Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 204

The Player Who Became a Constellation – Episode 204

A werewolf stretched out its hand.

A large, massive beast’s hand.

Sharp claws glinted in the darkness.

Those claws, which could tear an ordinary person to shreds, flew towards Loki.

“…….”

Loki twisted his body to avoid the werewolf’s grasp.

He took a step forward, clenching his fist and swinging it towards the werewolf’s abdomen.

Bang-!

His fist pierced through the abdomen, and the werewolf’s back exploded.

One werewolf floated into the air and collapsed to the floor.

The other werewolf, who had been rushing in, stopped in its tracks, eyes wide.

It tried to flee in haste, but Loki took a step forward and punched into the air.

Bang-!

The air burst, and at the same time, an intangible shockwave struck the werewolf’s limbs.

The werewolf’s body was thrown backward, tearing through the stable wall and rolling on the floor.

The werewolves fell silent.

「D, dangerous.」

「He’s not an ordinary human!」

「Everyone, retreat. Don’t engage him!」

The werewolves began to scatter in all directions.

Loki watched the fleeing werewolves before lowering his gaze.

The werewolf he had just killed by bursting its abdomen was not in the complete form of a beast.

Instead, it was in a human form, its abdomen burst and slumped dead.

“…Human?”

Loki uttered in surprise.

Salad approached and said.

“Werewolves can turn into humans during the day and half-human, half-beast monsters at night. Of course, it seems they can transform only parts of their bodies even during the day.”

“Not just on a full moon?”

“They become stronger on a full moon.”

“I see.”

“Werewolves are said to increase their numbers by biting with fangs containing magic. So, when they die, they revive as werewolves again….”

Loki looked at the werewolves.

‘These guys, they sensed us in the darkness of the night.’

‘Do they have special eyes or sensory organs?’

‘If so, I could understand why the lord couldn’t hunt these monsters.’

‘During the day, they turn into people, making them indistinguishable.’

‘At night, they turn into wolves, using their unique senses to ravage the soldiers.’

‘They have no choice but to be helpless.’

“W, what’s all the commotion!?”

“It seems like monsters are rampaging outside!”

“Oh my god…!”

“Hey, you crazy bastards, everyone be quiet. Do you want us to become prey too!?”

The inn was noisy for a moment, then fell silent.

They must be on edge, waiting for the werewolf attack.

The next day.

The inn door opened cautiously.

Adventurers, armed from head to toe, carefully exited the inn and surveyed the surroundings.

“Oh! There are dead mercenaries!”

The mercenaries were sprawled on the floor.

The adventurers clicked their tongues.

“They should have stayed in the inn instead of wandering around at night.”

Of course, you can’t be completely safe just by staying inside the inn.

Werewolves who haven’t found prey break down doors and windows and invade, kidnapping people.

But at least an inn with many mercenaries and adventurers is easier to defend.

The mercenaries and adventurers stood in front of the stable, tense, and they could see the unharmed Ains.

The feline woman was asleep.

The dark elf girl blinked sleepily and lowered her head.

The black-and-white-haired man and woman were seen piling up two naked corpses.

“H, hey. Are you guys okay?”

Even as they spoke, the mercenaries and adventurers stared at the naked corpses.

They were human in appearance, but their faces were distorted hideously, and sharp fangs could be seen between their open mouths.

A form that was only partially transformed.

It was a characteristic that appeared when a werewolf died.

“W, werewolf!?”

The mercenaries and adventurers wore surprised expressions.

‘Could it be that they hunted these monsters in the darkness!’

‘Even if the Ains have better senses than humans, it would be difficult to hunt these werewolves, but they caught two of them.’

“They’re more skilled than I thought!”

The wary look they had when they first saw them was gone.

As the mercenaries and adventurers looked at Loki and his party with admiration, there was also someone among them who looked uneasy.

It was the innkeeper.

He had been planning to lure the mercenaries out and capture Loki’s party to sell them as slaves, but he never dreamed things would turn out this way.

‘Damn it…! They were quite skilled!?’

He subtly took a step back.

‘Did those mercenaries mention me?’

Whether they mentioned it or not, it’s best to get out of here.

As he was thinking that, he met Loki’s eyes.

“Huh!?”

He tried to run away, swallowing hard.

“Karen.”

“Huh?”

Karen, who was rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand as if she wasn’t fully awake, looked at Loki.

He gestured with his chin and said.

“Catch him.”

Instantly, Karen’s body sprang out reflexively.

The innkeeper saw the beastkin [a humanoid species with animal features] leaping into the air and screamed in horror.

“Someone, protect me!”

But before anyone could stop her, Karen stomped on the innkeeper’s face with her foot.

Thud-!

The back of his head slammed against the ground.

“Aaaagh!”

The innkeeper screamed.

At the sight, the mercenaries and adventurers screamed and scattered to the left and right.

They were wary and drew their weapons.

A beastkin suddenly attacking!

They were suspicious that she had revealed her brutal nature.

But everyone lowered their weapons at Loki’s next words.

“Did you try to kidnap us and sell us as slaves by hiring mercenaries?”

The mercenaries’ and adventurers’ gazes turned to the innkeeper.

“What, could it be….”

“There have been rumors that people staying at this territory’s inn have been disappearing….”

“Was the innkeeper the culprit?! Did he kidnap the guests?!”

The mercenaries’ and adventurers’ eyes turned fierce.

“N, no! I…!”

Before he could finish speaking, the mercenaries and adventurers surrounded the innkeeper.

“Everyone, step aside!”

“The lord is passing by! Make way!”

The city streets became noisy.

Soldiers in armor and holding long spears marched.

In the center, a plump man in armor and holding a spear was approaching.

It was Baron Kelpel, the lord of the Kelpel territory.

The mercenaries and adventurers stepped aside.

A knight dismounted, looked at the innkeeper, and then looked around the stable.

He saw the dead werewolves, wore a surprised expression, and then looked at Loki.

“Did you catch these monsters?”

“So what if I did?”

The knight frowned at Loki’s dry words and lack of respect.

“How rude! How dare you-!”

“That’s enough. Sir Jeff.”

Lord Kelpel got off his horse.

At his words, the knight quickly bowed his head and stepped back.

The lord of Kelpel looked at the two dead werewolves and then scanned Loki’s party.

His gaze was full of curiosity.

“Are you… mercenaries?”

“We are travelers.”

“You’re quite skilled for travelers. How about it? I’d like to commission a job. I’ll reward you handsomely if you handle it well.”

‘Is he trying to entrust them with werewolf extermination?’

Loki was about to refuse.

Lord Kelpel spoke first.

“There is a band of bandits attacking this Kelpel. Those bastards dared to kidnap my daughter. So… I want you to exterminate that band of bandits. And the leader of that band of bandits is-”

He said something unexpected. He made a request that he had never expected.

“They call themselves the owner of Asgard, the constellation of the end. I want you to exterminate those guys and save my daughter.”

At those words, Loki frowned.

.

.

.

“What nonsense….”

Salad muttered to himself.

The knight glared at Salad, but did not stop him.

Lord Kelpel looked at Loki and continued.

“How about it?”

“I thought you would ask us to exterminate the werewolves?”

“I plan to entrust the extermination of those half-human, half-beasts after the bandit extermination. My daughter comes first.”

Lord Kelpel raised his head majestically and said.

“What will you do? Traveler.”

Loki was about to ponder for a moment.

“Oh my, honey. How can you be so rude to the benefactors who protected this territory?”

At that moment, the soldiers parted to the left and right and bowed their heads.

Among those soldiers, a beautiful woman approached.

A beautiful woman with red hair and red eyes.

The territory residents wore ecstatic expressions as they looked at the woman.

Salad and Karen also couldn’t take their eyes off her.

Because she had a captivating power that drew the attention of those around her.

“Since they are benefactors, you should invite them to the mansion first. Prepare a banquet and let them enjoy it….”

The woman, Catherine, Lord Kelpel’s wife, looked at Loki’s party with an attractive smile and spoke.

“Welcome to Kelpel, where the monsters are.”

***

Loki’s party was invited to Lord Kelpel’s mansion.

Hired servants and maids busily moved about for the suddenly opened banquet.

Rare and precious foods were placed on the tables.

“It’s still being prepared, but please relax. I’ve also invited renowned merchants and mercenary captains who have visited the territory… so feel free to enjoy yourselves without formalities.”

Catherine, Kelpel’s wife, radiated an attractive smile.

At her invitation, Loki’s party sat at a table in the banquet hall.

A hastily invited minstrel sang music in one corner of the banquet hall.

The mercenary captains and merchants exchanged stories to build friendships.

Even so, their gazes were directed at Catherine.

“Ah, beautiful.”

“I know that the lord’s wife is over 40 this year… but she doesn’t look like it at all.”

“How does she manage herself… ?”

Whispers were heard.

Loki listened to those voices and looked at his party.

Salad and Karen also couldn’t take their eyes off Catherine.

“Senior.”

Helga spoke from the side.

“It’s magic.”

“I thought so.”

Mrs. Catherine was smiling and talking to the merchants and mercenary captains.

As if charmed by her radiant smile, the people she was talking to relaxed their faces and spared no praise for Catherine.

“Is she a black magician?”

“…I don’t know.”

Helga, who was well-versed in black magic, wore an ambiguous expression.

“That’s a curse.”

“A curse?”

“Yes… I don’t know exactly what it is… but she’s under a powerful curse.”

“……”

At Helga’s words, Loki looked at Catherine. Even so, he could feel the gaze.

Second floor hall. Lord Kelpel was looking down at Loki from the railing.

No, to be exact, he was glaring not only at Loki but also at those who spoke to Catherine.

Along with the sound of grinding his teeth, there was even murderous intent.

Others didn’t notice, but Loki clearly felt his animosity.

Loki ignored Lord Kelpel’s gaze and lifted a glass of wine to his lips, taking a sip.

‘Jealousy, or obsession.’

‘Could it be related to the curse that Catherine was under?’

He was lost in thought when it happened.

Catherine looked at Loki, and their eyes met.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Catherine pushed away the other men and approached Loki.

Wearing a red dress suitable for the banquet hall, she gently lifted the hem of her skirt, bowed her head, and paid her respects to Loki.

It was a very high level of treatment for an ordinary traveler.

“Shall we talk for a moment? Traveler.”

Loki nodded.

The only ones who know the exact details of the incidents and accidents in this territory are Lord Kelpel, or his wife, Catherine.

As Loki got up from his seat, Catherine gently took Loki’s hand and led him away.

“You there. Would you bring me a veil?”

At Catherine’s words, a maid handed Catherine a veil.

“Thank you.”

As they went out onto the balcony, the merchants and mercenary captains sent jealous glances.

They had fallen deeply in love with her in the short time they had spoken with Catherine.

Loki came out of the mansion and looked at the twilight.

A cool breeze was blowing, signaling that darkness was gradually approaching.

Perhaps because of that, the banquet in the banquet hall was also coming to an end and preparations for closing were beginning.

“My husband asked you, right?”

Catherine looked at the sunset and then turned to look at Loki.

“To exterminate the bandits.”

“Yes.”

After the bandit extermination, the werewolf hunt hidden in the territory was also included.

“Actually… what my husband said isn’t true.”

“……?”

As Loki tilted his head, Catherine wore a sad expression.

“He said that the bandits kidnapped my daughter, right?”

“Yes. And he said that the constellation of the north and the Nordics are acting as bandits.”

“…It’s just imitation.”

Catherine took a breath.

“The bandit extermination, and the werewolf hunt… all have one truth hidden.”

‘There’s a truth hidden…?’

“He said the bandits kidnapped his daughter, but no. It’s the opposite.”

Catherine’s eyes were filled with pity.

“My daughter… is leading the bandits.”