CH 10

When I saw the message in front of me, I stiffened up, and the window came up again.

[CH.#643nj5 /One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Yeah I meant you.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: You are making a silly expression. Can you see my words?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: Me?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Yeah, you. What the hell are you trying to do?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: You are both a constellation and a human being 

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Is this some unknown constellation that I don’t know of? What’s your real identity?

The questions he asked so directly were ridiculous. I already knew about the nature of Lee Myung-won’s constellation, but I didn’t think he’d ask the question so plainly without changing a single word.

Lee Myung-won had a tremendous presence as the main character’s assistant. The god who supervises the sun, prophecy, archery, music, poetry, etc., and is said to be more dazzlingly beautiful than the sun.

And a huge bastard.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: So, you’re not going to answer, huh?

[The constellation, ‘One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun’ emits an air of intimidation.]

Apollo.

When I spoke earlier, you didn’t answer, so I thought you didn’t want to hang out with me, but I guess not. Or maybe he was still figuring me out.

In the original novel, Lee Myung-won’s constellation was famous for being very crude and rotten. Thanks to this, Lee Myung-won declared that he was fighting his constellation rather than fighting monsters.

A constellation that threatens to spread a plague if you don’t entertain them. Lee Myung-won must be having a tough time as well.

But now it’s my turn to suffer.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: O’ Great One.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: I am a constellation, and it hasn’t been long since I was born.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: Can I dare to ask you something?

I asked, as flatly as I could. Even when I was working part-time, I had never even used the title of “Great One” to a customer but sending this as a message made me feel a bit doubtful. A reply came immediately.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: That sounds funny.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Answer my question first.

I clicked my tongue at the arrogant attitude that had suddenly changed but didn’t show it on the outside. Because he’ll be watching me. I slowly approached the lake inside the cave and sent another message.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: As you can see, I am both a constellation and a human.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: You’re trying to deceive me with foolish tricks.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Where in the world can there be such a thing?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: Then, what do you think I am?

As I dipped my fingertips into the surface of the lake, I felt a chill that seemed to freeze the depths of my bones. I shook off my hands and looked around what seemed like an empty space.

It could only be here.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: You, are you deceiving me?

[CH.#643nj5 /One Who Knows The End]: No, O’ Great One.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: I just want to entertain you.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Entertain me?

I slowly went down to business.

[CH.#643nj5 /One Who Knows The End]: How about sponsoring me?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: What?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: How could one constellation support another constellation?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: I am a human being who is both a constellation and an Awakened.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: You can do as you please.

I only have 400 coins right now. It was not enough to buy items to check beneath the freezing water.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Hey.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Even if you do as I say, what will I gain?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: I am the same kind of constellation like you, you know. 

[CH.#643nj5 /One Who Knows The End]: Don’t you want satisfaction?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: Different from watching contractors save human beings.

It felt like I was uttering all the crap I could. I can’t believe there will be a day when I say, ‘save human beings.’ It seemed that the dark moments during puberty were coming back, and I wanted to scream from embarrassment, but I tried to hold it in.

To my surprise, the other person liked the way I spoke.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: You are begging me whilst being a constellation yourself.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: It’s disgraceful to see another constellation like you.

Apollo spoke very openly, it felt as if he was digging into my chest.

Yes, I have no coins and no power. It’s okay.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Yes. It’ll be fun to watch what you are going to do.

[The constellation, ‘One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun’ has sponsored you 2,000 coins.]

[Current coins possessed: 2,400]

I bit my lower lip and said as humbly as possible.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows The End]: … Can’t you just give me 100 more coins?

[The constellation, ‘One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun’ is speechless.]

[The constellation, ‘One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun’ laughs at you.]

[The constellation, ‘One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun’ has sponsored you 111 coins.]

[Current coins possessed: 2,511]

Thank you, you bastard.

I did nothing, such as trembling whilst talking to a god. Maybe it’s because I too have become a constellation. Leaving that thought behind, I opened the shop page.

[Beginner’s Suba Diving Pill F X10]

[If you swallow this pill, you too become a scuba diving genius! You can breathe freely underwater! (Duration 30 minutes)

Price: 2,500 coins

Would you like to purchase this item?

( Yes / No)]

[You purchased Beginner’s Suba Diving Pill F X10.]

[Currently remaining coins: 11]

I’ve officially become a beggar. I couldn’t help but marvel at it. I can’t believe we have no more coins. Tae-beom-ah, I’m sorry. I don’t have any money.

For a moment, I was drenched in emotions, while taking off my coat and shoes and gently putting them aside. There was a rough little stone in the soles of my feet, but it didn’t matter.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: What are you trying to do?

I swallowed a pill without answering. And without hesitation, jumped into the water.

Foam bubbles passed before my eyes, and clear water came into my view. I felt a cold that seemed to gnaw my whole body. My heart trembled as if it was freezing, but without any hesitance, I continued to swim downwards.

And I found it.

A ruined skeleton was lying there, and was holding onto something in its hand, something that looked like a shell. Like a man who had lost his life trying to get it.

[Magical Conch Shell A]

[It whispers a single prophecy. (Available once a year)]

It was as I expected.

According to the original story, the person who would come in here would have been Lee Myung-won. Even if he pretended not to be, he thought that there might be people on even the narrowest road, so he must have broken the wall and entered.

I could only encourage Lee Myung-won’s sympathy right now.

I struggled to get the horn out of the skeleton’s hand while swimming at the same time. I had to use a lot of force to hold on to it tightly. I had to move more because the frigid air was squeezing my body.

‘Quickly….’

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: This looks fun.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: I wonder how you knew it was there.

I suddenly had an unpleasant feeling. This must have been the item he was going to give to his contractor.

Apollo, the god of prophecy, couldn’t have been unaware of the simple fact that this object was here.

I was barely able to take the horn flute out of the skeleton’s hand and began to swim upwards. The water was deeper than I thought.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: But it’s interesting.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Were you trying to satisfy me this much?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: That can’t be.

I barely managed to swim ashore and breathed heavily. This damn constellation, I was swimming all this time, but I had no time to talk nor or catch my breath. Naturally, my teeth and my body trembled. I put on the coat I had taken off on the shore.

The cold felt even worse because I was in a cave. My life feels so pathetic that I can’t even make a small bonfire with only 11 coins.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: You can’t just do that?

An absurd message. I coughed briefly and crouched down. I grabbed the conch.

[Magical Conch Shell A]

[It whispers a single prophecy. (Available once a year)]

I put my lips near the entrance of the conch shell and spoke.

“Magical Conch-nim.”

I took a deep breath.

“Will the world be destroyed in 5 years?”

It was the most important question at this moment. The movement of the constellation, which was angry at my voice, also fell silent. And I was surprised by the answer that soon came after.

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: What does this mean?

[CH.#643nj5/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun]: Explain it to me so I can understand!

But it was me who was the most shocked. No matter how hard I tried, nothing changed.

The conch shell’s answer was Yes.