Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 46

46

“It’s about the whereabouts of the princess of the fallen Hannes Empire.”

“…Why are you asking me that?”

“…Weren’t you the one who smuggled the princess away, Alex?”

Yuma’s two subordinates showed signs of surprise.

Alex shrugged nonchalantly.

“…What are you talking about?”

“Are you feigning ignorance?”

“I don’t know anything about it.”

All he did was one thing.

Fifty years ago, he just turned a blind eye to a dark elf escaping.

Nothing more, nothing less.

“What’s the reason?”

“If I did such a thing, there must have been a reason.”

He just didn’t think it was necessary to kill even a child, so he left her alone.

In his eyes, the Holy Order looked more like demons for massacring children.

Was it because of the guilt at that time?

Leaving the Holy Order and building a monastery to take in orphans….

“Um, is that so? Do you happen to remember anything? It’s my mission to catch that demi-human.”

“Why are you looking for the princess?”

“The influence of the Holy Order has declined these days.”

In other words, it’s for political reasons.

“I don’t remember anyth-.”

At that moment, Alex’s words trailed off.

A dark elf?

Alex’s eyes widened.

The traveler he met a while ago, and the girl with tanned skin, silver hair, and crimson eyes, came to mind.

The young dark elf who was crying alone in the ruined palace a long time ago.

She looked so much like that girl.

“……!”

‘But that young lady is human…!’

…Was she human?

Suddenly, he realized something was strange.

She was always wearing a hood, whether indoors or outdoors. Moreover, she even combined herbs.

But that’s not convincing enough.

However, the image of the child in Alex’s fragmented memories was so similar to the girl’s appearance a while ago.

If that dark elf had grown up, she would have looked exactly like the traveler girl.

‘…My… goodness!’

Could it be?! Was she alive!

That’s right. No wonder she looked familiar!

He thought she was definitely dead!

‘Hehe! Is this also a connection made by Azellan Constellation [referring to a divine or fate-driven connection]!’

Alex smiled.

He couldn’t help but laugh and was filled with joy.

“…I don’t remember anything. I’m just an ordinary monk living in this countryside.”

“…….”

Yuma ran his hand through his hair and said.

“You must tell us the truth. Otherwise, we have no choice.”

“Are you saying I’m lying?”

“Do you know what my divine power is?”

“Of course, I know. Isn’t it [Mind’s Eye]? I know it’s the ability to discern whether someone’s words are true or false.”

“Have you ever seen that ability be wrong?”

Alex shook his head.

“Of course not.”

“…Tell me. Do you know the dark elf?”

“I said I don’t know.”

“That’s a lie.”

“I suppose so.”

“…….”

Yuma glared at Alex.

“Are you really going to walk the path of a heretic?”

“…I will always serve Azellan Constellation.”

Yuma approached the doorway.

“…You have changed.”

“It’s a change.”

“This is… the end of our relationship.”

Yuma said to his subordinates.

“He’s a heretic. Kill him. And burn down the nearby village and kill all the residents there.”

Yuma’s subordinates drew their swords and approached Alex.

***

Loki looked towards the monastery in the distance, which was barely visible.

He was camping; the sun had already set, and the moon was up. He opened the pouch Alex had given him. It contained green, glowing peppers.

They seemed to have been grown with great care; their color was truly beautiful.

Loki took a bite.

“…Bitter.”

It was so bitter that he frowned. But… it was strangely delicious.

***

The civil war in the Ronia Kingdom.

The main figure, the First Prince Ash Ronia, stared blankly at the sky.

The morning sun rose through the burning barracks, but the sky was dark with black clouds.

Flocks of crows flew around the sky, busy eating corpses, and various weapons were stuck in the ground like tombstones.

‘What happened?’

He had that question for a moment, then he recalled what he had experienced.

‘…Annihilation…?’

Three thousand soldiers.

He was leading that army to the ‘Loden Territory,’ which could be called the last line of defense.

Until then, there were no problems. Supplies were tight but uninterrupted, and he was constantly discussing with the nobles who supported him, only thinking about stopping the Second Prince with their army.

Then, there was the Wight’s [undead creature] attack.

‘There were only a few dozen of them.’

That small group of plague creatures annihilated his 3,000 soldiers and began to turn them into Wights.

Ash was blankly thinking about that sight.

‘Where… did it all go wrong…?’

As Ash looked at the sky with trembling eyes, a Wight approached.

Ash couldn’t even think of running away as he looked at the Wight.

Both legs had already been torn off, and there was a fist-sized hole in his stomach.

-Krrrrrr!

The Wight leaned its head towards Ash and made a rattling sound.

“…Are you trying to eat me? You damn monster.”

Voices barely flowed from his trembling lips, but there was no way the other party would understand that language.

The Wight, wearing blue armor as if to indicate that it had been his soldier, tilted its head as it looked at Ash. Then, it curled up its lips as if smiling and opened its mouth wide.

Wormfest [a parasitic infestation] flowed out with the black blood in its mouth and fell on Ash’s body.

Wormfest spread quickly as if enjoying a new habitat.

The vigorously wriggling Wormfest pierced through the skin, sucking fresh blood and devouring organs.

Ash felt a burning sensation in his body and felt fear.

Soon, he too would become a monster like them.

He felt it.

The corrupted energy spreading through his body!

It was sucking his life and trying to take over his body.

A noble royal becoming a dirty undead…? Isn’t that absurd!

“Damn it…!”

It was then.

Thump….

It was an unusually loud footstep.

The Wight raised its head sharply and growled. Then, it ran towards somewhere.

The Wight, which had been gaping and dripping black blood, was torn into pieces with dozens of flashes of light.

The Wight turned to ashes and disappeared.

Ash’s eyes widened.

It is extremely rare for someone to be able to cut a Wight into pieces in an instant like that.

Besides, it turns to ashes as soon as it’s killed?!

Ash struggled to shift his gaze.

In his fading senses, he could vaguely see the figure.

A being growing with the crows eating corpses in the background.

Soon, the being created a large shadow. A crow man wearing a huge mask that could not be compared to ordinary crows.

“…You’re alive.”

That word rang clearly in his ears.

‘A grim reaper…?’

Is he the god of death who took his soul? Is he going to die like this after all?

Ash used all his remaining strength to reach out and grab the crow man’s leg.

“Save… me.”

In fact, he knows it’s impossible.

Even if the man in front of him is an ordinary person, he cannot save someone infected with Wormfest unless he has holy water.

Still, Ash wanted to grab at straws.

“…Why? I don’t like troublesome things.”

“Plea…se… I’ll do anything…!”

“Can you find what I’m looking for?”

The crow man took his foot away without hesitation.

Ash’s powerless hand slipped away.

“…Is that human going to die?”

A girl’s voice was heard.

A hooded girl, as if wary of the surrounding Wights, shrank back and grabbed the crow man’s leg, glancing at Ash.

“Too bad. I was hoping… but it doesn’t seem to be related to the Angel of Death.”

Ash opened his mouth with difficulty.

“A…Angel of…Death…?”

“……?”

“Are you… looking for that?”

“Do you know?”

“Sa…save…”

Ash lost consciousness before he could finish those words.

The skin on his face turned pale, and Wormfest broke through and wriggled.

The crow man, Loki, frowned and looked down at him.

***

The sound of insects chirping is heard.

Ash opened his eyes and stared blankly at the faintly visible sky.

Numerous stars floated in the black night sky, and various colored moons illuminated the surroundings.

A cool breeze shook the grass and gently brushed against Ash’s skin. His whole body was warm and cozy.

Ash smiled bitterly at the feeling of comfort.

“In the end, am I dead?”

“Do you want to die?”

Ash, who was contemplating his death, was startled by the sudden low voice and raised his upper body.

The sleeping bag covering him slipped off. Only then did Ash realize the reason for the cozy feeling, but he had no time to pay attention to such things.

The person who spoke to him was wearing a crow mask, a black leather suit, and a cloak made of feathers covering his whole body.

Ash looked at the owner of the voice and uttered a word.

“…A grim reaper?”

There was someone in front of him who perfectly matched that image.

The crow man looked at Ash and sneered.

“A grim reaper? Do I look that gloomy?”

“Are you… not?”

“Well.”

It was neither affirmative nor negative.

Ash was embarrassed by the meaningful words.

“Whether this place is heaven or hell, whether I am a grim reaper or not, what does it matter? Or do you want it to be?”

‘I wasn’t dead…?’

That question arose, and not long after, Ash could feel it.

That he was alive!

Not only warmth in his body, but also sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. All senses were vividly felt.

Ash felt that he was alive with the sweet air he felt every time he breathed in and out.

‘I’m alive! Even my body feels refreshed!’

He feels more energetic than his old body.

Ash did not let his guard down, even though he thought that the being in front of him had saved him.

Because he didn’t know what the other person’s intentions were in saving him.

‘…Why did you save me? Even using expensive holy water!’

Before he died, he was infected with Wormfest, so the fact that he is alive now means that the crow man used holy water to heal him.

Since he used that precious holy water… there must be a reason.

“Who are you?”

The crow man, Loki, tilted his head slightly at his casual attitude and looked at Ash with interest.

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first? Speaking informally as soon as we meet… You must be quite high-ranking.”

“Of course. I am…!”

The first heir to the throne of the Ronia Kingdom, Ash Ronia!

…He was about to say that, but it was blocked in his throat.

He must hide his identity as much as possible. In particular, he was accused of driving Ronia’s king, his father, into dementia and spreading the plague.

He had to be even more careful since even the Holy Order believed the nonsense and branded him as a ‘heretic.’

Ash raised his hand and wiped his face.

“I am… a nobleman.”