The man was sitting on the sofa with a neat posture.
Legs calmly brought together, hands resting atop his thighs. His head held straight forward, his expression as neutral as possible. That was how he had been taught to sit.
The man didn’t know why he was sitting here. But not knowing how to question it, he remained unaware of his own ignorance, simply staring straight ahead.
“What’s your name?”
A question came. The man paused with his lips shut, then slowly answered.
“…Jeong Hangyeol.”
The man—Jeong Hangyeol—replied.
“What kind of person are you, Jeong Hangyeol?”
To the next question, Jeong Hangyeol answered in a flat voice.
“I don’t know.”
“Why not?”
“Because nothing comes to mind.”
“That’s right.”
Aiden smiled, gazing at Jeong Hangyeol seated across from him. The reconstruction of his body was complete. But since his soul wasn’t yet fully restored, normal thought processes hadn’t returned. Fortunately, he had recovered enough to remember newly introduced information. That alone was enough to delight Aiden.
“Your name is the first way to define yourself.”
Aiden spoke, watching Jeong Hangyeol.
“But you don’t have to be attached to it. Names are usually given by parents. More often than not, a child’s name reflects the parent’s identity. So if you ever want to change your name, you can.”
“Then… are you my parent?”
Tilting his head, Jeong Hangyeol asked.
“No. I was just sharing a general fact.”
“Then… what are you?”
“Hmm.”
Aiden crossed his arms and tilted his head in thought. He pondered how best to answer, how to define what he was to Jeong Hangyeol.
Once, he had been his friend. But now that he had revived him, they could no longer be friends. Aiden had harvested countless souls to restore Jeong Hangyeol. His reincarnated soul had been scattered across the world.
Handling soulless reincarnations was easy—like carving stone or cutting wood. Only when they were returned to life as living beings did it become cumbersome.
He killed insects, strangled beasts.
It wasn’t difficult to manipulate the souls of humans who were near death. They were already close to dying. What troubled him was taking souls from fully living humans.
‘How ironic.’
That reviving a single person required so much sin.
Aiden was fully aware that what he was doing was wrong. The way even guilt could become dulled was horrifying. Those whose soul fragments were taken would live on missing parts of their consciousness. They might suffer cognitive decline, physical ailments, or shortened lifespans.
Resurrecting a being could not be done easily.
Neither suffering, nor high-level sorcery, nor fervent prayers could accomplish it.
Countless sins were the price of bringing back a single existence.
“I’m neither your parent… nor your friend.”
Aiden looked directly at him.
“You’re human… and I’m not.”
Aiden knew he no longer belonged within the human category. Humanity was defined as much by its frailty as by its resilience. The element called emotion mostly served to weaken people. Aiden was aware that his own emotions were fading.
‘Yes.’
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
‘Now… it has to be you.’
His gaze shifted away from Jeong Hangyeol.
‘I feel nothing for anyone else anymore.’
This must be the process of becoming a constellation.
Aiden smiled.
It would be strange for a god to gaze upon the world with emotion.
Though he had never seen ‘The Savior Who Is One and All’, he suspected that entity was closer to being devoid of emotion. Creating the world with emotional investment seemed odd. Do researchers harbor feelings for the lab rats crawling about their sterile chambers? Aiden shook his head.
“I am a god.”
He spoke in a low voice.
“The god who created you.”
“…A god?”
Jeong Hangyeol’s eyes widened.
He stared, mouth agape.
“What’s a god?”
He asked with a vacant expression.
Ah, that’s right.
I never told you what a god is.
Aiden smiled faintly.
“Didn’t you hear me? God is me.”
“But… I don’t see how we’re any different.”
Jeong Hangyeol placed his hand on his chest.
“You say I’m human, but you’re a god. What makes us different?”
“I told you—I created you.”
Aiden spoke softly.
“That’s something humans can’t do. To create a human requires at least two humans. In truth, far more. Friends, bosses, even people you might want to kill… A human is formed through the presence of many others. But I created you on my own.”
“I see.”
Jeong Hangyeol nodded.
“Then… how are gods made?”
At that question, Aiden fell silent.
“Who created gods?”
Usually, gods are assumed to have existed since the beginning. That was especially true for ‘The Savior Who Is One and All.’ But how that being came into existence, Aiden had no way of knowing. Nor had the fragmented Jeong Hangyeol been asking about such lofty matters.
Rather, his question sounded like: who made you that way?
“Gods…”
Aiden lowered his head.
“…are made by humans.”
I was made by you.
Aiden thought, gazing at Jeong Hangyeol.
The heart of the Celestial Realm.
‘The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell’ stepped into a pure white space.
A vacant area devoid of anything. At its end stood a figure—an unblemished version of herself. The difference was that its body was whole. No burn marks, no rotted flesh—an untouched version of her former self.
<…I greet ‘The Savior Who Is One and All’.>
She spoke quietly. The being who resembled her—‘The Savior Who Is One and All’—smiled.
[Welcome. Have you been well?]
<You already know my movements, do you not?>
[Of course. I meant your feelings. I’m curious.]
Your emotions.
‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ whispered as it approached.
Its form reflected in her eyes. She could have felt disgust, seeing it mimic her former self. Could have felt nausea, or sorrow. But as ‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ displayed no emotion at all, she too felt nothing.
<…I have simply fulfilled my contract. I bear no feelings.>
She answered calmly.
<I acted solely to support my contractor’s wishes within the permitted bounds. That is a constellation’s duty. I have worked to carry it out, and its success is near.>
[Yes. You’ve done very well.]
‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ replied readily.
[But not all constellations agree. Are you aware?]
<I am aware.>
[My son… ‘The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell’ will no longer overlook your actions. But the angels differ. They serve order. Most in Heaven believe your contractor’s success should be prioritized.]
Circling around her, ‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ continued.
[‘The Traveler from Asteroid B-612’ strongly condemns your actions, saying you create but shirk responsibility. ‘Love Born with Bubbles’ also deems your path wrong, claiming you don’t even know what you’re doing. ‘The Ten Kings Who Govern the Underworld’ have raised concerns that your creation has disturbed the balance of the underworld, as they value the dead more than the living. The souls fragmented by your actions trouble them greatly.]
<I am aware.>
She had anticipated all of this. Aiden’s deeds were bound to spark opposition.
[As for ‘The Star Hated by All’…]
The being paused.
<He is no longer a constellation.>
She replied.
‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ smiled.
[That’s true. But he’s decided to stop you.]
It shrugged.
[Though, interestingly… he never said what you’re doing is wrong.]
“…….”
‘The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell’ silently gazed back.
[Why do you think that is?]
<…I do not know.>
[Truly?]
Disappointment tinged its expression.
[I don’t know either. That’s why I summoned you—to ask.]
<As I said, I am fulfilling my role.>
She spoke with firm conviction.
<I will do my duty as a constellation.>
That was all. Her actions…
<My contractor will not be saved. He cannot be forgiven, nor will he find solace.>
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
<Whether I succeed, or whether we fall into ruin… the result will not change.>
Yes. Therefore—
<I will simply remain at my contractor’s side.>
Because that is the only kindness permitted to him.
Little Pink Starfish 
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