Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 110

110

* * *

Thud-!

Eron’s eyes widened in surprise.

Blood splattered on his face.

He stared ahead, disbelief etched on his face.

“Cough-!”

It was Palm who had shielded him.

“Palm?!”

Palm knelt, a sword protruding from his stomach.

He glared at the slave soldier, who, terrified by Palm’s gaze, turned and fled.

“Cough-!”

Blood gurgled from his mouth, as if his body were rejecting it.

‘Is this the end…?’

“Palm! Palm-! Stay with me-!”

Eron rushed to his side, supporting him.

His own voice echoed in his ears.

‘Haha… are you making that face for me?’

A desperate expression, as if he had lost his own parents.

That was Eron’s expression.

“Palm…!”

“P…!”

“……!”

The sound gradually faded.

His vision turned black.

-’I’ve always been curious.’

-’Why do you serve Prince Eron?’

Palm recalled Hans’ words from a while ago.

* * *

-Are you a slave?

A faint voice drifted to him.

He saw himself collapsed on the ground in the rain.

A long time ago, when his body couldn’t withstand the brutal labor and he had collapsed, someone had spoken to him.

-He asked if I was a slave.

A dignified voice.

But also youthful.

A young boy who looked to be only about five years old at most.

Knights stood guard on either side of him.

This young master, clearly of noble status, was wandering around the desolate refugee camp.

-I’m, I’m sorry! Your Highness! My slave has been rude…! Palm! Get up and greet him! Don’t make a fuss over just a broken leg!

Palm’s owner, the slave trader, answered obsequiously.

However, Prince Eron, barely five years old, ignored the slave trader and asked Palm.

-He asked if I was a slave.

-N…no. I’m not… a slave… not a tool…

That was Palm’s answer.

-Is that so? I see.

In response, Prince Eron reached out his hand.

-Your Highness! You mustn’t touch the hand of a lowly slave…!

-Silence. All life is precious. Whether it’s a commoner, a serf, or a slave, it’s all the same!

-All… the same?

-Yes, all are precious. Because life is valuable. That goes for you too.

At Eron’s kind words, Palm involuntarily reached out his hand.

In the cold rain, Prince Eron warmly clasped his hand.

-You are a precious being, Palm.

‘Prince Eron… you probably don’t remember me from back then. But I have never forgotten you for a single moment.’

He, who had been a slave his entire life, became a free man thanks to Eron.

He was also assigned to a military unit in a peaceful rural village so that he could safely maintain his livelihood.

From then on, Palm earned money and walked the path of a merchant.

He accumulated wealth, obtained a knighthood with his wealth, accumulated merits, and gave bribes to be adopted into the Halo family and become the head of the family. And he gradually climbed up.

Despite his lowly status, he had eliminated everything that hindered him by any means necessary.

Like that… he approached Prince Eron.

…Why do I serve him?

Because he acknowledged me.

Hans Stinger.

But serving him will end with this.

I hope… you are well.

“Get up, brat.”

In that instant, Palm’s body was engulfed in a tremendous shock.

It was a pain of bones being shaved and flesh being torn from his entire body.

But it lasted only a blink of an eye, and all that pain vanished.

The blurry vision also cleared.

He turned his head, eyes wide open, bathed in the morning sunlight.

Right next to him was the boy, Eron, who had burst into tears while looking at him.

And beside him stood a demon clad in jet-black armor.

The Constellation of Sin?

Palm looked at him and then lowered his gaze.

His stomach, which should have been pierced through, was whole.

There wasn’t even a scar, let alone a wound.

“……!”

Just what in the world is going on!?

Palm was shocked and horrified.

He looked at the potion Loki was holding.

‘That potion….’

Come to think of it, he had heard that there was a potion with incredible healing properties in Asgard [the realm of the Norse gods].

“But, a potion that can even revive the dead?”

“You need to get your facts straight. He was on the verge of death.”

Doesn’t that mean that it can save any situation except for the truly dead!?

Palm was horrified.

He knew that the opponent was beyond common sense.

Not only is he capable of large-scale magic that can be used on the battlefield, but he is also skilled in making such potions?

He began to doubt whether he was really a Constellation [a being of immense power].

Otherwise, there was no way he could perform miracles that so easily distorted the laws of this world.

“If you’ve come to your senses, get ready to reorganize.”

Loki brushed past him.

As he did, he turned his gaze towards Eron.

“It is our victory, Eron Ronia.”

Eron’s eyes gradually widened.

That’s right.

They had occupied the Hubel Territory and blocked the attack of the Kron Empire, Ash’s only support force.

That means soon-.

“Now, we occupy the capital, Lost.”

This war is coming to an end.

Now, only Ash Ronia remained at the end.

* * *

“Emperor Kashar… is dead?”

The report brought by the Ronia scout who had left for the Hubel Territory was too shocking for Ash.

The 40,000 slave soldiers were ‘annihilated.’

What was even more surprising was that the opponent’s damage was insignificant except for the Revolutionary Army.

Above all, what frightened him was the death of Kashar, the emperor and one of the Twelve Heroes.

He believed that he was an existence that would not fall.

That is why, even though he was an enemy country, he tried to protect his throne by offering territory, slaves, and even tribute, using him as a shield….

The news that the fourth strongest hero on the continent had died without even putting up a proper resistance made Ash’s legs give way.

Now, only despair remained for him.

He covered his forehead and laughed as if he had lost his mind.

“Ha… hahaha… hahaha! Hahahaha! Are you kidding me? Tell me it’s a joke. Huh? Hahaha-!”

“…….”

The scout couldn’t say anything. He felt like his head would fly off if he made a mistake.

“So… that’s it? Is that all you came to tell me? Huh?”

“…….”

The scout carefully opened his mouth, watching Ash’s reaction.

“Also…, we cannot grasp the enemy’s strength! Reports are coming in that rebel troops are gathering in Lost from all over the country…!”

“Ah… aaaa-!”

Ash let out a desperate, hoarse cry and slumped down on the throne.

He looked at the surrounding nobles.

The nobles gathered in the grand hall had faces as white as a sheet, facing the worst possible situation.

They never imagined that the barbarians they had ignored and looked down on would have this much power, and they couldn’t help but be shocked that they had even killed the emperor of the Kron Empire.

The confident appearances they had always shown, shouting with strength in their necks, were nowhere to be found, and only the weakness of the defeated remained.

Ash felt disgusted by such a helpless display.

“What are you all doing…?”

“…Your Majesty?”

The nobles looked at Ash.

Ash’s face contorted and he threw the crown from his head.

The heirloom that had been passed down to the heir to the throne rolled mercilessly on the floor.

“I asked what you are doing! You vermin! The enemies are coming! Then stop them! Protect me! Protect me from those monsters!”

“……!”

There were no honorifics.

He shouted as if his throat would burst, having lost his reason.

“Stop them by any means necessary! Aren’t you my vassals who protect me!”

“H-However, there’s no way….”

“If the enemies gather their forces, we gather ours too! Gather all the troops in the country!”

“H-However, if we do that, the defense of the border areas will inevitably….”

“Is that border a problem when the capital is about to fall and I, the king, am about to die…!”

“…….”

“Immediately conscript all the people in Lost! Everyone, regardless of age, gender, or child…!”

The nobles closed their mouths and couldn’t say anything.

They had even lost the will to look at the tyrant who was going mad, giving up on being human, and simply lowered their heads.

In order to live, they had to pretend to listen to his words.

“Why is there no answer?”

“…We will do as you command, Your Majesty.”

However, among them, a noble who lowered his head and spoke raised his face.

…A noble?

It’s different.

He was a ‘wraith’ [ghost or specter] with nothing but bones, wearing a black robe.

He was standing tall in front of the king, among the nobles, but no one noticed the murderous intent in his emotions, the cold-blooded voice, or even his existence itself.

He looked as natural as if he were a part of the nobles, as if he had always been there.

The magician ‘Paul,’ his eyes burning with hatred, anger, and resentment, was glaring at Ash.

* * *

In Lost, troops were gathering for Ash.

The number gradually increased, filling the capital to the brim, and even the people who lived there were forcibly conscripted.

There was no distinction between the elderly, women, children, and the sick.

The number was countless.

Because it was the king’s last struggle, the defense of the capital was stronger than any other country, and also… ‘sloppy.’

The people of the territory, who realized that the capital would soon become a battlefield, tried to leave, but all exits had already been blocked.

If they tried to sneak out, they would immediately be punished with death, regardless of the reason.

Eron’s rebellion, the people’s uprising, foreign invasion, and additional forced conscription. All of this caused chaos in Lost.

The nobles were secretly relieved by Ash’s forced conscription.

Although they had accepted Ash’s unreasonable demands, more troops than they had expected were mobilized.

With this many, the enemy might give up in the face of unexpected resistance and retreat to some extent.

At that time, they can ‘escape.’

They have many options.

They can flee to another country, or go to Eron… there are various ways to survive.

However, only Ash will not be able to live.

That’s probably why he’s acting like this, knowing it himself.

* * *

“…It’s bigger than I thought.”

Loki, riding on Sleipnir [Odin’s eight-legged horse], grabbed the reins.

He confirmed the flags and troops densely filling the outer walls of the giant city of Lost, the capital of Ronia, which could be seen from afar.

According to the information, they had gathered as many Ronia troops as they could.

Also, it was just as unstable.

Among them, there may be those who follow Ash, but conversely, there will also be those who aim for Ash.

Knowing that, Ash is calling in troops, unable to overcome his anxiety.

Hiding behind that wall, which is like the iron bars of a prison.

“What are you going to do?”

Aum asked.

Behind Loki were 10,000 elite Asgardian soldiers who had solved the supply problem and regrouped. And 110,000 soldiers of Eron’s Revolutionary Army had gathered.

A total of 120,000.

This was enough to capture Lost.

However, the problem is that the sacrifice will be great.

The opponent has nowhere to retreat.

So, the final resistance will be incomparable to what has been seen so far.

In that case….

“Wait.”

“…Wait? For how long…?”

“Ah, about… three months? I guess there are too many opponents.”

“…….”

“Three months. That’s about right. We’ll wait until then. But….”

Loki’s eyes curved as if he were smiling.

He was like a mischievous child who liked to play pranks.

“Cut off all connections with the outside world. Cut off anything that goes to Lost.”

Eron, who was behind him, was puzzled, but Aum knew what Loki was trying to do.

Loki was planning to starve them to death.