Ch.86Constellation

“My brother has done something big.”

Seti muttered as she watched the news featuring Eidel.

Yes, it was big in many ways.

Waking up to find himself imprisoned in Alcatraz, flirting with sister Rustila Kersil, and even writing a thesis while doing so.

And now he’s holding out in prison.

‘He might fool others, but not my eyes.’

Seti was certain. Eidel had something up his sleeve.

Sighing, Seti returned to the spirit sanctuary and clapped her hands together.

The sanctuary ritual. At first glance it seemed religious, but its true purpose was to obtain a constellation and shake off the remnants of outer gods. Through the ritual, Seti became more proficient in handling Aether.

However, she still hadn’t obtained a constellation.

Without a constellation’s arrival, leaving here might mean being attacked by outer gods again.

“Phew.”

Seti scratched her shoulder and relaxed her posture. It was annoying.

That’s when it happened.

“Hello?”

A voice came from behind her.

“You seem to be struggling quite a bit.”

The tone was similar, so at first she thought it was her mother. Seti’s smile, which had slightly risen, fell back down. It was someone she’d never seen before.

“Who are you?”

“Callis Stranov. I work at Iryuel University.”

“Are you a professor?”

“…You know about that?”

Seti chuckled.

“My brother constantly sings praises about professors.”

“That makes this conversation easier.”

Without delay, Callis explained her story in as much detail as possible. Seti’s expression was priceless when she heard about the thesis scoop.

Seti thought to herself.

‘He was so dismissive at first.’

It had been barely a year. Eidel had been wild and foolish. But somehow he had become so smart that she couldn’t keep up. And kinder too.

She knew an outer god had attached to him. Perhaps it created some strange synergy with him?

Seti shook her head.

That was just speculation.

When seized by an outer god, one’s mind is destroyed without exception.

Anyway, Seti put on a regretful expression for Callis.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know much I can tell you. I never know what’s going on in Eidel’s head.”

“Yes, that seems to be the case.”

Callis clicked her tongue.

Fifteen short videos sent by the government. Through them, she had seen Eidel acting like someone possessed.

Whether it was fabricated or not didn’t matter. What mattered was the thesis Eidel had published.

Callis looked at Seti and said.

“Your brother is a genius.”

“I know.”

“Perhaps the papers he publishes from now on might change the world. He might present groundbreaking research results that could defeat outer gods. If that happens, he’ll become a hero surpassing the First Sword Saint.”

“Come on. That’s too much. How can you compare Eidel to the First Sword Saint? That person saved the universe.”

“I’m serious.”

Seti pressed her lips together. Callis’s face had hardened somewhat. The professor’s aura washed over her like surging waves.

“I didn’t come today to ask for help from a young lady. That would be too shameful for an adult, wouldn’t it?”

“Then why?”

“The opposite. I came to offer help.”

Callis had completed a rough investigation before coming here. She knew why Eidel was in prison and why Seti was in this place. She had figured it all out.

“It seems you need to receive the call of a constellation.”

“Yes.”

“Good, I can help you with that much.”

***

In the current era where constellations are understood through science.

The physics department has a sub-discipline connecting plasma, nuclear physics, constellations, and Aether.

Callis, who researched gravity clamps, though not an expert in that field, was skilled enough to know methods for easily accepting constellations into one’s body.

Using her specialized knowledge, Callis taught Seti the Aether resonance method for attaching a constellation.

The result was successful.

[─ The constellation ‘God of Wealth and Investment’ descends upon you.]

The sensation of something rising through the mind. It felt like electrons in the brain moving in a specific pattern, tapping the optic nerve.

Perhaps that’s what created this hallucination.

[“…Hello.”]

[─ The ‘God of Wealth and Investment’ blushes.]

“A shy constellation, I see.”

Seti giggled.

She had definitely thought constellations would have elegant and noble images, but she learned that they differ from one to another.

‘But how did the constellation name…’

God of Wealth and Investment.

A constellation name that could be the nickname of a legendary fund manager. Seti tilted her head.

Then, as she rolled her eyes, the status window scrolled down. An options window appeared, looking like a game shop.

[Tutorial: Coins are assets. Credits and coins are exchangeable, with a series of fees applied during exchange. You can earn coins through various events or actions that positively impact the world, and use them to increase capital or enhance personal abilities.]

[Current coins you have: 5000C]

[Exchange rate: 1C = 1000CD]

“So one coin equals a thousand credits.”

She hadn’t heard about this from sister Rustila. It seemed like a function granted only to her.

[The more coins you exchange for credits, the more the market value of credits will fall. Conversely-]

“Ah, I know these basics.”

Seti skipped through the boring economic content that followed. There wasn’t much difference in thinking of coins as just virtual currency.

Except this was a safe virtual currency that wouldn’t be delisted as long as the constellation didn’t die.

[Your constellation enjoys lending something to others and receiving compensation – that is, investment. Therefore, you can invest coins in other people’s constellations.]

“Oh.”

Seti’s eyes widened.

She had always liked investing in things to make profits. This seemed like it could be fun.

[Depending on the reputation or ability of the person you invest in, you may multiply your invested coins or lose them. However, in the case of <donation>, the coins will be lost, and in return, the constellation receiving the donation will become friendly with you.]

“What’s good about becoming friendly?”

[You can share or acquire abilities that only those who have received that constellation can possess. This forms a one-sided <Bond> skill contract.]

Hmm, complicated. Seti fiddled around for another ten minutes or so before packing her bags to return home.

She also thanked the priest of the Starlight Order who had taken care of her, and carefully confirmed that the stigma had been engraved.

Callis nodded and said.

“It’s engraved on your shoulder. You’re on the moderate side.”

Seti decided not to probe further.

After returning home, Seti held a modest homecoming party with her personal android, Bella. They ordered chicken and bulgogi and ate to their heart’s content-

“Hic, sob.”

She cried.

[“…Are you okay?”]

“Hic, it’s so good…”

[“What a strange child…”]

After finishing the delicious meal bought with her own hard-earned money, Seti opened her room door and dived onto the bed.

Lying face down, she enjoyed the elegant silence for several minutes. Truly. The ship was as quiet as a mouse.

“…”

This time, silent tears really came.

Woooong.

That’s when her phone rang.

The caller was her third brother.

[I heard you left the spirit sanctuary? Congrats!]

[Take care of yourself]

[I’ll be out soon too, so don’t keep crying, okay?]

“Ha, this, this jerk…!”

Tap.

[ㅗ]

After sending that single character, she lay properly on the bed. Seti, who had been rubbing her eyes, remained blank for a moment before getting up.

‘Come to think of it, there were constellations I could sponsor.’

As expected.

Father, mother, first brother, second brother.

Sister Rustila, a few classmates, school teachers, and even Professor Callis Stranov whom she met today.

She could sponsor anyone she had exchanged greetings with.

Out of curiosity, Seti scrolled through the list. She wanted to see how many people she knew had contracts with constellations.

And then.

Stop.

“…Huh?”

[Sponsorable List]

[(…)]

[Eidel von Rheinland: God of Wisdom and Curiosity]

“He… has a constellation?”

Seti unconsciously pressed on the status window. The touch-screen-like status window displayed a popup.

[Insufficient level to view additional information.]

[You can sponsor this constellation.]

[Would you like to sponsor? (Y/N)]

This was the moment to think.

Whether it was a starter pack or whatever, Seti currently had 5,000 coins. Investing the full amount without knowing where else she could use it seemed unreasonable.

Moreover, she didn’t know what level Eidel’s constellation was at, or what abilities it possessed.

But two things were certain.

‘First. Thanks to this constellation, Eidel was able to avoid going completely mad despite the outer god’s mental attacks. Second. This is why he suddenly became smart.’

It was a plausible inference. After all, the constellation name was the God of ‘Wisdom’ and ‘Curiosity’? It matched perfectly with her brother’s current behavior.

‘If this constellation exerts even a little power, couldn’t it completely eliminate Eidel’s madness? They say the outer god fled from Alcatraz anyway.’

She might hesitate for a long-term investment, but for a short-term one…

“…”

In fact, she knew.

Seti understood better than anyone that investment shouldn’t be based on emotion. How many amateur investors had been caught up in fluctuating graphs and suffered losses?

So.

-Sister.

-I heard you left the spirit sanctuary?

-Take care of yourself.

One shouldn’t “invest” in such things.

[─ You donate 2000 coins to the ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’.]

Wouldn’t the investment be too precious for that?