1.
The first flower to bloom in spring was blue.
Spring had come to the world where Constellation Killer resided.
-....
Constellation Killer looked up at the flowers that resembled his own eye color.
Originally, in his homeland, yellow or perhaps pink bloomed first. However, he had forgotten the spring of his homeland. To Lefanta Aegim, spring was now merely blue.
-...If I don't want to become a constellation, what should I do?
Constellation Killer touched the petals with his fingertips, which had turned white.
-Constellations determining people's fates should no longer exist. For ordinary people, being a constellation is an overwhelmingly powerful existence. The mere existence of the constellations determines people's lives. They run away from what they should be responsible for....
He stopped speaking suddenly, not because he doubted his logic, but because of a very materialistic reason. A bee, lured by the scent of the flower, suddenly landed on Constellation Killer's fingernail.
-....
Constellation Killer observed the bee's wings for a long time and then slowly stroked it.
Sting!
The bee perceived the human's stroking as an attack and regurgitated its innards, stinging Constellation Killer's finger with its stinger.
The stinger of the insect, which did not entertain the concept of goodwill in this world, was venomous. The poison, cultivated within the insect all its life, infiltrated the flesh of Lefanta Aegim effectively.
That was all. The bee, having lost its only reason for existence, soon fell to the ground, trembling.
When stored inside, it didn't know, but after stinging once, the poison was a poison that only killed itself.
-....
Constellation Killer could have easily detoxified the minor creature's sting using his aura.
But he chose not to.
Merely observing the swelling flesh inflicted by the trivial, mortal insect's sting with his blue eyes.
-Indeed.
He had realized something.
-I should have a child.
Constellation Killer turned his head.
The place he was standing was a noble's garden.
Having been chosen by [Goddess of Protection] and becoming the supreme emperor of all, Lefanta Aegim, after abandoning the throne himself, had traveled through various worlds.
This time, by chance, he had stayed longer than expected in this world. Perhaps, he had taken a liking to this garden.
A nameless maid was working in the garden. The maid constantly shoveled the soil. It wasn't until Constellation Killer approached close that the maid sensed his presence and looked up.
-What brings you here?
The maid's eyes were red.
-Is there anything I can help you with, my lord?
The maid worked for a noble family that owed Constellation Killer a debt of gratitude. One of the children captured by constellations had been a young lady from this noble family. The family treated Constellation Killer as a noble, and the maid was very polite to him.
But that wasn't the only reason.
-I know you steal glances at me whenever you find the time.
-....
The maid's shoulders flinched.
With a cautious look, she assessed Constellation Killer's expression, but there was no sign of anger or reproach from him. Relieved, the maid shrugged her shoulders and exhaled, "Huh."
-Yes, I did take a few glances. Honestly, aren't you quite handsome?
-Do you like my face?
-If someone turns their head unwittingly upon seeing a piece of art while walking, it's not the passerby's fault, but the fault of the person who placed the art in the middle of the road.
The maid consistently argued that it was not her fault. However, Constellation Killer had another interest.
-I want to spend a night with you.
Clack.
The maid, who had been actively chattering, stopped in her tracks.
-...Eh?
-Only if you consent.
-Oh? Ehh. Oh? Uhmmm…?
The maid did not understand this situation.
-Um, excuse me. Just a moment, my lord. Do you perhaps have feelings for me? Gasp. Don't tell me, was every walk in the garden just a strategy to approach me…!?
-No. I don't mean that kind of feeling.
-....
The maid was confused by this situation.
-So then, why are you hitting on me now…?
-I have long wondered how to escape the path of becoming a constellation. No, I should say I have been contemplating how to maintain my humanity. But I am one who loses memories. Even if I try to remain human, I cannot.
The maid still did not understand the situation, nor did she grasp what Constellation Killer was saying. And Lefanta Aegim did not place much value on whether the other party understood or not.
In short, he continued nonchalantly.
-However, if I were to have a child, things might change. It would be the proof that I was once human. The evidence that I am human would clearly remain.
-Uh….
The maid cautiously began to speak.
-Um, I'm not sure if I understood correctly. Anyway, you want to leave behind evidence that you lived, so you're saying you want to spend, um, one night with me, is that correct?
-That's right.
-....
The maid seemed to have finally grasped the situation.
In other words, the person before her was a good-looking madman.
-Just a moment…. I'll think about it…
-Do that.
After putting down her shovel, the maid crossed her arms.
-...After all, you're a hero among heroes who saved this country. Hmm. It's a story that suggests turning one's life around by inheriting such a person's lineage. But looking at how you talk, it doesn't seem like you'd care much about the child, so this is entirely up to me… But I guess it's not bad to think of it as a kind of gamble…
The maid muttered endlessly to herself.
Glance.
The maid looked at Constellation Killer seriously, from head to toe. Then, suddenly, her gaze rested on Constellation Killer's hand. His finger was swollen from the bee sting.
-You got stung. Doesn't it hurt?
-No, it does hurt.
-Then why do you seem unaffected?
-Because I am not affected.
The maid tapped her chin, muttering to herself as if she had realized something, "Indeed…"
-You are alone.
What did that mean?
Before Constellation Killer could ponder the meaning, the maid quickly clicked her tongue.
-Fine. My lord. I will sleep with you.
The maid's red eyes looked up at Constellation Killer.
-But there's a condition.
-What is it?
-Please stay by my side until the child starts walking. Protect me and the child. And when the child is born, announce to the world that it is your offspring. If these conditions are too difficult, then I absolutely…
-Understood.
-…Er, I don't know if I should say this, but aren't you agreeing too easily? I thought I set the terms pretty high.
-Because they are easy conditions.
The maid looked at Constellation Killer with unease and then sighed.
-Alright, Mr. Madman. Then just wait until I finish my work today. These kids are suffering from spring sickness, so I need to take good care of them. -I will.
-So even a madman can be a hero…
The maid shook her head from side to side and picked up the shovel again. Thud. Thump. As she moved a pile of dirt at the corner of the garden, Constellation Killer finally spoke up.
-I still don't know your name. What is it?
-Ivansia.
The maid turned her head as she answered.
-I'm a commoner, so just a first name.
-Ivansia. That's my name. From a long time ago.
Red eyes reflected in the blue flowers.
2.
A total of 13 slaughter puppets charged at me simultaneously.
I was stronger than Constellation Killer. Definitely stronger. However, it was uncertain whether my strength would still apply when there were 13 Constellation Killers. To put it more bluntly, I was terrified.
Extremely terrified!
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
First Form.
Sword of Starvation.
It's common for warriors to unleash their most confident strike first when they are frightened. I did just that. I drew my treasured sword and lunged at the slaughter puppets.
"How about this!"
"Indeed, you are strong."
Swoosh-.
Blood sprayed everywhere. A slaughter puppet that got hit directly by my sword had its arm chopped off.
By slicing off 'his' right arm with a single strike, I undoubtedly demonstrated tremendous martial prowess. But who cares about my objective skill? It didn't matter at all. I was in a fight, and only the outcome of the fight mattered.
The enemy numbered 13, and naturally, each had two arms.
Meaning, I had only managed to reduce the enemy's total strength by 1/26.
"The fact that you might be stronger than me."
"I had already accounted for that."
The slaughter puppet that lost its right arm, and in addition, another doll attacked me from both sides. I created a sword wind and chopped off one leg and arm from each, but damn it. It was all useless.
Constellation Killer had planned not to block my attacks from the start!
Two Constellation Killers, one grabbed my right arm and the other my left. I screamed in horror.
"What the hell are you doing! Only Hamustra would be happy with this kind of situation!"
I gathered aura from all over my body trying to shake off the two Constellation Killers. I managed to shake one off. But as if it had been waiting, another slaughter puppet rushed in and firmly grabbed my arm.
"Just, wait a minute…."
Meanwhile, the remaining slaughter puppets were charging their swords with aura. A total of 9 dolls. Despite clones sticking to my body, they aimed their swords at me with utterly indifferent expressions.
A chill ran down my neck.
"Don't tell me, a suicide attack!?"
"I discard the memories of the past 30 days."
A flash engulfed me.
Kwaahaaah—–aaaah···aaaahaaaa······.
Initially, the explosion was unbearably loud, but it quickly turned into tinnitus ringing in my ears. Everything in front of me turned stark white.
Somehow, by plastering my whole body with aura like a barrier, I survived Constellation Killer's attack point-blank. My body was relatively unscathed.
However, the moment I regained my hearing and sight, the voice of the second Constellation Killer doll eerily resounded.
"I discard the memories of the past 30 days."
Flash,
My vision flickered.
Initially, there was no pain. That strike too had been withstood by my body. But the very next moment, whoosh! The veins coursing through my body began to scream in agony all at once.
The aura had been depleted to the extent of burning up my veins to block this strike. Rapidly.
"Damn it,"
A metallic taste of blood came from the gums around my teeth.
"Fuck...!"
"I discard the memories of the past 30 days."
The third doll said.
Constellation Killer's 30 days struck me once again.
"——–!!"
Intense pain surged throughout my body. Ever since becoming a Constellation, and after rising as the absolute champion in the Lion World, this was the first time my aura had been completely depleted.
My head was dizzy. I was gasping for air.
While my heart screamed in agony, I barely managed to maintain my existence.
The two slaughter puppets holding my arms were swept away by the recent strikes. I withstood them, but the dolls did not.
Unfortunately, it wasn't just the dolls that couldn't withstand the triple strike of Constellation Killer.
['The Snake Living in the Labyrinth' is annihilated.]
Crazy.
I almost spewed a lump of blood from my throat. Annihilated. To be Annihilated!
Hishmith Kritz was a top-tier constellation. He got caught up with me and his divinity weakened, but that didn't mean he was weak enough to be beaten down everywhere.
Yet, that guy just died from the flashes of light that Constellation Killer had fired.
And it didn't even end there.
"I discard the memories of the past 30 days."
Fourth strike.
['A Music Box Only for You' groans from a deep wound.]
['Goddess of Protection' screams at Hero-nim not to lose consciousness.]
No.
This is madness.
No joke, this is really, truly, insane.