Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 205

205

This was an unexpected remark.

As Loki wore a surprised expression, Catherine began to explain the circumstances.

“My daughter, Clea, was a beautiful child, just like me. But as she watched me gradually age… she began to fear.”

“What did she fear?”

“Growing old. It’s the way of nature… but she was afraid of it.”

Catherine’s daughter, Clea.

She feared aging and became obsessed with ways to avoid it.

“She went to the town market and bought all sorts of cosmetics and things that were supposedly good for the skin.”

Was that why?

That Clea was very close to the merchants in the market.

She was lively and energetic, but her obsessive talk about aging made her behavior well-known throughout the market streets.

“Then… she began to dabble in forbidden things.”

Eventually, she even delved into black magic.

Was that why?

The Black Arbiters approached her, somehow knowing about it.

“Because of that… I… was kidnapped.”

At that time, Clea perfectly played the part of a daughter desperate after her mother was kidnapped.

Catherine continued.

She was kidnapped and subjected to all sorts of experiments.

In the midst of those terrible experiments, Catherine was cursed.

“…I received a curse that prevents me from aging.”

Was it a curse, or a blessing?

Most people would probably say the latter.

But Catherine called it a curse.

“During the day, I’m as youthful as can be….”

As the sun began to set, Loki could see it.

Catherine’s skin gradually began to wrinkle and shrivel.

“But at night, I age hideously.”

She covered her face with the veil.

“I want to be free from this curse.”

Even her voice was aging.

A sobbing voice.

“That child… is kidnapping people and experimenting on them to improve this curse. That’s how the werewolves were created.”

“……”

“My husband still thinks of her as his beloved daughter and intends to capture and confine her. But this sin cannot be atoned for simply by being locked in a prison. So, I beg you.”

Catherine bowed her head to Loki, still wearing the veil.

“Please… help my daughter find peaceful rest.”

***

Catherine left.

Loki remained on the balcony, looking out over the Kelpfel estate.

Helga approached him.

“What did she tell you?”

“She asked me to eliminate her daughter.”

“…I don’t understand the values of the people in this world.”

Helga shook her head.

Assuming there must be some hidden circumstances, she asked Loki,

“Come to think of it, it seems bandits are impersonating the Nord Clan and our seniors… what are you going to do?”

“We must subdue them.”

He heard they were departing in two days.

Since they held a feast, the mercenaries’ morale was high, making it the right time.

“There are many strange things.”

Beyond simply imitating him, they even led Nord warriors.

‘They must be Nord Clan who don’t belong to Asgard.’

Even after the nation of Asgard was established, there were tribes that did not pledge allegiance to the nation.

They might be acting as raiders and impersonating him.

“Did the Lord of Kelpfel report this to the Ronia royal family? If so, Asgard would be able to find out what’s going on.”

Loki shook his head.

He probably didn’t report it.

He seemed intent on securing his daughter.

“It seems he hasn’t.”

He could come up with some excuse.

If the Ronia royal family found out, they would dispatch troops for investigation, which could endanger his daughter, Clea.

Either as a hostage of the bandits, threatened by them, or as the leader of the bandit group, threatened by the Ronia army.

Loki had no choice but to rest his chin on his hand and ponder.

Has a rift occurred in Asgard while he was away?

Or is it just the rogue behavior of some Nord warriors?

He couldn’t know.

Moreover, the Lord of Kelpfel was just as inscrutable.

“If there really are Nord Clan defectors…”

It wouldn’t be bad to set an example and establish discipline.

“I’ll have to eliminate them with my own hands.”

***

A bandit subjugation force was officially formed in the Kelpfel estate.

The target was the bandit stronghold on a nearby mountain peak.

The estate’s plaza was bustling with the subjugation force.

The subjugation was scheduled to begin at dawn and end before evening.

No matter how many mercenaries and adventurers gathered, it would be impossible to spend the night.

“Um… are you sure it’ll be okay? Hoon.”

Karen tugged at Loki’s sleeve and asked.

“‘They’ are in the forest, you know.”

By ‘they,’ Karen meant the Demon King Kalibus, Kanus, Turam, and the Cyclops, as well as the spirits from the underworld.

Unable to come all the way to the estate, Kanus and the spirits were currently waiting in the forest.

If the mercenaries and adventurers saw them, conflict would be inevitable.

“It should be fine. The direction the subjugation force is heading is different.”

To be exact, it was the opposite direction.

“If Hoon says so, it must be so.”

Karen nodded.

Only Loki and Karen participated in the subjugation force.

Helga and Serret remained in the estate to gather supplies needed for the rest of the journey.

“Everyone’s here.”

Jeff, the knight of the Kelpfel estate and the commander of this subjugation force, wore red armor and ascended the platform.

“The place we will subjugate is the bandit fortress on the peak of the Karax Mountains, right next to the Kelpfel estate. We must hurry now to arrive on time-.”

Jeff announced their plan.

Loki looked around.

It was quite dense, an excessive force to subjugate a bandit group.

Were they this wary because they were Nord Clan?

“We’re setting off immediately!”

As Jeff mounted his horse and began to move, the mercenaries and adventurers followed behind him.

Loki also followed behind, looking back at the Kelpfel estate as it receded.

With such a large force moving, it seemed excessively vulnerable.

Karen seemed to have realized that as well.

“That estate is completely empty. Does the lord cherish his daughter that much?”

“Maybe so. Or maybe the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

Loki shook his head.

Helga and Serret were in Kelpfel. Even if the werewolves caused trouble, those two would handle it well.

The subjugation force ascended the mountain.

While climbing, Karen grabbed Loki’s sleeve and sniffed.

“Hoon.”

“……?”

“I smell something burning.”

Karen stuck out her tongue as if disgusted.

“…A nasty smell. The smell of burning people.”

At Karen’s words, Knight Jeff reined in his horse.

“Hey, beastkin! Is that true!”

“I can’t lie!”

Jeff wore a serious expression.

They still had a long way to go up the mountain to reach the bandit’s stronghold.

Yet, they smelled something burning?

Knowing the subjugation force was coming, were they ambushing them?

‘…No, near this mountain there’s…!’

There was a small village.

A small village ruled by the Lord of Kelpfel, with a population of about 50 people.

Jeff turned his head and looked in the direction of the village.

Black smoke was visible between the tall trees of the mountain.

It was late to discover it due to the tall trees and lush leaves.

If the beastkin Karen hadn’t said anything, he wouldn’t have noticed.

“Damn it, everyone draw your weapons!”

Jeff drew his sword and shouted.

The mercenaries and adventurers tensed, drawing their weapons and adjusting their helmets.

“Damn it, is it a battle!?”

“Everyone be alert! The enemy is the Nord Clan!”

“Facing battle-crazed maniacs… we’ll have to risk our lives.”

“S, still, they say they’ll give us that much reward, so it’s worth a try.”

Adventurers risked their lives to adventure.

Adventurers mainly explored dungeons, subjugated monsters, and escorted merchants.

They were experts in dealing with external things different from war.

Receiving bandit subjugation requests was very rare.

However, this request was several times higher than other rewards, so it was too tempting to refuse.

On the other hand, the mercenaries were all excited.

Their main job was to participate in battles for money.

They were especially experienced in subjugating thieves, bandits, and looters.

The fact that they were Nord Clan was concerning, but if they succeeded in this subjugation, they could live comfortably for a while.

Confirming their morale, Jeff shouted.

“Bring me the right ear of the bandits you subjugate. I’ll give you silver coins for each one.”

“Oooooooo!”

“Let’s go, subjugate the bandits who are pests of Ronia!”

Jeff kicked the horse’s underbelly with his heels.

The horse neighed and ran through the forest.

As the knight stood at the vanguard, the mercenaries and adventurers began to sprint.

“Hoon, what do we do?”

Karen asked.

Loki shrugged and slowly moved forward.

“If they’re Nord Clan not affiliated with Asgard, they’ll be defeated by that subjugation force.”

He walked through the forest.

The sound of weapons clashing and screams echoed from afar.

There were approximately 300 skilled mercenaries and adventurers.

In addition, 50 soldiers from the Kelpfel estate participated.

On the other hand, there were only about 50 Nord Clan presumed to be bandits.

They were bound to be exhausted from looting the village, so it was obvious that they would suffer great damage against the 350-strong subjugation force.

But-.

“If they’re Nord warriors from Asgard, it’ll be the opposite.”

Whether they were regular soldiers or not, they had been regularly undergoing combat training as part of their daily lives.

They did not neglect their preparations in anticipation of when they might participate in the war with Loki.

Loki came out of the forest.

Of the two scenarios he had considered.

Loki confirmed with his own eyes which one it was.

“It’s the latter.”

“Ughaaaaack!”

The subjugation force was being overwhelmed by the overwhelming power.

Wearing armor that covered their entire bodies, blue hair and blue eyes could be seen from the helmets.

They lifted heavy greatswords and cleaved the mercenaries’ bodies.

“Oooooooo!”

A mace shattered an adventurer’s shield and blasted their body away.

“M, my god! These bandits are not ordinary!”

Knight Jeff hesitated while riding his horse.

He hurriedly swung his sword, but the sword was deflected by the Nord warrior’s extended longsword.

A tingling shock ran through him. Jeff almost dropped his sword and pulled back, gripping the reins.

“…M, monster bastards.”

Jeff looked ahead.

Already more than half of the 350 had fallen.

Loki watched the scene and looked at the burning village.

“S, save me!”

“Kyaaaaack!”

Houses were burning.

Villagers were trapped inside.

They were burning to death alive.

Loki looked at the center of the village.

The entrance to the village on the hill.

A figure was seen standing still on a horse.

Wearing a mountain goat bone helmet, clad in jet-black armor, and holding a longsword in one hand.

Loki’s eyes widened at the sight.

“It’s the same.”

It resembled his own armor, imbued with Fenrir and Jormungandr [two monstrous wolves from Norse mythology].

No, it was exactly the same.

It was as if they had seen that figure and copied it exactly.

“Ughack!”

At that moment, some of the villagers broke through the houses and succeeded in escaping.

Thanks to the subjugation force, the Nord warriors were tied down and unable to move.

“Damn it, we’re going to miss those guys!”

The Nord warriors shouted at the fleeing villagers.

The villagers scattered in all directions, panting.

Some of them headed towards where Loki and Karen were.

Seeing this, Jeff shouted.

“Hey, traveler and beastkin! Protect the villagers! We’re retreating. We’ll be defeated if we stay like this! We’ll prepare more thoroughly and then the subjugation force….”

Karen sniffed.

Soon, her eyes flashed, and she put on gauntlets on her hands.

She put both hands forward, placed them on the ground, lowered her waist, lifted her buttocks, and took a cat stance.

Her eyes sharpened, and she bounced off her body.

In an instant, her figure disappeared….

“Save me-!”

…She appeared right in front of a villager who was speaking in despair.

Her gauntlet-clad fist pierced the villager’s chest.

“……?!”