordrian closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head.

He could only pray that this disaster would spare the people of this land.

***

“Okay, everyone, let’s try a little harder.”

This was the individual who assisted Loki with his duties in Asgard.

Hans surveyed the tribal chiefs and elders of Asgard gathered around the round table.

As lords of the land, they were responsible for managing each region.

‘Well, everyone is still adjusting, so they make a lot of mistakes… but they are improving quickly.’

Hans wore an awkward expression.

Once demoted from the Ronia kingdom, plundered by the Node and enslaved, now saved by Loki and becoming the second most powerful person in Asgard after Aum.

Even he found his fate peculiar.

“Let’s conclude this meeting here. We will reconvene in the evening to address the remaining documents. Regarding the food shortage, the Constellation will personally travel to Astoria Island to resolve it.”

Well, how much food can you procure from a small kingdom, even if it’s only slightly smaller than a large city?

‘Still, it will improve things somewhat.’

It was as he pondered this that Hans, while organizing the documents, discovered one particular report.

It contained information sent by the Node on the continent.

“Ah…”

Hans’s expression turned bitter as he read the contents.

“Ronia….”

The kingdom he had protected with such affection.

But that kingdom was also the country that had stabbed him in the back, branding him a ‘traitor’.

‘The war is over.’

Integration of the Ronia kingdom.

It appeared that the civil war had ended and the kingdom had been unified into one Ronia.

However, recovery would take time due to the presence of remaining opposing forces.

But those were merely embers.

‘But this is unexpected.’

As expected, it would be a lie to say he had no lingering feelings for Ronia, given his deep affection for it.

But who would have imagined that the person who ascended the throne would be-.

‘Prince Ash.’

Who would have foreseen that Prince Ash, who was on the verge of death, would claim the throne?

[Ash Ronia, crowned King of Ronia.]

Another wave of chaos began to engulf the Ronia kingdom.

***

…That was a story from ‘a month ago’.

“…Are you alright? Prince.”

Late at night, in the forest. The Inquisitor’s camp.

Ash Ronia had been released from the agonizing torture.

But that respite was fleeting.

If he failed to prove his faith to those Inquisitors, he would be subjected to even more horrific torture than before.

“Drink some water. And have something to eat.”

Ash looked at Paul.

He was offering Ash even the meager water and food rationed to him.

“Th-Thank you. Someday, I will surely reward your loyalty with glory.”

Everyone else had betrayed him.

But only the court wizard Paul before him had remained loyal.

Even now that he was no longer a prince, Paul prioritized his safety.

“…That’s not why I serve you.”

“R-Really?”

“Because Albert and Rapilta serve you. If those two were alright, they would have acted as I have.”

“……”

“So, if… truly, if you ever regain your position, please don’t forget those two.”

“O-Of course! Of course, I won’t!”

Ash nodded repeatedly.

Even in this dire situation, he was thinking of his friends?

His loyalty was extraordinary.

‘I will surely ascend to the throne and repay them!’

At that moment, Ash sensed a strange presence. He turned his head and saw something wriggling in the darkness of the forest.

“Wh-What is that?”

“This is the Forest of Magic.”

“Magic?”

“It’s a place with a strong magical power connected to the Demon World. That’s why….”

What emerged from the forest was a pure white skeleton.

“…There are many dead here. If you die here, anyone will become a wandering undead.”

“……!”

Hundreds of skeletons staggered through the forest, glaring at the camp.

But the reason they didn’t attack was because the Inquisitor had taken precautions.

In fact, a [木]-shaped totem was erected in the middle of the camp, and divine power emanated from it.

That served as a barrier to ward off the undead.

“Prince.”

“Huh?”

“In a little while-.”

Ash looked at Paul.

Paul produced a sharp twig from his sleeve.

He had secretly taken it while being tortured.

“We will escape this place.”

***

Everyone fell asleep.

Only one paladin remained on guard before the campfire in the camp.

The paladin was reading a Bible to alleviate his boredom, and next to him were the wagon and horse, and Albert and Rapilta were tied up.

Paul carefully assessed the surrounding situation and examined the shackles on his wrist.

He took out the twig from his sleeve and channeled mana into it.

Click-.

‘It’s unlocked!’

The restraints were released with magic.

The twig served as a makeshift staff.

Paul moved cautiously and began to unlock the shackles binding Ash’s wrist.

– ‘I-Is it possible?! To escape from them…!’

– ‘I don’t know. We have to try!’

– ‘Are you saying it’s not certain!?’

– ‘It’s better than being dragged away by those guys like this.’

Click-.

The shackles that bound Ash were released.

Ash’s face lit up, but Paul’s face hardened.

The rune patterns on the shackles.

‘This is….’

It was an alarm magic.