Chapter 45
The rewards I could offer were numerous.
Moreover, the list also suggested rewards that would benefit those who were paying attention to my existence.
“This works.”
Did this mean that three Constellations could create something from nothing if they worked together?
We were looking at the vigorously pulsing Dungeon Core.
“Ugh... I want to smell the outside air now.”
I didn't know how much time I had spent in this fabricated space.
I missed Lisia.
Belladis too.
I haven't even had a proper conversation with Calisa.
“Are you satisfied?”
I asked the System, which was probably watching me from somewhere.
Naturally, there was no reply.
“I asked if you’re satisfied.”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: C-Calm down...]
“Why? I'm fine.”
Especially since becoming like this, my boundaries of emotion have become blurred.
I'm happy, then angry, and then I'm smiling while seemingly angry.
Could this be considered madness?
“Let's see her face after a while.”
I manipulated the status window at the sudden thought.
[Synchronize with Follower, 'Lisia'?]
I decided to check up on her by borrowing the vision of our Filial Daughter Priest.
-Uwa, Uwaaaa!!
-Help me! He-
“...Huh?”
What was displayed on the screen was a burning village, and a symbolic building presumed to be of the Religious Order.
Lisia was moving busily.
Like a beast, Divine Power surrounding her entire body.
She chased after a fleeing member of the opposing Religious Order and finally ended his life.
The piled-up corpses were like a mountain.
The smell of burning flesh seemed to reach even here.
“Uh-oh.”
Holy War.
-The Sin of insulting Father God. Accept your Punishment.
Lisia was in the midst of waging a grand Holy War against the opposing Religious Order.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Y-You... Hostile target.]
“Ah. That.”
I didn't think they would find her already, but they work fast.
Widening my Vision to look around, I could also see the Regarium Kingdom’s banners.
It seemed like they were officially allied with the Kingdom and eliminating heretics.
“Didn’t I get a notification?”
I opened the notification window, and a string of unread status messages cluttered my Vision.
“Oh, crap.”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Th-Thank goodness...]
“For what?”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Nothing.]
[Child of the Lost Star: I'm relieved that I formed a friendly relationship with you right now.]
[Black Sun's Incarnation: S-Shut up!]
“Is it that bad?”
Survival is the most important factor for a Constellation.
It's not that strange to have formed a friendship, half-forced, in order to live.
Even if it weren't the Black Sun and Star Child, any other Constellation would have tried to befriend me in that situation.
“Hmm.”
As I turned my gaze back to the screen, a familiar symbol caught my Eye.
It was indeed the mark of the 'Eternal Sleeper,' whom I had driven away before.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Ugh.]
The Black Sun let out a disgusted groan, probably remembering when they were countered.
“Unbelievable.”
Didn't they throw the first punch back then?
Still, Lisia’s current aura is quite impressive, so I understand to some extent.
“She looks really angry.”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Humans are sensitive enough to dedicate their lives to their religion.]
The expression I see beyond the camera is serious.
Deep anger dwells within her beautiful frown, and the Divine Power she exudes is incredibly ferocious.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: How is that even human...?]
“Did you just diss her?”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: N-No...! I was admiring her.]
Well.
Our Lisia is quite accomplished.
From the beginning until now.
She is a Follower who has consistently performed in accordance with the title of 'S' Grade.
The Black Sun is expertly masking their stupidity and foolishness by pretending to be impressed.
“That's why we guys can eat and live.”
Constellations need Followers.
Those who believe in, follow, and Worship them must exist for Divine Power—
So that Players like us can collect Faith Level as currency.
This mindset creates the difference between them and me.
-Wh-Why is their Religious Order attacking us...!
“Karma, dude.”
Who told you to serve a crappy Constellation?
Even if you die here, I hope you curse your Constellation as you die.
Constellations in this world are worthy of that much.
“Good girl, good girl.”
Lisia lands another blow on one of the high-ranking Priests.
Watching her, the Black Sun is terrified in real-time by her overwhelming power.
I also cast a high-level Blessing on them.
-Woo-hoo!! The Absolute Being is with us..!
-Oh, Father God...
Lisia clasped her bloodied hands respectfully and prayed towards me.
Seeing the red-haired Beauty engaging in an act of Worship amidst a battlefield warmed my Heart.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ....]
Leaving behind the Black Sun's reaction, which seemed full of things to say, I decided to focus on my own tasks.
“I'm sure she'll take care of the rest.”
It's surprising that they've already found the enemy's Religious Order, but with Lisia around, it should be resolved without issue.
-Thump! Thump!
I gazed at the dazzling light pulsating before us.
A magical entity of a very heterogeneous nature, containing the energy of three Constellations.
At this point, it's something beyond a sacred relic.
“If we plant this in the ground, bam! a Dungeon will be created.”
At least, that's what the Dungeon Core settings window says.
‘It's not even a plant.’
Even if I am a Constellation, I don't exactly know the birth process of a Dungeon.
In the first place, my main content was Religious Order expansion and Follower collection.
「Child of the Lost Star: The cycle of life... What have we created?」
“I know, right?”
Literally.
In the Dungeon we created, at least those who enter won't lose their lives.
If they die by a monster, they'll be revived at the entrance.
‘My contribution was significant here.’
If there's an invincible cheat key that revives even the dead, it's not impossible.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: I've never heard of anything like this...」
“I didn't know this would work either.”
I just blindly followed the Tutorial, and somehow it worked.
If it weren't for this, I would have given up a long time ago.
Creating a Dungeon.
Nominally, it’s like a pimple born from the stress(?) of the world, 'Dianon.'
And for the Constellations who desire the energy of this land, there's no sweeter bait than this.
“Clear the Dungeon, normalize the source, and I'll create a Constellation collection.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Collection...?」
“Ah, I misspoke. Friends, friends.”
***
Here, there is a resident of Dianon.
“Gasp, gasp...!”
With one of her slender ears, symbolic of her race, brutally severed, and her entire body covered in marks of abuse, the sinner wandered through the dense forest.
Her once radiant, sun-kissed blonde hair had lost its luster, and her eyes were filled with terror.
If caught, she dies.
Even amidst the chaos, she was acutely aware that her life was in grave danger.
-Crackle! Crackle!
Dragging one leg with severed tendons, the Elf continued to search for an escape route.
Her long life as a fugitive ends today.
The price for the Sin she committed to defy her fate of becoming a sex Slave has multiplied, tightening its grip around her throat.
“There you are.”
“Hic...!”
The dark-skinned Elf chasing her aimed at its target.
Dark Elf.
Traitors who betrayed their own kind.
They willingly became the shadows of their race, not hesitating to commit any atrocity.
How did it come to this?
In the last moments of her life, as the fatal blow landed, the Elf asked herself.
There could be no answer.
The problem was simply being born.
It could be said that it was her fault, being born into this cruel, cruel world.
「Searching for a new Follower....」
‘Please.’
The Elf wanted to live.
Rather than meet a miserable end, she wanted to crawl like a vermin and take revenge on them.
‘Please.’
The Dark Elf approached within arm's reach.
Death.
She sensed her final moment.
-Ding!
「Search complete!」
「Fate is twisting!」
Spurting blood, a body collapsing, losing its owner.
The head of the Elf, who had lost her life, held roughly in the hand of the Dark Elf.
The reality she was originally meant to face.
It began to twist due to someone's intervention.
***
I thought for a moment.
Create a Dungeon. Set the bait.
And induce the participation of other Constellations.
So far, so good.
‘...But what if they run away in the middle?’
Suddenly, I feel a sense of unfairness.
“Thinking about it, it was a close call with Calisa too.”
The Eternal Sleeper.
Even though she was in the midst of being annihilated by Lisia's forces, it was quite a close call when we first met.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Wh-what...」
“Even if I create and open a Dungeon, will the Constellations flock to it that actively?”
Later, when they realize my energy has permeated it, they'll try to quickly pull out.
What I want is a complete stage where they can't escape.
A stage where I can tie them up, confine them, and play with them to my heart's content.
“It wasn't intentional, but I've already lost two friends.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: People don't usually count friends in units of 'two'...」
“It's just a figure of speech.”
Leaving the whining Black Sun aside, I once again considered ways to make new friends(?).
“I need a new identity.”
If I push them around with my power openly, they'll back off even if they come.
Like the Constellation who tried to touch our Followers during the time I was missing—
A way to completely hide my existence.
“So, let's borrow some power.”
The Dungeon Core is ready, and there are more than enough damn Constellations.
All that's left is the bait and the event.
「Child of the Lost Star: What kind of power?」
“It won't be easy since it's the first time, but I'll have to do it while creating the Dungeon.”
Mix Divine Power in a certain ratio to create something of a new quality and form.
Of course, mine alone won't be enough, and there are two fresh Divine Powers readily available, aren't there?
It was the moment the second identity arrived.
-Ding!
And at that moment, a clear notification tickled my ears from somewhere.