Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 24

The Player Who Became a Constellation – 24

Chapter 24

On either side of its head were spiraling horns; the head itself was a mountain goat’s skull, and it was clad in jet-black armor.

With animal fur draped over its shoulders and a long, dark brown cloak, it sat on the throne, emitting red light from its eyes—a light no human could produce.

Demon!

The incarnation of corruption, tempting humans to commit countless sins!

Facing such a being, they could only succumb to fear.

And it wasn’t just the demon. Inside the magnificent castle, rows of unknown, unidentified soldiers stood guard.

They wore armor and helmets, covering most of their bodies, but the pure white bones visible through the gaps revealed they were not human.

Undead.

The dead who hate the living!

Soldiers composed of such evil spirits were guarding the demon and protecting the luxurious castle.

“The rumors… were true!”

One of the refugees muttered quietly.

They had been searching for even a sliver of hope. Now, they realized that the rumors spreading across the continent were not unfounded.

The prosperous cities they had seen on their journey, the countless people, the beautiful crafts, and the powerful soldiers!

They had initially dismissed it all as mere rumors, clinging to desperate hope. But what they had witnessed was not an illusion or a lie; it was all true.

However, the existence of demons was a story they hadn’t heard.

They had fled from the continent to escape danger, but now they were truly in danger of being possessed by demons, their very souls at risk of being stained black.

Had they known this, they might not have come.

The Azelan Church, the dominant religion of the continent, described demons as follows:

-Demons are those who have defied God. They drink human blood, tear souls, and delight in playing cruel tricks. If you listen to their voices and follow them, you will die and fall into hell!

Even what they had dismissed as rumors had turned out to be true, so the refugees could only tremble in fear before the being in front of them.

Clearly, their blood would be sucked, their souls torn apart by the demon, and they would fall into hell. So, the refugees bowed their heads.

They buried their faces on the floor, covered their ears, and tried to avoid making eye contact.

It was a desperate attempt to distance themselves from that terrifying being.

But among the refugees, a child looked up and stared directly at the demon.

The demon’s blood-red eyes met the child’s pure gaze.

The child, filled with curiosity rather than fear, tilted their head and then smiled brightly.

The demon’s eyes narrowed at the sight.

At that moment, the parents beside the child noticed something was amiss. Realizing the child and the demon had made eye contact, they quickly shielded the child and cried out.

“I, I’m so sorry! My child was being rude… Please forgive us…!”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Flinch!

Everyone froze at the chilling, low words.

As the demon raised his hand, a middle-aged man stepped forward.

He was a nobleman with blond hair and blue eyes, a familiar continental face.

The refugees initially breathed a sigh of relief, but soon they felt only unease.

If he was with the demon, he must also be serving him.

“Hans.”

“Yes, what is it?”

The man called Hans raised one hand to his chest and bowed his head.

It was the perfect display of noble etiquette before his lord.

The demon seemed satisfied with the man’s actions and continued to speak.

“What should we do with these people?”

Hans glanced at the refugees and answered without hesitation.

“They are strangers. They have committed the crime of crossing the border without permission.”

“Then…?”

“They must be punished.”

The refugees’ faces turned pale as they overheard the conversation between the human named Hans and the demon. Noticing their expressions, Hans continued.

“However, they are not soldiers from other countries. If soldiers belonging to other countries were to cross the border without permission, it would be a major incident. Judging from their appearance, they are more like refugees. Therefore, I hope you will be generous and forgive them, ensuring their safety as much as possible.”

The refugees were surprised by Hans’ words and looked toward the demon. But as soon as they made eye contact, they quickly lowered their heads again.

However, the little child from before continued to look at Loki and smiled brightly.

“…I see. Do as you see fit.”

“Understood.”

Hans bowed his head and answered, then approached the refugees, spoke briefly with them, and led them out of the grand hall.

The demon watched the scene and muttered to himself.

“Shaman.”

“Yes.”

An old man with a rough staff and a long robe dragging on the floor slowly walked forward.

He had a gentle face with a kind smile.

However, his eyes were clouded with white, making one wonder if he was blind.

“What are your plans for dealing with the refugees?”

“Hans is planning to gather their personal information and separate those who may cause problems.”

“Is there a possibility of them being spies from other countries?”

“We will also investigate that. We will place them under surveillance and arrest and interrogate them if they show any suspicious behavior.”

“I see. Treat them well.”

The Shaman replied with a pleased smile.

The demon looked at the Shaman and then turned his gaze to the direction in which the refugees had disappeared.

The demon, remembering the child’s smile, stroked his chin.

“…More than that, are children these days just pure or fearless? Don’t they judge by appearance?”

“Pardon?”

“No, I was just in a good mood and spouting nonsense. Anyway, I’m tired. I should go in and rest….”

“Not yet!”

At that moment, a young man with blue hair and blue eyes quickly walked forward.

He was a Nord [a person from the frozen lands of the north], the man who had played a ‘game’ with Loki in the past.

“…Aum.”

Annoyance was evident in the demon’s voice.

The man called Aum smiled, raised his hand to his chest, and bowed.

“Aum Linia, I greet my master, Lord Loki.”

After paying his respects, he paused for a moment and snapped his fingers.

Soon after, the doors of the grand hall burst open, and two men entered.

The two men were carrying something using wooden planks.

On the planks, countless letters were piled up like a mountain.

“These are letters sent by the people of our Asgard [Loki’s newly founded territory], not other tribes… Please read and review them carefully, my lord….”

“…Wasn’t this finished this morning?”

“The voices of the people know no day or night.”

“I see. Then I’ll review them in the evening….”

“Of course, if the master is tired, there’s nothing we can do, but if you take pity on the people who are still suffering from hunger and cold and spare just a little bit of time—even just a little bit—the people will be able to secure a place to live where they can eat and stay warm. Our lord… no, Constellation!”

Aum smiled as he said this, and the demon raised his hand to the helmet made of skull bones.

It was as if he were pressing hard on his temples.

The man, who had been cautiously watching his every move until recently, had suddenly begun to actively offer his opinions.

“You and that damn Constellation title, you bastard.”

“I can’t help it. How can an incompetent human claim to be a great Constellation?”

“You, are you still holding a grudge from what happened at the frozen lake?”

“You misunderstand.”

Watching Aum smile, the demon barely suppressed the urge to punch him.

“Kudan, Per, quickly deliver the letters to the master!”

The men called Kudan and Per brought the letters right in front of the throne and stepped back.

“…Too many.”

“Originally, when a country is founded, there are many troublesome things.”

“It’s something that will end if I skim through it. After a short break….”

“I’ll help you if you’re having a hard time!”

A thin voice was heard.

A woman walked out from afar.

She was a beautiful woman with long blue hair.

Her skin was as white as snow, her eyes were cyan as if looking at a clear sea, and she wore a simple but beautiful golden sword around her waist.

As she entered the grand hall, everyone flinched and stiffened, unconsciously bowing their heads and stepping back.

“Cancun.”

“I have finished the monster subjugation you ordered and returned, Lord Loki.”

She stood tall next to him with a bright smile.

And she skimmed through the documents that Loki was going to review.

“Do you have to solve all of this today? Then I’ll help you…! Because there are also people who are in trouble if I don’t help now.”

She smiled brightly and began to recite the letters.

Some time later, the conversation between the demon and Cancun came to an end. As if the demon had given up, he reached out for the letters and began to read them one by one.

The work was underway.

Cancun smiled as if she felt relieved.

“Now, I will offer a meal, a tribute. Before that….”

Before he knew it, the woman was putting her hands together and praying.

It was like a nun praying devoutly to God.

“…….”

Time passed, and she got up with a very satisfied expression.

Only the two of them existed in the audience chamber, which had become quiet as evening fell.

“Then I’ll bring the tribute!”

Cancun smiled refreshingly, bowed her head, greeted him, and left.

He smiled at her energetic personality.

Demon.

He had conquered the end of the British continent, the frozen lands, and integrated the Nord tribe, known as the strongest among humans.

The ruler who founded the new ‘Asgard,’ called the ‘Constellation of Sin,’ was ‘Loki.’

“I’ll be wrestling with piles of documents tomorrow too. It’s really a headache.”

A gloomy voice flowed out.

As he complained, a skeleton wearing a black robe and a mask approached, knelt down, and bowed his head.

Loki looked at the scene and indifferently reached out his hand, and the skeleton politely held out a parchment tied with a string from his chest with both hands.

Loki untied it and read the contents of the writing.

It was a report sent by Nord warriors who were conducting intelligence activities on the continent.

And after a while…, his eyes widened, and he jumped up.

“…Found her?”

Nod.

“Where is she?”

The skeleton tapped his forehead with his thin, bony fingers and then expressed something with both hands.

Coded sign language.

It was something he had acquired to communicate with those who had no vocal cords.

“Ronia… Kingdom? In that place?”

Nod.

Loki grabbed the letter he had been looking at and took a deep breath.

He was summoned to this world and slept for 300 years. And it had been 3 years since waking up and integrating the Nord tribe.

For a whopping 3 years, Loki had been looking for his junior, ‘Yoon Sirin’.

To that end, he integrated the frozen lands, built up his power, and established his own intelligence network.

He grew his strength to be stronger, more solid, and more insurmountable than any other force.

And it was time to use that power now.

“Find her right now! Bring the leader of the dwarves, Rlan, and the elder, Hans. As secretly as possible…!”

The skeleton nodded. After bowing and greeting, he retreated silently and gradually faded away, leaving only a shadow.

Some time later, a dwarf and a middle-aged nobleman entered the audience chamber.

“There’s something I want you to do.”