[A few Constellations are bored with the current situation due to the trite cliché.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Evil alignment disapprove of your path but are satisfied with your cruelty.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment frown at your hypocrisy but nod in their own way at the result of your actions.]
[The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband', grumbles asking why there are so many words.]
[The Constellation, 'Secretive Plotter', looks at you with a meaningful expression.]
[The Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', looks at your battle with sparkling eyes.]
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', sighs in relief at your merciful action.]
[You have been sponsored 12,000 Coins.]
….
Prisoner of the Golden Headband…, was it? As that Constellation said, why are there so many words.
Well, what does it matter.
I received a whopping 12,000 Coins in sponsorship.
"I, in an instant…."
"…."
And I met this child who was the main point in the first place.
"…You, what is your name?"
"M, me…?"
"Who else is here besides you."
"…."
The moment I said it, I wondered if I spoke too harshly.
My head started to ache, wondering if she would run away like just now and if I should urgently stop her, but.
"…I'm Shin Yoosung."
The child in front of me no longer trembled while looking at me.
She didn't seem scared, nor did she seem to have any intention of running away.
What is it? Don't tell me it's because I saved her from those guys?
But normally, would someone show this kind of reaction after seeing a person kill so cruelly right in front of their eyes?
"O, Oppa, what is your name…?"
Just when various thoughts were filling my head.
The brat in front of me…, I mean Shin Yoosung, clasped her two hands tightly and spoke to me.
Hands trembling. It can't be that she suddenly became scared of me, so is she nervous?
…Well, since she could end up in that state too, she has no choice but to be nervous.
"Kang Yuhyeon."
"Kang Yuhyeon…, that's a good name…!!"
A good, name….
I had never thought that way even once.
I don't know if my biological father named me, or the director named me, or if the orphanage teachers just voted and named me randomly, but I didn't like my name very much. To the point where I once made up my mind to change it someday.
'Yu' (遺) meaning 'to leave behind' and 'Hyeon' (玄) meaning 'black/dark'. Isn't the meaning of the name strange from the start?
"…."
Therefore, I thought this brat in front of me was simply 'flattering' me to make me feel better.
However.
"…Do you truly think so?"
"Yes? Ah, yes…."
I was momentarily flustered because the brat in front of me didn't look like she was lying.
Then she really…, thinks this strange name is good?
"Strange brat."
"…Yes?"
"No, just nonsense."
The brat tilting her head in confusion.
Watching that, I averted my gaze slightly.
I don't know why I averted it either.
"T, then I'll try my best…!!"
"…Okay."
A spooky abandoned house that looks like it's about to collapse soon.
Me and the brat called Shin Yoosung took our respective places there.
I slumped down on the floor leaning against the wall, and that brat held one of the weapons the trash guys had, wearing a quite nervous expression.
"…."
I close my eyes and prepare to sleep.
And Shin Yoosung holds the weapon and stands guard.
…You might ask what I'm doing to this brat who is only about 10 years old, but honestly speaking, even though I received a restriction…, I mean an Existence Pledge from that brat, I wasn't quite comfortable with this either.
[Sub Scenario - Survival Activity]
[Category: Sub]
[Difficulty: C+]
[Clear Condition: Survive for 10 days in the ruined city. You must eat three meals a day, and get at least 6 hours of sufficient sleep per day. Do not forget to pay 500 Coins for daily survival expenses before going to sleep every night. If you violate any of the three, you will receive a clear penalty.]
[Duration: 10 days]
[Reward: None]
[Failure: Death]
*This scenario is subject to the [Coin Event].
*All monster species appearing in the scenario have a certain probability of dropping Coins.
If it weren't for this damn scenario.
"Oppa, are you sleeping…?"
"…Not yet. I'll sleep soon, so be quiet."
"Ah, yup…!!"
Paying 500 Coins every day, being forced to sleep semi-compulsorily for more than 6 hours, and receiving a clear penalty if I don't eat three meals a day.
And there's not even a reward?
Anyway, Dokkaebi bastards, there isn't a single thing I like about them.
Why on earth did they create such a scenario.
"…."
Like that, I kept my eyes closed while complaining for a long time.
Far from falling asleep, I didn't even feel sleepy.
That was partly because, without realizing it, I had adapted to the perished world where one shouldn't sleep easily in such a place.
"…If I show you, will you accept me as a companion?"
"…Gulp! Phew…, I'm Ha Seo-yeon. Please take care of me!"
"Maybe because it's still early, our King of Curses is more naive than I thought. Well, I'll answer your question. That Seo-yeon-ssi you are thinking of? I didn't do anything to that person. Didn't kidnap her, and didn't kill her either."
"Because that Seo-yeon-ssi is me. No, to be precise, she is one of 'my' Avatars."
It must also be because the trace of 'companion' she left very clearly remained intensely.
To the point where I'm on edge in front of that brat who can't do anything foolish to me because of the Existence Pledge anyway, and whom I can beat with just a single finger even if she did.
"Phew…. C, can I do it well…? I should do well…."
….
What is she so nervous about.
When I opened my eyes slightly to see what was going on, Shin Yoosung looking around with a stiff expression while tightly gripping the weapon in her hand caught my eye.
But, that appearance was like.
"…Kuh."
"…!!!"
Like a red panda threatening that I saw on a phone once, so I ended up smirking without realizing it.
"T, O, Oppa…!! I think someone came…!!"
"…No, no one came. So go back to the entrance and stand guard."
"…Yes."
Shin Yoosung tilts her head momentarily wondering if it was her mistake, but soon moves her feet trudgingly.
Seeing that, I felt like laughing again but barely held it back.
…This, it's a big problem whether I can fall asleep.
-…Ppa.
-…Oppa.
"…Oppa!"
"…!!!"
At the voice heard instantly, I sprang up and hurriedly took a combat stance.
What is it? Whose attack, from where?
I scanned the surroundings thoroughly and forcibly squeezed out Cursed Energy to read the presence of the entire building.
Like that, after staying in that state for a while.
[A majority of Constellations hold back their laughter at your foolish aspect.]
[The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband', holds his belly and laughs madly.]
[The Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', covers his mouth and holds back his laughter.]
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', wipes away the tears shed from laughing.]
[The Constellation, 'Secretive Plotter', looks at your appearance and shakes his head.]
Messages from Constellations began to ring like crazy.
…Wait, why are these guys all in this state?
"…Ku, kuku…, kuhu-hup…."
"…Shin Yoosung?"
….
And why is she acting like that too.
"T, that is…, pfft. Ku, kuhu…. O, Oppa. That, the reason I woke you up wasn't because people came, but because time is up…."
Instantly, Shin Yoosung's voice flowed into my eardrums and went through the procedure of understanding in my brain.
…So, not because of an attack, but she did it to wake me up. I thought I just blinked my eyes for a moment, but it's because 6 hours have already passed…?
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', laughs out loud looking at you.]
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', doesn't stop laughing, saying you put on all sorts of airs but even snored.]
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire'—]
"…Rotten."
-Whoosh…!!
I turned off the messages right then.
Lousy Constellations, I dislike them as much as Dokkaebis.
Especially that Demonic Judge of Fire. That guy is unluckier than a Dokkaebi. If I ever see him someday, I will break his face with full power.
Well, because of the modifier 'Demonic', the original face probably doesn't look that great either.
"…Tch."
I ruffled my hair vigorously and stood up from the spot.
And headed towards the entrance—
"W, where are you going, Oppa…?"
"…?"
—Could not.
Because Shin Yoosung, who was holding her belly just moments ago, hurriedly grabbed my collar.
"What do you mean where am I going? Since my business is done, I plan to go earn Coins."
"T, then let's go together…!!"
"…Me? Why should I."
"…!?"
Shin Yoosung's face instantly dyed with shock.
What? Why on earth is she making such an expression?
"B, but…!!"
"But what. The validity period of the Existence Pledge you made yesterday was until 6 hours from that time. And in the first place, I didn't come to meet you to protect you. I just came to hand over the blanket you dropped."
"…."
[Several Constellations criticize you.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Evil alignment look at you with interest.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment click their tongues, saying they knew it would be like this.]
….
I wish they would shut up a bit.
"T, then please accept me as a companion!"
-Flinch.
My body flinches instantly at the word 'companion'.
Unknown unpleasant sensations, those sensations even crawled up slowly from the lower part of my body.
"Why should I. Trusting what of yours?"
"…I, I will definitely be helpful!"
"I don't want anything from you. Everything is either already with me, or things I can obtain."
"T, then like this time, standing guard…."
"This time was a special case. I'll take care of it myself so that such things don't happen for the next 9 days, so there's no need for something like standing guard."
[A majority of Constellations are disappointed by your remark.]
[Several Constellations understand your hidden meaning and nod.]
Shin Yoosung dropping her head low.
At that sight, a corner of my heart ached faintly for a moment, but my thought remains unchanged.
…Giving her a few thousand Coins appropriately should be enough.
-Fwoosh—!!
—It was the moment I thought so.
"…Hey! You, what are you doing right now…!!"
Shin Yoosung, who was bowing her head low just moments ago.
That child began to be engulfed in blue flames.
"I swear."
It wasn't an enemy attack from another person.
This was…, the same kind of flame as when she made the Existence Pledge yesterday.
"I, I will not betray Oppa until I die! This is enough, right!?"
-Fwoosh…!!
The flames gradually die down.
Feeling dizzy at that sight, I grabbed my head.
"…Ha."
Shin Yoosung.
I thought she was a bothersome brat.
This, she was a much more troublesome fellow than I thought.
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