Ch.6969. Debut (1)

“I need something big.”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: …?”

I stared at the names of Black Sun and Star Child for a moment, then stopped my train of thought.

“How far can you go for me?”

“Child of the Lost Star: What do you mean?”

“I feel like our relationship needs to develop further.”

If I were to think of our relationship as a Constellation Company, then Star Child and Black Sun would be considered full-time employees.

They have more experience compared to other constellations, and they’re skilled at handling tasks.

They also follow my lead well.

“I’m thinking of preparing a big event.”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: Again…?”

“This time it feels a bit different.”

If what I’ve been doing to the constellations could professionally be called “raising hell,” now I need to spread these incidents on a larger scale.

That way, these bastards will learn to fear the world and restrain themselves.

This was actually a method commonly used in “Ragnarok.”

“Due to your influence, the power of surrounding constellations weakens!”

When you achieve results above a certain threshold, constellations naturally become more cautious.

It means those who once looked down on me would no longer want to cross me.

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: Even without doing that, they’ll figure it out over time.”

“That’s true.”

But the problem is that we don’t have enough time.

Constellations are like babies—if you don’t pay attention to them, they’ll cause trouble again.

The Regalium Kingdom and the Sanctuary that are directly under my influence might be fine.

But areas where news travels slowly are a different story.

“I need to keep an eye on situations where I’m not present.”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: Do you really have to push yourself like this?”

“Child of the Lost Star: A cornered constellation might cause even bigger problems.”

“You have a point.”

But I’d like them to trust me on this matter.

I’ve already played this game before.

“The only place they can use their tricks is in this world.”

Of course, they aren’t the owners of this land.

They’re just tenants with a bit more strength and influence beyond that of ordinary living beings.

“You know that phrase you guys like to use among yourselves.”

Providence.

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: …!”

“Child of the Lost Star: That’s…”

The unwritten rule among constellations.

“There are so many annoying ones.”

No third-party intervention during holy wars.

No approaching other believers, and so on.

They had preemptively blocked methods that would make them feel uncomfortable if used against them.

None of this applies to me, of course.

This time, I decided to use the nature of Providence to issue an official and large-scale warning to the constellations.

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: What, how…?”

“Debut.”

In other words, a public execution of constellations.

There are five constellations who have used divine manifestation in a visually pleasing form, aren’t there?

“Child of the Lost Star: What on earth—”

“I need to hold an event that means ‘stop causing trouble.'”

I’ll drop the nuclear bomb of “divine manifestation” into the constellations’ consciousness.

If using divine manifestation is such a humiliating and shameful act, then it’s time to openly use that image.

“I feel a bit sorry for the ones who are here now.”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: …No!”

“Hmm?”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: If you weren’t the Absolute One, they would have done something terrible already! Divine manifestation is actually getting off easy.”

Is that so?

Now that I hear it, it does seem that way.

“So.”

As I silently stared at their names, Black Sun was the first to detect something unusual.

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: Why… why?”

“When I think about it, our relationship doesn’t seem much different from theirs.”

Divine manifestation… I should do it, right?

Even for Black Sun and Star Child, I don’t want to treat them differently from other constellations.

The moment I make an exception, it becomes a vulnerability, a weakness for me.

“Child of the Lost Star: This is frightening.”

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: ….”

The two constellations trembled after hearing my plan.

From their perspective, it must sound truly horrifying.

“Take your time to think about it.”

Of course, I don’t intend to force them.

Given how long we’ve known each other, I don’t want to be too unreasonable.

I’m satisfied just giving them something to think about through this operation.

“Watch carefully.”

I need some time to prepare on my end too.

Leaving behind the constellations with their complicated thoughts, I returned to headquarters to deliver this news.

#

After returning from a walk with the visitor, I welcomed the Emissary of the Sun and gathered the remaining four constellations.

In a section of the park where a fountain was spraying upward.

In an atmosphere of uncharacteristic awkward silence, I slowly conveyed my intentions so they wouldn’t be shocked.

“You all belong to me now.”

“…What?”

“No! That’s!”

These guys had planned to capture me, and as punishment, they became maids working hard to serve.

If it had been another malicious constellation instead of me, they could have suffered any kind of fate.

Therefore, the maids standing before me needed to be aware of this.

“I didn’t kill you, I let you live, and I didn’t touch your church. You know what this means, right?”

“B-but still.”

“But what?”

“Forgotten Wisdom.”

Eventually, the Emissary of the Sun standing nearby mediated the situation, giving them time to talk among themselves.

I pretended not to listen from a distance, but secretly paid attention.

“In all the eons I’ve lived, I’ve never experienced living like a dog under someone else! No! I shouldn’t have! Maybe it would be better to die…!”

“Do you really think so?”

“If you want to die, die alone. I want to live.”

“Don’t you have any dignity as a constellation!”

“After being reduced to this state, where am I supposed to find dignity?”

One constellation lifted their fluttering maid uniform and said so.

Looking closely, their eyes were lifeless.

They had the expression of someone ready to accept whatever treatment awaited them.

“The fact that we’re still alive, and that our church and children haven’t been touched, is already a miracle. It’s not a bad situation, all things considered.”

“That’s true too.”

“Still, the idea of becoming someone’s property, of being under someone, is repulsive.”

While I grinned at them, the four constellations began their discussion, ignoring Forgotten Wisdom.

“Incarnation of the Black Sun: They’re, they’re quite rebellious.”

“They’ll be fine soon.”

At least that’s what my eyes and ears were telling me.

‘Their reaction isn’t as bad as I expected.’

The Emissary of the Sun was on my side from the beginning, and only Forgotten Wisdom was showing clear resistance.

And as I predicted, the constellations began to acknowledge my “ownership” one by one.

“…Even if we leave here, we’ll immediately face invasion from other constellations.”

“Because we’re failed losers.”

“Rather than that…”

Two of the three constellations subtly glanced in my direction.

I pretended not to notice and fiddled with the system settings.

“H-honestly, life so far hasn’t been that bad.”

“That’s true. If I can just accept the inconvenience of having to move my own body, this situation isn’t bad either.”

“You, you guys. Are you really constellations…?”

Forgotten Wisdom looked at the constellations being persuaded with disgust.

But there’s something she’s overlooking.

No matter how strange a concept might be, if enough people believe it, it becomes the truth.

“Aren’t you the strange one?”

Just like that.

“W-what…?”

“Unless you’re obsessed with dying, there’s no need to resist so much.”

“As a constellation, to be under someone—”

“What’s wrong with that?”

Forgotten Wisdom was left speechless.

“If you want to die, die alone.”

“Whether you die here at the hands of the Absolute One, or safely leave only to be killed by other constellations. Isn’t the result the same?”

There was no rebuttal.

Because it wasn’t wrong.

Of course, it would take a long time to die, but a constellation that loses its church is forever banished from this world.

It meant having to wander that pitch-black universe again.

‘If that’s not dying, what is?’

People die of boredom.

And that applied to constellations as well.

“Go back to the void and wander in that pitch-black darkness.”

“…”

“Isn’t that why you’ve been here all this time? Because you hate that?”

There was no answer.

Forgotten Wisdom remained silent.

And that silence was an answer in itself.

-Thud. Thud.

As I was listening and observing the situation, I sensed multiple presences approaching.

“Huh?”

I turned my head with a clueless expression.

Four constellations were looking in my direction with determined expressions.

The Emissary of the Sun stood at the front.

The other one, Forgotten Wisdom, was standing at a distance with a sulky expression.

However, judging by the distance she kept, it seemed she had decided to go along with the situation.

“Have you decided?”

“…Yes.”

“We, the constellations, have decided to follow your will.”

“Really?”

“…Yes. We have nowhere else to go anyway.”

“Take responsibility for us!”

“Hey, hey!”

At the bold tone of one constellation, another flinched and tried to stop her.

‘This feels strange.’

To hear someone ask me to take responsibility so directly, and from a constellation no less.

“Then can you follow what I say?”

“We’ll do anything you command…!”

“Just leave it to us!”

“Really? Then let’s do something.”

“…What?”

The constellations looked puzzled, but there was no time to waste.

“You need to make your debut.”

“…?”

If you cross me, you’ll face “divine manifestation.”

I decided to make all future troublemaking constellations fear me on a grand scale.