Ch.116116. What is Happiness (2)

The world was recovering quickly.

So quickly that it was hard to believe anything had happened at all.

I entered the church’s archives and pulled out a newsletter about the incident.

[Past Remnants, Who Are They?]

Past Remnants.

Terrible evil gods who crossed over from a forgotten era.

Their malice was so great that even the Source of the World stepped in to erase their records.

‘Good job with the cover-up.’

Knowing the truth behind the incident, I found it truly amusing that the Source of the World was trying to “sanitize” everything.

But I decided to let it slide, thinking that what’s done is done.

‘When are you coming?’

It’s been three months since she disappeared after all that talk about making a contract.

“Should I just go find her?”

My heart flutters at the thought of teasing her again, but I decided to wait a bit longer.

*Swoosh.*

I put the record book back on the shelf and walked outside.

The scenery of the Father God’s church came into view.

This was where the believers lived their lives.

A paradise filled with love and happiness, completely recovered from the pain of the world’s near-end.

“Ah.”

I suddenly remembered when I first came here.

Not in the game, but when I had just arrived in this world.

Back then, the Sanctuary was dying.

The divine power had been cut off due to my disappearance.

The believers wandered without their main deity, and many of the Sanctuary’s architectural objects had their levels reset.

‘I’m getting angry already.’

Even now, thinking about it makes me confused and angry.

Even if it was for the purpose of keeping me in check, deliberately turning someone’s efforts into nothing…

That’s bound to make anyone angry.

If it had been any other constellation, wouldn’t they have already started a holy war against the world?

“Hmm.”

If I stay here, I’ll be spotted by believers who recognize me, which is troublesome.

I immediately used the system to move to a different location.

A place with few people, where the entire Sanctuary could be seen at a glance.

*Whoosh…*

A cool breeze brushed through my hair.

I blankly continued to watch over everything.

“…What are you doing?”

“What?”

Hearing a sudden voice, I turned around.

Black Sun.

As she approached with her black hair fluttering, I stared at her blankly for a while.

“Why, why…”

“How did you get here?”

“…I come here alone sometimes.”

“Oh, I see.”

It seemed she liked this place too.

‘It is a killer spot.’

Good for thinking alone, and like me, good for blankly staring at the scenery.

“Sit next to me.”

“…”

I watched Black Sun silently take a seat beside me, then turned my gaze back to the scenery.

Everyone was busy living their lives.

A shop owner preparing his store, the church’s paladins standing guard fully armed.

Or even ordinary families.

“I didn’t know.”

“Huh?”

“That you would open the Sanctuary so easily…”

“Ah, that.”

Since the church’s Sanctuary had somewhat normalized, I changed it to make it easier to accept outside resources.

Thanks to that, other countries were desperately trying to get a foothold in our Sanctuary.

“We can’t live by ourselves forever.”

I don’t know much about economics or international politics, but I know very well that new blood needs to flow.

That was the reason for opening the gates.

“Do you think it’s not good?”

“Ah, no!”

I just asked out of pure curiosity.

When making any decision, other people’s opinions were important.

Black Sun shook her head in surprise.

Her long black hair that reached down her back swayed with the movement, bringing a fragrance with it.

“…”

We both blankly stared at the scenery again.

“Um, excuse me.”

This time too, Black Sun spoke first.

“Yeah?”

“What are you going to do now?”

“What else? Have fun.”

“…Was that for real?”

“Of course. That’s the only reason I came all the way here.”

Despite becoming the strongest constellation, I hadn’t properly enjoyed anything.

From the very beginning, I was busy saving our filial daughter, and then busy fending off other constellations that tried to interfere.

All I wanted was to communicate with believers and experience the small happiness I felt in my previous life.

But the world wouldn’t leave me alone.

“If I can’t do that even after coming this far, then that’s asking for a fight.”

That’s why I can’t let go of this peace now.

“What about… me?”

“What about you?”

I turned to look at Black Sun.

Her eyes were tinged with subtle emotion, clearly showing she wanted something from me.

“Now, there’s no reason for us to be together anymore… right?”

“Well, if you think about it, I guess so?”

Maybe later things might change, but right now.

I no longer needed the help of other constellations.

The worst enemy was imprisoned in the Source of the World’s time prison.

And the gap between me and other constellations had widened to the point where they couldn’t even challenge me.

“…”

We exchanged glances for a long time.

“Do you want to leave?”

“…”

No answer.

But the emotion in her eyes was turbulent.

‘She seems to have adapted a lot.’

To show emotions directly through her divine manifestation body.

Normally, other constellations would never do such a thing.

They tend to extremely hate revealing their vulnerabilities.

But Black Sun was different.

Having been active by my side for the longest time, she must have been influenced, whether slightly or greatly.

She had seen me laugh, get angry, and act through my divine manifestation body.

“If you want, I’ll let you go.”

Therefore, I could grant her this small freedom.

However.

“I… don’t want to…”

From Black Sun’s eyes in front of me, sorrowful emotions trickled down.

“Huh…?”

“Huh?”

We were both surprised.

‘Why are you surprised?’

I don’t understand why she’s surprised by her own tears.

But rather than nitpicking the details, the situation itself was overwhelmingly confusing.

A constellation shedding tears.

It was a rare experience I had never encountered in my life.

“Are you crying?”

“Why would I…?”

“Teacher, if you’re asking me that…”

Black Sun wiped her cheek with a trembling hand and looked at me with confused eyes.

The emotion I momentarily saw in Black Sun was clearly tinged with sadness.

Sad? About parting with me?

“Why did you cry?”

“I, I don’t know.”

“Are you sure you don’t know?”

That’s why I came this far, I wanted to hear a proper reason.

“Wasn’t your goal to break free from me? That’s what you’ve always wanted.”

“Y-yes.”

“Then why are you sad now?”

“I, I…”

Black Sun stuttered for a long time as if broken.

“Calm down first.”

Fearing she might pass out, I had her sit down beside me and gave her some time.

“Hah.”

Black Sun seemed to find her own reaction absurd and spent time with a transcendent smile.

“I’m crazy, right?”

“Yeah, you look like it.”

“After constantly wanting to break free from you, after throwing away all my dignity as a constellation, to be so sentimental now… I really…”

“Confused?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s not make this complicated and take it one step at a time.”

At my words, Black Sun’s gaze turned to me.

Her reddened eyes showed she was still caught in the aftermath of her emotions.

From my perspective, it was similar to watching a robot shed tears.

Honestly, I had never expected human emotions from other constellations.

“You don’t want to leave?”

“…It seems so.”

“Why?”

“I don’t, I don’t know.”

“Okay then.”

Let’s skip the unknown problems and move on to something else.

“Why did you cry?”

“After hearing your last words, it suddenly welled up. I was surprised too. Why am I really acting like this?”

“You’ve become quite human…”

People often swim in chaos, not knowing themselves.

From what I could see, Black Sun was exactly in that state.

“You think I’m like a human?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

“No, no…”

“But it wasn’t bad, was it?”

I remember always treating Black Sun well after her divine manifestation, even if not before.

I preferred someone who took action in the field rather than someone who just complained through voice.

“Maybe you’re more comfortable now, and that’s why?”

The reason for the tears.

“Comfortable…?”

“Yeah. If you feel sad at the thought of me letting you go, it means you weren’t that dissatisfied with your everyday life.”

At my words, Black Sun’s emotions began to fluctuate.

Her fingers fidgeted, her gaze wandered.

As if unable to make up her mind, she couldn’t continue speaking for a long time.

“And you said you didn’t want to earlier.”

And the decisive evidence.

Black Sun instinctively replied that she didn’t want to leave to my last proposal.

‘You’re the one who made the first move.’

Is this really the same vicious constellation who tried to assassinate our filial daughter at the beginning?

It’s truly mind-blowing.

The Black Sun who wanted to break free from my influence as soon as possible has disappeared.

Now only a good constellation who wants to remain with me is left.

Since she was surprised by her own words, it must definitely be a sincere answer that came from deep within her heart.

“…”

“If you don’t want to leave, you don’t have to. I have no intention of driving away someone who doesn’t want to go.”

“Really, is that okay…?”

“Yeah.”

As Black Sun asked as if she might cry again, I answered readily.

We then continued to look at the scenery and left when it was time.

#

“…I didn’t expect it to recover this quickly.”

“I was surprised too.”

I say this to the Source of the World in front of me.

In her mental world.

Regarding the increasingly active Dianon, the Source of the World expressed surprise as if even she didn’t know.

“So, will you do it?”

“Of course.”

To the Source of the World who asked subtly, I answered immediately.

A contract.

I agreed to make a promise to eternally sustain this world that I had barely managed to make whole.