Otherworld Constellation Gallery
Chapter 38
He looked at me straight on.
“Of course, it’s up to you how you manage your share, but if you keep hoarding to the extreme while letting your energy drop, it creates problems for the community.”
“We’re…”
“If that attitude spreads, everyone will try to hoard, and we’ll become a group that’s lost its vitality.”
He cuts off my words about not planning to stay here. And puts his own opinion forward.
“What happens if the energy of all members drops like that? It’ll only threaten our survival.”
After his words ended, silence fell. I looked around. At some point, other people’s gazes had turned toward us. Silent expectation. Subtle pressure.
“…That’s a good point.”
With a smile, I handed back the food I had received.
“Let’s consider this as not received.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“I can’t take the share of those who are working hard to maintain this place. We’ll get our own share.”
At my words, Do-han and Kang Ha-rin also put down the food they had received. In that moment, the man’s eyes changed slightly.
“Are you suspicious of us?”
[Title: First Hunter is going crazy crazy crazy!] Of course I’m suspicious, you fake bastard. What kind of stupid constellation’s incarnation are you to try ‘Instigation’ against a ‘constellation’? You wanna die?
ㄴ Hey bud… Instigation is literally his passive skill…
ㄴ Why is this guy so angry?
ㄴ Please don’t place your whole ego on First Hunter. No matter how into him you are, he’s not gonna contract with you;;
Worto posts were being uploaded to the Constellation Gallery, and the man in front of me kept rambling.
“I understand. I was suspicious of everything at first too. The world collapsing before my eyes, people turning into beasts, betrayal from those I trusted. After experiencing all that, I couldn’t trust anyone.”
His voice no longer penetrated my ears.
Not knowing this, he continued.
“But I eventually realized. Suspicion doesn’t save us. The more we try to survive in endless distrust, the more humans become beasts.”
His eyes deepened. He’s not acting. That’s genuine sincerity. Eyes that are convinced they’ve found true faith in a world going mad.
‘No, it just appears that way.’
A constellation’s skill for instigating, for emotional manipulation. It’s natural that even if it’s acting, it doesn’t look like acting.
“So I chose. Not to live in caution and distrust, but to trust each other and join hands. If we don’t do that, we’ll perish soon.”
Quiet breathing. I felt the air around us tighten even more.
“We have rules. Protect each other, sacrifice for each other.”
He added in a low voice.
“Because that’s the only way humans can survive in a ruined world.”
Several people who had been listening to our conversation slowly nodded.
Already swayed.
Whether they’re being manipulated or not, that’s not important to me.
What’s important is that this bastard is an incarnation, and this isn’t a group that can be trusted.
[Title: What the heeeeell is going on~?]
[Poster: PinkuPojjak] What kind of stupid constellation has an incarnation who rambles on like this?! I don’t want to hear it! Just kill him already!i
ㄴ Please calm down instead of dancing.
ㄴ This guy is about to do the murder step;;;
ㄴ Constellation, whoever you are, your incarnation is in danger, buy him.
ㄴ Is it “The One with a Hundred Tongues” or something?
ㄴ Gold Horse, that’s super malicious though.
ㄴ Only the incarnation is pitiful.
So he definitely is an incarnation?
Wait, One with a Hundred Tongues?
Isn’t that the constellation modifier in the first contract I read?
‘More importantly, why would they choose someone like this as an incarnation in this area?’
The monsters in this area are excessively tough.
Even I couldn’t cut through them easily.
Unless they sent some revelation, they wouldn’t be able to defeat a Craftlae, making it difficult to receive deity power.
Moreover, the fact that his skill is related to incitement suggests he’s likely not a combat-type constellation.
That makes it even more confusing.
This isn’t a ghoul area, so why here?
‘Is there another method for deity power supply?’
Or is it really aimed at me?
I’d like to deal with him but there’s no justification.
Everyone perceives him as a good person.
That means I can’t do anything to him while everyone is watching.
‘I’m not a Dark Knight.’
Pretending to be evil to realize justice?
No.
It’s more like pretending to be evil for gain rather than justice.
‘Well, it would be nice if I could capture him and absorb his skill… but the probability is too low.’
There’s no need to create unnecessary conflict.
If the people here are happy as they are, I don’t need to interfere.
The best option is to leave as is.
Not to get involved.
But if they mess with our kids, then I’ll have to kill them.
I swear I’ll slice them with a sword, not a gun.
“It’s not a suspicion. I said I’d just take food and go, but after hearing such good words, I can’t accept it.”
“……”
“Thank you for your kindness. Please give the food to those who need it more than us in the future.”
I turned my gaze toward Do-han and Kang Ha-rin.
“Let’s go.”
They unexpectedly let us go without resistance.
‘What’s going on?’
Their gazes on my back were bothersome.
I glanced back slightly wondering if they were following us, but there was no movement.
An ambiguous attitude of neither seeing us off nor being vigilant.
‘Is that really it?’
It ended more anticlimactically than I expected.
He’s an incarnation, but he doesn’t seem wary of me.
Could it be that he doesn’t know I’m an awakened one?
Or is it not really targeting me, but simply incarnations naturally appearing one by one?
‘Then why contract with someone from this place?’
No matter how I think about it, something feels off. But I decided not to dwell on it too deeply.
“We should start moving soon.”
I turned to look at Do-han.
“Do-han. You can’t keep coming and going alone to get food in the future. Let’s gather a lot now.”
He silently nodded.
Leaving the orphanage unattended would be dangerous, but staying only at the orphanage would mean running out of food.
And if the orphanage director went out alone, unexpected situations like today’s could occur.
So, we needed to gather a lot at once.
“Let’s go.”
While moving to find food, we encountered a being I had been looking for.
“For a monster, you’re hard to find. Should I be thankful for that?”
Do-han instinctively shrank back.
But it was quieter than expected.
It saw us but didn’t immediately rush at us.
“Do-han, They don’t seem to move unless attacked first.”
“Really?”
“I’m not certain. But we should be prepared. I’ll tell you how later.”
Then, I charged at it first.
DING!
[Craftlae (Intermediate) Kill Reward: 150G]
Easy. As I thought that.
DING!
Another unfamiliar notification window followed. For a moment, I doubted my eyes.
[‘Craftlae’s Runestone’ has been acquired.]
I tilted my head without realizing.
Craftlae’s Runestone?
Did things like this appear too?
‘Information check.’
[Craftlae’s Runestone] A runestone condensed with Craftlae’s energy. Helps build a foundation for stamina.
Effect: When used, increases stamina level up to 10.
Usage limit : Disappears after one use.
‘If it only increases up to level 10, isn’t this item meaningless for me?’
I quickly checked the Constellation Gallery.
[Title: First Hunter you bastard, why are you so lucky?] You might get 1 of these after killing 30, but he gets one so fast???
ㄴ Is it really luck if the drop rate is so high?
ㄴ If he got one after killing just three, that would be lucky.
ㄴ Why is it lucky when First Hunter can’t even use it?
ㄴ His stamina is already at 10 so using it has no effect.
ㄴ Some people use it as a potion substitute but that’s a really extravagant potion.
ㄴ First hunter would never use it like that.
I’ve killed many monsters before, but this was the first time a runestone appeared. I thought I was lucky, but checking the Constellation Gallery, the drop rate is 1 per 30 monsters.
‘……It’s easier to get than I thought.’
But thinking about it again, Craftlae itself isn’t commonly seen. That means it would take considerable time to get a guaranteed acquisition.
‘Anyway… if it has no effect after level 10, it’s only meaningful in the early stages.’
They say it can be used as a potion even if I can’t raise my stamina level with it, but that would be truly insane.
Then, Do-han stared at me blankly and said,
“Wow… really… you’re not human, right?”
It sounds like a compliment, but why do I feel so weird about it?
“You can become like this too. It might be difficult to kill them easily at first.”
“Really?”
“I’m serious.”
While Do-han’s eyes sparkled, Kang Ha-rin stored the Craftlae’s corpse.
Then we entered the mart.
Perhaps because monsters were guarding the front of the mart, there was more food left than expected.
“This is quite a lot, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
I took out a handmade bag Tulip had made and filled it with food.
Then stored it in my inventory.
Seeing that, Do-han’s eyes grew even wider than before.
“So you really aren’t human….? Did you do the same thing with the hammer earlier…?”
“The latter is correct but the former is wrong, so stop saying that.”
“Which one? That you’re not human?”
“……”
Is this guy doing this on purpose?
He’s a bit like Tulip. Passive: 1999 Mode?
“By the way, Ha-rin.”
“Yes!”
“Your stamina is at 10 now, right?”
“Ah, yes!”
I nodded.
‘Then the use for the runestone is obvious……’
0 Comments