Kallisa (1)
Dragons can't become human. But the game lore made the impossible possible.
But fuck, suddenly she turns into a super pretty female character. Can I recruit her as a devotee? Super urgent for real...
??
Contract forced him lol
Kallisa became human through a constellation's miracle. Not as an ugly dragon, but in the form of a beautiful devotee.
She escaped the heavy burden weighing on her shoulders, yearning for freedom and to find herself, and returned to my cult.
But not all of this was solely due to me and her efforts. As much as I hated to admit it, external influences had played a significant role.
Polymorph. A skill only someone of the same race—or far superior—could perform. We could descend into human-like bodies via Possession, but transforming a massive being like a dragon into human form was impossible.
But the one who created Kallisa, the Lord of Dragons, could do it.
-...What?
"You heard me?"
-Th-that's. The massive dragon was flustered by my confident attitude. How frustrating.
Even now, Kallisa might be wandering lost somewhere, yet here he was hesitating.
Heir of the Lost Star: I can't comprehend. Why now of all times...
Heir of the Lost Star: Wait, no way.
Avatar of the Black Sun: What? What's going on?
The Heir of the Lost Star seemed to half-realize it and paused, while the still clueless Avatar of the Black Sun got ignored for now— I turned serious and stared at the Lord of Dragons.
"Goddamn it, she's precious, right? You gonna just let her get stolen like this?"
-What...!
"Stop wasting your brainpower on getting mad and read the room."
The Lord of Dragons growled in frustration at my words, but that didn't faze me one bit.
"Kallisa's last known location was some nameless dungeon, and by now she's probably trapped somewhere in there by another constellation."
Even if it wasn't a dungeon, it didn't matter. The brief mishap from releasing the polymorph—that was what I wanted.
"Dungeons are built for human-sized beings. Imagine one of you massive hulks suddenly dropping in."
The sudden volume increase would make the dungeon lose its function and collapse. The magic core nearby would shatter too.
If that solved everything, perfect. But the problem was the constellation beside it.
"Even if you smash the dungeon holding Kallisa right now, that constellation will just make a move and it'll be for nothing. So."
The critical timing was the moment her body shifted from human back to dragon.
"We gotta start the chaos before that constellation bastard can react."
-...Are you insane?
"Does this look like a joke to you?"
The best method that came to mind was this one. Otherwise, I'd have to dump high-tier skills across the planet and pull aggro everywhere, demanding they return my stolen devotee.
Then the constellation would drag Kallisa deeper into hiding. Innocent humans living peacefully would just tremble at the sudden punishments raining down.
I'd built up this holy, gentle image— I couldn't let it crumble like that.
You do it if you want.
Lord of Dragons. Relying on his fiery temper would actually wrap this up nicer.
-R-re-polymorph Kallisa...
The Lord of Dragons muttered to himself, intrigued by my proposal. Truth be told, it aligned perfectly with what he'd desperately wanted.
His daughter's true form. Kallisa's original self, what the Lord of Dragons yearned for.
Obsessed much.
Before being a hot-tempered dragon, he was a constellation who cherished his devotee. The Lord of Dragons couldn't forget the one who'd left him, and his heart wavered.
As ridiculous as that was, I kept a straight face and waited for his decision.
-...This is the last time.
"What?"
-My cooperation with you scum... ends after this...!!
-Kugugugugu!
The ground rumbled. The sanctuary responding to the Lord of Dragons' mana.
I retrieved the chains binding him at the right moment, granting his freedom.
Constellation 'Lord of Dragons' is interfering with your devotee 'Kallisa'. Allow?
Sure.
Polymorph was his domain anyway. Regrettably, we had no choice but to turn Kallisa back into a dragon now.
But would she change her mind even temporarily?
Hmm.
Knowing her backstory in detail, the Lord of Dragons' expectations struck me as hilarious. Managing my expression was tough.
-I-it's... done...!
The Lord of Dragons growled happily.
Devotee 'Kallisa' uses Polymorph due to 'Lord of Dragons'.
By now, shit was probably hitting the fan somewhere. Dungeon or wherever, they'd be panicking at Kallisa's suddenly massive form.
Why'd you have to kidnap her of all people.
Maybe things went this smoothly precisely because it was Kallisa.
Anyway, I wanted to meet her soon.
Just you wait.
I promised her an unforgettable experience, then focused on the events unfolding.
# Deep in the darkness.
Gazing at the bound Kallisa, the Eternal Luller sensed the end was near.
Just a little longer.
Soon, he could enter a world free of other constellations' interference, one for him alone. There, he'd unfold a new world just for himself.
The Eternal Luller eagerly awaited that day, his heart swelling with anticipation.
It wouldn't have been possible with any other devotee. Only because she bore the dragon's blessing, the ultimate catalyst.
-Just a bit... a bit more.
Like a child awaiting a gift, the Eternal Luller urged the process on.
Then.
-...?
Someone is watching you.
A strange unease from somewhere made the constellation expand his senses immediately.
Nothing?
Clear signs of an intruder, yet no trace.
Definitely not his imagination. Something was there.
-...No way.
The Eternal Luller recalled an impossible assumption. He'd blocked the Absolute's tracking multiple times in advance.
Tracking Kallisa was impossible, even for an Absolute constellation.
-Ridiculous.
Confident in his precautions, he considered other possibilities. The presence of another constellation, neither Absolute nor himself. Maybe some insignificant one who'd stumbled upon this place.
-Pathetic.
Lurking without revealing itself, just spying. The Eternal Luller dismissed it as nothing and refocused.
Someone is watching you.
-...!
Another presence—he instantly went on high alert.
-Who’s there!
.....
His furious shout met only heavy silence. But the situation grew increasingly ominous. He'd missed the presence twice already.
“Heh, hehehe.”
The anomaly came from the bound devotee. She, who should have been trapped in dreams unable to act, let out a low laugh. As if mocking the flustered constellation.
But he couldn't rage at her insolence. He realized something was happening centered on him and his scheme.
“I can feel Him. Hehehe. His overflowing love, His warm embrace. I'm with Him right now.”
Like reciting poetry for a lover, Kallisa continued.
“...You were too foolish.”
-...!!
“So stupid. Sloppy, careless. Arrogant, as if you owned this world...”
-One more word, and I'll tear you apart first...!
Enraged by the brazen insults, the Eternal Luller fumed. But Kallisa paid no mind.
As if that constellation meant nothing from the start. She twisted her bound body, lifting her slumped head.
Though blindfolded to block her vision, the constellation felt her gaze piercing straight at him.
“Can you feel Him?”
-.....
“Unlike foolish dragons or power-mad idiots like you, the true god of this world. The real constellation who descended to spread true love.”
Someone is watching you.
“Ahh...! He's coming. He's here...!”
The Eternal Luller could do nothing more. A massive aura surged in—not one, but two.
One burned with holy, blazing fury like fire. The other reveled purely like a child at play.
What to fear more? The answer was clear.
The furious one couldn't catch the joyful one. Thus, the latter was far more terrifying.
“My Father God. The Absolute is coming here.”
Kallisa's face lit with happiness.
Devotee 'Kallisa' uses Polymorph.
-Krunch!
Her body twisted. The slender shadow under dim light swelled explosively, forcibly reverting to its original form amid contortions.
The Eternal Luller was speechless at the grotesque transformation. What was happening?
No time for such questions. He was exposed. Or perhaps, from the start, he'd been dancing in his palm.
Since when?
From first approaching Kallisa? Or when he dreamed of the Backside World?
Was everything he'd done just a child's plaything, toyed with at whim?
-Ah.
The dragon-mutated Kallisa shattered the constellation's dungeon with her colossal body.
Avatar of the Black Sun: You...
Heir of the Lost Star: Intriguing. Most intriguing.
"Why."
Calmly overlooking the scene from my possessed body, disgusted reactions came back.
Avatar of the Black Sun: When... how long have you known?
The Avatar of the Black Sun finally grasped it somewhat. Kidnapped devotee, the furious father-like constellation, another lurking within. And the devotee Kallisa's "corruption."
“Corruption my ass.”
What made him think his plan was flawless?
From the moment the Lord of Dragons summoned me to his sanctuary, ways to pinpoint Kallisa's location were plentiful.
A normal constellation would've panicked at the interference block, but I was a player in this game. Unprepared for contingencies? No way.
Avatar of the Black Sun: Th-then. Why not from the start.
Her ominous tone amused me instead.
“It was fun.”
Avatar of the Black Sun: ...Ah.
She finally recalled our first meeting. When she messed with my devotee and saw my reaction.
“Did I seem mad when we first met?”
I'd reacted the same back then. Seeing someone who thinks they're the best bulldoze ahead gave me a thrill.
Like the ecstasy of smashing a meticulously built sandcastle with all your might.
The raging Lord of Dragons too. And this constellation whose name I'd soon learn.
“Ah, thrilling.”
My heart already pounded at what was to come.