The Star Hated by All watched from the highest place.
He watched the world.
<My son, Star.>
A voice addressed him—The Savior Who Is One and All.
<Do you believe in fate?>
The Star Hated by All looked up at The Savior Who Is One and All.
He always had to look up. The Savior Who Is One and All stood alone at the highest point.
<I don’t believe in it.><I see.>
The Savior smiled.
<But, my son, Star… never forget that disbelief is also a kind of belief. Even if you turn away from faith, this world was made by me. One day, I will let you be swept away by fate.>
The Star Hated by All let out a small scoff and turned away from The Savior.
And looked again.
<Papa.>
He gazed upon the world stretched endlessly below.
<Why did you make the world like this?>
The Savior didn’t answer.
<Why did you make pride, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth?>
<…I don’t know.>
The Star Hated by All widened his eyes.
Could there be something The Savior didn’t know?
He was supposed to be the one who created everything—this world and beyond.
<To learn the answer, I made fate…>
The Savior’s massive hand enveloped The Star Hated by All’s tiny body.
Only darkness could be seen.
Even so, The Star Hated by All closed his eyes—
Because he feared The Savior’s touch.<Let me ask you again.>
In the darkness, The Savior’s voice echoed.
<My son, Star… do you believe in fate?>
“…I don’t believe in it.”
He murmured.
And opened his eyes.
Soft breathing—
The Star Hated by All quickly sat up and looked around.
The Savior Who Is One and All was gone.
But someone else was there.
Ryu Eunyul, asleep on the floor, wrapped in a blanket—having given up his bed.
“…I must’ve dozed off.”
The Star Hated by All muttered and looked out the window.
It was dark.
Fixing the status window must’ve drained more of his energy than he expected.
He quietly slipped out of the bed.
Then stared down at Ryu Eunyul’s sleeping face.
“…Hmph. Quiet for once. How nice.”
He turned away and looked toward the desk.
There was something he’d been curious about.
Something he saw the last time he visited Eunyul’s childhood home.
But back then, he’d been too busy harvesting Muddorok’s core to investigate.
The second drawer of Eunyul’s desk—sealed with a lock.
The Star Hated by All touched the lock and chuckled.
“…What a petty trick.”
Click.
His golden eyes flickered, and the lock disengaged.
Inside were two notebooks.
He opened one.
…It was filled with cut-out photos of Rowen.
“…Saw something I shouldn’t have.”
He shut the notebook and put it back.
Then opened the second.
This one was full of clipped newspaper articles.
All of them revolved around the same topic:
“Who is Boy A?”
The Star Hated by All kept flipping the pages.
At the start of the final page, it said:
Will.
“…I see.”
After reading the contents, The Star Hated by All nodded slowly.
Then turned to look at the sleeping Eunyul.
“I only manifested because I needed a contractor… and remembered the plea of one of your ancestors.”
He chuckled bitterly.
“…But maybe fate had a different reason for binding us together.”
He closed the diary.
And looked out the window.
Toward the highest place.
“I knew it. I really don’t want to believe in it.”
In something like fate.
Around noon, I boarded a KTX train to Andong with The Star Hated by All.
Andong was the place where Geahrzimen, the walking hell, had once manifested.
When I told The Star Hated by All I wanted to deal with Geahrzimen:
<Hmph. I figured you’d bring that up soon.>
Back in his fly form, he rubbed his front legs.
“…Why?”
<Please. I’ve spent enough time around you to guess. You probably want to handle it before the finals start, and maybe get some kind of reward out of it too.>
“Bingo…”
Both Muddorok and Abrilah had given me titles and special skills in their own ways.
…Even if not all of them were immediately useful.
But skills like [Unsinkable Paper Boat] ended up coming in handy depending on how I used them.
Not to mention artifacts like Burning Devil’s Eye and Violin of Tainted Blood, which were great boosts to my power.
So yeah—taking down Geahrzimen before the training camp was definitely about strengthening my arsenal.
But Andong was in Gyeongsangbuk-do, a long way from Incheon.
I wasn’t sure I could handle it all in a single day.
Travel alone would eat up most of it.
“Um… Mom? There’s a place I want to visit for a bit…”
During breakfast, I cautiously brought it up.
“A trip? Alone?”
She was cutting rolled omelet as she asked.
I swallowed hard and nodded.
“You want me to sign a parental consent form, right?”
Exactly.
I was still a minor—staying overnight meant I needed Mom’s ID and signed permission.
“…Sigh.”
She let out a deep breath.
“I don’t mind, but Eunyul. What did I always say?”
“Take care of yourself. Never get hurt…”
“That’s right. That’s our promise.”
She leaned on one hand and stared at me.
“You already broke it once in Jeju, didn’t you?”
“Yes…”
“Then why should I trust you to keep it this time?”
I couldn’t say anything.
My tongue practically shriveled.
“…Give me a reason to.”
She said, displeased.
“Thank you, ma’am!!”
I jumped to my feet and bowed.
And that’s how I got permission to board the KTX to Andong.
Clatter, clatter.
I sat by the window, watching the scenery pass.<I want to ask you something.>
From inside the metal case, The Star Hated by All spoke up.
<How was the walking hell defeated?>
“…Huh?”
I tilted my head. Shouldn’t he know that?
Actually, I’d assumed The Star Hated by All of all people would know.
Muddorok was taken down by the Seoul-area guild alliance.
Abrilah was defeated by a team of five S-rank hunters.
But Geahrzimen…
It just… died.
That was the only explanation anyone had.
An S-rank Gate had opened in Andong.
The Gyeongsang guild alliance had rushed to the scene—but by the time they arrived, Geahrzimen was already dead.
At first, people thought maybe it was the work of a rogue S-rank hunter.
But no S-rank hunter came forward.
Which was strange—there was a massive bounty attached to it.
I had been planning to ask about this.
How did Geahrzimen die? And how was it trying to return?<No idea.>
‘…Didn’t expect much. Lazy king as always.’
I took a sip of my strawberry juice.
<That’s not the issue. Geahrzimen was created by the direct subordinates of the Demon God.>
“…Created?”
<Yes. It’s a kind of golem—made of flesh and blood.>
“Golems are usually made of stone or metal, though.”
<Hmph. That’s just how human mages do it. Comparing those crude toys to Geahrzimen is an insult to hell.>
Then he explained how Geahrzimen was made.
First, its form was molded with mana, then infused with the flames of hell.
The hellfire served as molten metal, into which the materials were cast.
And the materials…
…were demons who had chosen to die for the sake of creating Geahrzimen.
“…They committed suicide?”
<Of course. Geahrzimen was a golem worthy of their lives. If given time, it would’ve been far stronger than Muddorok or Abrilah—it was only ranked S because it was rushed to battle.>
That’s what he said, but I was barely listening.
I was staring absently out the window.
<What is it?>
He asked.
“Demons committing suicide… just surprised me.”
<Suicide isn’t a sin. For demons, it’s a virtue.>
“…I see.”
<At any rate, Geahrzimen was built from the flesh and blood of demons. The Demon God’s trump card. That such a thing fell so easily…>
Why did it collapse?
He didn’t know.
And neither did I.
“Hot…”
I took off my hat and wiped the sweat from my brow.
The sun blazed through the thick trees above.
Southern Korea was still pretty hot in the daytime.
<What are you dawdling for, creature! Hurry up!>
The Star Hated by All buzzed through the trees.
“I’m coming, I’m coming…”
I slung my jacket over my arm and followed him.
After getting off at Andong Station, just as expected, The Star Hated by All sensed the presence of Geahrzimen’s remnants.
We followed the trail through a series of forest paths.
If Muddorok had been leeching from underground aquifers, maybe Geahrzimen had been feeding off ley lines?
Thankfully, there was a guesthouse nearby.
We called the host after spotting a sign and planned to search after checking in.
“…A student?”
The host asked. She was a young woman.
“Yes… I brought the signed consent form and my mom’s ID…”
“That’s strange.”
“…Pardon?”
“Oh, nothing. Never mind.”
She said she’d check the forms and ID at the lobby before check-in.
After walking a bit more, we reached a sleek white building—our guesthouse.
“That’s the end of our walk. Go rest inside.”
I opened the case and told The Star Hated by All.
<Heh. I’ve been away from my castle too long.>
…He entered without protest, which was oddly unsettling.
The monochrome lobby greeted me as I stepped inside.
“Ah, you must be the one who called earlier?”
The host, tying her hair up, looked up at me.
“Yes… hello.”
I smiled and handed over the forms and ID.
“Mind if I call your mother to confirm?”
I gave her the number, and after speaking to Mom, she smiled.
“All verified. Your mother told me not to let you do anything reckless. Is something wrong with your health?”
“…No, I’m healthy.”
“Really? You look kind of familiar though…”
Uh-oh.
If she realizes I’m a CYB contestant, things will get complicated.
I wore a bucket hat with a long brim for this exact reason.
“Maybe I’m imagining things?”
“Definitely! Haha…”
“Well, sure. Must be my imagination.”
Check-in went smoothly.
I unpacked after a brief tour.
There didn’t seem to be any other guests.
Craving something cold, I headed to the snack bar.
I got a strawberry latte from the vending machine and sat down.
…This is nice.
“Really nice.”
It felt like a vacation.
“Well, in a way, it is a vacation.”
Still, I couldn’t forget—
“Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten.”
Why I was really here.
“The real reason we came is…”
Huh?
Someone at the next table was mumbling the exact same words as me?
And that voice—
I turned, barely believing my ears.
“Don’t pout. I’ll draw you a sheep.”
No way…
“Maybe today, I’ll try a fire-breathing sheep?”
With a giggle—
Jeong Noeul was talking to the air.
Little Pink Starfish 
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