"Hey, are these really the only items available for purchase right now? There should be a search function, right?"
"There's a magnifying glass icon in the bottom right. Try clicking that."
"Ah, you're right. Thanks."
[Coins Owned: 1,100 Coins]
The cheapest item I could find cost 900 Coins... which meant that, in practice, there was basically nothing I could actually afford.
"...Dokja, I don't think I can buy you anything. I'm out of Coins."
"It's fine. Just move exactly as I tell you. While I'm shopping, just focus on getting sponsorships or whatever."
"Thanks. Call me when you're ready."
It would've been nice to have more Coins. I've felt this since I was a kid, but being poor is fucking miserable regardless of the era.
"Which Constellations are watching right now?"
[The Constellation 'Goddess of Love and Beauty' tilts her head.]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' pokes her head out.]
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' prowls nearby.]
[Many Constellations are puzzled by your call.]
"I'm just bored, so I figured I'd chat. 'Goddess of Love and Beauty,' you were the first to arrive! Anything you're curious about?"
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' shouts that this is unfair.]
[The Constellation 'Goddess of Love and Beauty' asks why you take such good care of Dokja.]
"We're only four years apart, but... I don't know. I've just always been like that. I can't really remember why."
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment praise your devotion.]
[500 Coins have been sponsored.]
I really didn't know the reason.
Maybe it was just a vague sense of responsibility, or perhaps there had been some specific trigger.
Maybe it was because that bastard I didn't even want to call 'father' died, and our mother ended up in a situation where she couldn't look after us, so I felt I had to protect us on my own.
[The Constellation 'Goddess of Love and Beauty' asks if you view your younger sister as a romantic interest.]
"As if! No way... ah."
...No matter how pretty Dokja was, how great her figure was, how gentle she was, how well she spoke, how she knew me better than anyone, how cute she was, how kind she was, how often she smiled, how well she listened, or how full of affection she was...!
Even so, we were blood-related. There was no way I'd see her as a woman, right?
...Probably.
[The Constellation 'Goddess of Love and Beauty' supports the love between you and your younger sister!]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is flustered and asks if she is serious.]
[The expression of the Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' hardens.]
[Many Constellations are horrified by your reaction.]
[The Demon King 'Demon King of Wrath and Lust' licks his lips as he watches you.]
[A few Constellations are greatly shocked that a Demon King has appeared.]
[Constellations who enjoy incest smile as they watch you.]
[Constellations who hate incest look at you with contempt.]
The Constellations' messages suddenly began scrolling past at high speed.
I thought I saw something strange in the middle of the feed, but I figured it didn't matter.
"Enough, enough! And what the hell is that crazy Greek goddess cheering for?!"
[The Constellation 'Goddess of Love and Beauty' smiles, claiming she sincerely supports you.]
"Of course you do! Greek mythology is a complete disaster! Incest... affairs... it's just one train wreck after another!"
[The Constellation 'Goddess of Love and Beauty' avoids your gaze.]
[Constellations related to Olympus avoid your gaze.]
"Sigh. I shouldn't have even opened my mouth."
Of course, myths reflect the values of the people who created them, but still, those stories were absolutely chaotic.
"Oppa, come here!"
"Coming."
.
.
.
[So in the end, what you bought was... four slime sacs and four spikes? What are you going to do with that junk?]
"You don't need to know. Oppa, take this."
"...? Why are you giving this to me?"
"Using this requires physical effort. You're not seriously going to make your little sister do the manual labor, are you?"
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' sneers at you.]
[Constellations who are married men offer you their condolences.]
Constellations really do love butting in.
I'm doing this because I want to, so why are they acting like they're looking at some pitiful bastard?
I'm perfectly fine with it, but when others call me pathetic, that's when it actually becomes pitiful. That's when it feels truly miserable.
It seemed the Constellations had forgotten that, simply because they always look down from the heavens.
[#BI-7623 channel has been closed.]
[You haven't forgotten, have you? I still haven't agreed to the contract.]
"...Right. We agreed that if we succeed in clearing this scenario, we'll negotiate the contract terms afterward."
[Then I should be going. Let's see if you can actually clear it.]
[#BI-7623 channel has been opened.]
The Dokkaebi was still arrogant, but his attitude had softened considerably since our first meeting.
[May the blessing of stories be with you.]
With those words, the Dokkaebi vanished.
But this time, he definitely left with genuine expectations for us—not with a mocking sneer, but with a real smile.
"Oppa, coat the spikes carefully with this slime."
"Got it."
"The ichthyosaur's gastric acid will start secreting soon, so we have to hurry."
We carefully smeared the slime over the spikes and approached the ichthyosaur's opening.
—Pshhk!
—Shwaaaa!
"Oppa, it's started! Hurry!!"
"I'm on it!"
"Oppa!"
"What now?!"
"Let's make sure we survive this together."
I hadn't expected Dokja to say something like that.
I hadn't wanted her to feel the need to say it.
Because saying those words meant that we were both in genuine danger.
But now, I really had to accept the reality.
The naive idea that I could just sacrifice myself would only lead to both my death and Dokja's.
So—
"Yeah. We're surviving this together."
[The Demon King 'Demon King of Wrath and Lust' licks his lips once more as he watches you and Kim Dokja.]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' glares at the Demon King.]
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