Otherworld Constellation Gallery Chapter 35

Otherworld Constellation Gallery 

Chapter 35

“Alright, before we move, let’s grab some armor first.” 

“Armor?”

In response to Ha-rin’s question, I gestured toward the armor. Or more precisely, toward the crazy hard monster carcass.

“This exoskeleton here. Someone like you could make a masterpiece out of this.” 

“Ah! Yes!”

Her eyes suddenly lit up. Kang Ha-rin looked at the exoskeleton with a researcher’s gaze, as if something had just occurred to her. 

She seemed quite serious as she touched the shell, checking the texture of the material.

Soon the carcass disappeared from her hands. Watching this, Tulip tilted her head curiously.

“But if we can store carcasses like this, why was the ghoul’s tooth separate?” 

“Good point.” 

“I wonder if teeth that come in this way are different from teeth that can be extracted from high-grade ghoul corpses?”

Tulip might be right. Even in the Constellation Gallery, I’ve only seen information that when attacked by a high-grade ghoul, ‘bleeding doesn’t stop.’

“Well, that’s not important right now. If everyone’s ready, get in the car.” 

“What?”

Tulip and Kang Ha-rin spoke in unison with wide eyes.

“We’re going in that?” 

“Of course.” 

“Mister, that’s serious safety negligence.” 

“That’s right, Ju-han.” 

“What are you talking about? Even though it looks like that, it’s still perfectly…”

BOOM!!

“Kyaak!” “…”

Everyone except me flinched simultaneously.

‘Ah, wait, the car key.’

I got out in such a hurry that I didn’t take it out. The car key that I created through sheer determination…

“Tulip, can you get the car key out for me?” 

“What? From there?”

CRACKLE- CRACKLE-

The sound of a bonfire was coming from the vehicle. With flames blazing vigorously as a bonus.

“You can do it. I know you. I trust you.”

Tulip had a face that said, ‘What crazy nonsense is this guy saying?’

[Title: First Hunter is insane LOLOLOLOLOL] A guy who cares more about car keys than his companions getting burned LOLOL Just crazy about gold LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.

ㄴ Don’t they have immunity anyway? 

ㄴ Nope.

ㄴ Tulip headed for mysterious sweet potato fate LOLOLOLOL.

ㄴ Ah meat tastes better grilled LOLOL.

ㄴ You guys are terrible LOLOLOLOLOL.

[Title: Yes, my Incarnation can do it] Indeed,First Hunter recognizes her potential. No, it’s not just potential. It’s simply what’s natural. But it takes time to awaken to it. First Hunter is doing that for her. My choice to make First Hunter’s companion my Incarnation was indeed correct.

ㄴ Shut up!

ㄴ This guy always bitches at every opportunity I’m blocking you.

ㄴ Worthless bastard.

ㄴ PinkuPojjak) Comments are full of insecurity bundles~ How sad~ 

ㄴ Oh shit… another troll…

DING! 

[‘The One Who Smiles in the Red Twilight’ has sponsored ‘2,000 gold’.]

What the. If they’re willing to sponsor that much, then I must be right. If the information I found is correct, if that guy isn’t lying, then Tulip can definitely do this.

“Tulip, what I mean is…” 

“Ju-han, is this what you’re talking about?”

Kang Ha-rin interrupted me, holding the car key in her hand.

“What? Did you make another one?” 

“No! When we got out of the car, I pulled it out and kept it!” 

“Hell yeah! Good job!”

I found myself grinning widely before my expression stiffened.

 I felt a bit embarrassed about the inhumane request I had made to Tulip, asking her to rummage through a fire pit.

“Mister… that’s too much… Even though I said I’d risk my life, to do it this way…” 

“No, no. You’re strong against fire, okay? Not just strong, you’re completely fine with it. It’s just a feeling I have.” 

“What kind of logic is that?” 

“When I read your contract, there was a constellation that gave me a hunch.”

To be precise, it wasn’t the contract but the Constellation Gallery.

“It’s not certain yet… We haven’t even tested it…” 

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay… If you really want me to, I could jump into the flames… sincerely…” 

“…”

As an awkward silence fell, The man beside us broke the silence even more awkwardly.

“Um… we don’t necessarily have to go by car. It’s not that far from here.”

***

“We’re almost there.”

When we entered the alley, desperate screams could be heard.

“Brother! Don’t do it!” 

“You all go inside!”

At that sound, the man guiding us ran hurriedly. His steps were like throwing himself forward in a panic. Desperation emanated from his entire body.

‘…What’s going on?’

I instinctively ran after him.

 Tulip and Kang Ha-rin followed me.

And finally, at the moment the view cleared, I stopped in my tracks.

There were familiar beings and unfamiliar beings together. The truly ridiculous thing was that the familiar one was a monster, and the unfamiliar ones were humans. Children confronting a Craftlae.

One of them seemed to be around my age. More precisely, my age in my previous life.

The young man was tensed up, glaring at the monster. A posture ready to attack at any moment. However, he had nothing that could be considered a weapon in his hand.

At that moment, some of the children’s gazes turned toward us. And as soon as they spotted the man who came with us, they cried out to him.

“Director!”

Ah, so he was an orphanage director. 

The director, seeming to have already realized the seriousness of the situation, shouted urgently.

“Why are you all out here!” 

“The monster was trying to destroy this place, and brother said he’d stop it!” 

“Oh my, Do-han! You shouldn’t do that! Get inside quickly!” 

“If we go in! This bastard will just knock it down and we’ll be crushed!”

“…What?” 

“Even if we don’t get crushed, we’ll still lose our place to live!”

I drew in a breath. The children’s desperate cries. Sweat formed on my palms.

Just then, I felt a touch on my wrist. It was Tulip. She silently looked at me.

That look alone was enough to understand. What She wanted to say. What she was hoping for. I gripped my war hammer firmly.

“…Huff.”

This time will be much easier. I took a light breath and stepped on the ground.

BOOM! BOOM! 

CRACK!

The monster’s shell shattered. 

Still I didn’t stop, hitting it again and again.

CRUNCH! CRACK! SMASH!

DING!

[Craftlae (Intermediate) Defeat Reward: 150G]

It was instantaneous. Once I knew the trick, it was definitely easier. Almost embarrassing how I’d been stabbing it with a sword earlier.

“WOOOOOOOW!!!”

Suddenly the children’s cheers erupted.

“Amazing! Did you see that?!” 

“Like Superman!” 

“No! Lightning Man! He really went BOOM! and took it down in one hit!”

The children’s eyes sparkle as they look at me. 

That bright gaze gave me a strange feeling.

‘Are these the same kids who were just facing a monster?’

Well, compared to ghouls, it doesn’t even look like a monster. More like an oversized crustacean. Still, they must have been quite scared.

As I hesitated, trying to form an awkward smile, I noticed one particularly quiet kid among them. 

Do-han, was it? 

The one who had stood up to protect the orphanage.

‘Looks like he wants to say something.’

After fumbling with his lips for a while, he quietly spoke.

“Hey, big brother…” 

“Yes?” 

“Are you… a god who came to save us? I want to be strong like you.”

His eyes were pure, unlike someone his age.

“I’m not anything like that.”

The director sighed and agreed.

“That’s right. These people aren’t gods.”

Yes, that’s right.

“They’re not gods, they’re the Three judges from the underworld here to guide the dead.” 

“That’s not it either!”

Tulip and Kang Ha-rin quickly denied it.

 I sighed briefly and rubbed my brow.

***

The orphanage had settled into a lull. 

And somehow, we all ended up cooking and eating ramen together.

“Here, be careful, it’s hot.”

Ha-rin handed out steaming bowls of ramen one by one.

“Wow! Ramen!” 

“Thank you for the meal!”

The children excitedly blew on the broth and took sips.

“Wow! It’s really delicious!” 

“Is this real ramen?” 

“Is there such a thing as fake ramen?” 

“It just tastes like there’s something special in it!”

 “It’s nothing special, you’re just hungry.”

Tulip sat with the children, while I ate ramen with the director a little distance away.

“…”

Quietly slurping the noodles, I glanced at the director. His face was still full of worry.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. Pretending to scoop up some ramen, I casually spoke just loud enough for only the director to hear.

“As you’ve seen, nowhere will be safe from now on.”

The director’s hand trembled slightly.

“But don’t let it show.” 

“…” 

“It will only confuse the children. Well, I don’t need to tell you this, you’d do well on your own.”

After a brief silence, the director sighed softly.

“…Then what should we do now?”

I took a sip of broth and pretended to think deeply. 

Then I answered honestly.

“I don’t know either.”

The director’s face darkened. 

Yes.

 A completely natural reaction. 

What had been thrust upon him was the heavy burden of the children’s survival.

He was already troubled enough, did I just make him worry unnecessarily?

‘No…’

It’s better to be more cautious. People are surprised even with preparation, without any preparation they can only be more shocked.

I quietly turned my head. Do-han eating ramen in one corner caught my eye.

“By the way, that kid looks a bit older.”

The director followed my gaze, then answered with a small smile.

“Ah, Do-han? Do-han is a youth preparing for independence.” 

“I’m not sure what that…” 

“It means he’s a child who has to leave this place.” 

“Ah… Perhaps he’s having trouble adapting…?”

The director shook his head.

“It’s not like that. Do-han is doing well. But he still comes to the orphanage whenever he can, brings snacks for the children, plays with them, and then leaves.”

“…I see.”

I quietly swallowed my words along with the ramen in my mouth.

And I made up my mind.

‘That one’s mine.’