D-Rank Constellation Hunter… Stuck Without Internet! - Chapter 9

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 9
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer says to take your time deliberating without worry. ]
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer says you may request their assistance at any time before that. ]
Beside his numerous status windows, a button to accept the position of “Constellation’s Client” now floated in view.
Three buttons appeared there—Accept, Reject, and Defer—and Ha Gyuhyuk hesitated before pressing Defer.
Only then did the cacophony of surrounding voices rush in all at once.
“That’s you, isn’t it! Isn’t it!”
“How did you come out of there? I heard Kim Gyuwun got trapped inside that Dungeon instead.”
“But this isn’t about Achievements right now. Look—a Constellation message came through!”
People seemed busy racing to post about the Constellation or Ha Gyuhyuk on their social media.
Likely because no one had achieved such an Achievement recently, and they needed to speculate about what the Constellation had said.
Before anyone could add more, Ha Gyuhyuk bolted into the Hunter Association Building as if fleeing.
The people inside the Association were also staring at the message window the Constellation had displayed.
They would certainly be Hunters of considerable rank.
So if the Constellation were to take their side, they were likely thinking they would gain power incomparable to what they had now.
Imagining that with luck, they could abandon the Association and obtain wealth and renown to live idle lives forever.
‘But that Constellation is interested in me.’
Could it be that the Constellation had multiple people they could sponsor?
Ha Gyuhyuk’s mind spun so rapidly it reached even this point.
By his estimation, even a Constellation seemed to be waiting until he openly expressed his intentions.
‘They’re quite kind, aren’t they.’
So naturally, no matter how much he deliberated over this, he would receive no answer until he spoke his will aloud.
Behind him, who stood vacant, other Hunters waiting at the unmanned recording device made sounds of displeasure.
They needed to input their clear records quickly so their rewards would be distributed.
“Aren’t you going to use it?”
“Ah, j-just a moment.”
Even those with light duties had already stepped outside the Association, apparently wanting to catch the Constellation’s attention.
The Constellation could see everything regardless of whether the sky was visible or not.
Just look at how they even entered the bathroom.
In any case, Ha Gyuhyuk was grateful that the people ahead were making way.
I operated the machine and registered the Dungeon clear.
The higher the Dungeon cleared, the greater the compensation returned, which helped with living expenses.
【 B-rank Dungeon B-47 clear has been registered. 】
【 An additional 230% bonus compensation is added, as it is confirmed to exceed the appropriate difficulty level and is an uncleared target Dungeon. 】
Just seeing the words appearing on the screen made my heart swell.
With this alone, I could sustain my daily life without difficulty even if I didn’t go out to work for several months.
Moreover, with this money, moving to a better place than where I had lived before wasn’t unreasonable.
Today, certain I would never be able to leave that place again, I had already asked the real estate agent to list it.
But the situation changed in an instant.
Ha Gyuhyuk, who had been staring at the machine’s screen for a while, turned his body and began walking.
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer asks if you happen to be short on money. ]
I was about to be overwhelmed by emotion, but the Constellation’s innocent question deflated my heart all over again.
Right. This Constellation had been watching over me relentlessly.
Though I wasn’t sure if “person” was even the right word for it.
Ha Gyuhyuk lifted his head and shifted his gaze toward where the chat window was visible, then bowed deeply at the waist.
To others, it would look like he was simply greeting empty air, but for Ha Gyuhyuk, it was the most respectful bow he could offer.
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer smiles at you. ]
This Constellation—whose face, gender, species, and very identity remained unknown—had genuinely saved him.
Since his life had crumbled, no one had ever helped him.
After being turned away once or twice, he had never even dared to ask anyone for help, fearing he’d hear that tired refrain about how “everyone struggles in this world.”
Perhaps he’d thought that part of himself had already disappeared, but it might have been the last faint trace of self-respect he had left.
Yet this being, who said they would reach out whenever I needed them, smiled and watched over me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
‘It’s only natural that I help you. The simple fact that I like you is reason enough.’
So they extended their hand for such an absurd reason.
Until now, I had believed there was no such thing as unconditional love in this world, let alone kindness without reason.
Even that clichéd notion of love at first sight—I had convinced myself it was based on countless conditions that had to be met, reasons that made the other person choose you.
But I knew all too well that “Ha Gyuhyuk” was a hopelessly dull and flat person, with no measurable qualities worth considering.
Did the Constellation operate by different standards?
Had they shone so brightly through their own power for so long that they were drawn instead to something humble and unremarkable?
“Constellation.”
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer asks if you called for them. ]
I had muttered it in the smallest voice, but they must have been watching all along, because the response came instantly.
Even as I walked to find a new place to live, that single sentence filled me with a sense of reassurance.
They say that when someone who had nothing gains even one breakthrough, they develop an unbearable will to move forward.
I barely managed to resist the urge to press the accept button right then and there.
‘This isn’t my problem to solve.’
Objectively speaking, Ha Gyuhyuk’s decision to wait rather than accept the Constellation immediately was quite disrespectful.
The suffering he would endure if the Constellation disappeared would be far greater.
His rank would never increase, and even if he cleared a B-rank Dungeon with the Constellation’s power, this money would soon run dry.
He would return to a life so dark he could never even dream of such a moment again.
So Ha Gyuhyuk could not afford to lose this Constellation.
But the Constellation deserved a choice as well.
They surely hadn’t even seen half the candidates scattered across the entire world yet.
“Would you be willing to check the other client candidates first, and then, if someone like me would still be acceptable, let me know?”
The Constellation, who had always responded immediately to my words, fell silent—though they surely must have heard me.
Perhaps they were angry that a mere human had dared to reject their goodwill and make a counteroffer.
But even accounting for all of that, I needed to say this to the Constellation.
If they held any expectations for me, then Ha Gyuhyuk simply did not have the ability to fulfill them.
I didn’t want to feel the weight of disappointing someone again, of being inadequate.
Some might call it stubborn pride, but this had become the last buoy keeping Ha Gyuhyuk’s life afloat.
“Even after seeing all the other candidates, if you find yourself wanting to show favor to someone as insignificant as me, would you be willing to become my Constellation once more at that time? I’m still… too afraid to bear someone’s expectations and fulfill that responsibility.”
The word ‘still’ didn’t suit the situation.
‘Now’ it had become something to fear.
There was a time when I couldn’t fathom that carrying someone on my shoulders would become so burdensome.
I was acutely aware of how much had festered within me.
Ha Gyuhyuk forced down the pathetic thoughts that had risen to his throat.
His last shred of reason screamed that he couldn’t simply transfer his human despair onto that existence.
It was in that very moment.
A message from the Constellation appeared, laden with a tone of utter incomprehension.
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer asks why you feel the need to meet expectations and bear responsibility. ]
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer declares that they are the one who will meet your expectations and bear responsibility for you. ]
The screen crackled.
[ The Constellation of the Entangled Apocalypse’s Finalizer swears that from the moment you become my client, I will be your most perfect ally and patron until your life ends. ]
[ ‘Your’ Constellation enters into the highest covenant with you. ]
The most perfect ally and patron.
A single existence pouring its strength for Ha Gyuhyuk.
Support and affection that had been absent from his life for far too long.
Despite being merely words on a screen, something welled up from deep within.
Countless indecipherable characters flooded the chat, fragmented and chaotic, yet one sentence emerged that he could understand.
[ Don’t you dare think of doing anything for me, you mere human. ]
[ Just receive. ]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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