Chapter 13: Both legs

One should never neglect learning.

I was deeply experiencing this self-evident truth.

“The screen gets locked.”

Arms crossed, thick muscles bulging.

Heavy body leaning back against the chair in a relaxed pose.

This is my impression as I watch the monitor in the quintessential unemployed gamer pose.

Kang Arin and Cheok Chaerin, visible on the monitor.

The two Incarnations I’ve grown fond of and who have grown admirably.

They entered the dungeon for their trial run.

And what I discovered was that the moment they entered the dungeon, the viewpoint became locked onto that Incarnation.

It seemed like a system designed to prevent Constellations from seeing ahead and giving warnings.

“They’ll do well, right?”

I was filled with worry.

What if they get hurt or break down?

And even though I didn’t do anything wrong, what if my two-timing(?) is exposed?

These worries made my mind a chaotic mess.

However, Kang Arin and Cheok Chaerin are showing excellent progress.

They were much stronger than I was at eighteen.

Look.

[Move.]

Cheok Chaerin plunged her sword into the stone floor and concentrated her magic power.

An electric current began to flow through the floor.

The weak goblin that had just appeared was electrocuted and trembled.

[Yui, let’s go!]

[Sigh…]

As the electricity on the floor disappeared, Kang Arin dashed forward and threw a punch.

It seemed her training had paid off; she sent the goblin flying with a single blow.

Her fist connected with the goblin’s jaw, shattering its ugly jawbone and sending its body soaring.

And Ham Yui, beside her, also skillfully wielded her sword.

She cleanly decapitated the thin goblin with a single stroke.

“Kang Arin draws attention first, and then Ham Yui attacks the opening.”

A battle clearly demonstrating the difference between the main damage dealer and the sub-dealer.

And if those two were to be breached…

[Woohoo ww You guys are so weak! How could you miss that?]

[Oh ho ho! Think about the party, not just yourself! Be more careful!]

Baek Taeyang, looking like he belonged in an NTR game.

Despite his delinquent appearance, he was extremely dedicated to his childhood sweetheart and, thanks to his diligent training, displayed impressive staff skills.

Unlike the unpolished rookies, the veteran, experienced in actual combat, held the center….

The difficulty of the beginner dungeon plummeted to a yawn-inducing level.

“Do I even need to watch this?”

Cheok Chaerin, officially recognized as having S-rank potential.

Mister Oh-ho-ho, who knows the dungeon like the back of his hand.

Kang Arin, Ham Yui, and Baek Taeyang, promising rookies.

There was no sense of danger with the level of enemies appearing.

Furthermore, even if something happened, there wasn’t much I could do to help.

The dungeon exploration had just passed the four-and-a-half-hour mark.

I heard it takes about five days, so I should take care of some pending business.

“…I should ask Artemis for advice.”

Kang Arin and Cheok Chaerin were still just exchanging greetings and coordinating their actions.

If they found out about each other and who their Constellation is… I’d have no choice but to turn back time.

“It’s my fault for being stupid, sigh….”

My personality has mellowed out a lot.

To think I’m asking a god for help with girl problems.

“But what choice do I have… I still can’t believe I’m a god.”

Until recently, I was just a human.

I’ve been a group leader, but I’ve never been in the position of a god who has to rule.

I have no idea how to deal with this kind of jealousy.

“But is it normal to be this obsessed with a Constellation?”

After briefly pondering this common-sense question, I got up from my chair.

The task I’d been putting off for the past three days: seeking advice from a god.

I stood up to go and consult with Artemis.

Suddenly, I felt a pang of pride and remembered my past with the gods, but….

“It’s for my precious Arin and Chaerin.”

I steeled my resolve, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Why did I ask Artemis for help?

To answer that… first, I had a slight favorable impression of Artemis from the start.

One of the few gods in my original world who apologized to us siblings.

And a woman who earned my favor by showering me with coins and helping me.

A senior with more experience as a Constellation, unlike me.

And the fact that she hasn’t crossed the line with me is a plus.

That’s why I went to ask Artemis for advice.

Along with the realization that not all gods are bad.

But….

“Oh my, oh my? Such a bouncy butt!”

“Hey! Artemis! Come and touch this! It’s even bigger than Ares’s!”

“Is he really human? Not the god of phalluses or something? Just look at it! Ho ho ho!”

Some blonde crazy woman was sexually harassing me every five minutes.

Is this a test of how much my personality has improved, a test of my patience?

****

Six hours ago.

The dungeon exploration team stood before the cave entrance.

A creepy cave opening in a rocky mountain.

The soldiers guarding the area opened the gate, and they entered.

Baek Taeyang, who had been brimming with competitiveness in the van.

Cheok Chaerin, who usually acted like a haughty queen.

Even they were nervous about their first dungeon experience.

“Oh ho ho! It’s a very easy dungeon, so don’t worry! However, dungeons are always…”

“””Safety first!”””

Thanks to his constant nagging, they responded in unison.

The veteran smiled with satisfaction and entered the dungeon with the team.

“The air is different, right? Oh ho ho ho!”

Inside the cave, entirely made of rock.

As the veteran said, the air inside the dungeon was different.

It wasn’t exactly a sewer smell or a dangerous pressure…

It was like the unique scent of a different region you encounter when you step outside the airport in a foreign country after starting an overseas trip.

It felt like stepping into another world.

“…They’re chicks.”

The trainees were tense because of the unfamiliar environment.

Only Cheok Chaerin, who had trained for over three years, seemed to be fully composed.

Seeing the rookies, who shone brighter than diamonds, so nervous, Mister Oh-ho-ho smiled and guided them.

“Don’t worry, this tank will protect you! Oh ho ho!”

“…Yui, hold my hand.”

“Are you a child?!”

“He… hey! I’m not scared!”

They entered, each reacting in their own way.

Cute chicks, stiff with tension due to their first real-world experience.

However, no monsters strong enough to maintain their tension appeared.

“Kiiiieeeek -!!!”

Blocking the party’s path was a goblin.

The weakest monster, known only for its numbers.

Naturally, it turned to ash after Cheok Chaerin swung her sword a few times.

“Boring.”

Exceptional talent, worthy of Zeus’s obsession.

Basic physical strength and education honed over three years of training.

And to top it all off, Cheok Chaerin was bestowed with Cain’s outstanding ability.

Although she had only recently become an Incarnation and only had F-rank physical abilities….

Judging solely by her combat prowess, she was already at D-rank level.

Mister Oh-ho-ho laughed heartily at the sight.

“Oh ho ho! It seems Miss Cheok Chaerin is the strongest here!”

“Huh? That’s only because I’m holding back! If I went all out with my staff…”

“My cute and lovely Constellation is stronger than that sneaky Constellation…”

“I’m a water swordswoman, so I can’t use lightning with it.”

The veteran’s comment, which somehow turned into a provocation.

And the appearance of ridiculously weak goblins.

Naturally, the party relaxed and started to show their true skills.

Kobolds and other fast monsters appeared occasionally, so the tank and guide, the veteran, took the lead.

Behind him were Cheok Chaerin, the sub-dealer capable of wide-area crowd control, and Kang Arin, the close-combat fistfighter.

In the center was Ham Yui, the sub-dealer ready to deliver the finishing blow.

And in the rear was Baek Taeyang, blocking any unexpected variables.

Brilliant rookies.

Slowly gaining real-world experience by fighting weak goblins.

And with Mister Oh-ho-ho, who knew the dungeon terrain like the back of his hand, guiding them.

“Oh ho ho! Such talented individuals, I’m envious!”

The party progressed without much trouble.

Six hours passed, and they arrived at a safe spot to set up camp.

The party prepared a fire and a meal.

Since it was a relatively safe and easy dungeon, the veteran had prepared food properly and now served it.

Rice with curry, handed out by Mister Oh-ho-ho.

“Oh ho ho! In dangerous dungeons, you have to minimize your luggage. I specially prepared this meal so you students could eat well!”

Despite being only D-rank, he showed his dedication to teaching even in this situation.

As they gathered and enjoyed the delicious curry after sweating so much, Baek Taeyang, seemingly bothered by something, looked at the veteran.

“Oh ho ho! Master Baek Taeyang, does it not suit your taste?”

Baek Taeyang hesitated for a moment.

Despite looking like an NTR-loving bully, he seemed to be considerate, worried that his question might be rude.

“Don’t worry! Even if it’s a strange question, don’t be embarrassed! The answer to that question might save your life someday! Oh ho ho!”

The veteran encouraged him kindly.

Finally, Baek Taeyang scratched his white hair and asked:

“I’m curious, why do you laugh like Santa Claus, going ‘Oh ho ho~’?”

“Oh ho ho! Does it bother you?”

“…A little? No, it bothers me a lot. Or does it? You look like Santa, so it kind of suits you.”

“Oh ho ho!”

The veteran laughed again.

Then he casually told his story.

“It’s because my son asked me if there’s a Santa Claus Constellation.”

“…Just tell him there isn’t one.”

“Oh ho ho ho! How could I say that to my son when I risk my life every day going in and out of dungeons and can’t play with him often because of this useless father?”

The veteran answered cheerfully, as if he had heard a joke.

“So I lied and told him I had contracted with the Santa Claus Constellation. After that, I started laughing ‘Oh ho ho~,’ and it became a habit.”

“…Seriously.”

“Of course, my son is an adult now! Oh ho ho ho! Once a habit forms, it’s hard to break!”

When dealing with young children, aren’t there mothers like that?

Like how they instinctively say, “Let’s eat~” even in casual settings.

It seemed Mister Oh-ho-ho was experiencing something similar.

Meanwhile, Kang Arin, finished with her meal, turned her head and looked around.

And she spotted Cheok Chaerin, whom she had been looking for.

Kang Arin trotted over to Cheok Chaerin, who was quietly sitting and cleaning her sword, and spoke to her.

“Unni, unni!”

“…….”

“That’s an amazing ability! I saw you from behind earlier, and it was so cool!”

Kang Arin usually treated people curtly unless they were someone she liked or a friend.

But it seemed she really liked Cheok Chaerin, as she approached her and initiated the conversation.

Cheok Chaerin simply replied with a single word.

“Not really.”

“It was amazing!”

Kang Arin’s praise.

However, Cheok Chaerin seemed completely indifferent and raised her cleaned sword.

She checked it under the light of the ore that served as a lamp on the cave wall. Then, she replied with a slightly proud voice.

“…It’s just that my Constellation’s ability is amazing.”

Kang Arin saw it.

Cheok Chaerin’s usually cold and expressionless face flushed slightly.

Beauty that wasn’t inferior to Kang Arin, whose only strength was her looks.

Beauty that could make even a woman’s heart flutter.

Kang Arin’s heart pounded as well.

However, it didn’t seem to be from excitement.

“Unni.”

“…….”

Ignored again.

Kang Arin stealthily asked Cheok Chaerin:

“You haven’t been looking at the air for the past hour.”

“So?”

Cheok Chaerin glanced sideways at Kang Arin.

She also felt a pang of anxiety.

“It seems you haven’t received any messages from your Constellation since then?”

“…….”

Cheok Chaerin remained silent.

Then she cautiously spoke, voicing the concern she had kept to herself because she was an obedient Incarnation.

“My Constellation’s messages have become infrequent for the past three days, since the test.”

“There were no messages during my graduation ceremony.”

Then it dawned on them both.

Their Constellation, who saved them despite their lack of strength and talent, who constantly watched over and supported them.

Kang Arin, who thought they shared a special connection because they were both newbies and shared their first experiences.

Cheok Chaerin, who was saved like a princess in a fairytale thanks to an unbelievable ability bestowed upon her by her Constellation, who had declared war on the mighty Zeus for her sake.

Would a Constellation do all this out of pure kindness?

The women who had thought, “I must be his first, and he must cherish me very much,” now saw the cause of their growing suspicion and resentment right before their eyes.

Both women spoke at the same time.

“”It was you, wasn’t it?””

They locked eyes, their gazes turning dark.