Chapter 61
“…Alright! Alright, I understand!”
“W-Well, I didn’t think we had a chance anyway…”
“Now that I think about it, it doesn’t sound so bad.”
“…”
The four Constellations were finally persuaded by the Lion of the Sun.
‘How did this happen?’
If it were just me, I would have struggled to convince them, but with her enthusiastic support, they began to come around one by one.
‘Why is she so enthusiastic?’
I looked at the Lion of the Sun.
The rebellious spirit she initially displayed was gone, replaced by a loyal servant in a maid outfit.
“…Is something… strange…?”
“Why are you so proactive?”
It didn’t seem like she was scheming, but there was an inexplicable sense of pressure.
It felt like she wanted something but didn’t want it at the same time.
“I was the first to respond to the Absolute Being’s words.”
The Lion of the Sun hesitated before speaking.
“It might be a bit presumptuous of me to say this, but the moment the Absolute Being detected our location, the outcome was decided.”
“That’s true.”
They wouldn’t have imagined that there was a spy among them.
‘It’s a shame to end it here.’
Thanks to the Black Sun’s efforts, I had successfully hunted(?) some friends, but it would be difficult to carry out another spy operation.
Their vigilance would have increased significantly after this operation.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: S-Still, there will be another opportunity someday.」
‘That’s true.’
How to lure in new Constellations.
First, throw in the Black Sun.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: …?」
Leaving the Black Sun, who sensed something amiss, behind, I told the Constellations my objective.
“I want you to remain as Constellations.”
What kind of nonsense was this?
After forcing them to use Divine Possession, something they detested, after trampling on their pride as Constellations…
…now I was saying, ‘You guys are Constellations’?
“I have a headache now.”
“Hey, Lion of the Sun. Is this really the right thing to do? Did we understand your words correctly?”
“We were wrong. We’re wrong now…”
Seeing the Constellations speak with vacant expressions, I hurriedly added, “Now, listen, everyone.”
They were overlooking something.
I hadn’t taken anything away from the Constellations I had farmed.
Their Religious Orders, their Status, and other secondary things.
They still had everything they needed to remain Constellations, and I had no intention of taking it away.
As I said before, I wanted them to remain as Constellations.
“Then… why…?”
“I want more Constellations?”
“W-What…?”
“Are we… not enough?”
They were saying things a heroine in a harem anime would say.
“Isn’t it obvious? The world is vast, and there are a lot of Constellations.”
There were still many Constellations who wanted to turn the world upside down.
Therefore, I had to bring them all under my control and make the world a happy place.
That was the only way to stabilize the world I lived in.
“I want to quit all this too.”
Who forced me to become a Constellation?
Until recently, I was just a player enjoying a game.
“I’m doing this for all of our benefit.”
“…”
“There was someone who didn’t understand at first, just like you, but they’re doing well now.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Is that… about me?」
‘No, no.’
Absolutely not.
There was a tsundere, a prickly but kind neighbor, whom I couldn’t call a black idiot.
“Anyway, stay here for a while. I won’t say anything about how you manage your followers.”
It was time to intervene in real life.
Because then I could enter the utopia I dreamed of, a world with my followers.
#
-Kyaaagh!
-Fuck, give it back! Give it back!
Screams followed.
After becoming the greatest Constellation in the world, I would occasionally browse through the events happening here when I was bored.
There were many beautiful elements, such as laughter, joy, and happiness, but…
…there were also countless horrific and despairing things.
“…”
I continued to gaze at the other side of the screen with an indifferent expression.
One follower was oppressing another.
-You cruel bastards! How can you do this when you, too, are followers serving a God?!
-Our God does not acknowledge other Religious Orders! Cruel revenge upon those who commit blasphemy!
This was also due to the atrocities and negligence of the remaining Constellations in the world.
This world, already difficult to live in, was mixed with the absolute threat of Constellations, making it a living hell.
“Sigh, average Constellation behavior.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: …They are also those who serve a Constellation.」
“Wouldn’t everyone be happier if there were no Constellations?”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: …?」
I knew what the Black Sun’s reaction meant.
It must have sounded absurd.
In this world, Constellations were an indispensable element.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: So… can you tell me now?」
“Tell you what?”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Why you’re gathering Constellations.」
“I told you.”
Because it was unsightly to see them causing chaos.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Is that… really the only reason…?」
“Yes.”
The reason I gathered the five Constellations this time was the same as before.
“What did you expect?”
From small spirits to the masters of giant stars, Constellations.
Magic Power, Divine Power, and even more transcendental powers beyond those.
And those who wielded such powers were still roaming free in this world.
Did they manage their followers like I did?
No.
“I have to teach them.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Teach… teach them what?」
“How to work.”
The world was vast, and there were many Constellations to guide.
So I decided to start by changing the Constellations I already had.
I silently looked at the names of the Black Sun and the Star Child displayed in the friend window.
“You two are for later.”
For now, I was short-handed, so I needed to keep the surplus workforce around.
“D-Did you call…?”
The ‘Lion of the Sun’ carefully opened the door and entered.
“I have something to ask.”
Among the Constellations I had recruited this time, she was the most obedient and compliant.
I didn’t know what her ulterior motives were, but I decided to take advantage of her courteous attitude for now.
“How do you usually manage your followers?”
“U-Usually, for efficiency, I choose the follower with the highest Divine Power and communicate only through them.”
“Why?”
“If I try to communicate with more followers than necessary, they often seek me out from all over the place, and it can actually harm them.”
“That’s the ideal Constellation behavior.”
Although the doctrines, mindsets, and behavioral patterns emphasized by each Religious Order were different…
…that was the usual structure of a Constellation-ruled Religious Order.
Elevating a favored follower to the highest position within the Religious Order and controlling the other members through them.
“T-Thank you.”
The top of her head, where round lion ears sprouted, subtly tilted towards me.
“What are you doing?”
“I heard that… to solidify a master-servant relationship, you sometimes stroke the top of their head…”
“Who told you that?”
I’d never heard of such a thing.
“…I apologize.”
The Lion of the Sun hurriedly raised her head at my bewildered reaction.
Looking at her, I spoke again.
“As I said before, manage your Religious Order as usual. But don’t do anything I would dislike.”
“I will never do anything that antagonizes the Divine Parent’s Religious Order.”
“And…”
“…?”
“Things that would make the ‘uncivilized ones’, as you call them, tremble in fear, like holy wars, sacrifices, and so on, are all forbidden from today onward.”
“…!”
The Lion of the Sun looked at me with a crestfallen expression.
“Especially sacrifices, don’t do that barbaric thing. What’s the point of killing innocent beings?”
“Usually, sacrificial rituals are performed to increase the Constellation’s authority—”
“I know it doesn’t work, so don’t do it. Worship is enough.”
“As you command…”
The Lion of the Sun slumped her shoulders and returned to her companions.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Are they going to live here permanently?」
“Of course. I can’t just release them into the wild.”
Even if I took away their entire Religious Order, they would surely create another one under a different name.
It was better to keep them confined in my house.
Even if their Divine Bodies were here, remotely controlling their Religious Order was a basic skill for a Constellation.
#
-Clank.
Four months after leaving the Kingdom of Regarium.
Passing through a forest shrouded in thick fog, the devoted servant of the Father God finally arrived at their homeland.
【Sanctuary of the Father God】
“Aah…!”
Belladys trembled, overwhelmed with emotion.
It was once a desolate place, having lost its master—
—but now it was different.
Belladys had brought news that would make everyone rejoice.
“That is…”
A member of the Religious Order, guarding the Sanctuary’s entrance, a magnificent gate with a brilliant emblem, recognized Belladys.
“…!”
“I have returned.”
“Greetings, Apostle of the Father God.”
“My troops are exhausted, so I will dismiss them quickly.”
“Understood!”
Confirming Belladys’ identity, the Sanctuary’s gate began to open with a resounding rumble.
The Holy Knights who accompanied her watched with solemn expressions, but they couldn’t hide the longing in their eyes.
And so, Belladys was about to enter her home.
“Bat, hi?”
Someone approached her from afar, having confirmed her identity.
A nickname that carried a hint of contempt, yet also a sign of familiarity.
Belladys frowned and looked at the person.
“Wow, your temper hasn’t died down. Seems like you still have energy left even after all that hardship.”
The woman was a beast-man.
With pointed wolf ears twitching atop her ashen hair, moonlight-filled eyes peered at Belladys from beneath her shaggy bangs.
“You.”
“So, did you find any clues about our Master?”
She, too, was a devoted servant of the Father God.
His hound, who had vowed to patiently await the return of her master who had left home.
Concealing fangs ready to tear into her opponent at any moment…
…she had continued to wait.
「The target’s mind is corrupted!」
“Welcome back.”
The woman grinned.