Chapter 350 - Affection Level

Celeste.

The world's number one villain and the right-hand of the Sun God who serves as the final boss in the original story.

Getting her on my side was a very important task.

Of course, one might wonder why I don't just shoot and kill her right here...

'That wouldn't work.'

That would definitely be a bad idea.

Because even if I killed her here, it wouldn't change the fact that the final boss of all final bosses who destroys the world is the Sun God. The only benefit of killing Celeste would be preventing her rampage in the later stages?

But what if, instead of killing Celeste, I made her my ally?

The benefits would be incomparably greater than simply killing her. The Sun God would never expect Celeste to betray him. Think about it—would the Moon God expect Eun-wol to betray him, or would the Star God expect Stardust to betray him? They probably wouldn't even consider such a possibility.

In truth, Celeste would never have betrayed him under normal circumstances. She was, after all, a complete fanatic of the Sun God.

But what if an irregular like me, from another world, entered the picture?

It was a battle worth fighting.

Especially since I knew everything about Celeste.

Making Celeste my ally, planting a spy in the Sun God's inner circle, and preventing his judgment.

That was the big picture I had planned.

That's why I'd been preparing for a long time to win Celeste over. Becoming a villain, entering Kathedal to make contact with Celeste, sharing information, building a power base...

Of course, there were still risks.

If I failed to bring Celeste to my side, everything would be meaningless. It might even be better to kill her here.

'I wonder what it would have been like if Celeste were a man...'

I found myself thinking with regret.

Everyone knows that women have less guard against other women than against men.

If she were a man, I would have already succeeded in winning him over halfway with talk of loyalty and brotherhood. I had once successfully gathered talented individuals for a project in my previous world using that approach. Though it did have a military atmosphere...

Anyway, killing Celeste would mess up the original storyline, so I focused on making sure she couldn't kill me. The seduction part would come later. My insurance was the angel.

In any case, today's event that I had prepared to get closer to Celeste was this:

Entering a ruin where abilities don't work, together with Celeste.

Although it was a shame to waste the only ruin with this gimmick so early, drastic measures were needed to get close quickly. I was aiming for the suspension bridge effect. Making Celeste, who had always stood at the top and forgotten what it meant to be weak, feel powerless.

And then, to Celeste who would be feeling insecure...

I would show her that I wouldn't harm or kill her even though I could, thereby building trust.

It might sound amateurish when put into words, but I was counting on my acting skills and direction that had matured over five years of villain life to make it work.

As a result.

I finally succeeded in getting Celeste right by my side.

"It's nothing special. Just a mechanical device."

I answered while crumpling the white mechanical lion guarding this ruin with my psychokinesis.

This was the one that had been growling since earlier.

As I expected, these creatures, being made with the power of the sun, had very good compatibility with me, whose power originated from the stars. They were probably made with "pure" solar power, unlike what regular ability users could handle.

I also knew from the original story that these creatures were weak.

Anyway, feeling like an S-class ability user with this mediocre psychokinesis, I hunted down the scattered minions guarding the ruin.

And throughout all this, Celeste stayed right by my side.

"Ugh..."

How long had it been since she, who always kept her eyes closed and wore a pure white saint's robe exuding a mysterious aura, showed such a human side?

As she opened her eyes and looked around anxiously with golden pupils, I smiled and said:

"The area around us seems to be cleared, so you don't need to be so anxious."

"...W-who's anxious? I'm just being cautious, that's all. How ridiculous."

With a slightly reddened face, Celeste said that, then suddenly seemed to realize something and glared at me with her golden eyes.

"And come to think of it, I'm a legitimate apostle of the god, so why are they hostile to us? Isn't this all because of you?"

Faced with her sudden sharp question, I shrugged and answered:

"What are you saying? By that logic, you wouldn't have lost your powers either. I think this place might be a trial ground."

That's how I answered.

It was actually true.

This place was where the Sun God gave trials to his chosen warriors before bestowing relics upon them.

The intention seemed to be for them to fight with their bare hands, away from their usual abilities... The problem was that I wasn't one of the Sun God's ability users, so I hadn't lost my powers and was essentially cheating.

"Well then, let's keep moving."

"...Alright."

So I walked with Celeste deeper into the ruin.

Whether I had become more familiar or she had, she now walked beside me with a comfortable demeanor.

Perhaps she was now convinced that I wouldn't harm her? That's good. It means she's starting to trust me.

"Hmm... I should come back here later with a dispatch team to research this place in detail."

Saying that, she looked at the murals painted on the white corridor with shining golden eyes.

"That's a good idea."

"....."

Seeing me nodding beside her, she looked at me with a somewhat strange expression before turning her head away.

And so the two of us quietly walked together down the long corridor.

And while doing so.

I realized that now was the perfect time to open up.

"Celeste. Do you not believe that I sincerely worship the Sun God?"

"...What?"

She turned to look at me as if wondering what I was talking about.

To her, I set the mood and spoke with a nostalgic expression while looking at the murals.

"...I suppose it's not unreasonable for you to think that way, since I possess the power of the Star God."

"But let me tell you, I truly follow the god. I began following his teachings during my childhood."

"...."

As Celeste quietly listened to me.

I started to pour my heart out.

About how I lived as an orphan without any family registry, struggling to get by, and how I happened to come across a book containing the Sun God's teachings. And how I heard the god's voice then. How I came to firmly believe in the Sun God from that moment on.

...Of course, it was all a lie. Originally, both my parents were alive and well, and I grew up without much hardship... But in this world, I really didn't have a family registry, so it wasn't entirely false. At least it wouldn't contradict what Celeste had found out about me.

Celeste quietly listened to my long-winded story.

...Perhaps because she was worried I might shoot her if she didn't.

"...Anyway, I recently heard the Sun God's voice again and began following his words. This ruin was also guided to me by him in a dream. Ah, we've arrived."

And so.

After walking through the maze-like ruin and dealing with minions, we finally reached the last room.

In the center of it, floating and shining brilliantly, was a white sword.

The Sun God's relic, Luxuria.

A legacy left by a god whose name has been forgotten.

...In the original story, someone else obtained it, but well.

It's of no use to me anyway.

With such thoughts, I smiled and said to Celeste:

"Here, Celeste. You take it."

"...Really?"

To her, who hadn't been able to take her eyes off the sword since she saw it, I nodded with a smile.

...It's useless to me anyway. The conditions for using that sword are too strict. The same goes for Celeste. Looking at the original story, it's destined to be just a decoration.

And especially since Celeste would have taken it by force once we left and she regained her powers, I might as well give it willingly to increase her affection.

"...Thank you."

To Celeste, who quietly said that, I could only smile.

So Celeste reached out and grabbed the sword.

Flash.

And thus ended our ruin exploration.

***

After that.

After experiencing various things, I returned to Korea.

In my large house. My room.

There, while planning my next move, I twirled my pen and said:

"...Now for the next event."

It's about that time.

'I'll finally meet Stardust again after a long time.'

I quietly thought to myself.

...The growing anticipation at the thought of seeing her again.

Must be my imagination.

I quietly thought to myself.

...At that time, I had no idea what was about to happen.