Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 112

Player Who Became a Constellation – Episode 112

Episode 112

Loki was stationed at the base, away from Lost.

He stared at the empty space where communication had been severed and nodded in satisfaction.

“The gift has been delivered successfully.”

“…You truly are unburdened, aren’t you.”

Aum, standing beside him, sighed.

It had been several months since Loki had left Asgard.

For a ruler to abandon his duties and immerse himself in the thick of battle, especially at the front lines…

Aum, who was assisting him, couldn’t shake off his unease.

“When do you plan to return to Asgard?”

“Wouldn’t you say it’ll be over in about a month?”

“…Frankly, it seems you’re thoroughly enjoying this extended break.”

Loki visibly winced and turned to face Aum.

“But opportunities to witness such a spectacle are rare. It promises to be quite interesting. My focus is on what’s happening within.”

Loki pointed towards the palace atop the hill, visible beyond Lost’s outer walls.

“I wonder how the nobles inside will react. Will they rally behind Ash? Or will they choose to surrender?”

The answer was already apparent.

Like hyenas, they wouldn’t leave a lion cub with missing teeth and limbs alone.

They would tear at Ash to ensure their own survival.

Loki tilted his head.

“They must be growing increasingly anxious. Surrounded by a vast enemy army, with dwindling food and water supplies, and the armed populace teetering on the brink of revolt…”

“……”

“If we simply offer a spoon to that prepared feast… we can conclude this with minimal bloodshed.”

“But countless citizens of Lonia will perish.”

“They are neither my subjects nor Eron’s. From the moment they chose to follow Ash, they essentially became…”

Loki shrugged.

“Vermin who have forfeited their freedom.”

“……”

“They need only abandon Ash. And so, I wait. I wait for them to betray their lord…”

“But that could take a considerable amount of time.”

“Ordinarily, yes.”

“……?”

“But the wall already has cracks. A little nudge from the inside…”

Loki’s gaze swept across the walls of Lost, the capital of Lonia.

“And it will crumble with ease.”

***

“Fire!”

A fire erupted within the royal castle’s supply warehouse.

Soldiers frantically poured water to extinguish the blaze.

The knights who witnessed the scene unfold felt their minds reel.

Food and water were already in short supply.

To have it all consumed by fire, only to then douse the flames with precious water…

“…Who was the last person to visit the supply warehouse?”

Just then, Halloom approached.

The knight guarding the warehouse turned, his face hardening as he looked at Halloom.

The knight stammered, his expression strained.

“Yes? L-Lord Halloom was the last one…”

“It was you.”

Halloom drew his sword and plunged it into the knight’s neck.

“Cough!”

As the knight collapsed, Halloom raised his head, a grin spreading across his face as he surveyed the burning warehouse.

‘It’s burning beautifully.’

Halloom instructed his retainers to spread the news throughout Lost that the royal palace’s food stores were ablaze.

Unsurprisingly, the repercussions were severe.

They were confiscating even non-existent food under the guise of supporting the army, and then burning what little remained?

The people were incensed.

“I can’t take it anymore!”

“What is the king even doing!”

“Give us food!”

“Someone, please help! My milk… my milk has dried up! My child is starving!”

“Apothecary! Is there an apothecary present? My wife has contracted the plague!”

Riots broke out, the Lonia army suppressed them, and those who attempted to flee Lost in secret were executed, perpetuating the downward spiral.

The corpses littered the streets, rotting, and a plague began to spread.

Lost lacked the resources to clean up the mess or even the energy to conduct proper funerals.

“……”

The soldiers sniffed the air, catching the scent drifting from the Asgardian army and the revolutionary forces besieging Lost in the distance.

“…Meat…”

“…Is that food?”

The soldiers on the outer walls swallowed hard, their eyes fixed on the smoke rising from the enemy camp.

Thirst and hunger were eroding their reason.

The nobles convened in a sealed room, exchanging worried glances as the system crumbled around them.

“…If we continue down this path, we will all die.”

The nobles, gathered in secret, exchanged glances with those they trusted.

But there was no unifying figure to solidify their resolve.

Even a terrible ruler is still the king. A person who directly betrays and instigates against such a king might receive support from the nobles now, but the future is uncertain.

Isolation within noble society leads to the downfall of the family.

Above all, the king’s forces were concentrated around Ash.

The nobles gathered here were insufficient to overcome them.

There was no path to survival unless they all moved in unison, with a single purpose.

“We need to gather more people who share our convictions…”

There was only one option.

For traitors to unite and forge a new power.

At that moment, someone opened the door to the conference room.

“I will do what you desire.”

All eyes turned towards the newcomer.

It was Lord Halloom.

“L-Lord Halloom?”

“I will take the lead and overthrow King Ash.”

“……!”

“To restore my country, I intend to achieve here what I failed to achieve in the Roden territory.”

A firm resolve to reignite the Roden rebellion.

The nobles exchanged glances and nodded.

“But we are somewhat short on troops.”

“Our private soldiers alone cannot subdue the royal palace…”

“I can resolve that issue for you.”

At that moment, the nobles’ attention shifted to another man.

He was a young noble.

A man wearing a conical hat and robe, seemingly from a family of wizards.

“…So… his name is… Paul… or something?”

Certainly from a rural noble family…. That’s what the nobles had heard.

The noble called Paul offered a deep smile.

“If there are not enough soldiers, can’t we simply create them?”

“…What do you mean?”

“All the people in Lost possess weapons. Riots occur daily and are suppressed. If we simply use them to open the ‘door’…”

“……!”

The Asgardian army would pour into the capital, leaving only a minimal force to defend the royal palace.

“…It might be worth a try!”

Paul smiled.

“Then let us proceed.”

The ‘lich’ [a type of undead creature] in their midst burned with an inner light. But none of the nobles noticed the sight. Rather, their eyes were glazed over, as if they were possessed.

Paul looked at Halloom.

Halloom’s eyes were similarly glazed over.

An ill-fated connection from Roden.

‘I don’t know what your intentions are, but I’ll kill you soon enough.’

The conspiracy advanced with Halloom and Paul at its core.

And the following night, it was put into action.

***

Loki was seated on a throne in a location overlooking the capital of Lonia, lost in thought.

‘Come to think of it, there was a large river and lake near the academy, wasn’t there?’

A lake where forests and rivers converged.

How pleasant it would be to fish there?

It was around this time, as he was indulging in peaceful thoughts that seemed out of place, that…

“Report!”

Loki turned his gaze to the side.

Per, fully armed, bowed his head as he spoke.

“A secret letter has arrived from Lost.”

“A secret letter?”

“It was sent by Halloom.”

“Oh, that fellow, is he still alive?”

Loki reached out and opened the secret letter that Per presented.

Loki, after slowly scanning the contents, said with interest.

“Oh…! It appears the noble factions have finally begun to stir. Well, it’s a natural consequence of me frightening them so thoroughly.”

“What sort of secret letter is it?”

At Per’s question, Loki shook the letter as if it were amusing.

“…Halloom claims to have gathered those who are willing to join us.”

In other words, a secret letter from those who were betraying their lord.

Loki rose from his seat.

“Inform all troops. Soon…”

Loki reached out and gestured as if to seize Lost.

“…The owner of the throne will change.”

***

“I’m hungry…”

The soldier guarding the outer gate of Lost leaned weakly on his spear.

At least he was in relatively good condition.

The other soldiers beside him were slumped against the outer wall, fast asleep.

Despite the enemy being right in front of them, security was lax.

Even though the enemy had remained inactive for the past three months, the Lonia army had been on constant guard duty, leading to exhaustion.

They were not receiving proper meals and were being worked to the bone, resulting in mounting stress.

One of the guards standing weakly on the outer wall began to nod off.

‘Even if I’m hungry… I can still sleep.’

His body ached with fatigue, and his eyelids felt heavy. His vision blurred, making it difficult to see.

“Damn it…! This cursed war…! When will it end…?”

The soldier, lamenting his fate while sobbing, suddenly widened his eyes.

His pupils contracted as he took a step back, something massive piercing his body.

A colossal hook tore through the soldier’s flesh.

The hook was firmly embedded in the rough wall.

Starting from that point… countless fireballs soared into the sky.

“…Enemy attack!”

Someone shouted, their voice cracking.

The exhausted soldiers jolted awake and looked up.

Dozens of fireballs sailed over the outer walls and plunged into the city of Lost.

As the flames transformed the city into a raging inferno, the citizens and soldiers within screamed in terror.

Buildings crumbled, and black clouds billowed into the sky.

“Aaaaaaack!”

“Run… run away…!”

“To the ramparts! Maintain formation! Prepare for the surprise attack!”

The soldiers scrambled for their weapons, formed ranks, and rushed to the outer walls.

“Barbarians! Hold the line and show those guys what you’re made of…”

When the knight in charge of the command reached the outer wall, he was rendered speechless by the sight before him.

The enemy forces were already deployed near the outer walls, siege weapons lined up and ready.

Even siege towers were advancing towards the outer walls.

“What…! How could you let them get this close!”

“Why, why are they attacking so suddenly…!”

“Everyone, hold your positions! Don’t panic!”

In the face of a sudden attack, especially for hungry and weary soldiers, maintaining composure was a challenge.

The knights shouted urgently, but the soldiers struggled to follow their commands.

The screams, murmurs, and chaos drowned out the knight’s voice.

“F-fire the catapults!”

The knight in charge of the command drew his sword and yelled at the soldier.

The soldiers behind him watched the knight and recoiled in fear, as if they had seen a ghost. Ultimately, they couldn’t escape and leaped off the outer wall.

“Wh-what…?”

As the knight turned his head in confusion, his body was engulfed by a massive burning boulder and crushed along with the fragments of the outer wall.

The ballista in the Asgardian formation launched a bolt with a hook.

The hook, soaring high into the air, latched onto the outer wall railing and secured itself.

The Asgardian soldiers began to climb the rope attached to it.

“There’s nothing more pathetic than crawling to your death! Everyone, rush to the outer walls with all your might!”

The soldiers clinging to the rope offered awkward smiles at Per’s shout.

“Easier said than done…”

“Ah, if you crawl slowly while exposed, you’ll become an easy target for arrows…”

“Well, we’ll have to rely on our sharpshooters.”

The Asgardian archers all advanced near the outer walls and knelt on one knee.

In front of them, heavily armored infantry, clad in plates from head to toe, held up massive shields the size of adults to protect the archers.

“Aim-!”

The Asgardian soldiers notched their bows.

“Fire-!”

The arrows, released from the bowstrings, accurately struck the archers on the outer walls, who were their intended targets.

The siege of Lost had begun.