“It has no meaning?”

“I can’t measure constellations with my skill.”

A being who had started to awaken into a constellation couldn’t be measured at Arni’s level. An existence beyond levels!

“Level Measurement.”

[Choi Yeonseung.]

[Can’t be measured.]

“Yes. It is as expected. How dare I measure Constellation-nim’s ability at my level?”

“Too bad. I wanted to see it.”

“The more proficient one becomes in Level Measurement magic, the more you’ll be able to figure out. In addition to level and stats, I can check out skills and various other information... I’m sorry that I couldn’t show you everything.” Arni apologized for showing only a part of his status window, which could be considered suspicious from Choi Yeonseung’s perspective.

“No. I’m not shameless enough to pry into everything a being has.”

“Constellation-nim...!”

“Are you going to be impressed by everything I say?”

“Yes.”

Anything Choi Yeonseung said seemed to touch Arni. Taking that into consideration, the average personality standard in the Abyss was very low. Of course, he wasn’t too happy.

“If your level rises, will you still lose your reason if you don’t discipline and restrain yourself regularly? It must be hard to be a nightmare demon.”

“Thank you for your sympathy. For nightmare demons like us, those who control their desires like Constellation-nim is really... Shiny... Slurp.”

Startled, Arni wiped the saliva from the corners of his mouth. Choi Yeonseung coldly stared at Arni.

“I... I am in complete control of myself! Believe me!”

“It is strangely less convincing when you say the same thing twice.”

“Sob sob...”

“You don’t have to be so sad, Arni. It isn’t like I don’t trust you.”

“Constellation-nim!”

“It is just a little bit of a fundamental rejection of the nightmare demon race?”

“......”

It backfired!

Arni was worried he had unnecessarily given Choi Yeonseung prejudice against his race even before meeting his master. In fact, it wasn’t a preconceived notion. It was just the way it was!

***

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires stayed in a quiet temple in the middle of the realm. Arni stopped in front of a building that looked like a Greek temple and bowed his head.

“Please head inside”

“Aren’t you coming?”

Arni jumped up and said, “How can an insignificant being like me intervene in the conversation of constellations?” 

“You guided me all the way here, so I’m taking you with me. Lead the way.”

“......!!!”

Arni had tears in his eyes. “You are the first person to think of me like this!”

‘I’ll use him as a shield if something happens,’ Choi Yeonseung thought as he looked at Arni.

Choi Yeonseung would be at a disadvantage if he faced a constellation. Not only would he be in the opponent’s realm, but his opponent would also be better at handling the power of a constellation. In comparison, Arni didn’t seem good at hiding his innermost feelings. If Choi Yeonseung took him in, he could gauge what the other person was saying through Arni’s reactions. He could also be used as a shield just in case!

‘Even constellations would be afraid to lose a subordinate of this caliber.’

Choi Yeonseung received an invitation, but he hadn’t put down his guard. The name Undefeated Incarnation of Training wasn’t given to just anyone. The first thing he felt when stepping into the temple was…

Comfort! His entire being felt so comfortable it was as if he had just finished bathing and was lying lazily on a soft bed. He wanted to stay here and forget all purposes and thoughts! How comfortable would it be to live here? However, Choi Yeonseung immediately came to his senses. Such simple pleasures couldn’t sway the beliefs that had been ingrained in his body for countless years.

‘It is comfortable, but... I have to keep going.’

When he looked beside him, he found Arni looking as if he had been completely bewitched. Choi Yeonseung slapped him on the back.

“I-I’m sorry!”

“Did you have a good dream?”

“I had a dream where I inhaled Constellation-nim’s desire to my heart’s content with your permission.”

Choi Yeonseung took a step away. “I… I see. So, where is your master?”

“You’re already in front of her.”

Choi Yeonseung turned his head.

A little girl was standing on the stone floor of the cold temple. Nobody was there before. The girl appeared as quietly as mist. She didn’t have a grandiose appearance like the nightmare demons. On the contrary, she gave off an ordinary impression and a harmless aura.

“Manipulator of Dreams and Desires?”

“That’s right. You're the constellation that's been causing an uproar in the Abyss lately. I’ve been wanting to meet you.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not a constellation yet. I still have a long way to go.”

“No, being on the path to becoming a constellation is the same as being a constellation. You simply haven’t awakened yet, but you can already do the same thing as me. Can’t you handle the power of existence?”

There was a sense of mystery in the way the girl, who seemed like she could do no harm, spoke calmly. He could tell for certain that this was a little girl, not a constellation. Choi Yeonseung was like a rookie constellation right now, so he couldn’t help being curious.

“Awakening?”

“I know you’re curious, but I won’t explain any more than that.” 

The girl laughed mischievously. Choi Yeonseung frowned.

“What do you want?”

“You have good senses, I see. If you listen to what I want, then I will tell you everything you want to know. What I want is... An alliance.”

“.......?”

Choi Yeonseung looked at the girl with wary eyes.

“Does it sound strange that I want an alliance?”

“Honestly, yes. I thought constellations were existences who only cared about themselves.”

“You’re not mistaken in that we only cared about ourselves. Even if so, an alliance can still be formed for as long as our interests coincide.”

The girl spun around in place.

“Just as there are strong and weak mortals, there are strong and weak constellations. You know that much, don’t you?”

"I guess so.”

Constellations grew powerful whenever souls worshipped them was a strong constellation. The more souls they had, the stronger they became. Naturally, the constellations that lacked worshippers were weak.

“Mortals look up to constellations as gods and envy them, but the life of a constellation isn’t easy either, especially for weak constellations. Constellations attack those weaker than them since they consider them as prey.”

“I’m sure that applies to everyone. Isn’t the same true for you?”

The strong preyed upon the weak. That was even truer in the Abyss, where many constellations had established their own kingdoms.

“I am not interested in the realms or souls of other constellations. I want you to keep in mind that not all constellations are ambitious.”

 “......”

“What’s wrong? Can’t you believe me?”

“I think it’s possible, but... It is hard to completely believe in it.”

“That is enough.” 

The girl grinned.

“That is enough for trust in the Abyss. Allow me to explain it in a manner that will allow you to believe me more. I am the god and master of the nightmare demons, a race that can’t live alone.”

The nightmare demons lived on other people’s desires, so they couldn’t survive without others.

“That is a bit...”

“Like a parasite, right?”

“... I was going to say strange.”

“Huhu. That is kind of you. Still, it can’t be denied that the nightmare demon race itself is parasitic. Think about it. Would a race that can’t live without other races try to dominate the Abyss?”

“Can’t you just enslave them and rip their desires from them?”

“You’re only saying that because you’re not a nightmare demon. even the hungriest of nightmare demons would hate such low, impure desires Quality is the most essential key to a desire’s taste. Like your desire for example.” The girl’s eyes shone as she looked at Choi Yeonseung. He soon realized that she was looking at his desire. “Your desire truly does drive nightmare demons crazy... If that was someone else’s, it would’ve already been repeatedly fulfilled and disappeared...”

Choi Yeonseung’s desire to ‘become strong’ was as endless as a huge ocean and as pure as orichalcum.

The best of the best! Anyone else would’ve been satisfied and said ‘this should be enough,’ but Choi Yeonseung was still starving. He truly did deserve to be the constellation of training!

“Did you just smack your lips together?”

“You probably saw it incorrectly. Our conversation had gone off-topic for a bit there. Anyway, I wish for you to trust me more, but I won’t force you.”

“No. I think it is plausible. Are you trying to unify the weak constellations with no greed?”

“That’s correct. You have good senses.”

Choi Yeonseung noticed the girl’s purpose. It was to make the weak constellations with no greed join hands and oppose greedy constellations! Once herbivores flocked together, even predators wouldn't able to attack them recklessly.

“Haven’t you considered that I might be belligerent and greedy?”

“I thought it was possible, but you are a much easier being to talk to than other constellations.” 

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires didn’t say that she saw and judged Choi Yeonseung’s desire. If he knew she could do this, he would be wary of her. She didn’t want to make a bad impression on an ally.

‘He is a very rare constellation.’

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires sought allies with her ability to distinguish desires. Among Choi Yeonseung’s huge desires, there was not one that revolved around conquest or power. It was hard to find such a reliable being among the combat-type constellations.

“That is a tempting proposal.”

“!” The girl’s face brightened at Choi Yeonseung’s words.

“However, I have a few more questions.”

“Ask away. I’ll answer everything I can.”

“What do I need to do if I join the alliance? Do I have any obligations? I have things to do, so I might not be able to help you if you are planning something.”

The girl laughed. This constellation was incredibly reliable. He didn’t ask what he could get, he asked what he had to do. such a talent was rare in the Abyss.

"Nothing. We won’t do anything for as long as other constellations don’t attack our allies. Even if you try to force them to do something, the constellations will never do anything detrimental to themselves. You can do whatever you want to do. Battles between constellations take tediously long anyway, so you should have ample time to give and receive help.”

The battle between constellations took so long that it was boring even in the Abyss, where time passed differently from the outside. There was no such thing as constellations directly fighting each other. No fool would leave their kingdom empty to attack an enemy while other constellations were waiting for opportunities to do the same to theirs. In the end, battles between constellations were fought by their subordinates. The subordinates, supported by the constellations, would fight fiercely over a piece of land. 

‘No wonder constellations make contracts to gain subordinates. Their subordinates are their power.’

During his time on Earth, there was a hunter who was contacted by several constellations. That showed how outstanding the hunter’s talent was.

‘That means nothing to me, though.’

Choi Yeonseung was a novice who had just entered the path of a constellation, and there were countless long-lived constellations in the Abyss. It would be reassuring to be in an alliance. It could also help Choi Yeonseung return to Earth...

“Alright. I accept the alliance.”

“You made the right decision!” The girl jumped with joy and grabbed Choi Yeonseung’s hand.

[You have joined the ‘Alliance of Small and Medium-sized Constellations’ of the ‘Manipulator of Dreams and Desires.’]

[To the constellations, words are power. Failure to keep your promise can deal a blow to your power of existence.]

‘What is with the name of the alliance...?’

Choi Yeonseung faltered slightly for the first time. Did he just join a strange group?

“Isn’t it a good name?”

 “Um... Y-Yes.”

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires put so much sincerity in her question that Choi Yeonseung was forced to change his stance. He was finally in a social interaction for the first time in ages!