Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 86

Player as a Constellation – Episode 86

Alarm magic.

But strangely, it was quiet.

Could there be an error in the magic?

Paul stared at his shackles with a hardened face.

Rune patterns were engraved there as well.

No. There might be an error once, but not twice.

“Le, let’s escape!”

Ash urgently nudged Paul’s shoulder and moved away stealthily.

Paul ran a hand over his face.

This is….

‘It’s a trap.’

Paul injected mana into a branch. Then, he swung the branch towards where the paladin was sitting.

Two summoned fireballs flew out.

The paladin quickly drew his sword and cleanly cut down one of the incoming fireballs.

“…You’re more perceptive than I thought.”

The paladin rose from his seat without panicking.

“As expected of a mage, I really like you. Were you even thinking of escaping in this situation?”

“Po, Paul! What are you doing!? If you touch the paladin…!”

“It’s a trap!”

“A, a trap?”

“Shut up and run to the carriage!”

“But the paladin…!”

“Don’t worry! That guy…!”

But there was something the paladin hadn’t considered.

Two fireballs were launched.

One towards the paladin, and the other towards the totem maintaining the barrier.

As the totem burned, the surrounding undead began to slowly approach.

“…Damn it, being a mage makes your mind work fast!”

The paladin took out a bell from his pocket and shook it.

Ding-! Ding-!

The fire in the campsite grows.

Skeletons and zombies staggered towards the paladin, swinging bone swords.

Clang-!

The paladin blocked the incoming attacks and hunted the undead.

In that gap, Paul and Ash headed for the carriage.

Paul hurriedly pulled the bound Lapilla and Albert and loaded them onto the carriage.

“You idiot! Leave those two behind!”

“I can’t! I can’t abandon them!”

“We’ll all die like this!”

“Shut up and help!”

Seeing Paul shouting, Ash reluctantly put the two on the carriage.

At that moment, they saw the paladin, who had killed the undead, running towards them.

“Hiiiik-!?”

As Ash was terrified, Paul threw a sharp branch into the carriage, went to the driver’s seat, grabbed the reins, and whipped the horse’s rear with all his might.

Neigh-!

The carriage started.

“…Haha! How amusing! That’s why I can’t quit being an Inquisitor!”

The paladin burst into laughter as he watched the carriage move away.

“We, we escaped! We escaped! Well done, Paul!”

“…We didn’t escape.”

“What?”

Paul was sweating coldly.

“…They knew we would run away.”

“Wha, what do you mean…?”

“There was alarm magic on the shackles.”

Even though they released the shackles, they didn’t react.

That means-.

“They’re trying to hunt us down.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“They released us to catch us again! They’re planning to play with us like toys…!”

Ash had no choice but to shut his mouth at those words.

Paul might be right. The process of escaping was too easy.

Give hope. Then give despair again.

It’s a method often used by Inquisitors.

“A, are we going to be caught again!?”

“No! We can escape!”

“They have warhorses. There’s a limit with a carriage! Le, let’s abandon the carriage and run away!”

“Then we have to abandon Lapilla and Albert!”

“Why bother taking those dying corpses!?”

“Shut up!”

When Paul shouted, Ash’s face twisted red with anger.

-We don’t believe the words of heretics.

Ash flinched.

-We want worship, not loyalty.

Those were the words Yuma, the leader of the Paladin Order, had said a few days ago.

-I will watch your actions towards Constellation Azellan and our Order.

Paul said.

They knew we would run away. Then they let us go on purpose.

Why?

‘To test us?’

Ash’s eyes wavered.

“Po, Paul. We have to go back to the campsite right now!”

“What? Wh, what are you talking about!?”

“Let’s go back and beg for forgiveness! They’re testing us! So…!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! Are you crazy? Are you brainwashed!?”

“No! This is a test! They’re testing us! They said they would watch our actions!”

“Did you fall for those words? Please, get a grip!”

“I’m telling you I’m right!”

He was thoroughly brainwashed.

Paul racked his brain. At this rate, they can’t escape.

Should he abandon Prince Ash? But if he does, he won’t be able to face Lapilla and Albert.

But if he leaves it like this, everyone will be in danger.

Just as Paul was desperately racking his brain.

“…Right, if we prove that we worship them, it’ll be fine.”

Ash picked up a branch in the carriage with vacant eyes.

-I will watch your actions towards our Order.

Those words kept echoing in Ash’s mind.

At this rate, they’ll be caught anyway. And he’ll be tortured again.

Rather-.

“If we go a little further, we can get out of this Demon Forest-”

Stab-.

A sharp branch was lodged in Paul’s neck.

He collapsed to the side, and the horse also lost direction and crashed into a tree.

Bang-!

Paul’s vision spun.

He fell to the ground.

“…It reminds me… of the old days. When I was with that damn Nord and… Dark Elf.”

Ash is visible in Paul’s inverted vision.

He staggered and picked up a stone.

“At that time, a child asked me to sell him herbs. After selling the herbs to the child, the child grabbed my hand and thanked me.”

He picked up the stone and slammed it down on the fallen Lapilla and Albert.

Thud-!

Paul’s eyes widened.

“Ah… ah….”

No voice came out of his mouth. Tears flowed from his eyes and he reached out to his dying comrades, but he couldn’t muster any strength.

“Do you know what I said after that child disappeared?”

Ash turned his head and looked at Paul.

“‘Disgusting’.”

Ash staggered and threw the stone. Then he approached Paul.

“Yeah, at that time, I felt like I knew what kind of being I was. I felt that I was a royal to the bone, and I didn’t belong with such lowly people.”

Ash got on top of Paul and wrapped his hands around his neck.

“……!”

“I’m sorry. Paul. They’re testing me.”

Paul struggled.

“You’re a loyalist, right? Albert, Lapilla, they all swore allegiance to me, right?”

“Keueok-!”

“So… please understand my actions.”

Paul clenched his fist and struck Ash’s arm. But it was only a weak resistance.

“They want worship towards themselves. They want to see how I act!”

“…Keok!”

“You’re the only one left for me, Paul. But, if I offer such a precious you as a sacrifice to them-.”

Paul glared at Ash. His vision darkens.

He’s crazy. The prince is completely insane.

No matter how harsh the torture was, to be broken to this extent. To be deceived by those bastards’ words!

“I might be able to live.”

No, this crazy prince was originally such a man.

…Even if he can’t ascend to the throne, just a single hope that he might be able to live alone.

Just because of that…!?

For a guy like this, I, Lapilla, and Albert have served until now…!?

“I’ll kill… you.”

Paul’s voice flowed out faintly.

“I will curse you. Ash Ronia-!”

“…Die for me, Paul.”

Ash put strength into his hand, and Paul’s hand fell limply to the floor.

“No, now all I have to do is go back. If I go back to them and beg for forgiveness….”

“…I wondered where you were going… you’ve done something.”

Ash paused.

Turning his head, he saw the paladins on warhorses right in front of him.

Yuma, the leader of the Paladin Order, looked at Ash with a very interesting gaze.

Ash hurriedly approached them, knelt down, and slammed his head on the ground.

“…Please save me.”

“…….”

“I, I had no intention of running away. Paul forced me to run away…. I don’t need the throne either. Please, just spare my life. Proving my worship towards the Holy Order is all I can do. If you tell me to live quietly, I will live alone as a monk in a remote monastery. So… please save me….”

“Let me ask.”

Ash flinched and raised his head.

His gaze met Yuma’s.

“If you ascend to the throne.”

Ash’s eyes gradually widened.

“What will you give us?”

Ash’s pupils trembled.

“…I, I will give you anything! Land, people, anything…!”

“…It will be much easier to handle than the First Prince.”

Yuma turned his head and said to his subordinate.

“Contact the Order.”

Ash could only tremble at Yuma’s next words.

“Ash Ronia is not a heretic, but a believer of the Azellan Order.”

***

“Hoon~ what are you doing?”

Loki was leisurely enjoying fishing on the coast of Astoria Island.

The Kingdom of Nordrian had fallen and became the land of Asgard, and the Kingdom of Nordrian was renamed ‘Lian’.

Also, the King of Nordrian became a lord instead of a ‘king’ to manage this land.

-…Is that okay?

It would be embarrassing for Nordrian.

Whether it’s a king or a lord, only the name of the city has changed.

Rather, they received Asgard’s military support and various technologies.

For them, it was an opportunity to prevent foreign invasions and develop civilization.

“Can’t you see? I’m fishing.”

“Is it fun?”

“It’s perfect for clearing your head.”

Unlike the cool sea breeze, the sound of hammering was constantly heard behind him as the territory’s repair work was in full swing.

“Hey, I’m bored. Play with me!”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know how to play with cats.”

“It’s okay! I can play alone!”

…Then why did you ask me to play with you?

Karen smiled brightly, turned her back to Loki, and hummed while shaking her head from side to side.

“Don’t you have to help your brother?”

Thorsen received treatment with potions and then began repairing the territory with Rlan and the Nord warriors.

The Kingdom of Forman declared surrender, and with no remaining heir to the throne, it naturally belonged to Asgard.

Thanks to this, a wider trade route was opened on Astoria Island, and Asgard’s food and supply problems were solved.

“It’s break time, so it’s okay!”

Karen stopped wagging her cat tail and asked Loki.

“Am I bothering you?”

“Not really.”

“Hehe.”

As Karen smiled, she sniffed.

“Ah, my brother is coming.”

Thorsen approached Loki from behind.

“…Karen, that’s rude. This person… is the lord we must serve.”

Karen looked back and forth between Thorsen and Loki with a flustered expression.

“Um… sorry… yo? Do I have to?”

Karen tilts her head, seemingly unfamiliar with honorifics.

Thorsen sighed at his sister’s immature appearance and knelt down and bowed his head to Loki.

“Did you call me? King of the Nords.”

“Nordrian told me.”

“……?”

“To take care of you and Karen.”

“……!”

“I heard that you can read and have some experience in managing the territory?”

“Yes, yes…. That’s right.”

“Karen knows how to raise livestock and has the ability to tame the beast corps of the Kingdom of Forman.”

“Yeah, yeah! It’s possible, but it will take time… yo?”

Karen tilts her head.

“Then I will take you two to Asgard.”

Loki turned his head and looked at the two.

“Will you go with me?”

The two siblings looked at each other and bowed their heads.

They have no reason to refuse.

More than anything, they had a desire to set foot on the land of the vast continent, not just this island.

Above all, the two siblings wanted to experience for themselves what kind of land their proud father’s hometown was.

“We will follow you. King of the Nords.”

Thorsen, Karen.

The two joined the Asgard forces.

***

Demon Forest.

There were three corpses left there for a long time.

One seemed to be a mage, and two seemed to be knights.

The three served a prince, but the prince betrayed their loyalty.

That’s why they died resenting and hating the prince.

Crunch-! Crunch-!

Wild beasts gnawed at the corpses.

At that time-.

Thud-!

A hand made of white bones burst the beast’s head and grabbed the floor.

「…I curse you.」

Mana is released from the bones that used to be a mage.

「I curse you!」

The surrounding mana swirls, binding his soul to his body.

He grabs the floor and raises his body.

He turns his head and looks at the two dead knights.

He reaches out his hand.

Mana is released, and red lights flash in the bones of the two dead knights.

「The one who betrayed us.」

The bones of the two knights raised their bodies.

「Prince of a ruined nation.」

Those who were once honorable royal knights.

「Ash Ronia!」

One who was once a royal court mage.

Paul, Lapilla, Albert.

「We will curse you!」

They were resurrected as the dead.