The Dark Lord's Tears
The old apostle. "Is that really... a constellation?"
"That's right!"
The woman thrust out her chest with her eyes closed. Her foolish demeanor didn't look anything like a divine being or a constellation, but Min-su had no choice but to believe her words. The ability of a constellation to manifest their inner world—a realm equivalent to an entire world—into reality was the power of a god itself. It was a sight like claiming an entire galactic cluster as one's domain. Far more magnificent and beautiful than any player's authority he'd seen in videos so far.
But seriously, what kind of god acts like this?
On the other hand, all of Min-su's fantasies about constellations shattered in an instant.
It was a thrilling situation where he'd summoned a god with his summoning ability, but her behavior left him feeling somewhat deflated.
...Wait a minute.
Wasn't the name the woman in front of him claimed to be [Dark Lord]?
If an ordinary person called themselves that, you'd think of a late-blooming teenager going through puberty nine times out of ten. But there was one existence. One who held that name yet was never mocked for it.
Hero Idaine's constellation, [Dark Lord].
From a Korean's perspective, she was no different from a benefactor.
"Are you really the [Dark Lord]?"
"That's right."
*Nice. She knows me.* The goddess wore an expression of satisfaction. But her pleased smile froze at Min-su's next question.
"The [Dark Lord], constellation of hero Idaine?"
"......"
That name...
"?"
As the [Dark Lord]'s expression hardened rapidly, Min-su realized something was wrong.
...No way.
It wasn't hard to figure out why. It was only natural from an ordinary person's line of thinking.
Over ten years ago, a disaster struck the Korean Peninsula due to the Tower: a dungeon break.
If players assigned to each country actively climbed the Tower, nothing happened. But if they neglected their duties as players and didn't enter the Tower, dungeons would spawn in that nation. This was the Tower's warning: stop slacking and get to work.
If players heeded the warning, climbed the Tower, and cleared the dungeons, everything resolved without issue. But ignore it and keep slacking, and the dungeon monsters would break out. Scholars called this judgment from the Tower a dungeon break.
Naturally, Korea had no such problems. The nation had a solid system for managing players, and as a powerhouse brimming with capable ones, it was fine.
The issue was the country right above them.
A regime that exploited its people to cling to power eventually clashed with its players, crossed an irreversible line, neglected the dungeons—and ended up triggering the break. Monsters immune to human weaponry due to the surrounding mana poured out in droves. Even if the military mobilized, the best they could do was buy time at the cost of lives.
North Korea was reduced to ruins by the break.
That might have been the end of it, but the monsters turned their gaze elsewhere. To Seoul, teeming with humans to devour.
A massive monster horde marching south toward Seoul. The situation escalated so rapidly that even the Korean government couldn't fully grasp what was happening.
While the monster army crossed the DMZ, summoning the players needed to stop them hit roadblocks. Even some high-rank players refused the call and fled.
The military could only buy time. Just as the government prepared to accept civilian and soldier casualties...
S-rank player Idaine, at the peak of her fame, stepped up.
Alone, she held back tens of thousands of monsters. And she didn't just buy time for other players—she annihilated a huge portion of them. The belatedly assembled player forces mopped up the rest, bringing the dungeon break to a close.
But the hero, who had pushed herself to protect the people, departed the world that day.
Player Idaine was no longer of this earth.
It was perhaps only natural that the goddess's face hardened when her name was spoken.
I figured even her own apostle wouldn't mean much to a constellation, but that's not the case, huh.
Come to think of it, after player Idaine's heroic sacrifice, the name [Dark Lord] hadn't been heard from again. That was why Min-su immediately associated [Dark Lord] with Idaine.
No new apostle after Idaine. And this reaction. Min-su felt the constellation was far more human than he'd imagined.
Hero Idaine's constellation. And the human side she showed.
Something Min-su wanted to show her came to mind.
"Constellation. Want to go somewhere with me for a bit?"
No matter how foolish her actions or shabby her clothes, her outfit carried a mystical aura that didn't belong to this world. Stepping out like that would draw every eye.
Min-su handed the [Dark Lord] a hoodie his sister had left behind from one of her visits to his one-room apartment. It was tight on her, but it didn't dim her beauty. He had no choice but to make her keep the hood up the whole way.
Min-su went outside, tightly gripped the [Dark Lord]'s hand, and took the subway to his destination.
"This is..."
Idaine Memorial Hall.
She stopped before the massive statue at the entrance and the monument behind it.
"...They're honoring that kid, huh."
"Yeah. To us, Idaine is a hero."
A records hall chronicling her birthplace and life journey in detail. A video hall with footage of her battles. Even a large tree with plaques from those who missed her.
The [Dark Lord] silently watched the love people showed for her old apostle.
Among the great figures Koreans think of—Chungmugong, King Sejong—hero Idaine was treated on their level.
That day, the nation's people watched her fight via broadcast helicopters. Her noble sacrifice, choosing to protect people even when she could have fled overseas or into the Tower alone.
Many mourn her, and children dream of becoming players like her. Perhaps that's why the memorial bustled with visitors paying respects today.
"Is this the land she fought to protect?"
The monument was covered in flowers people had brought.
"It... seems worth protecting."
The goddess's eyes had grown wet before she knew it.
"What kind of person was Idaine?"
"She was like an older sister and a younger one at the same time. Smart... that kind of little sister."
The goddess seemed lost in memories.
"Even as my apostle, she was always nagging me. 'Are you eating properly? You haven't cleaned your room, have you? Not scrolling communities in bed again?' When I should have been the one scolding her..."
The goddess let out a hollow chuckle. Min-su could tell she felt deep longing.
"And yet, so stubbornly... She'd step up for things she could just leave alone. Even when it wasn't her fault... She couldn't let people die. ...Idiot."
"Constellation..."
"You have no idea how much I tried to stop her! I told her she'd die! That she couldn't do it alone...!"
Her voice caught, and she paused.
"But she went anyway. To protect this land... these people."
"......"
"Without a thought for the one she'd leave behind!"
"......"
"But still. They remember you. Better than this pathetic constellation who couldn't even mourn you properly and tried to forget. They're far better."
Flowers bloom across the memorial grounds.
"It's late, but I'll offer you flowers too. As your constellation, the one closest to you, who remembers you."
Flowers spread from the goddess at the center. In an instant, the barren winter grounds of the memorial transformed into a beautiful garden.
"What?!"
"Flowers?"
Everyone there marveled at the miracle-like sight.
A vibrant flower field utterly unlike the [Dark Lord]'s name. In its midst, the woman swallowing tears and gazing at the sky was no longer a clumsy fool—she was the constellation mourning her apostle.
The heavenly skies. Stars of the constellations adorned the celestial sphere, illuminating the heavens.
Next to one—a star shining brightly in the darkness—poof!
A new star sprouted.