Chapter 48. Constellation's Melancholy

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Title: So, what's the point of this Game anyway?

-I finished the main story and wiped out the Constellations in the final chapter,

But there are no ending credits, and I'm just stuck grinding Faith Level.

What do I do now?

└IDK

└??

└I don't know. Just keep wiping out the remaining Constellations, I guess.

Title: Just

-Messing with the Constellations I don't like lol

The world-building is so messed up that causing chaos is fun for me

└Real lol

└I also play just to mess with other Constellation bastards

└Starting Holy Wars they don't want, stealing Followers, subjugating Religious Orders

└My mouth is watering already lol

Title: I can't live without Ragnarok now lol...

-Few games give me this much of a dopamine rush

Even better, making up concepts for 2ndary content is yas

└What the hell, that's me

└Fr, rebuilding with a concept is so fun lol

Title: Sigh... Don't become like me...

(Picture of a starry Universe)

-Don't just grind the main quests and get reset, dammit...

└Oh, there's the idiot. Welcome back.

└So why aren't you nurturing our baby world?

└I'm too busy keeping the Constellations in check, dammit!! How am I supposed to have time for that?!

Title: I think Dianon<< This guy is the real final boss

-If you don't relieve his stress, he'll force a world reset, and

He doesn't even work hard.

Whether a nation collapses or a natural disaster occurs due to the Constellations' antics, he never reacts lol

Damn, I even touched the 'Source of the World' or whatever it's called to see how far I could push him, but he just kept silent.

Ugh, stubborn bastard.

└Wait, is there like an owner of this world?

└Yeah

└It's our Galaxy Lord.

└If you dig through ancient texts, you'll find stories about it, but it's all vague and confusing.

└In the past, he protected humanity from the Constellations~ or something like that, but now lol

└Ah, the manager clocked out~

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#

Lagnis became an official Follower of 'Black Name,' the alternate account I created.

She has high growth potential, and with experience serving the World Tree's Constellation-

I thought she'd grow well if I just provided the right support.

"She's still a bit lacking."

I used my power to move Lagnis to a nearby village, giving her some time to recover.

I could directly give her Blessings, but pampering her from the start would spoil her.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: When... are you going to open the Dungeon?」

"I need to create a pretext for that."

Suddenly opening it with a bang would have minimal impact.

Honestly, it wouldn't be fun.

Even I feel that way, so imagine how the dopamine-crazed Constellations would feel.

「The presence of a Constellation is felt...」

I used to think that.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Doesn't it feel... a bit restless?」

The vacant lot where the Dungeon Core was temporarily planted.

It was a desolate wasteland, devoid of people and even monsters.

"Huh?"

But in that empty space, I could feel countless gazes.

"What's going on?"

It was undoubtedly the presence of the Constellations.

Their Followers weren't present, but I could feel them clearly watching from afar.

My heart pounded involuntarily.

I felt the urge to unleash my Divine Power and obliterate everything.

This kind of Constellation gathering was a rare occurrence.

They hadn't gathered like this since the final chapter of the main story.

"Wow. I want a Holy War."

「Black Sun's Incarnation: C, Calm down....!」

"Come on. They're the ones who wagged their tails at me first, right?"

I remembered the time I was frantically playing the Game.

Despair, suffering, and empty hope.

The time when I fought a massive Holy War with the world's existence at stake.

Hundreds, tens of millions perished due to their petty greed-

And on top of that, the Constellations demanded even greater sacrifices.

"Damn."

-Thump! Thump!

Things that should disappear from this world right now are gathered there.

How could I not react?

"There are still so many of them."

I thought I cleaned them up during the Game, but there are still this many.

While I was gone, so many factions tried to ruin the world.

"Sigh..."

I took a deep breath to clear my Head and organize my thoughts.

"It's better than no reaction, I guess."

「Child of the Lost Star: I thought a different personality took over for a moment.」

"Don't say such harsh things."

One possession is enough.

I didn't want to have another awkward experience here.

Anyway, since the audience I was looking for has gathered.

There was no need to delay the Dungeon opening any longer.

"They don't know anything yet, right?"

They don't know that I'm the owner of the Dungeon, nor the rewards we've prepared.

Therefore.

「Do you wish to open the 'Dungeon'?」

I gladly pressed the accept button on the status window.

-Rumble.

Ripples spread through the silent space.

A single ripple disturbed the still surface, and the resulting waves continued to spread.

The anomaly continued.

-Creak.

As if a new life was blooming, the surrounding earth began to tremble simultaneously.

The phenomenon that followed a single act of permission was absurd enough to cause immense despair to onlookers.

「'Dungeon' is being generated...」

For players like me, it's just a simple farming spot, but in reality, the meaning is different.

In some areas, cities form around massive Dungeons.

The basic framework of the Dungeon cities in the setting book originated from that.

No one has yet discovered the exact reason for the existence of Dungeons.

At least, I didn't feel the need to find out while playing the Game.

-Kwaaa!!

The Dungeon Core I installed expanded once and then burrowed into the ground as if finding its place.

-Thump.

I didn't bother to find out what was happening inside.

The automated System would probably configure the Dungeon into a neat form on its own.

「Some Constellations are showing great interest in the formation of the Dungeon!」

「Some Constellations want to interfere with your Dungeon.」

"Huh."

I wanted to go out there and cause chaos myself, but the time wasn't right yet.

They're probably all getting restless by now.

If my prediction is correct, they'll each receive a Revelation in their respective Religious Orders, commanding them to find this Dungeon.

This future aligns perfectly with my desires.

“Still a bit left.”

It'll take some time before the Dungeon is complete.

It won't be long by Constellation standards, but it will be a considerable period for the inhabitants of Dianon.

Until then, I need to raise Lagnis to a position where she's useful.

“I need to lay some groundwork.”

Build up some momentum in Regarium as the main stage.

Give a few of our Followers a heads-up.

The key is advertisement, advertisement.

The larger the scale of this Dungeon, the more Constellations will try to get involved.

“Hmm.”

But how do I increase the scale?

I don't want to sacrifice innocent adventurers by increasing the Dungeon's danger level.

That's too much of a senseless death.

The target is definitely the Followers of the other faiths.

I want to save the other humans as much as possible.

「Child of the Lost Star: What's the reason for caring so much about humans?」

“Why?”

「Child of the Lost Star: I'm curious. It's unusual for a Constellation of your caliber to care about each individual insect.」

“I just want to.”

I responded as if asking why I'd be questioned about something so obvious.

「Child of the Lost Star: Then I have nothing more to say.」

The Star Child simply left a brief comment, seemingly accepting my answer.

“And it’s more thrilling and fun this way.”

Human life is insignificant in this world.

It easily wavers and distorts with a single gesture or glance from the Constellations.

This was also the dark side of Ragnarok's worldview.

A world where dying is easier than living.

That's why there's more value in saving lives.

「Child of the Lost Star: That makes sense.」

“Yeah. How pitiful. If they get on the bad side of guys like us, they can hardly survive.”

Therefore, I wanted to support the innocent as much as possible.

Of course, excluding some extremists who already serve the wrong Constellations.

Because they're trash like the first Follower of Black Name, Lagnis, who creates victims.

「Child of the Lost Star: Does that Follower not need the Holy Sword?」

“How casually are you trying to recruit her?”

「Child of the Lost Star: It's a shame.」

I will guide Black Name's Follower to use only the power given to her.

If she asks about the Holy Sword, she'll become suspicious immediately.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: So, how are you planning to catch those Constellations?」

“If I can draw in their Followers, it’s a direct line to the friendship mechanic.”

Once they step into my domain, they can't leave without my permission.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...So, after you get those Constellations into this chat room one by one…」

“I’ll torment them to my heart's content.”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Then, I too… Will we… become similar to the others?」

“Ah.”

As the number of people in the chat room increases, they'll naturally become harder to notice.

It’s clear that the room will quickly fill up if the added members say even a single word.

The Black Sun was expressing concern about this situation.

“What are you trying to say?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Constellations are simple beings who live according to their rank. I'm the same. But…」

Seniority is necessary.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: I want to have a distinction from the Constellations that will be added through this operation.」

“What distinction?”

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...」

The Black Sun was silent for a long time.

Uncharacteristically, he hesitates to give an answer.

“Hey, hurry up and say it. I have to go raise Lagnis.”

「Child of the Lost Star: Am I included in this conversation?」

「Black Sun's Incarnation: Absolute Being. I want the right to communicate with you preferentially.」

Special treatment.

That was the demand the Black Sun finally made.

If she's treated no differently from the other Constellations under my control— then annoying ranking and power struggles will occur among them.

The Black Sun was aiming to prevent such problems in advance.

“You’re really funny.”

But from my perspective, it was a ridiculous attitude.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Huh?」

“Just do what you’re told.”

Since we’ve been having peaceful conversations, I seem to have lost my sharp edge, but…

The members of this chat room are no different from the hateful targets I have.

Constellations are nothing but beings who, if you pamper them, will climb all over your head and try to swallow the world whole.

The Black Sun's Incarnation too.

And the Child of the Lost Star next to him as well.

Moreover, the former Constellation holds the title of an official villain group.

「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...」

Perhaps shocked by my sharp reply, the Black Sun remained silent for a long time.

He didn't even bother to stop the Star Child, who was unaffected and rambling on beside him.

I didn’t bother calling him out, wanting to give the Black Sun time to organize his thoughts.

Yes.

This is the appropriate distance to keep from a Constellation.

#

The vast, empty Universe.

A gigantic Star, which could be considered a Constellation's main base.

The Constellation, owner of the Star, was gripped by a strange sensation he had never felt before, stemming from the conversation with the Absolute Being.

It was as if his floating Heart was plummeting into an abyss.

It hurt.

The Black Sun's actions so far had been solely for his own well-being.

He had thought that while working alongside the Absolute Being.

But without realizing it, perhaps he had become reliant on him.

-Just do what you're told.

The Black Sun couldn't say anything to the Absolute Being, who spoke in such an indifferent tone.

If this continued, he really would become just like the other Constellations.

Forgotten in his memory, becoming an insignificant Constellation—

He might have to live in constant anxiety, unsure of when he'd be cast aside.

‘No.’

The Black Sun firmly rejected that future.

And he planned.

‘I have to push forward more aggressively.’

To become something more than just a tool.

To create a situation where it’s natural for him, the Black Sun, to be the Constellation beside the Absolute Being.

‘Just you wait.’

The Black Sun steeled his resolve once more.