I deliberately didn't change my clothes.
Still wearing the blood-soaked postal worker uniform, I walked through the streets. As it was time for shops to open, merchants began to emerge onto the streets one by one.
Tap.
I walked silently among them.
Those whose gazes met mine flinched, their shoulders trembling before quickly turning away. They pretended not to see me. Of course, they would know that I was Jivan's hound.
In this street under Jivan's protection, he was both the fence and the absolute ruler.
Jivan protects and shows mercy to those who follow his rules. But if anyone crosses the line, he punishes them thoroughly without the slightest mercy. Jivan often warned those who had grown accustomed to his mercy.
Don't cross the line by taking mercy for granted.
Trashing Trixie's tavern today and walking through the streets covered in blood without changing my clothes was an extension of that warning. Jivan had instructed me to act this way.
"Lately things have gotten too lax."
"I see signs of one or two trying to cross the line."
"While you're taking care of Trixie, put some fear in them, Zarin."
I was simply following those instructions.
"Eek..."
A merchant who met my eyes while walking down the street backed away in fear. He was someone who usually hung around with Trixie, walking a tightrope on the line drawn by Jivan.
"..."
I silently looked at him.
The man's gaze went to my bloodstained clothes, then to the sword hanging at my waist.
Tap.
I silently passed by him as he trembled in fear. There were no orders from Jivan yet to deal with that man. I just hoped this would serve as a proper warning.
'Please.'
Don't cross the line.
Don't upset Jivan. The more you do, the more work I have, and the more unnecessary killing I have to do. And that's not particularly enjoyable.
It's messy, sticky, and unpleasant.
It's different from moral guilt. It just feels like shit. Especially when I have to face the families of the dead; I hate how awkward it becomes.
"Huff..."
Exhaling deeply, I moved on.
After walking for some time, I stopped at my destination and raised my head. There was a bustling area built with the best of everything this underground city had to offer.
Bright and flashy mineral lamps.
Luxury goods made from refined minerals.
Items, food, and fabrics from the upper town.
A sort of window where minerals mined here are sent up to the upper town in exchange for goods... and the center of the underground city Atman, where the only passage to the upper town exists.
Tap.
I walked toward the most magnificent building among them. It was the residence of One-Eyed Jivan, the ruler of this district and my employer.
***
One-Eyed Jivan.
Before falling to the underground city of Atman, he was a knight and a swordsman who had reached the level of Sword Expert. Although he eventually fell and ended up in this city, he was still a master who could freely draw out sword energy.
A powerful figure like a knight will stand out no matter where they fall. Jivan was no different.
He quickly took control of the underground city.
Jivan pushed the Twilight Horsé, the original owner of the bustling area, to the outskirts of the city and took his place. By thoroughly crushing those who challenged his authority, he expanded his power. It was the beginning of a long civil war.
'Though I don't know the exact details...'
The civil war ended long ago, and I knew that the result was Jivan's victory. Even now, years later, Jivan remains the de facto ruler of this city.
'And.'
At the same time, he was my master and employer.
It was Jivan who took me in when my parents abandoned me and taught me how to survive in this city. Mainly how to kill people, that is.
"Jivan, are you in?"
Knock, knock, I tapped on Jivan's door.
Eventually, a voice from inside told me to enter. When I opened the door and stepped into Jivan's office, I saw a middle-aged man wearing an eye patch over his right eye.
Broad shoulders. Arms covered in scars. White hair showing sporadically among his black hair.
It was Jivan, the owner of this office. Jivan glared at me with his one remaining eye, arms crossed. It was a fierce gaze that looked like it could tear a person apart. The moment that gaze turned to my face.
"What, it's you, Zarin!"
Jivan's expression completely relaxed.
With a boisterous laugh, Jivan banged the table roughly.
"I thought the Twilight bastard had sent an assassin. Why are you covered in so much blood? I was tense thinking you'd cut off the heads of all the guys on the lower floor before coming up."
"You didn't look tense at all."
"Hey, can't you see? I'm sweating."
Jivan pointed to the nape of his neck as he shouted.
Despite his shouting, only small scars were visible there. I shrugged and took off my postal worker's coat and hat.
"You told me to put some fear in them, Jivan."
"Did I say that?"
"Isn't it too early for dementia?"
"I'm joking, joking."
Jivan lit a tobacco and nodded. It meant to report how I handled the job. Seated on the sofa in the office, I began my story.
"As you predicted, Trixie had made connections with Horsé. I saw some of Horsé's organization members there."
"I knew it."
Huff, Jivan murmured as he exhaled gray smoke.
"Trixie likes to play on the line, but he's not a man with the courage to cross it. Then suddenly he crosses the line so blatantly?"
He tapped the table repeatedly.
"He must have had something to rely on. So how many were there?"
"Thirteen in total. About half seemed to be from Horsé's family."
"And?"
Jivan's lips stretched into a long grin. Looking at Jivan, who was staring at me with interested eyes, I answered briefly.
"Of the thirteen, I cut off an arm or a leg from twelve, and left Karvin with all his limbs intact to handle the cleanup. And I killed Trixie."
"Without a scratch? All thirteen?"
I nodded, and Jivan laughed out loud. A rough laugh that made the office resound. After laughing for a while, Jivan exhaled deeply.
"Kehe, I'd have loved to see Trixie's face. Well, if he gathered thirteen people, he would have thought he could handle one kid and have plenty to spare."
"Trixie said exactly the same thing."
"That crazy bastard."
"Trixie?"
"Not Trixie, I mean you, you."
Where did such a monster like you come from?
Muttering like that, Jivan stubbed out his tobacco in the ashtray. The sound of "chiiik" echoed through the room.
"I'll call you if I have another job. Until then, get some rest. Ah, and..."
As if suddenly remembering something, Jivan stroked his chin.
"Stay away from the square for a while."
"The square?"
"Yes. People have been sent from the upper town. Because of the Trial of Constellation that will appear in the square soon."
Trial of Constellation. Constellation, meaning stars.
Upon hearing the word "constellation" in my ears, I reflexively asked.
"...What is the Trial of Constellation?"
"Ah, have you never seen it? It's a sort of event that occurs periodically every 13 years."
13 years ago would have been when I was 5 years old.
It was natural that I didn't know. Nodding my head, I listened to Jivan's words.
"Do you know the Constellation, the Sword of Selection?"
"Arthur?"
"Yes, King Arthur. You know the most famous legend related to that constellation? The one about pulling the sword from the stone."
I knew it.
Excalibur, the legendary sword embedded in stone. The sword that marked the beginning of Arthur's chronicle, and the sacred sword that later became the shape of the constellation Arthur engraved in the sky.
"The Constellation, the Sword of Selection, brings trials to the entire continent every 13 years. A simple and clear trial to pull the sword embedded in stone. Actually, it's called a trial, but it's just an event, an event. Because in hundreds of years, not a single person has managed to pull that sword."
Jivan shrugged.
"It's a way to widely publicize its legend and periodically imprint it on people's minds... something like that. Since the sword appears in every city with a significant population, it also appears in this underground city."
That's precisely the problem.
Jivan clicked his tongue and said.
"Even though it appears in all sorts of cities, it's still a sword made from Arthur's starlight. It's a sacred relic. Do you think the upper town would stay calm when such a sacred relic appears in a trash neighborhood like this?"
Considering how the upper town views this city, the answer was immediately clear.
"They won't let anyone touch the sword."
"Exactly. Every time this period comes, the church that serves the stars goes into a frenzy."
"Do they execute everyone who approaches the sword for blasphemy?"
"Something like that. Usually, it doesn't go as far as execution; they just beat people severely... but depending on the situation, one might get their head cut off on the spot."
Jivan shook his head as if disgusted.
"That's brutal."
"Right? So, as much as possible, don't go near the square. Guards sent from the upper town will be guarding the sword all day."
"...When is the sword supposed to appear?"
"Zarin."
Jivan stared at me silently.
There was no playfulness in those eyes like before. As a senior who had lived a longer life than me, Jivan advised:
"It's better not to do anything that might upset the high lords living in the upper town. Remember that."
He pointed to his eye patch.
Pointing to the right eye he had lost when he was banished to this city from the upper town, Jivan smiled bitterly.
"Live within the drawn line. If you cross it, your life becomes difficult."
Probably Jivan's own experience.
I reluctantly nodded.
"...I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. You can go now."
Just as I was about to leave the office.
"Zarin."
Jivan stopped me.
With his chin resting on his hand, Jivan spoke as if throwing the words:
"The Trial of Constellation begins at midnight tonight. If you're in a place with a good view, you might at least see the scene of the sword 'being embedded'."
I tilted my head.
Jivan sighed deeply and added:
"District 31, the window seat at Taria Tavern is the prime spot. Mention my name. They should give you a seat."
Understanding the meaning belatedly, I smiled.
Slightly bowing my head to Jivan, I rushed out of the building.
***
Taria Tavern, located near the square.
The tavern was crowded with people who didn't want to miss the event that comes only once every 13 years. It couldn't be helped. This was one of the few opportunities in life given to those who had fallen to this city and lived forgetting the sun and starlight.
An opportunity to see stars.
An opportunity to reminisce about the scenery of the outside world they had forgotten.
To seize this opportunity, the residents of the underground city were willing to pay double the usual price to secure a seat. Among them, the window seats were especially valuable.
"..."
The window seat of such Taria Tavern.
The best spot with a clear view of the square. Zarin, who had secured a seat there, placed a drink to moisten his throat and a worn-out fairy tale book on the table.
The Chronicles of Arthur.
With the last page of the fairy tale book open, Zarin quietly waited for the time to come. Only a few minutes remained until midnight. Swallowing dryly, Zarin stared intensely out the window.
Stars, starlight, constellation.
The landfill boy, who had no interest in anything from the outside world, had only one yearning he couldn't let go of. Though the stars hadn't fallen yet, the boy's eyes shone like stars.
'1 minute.'
Zarin counted inwardly.
A minute that felt like an hour passed. With about ten seconds left, Zarin exhaled deeply and widened his eyes.
Dong, dong, dong...
With the bell sounds resonating through the tavern.
Cheers erupted from the people. Zarin immediately raised his head to look at the ceiling of the underground city through the window. The ceiling of the underground city, which usually only had dim minerals precariously embedded, was now shining brilliantly.
Tiny flaws in the ceiling.
Gaps created by stones worn down over the long years.
Silver particles leaked from the very small gaps that even sunlight couldn't pass through. A light of a color never seen before. Zarin belatedly realized that this was starlight.
Flash.
The abundant starlight brightly illuminated the minerals embedded in the ceiling. Though it was deep night, the underground city was brighter than ever.
Beautiful. Zarin thought that instinctively.
For the first time in his 18 years of life, Zarin witnessed starlight. The sentence from the fairy tale he had read countless times echoed in his mind. Brilliant starlight shining in silver.
Ah, Zarin sighed involuntarily.
Eventually, the starlight leaking from the ceiling began to gather. What was formed by the gathering brilliant starlight was a sword. The sacred sword worshipped by the church, the sacred sword Excalibur forged from starlight.
With brilliant starlight, Excalibur began to descend. Trailing a cluster of silver light, Excalibur fell from the sky of the underground city toward the square.
Though he had never seen one, Zarin thought that this is probably what a shooting star looks like.
"Wow..."
Sighs poured from here and there in the tavern.
This place was filled with people who had spent a large sum for this very short scene that lasted less than a few minutes. Those who witnessed the starlight they had forgotten, or had been living forgetting, groaned and longed for the past.
After a short descent, the sacred sword was embedded in the center of the square.
Excalibur didn't make a loud noise when it was embedded in the ground. Only a deep sound like a solemn bell swept through the underground city.
'...Ah.'
Zarin saw the sword embedded in the center of the square.
Though it was too far to see clearly, the blade of that sacred sword would certainly have constellations engraved on it. The constellation of Arthur, who once raced across the continent with a single sword in hand.
I want to see it.
I want to see it a little closer.
The boy's eyes shone. Whether it was because of the starlight scattered by the sacred sword, or because the boy's eyes themselves were emitting light, was unknown. As Zarin was pressing his face almost against the window, he felt something strange.
'...What is this?'
An unknown discomfort.
No, it's different from discomfort. Something stirred deep inside. The stirring eventually became a word, a sentence, and filled Zarin's mind.
A single sentence that filled his mind.
Pull the sword.
Zarin couldn't understand why such a sentence came to mind. He shook his head to get rid of the vain delusion that appeared in his mind. Am I crazy? If I touch that sword, not only my hands but also my head would be cut off and put on display.
Click, click!
It was then.
Thud.
Soldiers who appeared from somewhere surrounded the sword embedded in the ground. The sword, which had absorbed starlight, was no longer visible behind their armor. Sighs full of regret poured from various parts of the tavern.
'Let us see it a little longer.'
Zarin also clicked his tongue as he glanced at the soldiers.
It's not like it'll wear out just by looking at it. Why are the upper town people making such a fuss? Thinking that, he slowly got up from his seat.
Zarin's eyes, which had been shining with starlight, had already regained their original color and temperature. Cold, resigned eyes. Zarin silently left the tavern.
The starlight that he had encountered for the first time in his life thus instantly left Zarin's side. More precisely, it was blocked by the dividing line between this underground city and the "upper town." Zarin suddenly thought that the soldiers surrounding the sword were no different from the ceiling of this city.
"Sigh."
Zarin exhaled.
Dreaming futile dreams only makes life tiring. It was a phrase that both Ofen and Jivan, his two masters, habitually said. Chewing on that sentence, Zarin tried to organize his thoughts.
He tried to organize them, but.
Amid the numerous words being washed away, one sentence firmly remained in place.
'Pull the sword.'
A single sentence that neither faded nor could be organized away.
Zarin pondered over that sentence that endlessly circled in his mind.