Honorary Apostle (1)
Returning to his one-room apartment, Kim Min-su lay on the bed with a dazed expression. With the status window message announcing the end of the summoning time, the [Dark Lord] had vanished.
Left alone in the room after she disappeared, Min-su felt as if he'd just woken from a fleeting dream. But there were pieces of evidence proving that everything he'd experienced wasn't an illusion or a dream.
The Idaine Memorial Hall was built to honor the player Idaine, who sacrificed herself a decade ago to protect Korea from monsters. The phenomenon at this memorial has sparked widespread discussion. Some speculate it might signal another dungeon break...
That was the content playing on the news screen. He'd witnessed it with his own eyes—the barren memorial hall in midwinter transforming in an instant into a beautifully tended garden.
Beyond that, there was more proof that everything up to now had been real.
The [Dark Lord] conveys her thanks, saying she was grateful today.
The constellation message popping up before his eyes. This was the irrefutable proof that today's events weren't a dream.
The [Dark Lord] says the ramen was really delicious and vows to repay you.
Players climbing the Tower draw attention from the constellations watching over them. Those who stand out captivate the constellations and receive their sponsorship. In some cases, constellations propose contracts to players they favor, appointing them as apostles.
Apostles must obey certain commands, but in return, they gain immense authority and rewards. Idaine the player and the [Dark Lord] had been like that.
Normally, only such apostles of constellations could receive messages from them outside the Tower...
"I'm communicating with a constellation without even entering the Tower."
Somehow, he'd ended up in direct contact with one.
"And seeing how she can send messages like this, she really is a constellation."
She'd felt more like a neighborhood big sis than a goddess, though. Guzzling ramen like that and all.
From first meeting her to visiting the Idaine Memorial Hall—it had all unfolded so abruptly that he hadn't had time to sort his thoughts.
But now that it was all over...
"I summoned a god?"
Constellations were beings even Earth's scholars couldn't properly define. God-like entities reigning at the pinnacle of the physics-defying Tower. Their appearance had thrown Earth's religious world into chaos.
And he'd summoned one of those gods. Himself.
There were players who summoned dragons or dragons, so summoning a god didn't seem impossible...
"Wasn't the summoning supposed to call beings of similar rank to me originally?"
No matter how clumsy she'd seemed in various ways, the miracle she performed at the end proved she was a god.
Yet that god was his summon. Did that even make sense?
"What if I'm actually a god who's lost my memories?"
He voiced the whimsical thought aloud, then shook his head. No way. His memories of being born human and growing up were crystal clear. A god with amnesia? Ridiculous.
"Anyway, point is, I can summon gods."
The summoning ability's targets follow the first summon. Since the first was the [Dark Lord], the next should summon similar constellations. Or he could just resummon her.
The ability to command gods. Min-su felt his chest swelling with pride.
"Doesn't that make me the strongest?"
Even S-rank players strived for constellations' attention or were mere apostles to them, yet he could summon constellations themselves.
Min-su couldn't even begin to fathom the boundless potential of his ability.
But there was one problem.
"What if they attack me instead?"
The first time he'd summoned the [Dark Lord], she'd grabbed his shoulder and collar, shaking him. She hadn't been hostile, so nothing bad happened, but her presence alone had overwhelmed him.
What if he summoned another god who turned out to be malevolent? Unlike other summons, if it could harm the summoner and attacked him? Or worse, if it was so powerful that merely seeing or sensing it drove him mad?
"Uh..."
Min-su realized this wasn't an ability he could use lightly. Because they were gods.
His power was incredibly dangerous. Maybe it was safer to just keep calling the friendly [Dark Lord].
Min-su opened his status window again.
Summon - Cooldown: 24 hours (Remaining: 13 hours)
The summoning ability itself could be used once per day. Since about four or five hours had passed since the [Dark Lord] returned, the duration was around six hours, he figured.
He didn't know what powers the [Dark Lord] possessed. But he'd witnessed her turn a barren winter field into a flower garden in an instant. And she had been the constellation of the S-rank player Idaine. She wasn't weak.
With her help, climbing the Tower should be a breeze, right?
The next day, after preparing everything, Min-su activated his summoning ability.
Woooong!
Space split open just like yesterday. Through the rift, two round buttocks came into view.
Thud!
"Ow!"
The [Dark Lord] fell from the air, landing flat on her butt.
"That hurts..."
The goddess had the same vibe as when they'd first met yesterday.
"Warn a girl before you call her!"
But her appearance had changed. Her messy, tangled hair now shone with glossy golden luster, as if she'd taken a bath. Her skin was pristine white—had it always been this flawless? And she wore beautiful pure-white garments. She had taken on the true form of a goddess.
"Sorry for summoning you so suddenly. But I have no way to communicate my intentions to you, Goddess."
Yesterday, she'd been forcibly unsummoned before he could even say goodbye properly. She'd sent constellation messages after, but he couldn't reply to her.
"Ah... I see. You're not my apostle."
Inside the Tower, she could see him, so verbal replies to messages would work. But outside, she couldn't observe a non-apostle player.
"Hmm..."
The [Dark Lord] pondered for a moment.
"Then, wanna be my apostle?"
"...Pardon?"
She proposed a contract.
"If you're my apostle, we can communicate. You could even use my powers."
"...Didn't you say you weren't taking any more apostles?"
A slightly sensitive question. Yesterday, she'd said she wasn't. Considering her reaction at Idaine's memorial, it was probably because of her death.
"...It doesn't matter anymore."
But her expression, which had seemed dark until yesterday, now looked relieved, as if she'd let go of some inner burden.
"I realized I was just throwing a tantrum. If she saw me back then, she'd have scolded me again. 'What's a constellation acting like a kid for?' So I decided to move forward."
"......"
"She'd want me to, too."
The goddess spoke with a reverent smile.
"Thus, I shall bestow upon thee my blessing, player Kim Min-su."
She extended her hand, brimming with holy light.
"The blessing of being the apostle of this [Dark Lord]."
Just as the hand filled with blessing and power reached for Min-su,
"W-Wait, Goddess!"
The flustered Min-su pulled back.
"......Isn't this the part where you joyfully accept? You don't want it?"
"No, of course I'm thrilled! I am, but!"
Min-su sputtered as the goddess's face soured.
A sudden apostle contract! It was too abrupt!
Becoming the apostle of the famous [Dark Lord]—especially since her previous apostle was Idaine—everyone would welcome the chance with open arms.
Not to mention, it was a divine apostleship. Most players dreamed of becoming apostles. Just pledging to a god granted tremendous powers. Like gaining superpowers for starting to go to church.
But Min-su's situation was a bit different.
'Sure, for a total noob like me who's never even climbed the Tower, becoming the [Dark Lord]'s apostle is an incredible opportunity...'
But what if he became her apostle and then summoned another constellation? What if that one was like, 'What's this? This guy's already some trashy used-goods apostle?' and refused to cooperate? Or shunned or turned hostile because he was already conquered by the [Dark Lord]?
For him, an apostle contract was something to approach cautiously.
...And honestly, taking orders from someone—even a goddess—wasn't his thing.
"......So, you mean it's too much commitment before you've even tested your ability properly?"
"Yes. As you know, Goddess, I've only tried it on you. Of course, becoming your apostle would be a huge honor, but..."
"Can't believe a guy isn't satisfied with just me. And you're straight-up saying you'll cheat on me? Ha..."
"No, that's not how it sounds when you say it like that!"
"What do you mean? It is."
She closed her eyes and clutched her forehead for a while, then opened them again.
"Can't be helped... I do owe you for helping me."
She extended her divine hand toward him once more.
"Goddess! I said no!"
"It's not like that, so stay still!"
Min-su tried to back away again, but the [Dark Lord]'s black divinity bound his ankles.
"I've been defiled..."
"It's not like that! Keep talking weird and I'll really do it?"
As the goddess infused her divinity into Min-su, ding!
The [Dark Lord] offers you the position of Honorary Apostle. Do you accept?
Honorary... Apostle...?