Chapter 6: Friends

My viewpoint was fixed on Kang Arin inside the monitor.

The bus traveled for a long time, heading towards the center of South Korea.

An area where Gumi city should be.

“This is the Incarnation Academy…! It’s your first time seeing it too, right, Constellation? There used to be a city called Gumi here, but they turned the entire area into the academy.”

Kang Arin explained to me with an excited face.

Perhaps because I’ve been acting like a newbie Constellation, she was a kind child who considered my perspective.

Well… there’s only a three-year age difference between us.

Anyway, Kang Arin looked out the bus window with sparkling eyes.

As I watched her cute appearance, I heard whispers from behind.

“Wow, what’s with her?”

“Tch… Can’t you tell? Just some country bumpkins.”

The all-too-common cliché of bullies.

They were sitting in the back seats, the designated area for delinquents, giggling.

Kang Arin seemed to be ignoring their rude behavior… or perhaps she was just indifferent.

She didn’t even glance at them and continued talking to me.

But the bullies’ methods were as if they had learned them professionally.

They always picked fights the same way, gauging combat strength based on the reactions.

And they seemed to have judged Kang Arin as easy prey.

It’s true that she’s still weak since she hasn’t trained yet.

Perhaps because of that, their criticism intensified.

“Can’t you tell just by looking? She probably got a contract as a Constellation’s plaything just because of her face.”

Those bastards are crossing the line.

I felt a surge of irritation, but I was worried about Arin’s mental state.

She’s just a 21-year-old kid, what if she’s shocked?

I turned the screen away from the bullies and focused on Kang Arin, but….

“Really?”

Her face was flushed, and she made a finger heart towards my screen.

What? Wasn’t that a derogatory remark?

Maybe in this world, it’s not sexual harassment but a sexual compliment.

Or maybe her personality is just twisted and perverted.

As I felt a bit dizzy from Kang Arin’s reaction, a cold woman’s voice echoed:

“Enough of that.”

A small woman with a small chest and wide hips… the typical loli body type.

She had blue eyes and a blunt bob, giving her a cold impression.

Her appearance with a sword was quite striking.

She looked at the bullies with cold eyes and said:

“Back seats. If you move your mouths again before we arrive, I’ll cut you down.”

Just two sentences made the atmosphere on the bus chilly.

Despite her small stature, I could feel her strength even through the screen.

As I was processing this, the bully sitting in the back seat, a man with white hair and tanned skin, approached with his staff slung over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out.

“Can you even do that?”

“Anytime.”

They both looked quite strong.

Just as the atmosphere felt like a fight was about to break out, an old man sitting in the very front seat of the bus, where teachers usually sit, stood up.

“Stop. If you fight any more, I’ll detain you.”

The old man spoke in a very light tone.

But he wasn’t just there as an escort.

He exuded a much stronger aura than the unpolished rookies.

“Tch. Lucky for you! Brat.”

“I’m an adult, punk.”

They clicked their tongues and returned to their seats.

The bully went back to his original seat in the back.

The small girl sat next to Kang Arin.

Kang Arin turned her gaze to the small girl who suddenly sat next to her and offered a bright smile and a handshake.

“Heehee, thanks for helping.”

“Hmph.”

But the small girl didn’t accept the handshake.

She just spoke with a prim expression.

“I only did it because my Constellation told me to.”

“Really? What’s their name?”

“Hunter of the Moon.”

Artemis?

I looked away from the screen for a moment and crossed my arms.

The goddess who visited me a week ago is being this nice?

“What’s going on?”

Did I do something to make her like me?

I replayed the situation from a week ago in my mind, but I couldn’t remember anything.

I didn’t even offer her tea or a drink.

As I felt puzzled, a voice came from the screen.

“Don’t get any ideas! I just did what Lady Hunter of the Moon told me to!”

“But you’re cute. Perfect size for cuddling.”

“Eek…!!”

They seem to have become friends already.

After their conversation died down and the two, now somewhat friendly, continued their banter, I typed a message on the keyboard.

[Atheist Human says thank you.]

****

A sudden message.

Was the Constellation watching everything?

[Atheist Human expresses gratitude.]

It seems visible not only to me but also to the small woman next to me, Ham Yui.

Yui just crossed her arms and sniffed haughtily.

She showed no sign of joy or any other reaction.

“I don’t believe it, but… since my Constellation said you’re strong, as a bonus!”

“You mean you helped me?”

“Be quiet.”

So she made a cute new friend.

****

It seems Arin made a good friend.

Although a bit blunt, she seems to be the caring type.

After watching the two girls chatter for a while, the bus finally arrived at the Incarnation Academy.

I saw the process of them undergoing physical examinations and preparing.

And the instructor’s voice echoed from the monitor.

He spoke to the Constellations in his usual formal tone.

[Intervention will be impossible during the three weeks of basic training! Thank you for your understanding!]

He continued speaking for a bit longer.

To summarize, there were too many cases of Constellations giving advice during training.

Or cases where they disregarded the Incarnation’s aptitude and interfered in the direction they wanted, causing problems.

This measure was taken for the future of the Incarnations.

However, leaving Kang Arin, who has a somewhat unique personality, alone….

I was worried, but….

“Ham Yui is there….”

I leaned back in my chair and felt somewhat relieved.

First, the Incarnation of Artemis, a rich older sister, is helping Kang Arin.

That alone is reassuring enough.

I rubbed my chin and smacked my lips.

“Tsk… was she just a genuinely kind god?”

To me, a kind god is like a cold flame.

It means impossible, and I still hate gods.

However, I can’t help but feel uneasy if she’s this nice to me.

A strange mix of suspicion and gratitude.

I pondered as I stared at the screen, which no longer showed Kang Arin.

I have nothing to do for the next three weeks.

Now I have two options.

One is to use the coins I received from Artemis to acquire another Incarnation.

The second is….

“…I wonder who that bastard’s Constellation is?”

I’m curious about who the silver-haired, tanned bully’s master is.

It would be nice if they were at the Exchange Meeting I’m attending in two months.

Not that I’ll run over and beat them up just because I know their name.

“Considering the Artemis situation, I need to be rational.”

Hasn’t there been a case where I benefited from holding back?

If it were just me, or my sister and brother, I wouldn’t care about rampaging.

My siblings are strong enough to defeat gods.

But what about Kang Arin or other Incarnations?

They’re beings who would die instantly if gods intervened.

As long as I have few coins, I’m still weak.

So I need to make as many allies as possible… and I can’t act recklessly since my wish is on the line.

So I won’t act rashly unless something major happens.

“First, I’ll go to the Exchange Meeting, pick a fight, let them have the first hit….”

Wouldn’t it be rational as long as I don’t kill them?

Feeling grateful once again to Artemis for inviting me to the Exchange Meeting, I turned the screen.

I couldn’t just sit around for three weeks doing nothing.

Besides, I can’t just raise one Incarnation.

So, Arin’s friend, Lee Yujin.

The Constellation otaku mentioned in her TMI that there are trainees in the academy who are training to be chosen.

“I wonder if there’s anyone.”

I scratched my head and started observing the academy.

I’d like to find someone to raise with affection rather than abilities.

In other words, someone kind and righteous.

As I was looking around with that in mind, I saw some trainees.

They were running with heavy tires on their backs.

“Huh?”

A woman running at the front of the group.

She had messy red hair and a sharp look.

She was an outstanding Incarnation candidate, running two laps ahead of everyone else on the training ground.

She had a sensual figure and was incredibly strong, surpassing even the men.

[Huff….]

She arrived after running several laps ahead of everyone else.

She caught her breath for a moment and wiped her sweat with the towel on her shoulder.

And my assessment, of course, was….

“Amazing.”

Astonishing.

A world where there are no superpowers unless you’re an Incarnation.

And yet, she’s this strong with pure physical ability.

It made me even more curious.

“Why hasn’t someone this outstanding been chosen yet?”

She seemed to have trained for a long time, judging by her casual greetings with the instructors.

If it were me, I would have snatched her up right away.

But to leave such an excellent prospect…

I’ll observe her a bit more.