Ch.3131. Return

“Warning! Unauthorized access!”

-Clank…

At the deepest end of the bottomless abyss.

Beyond the thoroughly sealed lock designed to suppress something, a presence stirred.

Deep solitude, despair, and once again, dreamlike hope.

The woman had placed herself here of her own accord.

For her lord who would someday return.

“…”

That’s why she willingly stripped herself of all her rights, eager to borrow the senses of another constellation.

-Thump. Thump.

It echoes.

Through countless circuits connected to the woman, a bizarre heartbeat resonates as if life had been granted to the space itself.

Even though it was draining her life force, the woman willingly endured and continued trying to grasp a clue.

The two horns protruding from her head were both her racial pride and her everything.

Yet for her divine lord, they were cumbersome symbols she would gladly shatter.

Though ages had passed since she last saw the light of the sky, the woman smiled faintly as she recalled those brilliant moments.

“Father God.”

Distantly, even more distantly.

The woman’s consciousness sank into the deep darkness.

#

“…Huh?”

A strange sense of discomfort washed over me.

I felt an odd pull similar to when Lisia found me, but my status window still showed no reaction.

If that was the case, it was probably just my imagination.

I’m currently in my personal chapel.

It was originally arranged for the noble class of the royal palace, but now it’s been transformed into a place solely for worshipping my order.

So it’s practically mine now.

‘Still feels burdensome though.’

I haven’t fully adapted to my completely transformed daily life yet.

I might be used to handling the status window as I’ve always done.

But facing reality itself like this was still not easy.

For instance—

Even if they suddenly offer me this massive, gleaming chapel.

“Wow, this is insane.”

Rather than feeling luxurious, I just feel awkward.

“Is this really gold? And this is actually mine?”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: The chapel was certainly dedicated by the king himself for your followers—”

“But that’s what I mean, who are they praying to? They’re all praying to me. So this chapel is ultimately mine, right?”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: What kind of nonsense—”

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

As I placed my finger on the curse button, Black Sun panicked and affirmed my point.

We’ve known each other for this long, and yet he doesn’t understand my feelings.

It’s truly upsetting.

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: Ah, fine…! It’s yours!”

“That’s right.”

I nodded with satisfaction at Black Sun’s hasty response and removed my finger from the curse tab.

“Child of the Lost Star: What are you planning to do now?”

As our conversation ended, Star Child, who had been waiting for an opportunity, sent a message.

Comfortably lying on the chapel chair, I was curious about the constellation’s intentions.

“What do you mean?”

“Child of the Lost Star: Did you not miss the Prophet of Fleshless Death?”

“Ah.”

The massive undead army that vanished pathetically during the hero’s debut.

Even for a constellation, seeing their forces disappear in three seconds must have been quite shocking, because unlike previous constellations—

‘They just ran away.’

Leaving only a notification that they recognized my existence, they disappeared without any dialogue or further action.

Being a constellation, they could have hidden their presence if they wanted to.

‘That’s a shame.’

I was just starting to enjoy collecting constellations, and now one escaped right before my eyes.

“I’ll catch them next time.”

But opportunities don’t come just once.

No matter how good they are at escaping, as long as they don’t completely withdraw from this world, we’ll meet again someday.

“Unless they go to hell.”

Even though these constellation guys have gone to extremes, they probably wouldn’t think of hiding there.

“Anyway, I’ll look for them later at my leisure.”

Having transformed the undead invasion into my hero debut.

Now I can finally enjoy the moment I couldn’t properly savor in the carriage.

Right here in my personal chapel.

-Creeeeak…

The massive door that had prevented outside intrusion slowly opens.

I quickly rise from my reclined position and greet her with a reverent posture.

“You’re here?”

The one who appeared was.

Our filial daughter Lisia, whom I had already met once before.

“Father God.”

“Come here and sit.”

As Lisia bowed her head in respect, I gladly offered her a seat.

“…!”

She approached with a happy smile at my invitation.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“N-No, not at all…”

Lisia hurriedly averted her gaze and denied my concern.

Her cheeks were flushed red, suggesting she found the current situation quite embarrassing.

This is her characteristic weakness to expressions of affection, something I often enjoyed seeing during my time in the game.

“No, I’ve been watching you all this time.”

“You’ve been… watching over me…?”

Well, it was only during a few important moments.

But what matters is that we were together during those moments, right?

“Of course.”

When I nodded with a smile, she trembled and seemed lost in emotion.

I felt it when looking down in setting mode, but she’s truly beautiful as expected of our follower.

A heavenly beauty rare even in my original world.

As expected of a character modeled after a game character, seeing her in person revealed her destructive potential.

Especially her divine power pouch that kept drawing my attention.

It emphasized itself with her every movement, making it quite difficult to manage my gaze.

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat to refocus my thoughts and decided to directly praise Lisia for her hard work.

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Lisia, and Belladis.

They’re followers who have worked hard to find me while I was gone.

Though I haven’t contacted them yet, other followers must be calling for my existence too.

It wasn’t what I aimed for, but I’m ready to take “some” responsibility for the current situation.

‘Might as well enjoy it while I’m here.’

Wait for me, other constellations.

There’s a satisfying joy in collecting them.

It’s a different flavor that wasn’t available at the main branch.

“I-I wouldn’t dare harbor blasphemous thoughts toward my divine lord…”

It’s just curiosity, not blasphemy.

But I had expected this.

Belladis also thought a lot about rewards before.

In times like these, I just need to decide for her.

“Would you like to use Superior Blessing on follower ‘Lisia’?”

First, I’ll give her a mindless praise sticker.

“Aah…!”

Lisia’s expression brightens considerably as divine power flows through her body.

Her eyes relax and her breathing quickens.

But since this is all because she’s feeling good, I feel good too.

“I won’t abandon you anymore.”

Then I conveyed the words that she and our order desperately needed.

Black Sun’s assassination attempt on Lisia, and Belladis’s holy war.

Due to the subsequent unintended incidents that kept occurring, it was difficult to properly assess.

But it must have been really hard.

If this really is exactly like the game, the bond between me and my followers would have been very deep.

“Sob…!”

Holding back her tears to the end, Lisia’s hands trembled.

Like Belladis before, she seemed to want to do something but was lost in her hesitation.

I gladly took her hand and pulled her into my embrace.

For a long time, we held each other and soothed our hearts.

#

“…”

The quiet chapel.

Only the presence of two people could be felt.

Right now, Lisia must be feeling grateful for my hug, but I’m being healed just as much.

How could I not love my beautiful, cute followers who never cease their worship of me?

A subtle fruit scent, a warm embrace, and cozy body heat.

‘This is heaven.’

I was secretly satisfying my desires and enjoying the hug with a happy heart when.

“Follower ‘Belladis Rocheria’ is approaching you.”

-Creeeeak…

“…?”

The chapel door opened slightly again, and another familiar figure entered.

It was our Vera with black hair and red eyes, who should be busy preparing to leave.

“Ah.”

Looking around as if searching for me, she soon spotted us embracing and took a small, surprised breath.

“Hello.”

“…!”

She hurriedly bowed her head in respect, but her gaze remained fixed on us.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

I wondered about her persistent stare, but soon dismissed it.

“Ahem, hmm…!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Lisia was the first to break away from my embrace.

She needlessly adjusted her clothes, glanced at Vera repeatedly, and then boldly met her gaze.

‘What are you two doing?’

Their unspoken rivalry was so amusing that I had to hold back my laughter.

“What’s the matter?”

“…Ah.”

Vera, who had been engaged in a staring contest with Lisia, was startled by my question and opened her mouth.

“The, the preparations for our return to the Sanctuary are complete.”

“Oh, really?”

The Sanctuary.

Our Sanctuary.

She’s saying that preparations are complete for returning to the headquarters of the order that I cherished in the game.

Judging by the regret evident in Vera’s gaze, she seemed to have considerable lingering attachment about parting with me.

Since she likes my body using divine manifestation, I’ll take it as a compliment.

“Vera has a particularly important mission.”

The content is simple.

She just needs to return safely.

Since I can manage the rest through the system, she just needs to help with the synchronization.

Something I’ve done many times in the game.

The object level reset is quite annoying, but I’m confident I can quickly cover it with other methods.

“So.”

“A mission that Father God has entrusted ‘only’ to me.”

Belladis emphasizes the importance of the mission by focusing on a particular word.

At the end of her gaze was Lisia with an uncertain expression.

‘Why are you two like this again?’

Watching the two followers engaged in an inexplicable battle of nerves, I found myself unnecessarily worried.

#

“…”

Before Belladis, who was filled with confidence after receiving guidance from Father God ‘Ron’.

A red-haired follower stood.

“Do you have something to say?”

Lisia—

One of the most trusted followers in the order had called Belladis out separately.

“It seems like you’re the one with something to say.”

However, the response was nothing but cold.