episode_0008

The holy war was stopped, and the meeting with Vera also ended successfully.

There was a major crisis of identity confusion in the middle, but it was fortunate that it was somehow resolved.

At this moment.

-Clatter. Clatter.

I was receiving care from Belladis inside a luxurious carriage made of magical engineering.

‘This feels uncomfortable.’

The damage I sustained from the attack of the Black Sun had healed on its own.

However, the sensation of blood-soaked clothing clinging to my skin was utterly unpleasant.

I wanted to either change or wash up.

But the situation wouldn’t allow it.

“…..”

A heavy silence had settled since the moment I entered the carriage.

A soft warmth supported the back of my head, and a pleasant scent brushed against my nose for a while.

And then, a piercing gaze struck directly at my face.

Since there was only one other person in the carriage besides me, the owner of the gaze was obvious.

‘My dear.’

An hour had passed since my consciousness began to fade.

Still, our Vera was silently looking down at me.

It was truly a moment heavy with concern.

I had no choice but to close my eyes and manipulate my status window.

“Thanks to your efforts, the holy war has been successfully halted!”

“Rewards will be given.”

Activation of the Constellation Community”

“Through this community, you can communicate and interact with other constellations observing the world.”

‘Oh.’

Just as I was thinking about how to deal with the avatar of the Black Sun, a good reward list was presented.

It was even a new community window that I couldn’t see in the game.

When I immediately checked the tab, I was greeted by a structure similar to the community window I had used with other users.

“Contact other constellations to activate the community window.”

Other constellations.

Isn’t there someone making a racket in that message window over there?

Without hesitation, I chose that name.

“Constellation, would you like to send a friend request to the ‘Avatar of the Black Sun’?”

‘Hey.’

“The ‘Avatar of the Black Sun’ responds.”

‘Accept the friend request.’

Immediately, the friend list activates.

As of today, the Avatar of the Black Sun and I have become friends.

Can this really be called an equal relationship?

If I set my mind to it, I could turn their faction into a mess in just one day.

The important thing is that I now have a means to contact them easily and quickly without having to pay direct attention.

W-What is this?”

‘Huh?’

In the meantime, messages from them started appearing in the community window.

W-What have you done to me?!”

‘What do you mean what have I done?’

I’ve kept their existence intact and prevented the holy war.

Shouldn’t they be grateful instead?

A sense of indignation wells up within me.

‘Are you going to back out again?’

“….No!”

The Avatar of the Black Sun hurriedly tried to stop me.

Right. That’s how it should be.

It seems that the Constellation Community is a means to communicate directly with constellations.

Until now, I had only sent noisy warnings through the message window, but now it feels like we are actually having a conversation.

I should be able to do this with other constellations too, right?

‘So.’

….?”

‘Don’t you think we should have a conversation now?’

A very important fact.

I still haven’t properly grasped how this world operates.

I-I’ve said everything I needed to say.”

‘What? What did you say? Is there anything more than just whining for help?’

….”

‘Elaborate a bit more.’

Most of the facilities of the order are deactivated, and our kids are preparing to cause a ruckus all over the world.

As much as I want to move around and find out for myself, my body is just one.

No matter how fraudulent the system is, there is a limit to the amount of information I can gather at once.

The crusade against the Black Sun has stopped for now, but the power I have rooted is vast enough to encompass the entire world.

It was because I had put in that much effort while playing.

According to the information obtained from the system and the respective constellation, my order is currently experiencing great chaos.

I don’t know for sure, but…”

The Avatar of the Black Sun spoke sporadically as if squeezing their head.

“I know that other constellations, who were hiding their existence and watching for opportunities, have moved.”

‘Other constellations?’

“I-I don’t know well either. I heard it through the grapevine.”

The constellations that know me wouldn’t do such a thing, so are they newly emerged ones?

‘Heh.’

To think they would set up such a big event so I wouldn’t get bored, I already feel excited.

While I was leisurely fiddling with the settings, I sensed Beladis’s presence.

“…Ah.”

A sigh filled with longing escaped.

I want to open my eyes and see what she is doing, but I can’t abandon the concept after coming this far.

Beladis Rocheira.

In the game, her unique charm melted my heart.

She always acts cold and blunt towards others, but she shows her emotions to me with a subtle smile.

The so-called gap moe.

And now she is perfectly existing in this world.

Even though she is right in front of me, I can’t speak to her or touch her.

‘Why can’t I enjoy this?’

It’s all because of those Black Sun bastards causing chaos just by existing.

….”

“My Lord, my dear Lord.”

The back of my head feels quite soft and warm.

It must be Beladis’s special thigh cushion.

A place prepared solely for me, one that no one else in this world could enjoy.

“Please open your eyes and look upon this humble servant. And.”

Vera spoke with such earnestness, unsure of what to do.

“Please punish this utterly disgusting hybrid.”

‘…What?’

Her sudden self-deprecating remark froze my thoughts.

-Drip. Drip.

It was around that time that droplets began to fall on my forehead.

‘…Tears?’

“I vowed to dedicate my life to you, and I made that bloody oath.”

Sadness was now overflowing from Beladis’s voice.

“Huh…! I couldn’t even recognize my master, and I even dared to bare my teeth…!”

She is sad.

Beladis, who had always been smiling brightly in the game.

Was shedding tears because of me.

‘This isn’t how it should be.’

What I wanted to create was a dramatic encounter, a miraculous moment.

These weren’t the tears of a character I loved.

-Swipe.

I felt a sensation on my cheek.

It was Vera’s hand.

“Oh, I can’t even imagine how much it must have hurt. My foolish mind can’t comprehend it at all. It’s just so terrifying.”

She spoke, having returned from being a devoted follower to her usual self.

Unlike earlier, when she had to forcibly show her strong side in front of others.

Now, it was just the two of us in the carriage.

That’s why she could let her guard down.

‘Ah, it’s because of you.’

In that situation, all I could do was completely shift the responsibility onto someone else.

W-What am I…’

‘If you hadn’t drawn aggro, there wouldn’t have been an ambush, and it could have ended peacefully. Don’t you agree?’

No, the crusade was unilaterally initiated from over there―’

‘Huh? Are you talking back? Want me to send the curse back to you?’

What kind of nonsense is that…!’

If this continued, I would come off as a really bad guy, and even the Avatar of the Black Sun started to cry.

‘The Seat of the Divine is shocked by the tyranny of the ‘Avatar of the Black Sun’!’

‘Due to the Seat’s response, a massive amount of faith points are acquired!’

Bad guy, bad bastard.

How dare you make our devotee shed tears?

‘The devotee, ‘Beladis Rocheira’ worships you deeply in her heart.’

“I love you deeply in my heart. I love you, my Lord.”

‘The devotee, ‘Beladis Rocheira’ cherishes you deeply in her heart.’

“Just seeing you like this makes my heart race as if I’m walking through a dream… I feel like I’m going to lose my mind…”

‘Due to the prayer of the devotee, a massive amount of faith points are acquired!’

‘No.’

This wasn’t what I was aiming for.

Vera was still continuing her confession.

“But… How dare I, how dare I do that…? How could someone like me, who couldn’t even recognize my own master and put them in danger, do such a thing…?”

‘No. It’s okay to stay as you are.’

“Everyone there saw that disgraceful act. I’m going to be punished by heaven, hic…! I have no reason to live anymore…!”

The tears that fell like a drizzle now poured down on my face like a downpour.

The sensation of my face becoming damp with the devotee’s tears seemed to clear my mind instead.

If I left her alone like this, it would gnaw away at her self-esteem all the way to the depths of the abyss.

‘Little by little.’

At this point, it was necessary to forcibly stop her self-reproach.

She must have suffered while I was away.

It’s strange to say such things when she abandoned me, but it wasn’t by choice.

‘I thought you would be happy like when it was Lishia.’

It’s largely my fault for not considering each devotee’s personality.

“Umm…”

First, let’s get the engine started.

“….!”

As I showed signs of waking up, Vera flinched and trembled.

It seems she’s afraid of what might happen next.

But I have no intention of doing that.

“Ve, ra…?”

As I opened my blurry eyes, I saw Vera’s face looking down at me right in front.

How is it that her face shines even from this angle?

I want to shout to the world that she’s my devotee.

“Oh, oh my divine parent…!”

She had already placed my head on her thigh and was at a loss for what to do.

I was very disappointed, truly disappointed.

I shook my head off her thigh and sat up properly.

“Where is this…?”

For now, I’ll pretend I don’t know.

“This is the carriage of our order, oh divine one…!”

“Ah.”

“As for your injuries, um…”

Vera hurriedly checked my complexion, showing hesitation from guilt.

I felt the need to alleviate that guilt first.

“Injured places, ah…”

Pretending to check my wounds at her concern, I smiled as if everything was fine.

“It’s all healed. You’re okay now.”

“I-I’m sorry. Please, punish me severely…”

“Why? Vera handled it well.”

“I couldn’t even recognize my master and instead put the divine one in danger. That sin is something I can never wash away…!”

Vera, trapped in severe self-hatred, emitted a gloomy atmosphere, not daring to meet my eyes.

“Warning! Devotee ‘Vera Rocheira’ is falling into a state of self-hatred.”

‘The devotee’s stats will incur penalties.’

‘I know that too.’

Disgustingly, when I checked the rising stats window, just like with Lishia, there were negative values attached.

I absolutely cannot bear to see the devotee’s stats decline with my own eyes.

How hard did I work to grow them?

‘Warning! If the penalty persists for a long time, there will be permanent stat reductions.’

‘That absolutely cannot happen.’

“I’m just a worthless piece of trash…!”

“Vera.”

Unable to watch Beladys shed tears once more, I called her name with a firm resolve.

“…?”

“You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“But…!”

“The one who spread false information and put the order in danger was―”

The reason I lifted the curse of the Black Sun.

The reason I reluctantly allowed that bastard’s influence to persist.

“It was all because of the schemes of the Black Sun.”

What does that mean…?!’

‘If you saved me, you should do your part.’

The price for forgiving them is simple.

Just keep doing what I was doing, and let them have it.

“B-but….”

Vera looks at me with trembling eyes.

Though she is shaken, she cannot easily shake off her guilt.

It seems the feelings directed at me were truly heavy.

“As much as Vera likes me, I like you too.”

“…?!”

A look of confusion spreads across her previously gloomy expression, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

And soon, her eyes filled with surprise met mine.

‘Yes. This is it.’

You give as much as you receive.

The most essential element in managing a deity.

What I’m saying is the very basics of business.

I wore a sales smile, trying to stabilize Vera’s trembling heart.

“Since my beloved Vera is in pain, I am in pain too.”

“M-Master!”

“The place I was hit earlier doesn’t hurt at all, but my heart aches so much.”

“Ugh…?!”

As I honestly expressed my feelings, the apologetic vampire priestess didn’t know what to do.

“How dare I, how could I…”

Hmm.

“Well, there’s nothing I can do then. I’ll die in the constellation.”

Vera’s expression crumbled as if the world had collapsed at my words.

Who told her to endure anyway?

To bring it to the last resort like this.

“N-No, Master! I was wrong… please don’t leave me.”

“Shall we stop now?”

“Y-Yes, yes.”

With a gentle gesture of reconciliation, one loyal priestess clung to me like a lifeline.

“Okay, sounds good.”

To put an end to this strange squabble, I gently pulled Vera’s shoulder.

“….?”

She didn’t dare to refuse and surrendered her body to the pulling force.

Where she landed was.

“….?!”

In my arms.

A hug. A free hug for the priestess.

Since I lent her my thigh earlier, it was a form of repayment.

“I forgive your sins.”

“The penalty of the priestess, ‘Beladis Rocheira’, has been lifted.”

Beladis, having come this far, no longer belittled herself.

She trembled slightly, lost in the lingering feelings for a moment.

#

After a brief moment of atonement.

My head had somehow settled back onto Beladis’s lap.

Having received, I had to give back.

And now I had to give again.

Due to Beladis’s firm insistence, I had no choice.

I truly had no choice but to rest my head.

….”

‘Why, what? Are you jealous?’

It would be understandable to be jealous.

The other faction is filled with a dark atmosphere devoid of dreams and hope.

They could never hope for the fluffy and warm exchanges like I have.

In the midst of this, Beladis impulsively placed my head on her thigh, but she couldn’t move on to the next step and remained flustered.

‘You can do as you please.’

Having already shed the awkward parts, I felt no real resistance.

While we were enjoying a leisurely healing time.

“Warning! A force in ‘Neutral’ status has approached.”

-Clunk!

‘Ugh.’

A sudden stop accompanied by an incomprehensible message box.

With the abrupt halt of the carriage, my body nearly tumbled to the floor.

If it weren’t for the soft embrace that hurriedly wrapped around my head, I would have fallen ungracefully.

‘Oh.’

For a moment, I was dazed by the soft heavenly touch.

I quickly opened the map to assess the situation.

‘This is…’

As I was smoothly distancing myself from the territory of the Black Sun faction, around my green dots of influence.

Orange dots had already gathered.

-Orange.

A color that lies between the green representing allies and the red representing hostile forces.

In other words, it indicated that depending on future actions, they could become allies or enemies.

‘What is this?’

“…Lord. Just a moment.”

Beladis carefully placed my head on the carriage and immediately stepped outside.

As soon as she went out, I quickly lifted my head to look out the window.

“Ah.”

A flag high in the sky, and the symbol that had emerged.

[Regalium Kingdom]

It matched the appearance I was familiar with.

The faction that had established a cooperative relationship with our order in the game.

‘But why?’

Why are they not welcoming our order but instead exuding an air of confrontation?

Especially that man at the forefront of the faction.

Dressed in the kingdom’s resplendent armor, the man wearing a solemn expression.

He was quite an influential character even in the game.

-Ricardo Baltar.

The commander of the kingdom’s knights, and one who has risen to the rank of sword master.

His name is often mentioned among the strongest in the world view, and he is an NPC with formidable combat power.

Back when I was still a novice, I received a lot of help from him.

At a time when our order was weak and all we had to boast about was the authority of the novice.

We gained a lot from quests with the Regalium Kingdom.

“Ah.”

As I reminisced about those memories, one fact I had forgotten suddenly came to mind.

The Regalium Kingdom is the only nation that worships light and justice in a world akin to dark fantasy.

The king who governs it is exceedingly gentle, and they are simply kind.

While there are no completely pure groups, compared to other factions, they belong to a very clean category.

‘That’s why we often cooperated.’

But.

Until just now, our children had been marching to wipe out the Black Sun Order.

Reincarnation, massacre, blood, and more blood!

In the Regalium Kingdom, which values peace and tranquility, there was no way they would look kindly upon our march.

No matter how high our accumulated favorability was, it seems that a line cannot be crossed.

“This is bad.”

Although it would all turn into nothing, they still did not understand the situation.

Seeing my order’s ominous momentum, I felt a readiness to respond.

“It is the command of His Majesty the King! Disband the order immediately and eliminate the seeds of discord!”

The commander of the knights at the front shouted.

Even in front of my order, he stood tall, embodying the true spirit of a knight.

“Hmm.”

However, it feels disappointing.

After all the help we’ve given each other, to suddenly show a stance as if we were enemies.

I had no choice but to step in myself.