Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 81

The Constellation Player – Episode 81

King Potor’s gaze turned towards the river bordering the Nordrian Kingdom.

A galley ship was arriving.

A gangplank lowered, and a Nord warrior with bound hands was dragged out.

It was Thorsen, the son of the Nordrian King.

“Oh! Prince Thorsen. Welcome.”

“Potor! You bastard… daring to attack our kingdom-!”

Thorsen shouted in anger, and King Potor rebuked him.

“How foolish. You showed signs of unrest, so wasn’t it natural for us to act?”

“Do you think we will yield to you because of this? My father, and Asgard, will not let you get away with this-!”

“Asgard?”

King Potor looked puzzled, and one of the soldiers whispered in his ear.

-According to Elder Kshan’s report, they are a Nord tribe that received a request for dispatch.

“Hmph, they’re just two or three hundred people calling themselves a nation.”

Potor swung his halberd.

The large axe blade sliced through Thorsen’s restraints. At the same time, Thorsen’s fingers were severed.

“Aaaaaaagh-!”

“…….”

‘…I only meant to cut the restraints.’

As expected, the halberd is heavy, making it difficult to control the force.

Embarrassed, King Potor, as if struck by a good idea, said to a soldier.

“Send Prince Thorsen’s fingers to the Nordrian King!”

“Understood.”

The soldier headed to the Nordrian Kingdom with Thorsen’s fingers.

Now that they know the extent of our power, the Nordrian King will give up.

Soon, the Nordrian Kingdom will be absorbed into the Forman Kingdom, and his son, Chaser, will become the true next king of this land.

“Ugh…!”

Thorsen groaned and glared at King Potor.

“Aren’t you scared when you glare at me with such heated eyes?”

Potor’s jest made the soldiers burst into laughter.

“I’ll invite you to our kingdom. But don’t worry. You won’t be lonely. Your sister will be coming with you.”

“What?!”

“You alone won’t be enough to move the Nordrian King’s heart. Ah, it would be good to arrange a political marriage at this time. My son is quite decent, you know? It’s too much for your rumored dim-witted sister, but he’ll take good care of her.”

“Wha, what have you done to Karen?!”

“Nothing much. My son went out to meet your sister. They might be having a happy time together right now. Haha!”

“You bastard-! If you lay a finger on Karen, I won’t let you get away with it!”

“How are you going to stop me when your fingers are in that state?!”

Thorsen tried to rush at him at King Potor’s vulgar joke, but the soldiers pinned him down.

Boo-woo-woo-woo-!

At that moment, a signal for the Forman soldiers to retreat sounded from the castle walls.

‘Huh? It’s not time to sound the retreat signal yet?’

King Potor looked at the entrance to the Nordrian castle gate with a puzzled expression.

Forman soldiers were rushing out of there.

Behind them, Nordrian soldiers were hastily closing the outer gate, and strangers in white armor stood on the outer walls.

A flag was raised.

It was a flag with a snake and wolf emblem.

‘A flag I’ve never seen before.’

As King Potor was wondering, three cavalrymen rushed up and shouted.

One of them was carrying something wrapped in cloth on his back.

“Re, reporting! An unidentified group has entered the coast. Elder Kshan and the army he leads…”

The reporting soldier’s face turned pale.

“…were annihilated!”

“…….”

“Ha… Haha! They’ve come!!”

King Potor turned his head and looked at Thorsen.

“The King of the Nords has come! You will all kneel before him-!”

King Potor ignored Thorsen’s words.

He looked at the soldier and asked.

“How many are they?”

“We, roughly, there are 200 of them! But if there were more on the ship, there would be more than 300….”

“…Quite a lot.”

300 Nords, this was quite unexpected.

‘The navy must have failed.’

It was a pity that they failed to stop the Nords from landing, but the fact remains that the Nordrian Kingdom has suffered considerable damage.

Also, the Potor Kingdom had one more advantage.

“Since you’re here, the Nords won’t be able to act rashly.”

That was Prince Thorsen, a hostage.

And soon, Princess Karen would be dragged in as well.

If he took them both hostage, the Nordrian King would not dare to disobey his words.

“It wouldn’t be bad to have Nordrian and the Nords fight each other.”

He could order the Nordrian King to expel the Nords or suppress them.

They came to help as a dispatched force, but suddenly they are chased away by an ally who has become an enemy?

Wouldn’t that be quite a sight to see!

Just as King Potor was about to burst into laughter, the soldier who was reporting hesitated, sweating profusely.

“Po, Your Highness Potor!”

“……?”

“Ah, there’s still something to report….”

“What is it?”

“…Those who infiltrated as… spies… were annihilated.”

King Potor’s eyes gradually widened.

“…Prince Chaser… has been captured by the enemy.”

Swish-!

The reporting soldier’s head floated into the air.

King Potor had cut off the soldier’s head.

“My, my son was captured by those bastards?!”

Enraged, King Potor mercilessly kicked the headless body away.

The remaining two cavalrymen swallowed hard.

“Immediately cut off Thorsen’s arm and send it! Tell them that if they do anything foolish, Prince Thorsen’s life is forfeit!”

King Potor shouted.

“Yo, Your Highness, that….”

At that moment, King Potor noticed something.

It was something carried on the back of one of the cavalrymen.

“What is that?”

“Th, that is….”

“I asked, what is it?”

The cavalryman carefully handed what he was carrying on his back to King Potor.

“As Your Highness instructed, I was going to send Prince Thorsen’s fingers as a warning. But….”

“But…?”

“They handed this over and left a message.”

King Potor unwrapped the piece of cloth.

“Release Prince Thorsen. Every time he gets hurt-.”

And what came out there was….

“We will send Prince Chaser’s limbs cut off.”

“Th, the bastards cut off Prince Chaser’s foot-.”

The heads of the two cavalrymen also flew into the air.

King Potor, who swung his halberd, glared at Thorsen, panting.

“You, consider yourself lucky.”

“…….”

Thorsen closed his mouth at the intense murderous intent. He couldn’t provoke him by opening his mouth unnecessarily.

King Potor snapped his fingers, and one of the soldiers approached.

“Contact the homeland and gather all the troops we can. And prepare the beast brigade as well.”

“Understood.”

“Tell the Nordrian King! In a week, we will exchange Prince Thorsen and my son, Chaser.”

Thorsen was relieved at that.

Fortunately, it seemed he would be released.

“However, since they cut off my son’s foot.”

King Potor said, looking at Thorsen.

“We’ll take both of your arms.”

That’s the only way it’s a fair trade, isn’t it?

***

“Oh! These horses are extraordinary!”

The Nord warriors were riding Nordrian warhorses.

It was the price for the dispatch.

About 50 Nord warriors wielded weapons while on horseback.

“They’re big, they endure well, and look at their sturdy legs! They’re on a different level from those raised in the north!”

Rlan had the Nord warriors carry the horse armor from the warship.

The sizes were roughly right, perhaps because the armor was made based on the dead Nordrian horses that had arrived in Asgard.

The armor made of metal processed in Valhalla Palace was added to the horses.

Perhaps because it was matched to the camouflage color on the snow of the north, plausible white cavalry was created.

“Hun… Will my brother be okay?”

Loki was sitting leisurely on the floor, writing a book.

It took two to three hours to create one skill book, so he created skill books whenever he had time.

Karen leaned against Loki’s back, slumped.

She was gloomy with worry about her brother.

“Since the other side has agreed to the hostage exchange, just wait.”

“But~”

“Karen.”

Karen turned her head at the familiar voice.

“Dad!”

“What is this?! I’ve repeatedly said that these people are important guests. How dare you commit such rudeness!”

“N, no… Rudeness… No, right? Hun! Huh?”

“I don’t really care.”

Even at Loki’s words, the Nordrian King glared at Karen.

“Go to the palace! Quickly!”

“A, alright….”

Karen waved her hand at Loki and left the spot.

The Nordrian King looked at Karen’s back and glared at Loki.

“I heard you sent Prince Chaser’s foot.”

“So?”

“You recklessly provoked King Potor…! Thanks to you, this war can no longer be stopped!”

“It seems the war has already started a long time ago, though?”

Loki pointed to the Nordrian Kingdom’s downtown, which was no different from ruins.

“Even in this state, do you still think the war can be stopped?”

“Of course. They won’t want to suffer damage either.”

“Are you a Nord? Unlike the Nords I know, your head is full of flowers.”

“…Are you insulting me?”

“I’m just stating the facts.”

The Nordrian King took a breath. There was no point in getting angry at him now. What was urgent now was his son, Thorsen’s life.

“…I was agitated. I apologize. Can you save Thorsen, my son?”

“Not sure.”

“…Then I ask you to proceed with a truce agreement after the hostage exchange.”

The Nordrian King bowed his head.

“Only you can save us.”

“I told you, the war won’t end.”

The Nordrian King raised his head and looked at Loki.

“Since you captured Prince Chaser and threatened them, they will prepare to advance.”

In fact, the number of Forman Kingdom soldiers surrounding this Nordrian Kingdom increased rapidly over the week.

About 5,000.

The Nordrian people couldn’t sleep with anxiety due to the increasing enemies.

The Nordrian King was also unable to sleep due to the people’s riots or the invading enemy soldiers.

What was most frightening was….

“We’re not helping you for free.”

“…….”

“This land is very nice. Warm and cozy. Besides, the meat is delicious and the culture is good. The downside is whether this small kingdom can give Asgard a reward that satisfies us.”

“…….”

“Then there’s only one thing you can give.”

Loki’s gaze swept over the kingdom’s city. The Nordrian King sensed an ominous feeling in his eyes.

Yes, he had brought too absurd beings into this land.

He had been away for too long and had forgotten what his homeland was like.

The frozen land, it was the land of ‘plunderers.’

They were-.

“This Nordrian Kingdom. I will take this kingdom.”

They were other invaders.

“Tell me if you need our help. Only if you are ready to pay the price.”

“…It wasn’t a support army, but a conquering army.”

“Be grateful that we saved Karen and prevented the Forman Kingdom’s preemptive strike.”

“I understand. I am sincerely grateful for that. But I no longer need your help. There will be no more requests for help from you after the hostage exchange.”

The Nordrian King thought.

There are Nords on this side. They have expressed their intention not to participate in the war.

The Forman Kingdom will not know such inside stories.

Since they have seen each other in a bad state, they will not want to suffer any more damage.

‘I have to use this to the fullest.’

There is no need for the Nords to step in. He cannot hand over the kingdom to them.

‘Am I going to give up everything I’ve achieved?’

“Your Highness Nordrian!”

The Nordrian King raised his head.

A soldier was shouting from the outer wall.

“They’ve brought Prince Thorsen for the hostage exchange!”

The Nordrian King nodded.

“Then, I entrust my son to you.”

Loki got up from his seat.

“Nordrian King.”

“……?”

Loki looked at the Nordrian King and….

“You still don’t know desperation.”

…He spat out meaningless words.

***

The outer gate began to open.

Loki walked through the outer gate, and Prince Chaser, riding a horse, was next to him.

His eyes were turned over, he was hiccuping and drooling.

He wasn’t in his right mind.

The Forman Kingdom’s cavalrymen were also approaching with Prince Thorsen.

The Forman cavalrymen raised their heads with a dignified attitude.

Since they were riding horses, they looked down at Loki and shouted arrogantly.

“Are you the leader of the Nords who captured the prince?”

“For now, you can say that.”

“You don’t look like a Nord?”

“It’s a world ruled by power. It’s not strange who leads them.”

The cavalrymen swaggered around Loki.

Since he didn’t seem to have any weapons, the cavalrymen began to pressure him aggressively.

“Our king has spoken. King of the Nords. Turn your back on the Nordrian King and join us?”

“Oh? That’s a bit interesting. Then what will you give us?”

“I will give you a noble title.”

“…….”

Loki was greatly disappointed.

“He said he would give us a home to live in this land and the dominion of Nordrian. Become his vassal, kneel and swear allegiance. He ordered you to bring the head of the Nordrian King as a token of that loyalty.”

“…Are you telling me to become a henchman of fools?”

From Loki’s tone, the cavalrymen judged that he had expressed his refusal.

“…You don’t want to. Then let’s get to the point.”

The cavalrymen pushed Prince Thorsen forward.

Having lost both arms, he lost his balance and fell to the floor.

His face was so disfigured that he was unrecognizable, and it seemed he had been severely tortured.

“It’s Prince Thorsen. Take him.”

“It’s Prince Chaser.”

Loki slapped the horse’s butt.

The horse walked forward and headed towards the Forman cavalrymen’s formation.

The Forman soldiers glanced at each other and exchanged glances.

-As soon as you receive Chaser, kill Prince Thorsen and that bastard.

King Potor had no intention of letting the person who cut off Prince Chaser’s legs live.

Since he had already refused to become the king’s vassal, all that remained was his death.

Just as the cavalrymen were grabbing their spears, their bodies froze like stone statues.

‘This is… murderous intent…?!’

He felt a murderous intent that crushed his whole body.

“Ah, but the exchange condition was wrong.”

Loki stretched out his hand into the air.

The space split, and a large sword was pulled out into his hand.

“I clearly declared that every time Prince Thorsen gets hurt….”

‘Ma, magic!?’

‘I, I have to counterattack-!’

But his whole body was frozen and he couldn’t move.

“I will tear Prince Chaser’s limbs apart.”

Loki swung his sword.

The bodies of the cavalrymen and Prince Chaser were shattered into pieces.