Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 77

77

“Fast. I thought it would take about two weeks, but it only took about ten days?”

Loki, standing on the ship’s bow, gazed at the distant horizon of the island.

“Ooh! Land!”

“This is what it must feel like to discover a new continent!”

“Oh, this ignorant bastard is saying something plausible?”

Were the Norsemen exhausted from the long voyage?

Everyone was happy in their own way.

Some were even suffering from severe seasickness for the first time.

‘I’ve learned a thing or two about sailing.’

I learned how to steer, how to use the wind, and even how to row.

If I can use that to create a skill book, I can extend my influence to the sea.

“No way… This… is this even possible?”

Thorsen covered his mouth.

He was a sailor, but he couldn’t recover from the great shock he had just received.

They all said it was their first time at sea.

They thought it was all over when they entered the swamp of death without knowing anything.

These guys caught a kraken with harpoons and used chains to get to the waters of the Nordrian kingdom.

‘…And they tamed the kraken.’

To be exact, it’s hard to say they tamed it.

The kraken was still struggling to escape, and every time it did, harpoons pierced its body, oil was poured on it, and it was set on fire, causing it great pain.

They stopped the torture when the resistance decreased.

The same was true when sailing.

If the direction was wrong, the Norse king would swing his sword and inflict wounds, so the kraken would cry out in pain and swim in the correct direction to get here.

‘Besides….’

When food ran low, they even cut off and ate the kraken’s tentacles.

Thorsen couldn’t help but feel anxious about whether he had brought absurd monsters into his kingdom.

‘If they don’t give them satisfactory rewards, they might even invade!’

The opponent is the Norse.

As warriors who made a living by plundering, there was no guarantee that they would not plunder their kingdom.

‘At least… I need to inform them of this fact first and respond!’

Thorsen approached Loki and asked for his understanding.

“King of the Norse, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“I would like to go to the kingdom in advance, deliver the good news that Asgard has accepted the request for dispatch, and prepare a feast. So… I’d like to leave… first.”

Thorsen glanced at Loki, his head bowed.

“Okay. Lend this guy a small boat.”

“Thank you.”

Thorsen had to let his kingdom know quickly.

Monsters.

The Norse warriors have arrived in their kingdom.

***

Thorsen headed to the island on a small sailboat.

Loki watched him go and turned his head.

Ruran stood on the central deck of the ship, looking at Loki. He quietly bowed his head and went inside the ship.

“……”

Loki also moved his steps.

He followed Ruran, and the place where the two entered was a small lounge.

Ruran looked at Loki, who had entered the room, and after confirming that the door was closed, he took out a letter from his arms and handed it over.

“What’s this?”

“The restoration you requested earlier has just been completed. But… I don’t know how to accept the contents of this letter….”

At Ruran’s words, Loki took out the letter from the stationery and read it.

Loki stroked his chin as if he was interested in the contents of the letter.

“Who knows this content?”

“Only the owner who wrote this letter, the restorer, and you, the owner who is currently reading it.”

“I see.”

Loki sat down on a chair nearby, placed the letter on the table, and clasped his hands together.

He wiggled his fingers and began to ponder.

“According to the contents of this letter… a great chaos will come to the continent.”

“That chaos will be an opportunity for us.”

“…Are you going to make it public?”

“Can you make a copy of this letter?”

“A copy… you mean?”

“Is it impossible?”

“…I can imitate the handwriting. The seal also looks fine. Unless it’s a magical seal, it’s possible since there isn’t one.”

“As soon as we return to Asgard, send the original to the original owner.”

“Is that okay?”

“According to the contents of this stationery, if the ‘Pope’ is a person who has become human-”

Loki neatly folded the letter and put it in the stationery.

“Very interesting things will happen.”

***

“You must prepare a feast for them right now! Father!”

Thorsen knelt down and bowed his head.

A throne room made of wood.

A wide hall with a throne, where the King of Nordrian sat.

To the left and right, the nobles of the Nordrian kingdom sat in a circle on the floor.

Most were elderly Norsemen.

“Is that true? Honestly… it’s hard to believe, Thorsen.”

The Nordrian king stroked his wrinkled face.

From a young tribal chief in his 30s, he had drifted on a ship to find warm land.

Then he reached this strange island.

The Nordrians who set foot on this land came to love it.

Warm temperature.

Soft soil.

Green mountains and valleys, dense trees, and various wild animals.

Resources were abundant.

However, there were many monsters and many indigenous people who were the original owners, so in order to live on this land, they had to conquer them.

‘It took a lot of time.’

After about 10 years, he gained influence and founded a country in his name.

As time passed and he began to age, invasions from neighboring countries began.

Those who went outside the castle to farm or gather herbs in the mountains were found dead every time.

And sometimes, a group wearing fur coats was seen looking down at their kingdom from the mountainous area.

So, he formed 10 Norse warriors and 300 militiamen and dispatched them, but what came back were exactly 310 heads.

-……!

The sound of sobbing echoed throughout the kingdom day and night.

The Nordrian king was furious and tried to reorganize his army and take the lead himself this time.

What surrounded the Nordrian kingdom were thousands of warriors from the Forman kingdom.

-The Nordrian king must surrender to the Forman kingdom and offer tribute and slaves every three months! Otherwise, everyone in this kingdom will become slaves!

They were overwhelming in terms of numbers and the quality of soldiers.

It was a war where the loser was determined.

At least, if there were only brave warriors who could fight…!

If only he and the elders in their prime were younger, they wouldn’t have been defeated like this…!

So, the request for assistance sent to the north. Thorsen successfully brought soldiers from Asgard.

However, he seemed to be possessed by something and spewed out praise for Asgard.

“So… how many Norsemen did they send?”

“Three hundred!”

“Th-three hundred people?”

The Nordrian king and elders couldn’t help but be greatly surprised.

300 people?!

Even if Thorsen’s fantastic story was put aside, there was hope.

Thorsen may be bluffing, but he wasn’t the type to distort the facts.

If so, 300 people must really be waiting on the warship.

Even if they couldn’t win against the Forman kingdom, they would be able to balance the power to some extent.

A non-aggression treaty would be no problem.

“Did you ask them to prepare a feast for them?”

“Yes! That’s right, Father. You should prepare separate compensation for them for their support in this war.”

“……”

When the story of compensation came up, the Nordrian king closed his mouth.

At best, all he had prepared were good quality horses, fur, and livestock.

It would be difficult to grant anything more than that.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Yes?”

“I have no intention of asking them to participate in the war.”

“Wh-what do you mean…?”

“The Forman kingdom will also know that 300 Norse warriors have come. Then they will stop the invasion and enter into negotiations.”

There was no need to bring in the Norse by paying a price. Trade with them was enough.

Putting them into the battlefield would be more of a loss than a gain in terms of the Nordrian kingdom’s economic conditions.

‘Just staying here is enough for them to do their part.’

But since they came all the way here, I should give them a welcome greeting.

“Father, but they have come across the distant seas for us. Please do not take their treatment lightly….”

“Don’t be swayed by personal feelings. You have too much affection, just like Karen.”

“……”

“The compensation for them coming all the way here can be repaid with a feast. There’s no need to take care of them any more than that.”

“But….”

The Nordrian king got up from his seat and shouted.

“It’s perfect!”

The people were restless with concern about the war.

So, he felt the need to release the storehouse and soothe their anxiety.

“Hold a festival! And the elders will bring the Norse, and Thorsen, you prepare to greet them at the port.”

“…I understand. Father!”

Thorsen felt anxious and left the audience hall.

The Nordrian elders hurriedly boarded a ship to greet the Asgardian warship on the coast.

“M-my goodness… I’ve never seen such a big warship in my life!”

The elders who came up on the deck could see the spirited Norse warriors.

They saw the young Norse warriors and their shoulders shrank.

Respect flowed from their mouths involuntarily.

“W-welcome to Nordrian! Th… where is the King of the Norse?”

A Norse warrior, who was tidying up the ship’s deck, looked at the elders and said.

“That person? If it’s that person….”

He pointed to the Nordrian kingdom, shining brightly in the distance.

“He already went ahead.”

“…B-by boat?”

He already went?

Soldiers are stationed at the port.

If the delivery is delayed due to the rush to prepare, they may respond hostilely as soon as they discover a suspicious ship.

Regardless of the elders’ concerns.

“No.”

The Norse warrior spat out meaningless words.

“He went on foot.”

“……??”

***

Late hour.

Lights shone on the Nordrian kingdom, surrounded by mountainous terrain.

“What’s all the commotion?”

“The Nordrian king is holding a festival.”

“What? At this time? Why suddenly…?”

It was when the soldiers guarding the coast were talking.

Step…. Step….

Someone is walking on the beach.

As he took a step, water droplets quietly spread around.

But walking on the water was as natural to him as walking on ice.

Was it because the darkness of the night obscured his vision, or was it because he couldn’t imagine that a person could walk on water, the guards didn’t notice him.

The one on the water was Loki, wearing a crow mask.

He secretly set foot on the port of Nordrian by ‘walking’ on the sea.

‘Is this the Nordrian kingdom? It’s much smaller than I thought.’

Loki moved his steps. At the same time, he hid his presence.

Even though a man wearing a crow mask was walking in the middle of the road, no one found him strange.

This was because the Nordrian people took out animal masks to prepare for the festival.

‘I see. I heard that the Norse are the kings, so is that culture ingrained?’

The market began to liven up, and trees were piled up in the square.

‘The houses are all wooden fences. The construction technology is good. There are also many livestock.’

Is it really possible to offer horses and fur through trade?

‘It looks uneasy, but the faces of the residents don’t look that bad.’

The level of happiness seems considerable.

They must be relying on and trusting the king of this kingdom.

Loki bought a skewer from a stall.

“Oh! Delicious! Really delicious! It’s a different taste from the meat in the north.”

He liked that he didn’t feel the greasy taste unique to lamb at all.

‘The quality of the meat is good. The people of Asgard will like it.’

It was when he was walking around, looking around, and enjoying the food.

‘But….’

Someone is watching him.

‘Did they notice me?’

Even though he hid his presence, they were following him well in the crowd.

Loki was aware of the gaze he felt while enjoying his own tour in a foreign land.

‘There’s no hostility. Is it just surveillance?’

Loki moved his steps.

Every time, they chased Loki nimbly.

‘Besides, their skills are quite high.’

It was then.

“Wa, wait a minute!”

Loki’s steps stopped.

I thought they would only monitor, but I didn’t expect them to talk to me.

Maybe they intended to talk to me in the first place.

When he turned his head, he saw a woman panting.

Jet-black hair color like looking at the night, and blue eyes.

‘A mixed race?’

A mixed race of Norse. However, she was a mixed race of ‘Ain’ [a non-human race with animal features].

As evidence, there were animal ears sprouting on her head. A long tail extending from behind her butt.

“Yo, you, why are you walking so fast?”

Beastkin [a human with animal features].

It was also a feline.