<You’ve returned quickly.>
The Star Hated by All said with a smirk.
Near midnight, Mika and I came back to Geahrzimen’s guesthouse. The others were already asleep, and the Star Hated by All greeted us, arms crossed and wearing a sour expression.
<Is that directed at me, or at you, Eunyul?>
Mika tilted her head and asked. Considering Mika had just come back from the heavens and I had been wandering alone, the Star’s sarcasm was, in truth, aimed at both of us.
<I thought you wouldn’t come back from the heavens as you were.>
The Star spoke to Mika.
<After all, it was impossible for me to predict what our proud father might do. You broke a lot of guardian angels and even interfered with the birth of a Star, didn’t you?>
<So what? Were you worried about me?>
Mika snorted.
<I saw Father, but we didn’t exchange anything special. The soul of Jeong Hangyeol returned to where it belonged, and guardian angels? We can make more of those anytime.>
She muttered, then narrowed her eyes.
<You know this too: no matter how powerful we are, we belong to this world. Father knows your intentions, and he knows my movements as well. In other words…>
From now on, the One and All Savior will be watching our every move.
Mika said this. The gaze of the One and All Savior was scattered across countless dimensions and universes. What happened on Earth—just one of innumerable planets—was hardly significant to Him.
Even if Earth was special, it was nothing more than an interesting phenomenon inside one of countless test tubes. The world I perceived was but a tiny flask to the One and All Savior.
For Him to watch a single flask like this…
Though I felt in my mind this was no ordinary matter, it was hard to grasp intuitively.
<I expected as much. The creator’s position is cruel: having made everything, he can no longer trust what he created and must watch over it.>
The Star shrugged lightly as if it were no big deal.
<And…>
His gaze shifted toward me.
<You’ve come back safely, too. I thought you might have run away.>
“Where else would I go but back here…”
I said with a sigh.
“I just needed to clear my thoughts, so I went out for a bit of fresh air. That’s when I met Mika.”<I see.>
The Star nodded.
<So… have you made up your mind?>
“Go inside and talk. Is Geahrzimen asleep?”
<He’s inside. That filthy creature wouldn’t be sleeping otherwise.><Mika answered for me.>
<Sleep is rest granted to those who follow the natural order. It’s disgusting. I must face the invention of hell and meet its eyes.>
Mika clicked her tongue and walked ahead.
I followed Mika’s back with my eyes, then looked at the Star who was facing me.
<Unexpected.>
Contrary to expectations, the Star was smiling.
<I can glimpse your heart. Even the fleeting thoughts you do not recognize yourself, I can chew over them. That’s why I knew you might not accept my course of action.>
The Star, as an observer, could discern my thoughts. Even the faintest impulses I, the thinker, failed to notice might sparkle like sparks in his gaze.
It’s like this: I see reports of the Gate disaster, briefly think of my father without realizing it, harbor hatred, but it’s just a momentary fancy, part of daily life, so I don’t notice it.
Yet the Star, as a third party, detects even a single grain of my feeling.
“If you knew that… why tell me?”
I asked, and the Star tilted his head.<Because we have a contract.>
His answer was obvious, yet he seemed to question why I asked.
“Words say contract, but really it’s different. There can be no contract between a Star and a human. Stars are too mighty, people too weak. Our relationship is not equal.”
The Star and I are not on equal footing.
Had he wished, the Star could have chosen another path. Unlike other Stars, he wasn’t restricted by the One and All Savior’s limitations. He could have made me a loyal servant or broken our contract here to pursue his own goals.
<If it were a contract between a Star and a human, that might be true.>
The Star said calmly.
<But as you know, I have no Star status. I’m only stronger than most Stars. Strength is a good measure of rank, but it does not alone determine superiority or inferiority, nor does it define good and evil or right and wrong.>
Stars care for their creations, and creations revere their Stars.
God grants power to humans, and humans believe in God without doubt.
<We never conformed to that principle. Rather, we faithfully denied the laws between gods and humans. Isn’t that right, friend?>
“Friend…?”
I opened my eyes wide.
<If not that, what would you call yourself?>
Because we are friends, I speak honestly.
Even if it’s unforgivable.
The Star whispered to me.
“Really…”
Geahrzimen narrowed his eyes.
“It’s disgusting how you look. Like vomit spat out by the heavens. Why do you smell like flowers? Don’t you feel sorry for the flowers?”<I contributed to decorating the whole world with flowers.>
Mika said sharply, eyes wide.
<By the way, what are you? This guesthouse is nothing but your flesh. How can you charge people to stay in a place like this? Doesn’t your conscience prick you?>
“What about my body? Humans love this place. It’s even received awards for cleanliness. The accounting is fine. Taxes are paid properly, too. It’s you who should feel guilty. Does your church pay fair wages for labor?”
<Listen, Star Hated by All. I cannot meet the gaze of such a filthy creature.>
“Listen here, King of Hell. Is your brother always this rude?”
Mika and Geahrzimen glared as if about to tear each other apart, then turned their gaze to the Star.
The Star glanced between them in disbelief.
<I see you’re both stupid fools.>
He sighed and sat down.
I laughed helplessly and sat too. I hadn’t expected good words to be exchanged, but I didn’t expect such grinding teeth and bitter insults either.
“Don’t cross your legs. Our guesthouse forbids angels from crossing their legs.”
<I’ll just blow this place up. Let them know allowing you to run a business here is the will of heaven.>
<…Shut up.>
The Star bit his lip tightly.
“King of Hell, shall we kill that one now? You can do it, right? Angels don’t die? That’s lucky—you can kill and kill again.”
<I’m sorry, but my seal is the Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell. You know that, don’t you? It was I who cast down that vaunted King of Hell…>
<Quiet!>
The Star snapped, frowning.
Seeing Mika and Geahrzimen finally quiet, he brushed back his hair.
<Pretending to be a bickering couple—save that for after this is all over. We didn’t gather here to quarrel over petty emotions.>
“It’s not petty emotions.”
Geahrzimen muttered, avoiding the Star’s gaze.
<A bickering couple? Are you crazy?>
Mika grumbled quietly through clenched teeth.
“Well, anyway…”
I scratched the back of my neck.
“Let me sum this up. The two of you and one other here…”
Looking around at Geahrzimen, Mika, and finally the Star, I asked:
“…are aiming to find the Demon God, right?”
<Exactly.>
Mika answered cautiously.
<Currently, the Demon God’s body is that of an ordinary human. So we cannot search for her by detecting divine power. But since we know the contract holder, we can physically track her.>
“Vanessa Bernstein… she’s a famous overseas artist.”
Geahrzimen said, resting his chin on his hand.
“Finding her general location isn’t hard. It’s just unclear exactly where she and Vanessa Bernstein are together.”<She might even be pretending to be a road manager like me.>
Though that’s unlikely… the Star muttered, scratching his neck.
“So, to find the Demon God, you’ll have to meet Vanessa Bernstein?”
I asked.
<Exactly. Soon we plan to invite her here.>
Mika answered businesslike.
<Many overseas artists perform in Korea. We’re contacting sponsors to request a domestic concert. She might refuse if she senses something’s off though…>
I nodded.
If the Demon God catches wind, how likely is a refusal?<Probably no chance of refusal.>
The Star, reading my thoughts, spoke.
<The Demon God is not extraordinary. Once a low-ranked demon, now nothing more than a human, so she cannot perceive clear signals.>
I sighed.
Still, the resolve of those gathered here was firm.
To find the Demon God.
Though their goals might differ.
At least that was true for me.
“Fine. Let’s find the Demon God.”
I spoke, steeling myself.
I would meet the Demon God and ask the truth.
To question the one who once led the world to the brink of destruction.
Did she have regrets?
I had to confirm that—as a single human being.
Little Pink Starfish 
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