Ch.2222. The Sword Saint (2)

-Saaah…

The world crumbles away.

What emerges is an unfathomable, distant darkness.

And adorning it, brilliant clusters of stars.

The home of constellations and where their true forms reside. The universe.

‘Just as expected.’

Unlike my interaction with the Incarnation of the Black Sun, this is the original in-game presentation.

-Swoosh!

My body is once again pulled somewhere.

After waiting a moment, I realized that while still in space, there was now a surface I could stand on.

“I’ve arrived.”

「Incarnation of the Black Sun: H-hieek…!」

Ignoring the fearful reaction, I waited for the room’s owner to arrive.

-Sssss…

Suddenly, glittering dust particles formed beneath my feet. They began sweeping together in unison.

Intertwining and entangling with each other, they eventually transformed into a complete human figure.

「Constellation ‘Child of the Lost Star’ faces you.」

『Child of the Lost Star』

A notification announced the arrival of this room’s owner.

“…..”

Not a clear human form, but an entity barely maintaining its shape.

This is roughly what the Child of the Lost Star looks like.

According to the lore, it suffered great damage from some incident in the past and hasn’t recovered yet.

That incompleteness was the true appearance of the constellation itself.

-Absolute One.

A gender-neutral voice resonates throughout the space.

The eerie sound, as if naturally pixelated, makes me frown involuntarily.

“Nice to meet you.”

-We didn’t expect you to return. We thought you had gone somewhere.

I did leave.

To the unbearably repetitive “real life.”

The pain of having to wake up early every day and prepare for the day ahead.

‘That truly is hell.’

Those who live comfortably with a snap of their fingers wouldn’t understand.

The feeling of being attached like a component somewhere, repeating a daily routine you don’t even want to do.

“Yet here I am, back again.”

I said, exaggeratedly spreading my arms.

The figure made of the universe looked at me, then continued speaking.

-Our child mistook your believer and attacked. I apologize.

“Oh.”

Unlike some others, this is quite a friendly response.

I gently closed the settings window I had been looking at.

I was going to gift a complete curse package if needed, but this makes the conversation faster.

「Incarnation of the Black Sun: …..」

‘More amicable than I expected.’

This is a new side I never saw in the game.

In there, this constellation was always taciturn and refused interaction with other constellations.

“So, what exactly happened?”

-There was a flow of stars.

The human form made of star clusters looked up at the distant fragments of the universe.

“Isn’t that your domain?”

The Child of the Lost Star slowly shook its head at my question.

-No one can interfere with the flow of stars.

-Saaah…

Suddenly, stars beyond the universe begin to move.

Not just one or two.

Among countless stars, countless meteors were heading somewhere.

‘Wow…’

A rare sight, difficult to see even in real life.

‘Are those all holy swords?’

「Incarnation of the Black Sun: Hieek…」

The Incarnation of the Black Sun has been trembling in fear since arriving here.

-The holy swords are seeking their masters.

“I know.”

-But finding suitable masters is not an easy task.

The number of heroes is significantly small.

So small that meeting one is practically a miracle.

That’s why some humans deify their existence alongside constellations.

‘This one’s life doesn’t seem easy either.’

Originally, constellations are as good as dead without believers who worship them, and they must live each moment intensely.

Among them, this constellation that oversees heroes must be even more desperate due to the lack of believers.

‘Should have set more lenient conditions.’

In this rotten world, how many truly good people are there?

-That’s why I’m grateful to you.

“…Suddenly?”

-You helped guide the holy sword and assisted in the birth of a hero.

Hearing those words, I remember the light blue-haired girl who threw a tantrum, and the meteor falling from the sky.

Things I unintentionally caused.

Side effects of the luck that the system unilaterally applied to me.

‘Did I know this would happen?’

If I had known things would turn out this way, I wouldn’t have come at all.

-Please, can you forgive my child?

By hero, they must mean the Sword Saintess who attacked our filial daughter.

“Hmm.”

I pondered for a moment.

If I eliminate the Sword Saintess here, I could delay the emergence of a troublesome existence later.

The manifestation of the hero could also be delayed.

‘Ah, handsome brother…’

The girl who looked up at me with innocent eyes.

An unpleasant feeling pricked at me.

‘She really seemed clueless.’

Even looking at the prospective hero I met, she didn’t seem lacking at all.

Heroes always seemed to sacrifice something human in exchange for their immense talent.

Either they couldn’t speak, couldn’t see, or had serious personality issues.

The constellation, interpreting my silence as a negative view, began making excuses on its own.

-…Someone like you could easily ignore my curse and recover from the damage. That’s why I’m asking.

Asking.

The constellation has already conceded quite a bit.

‘Must be important.’

“Why did the Sword Saintess do that?”

Why did she suddenly attack our filial daughter?

To that question, the Child of the Lost Star answered after a beat.

-There was a misunderstanding. The energy felt deep within you, that of the Incarnation of the Black Sun.

“Ah.”

「Incarnation of the Black Sun: Ah.」

Could it be that the existence of the community has affected the human world?

This is the first I’ve heard of it.

‘But even so.’

I didn’t expect the Sword Saintess to pick up on such a subtle feeling.

Is a hidden NPC truly a hidden NPC?

-That child is special. Her sense and talent for detecting constellations is exceptional.

That’s what they say.

-That’s why she mistook your believer for a minion of the Black Sun.

“Hmm, I see.”

I understand the situation now.

The Black Sun, real bastards.

It’s funny coming from me who took them in, but the world’s hatred toward the Black Sun…

Is intensely resentful.

‘It’s all karma, I guess.’

Who told them to act like such jerks?

When the constellation is like this, the believers below suffer too.

「Incarnation of the Black Sun: …..」

Leaving the speechless Incarnation of the Black Sun aside, I looked at the sparkling form.

“So?”

-…..

“There was a misunderstanding, and our believer was attacked. She dodged well because she’s our child, but if it had been another sect, a believer would have died needlessly, you know?”

-I know.

“So, I think I should get some compensation.”

No matter how inferior and insignificant humans are compared to constellations.

Our believers are children I truly cherish and care for.

Such a believer, especially our filial daughter, was almost hurt.

And for such a nonsensical misunderstanding.

In fact, from the moment I arrived here, I was ready to press the curse button at any time.

‘It’s outrageous.’

A mindset of separating public and private matters.

Even the constellation named ‘Child of the Lost Star’ should understand this well.

Even if it’s in a somewhat deficient state.

-Your demand is reasonable.

“You think so too, right?”

-You’ve helped me three times, but I almost harmed your believer.

Three times.

Once with the meteor, and once with that girl.

‘Then what’s the third?’

-One is saving the princess of Regalium.

“Was that related to you?”

-She didn’t have the talent to become a hero or saintess, but she was related to this side.

『Child Blessed by the Stars(S)』

This wasn’t a detail from the game.

‘This is connected like this?’

I had my suspicions with all the talk about star blessings, but why is this real?

Then that adds one more count to the grievance.

“I feel even more wronged now.”

-Is there something you want?

“Something I want.”

I thought for a moment.

I’ve already achieved everything I could as a constellation, and what remains is object control and meeting other believers.

In other words, my happy leisure life.

‘There’s nothing they can give me?’

The conclusion was that they had nothing to offer me.

From the beginning, they’re a group of weapons for killing major constellations.

It’s not like I need holy swords and heroes…

-I’ll give you a holy sword.

“…What?”

-No matter how times have changed, the essential value remains unchanged. Surely, there will be a moment when you need it.

“No, can you just give that away like that?”

-The holy sword has chosen, so it doesn’t matter.

The holy sword chose me, not a hero?

“Then what about that little kid?”

-In that sense, I’d like to make you a proposal.

The Child of the Lost Star raises its hand, summoning a bright cluster of light.

-Tsspit.

The radiant light eventually took the form of a sword, embodying meaning.

A holy sword.

The weapon of a hero who vanquishes evil has now arrived in our space.

“No, I don’t need it.”

-I haven’t said anything yet.

“Put that back.”

-This holy sword wants you.

“Are you kidding me?”

Damn. What am I supposed to do with that?

It’s meant for humans to play hero, it has absolutely no meaning to me.

I already have weapons with similar stats to holy swords scattered in my storage.

It’s just for collection, nothing more, nothing less.

It’s just a burden.

“I don’t need it, so refund it or give it to another human.”

-I can’t. This holy sword strongly desires you as its wielder.

“This is really driving me crazy.”

Living all these years, now I’m even getting love calls from weapons.

And even when I say I don’t need it, it’s one-sided.

If I reject until the end, will it become the stalker of weapons?

-I beg you. Please accept it.

The Child of the Lost Star now openly takes the position of pleading.

‘Is it that important?’

「Incarnation of the Black Sun: From their perspective, one holy sword and one hero are valuable assets.」

The Incarnation of the Black Sun chimes in from the side.

「Constellation ‘Child of the Lost Star’ requests a deal with you.」

“….”

I ran a quick simulation.

No equipment has as much recognition among humans as a holy sword.

Just carrying it is enough to make you a super insider.

‘Then what about my leisure life?’

My beautiful vacation takes a step back along with the name of constellation rank.

Instead.

I can feel the thrill of having a believer who can exude coolness with a gorgeous, radiant, sparkling function.

Two world lines clash fiercely in my mind.

As I agonized over this dilemma, the sparkling constellation spoke again.

-And my proposal is not about responsibility for the holy sword.

“Then what is it?”

-That child.

“Who?”

-The girl you met.

The unidentified girl who suddenly clung to my waist.

She meant the human with light blue hair who has the qualities of a hero.

-Can you take that child in?

“…?”

At those words, my thoughts momentarily stopped.

-Of course, along with the Sword Saintess beside her.