Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Constellation Gallery EP.36
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After eating the ramen, I called Kang Harin aside.
"Kang Harin."
I spoke firmly, and she flinched without taking her eyes off me.
"As you know, I'm not such a good person."
Kang Harin had no idea what I was about to say.
She just fidgeted with her fingers anxiously, following my words.
"I told you to scrounge up food knowing it would be dangerous, and you nearly got yourself killed for real."
"That was..."
"Hear me out. I have no intention of increasing our baggage out of pointless compassion. I don't plan on helping others at the cost of my own gain. Unless they're companions."
Kang Harin hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth.
"But... you protected the kids... and you shared the ramen without hesitation..."
"Do you think I just gave it away for nothing?"
I tried to beat around the bush, but her reaction told me it wouldn't work.
Tulip would have caught on immediately.
"I plan to raise Do Han here."
"Pardon?"
"And not out of mere pity."
It would be best if I could take him with us, but he's not the type to be convinced by a simple 'Come with us.'
No matter what carrot I dangled, he'd choose to stay here.
For him, the orphanage is his family's nest.
So this is the best investment.
Whether I can recoup it is unknown.
Still, I have to go through with it, just like when I saved Tulip.
Absolutely.
"Right now, I can't protect all of you by myself. Even if you all grow stronger, that's certain. We'll need more companions ahead, and it's hard to find anyone as reliable as that kid."
I lightly gripped Kang Harin's shoulder and added,
"Help him build up his forces here. He'll definitely become a major asset later."
"Why tell this only to me...?"
Because I don't need to explain it to Tulip.
She's been brushing up against death even before this world came about. She understands others' pain.
No matter the reason, she wouldn't have the slightest complaint about helping these people.
In contrast, the Kang Harin I've seen is like me.
A pragmatic person whose survival instincts still run strong.
If I don't lay this out first before my request, she won't understand.
'Why should we do that?'
That's surely the first thought that would cross her mind.
The task I'm about to entrust her with absolutely cannot be done half-heartedly with such doubts.
Just not showing it to me isn't enough.
'She has to do it sincerely.'
If she just puts on a show, it means nothing and we'll just waste time and resources.
Shoddy work is as good as a disaster.
"That's why I have a favor to ask you."
"Me?"
"Yeah. We're going to turn this orphanage into their fortress. For that, we need your abilities."
Crazy bastards.
No matter how pressed I am, I have no intention of getting shot dead like that guy.
"What are you doing?"
The kids asked curiously.
Kang Harin was skillfully dismantling the Craftler's exoskeleton in front of them.
"It'd be great if we could all just move to a safe place, but who knows if such a place exists, and anything could happen on the way. So I'm making this place safer."
The orphanage was a ramshackle brick building.
The door was iron, but with all the windows, it was just an ordinary structure unsuitable for defense.
In this state, one Craftler would turn it to rubble.
"Now we can use this as reinforcement material."
"You said you needed fire, and now you're just hammering away?"
"I have fire. Gas burner."
"Will that work? That's not hot enough to melt metal."
"It works, though?"
What is this? Is it because of a Constellation's skill?
If I'd known a little fire like that would do it, I'd have given her a burner or lighter ages ago.
"We'll reinforce the walls with this first. The windows will become openable shields, and we need to strengthen the door too."
Kang Harin transformed the orphanage bit by bit.
"Wow... Sis is like MacGyver!"
The kids' eyes sparkled in admiration.
I lightly tapped the door.
"Not bad."
"The materials were limited, so I only patched the urgent spots, but this should suffice as a makeshift defensive fortress."
Just having a barrier to protect the orphanage kids was enough for now.
"Short on shells, huh? Then we'll need to hunt more Craftlers."
"Mister, you gonna use that here?"
"Nah, I don't think so."
Tulip was probably asking about the revolver.
Craftlers are slower than ghouls, so it'd take longer waiting for a swarm.
Proof was that despite the huge racket from catching one, none had shown up.
'And they're different from ghouls or archers anyway.'
The kids facing the monster.
At the time, I hadn't thought much, but looking back, the monster had just stood there dumbly without attacking.
'Did it stay put because I attacked first?'
The rules here were baffling.
That was when the thought crossed my mind.
"Will this hold? No matter how tough the carapace, it needs proper force dispersion to matter."
Tulip raised the question.
Probably from seeing it shatter under hammer blows alone.
"That's because I boosted my Strength and Agility..."
"No worries. I made it with a perfect stress dispersion structure."
"Ah, then it's fine."
I found myself tilting my head.
They tossed around terms only they understood like it was nothing.
"Oh, and there are lots of abandoned cars around. We could use their frames to reinforce the interior structure. And this exoskeleton, if layered like Kevlar fibers..."
"Kang Harin, no more explanations from now on."
Harin clamped her mouth shut.
That was the moment.
'Suddenly?'
Thanks for shutting her up?
Or maybe gratitude for helping here like Tulip's Constellation.
If the latter, it means thanks for setting her on the path she needs to walk.
In other words, Kang Harin blooms or grows by diligently creating things.
"Harin."
"Yes?"
"You can't stop at just this. Let's build a fortress and armor everyone here can wear."
Kang Harin's mouth fell slightly open.
She looked like an office worker loaded with overtime right before clocking out.
"What, too much?"
"No? I'll... I'll do it. No, I have to!"
'Oh, this Constellation in a while.'
Wasn't it going to Tulip?
Anyway, it seems to think I'm doing a good deed for the orphanage.
'Well, misconceptions are free, so I'll gladly take the sponsorship.'
At that moment, the orphanage director bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much. I don't even know how to repay you..."
I waved it off.
"It's fine."
I'll collect my due on my own, so no worries.
And then I turned to look at Do Han.
"More than that, I'm thinking of going to catch more Craftlers. Wanna come along?"
"Me?"
I nodded.
"You want to get stronger, right? The more you face them, the less scary they'll be, and you'll figure out how to protect everyone."
Do Han's eyes lit up for a moment.
But the light faded quickly.
He immediately turned to look at the kids.
His eyes held longing, but still clung to reluctance.
The instant I sensed that emotion, I looked at Kang Harin.
"Harin. Make one more warhammer."
Harin didn't fully grasp the situation yet, but she bit her lip and nodded.
Beside her, Tulip watched us quietly.
"And Tulip, you take that and stay here."
Tulip blinked up at me.
The Constellation Gallery reacted immediately.
Whatever.
"Max out Strength and Agility on that guy, and you can take him easily. Heal anyone who gets hurt. You can protect this place alone like that, right?"
Tulip hesitated briefly.
But soon she nodded with a bright smile.
I turned back to Do Han.
"Tulip's as strong as me."
At those words, Do Han's gaze flicked to Tulip.
She grinned and clenched her fist.
"Not quite as strong as you, mister, but don't worry."
"Good. So no worries here. Feel like going now?"
Do Han's eyes wavered.
Then, finally, he nodded.
I held back the corners of my mouth threatening to rise.
'I'll raise you into the Daejeon Branch Commander.'