Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 196

196

Loki and Sallet stood atop Kashar’s palanquin.

Kashar glanced at them before lowering his gaze.

Beside the palanquin stood the ferryman, Lich.

“Did you bribe the ferryman?”

“I gave him gold, and he readily agreed.”

“…Even though he risks pursuit from the Spirit Palace and the punishment of having his soul obliterated? Heh, that Lich must be quite corrupt.”

Everywhere in the world, there are those who would risk their lives for money.

The ferryman Lich, who had deceived Sallet, was no different.

“Let’s depart.”

At Kashar’s word, the zombie slaves lifted the palanquin and began to march.

Kashar’s procession continued forward.

A massive palace made of bone and gold.

A place filled with sharp, pointed towers.

They arrived at the entrance of the Spirit Palace, where the Death Constellation, Natos, resided.

Around the massive Spirit Palace, spectral soldiers stood in perfect formation.

Their gazes remained fixed on Kashar’s procession.

In front of the Spirit Palace gates, Death Knights bowed their heads upon spotting Kashar.

“It is an honor to meet Lord Kashar, a noble of Arata.”

Kashar arrogantly raised his head.

“Open the gates. I will have a private audience with Natos.”

“Only Lord Kashar may enter.”

“What?”

“The remaining attendants must wait outside.”

“Are you telling me, an emperor, to enter unarmed and without any attendants!”

“That is the rule of the Spirit Palace.”

“I came to provide Arata’s forces to the Death Constellation… Tell Natos! I will take my army and return!”

At those words, the Death Knights’ eyes flickered.

They looked at each other.

Currently, the Death Constellation was requesting troops from the nobles for the invasion of the mortal realm.

Kashar was the least cooperative among them.

Yet, he had a change of heart, actively offering troops and even making a personal visit.

The most influential among the nobles was Kashar.

The more cooperative he was, the more actively other nobles would act.

If their relationship soured here over something trivial, the Death Knights in charge of guarding the gates would have to take direct responsibility.

The Death Knights let out a sigh filled with coldness, as if they had no choice.

“We will permit a small number of attendants to accompany you. However, they must be disarmed. Please deploy your army in the Square of Acheron [a mythical river of the underworld].”

Kashar smiled.

He knew how the Spirit Palace would react.

He also knew that while they needed troops, they would maintain a degree of vigilance and preparation until the army was completely under their control.

Using this, Kashar planned to raise an army from within and open the outer gates of Acheron.

“Then I will move the troops. Allow my servants to enter first to prepare my quarters.”

Kashar led the troops toward the square.

Loki, Sallet, and the ferryman Lich remained.

As the gates slowly opened, the Death Knights, watching Loki, Sallet, and the ferryman Lich’s retreating figures, shook their heads from side to side, looking displeased.

“Close the gates.”

The gates of the Spirit Palace slowly closed.

At the same time, a sphere-shaped barrier of dark red energy enveloped the Spirit Palace.

Loki looked up at the barrier.

As long as that barrier was in place, the Spirit Palace would not permit anyone’s intrusion.

The spectral servants and maids of the Spirit Palace approached and began to guide Loki and Sallet.

“Please, follow us.”

Other zombie servants looked at the ferryman Lich and tilted their heads.

“Ferryman? What brings you back?”

“I realized I needed extra Holy Water and came back.”

“Ah…! Is that so?”

“And since we have a connection, please assign me to the same room as those two servants.”

“Understood.”

The zombie servants nodded.

The three were assigned to the same room.

***

Inside the guest room, Loki and Sallet scanned the surroundings of the Spirit Palace through the window.

“Hey, Lich. Earn your keep.”

As Loki turned his gaze, the ferryman Lich smiled, fiddling with a pouch of gold.

“Ah? Ah, yes… I will! Where should I point you to?”

“I heard there’s a separate place where the Death Constellation keeps its treasures.”

“What, what is it? Are you, by any chance, thieves!?”

Even if they were skilled, it was obvious they couldn’t conquer this Spirit Palace with just the two of them.

He thought they were connected to someone important like Kashar, so he didn’t think they were ordinary people, but to think they came to the Spirit Palace to steal…

‘Are they famous thieves from the mortal realm?’

It happens occasionally.

Foolish treasure hunters who come chasing after the legends of the underworld.

Judging by the fact that they’re asking about the location where Natos keeps his treasures, they might have come to this underworld with the intention of hitting the jackpot.

“Good heavens! There was a reason for paying this gold!”

The ferryman groaned.

“If I find out about this, I’ll tell the Death Constellation. What are you relying on to commit such an act?”

“Since you’ve already come here with us, you’re in this together.”

“…Damn it.”

“I’ll give you more gold if we succeed.”

“…My soul is about to be obliterated, and you’re talking about gold… Ah… then.”

The ferryman’s eyes were filled with greed.

“There’s a mysterious ore in Natos’ treasure vault.”

“What?”

“There’s a rumor that you can make Holy Water if you have it.”

Natos was using it to run a water business.

Compared to that purifying stone, gold was just an ordinary rock.

The ferryman approached the window and pointed his finger.

The place he pointed to was where a huge tower stood.

A tower standing tall, made of bone and gold.

Death Knights on the ground.

Evil spirits flying in the sky, guarding the tower.

“That’s the place. Natos keeps all the valuables he’s collected from the underworld there. I heard there’s also an underground area, and there’s a facility there that produces treasures.”

“Produces treasures?”

“It seems that ores are buried deep underground. It is said that he gathers blacksmith spirits there to process the treasures.”

Loki’s eyes gleamed.

He had obtained a hint of a place where Kanus might be.

“Thank you.”

“Now that things have turned out this way, I’ll take the purifying stone that makes Holy Water as my reward.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Loki and Sallet pulled up their robes.

They roughly knew the location.

Now, all that was left was to rescue Kanus, retrieve the head of the Demon King Kalibus, and destroy the barrier.

“Good luck. If you get caught… I’ll be obliterated too.”

Loki and Sallet opened the window and jumped out.

***

The treasure tower where Natos keeps his treasures.

The Death Knights rolled their eyes, looking around.

Thud….

At that moment, something was heard.

The Death Knight tilted his head, and when his gaze was diverted, something brushed past behind them.

The Death Knight turned his head and looked at the main gate, but the tower’s door was tightly closed.

The Death Knight tilted his head in confusion and raised his vigilance again.

“…Hoo….”

Sallet, who was very nervous, gripped the wall of the treasure tower and looked down at the Death Knights.

“H-How did we manage to climb up here?”

She turned her head to the side.

Next to her, Loki was also gripping the wall of the tower.

The tower was lavishly made of gold and bone.

There were enough gaps to climb the wall without any problems.

However, the tower was quite high, so they would have to climb for quite a while to reach the place where the windows were visible.

The problem was the evil spirits flying in the sky.

If they were caught in their sight, they would be exposed.

They had to climb the tower carefully.

“Climb carefully. Suppress your presence as much as possible, and make sure the evil spirits don’t see you.”

At Loki’s words, Sallet nodded.

The two began to climb the tower.

After climbing for a while, they arrived safely at the window.

When they carefully peeked inside, they noticed quite a few Death Knights inside as well.

The two suppressed their presence and entered through the window.

The inside of the treasure tower was like a huge museum.

Each jewel was displayed in a glass case.

Loki and Sallet bent down and hid behind the displayed treasures.

The Death Knights turned their heads, their eyes gleaming fiercely.

“…I’ll check this area and above.”

“I’ll head underground.”

Loki’s goal was Kanus.

Since the blacksmith spirits were said to be gathered underground, he was thinking of going there.

Loki handed the crow mask to Sallet.

“Use that to transform into a Death Knight.”

If she transformed her appearance, she would be free from their gaze.

She would be able to explore this treasure tower at her leisure.

“Thank you.”

“Be careful. If you think it’s dangerous… cause a ruckus.”

“Cause a ruckus?”

“Enough for me to know where you are.”

At those words, Sallet blankly nodded.

Sallet put on the crow mask.

Black liquid flowed out and enveloped Sallet’s body, transforming her into a Death Knight.

As she walked carefully, the Death Knights looked at her, and then went back to their own way.

Sallet sighed in relief and began exploring the treasure tower.

Loki watched her for a while and suppressed his presence.

He moved quickly, escaped the Death Knights’ surveillance, and went down.

Loki activated his exploration magic.

As he stepped on the floor, magical power spread out.

Due to the spreading magical power, the structure of this tower was engraved in his mind.

He moved his steps.

The entrance to the stairs leading to the basement.

Two Death Knights were standing there.

The crow mask had already been handed over to Sallet. Judging by the state of the guards, it was impossible to sneak in.

‘Then it’s a forced breakthrough.’

Loki headed there, and the two Death Knights blocked the entrance with their spears.

“Who is it!?”

“How did you get into this tower-”

Loki summoned a greatsword from his inventory and slammed it into their faces.

Crack-!

The two Death Knights fell to the floor.

Loki went forward and headed down the stairs.

***

Sallet began to explore quickly, deceiving the eyes of the Death Knights.

She went up the stairs.

And the place she saw.

‘A room made of gold.’

The walls were made of gold, and even the door was made of gold, so luxurious.

Sallet stopped walking, startled by the sight.

Death Knights and a Lich were standing there.

As she approached, the Death Knights and the Lich raised their swords and staffs.

“What is it?”

“Entry is forbidden here!”

At the words of the two spirits, Sallet stepped back.

It seemed that entry beyond this point was forbidden.

‘…It’s hard to subdue them alone.’

Judging by the magical power they were emitting, the two undead guarding the door seemed to be of a different level than ordinary guardians.

Subduing them would cause a commotion.

Should she call Loki?

Sallet shook her head.

She couldn’t rely on him indefinitely.

Sallet turned her head and placed her hand on the tower’s window.

She put her fingers in the small gaps in the wall and climbed up as if she were rock climbing.

‘This much is….’

She had also trained in Asgard [realm of the Norse gods].

She had participated in the training done by monsters like Cancun and Kudan, and had built up her strength in her own way.

This kind of climbing was less than an ice cliff on the frozen earth.

She climbed the wall and put her hand on the window.

“…….”

The evil spirit that was wandering in the sky saw that.

Sallet’s figure was reflected in the evil spirit’s eyes.

“Intruder… in Lord Natos’… showroom… intruder…”

Sallet entered through the window without knowing it.