Chapter 68
“Whoa, whoa…!”
“Over, over there!”
A Visitor running and the Lion of the Sun chasing after her.
The essence of the two beings was there, and to look at it more rawly—
One could say it was a somewhat young-looking woman and a maid bustling around to take care of her.
The Regarium Kingdom was peaceful.
In the area that contained the hotbed of humanity, every single element was an exciting experience for the Visitor, and the merchants in the area found the lively beauty quite charming.
“The young lady is full of energy! Young lady! Would you like one of these?!”
In the end, the street vendor couldn't resist and handed the excited woman a skewer.
“Such blasphemy…! Visito… No, Lily! You mustn't eat such things…!”
“Why? It smells amazing! It looks so delicious?”
“Goodness me? The maid miss speaks too harshly. This uses such clean and good meat!”
“Exactly! Every morning, I buy the meat from the slaughterhouse at dawn, wash it, and go through so much trouble, you shouldn't say such things!”
“No, that’s.”
The Lion of the Sun was dumbfounded.
This was the first time she had become so fully involved with humans.
-Just watch the kid for a bit.
Looking back at the Absolute Being who left after saying those words, she should have grabbed his pant leg right then and there.
She should have begged him not to leave her here.
“Missy! You have to say ‘Thank you’!”
“Thank you?”
“Oh, how cute.”
The street vendor owner saw them off with a pleased expression.
Somehow, a skewer ended up in the Lion of the Sun's hand as well.
“H-How did this…?”
My goodness, to receive kindness from a human, who wasn't even a follower.
This was an unfamiliar experience for the Visitor, who had no followers, and for the Lion of the Sun as well.
“Ugh…”
The Lion of the Sun looked at the meat skewer in her hand with a disgusted look.
Disgusting food, horribly cooked in the human way, not in its raw, natural form.
-Sniff.
Smelling it made the feeling of disgust surge even more.
In the end, the Lion of the Sun had no choice but to endure her nausea and distance herself from the meat skewer.
And at the end of her averted gaze, she spotted the Visitor already munching on the meat.
“Uh oh…!”
“Mmm, delicious!”
“Filthy! Filthy!”
At the sight of her so innocent and vulnerable, the Lion of the Sun unconsciously scolded the Visitor as if she were a child.
But, unaware of the Lion of the Sun’s inner thoughts, the Visitor swallowed the meat.
“Whoa… This is so delicious…!”
“S-Such a horrific form of a corpse being delicious! As a Constellation, that’s not right…!”
“Aren't you going to eat?”
At those words, the Lion of the Sun unconsciously looked at what she was holding in her hand.
Then, she shook her head, expressing her refusal.
“I, I can't eat this…!”
“Then give it to me.”
The Visitor readily accepted it, snatched the skewer, and ate it deliciously.
Watching the whole process, the Lion of the Sun found the Visitor's eccentricity burdensome, yet she couldn't help but feel curious.
“Visitor-nim, are you… alright with this place…?”
“Huh?”
“Like, do you feel any anger, or any discomfort…?”
“Anger? I don't feel anything like that. The people here are so kind and nice!”
The Visitor, as if she hadn’t even considered such a thing, replied cheerfully and walked towards her next destination.
“…”
The Lion of the Sun stared blankly at her back, then quickly followed after her.
“Hmm, she’s observing well.”
And one Constellation was watching that scene.
Ron was at his base, eating cookies given by his maid (Constellation), observing the Visitor's socialization(?) experiment.
As expected, there was no hostility towards other beings.
The problem was that her very existence was purely a victim.
But now, with the seal and his personal attention to controlling her Divine Power, the Visitor was living the life of an ordinary Constellation.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Why are you going so far?]
“Why, why again.”
Ron looked at the name in the status window with an annoyed look.
Lately, there was a protesting Constellation who constantly questioned and opposed everything he did.
Its name was Black Sun.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: What if she suddenly goes berserk?]
“If I worry about every single risk factor, I can't get anything done.”
Ron grinned.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Get anything done?]
“Yes.”
Ron wanted to see a different world through her.
It was actually an idea that came to him the first moment he saw her.
“I got a lot of inspiration from the last incident.”
It was because of the Constellation who tried to steal his cherished follower.
‘Eternal Sleeper.’
How did that Constellation try to manipulate his follower?
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Why did that Constellation suddenly…?]
“Constellations love events.”
They are suspiciously true to their emotions, and they can't stand seeing someone above them.
This was the world of Constellations.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Events…?]
Black Sun seemed to be thinking about something, then it was startled.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Wait, don't tell me.]
“I’m still hungry.”
The world is vast, and overflowing with trash that think they’re something special.
Excluding the five Constellations who recently became Ron's friends, of course.
But there are still many others, aren’t there?
[Warning! An unknown Constellation is approaching the ‘Lion of the Sun’.]
“Alright.”
Like a fisherman who felt a strong bite, Ron smiled.
***
-Are you enjoying playing house with the Absolute Being?
While strolling through the marketplace of the Regarium Kingdom, an unfamiliar voice echoed in the Lion of the Sun's ears.
He didn't need to think deeply to know.
That this presence belonged to a Constellation.
“...Who-”
-This place is full of the Absolute Being’s Eyes. If you wish to converse with me, follow my guidance.
“Do I need to listen to you?”
-That’s your prerogative now. But you know, you don’t look like a Constellation anymore.
“....!”
The being pinched the Lion of the Sun’s sore spot.
It had been a while since he had relinquished his authority as a Constellation.
-If you truly retain the authority and dignity of a Constellation, you’ll speak with me.
The being lightly provoked the Lion of the Sun.
The Lion of the Sun looked at his own appearance.
An unwanted Summoning, forced into shameful attire, even his speech altered.
“....”
A shameful reality he never wanted his Follower to see.
After a moment of contemplation, the Lion of the Sun began to follow the Visitor somewhere.
Unaware that the Absolute Being was already watching everything.
-It’s fine.
A dark, deserted alleyway.
A figure stood before them.
‘A Follower.’
A robe concealing their entire body, the ominous, disgusting Divine Power emanating from it attested to their identity.
A direct servant of a Constellation, or perhaps something even greater, was watching them.
-You’ve arrived.
The pressure was enough to instantly kill an ordinary human.
However, between Constellations, it was a simple greeting.
“So, what did you want to say-”
-Crack.
An unsettling sound came from the head concealed within the robe, then it twisted into a grotesque shape.
“Visitor.”
“....”
“You can’t possibly not understand what it means to manifest an Outer God in this world.”
The being itself is dangerous.
The Constellations, who had once almost been swallowed by an Outer God, knew her danger better than anyone.
“It’s not too late. Join us.”
The unknown Constellation spoke through their Follower.
“If you want to persuade me, at least reveal your identity.”
“I can’t. You know very well that there are Eyes everywhere. However-”
A finger pointed towards the Lion of the Sun.
“If you choose, I’ll save you from his Magic Beast's clutches.”
Magic Beast.
He didn't know who it was, but their voice was full of confidence.
The voice of someone strongly convinced they could achieve it.
“Pfft.”
However, the Lion of the Sun couldn't stop herself any longer.
“Who’s saving who?”
She knew.
No, she was able to know.
How absurd and terrifying the Absolute Being's power truly was.
They were playing another game, above the Constellations.
“...What?”
“Who, dares to help and save who…”
-Haha! Hahaha!
“Why are you laughing?”
The Visitor asked.
“Hee… Sorry.”
The Lion of the Sun wiped away the Tears brought on by laughter and replied.
“You said something so foolish with such seriousness, I couldn’t help but laugh.”
“....! Are you mocking me right now!”
“Of course.”
To the Lion of the Sun's ears, those words sounded ridiculous.
To oppose the Absolute Being.
The very act of attempting such a thing, having understood its meaning, was foolish.
They had been playing in his palm from the beginning.
Chasing after a thin thread of hope, only to be mocked and toyed with.
That was the Absolute Being’s game.
“Keep your delusional dreams to yourselves, and please don't involve us.”
[Someone is watching you…]
A gaze unnoticed by mere mortals was watching them.
“Is he… strange?”
When the Visitor asked, the Lion of the Sun immediately nodded and said,
“Yes, he’s creepy.”
The two people, no, the two Constellations, immediately left the alleyway.
The sunlight felt especially warm and pleasant today.