CH 5

A constellation. 

It was an existence that emerged along with the gates and the Awakened.

They revealed their existence only to a few Awakened of their choosing. Those few Awakened gained rare abilities from the constellation and awakened as S-classes……

[The unknown star is busy, and asks if that can be skipped.]

[The unknown star is very bored]

Ah, yes. Hara felt awkward. However, a part of her heart was shining with joy for the ‘just in case’.

The Republic of Korea checks whether the Unawakened can become Awakened and the grades they’ll have when they Awakened. And soon after they were appointed as civil servants, they would be forcibly placed into the awakening vessel to awaken their abilities.

That was the first awakening. Most, including those that were self-Awakened, would end here.

But there was an occasional few that would have a secondary awakening. Those with a secondary Awakening would be several times stronger than previously. A hunter that was once a C-class would suddenly become an A-class, while a person that was an A-class would become an S-class. As such, all the Awakened would obviously dream of a second awakening.

And when would that secondary awakening be possible?

It was when they met a constellation.

Even an ordinary person can become an S-class at once if they meet a high ranking constellation. The oppa that Kang Hara supported, he who only says “Oh, really,” was the most representative example.

After that shopping mall incident where Hara wailed, that person from the ‘Wookie-oppa incident’ returned as an S-class. Apparently, he’d met a constellation in the dungeon. Now, he was living his life as a superstar as though he had never been an idol. 

“No way, am I getting a second awakening? Did you appear before me? You’re a constellation, aren’t you?”

Hara asked while suppressing her excitement. It was highly likely that the constellation appeared in front of Hara for her awakening. 

Most of the Awakened that have a constellation didn’t disclose information about their constellations. However, according to the small amount of known information, it was speculated that constellations were ‘divine existences’. They were rare, and didn’t appear before anyone. If it appeared, there was something that was needed.

‘Am I, perhaps, what’s that’s needed?’

Am I going to be reborn as an S-class after 10 years of being a loser?

The constellation remained silent, but Hara’s heart shook with joy. She suddenly wanted to get up and dance.

[The unknown star rejects your dance]

“Why…?”

[The unknown star views the information on the user, ‘Kang Hara’, again]

[The unknown star doubts whether Kang Hara has a conscience]

[The unknown star recalls Kang Hara’s dinner party last month]

Hara’s face turned red. Wait, can a constellation see that?

She still remembered falling down while drinking and dancing because my boss forced her to do so at last month’s dinner. At the constellation’s rebuke, the knee that she’d fallen on suddenly seemed to hurt again.

However, this ‘unknown star’ seems even more uninterested in Hara’s inner thoughts.

[The unknown star is really bored]

[The constellation asks if the one lying next to her was Hara’s boyfriend]

Hara looked around and freaked out. There was a man that was still unconscious next to her.

“No!”

Absolutely not!

Hara denied it with all of her might. Of all the men in the world, why did it have to be Anchor Yoon Seheon? That’s definitely impossible. It was just akin to a dark history player that automatically replays Hara’s dark history. 

[The unknown star is interested in the keyword, ‘dark history’]

[The unknown star views the information on the user, ‘Kang Hara’]

Hara’s eyes widened. She was flustered. Wait, how can a constellation look into someone’s dark history as it pleased like this? No! Disable information inquiries! Hara swung her arms wildly in her position, but it was to no avail.

[The difference between you and the unknown star is so wide that access has been forcibly granted.]

[The unknown star laughs out loud.]

[The unknown star asks if your life is a sitcom.]

“Wait, isn’t this crazy? Excuse me, these days, permission must be obtained in advance, in order to check my personal information! Even the government can’t inquire about someone’s personal information as they please!”

The South Korean government officials, who had to get signatures allowing the inquiry of personal information, were resentful. However, there is no way that the constellation knows about the Republic of Korea’s laws.

Hara stretched her arms weakly.

“It used to be like a sitcom, but now it’s akin to a human theatre.”

[The unknown star asks if this guy is very handsome.]

“Even if I date everyone in the world, not this person… In the first place, we don’t know each other well!”

Of course, this was separate from the fact that there’s no way Yoon Seheon would like her. Wasn’t he the number one journalist in Korea that everyone wants to marry the most? 

But even if this man liked to sleep, Hara just wanted to run away. When she thought about it, her life has been twisted since she met him.

[The unknown star is angry]

“All of a sudden?”

[The unknown star is angry because there isn’t any love in human’s lives these days]

[The unknown star asks why she can’t date such a nice guy?]

[The unknown star is viewing information on the user, ‘Kang Hara’.]

[The difference between you and the unknown star is so wide that access has been forcibly granted.]

A wide difference in rank… That’s right. The other party was a constellation, and she was just an E-class.

Hara, who didn’t have the power to resent the fact that her personal information was suddenly being robbed in real time by a constellation, looked up at the sky with dim eyes.

[The unknown star is resentful of your history of being single since birth.]

Hara suddenly felt indignant at the word ‘resentful’. No, what do you mean, resentful? Should it be helping her because she has been single since birth? It wasn’t like she was angry about it, so why was it angry at her history… 

“That’s going too far. It’s already hard enough to live through this rough world, but what dating…”

[The unknown star says that you should be finding love because you were born in a rough world.]

A sigh escaped from her automatically. This naive constellation. However, on second thought, she wondered if a constellation could understand the life of an E-class. 

“In other countries, even E-class hunters can make a decent amount by selling dungeon by-products, but that’s not the case in this country… Dungeon by-products are basically government property. Private guilds also have to purchase dungeon mining rights from the government.”

[The unknown star asks what does that have to do with anything.]

“Please think about it, constellation. When you’re working and receiving a level 9 salary… Would you think about dating?”

As for Hara, she placed 800,000 won in instalment savings every month. There’s also a fixed cost of living. The incentives that she’d worked hard for disappeared in an instant. She didn’t have any money left… At least she was living in her parents’ house, and that’s how she lived even if she had savings. 

While Hara murmured, the constellation didn’t seem interested in Hara’s pointless private life.

[The unknown star clicks its tongue]

[The unknown star says that love is capable of transcending through anything] 

It was slowly pressuring her now. No, it wasn’t a constellation that appeared, but a chief officer. Why was it suddenly making her date? If the constellation wants to date, go and date on its own. Was it a member of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family? Was it hoping that she’d devote herself to contributing to the national fertility rate?

But before those thoughts reached the constellation, Hara rubbed her forehead and calmed herself down. It’s because she couldn’t lose her temper in front of a venerable constellation.

It was already exposed, but it’s better to smile.

[The unknown star asks why were you suddenly smiling and requests you to maintain a straight face]

“Eyy, mister.”

Hara clasped her hands together and lifted the corners of her mouth to reveal a bright smile.

Kang Hara, twenty-nine years old. Even before she could take the CSAT, she was led by the nose by the government and lived as an E-class civil servant hunter for 10 years. The period of public service was usually 20 years.

However, even if her service as a hunter ends at the age of thirty-nine, it would be really difficult for the E-class Hara to enter a guild.

As such, for Hara, this was akin to a lottery ticket. No, it was akin to winning 10 pension-type lottery tickets for first and second place, and winning it both online and offline at the same time. 

Although she’d almost forgotten that this was a constellation due to the conversation about dating, Hara was meeting a constellation, which all the hunters in the world wished to meet. 

If she managed to grab onto a constellation, she could have the second awakening that she dreamed of. A while ago when they were in the waiting room, she’d asked Yoojung where the constellations were. If they knew where, they’d go and catch one. Didn’t they make such a joke?

So she can’t miss this opportunity.

In society, if a boss suddenly starts to nitpick, instead of retorting, she should listen to his requests. Well, that was life in society.

The Kang Hara that has experienced life in society for 10 years whispered to her.

Hara, gather all the energy that you’ve accumulated while living as a real person and even the sociability that you’ve run out of. Even if you die, you can’t let this constellation slip from your hands.

‘Oh Earthlings, please give me strength.’

“Constellation, love is unable to transcend reality. Please look at my credentials. You’ll hear ‘loser’, even in the Hunter Bulletin. Is this the right qualification for dating?”

[The unknown star hates the fact that kids these days have become so weak.]

[The unknown star leaves threats that during its time, it crossed the sea and went to the underworld.]

“Aigoo, I know, I know. As long as I’ve reached a certain level, I’ll cross seas and go to the afterlife.”

[The unknown star is suspicious of your sudden and dramatic change in attitude] 

“But I’m E grade.”

[The unknown star has noticed what you were up to!]

“Oh, so you’ve noticed. Then that’ll make things quick. Erm, constellation, I’m here. I don’t even bear any hopes of making it to S-class. A-class— No, at B-class, I’ll really do my best. Dating? I’ll do it if you tell me to. If you want, I meet a different man every day of the week…”

[The unknown star says irritably that that isn’t love.]

“Oh, so you don’t like this sort of thing.”

Hara racked her brains. 

“In any case, I’ll do whatever you want me to. So can you become my constellation?”

As she said that, Hara was earnestly praying that this constellation had a high grade. Although it was extremely rare amongst the second Awakened that met a constellation, there were some that stopped at C-class.

‘B-class… It would be awesome if I could reach B-class…!’

[The unknown star smiles insidiously]

[The unknown star asks you if you want to be an S-class]

“Oh, yes! Yes, of course!”

Hara’s eyes sparkled. She’d even elbowed the man that was on the ground next to her while floundering. Yoon Seheon groaned with a frown on his head. 

Hara reflexively said, “Oh, I’m sorry.” to the unconscious Seheon, and patted him.

[The unknown star smiles insidiously again]

[The unknown star asks if you can date that man]

“Yes! What? No, wait a minute. I have to think over it…”

What was this, all of a sudden? Hara was embarrassed. Constellation, are you from a matchmaking company? To suddenly ask if she can date the person next to her…

[The unknown star says that matchmaking ants can be interesting after living for aeons]

[The unknown star asks if you’ve had such an experience]

What ants? And the very next moment, Hara was astonished to see the message.

[The unknown star is viewing information on the user, ‘Kang Hara’]

[The difference between you and the unknown star is so wide that access has been forcibly granted.]

[The unknown star pulls out a post written on the cafe in 201X by nickname ‘Wookie Hara’: ‘[Fan Pick Room] [Kang X Wookie] Love is…’]

“Ahhhh! I’m going mad, seriously!”

[The unknown star pulls out the post written on the cafe in 201X by the nickname “Wookie Hara”: ‘[Wish] [My dream is for a couple manager to match Kang and Wookie-oppa in a marriage]

It was the moment when the dark history of a teenage fangirl appeared. At that very moment, there weren’t any constellations or anything.

The embarrassed Hara yelled strangely and waved her arms in the air to erase the system messages. But how can it be erased like that?

[The unknown star claps like like a seal in amusement]

While Hara struggled at the resurfacing of the dark history that she’d never thought of before, the constellation laughed for a long moment before finally sending another message.

[The unknown star proposes a quest for you]

[Quest for a constellation contract] 

The constellation ‘??’ offers a constellation contract with you.

Conditions: ??? (To be disclosed after a contract has been established)

[Will you accept the contract? Y/Y]

“……Where did the N go?”

[The unknown star asks you if you’re in a position to refuse]

“No, it’s not like that!”

Instead of answering, the constellation proudly displayed another message window.

[Reward for completing the contract: Increasing by 5 grades]

5 grades? Hara felt like her eyes were about to pop out. She is currently an E-class, so……

S.

She has to do it. She has to do it. The conditions being ??? was rather discomforting, but should she care about that? Hara raised a trembling finger and pressed Y.

[The unknown star giggles]

She felt uneasy…

[The constellation contract is complete]

With that. her vision turned white.