Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 117

Player Who Became a Constellation – Episode 117

Episode 117

Salad thought, her expression darkening.

‘Insects.’

To them, humans are vermin.

Such a perception was almost inevitable, given her past experiences. Of course, living with the farmers in Asgard had softened that view little by little, but being treated like this the moment she stepped outside was not a pleasant reminder.

‘Ain’s perception of humans is originally like that, but still…’

Salad glared at the man with undisguised hostility.

The man seemed to enjoy her fiery gaze. He crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips, and nodded.

“I like it even more! It seems like it hasn’t been properly trained yet, but if properly educated, it will be quite… valuable.”

“This child is not a slave,” Loki stated, his voice firm.

The man blinked, looking from Loki to Salad, confusion etched on his face.

“Huh? Isn’t she?”

“…No,” Salad affirmed, her voice quiet but resolute.

At Salad’s denial, the man was speechless for a moment. Then, as if a realization dawned on him, he clapped his hands together.

“Ah! What a mistake! I’m terribly sorry. Being at home, I’ve only ever seen Ain slaves.”

“……”

*Indeed, I don’t like this man,* Salad thought, her eyes narrowed.

She instinctively hid slightly behind Loki, continuing to glare at the man from her partial cover.

“A very shy Ain, it seems.” Loki commented dryly.

“Because she was treated badly by humans like you in the past,” Loki added, his tone suggesting a warning.

The man nodded, feigning understanding of Loki’s words.

Then, with a flourish, he placed one hand on his stomach and the other on his waist.

He took a step back, executing a theatrical bow.

“I sincerely apologize. I have committed a grave rudeness.”

“…I still won’t forgive you,” Salad muttered, though her voice lacked heat.

“Haha! Is that so? But know that you are honored! Because I have bowed my head to less than five people in this world!” The man threw his head back and laughed loudly.

“Where are you headed?” he asked, his tone now casual.

Loki answered, “I’m heading to the capital of the Krone Empire.”

“The capital? It could be very dangerous for foreigners. Not that it’s my place to say, but the civic consciousness of this Krone Empire is truly terrible.”

“……”

“A handsome man like you or a beautiful woman like that girl might be ambushed at night. You might be secretly kidnapped and become a slave overnight.”

“Do you really think that will happen?” Loki inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“No, I think your escort elf will immediately turn them into a beehive!”

*Escort Elf?*

Loki glanced at Salad, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

It seemed this man mistook Salad for an escort elf.

Salad’s expression softened slightly; she didn’t seem to dislike the assumption.

“But why the capital? Is tourism the purpose?” the man pressed.

“I have business at the Imperial Palace.”

“Oh oh oh!” The man let out a strange, drawn-out exclamation.

Loki revised his initial assessment of the man.

*Isn’t this guy an Imperial Palace trainer guard?*

His skills were clearly outstanding, but his behavior was too lighthearted and lacked the proper dignity.

It was a different atmosphere entirely from the taciturn Imperial Palace trainer guards.

*Maybe he’s a guy who was kicked out of the Imperial Guard….*

“What’s going on at the Imperial Palace? They won’t let outsiders in carelessly, will they?”

“Is that so? That’s a shame. I was going to buy a slave that they sell at the Imperial Palace.”

“That’s right. Merchants come to the Golden Palace of the Krone Empire and display rare slaves to sell at auction. But they don’t accept just anyone. Well, if it were me, I would let you in just for the sake of that girl.” The man flicked his fingers, pointing at Salad.

His eyes twinkled with interest, and he seemed to have taken a great liking to Salad.

Conversely, Salad covered her mouth as if she had a lump of butter in it, and deliberately avoided the man’s gaze.

“Hmm, am I being hated?” The man looked genuinely crestfallen.

“Anyway, since we met like this, why don’t you accompany me for a while?” Loki looked at the man, considering the offer.

The man tapped his chest theatrically and said, “My name is Karma. I’m a merchant. I’m heading to the ‘Harel’ territory near this border area.”

“Hoon.” Loki looked at Salad, seeking her opinion.

Under Loki’s gaze, Salad quietly muttered her name, “Salad.”

“Yes, Hoon and Salad.” Karma, the crown prince of the Krone Empire, said, spreading his hands wide.

“Welcome to the golden country, the Krone Empire!”

***

A strange journey with Karma began.

Karma’s wagon was piled high with all kinds of bottles, and in a box covered with cloth, Loki spotted a mushroom that glowed with an eerie red light.

Loki initially thought it was simply a unique mushroom, but Salad’s eyes widened in recognition when she saw it.

“…It’s a frenzy mushroom.”

“Frenzy mushroom?” Loki asked, intrigued.

“It’s a mushroom that causes hallucinations and makes it difficult to control emotions when eaten. However, if the intake is well controlled, it can also be used as a medicine to relieve pain,” Salad explained.

“Oh! As expected of an elf. She is also excellent in pharmacy. I want her even more,” Karma said, smiling brightly behind his mask.

He held the reins, sitting in the driver’s seat and expertly guiding the camel.

The heat was so intense that it felt like the skin would burn under the low, intense sunlight. At night, the cold was so severe that the skin would feel like it was freezing.

Loki considered the harsh environment of the Krone Empire.

‘In terms of environment, it’s quite a dangerous place, much like the north.’

An environment seemingly unsuitable for human habitation.

However, such an environment was not enough to make humans abandon their ‘greed’.

The camel successfully navigated a particularly nasty sandstorm.

Not long after escaping the desert’s sandy clutches, they began to see other people.

Travelers and merchants riding sled-like carriages were heading in the same direction.

Behind them were people with ropes around their necks; judging by their downtrodden appearance, they were slaves.

Loki’s eyes widened in surprise.

A constant procession of slaves stretched before them.

And at the end of the procession, a huge city came into view.

A massive golden barrier shimmered in the distance.

Sand had been compacted to build a colossal wall, and the hot sun reflected off the sand, making it sparkle like gold.

Loki and Salad gazed up in awe.

A towering barrier.

And a huge door opened between them.

Slaves were moving square rocks as tall as themselves using logs, and slave trainers were whipping them from behind, urging them onward.

In the middle of the sand was a large hole, and ‘gold’ mined from it was being pulled up with a pulley system.

The reason for the Krone Empire’s reign as a dominant power on the continent was now clear.

‘Slaves become labor. Gold, the source of wealth that can employ such slaves, is buried in the land of the Krone Empire.’

It was the foundation upon which a great empire had been built in this desolate desert.

“Welcome, merchants!”

Loki turned his head from the wagon.

The checkpoint at the entrance to Harel Territory.

A guard wearing a desert turban scanned Karma up and down, his eyes narrowed in assessment.

Luxurious clothes, camels, and wagons.

And a foreign man riding inside.

And…

A dark elf.

In the Empire, slave traders were treated with great respect.

The guard gave a friendly smile.

“Are you a slave trader! Dark elves are quite rare and fetch a high price!”

“Yes, I am a merchant, but… my products are different. It’s frenzy mushrooms and potions,” Karma corrected.

“Oh oh! Is that really true!?” The guard looked genuinely impressed.

He put his hand on his chest and bowed his head respectfully.

“I didn’t recognize a precious person. I didn’t know you were a merchant with ties to the Imperial Palace.”

Loki was intrigued by the guard’s words.

Judging by what he was saying, it seemed that these items could only be sold with the permission of the Imperial Family.

“…There are a lot of people,” Loki observed, pointing to the area around Harel Territory.

A considerable number of people were seen converging on Harel Territory.

Most of them were merchants, but many of those brought by the merchants were combat slaves.

There were also tourists, but most of them were bodyguards, mercenaries, and adventurers with a grim, hardened atmosphere.

The guard said proudly, puffing out his chest.

“That’s right! Around this time, not only the key figures of the Empire but also nobles from other countries come to this Harel Territory.”

“Is there any special event?” Loki inquired.

The guard clapped his hands together and nodded enthusiastically.

“The Harel Lord holds a Colosseum in this Harel. They release tournament participants and monsters and have them fight to the death there.”

Releasing warriors and monsters into the arena.

If you kill all the monsters or defeat all the opponent’s warriors, you will be rewarded accordingly.

“Because of that, all kinds of bets are placed. The survivor can become a free citizen or gain gold and silver treasures.”

Loki was intrigued by the guard’s words.

It was an event that seemed straight out of a game.

“Moreover, I heard that there is a very rare item at stake in this tournament. The item at stake this time is….”

Salad, however, was not particularly interested in the story.

She was looking around, her gaze drawn to the slaves who were in the same situation as she had been in the past.

They were covered in whip scars, a testament to their suffering.

Looking at them, she realized that her slave life in Ronia had been relatively comfortable.

“It is said to be the magic tool ‘Staff of the Abyss’ used by the Demon King Kalib. Above all, there is a rumor that a hero is participating this time… Huh? Heok!”

Suddenly feeling a sharp gaze and a palpable wave of murderous intent, the guard was startled and looked at Salad.

A bloodshot eye with no focus was staring directly at him.

The guard felt a chill run down his spine; it was a truly terrifying and unsettling look.

It’s a really unpleasant look.

“Wh, what-! How dare you, a slave, stare at someone like that!” The guard grabbed his spear and pointed it menacingly at Salad.

Looking into those eyes that seemed to suck him in, his mind began to grow hazy.

The guard’s eyes gradually lost focus.

“Calm down,” Loki said, his cold tone cutting through the tension.

Salad’s ears twitched at Loki’s command.

The emotions that had surged up like a tidal wave receded, leaving her calm.

She took a deep breath, closed and opened her eyes, and muttered lowly, “Forget everything that just happened.”

The guard, his eyes still unfocused, repeated robotically, “…Okay.”

“And let us through,” Salad commanded.

“Okay,” the guard echoed.

The guard nodded, closed and opened his eyes.

And he smiled as if nothing had happened and started talking again.

“That’s why so many people come to this tournament to participate or watch! Well, you guys seem to be fine. Originally, I would have to inspect the luggage, but if you have ties to the Imperial Palace, there won’t be any problems. You can pass!”

“……”

Karma stared at the scene with wide eyes, his jaw practically hanging open.

He looked back and forth between Salad and the guard, utterly bewildered.

Salad muttered to Loki, “Shouldn’t we make that human forget too?”

“Do as you please,” Loki replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Wa, wait a minute!” When Salad glared at him, Karma quickly avoided her gaze and began to sweat profusely.

He instinctively realized that he shouldn’t make eye contact with her.

“Haha! A dark elf that I want more and more! I didn’t know you had such amazing abilities. Is that magic? But as far as I know, there is no brainwashing magic that has the same immediate effect as this.”

“……”

“Then it means ‘divine power’. Is she a girl who has received the authority of the Azellan constellation?”

“Should I just get rid of him?” Salad asked, her voice devoid of emotion.

“You can do whatever you want since we’ve come this far,” Loki replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“…Stop joking around,” Salad chided, though her tone was not entirely serious.

Karma clicked his tongue, a nervous habit.

He drove the wagon forward, entering Harel Territory.

‘Still, I entered Harel Territory without any problems.’

Karma had only one thing to do.

It was to meet Harel Lord, the ruler of this place.

This Harel Territory was a place that produced and distributed large-scale frenzy mushrooms and also had its own military power.

The Harel Lord here had great ambitions and was trying to become independent, so if he was suppressed, he could destroy the frenzy mushroom distribution system and establish his authority at the same time.

‘After my father was murdered, each lord is trying to become independent, so a model is needed to prevent that.’

And in order to create that model, a ‘justification’ was needed.

“Let’s get an inn for now! I’ll pay for the room. I’ll let you stay in the best inn, so know it as an honor!” Karma said, putting extra strength into his voice.

Salad, still in the wagon, turned her gaze to scan the streets.

As a city built on the desert, there were many brick buildings made of compacted sand.

Surprisingly, those buildings were solid, and there were quite a few tall buildings.

And on each wall of the building, there was a Colosseum flyer announcing the festival.

[Prove you are a true warrior!]

[The winner will be given the magic tool of the Demon King Kalib!]

Salad’s eyes turned cold.

There were about 3 days left until the opening date.

Also, the festival was said to last about a week.

“Do you want to participate?” Loki asked, observing her reaction.

“……”

Salad looked at Loki and nodded.

“But….”

Loki’s schedule might be delayed because of her.

Moving because of simple greed was acceptable in Ronia.

Even if she has nothing, she had to be careful about every action as she was traveling with Loki now.

“Okay. Participate,” Loki said, cutting off her internal debate.

“Really?” Salad asked, surprised.

“Yes,” Loki confirmed, nodding.

She must have her own reasons and circumstances.

Above all, he wanted to see how powerful Salad’s archery skills were in a different environment.

And this was also related to Loki himself.

‘It must be a player’s event.’

This world was not a game. However, ‘events’ that caused incidents and accidents occurred wherever Loki went.

When he met Cancun, there was an event with the Node tribe in the frozen land.

When he met Paul and his group, the events of Ash and Ronia occurred.

Like this, if a relationship with someone was formed, it occurred as a butterfly effect.

This time too.

Traveling with Salad, something related to her father had surfaced.

Loki was very curious about how the events here would have another impact and what other events they would bring about.

Above all.

‘Isn’t it romance?’

Participating in such a competition.

It couldn’t be a more interesting event.

***

“Oh, who is this!?”

Harel Lord faced an old man and sweated profusely.

Wiping the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, he stared straight ahead with trembling eyes.

A spacious VIP room.

However, the luxurious VIP room felt ‘narrow’ and confining.

That’s because there was a huge old man in front of him who was 2m tall even when sitting down.

A plump body.

An old man with a thick beard who looked deceptively kind.

Facing the smiling old man, Harel’s lord, Harel, rubbed his hands together nervously, trying to ingratiate himself.

Harel Lord was one of the top five tycoons in the Krone Empire.

His authority and power, which even the kings of other countries could not ignore, seemed to pierce the sky, but there were beings who uniquely made him bow his head.

“For you to come and visit, Elder! It’s an honor!” Harel gushed.

“…Originally, I came to meet Kashar. I heard that he was murdered in Ronia. So I was thinking of going to Ronia, so I stopped by here. But there was a fun festival going on,” the old man said, his voice deceptively gentle.

“That means, of course-!” Harel stammered.

“Yes. I will participate. In this Colosseum,” the old man declared.

Harel Lord sweated even more profusely.

‘Please, just don’t do that!’

If this old man participates, all the other participants will give up immediately.

Even if they participate without giving up, everyone will die facing this old man.

Since the result was obvious, it was no exaggeration to say that this festival was ruined.

But Harel couldn’t refuse outright.

Because this person was…

“For you to participate in the competition! It couldn’t be more of an honor!” Harel exclaimed, his voice strained.

He was one of the 12 heroes who killed the Demon King.

Turam the Destroyer.

He was participating in the Colosseum in Harel Territory.