Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Constellation Gallery EP.11
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The girl's body lit up as brightly as if she'd flipped on a fluorescent bulb after downing the potion, then slowly faded.
She's holding up better than I expected.
No, I gave it to her expecting her to recover, but...
She healed up perfectly, without even a hint of pain or a single wince.
"Doesn't it hurt?"
"...Should it?"
The girl blinked back at me with a puzzled expression.
"......"
The way she says it makes me sound like I was trying to poison her or something.
What is with this kid? Her innocent eyes are making it even more ridiculous.
"From what I know, it usually hurts before it heals."
She looked utterly baffled as she turned her palms and the backs of her hands this way and that, inspecting them.
"Hmm... I'm not really sure about the pain part, but my body feels incredibly light."
She clenched and unclenched her fist lightly, then her eyes sparkled as she continued.
"And my head's never felt this clear before. It's like the morning fog has lifted."
The effect seems solid.
But... why didn't it hurt?
I recalled the description of the low-grade potion.
'May be accompanied by intense pain.'
No way.
'May be.'
It's probabilistic?
So I could've recovered without pain if I got lucky?
Ah, fuck. I suffered for nothing.
I want to test it, but I can't waste a potion on that right now.
No benefit for me.
That was when it happened.
"...!"
Oh! Actual sponsorship came in?
This isn't just double the return.
I used a 1,500 Gold potion, and got 3,000 Gold back.
Even better, it's pure cash converting an item I had no choice but to use.
'This is a huge win.'
That thought didn't last long.
The steady trickle of sponsorships dropped off sharply.
It wasn't just fading interest—it plummeted right after I handed her the potion.
'What the hell?'
I checked the gallery to gauge the mood.
Fuck, there are constellations that hate kindness?
Do they really see this as a game? Of course, to them it's just simple entertainment.
'Anyway, to fleece both sides, I gotta walk the tightrope carefully.'
This might be trickier than I thought.
"Am I really all better now?"
"I don't know either. If that's how it feels to you, probably."
"Thank you!"
The girl teared up as she bowed her head in thanks.
Her lips curved into a smile.
"Don't cry."
"S-Sorry. It's just... I've never felt a body like this before..."
"You get better right when it's inconvenient. Shouldn't you be pissed about the timing?"
She went quiet for a moment, then looked up at me with a bright smile.
"...If this hadn't happened, I never would've met you, mister."
"......"
Is this that old-school "lucky bitch" mindset or whatever?
"I didn't just save you."
"Huh?"
"You can move without issues now, right?"
"I-It seems that way, but..."
"Then time to earn your keep."
The girl blinked rapidly.
Sponsorship alerts started picking up again.
'Fuck...'
But that wasn't the important part right now.
The really chilling part is on this side, not yours.
Should I hold back on spotting things right when constellations mention them from now on?
Timings can overlap by coincidence.
And fuck, I can't tell if posts are up or not, so do I have to check and act carefully every time?
What if delaying to avoid suspicion makes a critical situation worse? I'll die either way.
'Fuck off, you idiots. I'll handle it.'
If not for Spirit of the Constellation, I'd be shaking thinking I almost got caught, but now I'm more just observing how it plays out.
Chilling, but not that anxious.
So that's why 'fuck off' came first?
If I'd looked panicked now, suspicions would've exploded.
They'd watch me more closely, maybe convince themselves I'm watching the gallery.
But thanks to Spirit of the Constellation, no anxiety shows on my face—just suspicion level.
'More importantly, what does "caught" even mean?'
Like mafia game, need to snipe at the right time?
Everything's confusing.
Anyway, I know what to do now.
Clear up curiosity while covering my ass.
Wait... no way to do shit unless they post?
Fuck, did I leave a pointless post?
No, stay calm.
Can't tell if those comments are legit anyway.
Better to plant counter-logic than let suspicion spread unchecked.
'Key is, deleting after seeing it now would spike suspicion more.'
That puts me on the suspect list.
Like Light narrowing to Tokyo trying to hide Death Note.
'Anyway from what I saw...'
Seems no penalty besides ban from gallery if caught, and can't ID target without posting, just lurking.
So gotta lurk without posting to gather info, but not sure if viable long-term.
'"Use without getting caught" wasn't just about not being seen watching.'
Don't leave obvious human-like traces in posts.
This post screams human too... but that's cuz I know the truth, makes it stand out.
Deleting's more suspicious.
That was when.
"Mister, after drinking what you gave me, something weird popped up in front of my eyes. What's this?"
The girl was looking at me innocently.
"Are you a constellation, mister?"
"...What?"
"A constellation wants a contract. I know what a contract is, but what's a constellation? Like a god?"
It was the moment a new Incarnation was born right before my eyes.