Chapter 149: Episode 29 – Constellation Banquet (4)
Translator: Rainbow Turtle
Note: Changed Chalatustra to Zarathustra.
Yoo Jonghyuk was next and he enjoyed an unprecedented popularity. There was even some sound on the second floor when he came out. It felt like I heard the name ‘Eden’ so I didn’t know how to feel.
[Yoo Jonghyuuuuk―!]
[The best Supreme King!]
[Come into our nebula!]
There was a bit of time left until the Story Succession. I sat down on the first floor and watched for a while. I had to be wary of all constellations, regardless of whether they were upper or narrative-grade.
I wasn’t looking for reliable people. There was a reason Dionysus told me to trust no one. Thus, I wasn’t looking for someone ‘reliable’ but someone I could ‘use.’
“I…” Iris approached me and opened her mouth.
I could predict what she was going to say. I warned her first before she opened her mouth. “Don’t be hasty if you want to survive.”
“Yes, yes?” Iris’ blank face became astonished as she looked into the air.
[A few constellations are amazed by your judgment.]
[A few constellation have sponsored you 5,000 coins for the cider.]
There was a panel on the ceiling that zoomed in on Iris’ face. Iris blushed and the watching constellations chuckled. Iris muttered,
“A-All that was filmed?”
It was naive to think the channel would be turned off after entering the world of the constellations. Rather, the constellation’s eyes would’ve shone from the moment we came here as they watched our reactions.
Especially those on the second floor. Maybe the reaction of the constellations had almost reached the peak when they saw the confrontation between Iris and I in the waiting room.
However, I didn’t want to give them pleasure. As I said, I didn’t come here to play. At the very least, I didn’t want to look silly. “Do well next time, Kid.”
I patted Iris’ shoulder and got up. Once I moved, the constellations on the first floor reacted.
[Kim Dokja! Come here!]
All the constellations on the first floor were in the form of ‘symbols’ rather than humanoid or biological forms. It was hard for the upper grade constellations to handle the probability consumption so they saved on the consumption cost by streamlining their bodies into the simple symbols.
At first glance, I couldn’t see who was who. Then I saw a bamboo stick and straw and the golden crown of Silla.
“Bald General of Justice. And the other… Lady of the Brocade Sleep?”
[Ohh! You remember me!]
[That’s right. It has been a while.]
I found the constellations of the Korean Peninsula.
[I wanted to see you once but to think we would meet like this.]
The floating eye seemed to be the One-eyed Maitreya…
In addition, there was the symbolic body for the Last Hero of Hw.a.n.gsanbeol, King Heungmu the Great. There was Gyebaek…
[Kim Dokja.]
I looked back at the voice and saw a 100 won coin floating. 100 won? Who was the 100 won?
[It is good to meet you.]
“W-Who…?”
[I’m upset. You don’t recognise me?]
Wait. Who was the person on the 100 won coin?
“Admiral?”
I asked in a startled manner. My patriotism might be close to zero but I couldn’t help feeling emotional when I saw this person. The coin turned in the air, revealing the figure engraved on the front.
[It seems like you are using the stigma I gave you.]
“Thank you for that time.”
The Duke of Loyalty and Warfare, Yi Sunsin. The person who gave me the Song of the Sword was also invited to this banquet.
“By the way, why do you look like this?”
[…This appearance isn’t according to my will.]
I somehow understood what he meant. Speaking of which, the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare wasn’t the only one in the form of currency. I looked at the green paper on one side of the first floor and asked,
“Then perhaps that person is…?”
Yi Sunsin nodded.
[He is the founder of ‘Hangul.’ Do you know the big golden statue in Gw.a.n.ghwamun?]
I knew it. I couldn’t not know it. Yi Sunsin continued speaking,
[The symbolism is according to our most known symbols. Perhaps he is similar to me.]
I looked sadly towards the ‘Founder of Hangul.’ King Sejong was the 100 won note while Yi Sunsin was the 100 won coin. These great people were confined to currency and eventually these became their symbolic body.
Then a giggling sound came from the second floor. The constellations on the second floor all had ‘humanoid’ or at least living appearances.
Even the most famous people on the Korean Peninsula didn’t get a humanoid form. It was hard to imagine how strong these constellations were. I was really lucky to have only hunted Yamata no Orochi’s shadow.
At this moment, a constellation caught my eye. “Who is that constellation?”
[Who? Oh, that person?]
I noticed a person sitting on the landing between the first and second floors while drinking alcohol. He was armed with a long knife and maintained a humanoid figure instead of a symbol. No matter how I looked, he must be narrative-grade. Yet the pa.s.sing narrative-grade constellations were staring at him with contempt.
Samyeongdang interrupted. [Among the supper-grade constellations of the Korean Peninsula, there is no one above that person.]
“He is upper-grade?”
[You might say that he is the strongest upper-grade. It isn’t due to fame among later generations but a position he gained from the stories he acc.u.mulated.]
Certainly, if he had enough room to maintain a humanoid body then he wouldn’t be defeated by the narrative-grade constellations. As far as I knew, such a presence was only in China…
[Have you heard of Goryeo’s First Sword?’ I heard that it was revitalized recently.]
Goryeo’s First Sword.
“Don’t tell me…”
I realized that who he was. I wondered why I didn’t recognize him instantly. If this constellation was the greatest person on the Korean Peninsula then he should’ve been the first one to come to mind.
[Everyone leave!]
Then there was a disturbance on the stairs. Some constellations who came down from the second floor were coming this way. No one was able to face them.
Yi Sunsin sighed. […Your popularity is great. They want to take you to the second floor.]
Yoo Jonghyuk was already being led up to the second floor by someone. On the other hand, Iris remained on the first floor and looked at me with envious eyes. Perhaps the story she came to inherit was only from a upper-grade constellation.
[Please take care.]
As soon as I nodded, the symbol of a constellation appeared. The symbol was in the form of a reaper. I recognized who they were with one glance.
[The queen is looking for you.]
They were the judges of the Underworld. That reminded me, they were narrative-grade. Although they borrowed Persephone’s stories to maintain themselves…
I was heading up the stairs with them when someone on the landing spat.
[…You are pathetic. Fawning on the guys from the second floor.]
The judges became furious at the Goryeo’s First Sword’s words.
[Goryeo’s First Sword, what are you saying?]
[Do you want to die?]
The Goryeo’s First Sword rose from his seat at the judge’s remarks.
[I am ready to die at any time. Shall we fight?]
The symbolic body of Goryeo’s First Sword was bigger than I thought. No, maybe this feeling didn’t come from the size of the symbolic body. This was the size of the ‘status’ of the constellation.
[Don’t be a fool. Lowlife parasites who are barely attached to the end of a narrative.]
The awe-inspiring aura caused the attention of the first and second floor constellations to focus here. The judges seemed a bit embarra.s.sed but couldn’t retreat easily because of their pride.
The eyes of Goryeo’s First Sword shone. He seemed like he would take the lives of the three judges right away. He looked beyond them at the narrative-grade constellations acting like n.o.bles on the second floor.
[Olympus. Eden. Vedas… I don’t know why you came to such a small village but it would be nice if you didn’t leave your servants here.]
The atmosphere of the second floor became intense after his words. No matter how strong Goryeo’s First Sword was, they couldn’t endure the taunting of an upper-grade constellation. The moment that the banquet hall was going to be a fight among constellations…
[Stop―!]
A powerful true voice dominated the entire banquet hall and the atmosphere quickly sank.
[Judges, don’t do unnecessary things. And Goryeo’s First Sword, you shouldn’t be too rude.]
At the cool tone, the judges started guiding me again while Goryeo’s First Sword sat down with a disgruntled expression and started drinking.
I looked at the owner of the voice. As expected, it was the Queen of the Underworld.
Persephone’s strength wasn’t known but she was the wife of one of the three heads of Olympus for a reason. Perhaps among the narrative-grade constellations who came here today, Persephone was among the top.
[It’s been a while. Kim Dokja.]
The Persephone I met still looked like Yoo Sangah. She was truly a spiteful aunty.
“How are you?”
[You did something useless in Tartarus.]
“Haha…”
I shrugged and looked at the constellations around me. It was harder to tell who the constellations were when they had a humanoid body instead of symbolic body. A symbol could evoke the name of a constellation…
I could also see the Great Sage the Equal of Heaven sitting on the second floor. The Great Sage the Equal of Heaven looked at me for a moment before turning his head away.
…Was his personality originally like this?
After a bit more time, the arrangement of the second floor became familiar and I seemed to figure out the camps.
Olympus was based around the central Persephone, Vedas was in the west and those who weren’t in a nebula or were in small nebulaes were to the north, including Great Sage the Equal of Heaven…
Finally, it was easy to recognize Eden in the south. It was due to the wings. An incredibly beautiful angel winked lightly at me. She was an angel dressed like a demon in the black lace dress…
Wait a second. Like a demon? That’s right. Was she that angel?
I was suddenly curious. Maybe that constellation…
“Queen of the Underworld. I want to ask you something.”
[What is it?]
“Did the constellation called Secretive Plotter come here?”
[…Secretive Plotter?]
Persephone’s expression seemed strange for a moment. Then she shook her head.
[I don’t know. More than that, the Story Succession will soon begin. Have you made a decision? There are a few constellations who want to use your resurrection.]
“I’m still thinking.”
Of course, there were a few methods I thought of. However… Persephone seemed to read my thoughts.
[Perhaps you want to reject everyone. It has been like this the entire time.]
Indeed, this was a favourite statement in my channel. In fact, I wanted to choose this method.
[However, this choice isn’t right. It is because everyone will start a copyright dispute.]
“A copyright over a story?”
[They will claim it was their own. It’ll probably be quite painful.]
d.a.m.n, they were complete thugs.
“Are you telling me to choose Olympus?”
Persephone laughed.
[I’m not saying that. In fact, I hate those guys.]
As it said in Ways of Survival, Persephone had a rather hostile relations.h.i.+p with Olympus. In fact, the Olympus partic.i.p.ants at this banquet were only the ‘third generation.’ Despite this, the constellations of other nebulae were reluctant to approach.
Maybe Persephone… to be precise, they were on guard against ‘Hades.’ Thus, I was unwittingly protected by the Underworld. It might be fortunate that the first narrative-grade constellation I met was Persephone.
“Then Queen-nim what do you think I should choose. Vedas? Or will it be Eden? Perhaps a different nebula?”
Persephone shook her head.
[You will gain an enemy no matter who you choose. In addition, these enemies will be far stronger than any enemies you have ever met. As you can see, the ‘resurrection story’ forms the basis of the mythology of many nebulae. Accepting one story sometimes means denying another.]
Persephone licked her lips like she had delicious steak in front of her. Maybe the queen was enjoying this situation. I felt a bit annoyed as I asked her, “…Then what do you want to say?”
[I just wanted to share my thoughts. Think about it. Is it a problem of turning them into an enemy?]
It wasn’t a problem of turning them into an enemy?
Finally, a dokkaebi went to the stage and opened his mouth.
-From now on, the Story Succession will begin!