“You are… a low-ranking… Constellation. Truly. To be bound… by such a calling… What a… tragic fate.”
“Can you shut that dog mouth of yours already? If you’re done here, why don’t you get lost?”
Anubis lowered his head dejectedly and slunk back into the corner. Seeing Apollo snicker at that, I took a deep breath and checked the Contractor information.
Then my jaw dropped.
[Displaying Contractor Information.]
[Contractor – Baek Tae-beom of Dynamism]
[Title: One Who Cleaved the Mist, of Dynamism, One Who Holds Despair, Transcendent…]
[Grade: S]
[Status: Ecstatic]
[Contracted Constellation: One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]
[Coins: 279,300]
[Skills: <Sword Aura> <Hermit (Liberated)> <Guardian> <Madness> <King’s Sword Aura> <Pulsing Death>…]
[An awakened one whose skills and attributes have been liberated due to meeting certain conditions.]
What the hell are these skills?
They were completely different from the ones Baek Tae-beom had acquired in the original story. Especially ? Wasn’t that the exact skill the protagonist had?
And 270,000 Coins? Coins weren’t exactly something you picked up like a dog’s name tag. I hadn’t even properly played the role of a Constellation until now, so where did all that money come from?
And “meeting the conditions”… Could it be… his brother actually died?
After trying so hard to save him, did he still end up losing his brother? The thought drained all strength from my body. If that were true, it would explain Baek Tae-beom’s current state. But what were these titles and skills? Aside from the ones Kang Si-hoo had, these hadn’t even appeared in the original story.
I had to check for sure.
Whether Baek Tae-beom’s brother was alive or dead.
I picked up the phone I had thrown earlier, and just as I did, a loud notification blared out.
[Congratulations! You’ve completed your attendance check. You’ve received 100 Coins.]
“Gah! What the hell!”
[Coins: 500]
Why didn’t I feel even a shred of happiness?
“I’ll be back.”
“Why? Going to check on your Contractor?”
“No. His brother.”
“That’s tied to Destruction too, huh?”
“Exactly.”
Apollo waved his cotton-candy-looking hand like he was sending me off with well-wishes, and I waved back before stepping out of the Sanctuary.
“This place…”
This was where I had died.
The memories were still vivid. The metal that tore through my stomach in the pitch-black mist, Baek Tae-beom’s crumbling expression, my limbs growing cold. Not a single trace of blood remained on the ground—it had all been neatly cleaned up with fresh concrete. It was hard to keep my face from twisting.
As I chewed over what had happened, a question suddenly surfaced.
Why did I think it was fine to die back then?
Death wasn’t something to be taken lightly. Even if I had a body that couldn’t die, I should’ve felt some sense of unease or disgust. But I hadn’t. It was like something dark and grotesque was starting to sprout inside me—creeping up to shackle me.
[Constellation, ‘One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction,’ is synchronizing with the Holy Vessel.]
I shook my head. What was done couldn’t be undone. Hadn’t it been about two years already? Then the original protagonist, Kang Si-hoo, should be stepping into action around now.
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: What are you doing there? Just standing around?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Getting sentimental now, are we? Reminiscing about the sorrows of life? Did I interrupt your deep moment?]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Could you please be quiet?]
[Constellation, ‘One Who Guides the Dead,’ lets out a loud bark.]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: You pretentious bastard. They said shut up.]
I stepped out into the street and reached into my pocket to catch a cab, but all I found were blood-soaked bills and a broken debit card. On top of that, I realized I looked like utter shit. The reflection in the shop window made me wonder if I’d just walked off the set of a zombie film.
Standing there with a horrified look on my face, a passerby glanced at me and quickly sped up their pace. My nape burned—yep, people were definitely staring.
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Hey, lend me some money.]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Did you go senile in the last two years or what?]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: I know you can exchange Coins for cash. Help me out, please!]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Aigoo, I raised my kid wrong. Raised him all wrong.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: I told you, I raised myself.]
Even while grumbling, Apollo still sponsored me with an item. With the cash now in hand, I ducked into the nearest clothing store and threw on whatever I could grab. Despite the bloodstains on me, the clerk didn’t bat an eye—just responded with the practiced smile of someone in customer service.
Well, of course I wasn’t the only one like this. They were probably just thankful I wasn’t dripping blood all over the floor.
[CH. Private / One Who Guides the Dead: Why. Clothes.]
[CH. Private / One Who Guides the Dead: Why so… shabbily dressed.]
“Shut it… Oh, sorry, I’m talking to a Constellation right now.”
When I awkwardly explained, the clerk nodded back with a warm, understanding smile as bright as the sun.
I couldn’t afford a taxi with the money Apollo gave me, so I opted for the subway instead. Watching the broadcasts—“Hunters, please prioritize civilian evacuation,” and “If you feel dizzy or nauseous, immediately move away from the area”—I was hit by the realization of how long two years truly was.
The posters lining the walls advertised things like “Hunter Rena, Living Sculpture of the Century” and “Thank You for Blazing In Like a Comet, Our Hunter Blue Star.” Several people who appeared to be Hunters patrolled the station, speaking constantly into their radios.
Once outside the station, I stood in front of the hospital where Baek Tae-beom’s younger brother had last been admitted.
“…Wait a second.”
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: What now?]
“I don’t know Baek Tae-beom’s brother’s name.”
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: You what?]
But it really wasn’t in the original story. I ran a hand down my face, feeling a mix of frustration and futility. I had come all this way without a plan, and now I couldn’t just turn back. I thought about contacting Baek Tae-beom, but gave up. What the hell would I even say? That I was his Constellation, and though I died once, I’m back now? That this is my new body? He probably deleted my number anyway, and I had no intention of throwing that at him now.
The only thing that mattered right now was whether his brother was alive.
I entered the hospital and approached the reception desk. Matching the receptionist’s polite welcome with a smile of my own, I asked as sweetly as I could,
“Excuse me, is there a patient here who’s the younger brother of a Hunter named Baek Tae-beom?”
“What’s your relationship to the patient?”
“Ah… well…”
I started mumbling—saying I was an older friend of Baek Tae-beom’s and just wanted to visit his brother. The more I spoke, the stiffer the receptionist’s smile became. Realizing instinctively that something had gone wrong, I awkwardly took a step back.
“Maybe I have the wrong place. Sorry to bother you—”
“Hold on.”
That’s when two men suddenly appeared and grabbed me by the arms.
“Excuse me? Wait, just a second?”
“We’ll need you to come with us.”
“What did I even do? Why am I being dragged off like some criminal? Hello?”
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: What, you going to jail now too?]
“I didn’t hire a hitman! I didn’t ask about any weaknesses! I just said I wanted to visit his brother! Let me go! Geez, your grip is way too strong!”
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Maybe you’re just weak.]
“Fine! I am weak!”
I was tossed out of the hospital like trash, landing hard and groaning as I rubbed my aching back. The two men in black suits loomed over me menacingly.
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Oh, did I forget to mention?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Turns out your Contractor’s kind of a big deal now. Meeting his brother won’t be that easy.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Don’t you think, I mean Constellation to Constellation, you could’ve told me that beforehand?]
I shuddered, half-convinced these two were going to beat me to death and I’d end up resurrecting two years later again.
Just then, a car—expensive-looking at first glance—slid up to us with elegance. Still flat on the ground, I stared blankly at it.
The car stopped naturally in front of us, and from the driver’s seat stepped out a man.
Jet-black hair, golden eyes, a sharp jawline paired with smooth, fair skin, thick veins tracing across the back of his hand, dressed head-to-toe in a sleek black suit. From head to foot, he was breathtaking—excessively regal in his beauty.
When our eyes met, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Something stirred deep inside. A rising emotion swelled up, unmistakable in its intensity. It felt like I’d just seen him yesterday, yet the man standing before me looked so different from the one I remembered.
“…Baek Tae-beom.”
Baek Tae-beom strode straight toward me, reached down, and extended a hand to where I was crouched. His palm was large, scarred, calloused—so different from mine. A ring glinted on his finger.
I hesitated, unsure whether to take it.
He smiled softly.
“Hyung.”
Just as I wondered if I should pull away and run, Baek Tae-beom whispered in a low, calm voice,
“Please. Help me stay above disgrace.”
