Little Pink Starfish

Late at night.

Above the city.

The Star Hated by All was gazing down at the earth from high in the sky.

The scattered twinkling lights of the night view were unpleasant. In the old days, humans, fearful of the night, would create all sorts of myths, but before long, they had begun lighting lamps to dominate the darkness.

‘Is he in the middle of training?’

In the midst of this absurdly bright night, The Star Hated by All spotted Ryu Eunyul.

Inside a barrier-enclosed compound, Ryu Eunyul was training.

‘It’s been a week now.’

The Star Hated by All traced his hazy memories. For a transcendent being like him, time wasn’t of much importance. All things in existence were trivial; what should be forgotten was forgotten, and what should be remembered was remembered. After all, The Star Hated by All knew that no matter what happened, he himself would exist forever.

<Have you been waiting long?>

Suddenly, a voice was heard.

The Star Hated by All turned his head towards the voice. Standing amidst the night-soaked clouds was The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell. Smiling at his brother, he spoke.

<The training seems to be going well.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell asked in a blunt tone.

<I’m not so sure.>

The Star Hated by All let out a small laugh.

<I cannot tell what is going well and what is not.>

The Star Hated by All merely intended to observe.

Regarding Ryu Eunyul’s training.

Even though he had shared power with Ryu Eunyul, compared to what The Star Hated by All possessed, it was nothing but a paltry amount. Thus, there was nothing he could do to help.

A human adult can teach a human child, but a god cannot manage the ecosystem of tiny microorganisms crawling somewhere on his fingernail.

It was just a game from the beginning.

The Greek constellations would share their power with their creations and guide them to defeat monsters themselves. Entrusting to creations what they could have done themselves was nothing more than an act of amusement.

‘How unpleasant.’

He never imagined he would ever do such a thing.

The Greek constellations ruled the world in the way most closely resembling their creations. Their methods had clear pros and cons.

‘The advantage…’

It was that they laughed and cried together with their creations. Such gods were rare.

‘However, the disadvantage…’

Because they were too close, countless tragedies were born by the gods’ own hands.

Because the gods persistently wooed them, human women were transformed into trees, and countless so-called heroes met tragic ends after being intoxicated by divine power.

<I never imagined I would do the same as them.>

Looking at The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell, The Star Hated by All spoke.

<I seem to have become too deeply entangled in the human world.> <All constellations are more deeply entangled in the human world than ever before.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell answered in an indifferent tone.

<It is an era where constellations’ sponsorship has become routine.>

<Among them, you and I have intervened at quite a dangerous level, haven’t we?>

The Star Hated by All let out a small laugh.

<We are going to prevent the birth of a new constellation. Papa would probably find it amusing that you are involved in this.>

<I’m merely taking responsibility.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell’s gaze tilted toward the ground.

<Those who call themselves gods do not take responsibility for the tragedies and comedies. But beings like you and me are different.>

Angels and demons were beings who ought to bear responsibility. After all, The Savior Who Is One and All created The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell and The Star Hated by All precisely for that reason.

If there is goodwill, angels offer assistance.

If there is malice, demons receive resentment.

Such were angels and demons.

<I’m curious.>

With a sly smile, The Star Hated by All spoke.

<Someone like you doesn’t really need to remain an angel. You’ve served Papa for a very long time; with that merit, you could even ask to rule a world of your own, couldn’t you?>

<I have no such hobby.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell answered flatly.

<Adversary, I rather question something else.>

<What is it?>

<Why must a world be necessary?>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell was questioning.

Was this world truly necessary?

Was it necessary to create all these worlds, fill them with suitable creatures, observe how they live, and administer rewards and punishments?

Was creation itself a necessary act?

<For what purpose did Father create this world? That is what I am wondering about.>

<You remain ever so pure.>

The Star Hated by All smiled.

<Look over there.>

The Star Hated by All pointed to a section of the night view.

On one side of the city, a child with a bright expression was walking down the street, holding a parent’s hand. That child would face some hardships, become an adult someday, fail to achieve everything they wished for, yet occasionally feel small happinesses as they aged.

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell could easily reflect on such a scene.

<And what about it?>

At his question, The Star Hated by All sighed.

<You don’t see? Then look over there.>

The Star Hated by All pointed to another spot.

Deep within the forest, insects crawled inside the dirt. Happiness and misfortune were desires named by humans; the insects lived and died fulfilling their roles without being happy or unhappy.

That too, The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell easily understood.

<Are you trying to lecture me on the human world?>

At his question, The Star Hated by All shook his head.

<I mean for you to face the colorlessness of life itself. I declare that this world is completely meaningless. The creatures are nothing but disgusting. They live as they please, die as they please. They desire arbitrarily, realize arbitrarily. When peace is achieved, they obsess over the end, and when the end arrives, they naturally dream of peace.>

This world is trivial.

The Star Hated by All so declared.

<You still think Papa is omnipotent, don’t you? You think he worries because he is omnipotent. You’re questioning why an omnipotent being created such a flawed world, are you not?>

<I…>

<Think differently. Papa is not omnipotent.>

What if he was merely a system that existed to create this world?

<What are you saying?>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell’s gaze sharpened.

<Are you… still intending to blaspheme our Father, who created us?>

<Creation is not a grace. It is an act of necessity.>

You know it too.

Papa,

The Savior Who Is One and All, is not an omnipotent being, brother.

The Star Hated by All whispered toward The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell.

<He is merely called omnipotent because of his overwhelming might. Surely, there must be a being somewhere that created even him. Humans copulate to create children, insects bury countless eggs underground. This chain cannot be severed. Just as we were created by Papa’s hand, Papa too must have been created by something.>

<…If that’s so.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell sighed.

<Then did you challenge Father by belittling his omnipotence?>

<Of course not.>

The Star Hated by All smiled.

<I was simply curious.>

About how powerful The Savior Who Is One and All truly was.

The Star Hated by All replied that he was merely curious about that.

<…You’re laughable.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell let out a small laugh.

<You are truly a laughable being. Hard to believe that you and I are brothers.> <I always thought so too.>

In the eyes of these alike brothers, each other’s reflection was seen.

In the eyes of The Star Hated by All, The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell appeared so upright that it seemed suffocating.

Following the creator’s command, fulfilling his role, striving to prevent cracks in the world. At the same time, turning away from unavoidable sacrifices, yet standing bravely against inevitable catastrophes.

The Savior Who Is One and All surely called this goodwill.

Conversely, in the eyes of The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell, The Star Hated by All was truly wicked, and that wickedness was simply nauseating.

Drawing his blade directly at the creator, considering the world’s cracks meaningless, refusing necessary sacrifices, and dismissing even inevitable disasters as empty.

The Savior Who Is One and All surely called this malice.

<Our actions will surely offend the other constellations.>

At The Star Hated by All’s words, The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell nodded.

<Indeed. Intervening in the birth of a constellation is a taboo.>

<Then you and I shall be pointed at together… are you fine with that?>

<I believe this too is part of Father’s providence. My devotion will not change.>

<…Yes. I suppose it would.>

The Star Hated by All smiled and raised his right arm.

He reached his hand out toward his one and only brother.

<We are beings who can never intermingle.>

In the palm of The Star Hated by All, a black sphere began to form.

<Therefore, before we formally join hands, there is something we must resolve.>

<Of course.>

Light gathered in the hand of The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell.

In an instant, the light gathered in his right palm, forming a fully manifested divine weapon.

<I’ve been waiting for the day to cross swords with you, brother.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell whispered.

<For I’ve always been curious.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell recalled the distant past, reversing the flow of ancient time.

The moment when The Star Hated by All, who had rebelled against The Savior Who Is One and All, stood before him and withdrew his power.

<Why, while harboring murderous intent toward the creator, did you withhold it against your brother!>

That was what he had been curious about.

As he charged toward The Star Hated by All, The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell shouted.