I Became a Gallery Newbie Beloved by Transcendents

Leon, the 4th-rank member, charged in while emitting radiance.
I measured the gap.
I stepped on Leon’s right foot as he charged from the left, stopping his movement.
I swung Mundum Exstinguit, the sword made by Master Blacksmith Malenis, horizontally.
The sword technique that followed my movement was naturally the Dragon Slaying Sword.
The 1st technique, a horizontal slash, Þursahǫgg.
I beheaded Leon along with the spear he had thrust.
[‘The Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon’ has a small question about your sword technique.]
[‘The Saint Chasing Light’ opens her eyes wide.]
[‘The Judge with a Thousand Eyes’ flinches and runs his hand over his neck.]
What is it?
Does this mean they recognized the Dragon Slaying Sword? It seemed they only had suspicions for now.
From their perspective, they absolutely couldn’t predict that I could communicate with LightSword senior and other Transcendent seniors through a gallery.
I had killed two out of the three, Wolf and Leon.
Now only Nick was left.
Perhaps because I had killed the two 4th-rank members, Nick stood still with both feet planted on the ground.
With my sword pointed at Nick’s neck, I asked.
“Why did you try to kill that woman?”
Nick, with his distinctive brown mustache, burst into a mocking laugh at my words.
“Kuk, kukuku! I was just wondering how the Everhart baronial family sent such a strong fighter, but this is ridiculous. To think you were just a madman who charged in without knowing anything…”
Nick continued speaking.
“That wench does have a pretty face, I’ll admit. Not only did she bewitch that stupid young master, but she even bewitched a passing madman… I can see you’re strong, but do you think you can handle the members sent by Count Rafaello’s family alone?”
I understand the situation now.
Count Rafaello’s side is chasing Carmine, the lady of the Everhart baronial family. That structure is confirmed.
When I briefly lowered my sword, Nick seemed to take it as carelessness and extended his right hand holding his sword.
Thrust!
I took out the Dagger of Blood that was tucked at my waist with my left hand and stabbed Nick’s lungs.
“Kuk, keurgh…”
Nick’s body staggered backward.
Then he fell headfirst to the ground.
I approached Carmine, who was still standing where I had told her to stay still.
“I’d like to hear the details.”
Carmine nodded vigorously.
“Yes, yes…”
I took out the black robes of Wolf and Leon that weren’t stained with blood.
“Put this on.”
Judging by the circle drawn on the back, these were clothes worn by Umbra organization members.
Wearing this would at least prevent people from shooting arrows without hesitation or trying to kill us from a distance.
I put one on too.
I looked around. For now, leaving the alley seemed safer.
My gaze shifted to Carmine’s waist.
A sword.
“Are you a swordswoman?”
Carmine nodded at my question.
“What rank?”
“…2nd rank.”
I was about to ask why she had just stood still, but I didn’t voice it.
Seeing the state of the 4th-rank members, it seemed that I was the abnormal one for being so active at the 2nd rank.
“Since I’ve killed these guys anyway, I can’t be free from this affair. Even if I seem strange to you, I’ve become your ally in this situation. Rafaello? You said they were sent by some count’s family?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Follow me.”
I’ve never been in this kind of escape situation before.
First, we moved back to a path with many people.
“Explain as quickly as possible the information I need to know.”
As I whispered, Carmine began reciting her situation as I asked.
“I’m in an arranged marriage with Witor, the eldest son of Count Rafaello’s family. I was planning to proceed with the marriage as scheduled, but I discovered that Witor has a character flaw.”
“What is it?”
“He killed the family’s maids for sport. Not just one or two, but many. So I said I wanted to cancel the marriage… and this is what happened afterward.”
“You said it?”
“Yes, I sent a letter.”
“If you sent a letter and they sent assassin-like guys in response, they probably would have killed you on the spot if you had said it face to face.”
Carmine let out a deep sigh.
“Probably.”
I gestured with my chin toward a place that looked like a tea house.
I entered the tea house with Carmine.
“Right next to the door.”
Carmine sat right next to the door as I instructed.
It was so we could immediately escape if we were discovered.
“So, what do you need to do to survive? Should I take you to your home, the baronial family?”
“…My family won’t be able to withstand Rafaello’s pressure in the end. Just before I left home, they were trying to persuade me. That it would be better to just go through with the marriage.”
This means taking her to the Everhart baronial family wouldn’t be a fundamental solution.
“Then why did you leave your family in the first place if you wanted to overcome the situation?”
It was a question I threw out without expecting a proper answer.
But the answer that came from Carmine’s mouth contained a more concrete picture than I thought.
“If I go to Ventura Academy and complete the enrollment procedure, the academy will protect me. The academy doesn’t turn a blind eye to students who have set foot on their grounds. Once I’ve fully enrolled, even Count Rafaello’s family won’t be able to touch me.”
Right after Carmine finished her explanation, notification windows began to cover my vision.
『You have reached the truth of the narrative!』
『You must now make a choice.』
It was the same content as when I met and listened to Misaki, the cat-folk girl, on the 3rd floor.
This feels ominous.
Don’t tell me, this time too.
『1. Escort Carmine Everhart to the Everhart baronial family.
Minimum clearing condition: Carmine Everhart’s safe return to the Everhart baronial family.
Quest difficulty – ★★★★』
『2. Escort Carmine Everhart to Ventura Academy.
Minimum clearing condition: Complete Carmine Everhart’s enrollment at Ventura Academy.
Quest difficulty – ★★★★★★』
Six stars…!
What? Wasn’t five stars the maximum?
『You must choose one of the two options. If you fail in the first attempt, subsequent attempts including the second can only proceed with the opposite choice of the first attempt.』
『Quest failure criteria: Failure to meet minimum clearing conditions』
『In challenge rounds after the first attempt failure, you cannot gain any ‘experience points’ at all.』
『Criteria for not being able to attempt a second round: Player death』
『A higher quest difficulty will yield greater rewards upon success. However, this is limited to the first attempt.』
These bastards.
They’re doing mischief again.
Can’t things be a little easier?
[‘The Saint Chasing Light’ widens her eyes at the quest difficulty, and now confirms that this place’s difficulty is ‘Pandemonium.’ She is shocked!]
[‘The Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon’ clicks his tongue at the quest difficulty.]
[‘The Judge with a Thousand Eyes’ moved his eyes to check if this is indeed the 5th floor.]
[‘The Giant who Swallowed the Moon’ advises you to make a rational judgment.]
[‘The Watcher Swimming in the Abyss’ looks at you.]
Below the numerous constellation reaction notifications, I saw ‘Block Constellations.’
I pressed it.
The rapidly rising reaction windows abruptly stopped.
I took a photo of the quest window with my terminal and uploaded it to the gallery.
Carmine, like all NPCs who had seen my terminal so far, seemed unable to see the terminal.
Title: There Were Six Stars?
Author: oo*

Hmm, looks like I’m in for another struggle.
Attachment: 1283102381232.jpg
(Photo of quest options)

ㄴ SewerSwordSaint) ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ There are more than six stars. But they only appear after passing the 25th floor.
ㄴ Pandemo-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋnium strikes again.
ㄴ At this level, they’re basically telling you to die peacefully.
ㄴ ㅎㅎㅎ Hang in there. Having a drink and thinking about how tough our climber brother has it~~~
ㄴ Old man. If you’re drunk, just go to sleep ㅇㅇ
ㄴ For real ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Our climber is going to choose the six-star option anyway, right? You’ve always enjoyed the pain.
As if I enjoy pain.
ㄴ LightSword) I’ve never heard of the Everhart baronial family.
ㄴ ArchMage) There must be a side harassing Carmine Everhart, given the quest. What’s their name?
ㄴ oo*) Count Rafaello’s family. She says she broke off the engagement with the eldest son. The son seems to be a strange person, so it looks like they’re trying to kill Carmine ㅇㅇ
ㄴ There are many high nobility scions with terribly high pride.
ㄴ Rafaello has a long history of evil deeds.
ㄴ Ah! Rafaello! Disgusting-faello!! Ask for the name of that eldest son’s father.
ㄴ “Father,” what a low-class word!
ㄴ ArchMage) If it’s Rafaello, it is indeed a family with a deep history of crazy actions.
ㄴ IceQueen) Frozen! That’s what I remember too!
ㄴ Priestess) Hawawa, by the way. How are the constellations reacting?
ㄴ oo*) When I used the Dragon Slaying Sword technique, it seems like there was some reaction, but they don’t seem to be completely sure it’s really the Dragon Slaying Sword yet? And they probably can’t imagine that I directly received the Dragon Slaying Sword technique from LightSword.
ㄴ HeavenlyDemon) Huhuhu, quickly use my Flowing Flame Space-Breaking Formula so those guys can see it too.
ㄴ Beyond watching the reactions of the climber and ClimGal people, now they even want to see the constellations’ reactions ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ
ㄴ ArchMage) Ah, so you’re doing gallery stuff with constellations blocked right now?
ㄴ oo*) ㅇㅇ I just dealt with some enemies so I’ve piqued their interest, and I think there will be a reaction when I unblock them.
Right after posting the comment.
A notification window popped up.
『Constellation Quest has appeared! ‘The Judge with a Thousand Eyes’ has registered a quest.
Quest: Choose the higher difficulty option 2 and clear it on the first attempt.
Additional condition: Unable to use ‘Block Constellations’ during the constellation quest
Reward: Grade A Elixir – Gehenna』
The purpose of this quest was crystal clear.
This guy doesn’t really want me to choose option 2 and clear it; he wants the constellation block to be lifted so he can watch the situation.
I took a screenshot of the quest window and uploaded it to the gallery.
Title: This Is Definitely Them Protesting to Unblock Constellations, Right?
Author: oo*

Is the reward actually good?

ㄴ ㅇㅇ It’s an elixir that greatly increases resistance to dark attribute attacks. Plus the basics like mana or stats.
ㄴ He put up a good reward as bait, thinking you absolutely can’t clear the six-star difficulty. But the more fundamental intention is, as you said, “Open the door!!!”
ㄴ Hmm… should eat that reward, right?
ㄴ ArchMage) Ha… This bastard Thousand-Eyes has field-wide vision yet still has such a myopic view of the situation. Even as a constellation.
ㄴ SpearKing) Ha, Thousand-Eyes.
ㄴ SewerSwordSaint) Didn’t I tell you not to rely too much on the power of your eyes…
ㄴ ? Do you all know this person?
ㄴ ArchMage) He’s from a bloodline of eye geniuses. The family itself has good eyes. If they put killing intent in their eyes, people with low mental strength can even die.
ㄴ ArchMage) He was the Red-Eyed King. Back in the ClimGal days ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Ah! The person who always added “meaningless” at the end of his sentences?
ㄴ ArchMage) ㅇㅇ
ㄴ oo*) Do you know all the others too? What they were like before becoming constellations?
ㄴ ArchMage) ㄴㄴ I used to call Thousand-Eyes by that nickname back then. When he made his constellation name like that, I immediately recognized him. For the rest, I could make some guesses if I think about it.
ㄴ ArchMage) I’ll tell you after doing some calculations ㅇㅇ At least about the ones showing interest in you.
ㄴ oo*) Ok
ㄴ IceQueen) Frozen! Are you going to break through head-on!
ㄴ oo*) I have to, right?
ㄴ LightSword) Go for it.
I closed the gallery.
『Choose one of the two options!』
『You have selected a quest.』
『2. Escort Carmine Everhart to Ventura Academy.』
I accepted the constellation quest.
And lifted the constellation block.
And right after that.
Swoosh!
Crossbow bolts and javelins flew in from a diagonal direction.
Crash!
I enlarged the shield, the Mirror of Transformation.
Enough to cover both my body and Carmine’s.
“Get ready to fight.”
Using the robes as a smokescreen wasn’t very effective, it seems.
“We’re going to Ventura Academy.”
Carmine nodded vigorously with wide eyes.