Chapter 58
What is a Constellation?
They are masters of stars, transcendental beings inherently driven to dominate and control.
The threat of death was a foreign concept to a Constellation, an experience they couldn't even fathom…
…until the arrival of the Absolute Being, a Constellation from a different dimension.
Even though death didn't apply to Constellations, providence was easily twisted before the Absolute Being.
Countless Constellations had already perished under his dominion.
The five Constellations currently facing the Absolute Being knew his terror all too well.
The 'Walker of the Night Sky', who once boasted of building a city of night, had half of his Religious Order annihilated by the Absolute Being and was forced into hiding.
What about the Constellation 'Lion of the Sun', who tried to create a righteous world by burning all living things alive, only to be easily thwarted by the Absolute Being?
Or the 'Reassembler of Chaos', who attempted to dismantle the concepts of good and evil?
And 'Forgotten Wisdom', who forced forbidden instructions upon humans and tried to extort rewards from them?
"Stop fighting and love each other."
The Absolute Being halted the Constellations' tyranny and imposed this ridiculous doctrine.
-Unacceptable!
-...But if we oppose him now, we will surely be annihilated.
As Constellations, they were driven mad enough to do cartwheels.
Existing to dominate living beings, yet acting for their benefit!
The Constellations, rooted in Dianon from the beginning, refused to acknowledge the Absolute Being.
Because a Constellation is a noble being.
-I clearly said I didn't want to. They tempted me!
-Y-You coward…!
A Constellation is noble…
-No! They are all lying! Absolute Being! Only I have proof of my innocence!
A Constellation is nob… uh.
“Noble my ass.”
-...What?
「Black Sun's Incarnation: This is… a Constellation?」
Look who’s talking.
I rebuked the Black Sun, who chimed in from the side, and rejoined the situation.
Not one, but five troublemakers.
They abhorred the mere existence of more than one of their kind under the same sky, yet their unity of purpose was evident in their gathering.
If they had gathered to plot against someone other than me, this world would surely face a grave crisis.
“All familiar names.”
The names that greeted me were all individuals who enjoyed immense popularity in the community.
‘This time…’
I wouldn’t make the same mistake(?) as before; I would properly add them to my collection.
I had to keep them close, where they couldn't escape.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: …Is there really a need for that?」
‘What’s this now?’
「Black Sun's Incarnation: If they’re too difficult to manage… there’s always annihilation.」
‘Annihilation isn’t child’s play.’
There was a limit to simply lashing out with curses.
While a brief punishment was effective, when a Constellation’s existence was at stake, I had to resort to all sorts of troublesome measures.
Like holy wars, for example…
‘It’s easier to keep them close and manage them.’
Indeed, thanks to the ‘Friend List’ system, I could observe(?) the Black Sun and the Star Child more efficiently.
「Child of the Lost Star: It wasn’t bad, a novel experience.」
The Star Child loved attention—
「Black Sun's Incarnation: …It's not boring, so it’s fine.」
And the Black Sun, unlike his initial attitude, seemed somewhat convinced.
Back to the situation—
「Constellation ‘Lion of the Sun’ sends you a friend request.」
「Accept request?」
“Hmm.”
I said first come, first served, but I decided to observe the situation further out of interest.
-Absolute Being! If you form a friendly relationship with me, I will offer a portion of my Religious Order as a sacrifice!
“Oh.”
What a novel bastard.
Offering his followers as a sacrifice?
As expected, the world of Constellations was a treasure trove of absurdity.
-Hmph! What can you do with a measly Religious Order like that? The Absolute Being is already the master of the most prestigious Religious Order in the world.
-Ugh…!
Another Constellation cleared his throat and made his offer, vying for my attention.
-Absolute Being, ignore that trash Religious Order and join forces with me to shake the foundations of this world. How about it?
“What chuuni bullshit is that?”
-...The current system of Dianon is unstable and unsightly. If we combine our powers, we can elevate this world to a more perfect and noble state. You will become the true master and god of this world!
The Constellation, seemingly inspired by his own words, trembled.
It was a rather unpleasant sensation for those of us present in the same space.
The other four Constellations also began sending me love calls.
Something about Religious Orders, something about the world.
Amidst the flowery rhetoric, their desperate attempts to save face were almost pitiful.
‘Just pathetic.’
「Black Sun's Incarnation: …Was I like that too?」
The Black Sun, who couldn't remember his tadpole days, asked me as if he had stumbled upon a terrifying memory.
The atmosphere was similar, the atmosphere.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Ah…!」
The Black Sun, having gained a great realization, fell into deep despair.
This was also novel.
A Constellation engaging in self-reflection.
“Oh, this is music to my ears.”
I manifested in my Divine Body and looked at the space of nothingness.
「Deactivate ‘Stealth’?」
I immediately deactivated the stealth that was concealing the five Constellations.
-...?
-Ah, the darkness…
“Freeze, everyone.”
I silenced the Constellations, who were busy making their appeals about how they would change the world, and considered how to deal with them.
“Now that I think about it, you guys don’t have hands, do you?”
I clearly asked them to raise their hands, not to perform aerial acrobatics.
How could they cooperate with me without even Divine Bodies?
-D-Does that mean… you want us to use ‘Divine Possession’…?
“That’s the bare minimum to show some sincerity, wouldn’t you say?”
-How… how can you say such cruel words…!
Were those words really that harsh?
The Dragon Lord seemed to do it naturally, perhaps because he was in a frenzy at the time.
‘This is all because they lack desperation.’
These fledgling Constellations were spoiled, used to ordering their followers around from their comfortable positions.
They needed to experience real life.
“Now, everyone. Use ‘Divine Possession’ with a grateful heart.”
I took out the ‘Lens of Truth’ from my inventory and casually put it on, creating an intimidating atmosphere.
-What… what happens if we don’t?
“What will happen?”
It was usually better not to reveal the exact consequences, to stimulate their imagination.
Fear, for celestial beings like Constellations.
If I had hinted at it in the community, I would have received countless love calls.
“If you don’t hurry up, I’ll invite you to meet ‘them’.”
-T-Them?
“Cruel, terrifying, brutal beings. Unbelievably monstrous, incomparable to the likes of me.”
-Hell…! You’re trying to send us to hell…!
I tilted my head.
Now that I thought about it, it was understandable that they would misunderstand.
Hell in this world was no different from a graveyard for Constellations.
-Hell…? The Absolute Being can manifest the power of hell…?
-Impossible! That power… should never exist in this world…!
Just how many impossible things would happen today?
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Maybe… they just want to deny the Absolute Being’s existence…?」
‘That could be it.’
-Ding!
「Unexpected Event!」
「You have successfully apprehended the five Constellations lurking in the void.」
「Persuade them to join your side!」
‘I was already planning to do that.’
Seeing the event window pop up a beat too late only fueled my desire.
“Now, first come, first served.”
One Constellation, no, one being, who sincerely wants to be friends with me.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: What are you going to do with the rest…?」
“Put them to work.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: So you’re going to put the first Constellation in this room?」
“No? I’ll put them all to work.”
The Black Sun remained silent for a while.
He seemed to have realized the truth in my words.
“My fingers are itching.”
I was afraid my hand would reach for the curse button instead of the friend button.
I felt the urge to do so.
「Constellation ‘Reassembler of Chaos’ hesitates.」
-S-So… does that mean the Black Sun bastard was in cahoots with him all along?
“You catch on quick.”
The Constellations, finally realizing the truth at the last minute, all looked foolish.
-That damn bastard…! I trusted him! I believed in him!
-I told you we shouldn’t do this!
-Bullshit! I was the first one who wanted to drive the Absolute Being out of this world…
-H-How dare you…!
“Shut up.”
As I expressed my annoyance, the indignant atmosphere instantly turned somber.
“You’ve had a few conversations with me, and you still don’t understand the situation?”
-…
“I’m giving you a chance. Bow down, and I’ll let you live.”
I’ll let you live.
Better to live in a world of shit than to be dead, right?
「Constellation ‘Sculptor of Eternity’ hesitates.」
「Constellation ‘Forgotten Wisdom’ is in deep contemplation.」
And then—
-Whoosh…!
「Constellation ‘Lion of the Sun’ uses Divine Possession!」
One quick-witted Constellation immediately surrendered and used Divine Possession.
“I-Is this… enough…?”