Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 74

Player Who Became a Constellation – Episode 74

Thump…! Thump…!

Loki’s cart rattled roughly.

“Achoo-!”

Salad, riding next to him, sneezed softly, feeling a chill she had never experienced before.

“Are you cold?”

Salad shook her head slightly at Loki’s question.

She was wearing fur, but she couldn’t get used to the cold.

Currently, they were out of the Ronia Kingdom and had been traveling along the endless ice road for days.

Where on earth are we going?

And am I allowed to be with them?

As Salad wondered, Loki covered her with a crow coat.

The feathered cloak warmed her body. Perhaps because of the warmth, her anxiety slowly disappeared.

“Oh! We’ve finally arrived!”

At Berserk’s words, Salad’s gaze turned.

Her mouth opened slightly.

‘A cliff?’

No, it was a barrier.

A massive barrier covered in ice, unknown rocks, and metal surrounded the coastline connected to the continent.

Clang-! Clang-!

Perhaps still under construction, workers were hanging from the barrier, hammering away.

‘Dwarves?’

She couldn’t help but be surprised.

Among the workers were not only humans but also dwarves.

‘S, slaves?’

This place also enslaves other races-.

“You stupid bastards! Can’t you do it right?!”

No. The dwarves were rather scolding and directing the humans.

Flags with the shapes of snakes and wolves fluttered above the barrier, and masked Nord warriors in white scale armor patrolled.

The spirit felt from them was incomparable to Ronia’s regular army.

‘M, my goodness!’

Being with Loki, Salad became curious about the Nord.

So, every time she visited each territory, she heard evaluations of the Nord.

-Barbarians of uncivilized tribes.

-Ignorant and uncivilized people who only know how to fight.

But seeing the scene before her eyes was completely different from what she had heard.

Look!

That majestic barrier-!

It’s not something that uncivilized beings could build.

It wouldn’t be easy for any empire to build such a barrier.

‘The country of Asgard…!’

Existed!

It was when Salad was gaping.

“We’ve arrived.”

Loki put his hand on Salad’s head.

Salad, who was in Loki’s arms, looked up at him.

“Finally home.”

Home?

A strange word.

But the longed-for word flowed from Loki’s mouth.

Salad watched as the massive gate slowly opened between the barriers and thought.

‘…Am I allowed to live here?’

“Get some rest.”

At Loki’s words, Salad nodded.

Home.

It was truly a warm word.

They returned home.

***

The swaying cart transformed into a luxurious carriage after entering the frozen land.

Loki and Salad were in the carriage, and Helga was across from them, with Cancun riding next to them to protect the three.

Salad was completely absorbed in the soft seating, poking her fingers or wiggling her butt.

‘So fluffy!’

I thought I would never feel this sensation again…!

She glanced sideways.

Loki was reading a book with his arms crossed.

The title was [The Azelan Constellation of the Holy Order and the Fallen Angels].

“Um…. Can I open the window?”

Loki glanced at Salad and nodded silently.

Salad opened the carriage window.

Then, white buildings and colorful market streets unfolded.

“Come on-! Buy!”

“Fresh Bella fruits just arrived from the continent!”

Nord with turquoise hair were selling all sorts of luxury goods.

Among the shouting people, there were continentals who were not Nord, and dwarves drinking beer on the inn terraces.

“…Wow!”

A different sight from the Hannes Empire.

A street where different races come together?

Is it because I feel old nostalgia? Tears welled up in Salad’s eyes.

At that time, she saw Nord patrolling the streets, and skeletons bowing to those Nord.

‘Th, there are undead too?!’

As Salad stared at the skeleton with astonished eyes, the skeleton looked at Salad as if sensing her gaze.

When Salad flinched in fear, the skeleton raised its hand and waved.

‘And it even greeted me?!’

It wasn’t a mindless wraith?!

Salad couldn’t help but be amazed.

Everything visible was a stone building. On the streets, there were people playing chess in small public squares.

…Who on earth said that the Nord were uncivilized and backward people-?

This was a scene reminiscent of the capital of an empire.

Cancun, who was watching from the opposite seat, covered his mouth and chuckled, finding Salad’s reaction amusing.

Helga smiled softly as she looked at Salad.

Salad’s gaze turned, and she looked at where the carriage was heading. She saw the majestic palace covered with lakes.

“…A, are we going there?”

When Salad pointed to Valhalla Palace with her finger, Loki nodded.

“Yes, that’s where you’ll be staying for a while.”

“…….”

For a while…?

At those words, Salad realized her situation.

She was a stranger.

Neither a companion of these Nord nor a citizen of this unfamiliar country called Asgard.

Loki had no obligation to protect or take care of her.

‘Th, that’s right. I’m…. a stranger.’

Besides, she was a princess of the Hannes Empire.

As someone being chased by the Holy Order, if it became known that Loki was protecting her, a conflict with the Holy Order would be unavoidable.

‘I’m going to be a burden to this person.’

As Salad lowered her gaze and trembled slightly, Loki read the book again and said.

“…That’s the story when you had a place to go.”

“……??”

Salad looked at Loki.

“If you don’t have a place to go, you can just stay.”

“Is that…. okay?”

“It’s not like the palace will disappear if one more person joins the family.”

“…Thank you.”

The carriage arrived at the palace.

Thump-.

The carriage door opened, and Nord warriors lined up in front of it to greet them.

‘H, he really was a king!’

Salad remembered Aum Linia calling Loki the King of the Nord.

‘…Come to think of it, I think they called him Constellation-nim too.’

Constellation-nim…. Then does that mean a god?

Salad recalled Loki’s true form and nodded as if convinced.

That overwhelming majesty was definitely a god, if not a demon.

“Welcome, my master.”

At that time, a dwarf walked out from among the Nord warriors. He knelt before Loki and bowed his head.

The neat suit and concise movements made him look like a butler managing this palace.

“Was the amusement enjoyable?”

Not ‘travel’ or ‘adventure’ but ‘amusement’.

For the dwarf, he thought it was a word befitting the existence before him.

“Yes, I got good results.”

For Loki, it was a very satisfactory result.

Now that he had achieved his purpose, he could live here quietly with Helga.

However, if Yoon Si-rin wanted revenge on the Holy Order-.

And if the Holy Order was also targeting her-.

‘It’s war.’

That would also be a perfect game to relieve boredom.

As he was thinking that, Loki suddenly remembered a letter.

It was a letter from Alex the monk.

Loki took the letter out of his inventory and showed it to the dwarf.

“Ruran.”

Salad’s ears perked up.

“Yes, my master.”

“Can you restore this?”

The dwarf Ruran looked at the letter Loki held out.

It was stained with blood, making it difficult to see the contents inside.

“May I open it?”

“Yes.”

When Ruran opened the letter, he saw the blood-stained letter paper.

“…Alchemy will be needed to restore the contents.”

“So it’s possible.”

“Yes. However, it will take time.”

“How long?”

“I think three weeks should be enough.”

“It doesn’t take long. Restore it.”

“I understand.”

Ruran bowed his head and responded to Loki’s words.

“And please guide the group.”

Loki headed to Valhalla Palace, and Ruran bowed his head to Loki until he disappeared, then raised his head and turned his gaze to the group.

“Nice to meet you. I am Ruran, the butler of this Valhalla Palace. Please, make yourself comfortable-.”

The moment his gaze reached the dark elf, Ruran couldn’t continue his words.

“……!”

The dark elf girl was turning her head and covering her face with both hands.

As if avoiding him, Ruran said in a trembling voice.

“H, Hwa, Hwa-.”

“No.”

Ruran stopped talking at Salad’s words. Salad slightly parted the hand that covered her face.

Looking at Ruran through her fingers, she said firmly.

“Don’t say it.”

Ruran hesitated, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly. Soon, he continued his words.

“…Nice to meet you. Miss.”

Ruran put his hand on his chest and bowed his head.

“I will guide you to your rooms.”

‘…Were they acquaintances?’

Loki looked at Salad and Ruran, who were pretending not to know each other from the palace window.

There must be a reason.

He was curious, but Loki decided not to ask them.

Someday, Salad or Ruran would tell him.

Even if they didn’t tell him, it wouldn’t be a problem.

They were already comrades.

‘Comrades?’

Loki smiled faintly.

Before he knew it, this place was truly becoming his home.

By establishing himself in this land, the emptiness he felt was gradually disappearing.

“Loki-nim.”

Loki turned around.

A familiar face was seen from the corner of the hallway.

A middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes.

It was Hans, the only one who remained in Valhalla Palace to work.

Behind him were tired Nord warriors.

“Oh! Hans. It’s been a while. Did you go to training?”

“Yes? Ah! I directed the mountain training….”

Loki scanned Hans up and down.

He was closer to a civil official than a military officer. He actually performed a lot of administrative work, but in fact, the work he did more often was training the soldiers of Asgard.

“It seems that you are more suited to training soldiers than administration. Didn’t you come from a Ronia noble family on the continent?”

“Yes, well…. I was demoted for various reasons.”

“Does a guy who was a noble also train soldiers?”

“I was in the military anyway.”

“…I don’t think you were good with swordsmanship?”

“Haha! I was terrible at swordsmanship. But I had some command experience….”

Loki nodded as if he understood.

“Did you have a good time?”

“Yes, it was fun.”

“I see. That’s a relief. Now, slowly-.”

Hans smiled with his eyes.

Loki’s face hardened.

Behind the corner of the hallway, a cart filled with documents was being moved.

“You have to return to work.”

“……!”

A peaceful day was passing in Asgard.

***

In the dense forest.

That place was full of despair.

“Ughaaaaack-!”

Ash’s eyes seemed to be rolling back.

Kneeling, a torch was scorching his back.

He moved his body to resist, but his limbs were restrained and he couldn’t move.

Torture.

He had been tortured for days.

This was not only for Ash.

“Ugh-!”

Paul as well.

His back was also being scorched with torches.

As the two screamed in the pain of their flesh burning, the paladin holding the torch said to his companion.

“Hey, holy water.”

And they sprinkled holy water on their backs to cool the heat and heal their bodies.

Being healed enough not to die and continuing the torture.

“Then it will take about 2 hours to heal, so shall we start again then?”

“P, please stop…. Please stop. I’m royalty! I’m a prince! Torturing royalty like this violates continental law-!”

“Are you talking back to me now?”

As the paladin looked down at Ash, Ash was terrified and grabbed his leg.

“P, please stop. Please, I beg you!”

“Suddenly using honorifics? Haha! This guy, isn’t he funny? Are you really royalty?”

How much torture did it take to already be crawling and begging?

This guy is the leader of Eastern Ronia?

He managed to survive for years without being eaten by Western Ronia.

Well, he was the first in line to the throne.

“Wh, whatever you want, I’ll do it…!”

“No guts, no dignity. What do you have?”

“Th, that’s….”

As the paladin tried to threaten Ash with a torch, Paul grabbed the paladin’s leg.

“St…op.”

“…Oh! This guy is a bit useful. He has guts. He also has loyalty.”

The paladin admired Paul.

The torture level was low for Ash, who was royalty, but not for the others.

Thanks to that, the paladins liked Paul.

Guts that don’t give in to torture. And loyalty to protect the prince at all costs.

In comparison, this First Prince-.

“…….”

He was keeping his mouth shut and looking around.

It was obvious that he wanted the torture he was about to suffer to be directed at that wizard.

‘What a piece of trash.’

“Now, shall we play some more?”

“Ah, I haven’t been healed yet! It’s, it’s too painful! So please wait a little longer-!”

Ash pleaded, sobbing.

“No. I don’t like your attitude.”

“Th, that-!”

“Or tell us a story that might interest us. Who knows? Maybe your interrogation will be delayed.”

How could he think of something like that now?

Ash’s eyes rolled around.

He struggled to think of a story that the paladins would be interested in.

But he couldn’t think of anything.

“Huh, doesn’t a prince have any social skills?”

The paladin made a bored expression.

And as he tried to move the torch again.

Ash recalled when he first met them.

The campsite where they were sitting. And the bonfire.

The wanted poster of the heretic in their hands.

‘Dark Elf’ recorded there.

“……!”

Ash shouted.

“Dark Elf!”

The paladin tilted his head.

“I, I know the whereabouts of the Dark Elf you were looking for!!”

Yes, there was a familiar portrait on the wanted poster they had.

It was the dark elf girl Ash was interested in.

“I, I know the whereabouts of that woman!”