Ch-155
—
“Where is Isabella right now?”
“She left for the Dersián family.”
“For the Dersián family? Both of them?”
“Yes.”
At Isaac’s answer, a sharp throb pierced my head.
If Isabella headed there, would she even be able to return alive?
She had already been tormented by memories of her past.
Even though she must be convinced she had been abandoned, why did she insist on heading to Dersián?
At that moment, Isaac spoke.
“She said there was something she had to reclaim.”
“Something she has to reclaim?”
“I’m not exactly sure what it is. But… she left with a terribly distressed expression.”
Of course she would be in agony.
To return to the place that abandoned her—together with the woman who replaced her.
Even so, what could be so important that she had to go back?
And she had only just reclaimed her place as the Queen of the Desert.
This meant something even more important existed.
“Then what about you, Isaac? If you remembered your past like Isabella, staying here shouldn’t be easy.”
“The contract term hasn’t ended yet, has it?”
“That alone? Weren’t you suspicious of me?”
“…Lord Randolph is the one who pulled me out into the world and erased my evil deeds. Not once have I doubted you. It’s just… I believed there must be another reason.”
“You know everything—that I hired the two of you suffering from ‘Divine Sickness,’ and that I never doubted you despite not being a Star-bearer?”
Better to lay this out clearly.
Leave it vague, and suspicion would eventually explode like a bomb.
Isaac hesitated before replying.
“The Star-bearer said that although you are not a formal Star-bearer, you are a being beyond that—‘the One Who Guides the Stars.’”
“The One Who Guides the Stars, huh.”
“I apologize. My emotions were running high earlier…”
“No need to worry.”
It was not that trust had been erased.
Rather, he now had even deeper trust.
Isaac’s anger came from believing I had arranged the meeting between Isabella and the Dersián young lady.
Isabella, who already seldom expresses emotion, had shown a face so anguished that even Isaac said she “looked in terrible pain.” That meant her heart must have been hurting enough to make her keel over.
He had watched that from beside her—no wonder he was angry.
Isaac continued.
“And… Isabella said she saw the face of the person who manipulated her. But what I saw was different.”
Different?
It seemed that transcending didn’t show only memories.
Isabella had seen my face from Earth.
And Isaac—
“…I heard his name. Park Hyun-myung… those three syllables.”
Thud!
At the same time, I felt as though my heart had dropped.
*
*
‘…When transcending, fragments of the gamer’s information become known.’
Isaac had learned that the person who controlled him bore the name “Park Hyun-myung.”
Isabella had seen my face from Earth, so piece by piece, my personal information was coming to light.
Right now, it was limited to my Earth identity, but eventually they might discover that Randolph of Pangaenia was none other than Park Hyun-myung.
It was possible they had already connected the dots to some degree.
‘I even had a character in the Empire.’
The one in the Reaper Cult wearing the silver fox mask.
I had confirmed with my own eyes that the character—presumably “Thunder God’s Descent”—was in the Empire.
If they pooled their information, it would take no time at all to reach the truth.
‘The Reaper Cult is gathering those afflicted with Divine Sickness. To make them transcend, and use them to locate the gamers.’
I slowly stroked my chin.
This was likely the reason the Reaper Cult found those with Divine Sickness, inducted them, and made them transcend.
To find the gamer’s Pangaenia avatar and judge them—or worse.
Whatever the case, there was only one thing I could do.
‘…I must become strong enough to prepare for any situation.’
Stronger than Wilhelm.
If I settled for Wilhelm’s level, I would never see the true end.
To stand flawlessly above this damned world, I had to surpass Wilhelm.
No—surpass him to the point of overwhelming him entirely.
To do that, I opened the Golden Scale Shop.
《‘Golden Scale Shop’ has been updated.》
《Current Golden Scale Fragments held by user ‘Randolph’: 3,160h》
3,160 hours!
The Golden Scale fragments had ballooned to a ridiculous amount.
I had held fragments in the triple digits, but never over three thousand hours.
Even if I had cleared Lord Solbaren’s raid overwhelmingly, these numbers were impossible.
Yet one existence had made this possible.
《The ‘Constellation of the Most Radiant Hero’ formally subscribes to you.》
《As Randolph’s official subscription fee, ‘Golden Scale Fragment (700h)’ for 100 days has been allocated.》
《Payment has been completed.》
《The ‘Constellation of the Most Radiant Hero’ begins their first subscription to ‘Randolph.’》
《The ‘Constellation of the Most Radiant Hero’ proposes a contract regarding ‘Exclusive Rights to Your Story.’》
《If accepted, Randolph’s story will be viewable only by the ‘Most Radiant Hero,’ and additional sponsorship will be provided accordingly.》
《This contract cannot be nullified by the ‘Supreme Winter.’》
A type of contract I had never seen.
The “Constellation of the Most Radiant Hero.”
He had personally extended the offer.
But something was strange.
Originally, he had been the “Radiant Hero”—who had lost his existence and left behind a sole Supreme-tier relic.
He had poured all his being into guiding the path.
I thought he had vanished—but now he had returned as the “Most Radiant Hero” and begun watching me again.
And now he offered me a contract, showing deep interest.
‘I’m still not certain if he’s the same Constellation as before.’
But the contract wasn’t fully concluded.
The terms were so unbelievable that not accepting would be the strange choice.
However, I couldn’t be certain that the Most Radiant Hero was truly the figure I knew.
Without certainty, I couldn’t rashly accept the deal.
Even so, he had offered a tremendous amount of Golden Scale Fragments without hesitation.
Simply under the name of a “subscription.”
“A subscription, huh. A function that allows him to observe me without losing existence?”
700 hours of fragments for 100 days.
Seven hours per day.
A quantity other constellations wouldn’t dare to dream of.
His rank had clearly risen beyond what it once was.
‘Well, I can’t refuse something freely given.’
I let out a faint laugh.
Suspicious though it was, there was no need to reject fragments given without conditions.
‘Shopping time, then.’
Shopping is always delightful, after all.
With this many fragments, there was nothing I wouldn’t be able to buy!
Truth-seeking, Dimensional Comprehension
The Star of the Beheaded.
When he obtained it and transcended, Isaac saw them.
Countless memories, stretching from the distant past to the present.
Scenes of someone else controlling his body—using him like a puppet, committing all sorts of acts without hesitation.
He saw everything, unfiltered.
‘I really thought all of that was done by me.’
Isaac had several missing years in his memory.
When he awoke again, he only heard from others what he had supposedly done.
At first he thought it was nonsense, but when ten people, a hundred people said the same things, he had no choice but to believe.
And then ambushes came out of nowhere, strangers cursed at him as if he were their lifelong enemy…
In the end, Isaac accepted that “I did all of that,” and kept running until he reached Cramdel.
‘To think it wasn’t actually me.’
So the first emotion he felt was relief.
If he had committed those acts under manipulation, then sympathy was possible.
But that relief quickly turned to rage.
—Park Hyun-myung. Park Hyun-myung… Park Hyun-myung…
The name of the manipulator echoed like a reverberation.
Park Hyun-myung. Isaac carved those three syllables deep into his mind.
So he would never forget.
‘I will slit your throat.’
For revenge.
He then learned many things from the Star-bearer.
About the “players” called sinners, and how they possessed the bodies of this world’s people, disturbing its order.
Isaac, being one afflicted with Divine Sickness, had recalled a player’s memories for that reason.
—The being from another world who controlled you still remains in Pangaenia. Inside someone else’s body, repeating the same things you suffered.
The one who controlled him was controlling another human?
Then that bastard was truly the scum of scum.
And if the manipulator was inside another body, he would know Isaac’s lost years in detail.
Things no one could possibly know.
‘The person who tracked me down in Cramdel, who knew my identity perfectly.’
There had been exactly one person who knew everything—his location, his identity, even his past—things he had never told anyone.
If that person were the ‘Puppeteer,’ then everything would make sense.
‘…Sir Randolph.’
Randolph.
The man who had hired him for a full year while searching for him—he had known everything.
He had called himself a Star-bearer, and true to that claim, a path always appeared wherever he went.
As though he knew the future, there was always an answer waiting in every place he stepped into.
The unfathomable legendary achievements he forged in the Cramdel Tower of Mysteries, and the countless unbelievable feats that followed.
He roared alone against the world to such an extent that it was puzzling why he even bothered to hire Isaac.
—Randolph? That name does not exist on the Star-bearer Registry.
Later, the Star-bearer proved Randolph’s lie by showing him the official list.
Randolph was not a Star-bearer.
He had deceived him from the very beginning.
But then—
—However, if the ‘Randolph’ you speak of is the ‘Successor of Stars,’ then he is a being ranked one level above us Star-bearers. For he is the Successor who leads all ‘stars.’
He had said Randolph was not a Star-bearer, but rather a Successor of Stars.
‘Did he call himself a Star-bearer simply because “Successor of Stars” was unfamiliar?’
That was possible.
If he had introduced himself as a “Successor of Stars” at their first meeting, he might have thought him insane.
—A “Successor of Stars” can read the memories of every ‘star.’ It is possible that your story was mixed within a star.
Could that really be true?
No—Randolph couldn’t possibly be the Puppeteer. He couldn’t possibly be the ‘Criminal.’
Randolph was no criminal. He couldn’t be.
The way he faced Pangaenia was genuine.
That was why Isaac accepted it.
Randolph’s bizarre actions and impossible feats were jaw-dropping, but he had never once doubted the sincerity of the ‘kindness’ Randolph had shown him.
‘Sir Randolph pulled me out of Cramdel.’
Back then, the situation had been hopeless.
A life lived among monsters.
If his human identity were discovered, he would be killed on the spot—life on the edge of a cliff.
Every day had been hell.
Randolph had not only rescued him from that place, but had erased his ‘sins’ and allowed him to live the life of a normal man.
If he had never met Randolph, Isaac would still be trapped in the swamp of Cramdel.
‘Sir Randolph is a benefactor I must repay, no matter what.’
Yes. That was why Randolph could never be the Puppeteer.
He could never, ever be the ‘Criminal.’
The one he ought to hate was undoubtedly walking the streets somewhere else even now.
‘I will find you, damn Puppeteer.’
Isaac clenched his fist tightly.
*
*
《You possess 3,160h worth of usable Golden Scale fragments.》
《You may exchange them for one item from the list below by using a ‘Complete Golden Scale.’》
《As the 1st place holder in the Hall of Fame, you are guaranteed 10 items in the list.》
《A refreshed list is materializing.》
…
《Alchemist’s Special “Giant’s Potion” — 200h (Remaining stock: 1)》
《Talisman of a Corrupted Believer — 500h (Remaining stock: 1)》
《Brainworm Collector of the Wormcaster — 300h (Remaining stock: 1)》
《Fang of the White King — 1,000h (Remaining stock: 1)》
《Worn Wish-Orb of the Dragon God — 1,500h (Remaining stock: 1)》
《Cursed Black Grimoire of Eldritch — 600h (Remaining stock: 1)》
《Mystery “Giant’s Radiance” — 500h (Remaining stock: 1)》
《Corrupted Crystal — 500h (Remaining stock: 3)》
《Gem of Glory — 500h (Remaining stock: 2)》
《Core of a Mad Claw Mark — 100h (Remaining stock: 2)》
Ten items in total.
Seeing them, I gave a small nod.
There was one item each belonging to the Master, the Black Paladin, and the Wormcaster.
‘Giant’s Potion. So that’s what transformed the Master into a giant.’
It was an item I had never seen before.
It seemed to be the Master’s hidden trump card.
The Talisman of a Corrupted Believer clearly did not suit me.
A man with no faith whatsoever would get no effect from such a talisman.
‘A bug collector… used to harvest insects for wormification?’
Likewise, it was not particularly interesting unless one specialized in insects.
‘The Fang of the White King is still here.’
It still remained in the updated shop.
I was still undecided whether to buy it or not.
Judging by the wound on the Great Earth Dragon, it had been struck by an enormous sword.
Sword aura—perhaps even sword force beyond that.
The only swordmaster who came to mind who could push that monster so far was Raktusha.
‘Only the White King can counter the Black King.’
With both the Earth Dragon and the Death King defeated,
the next target could very well be me, one of the Five Pillars.
But I was still not enough to face the Black King alone.
To keep the Black King in check, the White King had to grow stronger.
Still, giving it away for free was out of the question.
“Hm.”
Everything below it was also quite useful.
After deliberating for a long time, I chose the items to purchase.
《Purchased Alchemist’s Special “Giant’s Potion” for 200h.》
《Purchased the Worn Wish-Orb of the Dragon God for 1,500h.》
《Purchased two “Core of a Mad Claw Mark” for 200h.》
《Purchased Eldritch’s Cursed Black Grimoire for 600h.》
《Remaining Golden Scale fragments: 660h.》
That was enough for now.
I had purchased a total of four items.
I could buy two more using a Complete Golden Scale, but there was nothing worth using it on yet.
—
