Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 136

The sound of hammering echoed through the halls of Valhalla’s smithy.

Clang-!

Dozens of dwarves were immersed in their work, sweating and toiling in the majestically vast workshop.

Sparks flew in all directions.

They moved tirelessly, stoking fires and hammering metal.

Clang-!

He had lost track of how many days had passed.

They were focused on a single task.

“Ruran, there’s something I need you to make.”

The task Loki had requested.

Clang-!

“I want you to create a single item.”

It was the chain that had sealed the underground dungeon of Valhalla, the artifact that had imprisoned three giants.

– ‘Can you do it?’

The artifact that was said to have sealed a beast capable of destroying a mythical world.

Clang-!

He was asking them to use it to create a weapon.

***

Loki visited the underground dungeon once again.

Soon, an astonishing sight unfolded before his eyes.

Although he had given him freedom, Urgart would come out once a week to look at the sky and then return to the underground dungeon.

This underground dungeon must be his home.

In the meantime, the underground dungeon had become a ‘forest’.

Lush green leaves and vines grew on the long, extended rock walls of the dungeon.

The wide hall had trees growing alongside a lake.

‘Plants are growing in a place where sunlight doesn’t reach.’

A truly mysterious magic.

Urgart, who saw Loki standing before him, smiled gently.

「Welcome, Loki! What brings you here this time?」

“Urgart, you told me, didn’t you? To come to you for advice anytime.”

「That’s right.」

“Are other requests possible too?”

「If it’s about joining the war against Thrym and Surt, I’ll have to decline.」

“I want you to teach me magic.”

「…….」

Urgart revealed a surprised expression.

He is a giant of magic. His ability is to freely manipulate illusion and mystery.

In terms of physical strength and power, he may not measure up to Thrym and Surt, but his magic far surpasses them both.

If he could only acquire a skill from him, who stands shoulder to shoulder with those two giants.

“Is it possible?”

「Of course.」

He could overwhelm them both.

Urgart smiled and spread his hands.

「Welcome as my disciple, Loki.」

***

Three months had passed since the invasion of the Holy Order.

Rather than the Holy Order collapsing, the kingdoms began to fall first.

And a rumor spread.

‘The Holy Order, driven into a corner, has summoned demons!’

It was the summoning of demons.

Massive numbers of wights [undead creatures] and unidentified ‘giants’ appeared before the subjugation forces, crushing them with overwhelming power.

At the same time, the Worm Pest began to spread in the homelands of the invading kingdoms.

Other nations, which had been watching, began to grow angry at the corruption of the Holy Order.

Their religious faith had been betrayed, and the nations, filled with anger and hatred, called for the overthrow of the Holy Order, but their power was not enough to stop the immortal plague and the giants with overwhelming power.

One month later.

A force began to move in earnest.

“Spread the word throughout the continent immediately. Tell them to stop the invasion of the Holy Order.”

It was Asgard.

Loki and his party had come to Lost, the capital of Ronia, for the subjugation.

Loki’s steps were heavy as he walked down the palace corridor.

“If they still attempt to invade, tell them that they will be at odds with us and Ronia.”

Shaman and Aum, who were assisting him, were very nervous at Loki’s words.

‘…They’re finally moving.’

‘Is this the beginning of another war?’

“…….”

Helga quietly followed behind Loki.

As Loki walked, he thought about how the war was progressing.

‘The Holy Order has joined hands with the giants.’

That was the only way to think about it.

The combined attack of the wights and giants.

As a result, the Emperor of the Cron Empire and the hero Turam went missing.

A combination of giants with absolute power and undead wights?

A truly troublesome combination.

Thanks to this, the kingdoms that were invading the Holy Order ended up increasing their power rather than weakening them.

“Interesting.”

“…What’s so interesting?”

Then, a familiar voice was heard.

Loki turned his head and looked at the owner of the voice.

“It’s been a while, Master….”

A boy standing tall at the end of the corridor.

With blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in luxurious clothes, he knelt and bowed his head to Loki.

Eron Ronia, the King of Ronia, was smiling.

“I have prepared the meeting you mentioned.”

***

The Holy Order subjugation alliance meeting was held at the Ronia Palace.

Loki, Aum, Shaman, and Helga were sitting at the round table in the conference room, and Eron, Hans, and Palm were sitting across from them.

Loki, who was there, turned his gaze forward.

Eron, sitting across from Loki, was smiling brightly.

“…Why are you smiling like that?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I was sad that you didn’t even visit except for the coronation ceremony.”

Loki didn’t seem to know, but Eron regarded him as the savior of his life and the savior of Ronia.

He even created a religion to worship him, so it was no wonder he was so happy.

Palm, who was next to him, cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“Ahem! First of all, about this war. Ronia is also positive about participating in the Holy Order. The Holy Order was the main entity that tried to bring down Ronia using Ash.”

Loki glanced around.

The table was quite large, but there were too few people.

There was only the King of Ronia and one of his aides, Loki and four of his aides.

Loki had hoped to meet the leaders of other kingdoms.

‘But the kings must be reluctant to move.’

Distrust was still deeply rooted in Ronia and Asgard.

“However, we are expressing our opposition to this dispatch due to the Worm Pest.”

“Opposition?”

Loki looked at Palm.

Palm, who met Loki’s gaze, was startled and closed his mouth for a moment. But realizing that he couldn’t back down, he mustered his courage and continued.

“Wights are beings that we cannot deal with. Above all… even Turam, one of the 12 heroes, couldn’t handle those giants. As long as such beings exist, it is difficult for us to dispatch troops.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at Palm’s words.

Eron glared at Palm with dissatisfaction before letting out a deep sigh.

“Palm, even when you speak like that… Master. It doesn’t mean that we won’t participate in the war. We are willing to follow the words of the Constellation [Loki’s title] at any time. However, I would like you to provide us with something else that we can do.”

He was asking for something that could be done within the kingdom’s capabilities.

“Yes, I will only ask for what you can do. Then there won’t be any problems, right?”

“Of course.”

Eron nodded.

“To be honest, we are afraid of the Worm Pest. But I’m not so afraid now.”

“……?”

“It doesn’t seem like you’re just going to tell us to deal with the plague and the demons, or whatever those giants are. Rather, I think Asgard will protect us from it.”

“What makes you think that?”

Eron smiled.

“Hans once said that Loki loves his followers.”

“…….”

“I believe that you are not one to easily abandon them. You are the one who made me who I am, putting me in this position after I had fallen.”

“It’s because of your usefulness.”

“There was an easier way than that. For example….”

Eron pointed to Hans.

“You could have made Hans the king.”

“…….”

“If he had become king, Ronia would have lost its form and become a vassal state of Asgard.”

Loki was silent.

However, Aum heard a very small voice.

“…There was such a way. The Stinger family is a hero of Ronia, so there would be almost no rebellion. Too bad.”

“…….”

Fortunately, Eron didn’t seem to hear it.

“If we participate, what role will we play?”

Loki looked at Eron and quietly opened his mouth.

“Our Asgard will mobilize about 30,000 elite soldiers. I want you to dispatch about 100,000 soldiers.”

Eron was startled by the number 100,000.

Currently, Ronia was in an unstable state.

It would take a considerable amount of time to recruit the army again, and if 100,000 soldiers were gathered, the people of Ronia, who were barely regaining stability, would rebel.

“…It’s a very difficult order. Palm, Hans.”

Then Palm and Hans stepped forward and explained the reason.

“…If we hire most of them as mercenaries, we can somehow match the number, but the problem is the cost. The economy has not recovered, so funds are very scarce.”

“Also, other nobles will object.”

Eron looked at Loki.

“First of all…, please continue.”

“Your role is bait.”

“If you say bait…?”

“Bait to lure the giant army in the Holy Order. In other words, stalling for time.”

In a way, it was like a discarded piece.

“If we play that role, can we know what will happen afterwards?”

“You might be able to stop the end of the world. For now.”

Eron, who never thought he would hear the word end of the world, was surprised.

“…The scale is too big.”

“But it’s the truth. Their goal is ‘the end’.”

“Do you know about them?”

Loki clasped his hands and leaned his chin on them.

“Ah, I know them very well. Because they are the same beings as me.”

“…….”

Eron, Hans, and Palm, who were hearing that fact for the first time, had no choice but to freeze.

Eron and Palm had seen Loki’s achievements firsthand, so they knew that he was not human.

If such beings were the enemy… the end of the world might really be possible.

“I see…, the Worm Pest alone is overwhelming, but even such beings…?”

“Will you support us?”

“Of course. Still… there are many problems, so I would like you to give us some time.”

Loki could not force an answer to Eron’s gentle but reasonable request.

“I see. In addition, send an envoy to put pressure on them so that they no longer invade the Holy Order.”

This was also a difficult condition.

No matter how much they were backed by Asgard’s halo, could they control all the dozens of kingdoms?

If they made a mistake, they would only increase their resentment.

Eron smiled awkwardly.

“But the way to persuade them is….”

Currently, there is a lull due to the Worm Pest, but the kings who are blinded by profit will try to invade the Holy Order again in the near future.

For them, soldiers are just chess pieces that achieve the king’s achievements and give the joy of victory and spoils.

“Suppress them with force. If they resist, I will destroy that country in a few days. I will be at the forefront myself then.”

“…….”

It was a simple but effective method.

There was no need to destroy the country, and if they captured one capital, the other kingdoms would be afraid.

However, there were also disadvantages.

Asgard’s image would be further tarnished, and the continent would fall into chaos again in a different sense.

“If possible, please use a gentle method.”

“The most effective way is to show force.”

“Force… wouldn’t it be better to find a collaborator instead?”

“Collaborator?”

“How about forming an alliance with other countries?”

Loki narrowed his eyes.

Would that be easy?

Currently, the countries of the continent are still wary of Asgard. Unlike Ronia, they still have a deeply ingrained impression of ‘heretics’ and ‘barbarians’.

They just didn’t want to turn Asgard into an enemy, but they didn’t want to get close to them either.

Above all, to create an influential alliance, a country that can influence other countries must be involved.

“Is there such a being? A country we can trust?”

Eron smiled and looked at Palm, and Palm sighed and stood up, opening the door to the conference room. And a man came in.

He is wearing luxurious clothes.

Bandages were wrapped around his body between his clothes, and he was wearing a pure white mask on his face.

The skin visible between the masks had terrible burn marks.

Loki felt a strange feeling when he saw it.

He had seen that mask somewhere.

It was the mask he had seen in the Cron Empire.

Eron stood up and bowed politely to him.

“Karma Cron, Emperor of the Great Cron Empire, Eron Ronia, King of Ronia, greets you.”

Emperor, Karma.

He looked at Loki, spread his hands, and shouted.

“It’s been a while! My friend!”

Karma, who was said to be missing, smiled at Loki.