The Divine Twilight's Return

Chapter 361: Star, Nammu (2)

There had been several opportunities for Chang-Sun and Jörmungandr to meet in the past, but they never had. Despite the good impressions they had of each other, their positions had inevitably put them at odds.

Chang-Sun was the leader of <Muspelheim>, and Jörmungandr was the great Celestial of <Niflheim>. <Muspelheim>, <Niflheim>, and <Jotunheim> had started from the same root, but that root had split up due to an internal conflict. Considering that fact, Chang-Sun and Jörmungandr could never be close friends.

In addition, Chang-Sun had made a public declaration that he had volunteered to be Bestla’s heir and was also going to restore <Jotunheim>, reviving the entire faction of Giants. That gave him and Jörmungandr even more reasons to stay away from each other. In order to restore Bestla’s faction, Chang-Sun would inevitably engage in a leadership struggle against <Niflheim>. There was even a possibility that Chang-Sun would need to wage war against <Niflheim> and subjugate the Giants by force.

Nevertheless, Chang-Sun and Jörmungandr were here as members of the same alliance, so they did not need to think about politics for the time being.

“This is very unique terrain,” Chang-Sun muttered.

With Chang-Sun and Pabilsag on his head, Jörmungandr quickly crossed the rainforest, allowing Chang-Sun to see the distinctive sights within. Vines wrapped tightly around enormous trees, dancing boisterously. Amid the trees, carnivorous plants so large they could eat at least five people at once snapped their jaws. Grasses on the ground shone with purple light as they released dust filled with neuroto elements,xin.

The rainforest was filled with dangers; a single mistake could lead a person to die instantly, not even leaving a corpse behind. Even the place where Chang-Sun had first been summoned seemed like nothing compared to the rest of the rainforest.

『If you kept fighting against Ushumgalu, he would have tried to lure you into this region, and even you would have been in quite a bit of trouble.』

Chang-Sun nodded in agreement with Jörmungandr’s analysis. He finally understood why <Nammu> had not been invaded once in spite of their long history.

‘There’s no way that their enemies could break through these obstacles when they’re all over the divine ground,’ Chang-Sun thought.

Ordinary troops would all lose their heads to the carnivorous plants before they could even reach the center.

『We discovered a little while ago that you ended up being summoned to distorted coordinates, not the Evil Dragon Castle, so Pabilsag and I were quite baffled.』

After hearing Jörmungandr’s remark, Chang-Sun realized that he had not been mistaken to think that something was odd. His eyes narrowed as he said, “Someone has been playing tricks.”

『It’s not Ushumgalu. If I may use Tiamat’s words, he’s ignorant. Someone else helped him.』

“It’s Lahmu. He’s the one who meddled when Mother summoned you,” Pabilsag interrupted.

When Chang-Sun turned to look at Pabilsag, she quickly looked away. She looked shy, but she also seemed to be annoyed.

『Are you still acting like that, Pabil?』

Jömungandr chuckled quietly, seemingly knowing why Pabilsag was acting like that. However, Pabilsag crossed her arms and glared at Jörmungandr as she grumbled, “Don’t call me that. Pabil is Mother’s nickname for me when she favors me.”

『It seemed to me that your not-so-close sibling called you that nickname too. Hmm, besides, aren’t we quite close?』

“Why do you think that?” Pabilsag snapped.

『I must have been mistaken.』

“Of course!” Pabilsag shouted fervently.

Their conversation resembled an interaction between a grumbling younger sister and a big brother who doted on her. From the messages Chang-Sun had read, it had sounded as if Jörmungandr had trouble dealing with Pabilsag whenever she acted childish, but it seemed to be very different in real life. However, they had said earlier that it was their first time meeting each other too.

『Yeah, let’s just say I was mistaken, Pabil.』

“What do you mean ‘Let’s just say’?!” Pabilsag protested.

『Anyway, how long are you going to act like that? Twilight seems to be feeling very awkward.』

“That is…!” Pabilsag tried to reply, but she looked away quickly after glancing at Chang-Sun.

Feeling embarrassed, Chang-Sun scratched his temple with his index finger as he wondered, ‘Is it because of my marriage proposal?’

Pabilsag had to know about the relationship between Chang-Sun and Cha Ye-Eun.

『Leave her be. She’s…』

Noticing Chang-Sun’s condition, Jörmungandr trailed off in amusement.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ whispers that she is not angry with you.]

Chang-Sun nodded quietly.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ adds that her feelings toward you are not really romantic. She is more like a fangirl who went to her favorite star’s signing events and concerts, but is now having a reality check after realizing her star is getting married.]

How did this serpent know what a concert and a signing event were? Chang-Sun was dumbstruck for a moment, but he ended up quietly chuckling after glancing at Pabilsag, who was still pouting. Before long, the three arrived at the Evil Dragon Castle, the center of the divine ground.

* * *

『You must have noticed it already, but the succession war within <Nammu> is very intense. That seems to be making some people particularly vigilant about how Tiamat has been favoring you as of late.』

Right before they entered the Evil Dragon Castle, Jörmungandr tried to finish explaining the situation with Ushumgalu.

“Do they believe I’ll be the deciding factor in this succession war?” Chang-Sun asked.

『To be more accurate, they believed that Tiamat was trying to solidify Pabilsag’s position by making her marry you and involving <Muspelheim> and the <Underworld>.』

It was certainly a reasonable deduction, so Chang-Sun nodded.

『Of course, their expectations were soon shattered, but that only made them more vigilant.』

“…?” Chang-Sun was unsure what Jörmungandr was saying.

『Tiamat declared in front of her children that the person who would be marrying you was her, not her youngest daughter.』

“…!” Chang-Sun’s jaw dropped to the floor, making Jörmungandr laugh uproariously.

According to Jörmungandr’s explanation, <Nammu>, which had the biggest share in the <Anti-Star> Alliance, had hosted an emergency meeting prior to the current one. It had been intended to focus on discussing countermeasures with the delegates who were already in the <Anti-Star> Alliance’s headquarters. However, one thing had led to another, causing the topic to change from the <Underworld> to Chang-Sun.

That was how the discord within <Nammu> had surfaced. Pabilsag and some others in <Nammu> either viewed Chang-Sun favorably or took no interest in him, but there were also people like Ushumgalu and Lahmu who were against Chang-Sun. Those who opposed him had mentioned the relationship between Chang-Sun and Pabilsag, causing an uproar that threw the meeting off track. In the end, Tiamat had dropped an even bigger bombshell before telling the others to keep quiet.

‘…It’s a mess,’ Chang-Sun thought.

The meeting had no doubt already been chaotic, but Tiamat had to have said that to create even greater chaos and revel in it. Chang-Sun could vividly picture the look on Tiamat’s face during the meeting; no doubt she had laughed uproariously. Chang-Sun could already feel his head aching.

‘For some reason, I seem to be getting acquainted with more and more ill-tempered people over time…’ Chang-Sun thought. He could not help but wonder if he had taken the wrong path in life.

『Do you know what the crazier part is?』

“…There’s more?” Chang-Sun asked Jörmungandr, having trouble believing that things could get messier.

『Right after Tiamat dropped that bombshell, you asked that girl named Ithaca to marry you, turning the meeting room upside down once again. It was like a tornado—no, it was a madhouse.』

After hearing Jörmungandr’s story, Chang-Sun covered his face with his hands. Troubles piled up one after another, causing him to have a headache for an unexpected reason. Jörmungandr went on.

『It’s understandable, since from the perspective of Tiamat’s children, their mother was planning to become a concubine, or even a mere lover. But Tiamat’s response to their reaction was truly something. ‘I also have several concubines, so why does it matter?’ Isn’t it amazing?』

Chang-Sun gave up on thinking any further.

『Her guts are on another level… Well, the fact that her Eleven Demonic Creatures all have different fathers is well-known.』

Chang-Sun heaved a very long sigh. Pabilsag also looked displeased, perhaps because she was also recalling the memory of the moment. She had not expected her mother to just bulldoze her way through like that.

『Anyway, this event brought the succession war in <Nammu> to the surface, making you a hot potato. Things in the <Anti-Star> Alliance are already hectic, and <Nammu> has the biggest share in our alliance. So their current condition is making many things chaotic.』

In other words, Jörmungandr was saying that Chang-Sun had unintentionally become the center of attention. Not only was Chang-Sun close to the <Underworld>, he was also in a position that could make him a deciding factor in the <Nammu> succession war.

Chang-Sun got the impression that Jörmungandr knew the political situation of <Nammu> quite well. Since it was common for Celestials to not care about the affairs of <Societies> other than their own, Jörmungandr’s deep knowledge about <Nammu> was quite surprising. When Chang-Sun furtively asked for the reason, Jörmungandr casually answered.

『Well, studying this kind of thing is my hobby. <Nammu> is known for their exclusivity, and since I got to enter their very own divine ground, I decided to use the opportunity to figure out everything I could about the <Society>.』

In other words, it was his thing to find out about accidents and events happening in other households. Although Pabilsag was right beside them, Jörmungandr did not hesitate to answer that he was here to spy on <Nammu>.

The more surprising part was Pabilsag’s reaction; she was utterly unfazed. However, she seemed to be more confident about <Nammu> than indifferent. No matter what kind of internal discord she and the other members went through, she absolutely believed that there was no way it would put <Nammu> in a precarious position.

Chang-Sun genuinely envied Pabilsag’s confidence; he could not help but think that he had to solidify the foundation of <Muspelheim> to make the <Society> as unwavering as <Nammu>.

『Anyway, many people will have their eye on you once you enter this place, so you’d better brace yourself.』

Jörmungandr’s voice still contained a hint of mischief, but the look in his eyes was serious.

『You’re the man of the hour right now.』

Just as Chang-Sun nodded and began to prepare himself, Jörmungandr arrived at the Evil Dragon Castle’s gate. The castle wall was so tall that it could almost rival a large mountain range.

Rumble…!

As the castle gate opened, Jörmungandr polymorphed into his human form and stood beside Chang-Sun and Pabilsag. Chang-Sun followed the two to the Evil Dragon Castle’s main palace. After passing through a long and narrow passage, the three arrived at a banquet hall.

Perhaps because not all the delegates had arrived yet, the mood in the hall was still quiet. Musicians played their instruments, and the tables were replete with an assortment of dishes. Waiters and maids walked around quickly to entertain guests.

“Is he…?”

“He’s with Pabilsag, so I think it’s him.”

“I heard he was a fiend, but he certainly doesn’t look like one.”

“He’s quite handsome. I want him as a decoration for my house.”

“I see why Tiamat chose him to be her concubine.”

Just as Jörmungandr had said, many people were paying attention to Chang-Sun, but most of them were assessing Chang-Sun’s looks and saying that they understood Tiamat’s choice.

“A <Supreme Light’s Face> and a subordinate of <Dull Darkness>...”

“I should be careful.”

Of course, many of them were also talking about Chang-Sun’s current position as a Celestial.

Chang-Sun also examined the guests, thinking, ‘The people who came from <Olympus> are Minerva and Mars.’

Minerva furtively waved at Chang-Sun, but Mars was busy shoving food into his mouth, not noticing Chang-Sun yet.

‘I see Cernunnos and Serket too.’

Most of the people who were on good terms with Chang-Sun were here as delegates, but people he did not particularly wish to meet were in the banquet hall too.

‘Uriel?’ Chang-Sun thought, coming to a halt.

Guarded by several archangels, Uriel was talking to someone, but he kept glancing in Chang-Sun’s direction, clearly having noticed his arrival.

‘<Maleakhe> wants to step in too?’

It was certainly plausible. The scale of the current war was growing so large that people had begun thinking it was possible for a new <Myth War> to break out. If the <Underworld> had also sustained damage, there was no way <Maleakhe>, the keepers of balance in <Heaven>, would not step in.

‘It’s like a marketplace.’

Too many Celestials and factions were in the banquet hall, making it chaotic. There were allies and enemies alike, but naturally, some were neutral, as they had not established any relationship with Chang-Sun. Even amid so many people, however, a lot of them paid close attention to Chang-Sun.

Tiamat’s children were gathered in a corner. Although they had polymorphed into human forms, they had reptile eyes and horned heads, so they were obviously Tiamat’s children. The one who was presumably Ushumgalu blatantly displayed his hostility, along with the three people around him.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Chang-Sun had a strong feeling that this meeting would not end peacefully, considering those children alone.

“Are you Twilight?”

Just then, someone called out to Chang-Sun. He turned to look in the direction of the voice, and saw a robust old man watching him with a glare. It was Taotie the Devil Blacksmith.

“I am,” Chang-Sun said with a nod.

“Give me that,” Taotie said.

“What are you talking about?” Chang-Sun asked.

“You aren’t worthy of using my weapon,” Taotie answered belligerently.

Taotie’s arrogant tone got on Chang-Sun’s nerves, but he noticed that the old man was looking at [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth].

Chang-Sun sneered. “Do you know me, mister?”

“What? Mister?” Taotie exclaimed, his gaze turning serious.

The reason Taotie was here was that Tiamat had promised to let him meet Ou Yezi’s descendant. When he arrived, he had seen Chang-Sun, who was carrying a demonic sword that he had given Tiamat some time ago, so he had wanted to test Chang-Sun. However, he had not expected Chang-Sun to treat him that way, and he wanted to snap back in anger.

Ushumgalu suddenly interrupted. “How dare you talk that way to Sir Taotie!” Although he pretended to be furious, his eyes were sparkling as if he felt he had found a good opportunity.

Wondering why Ushumgalu was doing such a thing, Taotie observed him. He soon realized that Ushumgalu was trying to flatter him. Thus, he took a step backward, thinking, ‘Maybe this is for the best.’

The goal was to test Chang-Sun anyway, so watching this quarrel develop could very well be enough for him to see Chang-Sun’s skills.

“Insulting Sir Taotie is the same as insulting <Nammu>, since he’s here on our invitation, so I want to challenge you to a duel. Don’t tell me you’re going to run away,” Ushumgalu said confidently.

A duel! No matter how lofty and exalted Celestials were, it was always fun to watch other people’s fights. The moment Ushumgalu mentioned a ‘duel’, everyone present in the hall looked in his and Chang-Sun’s direction.

“No way,” Chang-Sun muttered. He chuckled dryly, feeling dumbstruck.

He had not even said anything, but it looked as if a duel with Ushumgalu was unavoidable. Still, he thought it would not necessarily be a bad idea.

‘How long will he be able to hold out?’ Chang-Sun wondered.

Supreme sacred light and <Darkness>... The combination of those two Divinities was very powerful, so Chang-Sun wanted to see whether it would work on other great Celestials, and how effective it could be.