A king who was both revered and feared. A scholar who mastered knowledge and power, yet fell because of his own pride.
That duality was perfectly captured in the modifier. This constellation wasn't just about raw strength. It offered knowledge, magic, and overwhelming potential for growth.
But that power came with a cost.
Constellations like this didn't just lend strength; they influenced their incarnations. Pride would seep into me slowly over time. My decisions would become crueller, and the line between my will and his would blur over time.
It wasn't immediate corruption. It was gradual, almost unnoticeable, until it was too late to separate the two.
It was tempting, but dangerous in a way that couldn't be easily measured.
I shifted my gaze to the third option.
[Forgotten Shore]
Unlike the others, this one gave me nothing to work with. There was no clear mythology, no obvious hint, no defining trait that could be traced back to something I already knew. Just two words.
It sounded like a place rather than a being. Something abandoned, something left behind, or something that existed on the boundary between two states.
The simplicity of it felt intentional, but if I was being honest, it didn't sound powerful at all.
I searched my memory, trying to recall if this name had ever appeared before. And I found nothing.
That alone was enough to raise a red flag. Either this constellation was extremely obscure or pitifully weak. Neither possibility was something that made me want to choose him as my supporter.
I couldn't evaluate him properly, and that made it the most unpredictable choice out of all four.
Finally, my eyes moved to the last option.
[Amused Prankster]
This one didn't need much thought.
An image came to mind instantly. A smiling face with sharp eyes filled with mischief, and a presence that treated everything like a game.
Loki.
Among all constellations, he was one of the hardest to deal with. Not because he was overwhelmingly powerful, but because he was unpredictable. He didn't care about righteousness, strength, or even logic. What mattered to him was entertainment.
If something was boring, he lost interest. If something was interesting, he would push it further, regardless of the consequences.
Choosing him meant giving up stability. It meant stepping into a path where outcomes couldn't be easily predicted. But it also meant freedom. He wouldn't bind me with strict rules of [Justice] like Athena, nor would he try to slowly shape me into something else like Ravana.
He would simply watch and tempt me to cause more chaos.
I stared at the screen for a few seconds, weighing the options one last time.
Athena offered stability but demanded obedience.
Ravana offered power but risked losing myself in the process.
Forgotten Shore offered nothing I could understand.
And Loki… Loki offered freedom and stable support without harsh demands like the first two.
[There is one minute left to complete the Sponsor Selection.]
Time was running out.
***
[The Sponsor Selection has ended.]
I exhaled slowly as the system messages began to appear one after another.
[Some constellations are greatly affected by your choice.]
That was expected. Rejecting a constellation wasn't something that could be brushed off. To them, it wasn't a passive decision. It was a clear refusal.
[The constellation 'Spokeswoman of Justice' is disappointed in your decision.]
[She will continue to observe your actions.]
Athena's reaction was exactly what I had predicted. There was no anger, no hostility, just quiet disappointment.
A being like her didn't need to express emotion loudly. If anything, this was worse. It meant I had placed myself under her scrutiny without gaining anything in return.
From now on, every action I took would be measured against her sense of justice. I did not doubt that her standards would not be easy to satisfy.
The next message appeared without delay.
[The constellation 'Ten-Headed Saint-Like Demon' is displeased by your decision.]
[His pride has been slightly wounded.]
That reaction made far more sense. Ravana was not the type of being who would find rejection amusing.
He was a king, a conqueror, someone whose pride defined his very existence. To be refused was not something he would simply brush aside.
The fact that his reaction was limited to displeasure meant I hadn't crossed a line yet. It wasn't anger yet. But it was enough to leave a mark.
A being like him wouldn't forget something like this.
He wouldn't act immediately, and that was what made it worse. Instead of reacting now, he would hold a grudge for a long time. And if I ever needed his help in the future, this decision would not be ignored.
I had already drawn his attention. And attention from someone like Ravana was never something you could take lightly.
[The constellation 'Forgotten Shore' is silent.]
There was no additional line and no reaction. What followed was a quiet silence.
For a brief moment, I wondered if the system had failed to display something, but that thought quickly disappeared.
Every other constellation had responded. Even indifference would have been shown in some form. This was different. It felt less like indifference and more like… absence. As if my choice had already been accounted for, or perhaps had never mattered in the first place.
I looked away from the message. There was no point trying to understand it now.
The final notification appeared.
[The constellation 'Amused Prankster' bursts into laughter.]
[The constellation finds your decision extremely entertaining.]
[100 coins have been sponsored.]
That was the most predictable reaction of all. Loki didn't care whether I chose him or not. If anything, rejecting all sponsors was probably more interesting to him than accepting one. He wasn't looking for loyalty or strength. He was looking for something worth watching.
And right now, I had given him exactly that.
[You have not selected a sponsor.]
[You will proceed without a sponsor.]
This was the path I had chosen.
Most people would never consider it. A sponsor meant power, stability, and a clear direction for growth. Without one, I would be left with nothing but my own abilities and whatever I could obtain on my own.
Even I was tempted to choose a sponsor for a brief while. Athena, Ravana, and Loki were some great choices. But the places I wanted to reach, I didn't know if they would be enough.
I slowly lifted my head.
If my memories were correct, there was another way forward. It was inefficient and far more dangerous, but it didn't rely on anyone else. It didn't bind me to someone else's expectations.
It was my own path.
A familiar voice echoed through the carriage.
{Haha… this is interesting.}
{Refusing all sponsors at the first selection… this is rare.}
{Well, it doesn't matter. There will be other chances. Or perhaps there won't.}
There was a hint of curiosity in his tone, but it didn't last long. It was as if the outcome didn't concern him at all.
{Everyone has completed their selection. You now have 10 minutes before the next scenario begins. Use your time wisely.}
With that, he disappeared again.
Ten minutes wasn't much, but it was enough to prepare, if I used it properly.