Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Loki stared at the two strangers before him, noticing the familiar objects they possessed.

His gaze was immediately drawn to the familiar board game.

‘It’s a chessboard, just as I thought.’

Even if the appearance is the same, the rules, piece designs, and even the number of movable squares on the board game can differ. However, the chessboard before him was completely identical to the game from Loki’s world.

More than anything—.

‘Familiar food.’

Tteokbokki [Korean spicy rice cakes], which shouldn’t exist in this world, was right in front of him.

It even had the familiar taste that Loki knew so well.

-How is it, Senior?

‘Similar to the taste my junior made.’

The junior who was with him during the accident.

It matched the food she used to make.

Loki looked up and glared at the two men, Aum and Per.

The air tensed, and a sense of unease filled the space.

“Aren’t you going to talk?”

Aum realized that the surroundings had become quiet.

The Nord people who had been surrounding the crow-masked man were all gone, and the store was beginning to close its doors.

Instead, skeletons emitting a dark red aura were taking over the streets, even climbing onto the rooftops of buildings and glaring at Aum and Per.

‘Per….’

Aum muttered lowly.

‘Can we escape this encirclement?’

‘I-Impossible. It’s not just one or two undead… With Death Knight-level skeletons positioned everywhere, it’s likely impossible—.’

“It’s impossible.”

Aum looked up at Loki.

He looked down at Aum and curled up the corner of his lips.

“You can’t escape. And you will answer my questions. Otherwise, should I take an arm or something before you speak?”

As Loki exerted pressure, Aum broke out in a cold sweat. He opened his mouth to answer Loki’s question.

“We are merchants.”

“You lie like you breathe. Not even a change in expression.”

Loki lowered his head to meet Aum’s eye level and moved his lips.

“Do I have to torture you to get the truth?”

“……!”

‘Can he tell when I’m lying?’

The opponent was serious. If he lied any further, they would tear him apart to get the truth.

Aum said with a tense face.

“It seems there’s no use in lying. Then let me introduce myself. I am Aum Linia, the chieftain of the Linia tribe. Per.”

“Per Linia. Aum’s brother.”

“…Linia?”

Loki tilted his head.

“Ah, I’ve heard of you. The largest tribe among the Nord, right?”

“…….”

‘He knows about us?’

‘He’s also gathering information.’

Aum swallowed inwardly. If the opponent knew about his tribe, he would know what it meant to hold him captive.

“I am the chieftain of Linia. If you hold me for too long, the warriors of Linia will attack this city—.”

“You were talking about Cancun earlier. I heard the word ‘Kudan’ in that conversation, though?”

Loki didn’t care about Aum’s circumstances.

‘…He understood our words in that noisy market street?’

That small sound?

‘A monster who has transcended humanity.’

Aum raised his guard even higher.

“Are you subordinates of Kudan?”

“…How could we be? We are ‘collaborators’ with Kudan.”

“Collaborators?”

“Also, instigators who helped Kudan’s rebellion.”

Per, who was next to Aum, glanced at him.

It was a look that said he was revealing too much.

But Aum knew. If he showed even a hint of suspicion to the being in front of him, his head would fly off immediately.

“I see. So you incited the rebellion?”

“To be precise, Kudan asked for help, so we helped.”

“There was a story about Cancun earlier. Are you still after that child? The village of Lagna has already disappeared. The tribe is now subordinate to this city called ‘Valhalla,’ just one tribe among many. What Kudan wants isn’t in this city.”

“No. Kudan doesn’t care about the ‘Lagna tribe’ or anything like that.”

Loki tilted his head.

“What Kudan wanted was not the ‘Lagna tribe’ but his niece, ‘Cancun.’”

Loki narrowed his eyes beneath the crow mask.

“Going to great lengths to kill his niece. Is she an enemy or something?”

Aum laughed hollowly.

The one before him didn’t know everything. Thanks to that, he felt a little relieved.

He couldn’t see the opponent as perfect.

“It’s the opposite.”

Loki tilted his head.

“Kudan wanted to ‘protect’ Cancun.”

As Loki asked back, surprised by the unexpected word, Aum said.

“It’s too unfair if only we talk. I’ve revealed my identity, so you should reveal yours as well.”

“I am a healer named Hoon.”

It wasn’t a lie.

He had healed the Nord people, so he could be called a healer, and his name was also Kim Hoon.

Loki didn’t lie.

But Aum didn’t believe it.

“It’s hard for a simple healer to have both martial prowess and healing abilities. More than anything… these undead are kneeling and bowing their heads to you, aren’t they?”

Aum pointed to the surrounding undead.

They were all kneeling and paying their respects to Loki.

It was hard to see this as simply treating him as a second-in-command.

“You’re brazen for a stranger.”

“…First of all, we came here as ‘merchants,’ guests on a trip. We haven’t caused any trouble.”

“Hmm….”

“Also, I’m curious if you have any intention of interacting with our tribe.”

“Interaction?”

“The land where our tribe is located has three mining areas with iron ore, copper, and magic stones. So—.”

“You want to be treated as guests worthy of that?”

“That’s right.”

Loki looked at Aum and opened his mouth.

“I am….”

In that instant, his crow mask was enveloped in shadow and disappeared.

And what appeared was a mountain goat skull with horns. Dark armor covered his body.

Unlike his slender body from before, he was wearing heavy equipment, and a huge cloak fluttered.

Before Aum, a sinister lord of death who crawled out of hell appeared.

Aum and Per froze at the sudden event, and Loki answered Aum’s question.

“…I am Loki.”

The air expanded and became heavy.

Aum broke out in a cold sweat and felt breathless.

His heart was racing like crazy, and he felt dizzy.

‘It’s hard to breathe…!’

His vision was blurry.

Aum instinctively recognized that the being before him was truly a terrifyingly dangerous existence.

The one before him was not a second-in-command but the ruler who governed this region.

And also a god praised by the Nord as the Sinful Constellation.

‘He wasn’t just a con artist!?’

The Advent of the Constellation.

He felt a dignity worthy of being believed.

At that moment, Per, who was next to him, stepped in front of Aum and pulled out a weapon from his luggage.

Even though he was trembling with fear, he pointed the huge ax blade at Loki and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Brother! Run away-!”

It disappeared.

Per’s arm.

“……!”

Per stared at Loki, frozen, and could see Per’s arm dangling in Loki’s grasp.

“Ugh… Ugh! Bro, Brother… Run away-! I’ll buy you as much time as I can-!”

“Shut up, Per! Can’t you see I’m talking!”

Aum shouted, and Per stopped in surprise, clutching his right shoulder and looking at Aum.

Aum bowed his head to Loki and shouted.

“My brother has committed a discourtesy! Let his rudeness be replaced by his arm. Please forgive us-!”

“Good.”

Loki nodded and threw Per’s arm to the ground.

Per groaned and picked up his arm.

Aum bowed his head and broke out in a cold sweat.

‘…I almost lost my mind too! Calm down! Let’s calm down! Don’t be dominated by fear! Don’t be impatient! Think. Think-!’

Aum took a deep breath and calmed his mind as much as possible. Then, his rapidly beating heart gradually began to return to normal.

Loki was inwardly impressed by Aum’s appearance.

‘Amazing. He regained his reason in that short moment?’

It must mean his mental strength is very high.

“I have revealed my identity.”

Loki sat back down on the floor and pointed to the floor with his hook-like finger.

“So, let’s sit down together and talk.”

“We….”

“Refusal is not an option.”

Aum sat down under pressure. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that his legs gave way after seeing Loki’s true form.

If Loki hadn’t told him to sit down, he would have embarrassingly fallen on his butt.

“As those who rule the city, let’s speak the truth without lies. What do you say?”

“…I agree.”

It was what Aum wanted too. He was curious about the other party’s identity.

“What did you mean when you said you were trying to save Cancun?”

“…Kudan started a rebellion to save Cancun.”

“From what?”

“The shaman’s prophecy.”

“The shaman was trying to kill Cancun?”

Aum shook his head from side to side.

“No. The shaman is just someone who mediates between the Nord people and does not interfere in tribal affairs unless attacked.”

“Then who was after Cancun?”

“The elders.”

Loki narrowed his eyes.

“The old men of the Lagna tribe feared the prophecy and tried to kill her.”

It was an unexpected statement.

The elders of the Lagna tribe were still staying in this city.

“Killing people over superstition?”

“…People tend to become fanatically obsessed once they start believing in something. That’s… something you must know too, right?”

Loki recalled those who worshiped him and nodded.

“I see. So the elders are behind it.”

“No. The real mastermind is someone else.”

“Who is it?”

“May I also ask a question?”

Loki tilted his head and nodded.

“Yes. I wanted to have an equal conversation, so I can’t be the only one asking questions. Ask away.”

As permission was granted, Aum said.

“What… is your identity?”

“Loki. Kim Hoon. And the creator of this region.”

Loki pointed to Valhalla Palace in the distance and said.

Aum felt his mind go blank. Was the other party lying? Or was he telling the truth?

He was really referring to the god called the ‘Sinful Constellation.’

“Are you… really the ‘Sinful Constellation’?”

“No, I am not the ‘Sinful Constellation.’”

“…….”

Aum widened his eyes. It was because he never expected him to deny it.

‘I knew he couldn’t be a constellation.’

Aum was relieved.

In fact, he had been shaken by seeing him.

“…I see.”

If the other party was not a constellation, it meant he was human. That also meant he ‘could be killed.’

“I have answered. Now, may I ask a question?”

Aum’s heart felt lighter.

The other party was being considerate of him.

Despite the overwhelming difference in power and the fact that the chieftain of another tribe had entered this city without permission, he was giving him a ‘conversation’ instead of an interrogation.

“Yes, please speak.”

“Who is the real mastermind who tried to kill Cancun?”

“Cancun’s father, Karan Lagna.”

“…….”

“Her father tried to kill Cancun.”

Loki stroked his chin. At the same time, his body shook, and laughter flowed out.

A father trying to kill his daughter? It was truly a crazy world.

“Why? Because of the prophecy?”

“To be recognized by the elders.”

“Get recognized? Is the influence of the elders that great?”

“In the Lagna tribe at that time, the elders had a great influence in selecting the tribe’s chief. And until then, the one unanimously chosen by the elders was… Kudan Lagna. Cancun’s uncle. He was called the strongest among the Nord. You don’t need me to tell you how Karan Lagna became the chief, right….”

“…….”

“When signs of his power wavering appeared, Karan Lagna made a choice. To poison Kudan, offer his daughter as a sacrifice, and gain the trust of the elders. And that….”

“Kudan found out?”

Aum nodded.

“That’s why Kudan destroyed the Lagna tribe.”