Chapter 1
It was a dark expanse.
The floor was painted with silvery, dizzying patterns, a vivid red hexagonal star deeply engraved in the middle.
Rustle.
The sound of thick cloth dragging across the floor scratched through quiet space.
Wearing a long, loose robe resembling a desolate night with a hood that securely shrouded his face, the devotee slowly moved forward. He shuffled toward the red luminescent hexagonal star on the floor that shone brilliantly like a star in the night sky over the silvery patterns on the floor.
Slowly,
Slowly…
Standing in the center of the star pattern with difficulty, the devotee opened his mouth reverently with their arms open in the air.
“One for sorrow,
Two for mirth,
Three for a funeral,
Four for birth,
Five for heaven,
Six for hell…”
A heavy, subdued voice came from the black robe, which stopped breathing for a moment.
“Seven for ye.”
{ Author’s note: Nursery Rhyme – Michael Aislabie Denham’s Proverbs and Popular Saying of the Seasons (London, 1846) variant. } { TL/N: In the actual rhyme, it was supposed to be “for the devil, his own self,” however, it’s just “for ye” here, because the rhyme is now directed to the devils themselves. }
The heavy oration settled down. As if it absorbed the sound, a deep crimson light revolved around the red hexagonal star on the floor, and a brilliant light reminiscent of blood-colored stardust rose from the six vertices in a chaotic manner.
[…Who are you?]
A heavy, empty echo resounded deeply into the dark room.
[The one who has summoned us.]
It wasn’t a single voice.
Multiple voices overlapped and spoke in unison.
[Identify yourself.]
“My name is…”
Wrinkled fingers emerged from the man in black robes, his low voice muttering in return.
The crumpled back of the hand raised upwards. The bulging veins on the back of the hand seemed to glow bluish for a moment, then the long hood that was covering his face was removed.
“Leschel. It is I, Leschel Fordbent, a loyal servant for many years.”
As soon as the gray-haired elder bit his parched lips after speaking, several voices answered.
[Leschel Fordbent. What is it that you desire.]
“Seven Constellations. I dare to seek an audience with one of you.”
[We are six.]
“No, you are seven.”
As Leschel spoke firmly, the voices went silent for a moment. An overbearing silence descended into the dark atmosphere.
[Yes.]
The voices affirmed.
[It was seven. However, the Void Constellation has been imprisoned. Make a sacrifice to face him, Mage.]
Leschel rummaged through his sleeves and pulled something out of it.
“Here…”
He pulled out a large stone that glowed red, one that was the size of an adult’s fist.
He carefully bent down and lowered himself, placing the red stone on the floor while muttering something inaudible in a low voice.
Immediately, the red stone crumbled from above and shattered into fine powder. Then, riding on a gentle breeze blowing from somewhere, it rose high and began to scatter and disappear as if it were being sucked in by the dark air.
“I have dedicated the heart of a black dragon. Please grant me an audience with the Void Constellation.”
The red hexagonal star engraved on the floor shined in places.
[The price is reasonable. Now wait. He has to wake up.]
After this statement, the voices disappeared.
While Leschel was waiting patiently, the black atmosphere that dyed the air began to vibrate as if a purple curtain had been cast, and then a soft voice broke the silence.
[Leschel.]
This time it was only one voice. The tone was calmer and deeper than the voices earlier.
“Yes.”
When his name was called, Leschel immediately bowed and politely greeted.
“This humble servant, Leschel, bows before the Void Constellation.”
Hearing Leschel’s words, the purple energy that dyed the black atmosphere twitched and swayed loudly.
[Shameless. You who imprisoned me have come to see me like this again.]
Leschel lowered his wrinkled eyes and clasped his head.
“Please know that I do not have such a formidable ability.”
[Ah. Right, all six of them were responsible. You would have just obeyed as a loyal servant.]
The voice that rumbled through the air was muffled.
“I deeply apologize for what had happened before.”
Leschel spoke politely. Then the purple energy that embroidered the air undulated like waves.
[An apology. Such a trivial thing to say to me, who had been dormant for fifty years due to your schemes. On what kind of whim do you now call me? And at such a high cost?]
The dragon heart that Leschel offered a while ago was extremely rare. This was because it could only be obtained by catching a powerful dragon alive and extracting its heart.
The other six who received the dragon heart that was full of magical power were so satisfied that they willingly overlooked half a century of confinement and allowed an audience.
The dragon heart was valuable enough for a man to lead a luxurious life with splendor, his riches enough for even many generations to come. He would have achieved this if he had not given the heart to them and instead presented it to a country’s monarchy and exchanged it for gold and silver treasures.
[Come, let’s talk business. After this audience is over, I must go into dormancy again.]
“Great King.”
Leschel narrowed his wrinkled eyes and continued his words.
“If I had a way to release you, what would you do?”
[…]
Suddenly the purple atmosphere was silent. The quiet time passed slowly.
[Hooo….]
After a while, a short sigh echoed through the air.
[I admit that you’re cunning, but you won’t come up with a plan just like that. There must be a price to pay. What do you want in return? If it is absurd, I will immediately reject it.]
“Hear me, Great King.”
Leschel raised his finger and pointed to his wrinkled face. The face, which showed the winds and waves of the years clearly, was dark and worn out as if it had been gnawed by time.
“The time allowed for me is limited. I am not afraid to die as I have already devoted my soul to Pandemonium as a humble servant of the Seven Constellations. However, I have one earnest request.”
[Request? A request to me, who is powerless after having been imprisoned by the other constellations. Are you sane? Or is it because you’ve gone senile that your clever head isn’t working properly anymore?]
“Neither, sire.”
Leschel slowly shook his head.
“I have devoured the truth of the universe and looked into all things, and so I have come to realize that the ‘Void Constellation’ is the only one who executes the law among all constellations. You reign over the demon realm and the spiritual realm as a constellation of justice, righteousness, and fairness.”
[It is true.]
The purple entity strongly affirmed.
“You are also the most understanding among the seven constellations.”
[Because I am understanding… Well. But I am aware that your cunning self approached me for that reason. Come on, let’s hear it now. I’m curious about the amount of effort I have to pay in return for freedom.]
As the purple voice spread wide through the air and showed interest, Leschel straightened up and secretly opened his lips.
“The request I raise in exchange for breaking the shackles that bound your eternal prison…”
When Leschel finally finished the petition, the purple entity answered.
[Not enough. Pay me a reasonable price.]
Leschel rummaged through the hem of his robe again and pulled out a round, smooth object that also glowed red. And he proudly raised his hand into the air.
“This is an orb crafted by pouring out the Red Dragon’s heart together with my lifelong knowledge. It is full of magical power as well as spiritual power.”
Like before, the red round orb began to crumble from the tip. The fine dust that floated into the atmosphere swirled like a whirlpool and rose up and sucked up into the air.
Eventually, the orb in Leschel’s hand disappeared without a trace.
“Haah… Haah…”
After completing two sacrifices one after another, Leschel gasped hard with a pale, bloodless face. Cold sweat dripped down his deeply wrinkled forehead.
The purple entity that dyed the air solemnly declared toward Leschel, who was tearing at his chest in agony, as if he was about to run out of breath.
[Good. The contract is thus established.]