Mom Is My Constellation - Chapter 3

"...But Mom, how the hell did you end up becoming a constellation?"

After wolfing down my tear-soaked toast and neatly folding the blanket, I asked her in a voice stripped of any whimpering.

I had mountains of things I wanted to talk about, but we had to clear this up first.

...A sponsorship out of nowhere? What did I even do to deserve that?

I was so flabbergasted I lost my words when plink—a single pill dropped onto my desk.

"...Is this really a vitamin?"

It was pitch black, like it'd been dipped in ink.

"No, it's just... you sponsored me out of the blue mid-conversation, so I'm flustered..."

Back when the Central Plains Sword God was my constellation, I could've thrown the biggest tantrum and not gotten a single scrap.

Damn, thinking about it again pisses me off.

"What's the Honor Hall? Some kind of social club for constellations?"

As I fiddled with the mysterious pill, another translucent hologram window popped up.

Awakened players can view info on sponsored skill orbs or items by focusing their intent on them, generating an info panel.

Like this.

What the hell. You say it's not bad for me, but why hide all the important info?

I don't want to be suspicious, but this just makes me uneasy.

...Ah, I see. So it's not a vitamin after all, huh?

No ordinary vitamin would get that sly smile.

Anyway, too suspicious to eat now. I flicked the pill away with my finger and got back to the main topic.

Mom answered my question about whether the Honor Hall was a constellation social club.

"Heroes who achieve great feats..."

In other words, those hailed as heroes in life ascend to constellation status after death.

With conditions like that, there was no reason my parents couldn't become constellations.

Mom and Dad sacrificed their lives to protect not just Korea, but the entire world from Germadon.

Thanks to them, I became an orphan.

'...Suddenly feeling down.'

Enough of that. Time to be proud of how amazing my parents are.

Gah, you scared me.

"D-Do constellations read their agents' thoughts too? I've never heard of that..."

Phew, good. Even if it's Mom, I don't want her reading my deepest thoughts.

Guess my face gave it away. I quickly forced a smile.

"I don't resent you. Sure, as a clueless kid, I hated being left alone... but as I got older and wiser, I understood."

How could I resent them when I knew their situation? Back then, without Mom and Dad, South Korea would've been wiped out entirely by Germadon.

You'd been holding onto that, huh. To reassure her, I kept my smile firmly in place and asked the next question.

"What about Dad?"

I got how Mom became a certified hero by the whatever-it-was and ascended to constellation.

...So where was Dad?

"I see..."

I could picture Mom smirking smugly, having outdone Dad.

She did grind way more than him. More precisely, she snatched all his missions with a "Better I go than leave it to that guy!"

Which utterly crushed Dad's dignity as head of the household.

"So Dad'll show up soon too?"

Don't tell anyone, but... I actually like Dad more than Mom.

Of course, you shouldn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rank loving parents, but there's that classic question: "Mom or Dad?"

Dad for me. Why? Less strict than Mom.

Gah, no way? Did my face betray me again?

Whew. Close call—wait, what? Apprentice what now?

"Apprentice? Constellations have levels too?"

"Whoa..."

I thought it was just gods hanging out freely, but there's a proper hierarchy.

Even if Dad passes review, no contact until he promotes to Official Constellation.

...Hold on.

"But I'm already contracted with you, right? So even if Dad becomes Official and can have five agents, he still can't contract me?"

Hmm... So like two people co-raising one game character, but only with agreement between them.

I thought agents could only have one constellation...

'Totally misunderstood.'

Makes sense. Who'd share their game character?

Anyway, my heart raced at the thought of reuniting with Dad someday, even if far off.

For that, both parents need to become Official Constellations first.

"How do you promote?"

In simple ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠terms, raise your game character well?

If agent success is the promotion condition...

"Can't constellations just shower their agents with sponsorships to pave a smooth path?"

"...Raising mortals? What, like a Tamagotchi?"

"...Ah, got it."

So God Coins for sponsoring agents aren't just game money—they're straight-up cash you can't live without.

"Meaning every time you give your agent items or skills, you have to pay up front?"

Games that require real cash instead of in-game currency. No wonder constellations skimp on sponsorships.

Thought it was an RPG, turns out it's gacha.

"Don't overdo it, Mom. God Coins are like cash in the Honor Hall, right? I don't want you living poorly because of me..."

...Damn, that hit me right in the feels. Recalling my days suffering under that stingy Central Plains Sword God made it even more touching.

'Couldn't even get a basic C-rank skill... that damn cheapskate.'

But now that I've regressed and Mom's my constellation, this life's all smooth sailing!

I even learned insider Honor Hall info other agents don't know.

Why? They'd just get filtered messages asking about it.

I got those too under Central Plains Sword God.

'Frustrating messages like that on repeat.'

That's why even now, long after the cataclysm, humanity doesn't grasp the fundamentals of this game-like world.

...But Mom just told me. Feels like I hit the jackpot on info.

"Why isn't Mom's answer filtered?"

"Affinity... Average is 20-30%. China's Liu Kai, famous for close constellation ties, is at 60%... Ours higher?"

"......"

Uh, yeah. Makes sense for mom and son affinity.

Wonder what it'd be with Dad. Secret from Mom, but probably over 90%...

"Oh."

Almost forgot to ask this.

I posed my final question.

"Why did I regress?"

"...Even why I died in the first round?"

Still bugs me. The investigation report said nothing about sudden poison fog in that dungeon.

I didn't stray from the official route either—just followed the report straight.

One of two things: botched report, or someone targeted me deliberately.

...Or both.

Mom's frustrated too? Me too.

But just hours ago by time, my heart stopped—yet here I am, sane.

Mom popping up as constellation was relatively more shocking?

Anyway, "If we don't know, nothing we can do. We'll figure out the regression reason eventually."

Of course, why I croaked in that dungeon outta nowhere? Gotta investigate starting now.

Rounded to round 2—can't guarantee no repeat without knowing.

'First priority...'

I clenched my fist.

"This life won't go to shit like the last!"

"Ugh..."

No slipping past it slyly. Classic Mom.

I popped the suspiciously non-vitamin capsule into my mouth and chugged cold water.

Gulp.

...Nothing happened. Just a normal vitamin after all?

...Same message as before, but why does it feel so different? Whatever.

Regression starts at my awakening day. What happened then?

KABOOM!

Right then—a boulder flew from somewhere, smashing one wall of my studio apartment.

Ah, right.

"Lost my home on awakening day..."

Damn, already going to shit.