Chapter 37
Something had happened to Calisa.
Once that thought crossed my mind, I couldn't help but be annoyed.
"Why are these bastards so obsessed with messing with other people's Followers?"
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Well... because the Followers you possess are the best talents.]
"...Hmm."
He had a point.
Still, annoying is annoying.
Why do they have to try and get their dirty hands on her?
"Just because I was away for a bit, they're swarming like dogs."
Ah, of course, I'm talking about the Dragon Lord and the Constellation whose identity is still unknown.
"I'm not talking about you, so don't worry."
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Uh, yeah...]
[Child of the Lost Star: Is he finding comfort in the Absolute Being's words? Interesting.]
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Shut up.]
I'll let the Black Sun Incarnation off the hook since his attempt failed.
We've become forced friends now, anyway.
-Groaaaaaar!!!
The 'Dragon Lord,' who had been quietly observing the situation, started to thrash again.
Despite being completely restrained, the Elder Dragon was rampaging in a way that harmed itself.
"Still got some energy left?"
As expected of someone with such a fiery temper, his spirit wouldn't die down.
-Whooooosh!!
I immediately drew out Divine Power and shaped it into a giant hammer.
[Constellation, uses 'Hammer of Divinity (B)' on 'Dragon Lord'!]
-Clang!
The giant hammer slammed down on the hard scales.
Living up to his title as the Dragon Lord, he remained unscathed, but he seemed quite dizzy from the impact.
-Grooooo...! I'll kill you!!
"No, just calm down."
It's hard enough to organize things as it is, and he's making it even more difficult.
'Let's try to organize this again.'
The reason the Dragon Lord went on a rampage was because of our 'Calisa.'
And right now, Calisa was highly likely caught in a Constellation's scheme.
Circumstantially, just like with Lisia and Belladis, it was because she left to find me, who had disappeared.
'I'm right here.'
I pathetically pleaded inside for her to come back since I'm here, but Calisa has already gone far away.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Is that... Follower that important?]
"What?"
[Black Sun's Incarnation: A severed connection with a Constellation isn't a good sign. It means another Constellation might have intervened.]
"Hmm."
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Perhaps, she's already 'Corrupted'.]
Corrupted Followers lose the ability to connect with their Constellation, becoming insane.
It meant she might not be able to return to my side.
That's a surprisingly sharp analysis.
As I looked at the chat with interest, the Black Sun Incarnation continued to express his thoughts.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Even if she's a Follower of your Religious Order, there's no way she could reject a Constellation alone.]
That's right.
Even based on the image I have of Constellations, they possess a cruel nature, tending to destroy talents they can't have.
"But she's a bit different."
-Don't talk carelessly about Calisa!
The Dragon Lord expressed his fury with a resounding voice.
"Oh, music to my ears."
I turned my attention back to him.
"Why are you so serious about this?"
-....
"Did I forcibly take your family? Or did I coerce someone who didn't want to join?"
-Th-This...!!
As we conversed like this, the memories between us resurfaced.
Back in my ignorant, newbie Constellation days, the episode with the Dragon Lord started like this.
Each individual was destructively powerful and had a terrible personality, making the Game Play quite difficult.
But in the end, time was on the Player's side.
I officially cleared all the Quests given by the Dragon Lord and even solved their problems as a bonus.
Calisa was the new Follower provided by the Game developers as a reward.
-Do you know what that child means to me?!
"Well... a daughter?"
The value that immediately comes to my mind is a very familiar family relationship.
In fact, Calisa's existence is based on the setting that the Dragon Lord meticulously crafted her life.
He wanted to create an outstanding Dragon to succeed him, or something like that.
-...A daughter! Yes! Calisa is like a daughter to me!
"But."
-What?
"So what? She's mine now."
I deliberately spoke bluntly to provoke the Dragon Lord.
-If it weren't for you, Calisa wouldn't be wandering around...!!
"Huh."
Should I just kill him?
Even if I chop off his Head here, his main body will be fine.
That's the nature of Constellations, including myself.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Is he always like this?]
Even the Black Sun Incarnation, who had been watching, was quite bewildered.
"Look, see."
Unable to stand it any longer, I tapped the restrained Dragon's snout and said.
"Even at this moment, we don't know where Calisa is or what she's doing."
-....!!
"Before arguing about whose Follower she is, shouldn't we at least find out if she's safe?"
Constellations. They're always a problem.
Always prioritizing their own damn feelings.
"Are you saying you're fine with your daughter dying?"
I watched the now quieter Dragon Lord, waiting for its massive maw to open.
#
According to the information the Dragon Lord grudgingly coughed up—
Calisa's disappearance occurred not long after my own.
Her last known destination was an unnamed Dungeon.
The fact that she went alone, without any of her direct subordinates, gave me a bad feeling.
'Dungeons are ultimately controlled by Constellations, aren't they?'
Devices meant to test humans, to see if they're worthy of becoming followers.
But the fact it was unnamed raised a red flag.
'They're really going all out, huh?'
[Child of the Lost Star: They've erased even the smallest trace.]
It felt like the Dungeon's name had been intentionally erased to prevent any possible tracking.
"Hehehe."
Just who the hell is it?
If I catch them, I'll make sure to show them a really good time.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Heeeeek...]
Anyway, the culprit wasn't me, nor this overgrown lizard.
It was a third Constellation.
Our follower, Calisa, was likely lured by some unknown Constellation and was now probably wandering lost in a Dungeon somewhere.
"Hmm."
No matter how much I think about it, I can't see a solution here.
-So what are you going to do?!
The Dragon Lord, having spilled everything it knew, now demanded a solution from me.
-Calisa's Star has lost its light, and I can no longer grant her oracles. Not anymore.
Its massive head stared at me.
A very displeased expression, but even its normal face looked like that.
Looking closely, a deep sadness oozed from its two eyes.
-There's no way... no way to find Calisa...
I stayed silent for a moment, then quietly asked,
"Was she that precious to you?"
-Of course she was!!
"More than the dragons that just got slaughtered?"
-...The lives of my children are cyclical.
It is the Flow of Stars.
Similar to the spawn concept of monsters in a Game—
A rough equivalent of one individual dying, and another being born, a setting I'd heard somewhere before.
-But Calisa is different.
Calisa was a dragon he personally crafted, like a daughter.
If she dies, her life force, its value, will be lost.
That was why the Dragon Lord was so fixated on her existence.
'And I took her.'
It felt good to have taken away the most precious thing from a Constellation.
Tormenting Constellations is the best.
"Calisa is important to me too."
-Don't make me laugh!
"Who are you to judge my Love for my follower?"
My Love is equal for all.
That's the mindset I've maintained while growing my Religious Order.
Therefore, I couldn't just give up on my beloved Calisa.
[Child of the Lost Star: There's no way.]
[Black Sun's Incarnation: No matter how much I think about it...]
"I guess so."
...
....
"Sigh."
After agonizing over it, I finally made up my mind.
-.....?
The Dragon Lord looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Honestly, there was a way.
A very Constellation-like way, one that didn't consider the consequences.
"I tried to be reasonable, but this time, I can't."
I opened my mouth again and explained what I had in mind.
#
The most beautiful, the most powerful dragon.
'Calisa'.
Residing in the dragons' sanctuary, she was the most beloved dragon by their Constellation, and the one who bore the greatest responsibility.
That's why she was sick of her life.
Unable to fly despite having wings, deprived of most of her freedom.
'Please, let me go now.'
Two beings vying for one follower.
It was time to settle into the embrace of another Constellation.
Shedding her tough scales and wings that could cover the sky.
Soft, delicate skin grew on Calisa's body.
Of course, she couldn't become human without any procedure; she needed the permission of her original Constellation.
[Polymorph]
From a powerful form, to the form of a devout and beautiful follower.
With just one permission, one command, such a miracle could be achieved.
Now she was fully a member of the Parent God Order.
#
"Release it."
-...What?
"Release it. The Polymorph."
Ah... It's time to return to your mighty dragon form, Calisa.
I decided to give that unnamed Dungeon a huge gift.