Chapter 41
The line tugs.
‘Oh.’
-Thump! Thump!
An ominous power pulsates from within Calisa.
After a period of careful pressure, a perfectly ripened reaction delights me.
‘Playing the victim card now is crossing the line.’
I didn't like it from the very beginning.
Holding the position of a Constellation, yet trying to hide until the very end? What's the point?
So, I just gave them a little nudge.
Just like the other Constellations I knew, and the ones currently residing in this world.
I want her fresh, a complete jerk from beginning to end.
Because that's the current state of 'Ragnarok' as I knew it.
‘Come on.’
Sensing the Divine Power erupting in defiance, I deliberately opened my embrace to allow the attack.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...!」
‘You know this, right?’
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Dangerous....!」
‘No... uh?’
THey seems completely clueless despite being the one who attacked.
-Fwoop!
A solemn, black-forged ultimate move.
The Eternal Sleeper's Divine Power, shaped like a skewer, pierces me precisely.
“Ugh.”
The moment I feel the impact, I immediately cast a Blessing.
High-Rank Blessing, Pain Resistance.
I don't forget to use my own skill, 'Spitting Blood,' for a more dramatic effect.
“Cough!”
-...W-What!
The Dragon Lord, standing idly by, cries out in shock.
-Injured...?
His dubious attitude shifts to seriousness as I cough up another clot of blood.
‘That’s it.’
Forget any strange suspicions, just immerse yourself in the given situation.
You came to rescue someone.
But your follower is held hostage by the bad guy and you've been attacked?
Wow, what a bad guy.
In the Community, this would have been a legendary Constellation, burning bright for 24 hours straight.
‘Congrats on your debut.’
I secretly send a congratulatory message to the Eternal Sleeper.
‘You made it, buddy.’
Making a Constellation act like a true Constellation.
This is one of the greatest rewards I feel.
-No, no, that's not it....!
A wronged voice echoes from somewhere, but I don't care.
Right now, I have a responsibility to elevate this situation to an art form.
“Ugh.”
Feigning significant pain, I create some distance between myself and Calisa.
Even so, I can’t escape her enlarged shadow, and the situation grows even more urgent.
A being that even the Absolute Being Constellation struggles against.
The Eternal Sleeper, a Constellation with a vicious nature pushed to its limits.
Despite being cornered, this Constellation refuses to yield and continues to resist.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Absolute Being, are you alright...?!」
「Child of the Lost Star: There's a problem with the flow of Divine Power.」
‘Shut up, all of you.’
Silencing the two Constellations lost in their own immersive drama, I focus on the scene I've orchestrated.
What could happen?
A Constellation driven to the edge, having even injured me, the Absolute Being. What kind of act might they commit?
‘That’s it.’
“Self-Destruction.”
-What...?!
To the Dragon Lord, anxiously questioning from beside me, I speak with a pale complexion.
“He’s planning to self-destruct.”
-Self-destruct! Self-destruction?!
“Yes. If this continues, the Divine Power within Calisa, and even we who are here, will be in danger.”
And so, the scenario unfolds:
Mindless activation of the Self-Destruction System.
「Constellation, 'The Eternal Sleeper' cries out, "What are you talking about?!"」
“He must have judged that there's no other way out. As expected of a vicious Constellation who kidnapped my follower.”
-This despicable...!!
The Dragon Lord roars, and Calisa, transformed into a dragon, whimpers softly, worried about my injured body.
「Follower, 'Calisa' feels immense Guilt for injuring you.」
‘Oh, it’s okay, it’s okay.’
Our follower has done nothing wrong.
It's these vicious Constellations and their world, which is nothing more than their playground, that are at fault.
Wiping the blood trickling down my chin, I look at the Dragon Lord, flapping his wings and pacing anxiously.
-What do we do! At this rate, Calisa, my daughter, will die!
The keyword I threw out was self-destruction.
If we do nothing, everyone dies.
Even if it’s just a title.
Self-destruction led by a Constellation could be truly dangerous.
Not just the explosive power, but who knows what else might happen.
But Constellations are creatures who cherish their own interests and lives above all else.
Even though it's a frame I've unilaterally imposed, the Eternal Sleeper is probably desperately searching for a way to survive.
“I need help.”
I say, looking at the Dragon Lord.
-What help! Is that the way to save Calisa!
“Of course.”
Control your expression. Control your expression.
An extremely urgent situation. If you don't help right now, your follower, Calisa’s life might be in danger.
With this image training in mind, I speak to the Dragon Lord.
“Transfer a portion of your authority to me.”
-What?!
“Listen carefully!”
I grab the Dragon Lord’s massive head with both hands.
His golden pupils waver in confusion.
“An ordinary follower wouldn't be able to withstand a Constellation's self-destruction, but if they receive a portion of your authority, it's a different story.”
Assuming the Constellation bomb goes off here and now, who would be in the most danger?
The Dragon Lord and I can simply release our Summons, but not Calisa.
Her physical body is bound to this earth.
Therefore.
-B-But still.
“Abandoning your follower? Not that precious to you?”
-Her follower right now is...
“You were directly involved in her birth. Her fundamental essence is different, you see?”
A clever trick mixed in among multiple facts.
Seeing the Dragon Lord almost completely swayed, I decide to add one more spoonful.
“Only you can do it.”
-....!
“In this situation, only you can help Calisa.”
The Dragon Lord’s eyes turn towards Calisa.
#
Only you can do it.
The Absolute Being, Ron’s last words echoed in the Dragon Lord’s mind.
Right now, all the humiliation he'd suffered at the hands of the Absolute Being, along with his worry and longing for Calisa, churned together within him.
He felt like a hero, striving to save his daughter.
‘Only I can do it.’
The Dragon Lord, having steeled his resolve, made a single decision.
「Constellation, 'Dragon Lord' bestows 'Heart of the Celestial Dragon' upon 'Calisa'.」
A treasure he had prepared for her alone, the one who would one day succeed him.
The precious heart, imbued with the Constellation's power, a treasure beyond compare in this world, passed from the Dragon Lord to Calisa.
-....!!
Calisa, startled by the sudden surge of immense power, instinctively accepted it.
-Whoosh!
A magnificent display of Divine Power signified the rise in her rank.
The Dragon Lord, and even the Absolute Being.
The Constellations present witnessed the manifestation of the miracle unfolding, centered around Calisa.
「Follower, 'Calisa' resonates with the 'Heart of the Celestial Dragon'.」
「Follower, 'Calisa's rank increases by one level!」
‘Hell yeah.’
「Black Sun's Incarnation: No, what the hell…?!」
Watching Ron so readily obtain the Dragonkin treasure with just a few words, the two observing Constellations were speechless.
Heart of the Celestial Dragon.
In battles between followers who utilize Divine Power, it was a broken item that granted unilateral tanking capabilities.
I knew he had it.
Originally, it belonged to Calisa in the timeline where she *didn't* become my follower, the one who would inherit his Constellation’s position.
But now, she even received my follower's exclusive item?
‘This is sweet, so sweet.’
This is what makes all the trouble worthwhile.
I purposely took the attacks, aiming for a dramatic presentation.
It was all to gain the cooperation of the actors who would illuminate this stage.
The memory of my days passionately playing Ragnarok brought a pleasant feeling.
Pure fun.
‘Fun. This is fun.’
Now, for the next part.
Leaving the two flustered Constellations and one follower, I decided to set the stage for the highlight.
“Okay, good job.”
-With this! Can Calisa live?!
“Of course. Naturally.”
Actually, there was no self-destruction, but I gave a minimal reaction to avoid making him feel cheated.
The massive reptilian head brightened.
“Now, you go.”
But now, he was no longer needed.
-...Huh?
“From now on, I'll handle it myself, so go.”
-B-But…
“Don't you trust me? Calisa is my follower too.”
As I looked at him without a trace of laughter, the Dragon Lord flinched and backed away.
He'd said his piece, now it was time for him to leave.
-O-Okay.
But the Dragon Lord was in no position to disobey me.
The reason he was being so obedient?
When it came to healing and protection, there was no Constellation in this world who could match me.
Furthermore, this was a dire situation where a Constellation was sacrificing their life to prepare a bomb.
In such a time-sensitive situation, the only thing the Dragon Lord could do was trust and follow me.
-Saaaa...
I watched the Dragon Lord's form disappear, and then my eyes met Calisa’s, who was looking at me with concern.
“Whoa.”
One of her eyes was bigger than my entire head, making it rather intimidating.
It was quite a thrilling height difference.
My current position was at Calisa's chest.
In human form, this would have been incredibly awkward, but now, transformed into a dragon, magnificent muscles were covered in scales.
「Follower, 'Calisa' is worried about your well-being.」
“Uh, uh, it’s okay, it’s okay.”
Although I wanted to have a proper conversation, I needed to take care of the situation first.
-Tap tap.
I tapped Calisa's chest, putting some force behind it.
The dull impact reverberated back to me.
-Thump! Thump!
I punched with all my might, and only then did it feel like the impact was getting through.
-Groan…!
「Constellation, 'The Eternal Sleeper' reacts.」
‘You're doing well, too.’
I was very curious about his current feelings.
Wasn't it good?
Constellations loved attention, didn't they?
「Constellation, 'The Eternal Sleeper' resents you intensely!」
“Oh, really?”
It was just cute noise that only I could hear anyway.
“But did you really not see this coming?”
A feeling of indignation suddenly surfaced.
“Whose follower did you try to harm?”
Revenge is thorough. The fun is all mine.
Constellations were rotten to the core, so when I caught one, I had to discipline them properly.
If they perished in the process?
That was their problem.
“What if Calisa had really been hurt? What if I had lost my follower?”
「Constellation, 'The Eternal Sleeper' feels fear.」
“I think I would have been truly sad. Devastated, even.”
So.
「Will you declare hostility towards Constellation 'The Eternal Sleeper's' Religious Order?」
“You understand, right?”
I decided to take the strongest possible action.
#
-Clank!
Lisia, who had been munching on a meat skewer, flinched.
A chilling sensation, as if her blood had run cold.
She glanced to the side and saw Herien’s face, looking at her with a serious expression.
“What… what is this?”
“We’re returning immediately.”
Lisia, with a hardened expression, returned to the Royal Palace, where traces of the Lord God resided.
Then, she headed to the prayer room within the palace for an emergency prayer.
The surge of energy was ominous.
There had definitely been a Revelation.
“…”
Lisia immediately knelt, clasped her hands, and focused on contacting her Father God.
Hostility, Constellation, his Religious Order.
The hazy message gradually became clearer, revealing the immense will contained within.
Finally, Lisia finished her prayer, calmly rose, and looked at Herien.
“What… What happened…?”
“A Revelation has descended.”
Lisia, the quickest among his followers, grasped the true meaning of the Revelation.
“How dare they.”
-Hiss…
And she was enraged.
“How dare they.”
A cold fire consumed her.
Lisia tempered the beast within, the one that wanted to rampage, with cold composure.
“My Father God has been desecrated.”
A sinister aura shrouded her usually puppy-like, gentle face.
The time had come for her to return to her former self: Lisia, Apostle of the Father God, who once spread true Truth and Love throughout the world in his name, and who had brought down the forces and Religious Orders of countless Constellations.