However, it still cannot compare to the White King's definitive reward. His offer to give any city is that shocking. It means he is willing to bear the consequences, even if it means making enemies. Moreover, becoming the ruler of a city comes with mysteries and titles. In fact, the answer was decided from the beginning. 'In every way, it’s more advantageous to side with the White King.' The White King is a living legend. The Star Guardians? They don’t get involved unless it’s about the stars or the goddess. In contrast, the White King has no constraints. He has not set any constraints, so he is free. The Four Kings under him might also be willing to help me if I build enough favor with them. With the help of these monsters, toppling a kingdom would not be difficult. Truly overwhelming power. 'The problem is, if it’s revealed that I’m human or insignificant, it means immediate death.' So far, I’ve managed to cover it up, but my abilities are still lacking compared to theirs. If my bluff is exposed, I will lose my head. The same goes if my human identity is discovered. 'But this will change as I get stronger.' Rapid growth is the only answer. Looking to the future, it’s still best to side with the White King. As long as my human identity isn’t revealed, that’s all that matters. "After thinking about it, I like the White King and you guys more, caw." "...... Really?" "Please take care of me, caw." "You’re a big thinker! I knew you wouldn’t be swayed by those Star Guardians!" The Four King was greatly pleased. He really liked it. He was already favorable towards me from the beginning, so it must have made him even happier that I didn’t betray his expectations. Making such a decision as quickly as possible helps maintain a strong relationship. Showing hesitation or weighing the options would only decrease trust. ...... As expected. The White King was also listening to this conversation. The immediate reaction confirms it. Under the White King’s protection, warping to places other than designated areas in Kramdel is impossible. However, with the White King’s approval, a warp point was created in Kramdel. This means I can teleport to the Knight’s Garden whenever I want. He gave a clear answer to my clear decision. 'If I had chosen the Star Guardians, they wouldn’t have let me go so easily.' The outline became clear. The White King felt threatened by me and warned me. He clearly thought that becoming a Star Guardian would eventually pose a threat to him. Therefore, he waited for my choice with a reward. If I had become a Star Guardian, I probably wouldn’t have been able to leave Kramdel easily. It’s also questionable whether the Star Guardians would have actively protected me. From the beginning, the White King aggressively intimidated the Giant of Evil. In contrast, the Star Guardians’ response was lukewarm. 'If I didn’t know him, I might have mistaken this attention for goodwill.' However, such a mistake is not allowed. The White King doesn’t know me, but I know him. His ability to detect threats is so remarkable that it’s almost like reading the future. This goodwill is not based on complete trust but on caution. He was also secretly listening to my conversation with the Four King. 'I am walking on thin ice.' In the future, if the White King feels threatened by me or thinks I will become a threat, he will eliminate me without hesitation. Just as I can’t fully trust the White King, he can’t fully trust me either. Truly walking on thin ice. One wrong step and I’ll fall. 'No matter how well I act, he will still have some doubts.' Most importantly, I am human. Moreover, I am a player, not a human from Panginea. No matter how thoroughly I act as a carrion crow, or how my emotions are hidden by the Heart of the Iron-Blooded Overlord, the White King doesn’t believe in appearances. He wants to keep me close to observe. A double-edged sword. I have gained the strongest ally, but I must never show any weakness. "I really look forward to seeing the Star Guardians’ faces tomorrow!" The Four King laughed heartily, as if the future this choice will bring is extremely satisfying. * "Is the carrion crow the fifth main force?" "Not an ordinary carrion crow, but one who has passed through the 'Mythical Gate'." "If the White King has personally recognized it, there is no room for objections." "Huh......" Murmurs filled the air. The square in Kramdel was packed with monsters. This was because the announcement of the fifth main force was being made in front of the White King’s throne. The monsters who saw me were skeptical. Some clearly doubted whether I was as powerful as the other main forces. However, with the White King and the Four Kings’ recognition, there was no room for objections. "...... You will surely regret today’s decision." The Giant of Evil and the other Star Guardians left Kramdel with grim expressions. Dramut gave me a complicated look at the end, but I didn’t care. After all, Dramut didn’t want me to become a Star Guardian either. He knew I was human. Moreover, even without their recognition, I was still the master of the stars, the 'Star Inheritor' with two stars. In the face of this truth, their recognition was irrelevant. "The fifth main force of Kramdel, the King of Carrion Crows, Randolph." The White King announced. At the same time, the surroundings became deathly quiet. The White King and the Four Kings were very pleased to see the Star Guardians leave with grim expressions. Before the Star Guardians left Kramdel completely, "Everyone, welcome him!" "Randolph! Randolph!" "Hail the new main force!" "May Kramdel be eternal!" The monsters cheered loudly. At the same time, the Star Guardians’ faces darkened even more. It felt like crossing a river from which there was no return. 'Who would have thought this day would come.' However, the current situation was unfamiliar. Who would have thought I would be cheered by monsters. I have hunted more monsters than the ones gathered here in Kramdel. Moreover, Kramdel almost fell because of me. ...... A short but intensely memorable welcome ceremony. * After the ceremony, I left Kramdel. The reward of choosing a city was something to think about later, and it was more urgent to return to the 'Knight’s Garden.' If I stayed in Kramdel, my true identity might be exposed. "This is......? The Knight’s Garden, isn’t it?" Isaac, who had teleported through the teleportation book, tilted his head. His expression showed that he couldn’t understand why the carrion crow would come to the human city of the Knight’s Garden. Creak! I removed the core from my chest. "Gulp......?!" Isaac was shocked. He couldn’t imagine a monster removing its own core. But the next moment, Isaac’s mouth and eyes widened to the point of tearing. "H, human......?!" It was because the carrion crow had transformed into a human. After fully returning to human form, I slowly stretched my body. 'This body is perfect.' Being a carrion crow for a long time makes my body stiff. After a long time, my muscles let out a happy scream. Then, I said to Isaac, who was still in shock, "Nothing has changed, Isaac." The promise to serve for a year. That promise remained the same. Whether I was human or a carrion crow. "A, are you really human?" "Yes." "...... After all that chaos?" His expression still showed disbelief. It was natural to find it hard to believe that the human who caused Kramdel to fall to such a state was a human. I would have found it hard to believe too. "Then, perhaps......?" Isaac looked at Isabella. Then, Isabella’s half-dragon wings disappeared from her back. "These, these fraudsters!" "You’re not one to talk." Isaac was also a human pretending to be a half-dragon in Kramdel. With Isaac’s jaw dropping, I looked around the Knight’s Garden, which I had returned to after a long time. 'The atmosphere is bleak.' For some reason, it felt more depressed than before. First, all the windows were closed. Closed windows mean there is something threatening the city. However, Viscount Wiser is surprisingly a noble who cares for his subjects. The subjects also didn’t fear Viscount Wiser. A completely different entity. Proof that a third party has appeared in the city. Who could it be? It’s unlikely to be an individual, so it might be a threatening organization that has come to the city. Or, could the city’s owner have changed? It’s a low possibility, but considering Viscount Wiser’s situation, it’s not impossible. With many questions, as I entered deeper into the city, I saw a man. A man who was fetching water and cautiously looking around. "Hey." "Who...... Ah! Heir?" The man recognized me. The citizens of this city knew me as the 'Heir of the Knight King.' The one who protected the city, prayed for the knights carved on the tombstones, and was revered by Priest Andrew. However, his expression was somewhat grim. "Is something wrong in the territory?" "W, well...... It might be better for you to leave now." "Why?" The citizen looked around. Then, he cautiously approached and whispered in my ear. "...... One of the 8 Heroes is in the city right now." My brows furrowed. 8 Heroes? Could it be those 8 Heroes? The imposters pretending to be heroes while Wilhelm, the true hero, is on a great expedition to the Demon World? The citizen’s expression was not only dark but also filled with fear. What kind of 8 Hero has appeared to make him look like this? "Which one of the 8 Heroes?" I asked, and the citizen, swallowing hard, answered. "I, it’s Maxim. If you enter the city now, something big might happen. Before any of the soldiers see you, please......" "Hey! Who’s there!" "Huh!" The man was startled by the soldiers’ shout from nearby. Reunion Two armed soldiers. 'They’re not Viscount Wiser’s soldiers.' Their armor and emblems are different. 'Maxim. Maxim.' The soldiers he brought have taken over the city. But why is he here? I heard he is called one of the 8 Heroes and is receiving successor training under the Duke of Sain. However, Maxim is far from a true hero. 'He’s just a coward who ran away first when hired.' Just thinking about it makes my teeth grind. Maxim was the leader of the 'Kaiser' mercenary group. A strong man who led 300 men and was famous across the continent, so I trusted and contracted with him, only to be betrayed. He fled as soon as Ahram appeared in the first hell, the 'Swamp of the Dead.' He ran away without looking back. For such a person to be one of the 8 Heroes is laughable. 'If Maxim is here, it must be because of the Duke of Sain.' If Maxim is here, I can guess the reason. It must be due to a deal between the Duke of Sain and Viscount Wiser. Perhaps he stepped in to resolve the issue involving Serengeti. However, even if Viscount Wiser’s power has declined, it’s still strange. Allowing someone else’s soldiers to run rampant in his territory is tantamount to giving up the territory. 'Or, he might be so preoccupied with the city’s affairs that he can’t even pay attention.' Whatever it is, it’s clearly a bad situation. "What’s this combination?" "I’ve never seen your face before." I opened my mouth slightly to the soldiers approaching arrogantly. "Knock them out." "What do you mean...... Gah!" Swoosh! That was the end. The soldiers knelt without even getting to scream. Isaac and Isabella. Their speed was matched. They almost simultaneously knocked out the two soldiers. However, this was an impossible feat. Isaac’s level is 10, and his speed is unmatched. The reason Isabella could match Isaac is simple. [Lv.9] Her level has increased. When I first met her in the desert, Isabella’s level was 8, but it has risen through Kramdel. Not only that, but she also obtained a useful mystery by passing through the 'Mystical Gate.' 'To actually obtain the Dragon’s Mystery.' One of the mysteries I aimed for when entering the Mystical Gate. Although it changed from the original intention when it became the Mythical Gate, I never imagined Isabella would obtain it. Thanks to this, her speed is on par with Isaac. Assassins are inherently agile. Turning my head, I said to the still shocked male citizen, "You didn’t see us." "A...... Yes! Yes, I didn’t see anything." The male citizen quickly nodded. *****************************************************