Ch.8383. By Your Side

Constellations have lives of their own.

Unlike other living beings, they may not know how they were born or why they exist—

But they’ve always known clearly what they must do and how they should live.

At least the Reassembler of Chaos could take pride in having such beliefs and becoming a noble constellation.

Her dislike for the Absolute One was perfectly natural.

He had risen to a position no one could approach and sought to treat other constellations like toys.

Constellations who had lived their entire lives on their own terms couldn’t tolerate such treatment and had to hastily devise countermeasures.

“Don’t do it.”

Once, someone had tried to stop the Reassembler of Chaos.

A constellation who had cultivated a decent power base but was no longer present.

“What are you talking about now?”

“I’m saying it’s not too late to withdraw. You’re seriously addicted to revenge right now.”

“Hmph, ridiculous. Even if I did, it’s not like you have any better solution.”

“There’s a land far from the Regalium Kingdom where the Absolute One has nested, a place not yet properly developed.”

“And?”

“I’ll rebuild my religious order there and create my own small village.”

“Ha!”

The Reassembler of Chaos had laughed heartily at that constellation.

She believed it was better to stand and fight to prove one’s convictions than to live so cowardly.

‘Idiot.’

But everything had been wrong.

‘What an absolute idiot!’

No matter how much she blamed herself, she had nothing left.

No, that wasn’t true. She still had something.

Miraculously, her religious order remained intact, along with a suspiciously beautiful divine vessel.

However, the constellation status she once valued so highly was nowhere to be found.

‘My wish, my exercise of absolute power…!’

Once, she had dreamed of completely disassembling and reassembling the justice and very foundation of this world.

That was the fundamental nature and aspiration of her constellation.

But now, even that dream had vanished into illusion.

“What are you supposed to be?”

A private meeting with Black Sun.

Rather than Black Sun establishing discipline with cold remarks, it was the Reassembler of Chaos who crumbled and broke down to her core.

“Hic…!”

She escaped what had felt like walking on thin ice.

The Reassembler of Chaos moved her trembling legs to reach where her other companions were.

“W-what? Are you crying…?”

“A constellation… crying?”

“Chaos, it’s Chaos…! She’s broken.”

The other constellations were equally confused.

Since when could a constellation openly display emotions like a mere mortal…!

“I really can’t live like this!”

“Waaaaaah!”

The Reassembler of Chaos burst into tears.

Kicking away all constellation dignity and authority, she wailed so hard that even the Emissary of the Sun approached her in bewilderment.

“Stop crying! You should be ashamed…!”

“Do any of you understand my feelings?! Do you understand my heart?!”

When the Emissary of the Sun offered her a warm cup of tea in confusion, the Reassembler of Chaos accepted it while sobbing loudly.

“P-please calm down.”

“Do I look like I can calm down?! Just because you arrived a few months earlier, you’re all acting territorial! I’m a constellation too! I’m a constellation too…!”

Splash!

Some of the contents in the elegant teacup spilled over.

Seeing this unsightly state, the constellations couldn’t help but be even more confused.

What could have happened to break her down to this extent?

A mere creation couldn’t reach this level of breakdown.

This was a state only possible when one constellation influenced another.

‘Star fracture.’

The nature of the star forming her core had clearly been distorted.

“…Should we report this to the Absolute One?”

“What good would that do?”

“Even if she arrived here first, influencing others like this is…”

“N-no, you can’t…!”

The Reassembler of Chaos trembled as she stopped them.

“Why…?”

“Then I’ll face retaliation again! I can’t handle the aftermath. Those eyes, that expression. Ugh…!”

“What kind of treatment could possibly cause such anxiety symptoms?!”

The constellations trembled at Black Sun’s atrocities.

“Hmm…”

The Emissary of the Sun fell into thought while observing the current situation.

Even if the Incarnation of the Black Sun didn’t approve of her existence, this was crossing a line.

“I’ll go meet with her.”

“No!”

“Just keep comforting everyone for now.”

The Emissary of the Sun headed toward the front lines, her maid uniform fluttering behind her.

#

“What. Why.”

“Let’s have a quick talk.”

Black Sun was leisurely enjoying the park scenery in the Sanctuary.

The Emissary of the Sun greeted her with her usual elegant posture and began the conversation.

“…Can you tell me the reason?”

“Who? Chaos?”

“…Yes.”

“Tattling already after hearing just a few words.”

Tattling…?

The Emissary of the Sun felt momentarily dizzy at the un-constellation-like word choice.

“The Absolute One wouldn’t approve of this behavior.”

At those words, Black Sun’s gaze turned toward the Emissary of the Sun.

“Who are you to judge that person?”

“…Pardon?”

“Isn’t that too presumptuous? Do you know what? I’m actually helping right now.”

Black Sun already knew.

What the Absolute One wanted, what kind of world he was trying to create through herself and the other constellations.

Somehow, they needed to break down existing common sense.

So they could never return to their original forms.

So they could see the residents of Dianon as more than just tools or religious processing beings.

‘I have to do this.’

To avoid falling out of the Absolute One’s favor, she needed to more persistently understand what he wanted.

“What do you think the Absolute One wants to do?”

“The monsters that came from the previous cycle…”

“Right.”

Beings that made even the Absolute One appear tense.

If a holy war broke out with such beings, could this world truly continue to exist?

It would be completely different from constellations fighting each other.

This time, the Source of the World might truly not be able to endure.

“Do you cherish your religious order?”

Black Sun looked at the Emissary of the Sun with a calm gaze.

“…Of course.”

“Then change your thinking quickly. You need to live with the mindset of staying close to them.”

“….?”

The Emissary of the Sun tilted her head.

What nonsense was this?

From the words alone, it sounded like she was telling her to blend in with them…

“Think about what the Absolute One has demanded of us.”

He forced divine manifestation and required them to take better care of their religious orders.

Even the operation of the Dungeon City was sufficient reason.

“He’s trying to make us get used to living in this world.”

“What does that…”

“See? With such narrow thinking, how can I not intervene?”

‘This makes things easier for me.’

A unique position that others couldn’t easily reach.

Right beside the Absolute One.

That was the position Black Sun wanted.

‘I need to work on this now.’

These were techniques she had learned by directly experiencing the Absolute One’s manipulation.

Skillfully mixing truth to gradually build persuasiveness in the other person.

“If the Absolute One becomes disappointed, won’t it be too late to regret it then?”

“That’s… true…”

“So from now on, if you have questions or things you want to do, come talk to me.”

“What…? No, that’s—”

「Child of the Lost Star: Isn’t this going too far?」

‘No. This much is necessary.’

Though they appeared young and vibrant on the outside, each of them was a being who had competed with the highest knowledge in their field.

A moment of carelessness could lead to the precariousness of one’s position.

‘You need to steel yourself too.’

「Child of the Lost Star: ….」

Black Sun’s silent war was just beginning.

#

“What’s with the atmosphere around here?”

While I was busy working on objects, I sensed a strange undercurrent.

It was the peculiar tension flowing between Black Sun and the other constellations.

Seeing their seemingly subtle hostility toward each other, I had no choice but to ask the parties involved.

“….”

The displeased gazes of five constellations pointed in one direction.

“What. What is it.”

At the end of their gazes was Black Sun with a shameless expression.

‘Hey. What’s going on here?’

「Child of the Lost Star: Black Sun is disciplining them.」

‘…What?’

What on earth had happened while I wasn’t looking?

“Come with me for a moment.”

I decided to have a private conversation with Black Sun.

“Uh…”

As soon as our time together began, the shameless demeanor from earlier disappeared, and she returned to her usual timid self.

“Why are you suddenly bullying everyone?”

“B-bullying…?”

“You all need to get along well. You’re comrades.”

The reason I recruited other constellations wasn’t much different.

Possessiveness, and beyond that, I wanted to see Black Sun and the other constellations harmonizing together.

There were other more complex factors, but this reason was stronger right now.

“…I’m helping you.”

“You’re helping me?”

“Yes.”

Unlike her usual self, Black Sun met my gaze directly.

I looked into those black eyes and waited for those plump lips to open again.

“You want the constellations to live together harmoniously here, right?”

“Well… yes.”

“I can help you.”

What exactly has she been claiming to help with?

“I’ll turn those constellations into your faithful servants.”

“Why suddenly?”

“Because.”

Black Sun looked at me.

I felt a strange emotion whose intention I couldn’t understand.

A persistent yet detached air, as if she had resolved something.

「Child of the Lost Star: Wait.」

“Because then I can stay by your side.”

…What?