Chapter 44

"Where's your head, caw?"

"I don't know."

"Did someone sneak and take it, caw?"

"It's possible. It disappeared exactly a year ago."

...... What is this all about?

This is the laboratory of the Demon King.

Located beneath his castle.

Filled with countless tools and magical devices to kill intruders!

Who could have dared to enter such a place and steal Andasar's face?

"Doesn't a Dullahan's body instinctively seek out its face, caw?"

"I've tried, but it just goes berserk every time."

"If I can stabilize that body, caw?"

"Then I'll gladly hand it over."

The Demon King nodded.

Of course, it's not as simple as just handing it over.

It's a question of whether I can stabilize the body, something even he couldn't do.

He seems to think it's like a competition between corpse artists.

I can feel an inexplicable excitement in the Demon King's skeletal eyes.

"My art must be done alone, caw."

"Are you a lone worker?"

"Yes, caw."

"That's a shame. I would have liked to watch."

The Demon King spoke honestly.

But I can't show him how I stabilize the body.

By not showing him, I can elevate my fake art to true art.

"How much time do you need? It's obviously impossible by tomorrow, so about a year...?"

"10 minutes, caw."

The Demon King hesitated at the immediate response.

"...... 10 minutes? You're really pushing it."

At first, I thought I might have heard wrong.

He failed to stabilize it in a year. Now the Corpse Crow claims he can do it in just 10 minutes.

It's impossible by any standard.

"10 minutes is enough, caw."

"Hmm...... I hope that confidence is justified."

His arrogance has gone too far.

It will be amusing to see the Corpse Crow's face after he fails in 10 minutes.

The Demon King shrugged and left the laboratory.

*

Exactly 10 minutes later.

"...... How did you do it, exactly......?"

The Demon King looked at the stabilized Andasar's body with disbelief.

Even without eyes, his shock was palpable.

It couldn't be helped.

The body that had been wildly unstable was now completely calm.

It remained standing even after the seal was removed.

What took him a year to fail, the Corpse Crow accomplished in just 10 minutes.

Actually, it took less than 10 minutes.

"What kind of magic did you use? Tell me."

"Discussing the techniques of art is taboo among artists, caw."

"I can't believe it......!"

It was hard to acknowledge and believe.

Like the Corpse Crow, the Demon King also creates art with corpses.

But he was confident in his superior skills.

No matter how transcendent, he didn't think anyone could surpass him in the realm of art.

He was the best in this field.

Yet, what he couldn't do, the Corpse Crow did right before his eyes, in just 10 minutes.

The past year flashed through the Demon King's mind.

'I was going to use it.'

While the Demon King was shocked, I was secretly disappointed.

The reason Andasar's body was unstable was one.

'It was in a Chaos state.'

The precise term is Chaotic.

In the game, players enter a Chaos state after accumulating a certain level of evil deeds.

This state makes it impossible to use warps, be chased by guards, and be despised by NPCs, who won't give quests.

But beyond external reactions, a Chaos state also applies debuffs to the character.

'Entering a Chaos state causes madness.'

Madness.

In the game, it only slightly reduced certain abilities, but here it caused real madness and berserk behavior.

There were only two ways to resolve a Chaos state.

Building a good reputation.

And a pardon.

The former takes a long time, but the latter can resolve it instantly.

The pardon given by Priest Andrew was my plan, but plans can change.

'Since I have another one anyway.'

One pardon from Priest Andrew was still left.

If I take it, he can't refuse since I used it to save his daughter.

'Monsters seem ignorant of the Chaos state.'

It's strange that monsters would enter a Chaos state from accumulating evil deeds.

Perhaps it's the opposite, where they gain reputation.

Moreover, Andasar was originally human, so his structure must be different.

What's puzzling is why he entered a Chaos state in the first place.

'Since he's already dead, why did he become Chaotic?'

Andasar had already died and become undead when he became an Eldritch.

Even after purification, he was still a corpse.

It's strange for an undead to enter a Chaos state from accumulating evil deeds.

This needs further investigation.

"As agreed, I will take this artwork, caw."

"...... Can't you tell me what you did?"

"I'll think about it, caw."

"......! I hope it's in a positive direction!"

The Demon King was sincere about corpse art.

He seems to think we have something in common.

I don't want to be friends with this bad taste, but among the Demon Kings, he seems the most friendly.

He would be the most exhausting to turn into an enemy.

I have to maintain at least a superficial friendly relationship.

I spoke to Dullahan Andasar's body.

"Head towards where your face is, caw."

*

Dullahan Andasar's body continued to move in the direction of his face.

But ultimately, it didn't find it.

"That place is a hot spring where the Star Guardians gather."

The hot spring where the Star Guardians gather.

The largest place in the center of Kramdel.

Dullahan kept moving towards there.

"The Star Guardians are investigating the hot spring. It must be because the tears of the goddess started mixing in a year ago."

A year ago.

When the winds of change began to blow in Kramdel.

The hot spring became prosperous and the monsters stabilized from that time.

"O'zul, the Star Guardians and we have a non-aggression pact. It's best not to cause trouble."

"Why, caw?"

The Demon Kings and the Star Guardians.

Monsters who fear nothing, yet are intimidated by the Star Guardians.

"Because entangling with each other will never end well."

Their relationship doesn't seem particularly good.

There's an unwritten non-aggression pact between the Star Guardians and Kramdel.

I can understand to some extent.

The Star Guardians, ultimately the masters of the stars, can't help but be involved with humans.

Even if they don't help humans, the Demon Kings might see them as traitors.

But there's still something I don't understand.

"Since it's a non-aggression pact, is it okay for the Star Guardians to enter Kramdel, caw?"

"Regarding the stars and the goddess, we have no choice but to yield."

Yield.

The word doesn't suit the Demon King at all.

But this confirms it.

"I'm not officially a Demon King yet, caw."

It's not my concern as a non-Demon King.

Until the official announcement, I'm just a visitor to Kramdel.

The Demon King was perplexed.

"Then it's even more unacceptable. If problems arise with the Star Guardians, we can't help you as just a 'visitor.'"

He would help if I were a Demon King, but not as a visitor.

But I didn't expect help in the first place.

"I don't need help, caw."

I really don't need any help.

I have a trump card.

Leaving the bewildered Demon King behind, I headed to the largest inn in Kramdel.

*

Star Guardians.

Mostly composed of Mythical or Fantasy species, they are treated with even greater respect.

Guardians of the stars, they possess power and qualifications beyond ordinary monsters.

But they usually don't leave their star's protective domain.

It's a rare occurrence for them to gather, maybe once in a thousand years.

Currently, over a dozen Star Guardians are soaking in Kramdel's hot spring.

"It's definitely the 33rd star."

"It's not the body of the goddess 'Lea.' Her body was scattered into 32 pieces. Then whose is it?"

"Phina......"

"The twin goddess?"

"The possibility is high."

"To confirm, we need to see 'Beyond.'"

"It's sealed by a Unique-grade mystery. We need to investigate whether someone intentionally blocked it with such a mystery."

"It will take time."

As the Star Guardians were having a serious conversation.

Dramut quietly left the hot spring.

Called the old king, Dramut, but to the gathered Star Guardians, he was a 'wall.'

Dramut is the youngest and weakest, so he can't easily join the conversation.

He can't join even if he wants to, because he doesn't know enough.

Look.

Even if he disappears, no one notices.

Proof that the Star Guardians have no interest in Dramut.

Sighing, Dramut slowly returned to his room.

"...... Who are you? A Corpse Crow?"

The moment he entered the room, Dramut was puzzled.

A Corpse Crow was in his room.

The rooms of the Star Guardians should be completely separate.

Did it enter by mistake?

"Long time no see, Dramut, caw."

"Get out quickly if you don't want to be eaten. I'm not in the mood for games."

Caw!

He opened his mouth, pretending to eat.

A Corpse Crow he had never seen before.

There's no way he could know this Corpse Crow.

He doesn't feel good, but he doesn't want to cause trouble.

If he causes trouble in Kramdel, he'll just get in trouble.

So run.

If you run peeing, I'll let you live.

Then Dramut frowned.

"But how do you know my name......?"

...... It's strange when you think about it.

How could a Corpse Crow know the name of the noble Star Guardian?

At that moment.

Crack!

The Corpse Crow removed the core from its chest, and its body began to deform, becoming lumpy and misshapen.

Mystery Destruction

Crack!

The Corpse Crow removed the core from its chest, and its body began to deform, becoming lumpy and misshapen.

It's more accurate to say it melted.

'Is it so scared that it's cutting off its own life?'

Dramut looked at this series of actions with a look of disbelief.

A monster removing its own core.

A monster without a core dies. It's an act of cutting off its own life out of extreme fear.

After all, if it were in its right mind, it wouldn't have entered the Star Guardian's bedroom.

"Hmm?"

But the surprise didn't end there.

As the wings fell off and the flesh and bones melted, a human form appeared inside.

And that human had a very familiar face.

"You, you......!"

"Your appearance has changed a bit, so you don't recognize your master? How can you call yourself my loyal servant?"

"Y-You, how did you......!"

Beyond shock, it was disbelief.

But the human in front of him was clearly real.

Dramut's whole body shrank.

The desert sanctuary.

The deepest realm where a star sleeps.

Dramut's role is to guard the mountain and the star.

Originally, the star's master was Wilhelm, but Wilhelm died and the star fell back to the mountain.

Later, the human who suddenly appeared in his domain was Randolph.

A human of unknown origin who became the star's master despite lacking the qualifications!

"Moreover, the form you just had was definitely...... a Corpse Crow."

It was definitely a Corpse Crow.

The appearance, smell, and presence were unmistakable.

The Corpse Crow transformed into Randolph.

Or rather, Randolph transformed into a Corpse Crow.

But it was incomprehensible.

When it was a Corpse Crow, there was no trace of the star.

But when it transformed into Randolph, the trace of the star he guards was felt.

It wasn't just a matter of wearing a different skin; it was a completely different existence.

There's no other way to explain it.

Additionally, the melted feathers and flesh were sucked back into the removed core.

'When I return to my original form, I can't use the Corpse King's skills.'

I inwardly clicked my tongue.

I had expected this, but removing the core alone completely 'switched' me.

As a Corpse King, I can't wear equipment but can use related skills.

Conversely, as Randolph, I can't use Corpse King skills but can wear equipment.

It's like a transformation, avatar, or costume in a game.

Since I had expected this, it's not a big disappointment.

Right now, Dramut is more important.

"Dramut. The reason you're here is the 33rd star, right?"

"...... Humans shouldn't be here."

"Did I look human just now?"

Dramut closed his mouth.