"Cough cough..."
It immediately folded its wings, straightened its posture with head held high, assuming the most solemn stance, even elegantly smoothing the feathers on its chest with the tip of its wing.
"Since Your Slime Majesty has extended such a warm invitation, and so... uh... strategically planned the future of the kingdom and territory, as a reasonable noble who prioritizes the kingdom's interests, I naturally have no reason to refuse."
It turned its head and "smacked" Arthur's helmet with the tip of its wing.
"Retainer, what are you standing around for? Quickly pay respects to our great and wise Slime King Majesty."
Arthur silently knelt on one knee again, facing Chen Yu, performing an even deeper knight's salute:
"Knight Arthur, at Your Majesty's service. Protecting the territory means protecting the natural way."
Chen Yu nodded with satisfaction.
King, noble, and knight.
He had instantly gathered all three social strata that a proper kingdom should have.
Although there was only one noble and one knight, this was undoubtedly an excellent beginning for the great Slime Kingdom.
"Very good, Count Bran, Knight Arthur, you may rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Count Bran excitedly flapped its wings, completely unaware that this seemingly solemn scene actually resembled child's play.
After all, a crow and an undead swearing allegiance to a slime... the image was too absurd, probably only existing in fairy tales.
Not even bards could fabricate such an outrageous story.
"I heard you came from the Dark Realm. What kind of place is that exactly? And how did you manage to travel all the way here from there?"
Chen Yu was filled with curiosity about the place that could produce undead knights like Arthur and peculiar crows like Count Bran.
Mentioning the "Dark Realm" and their adventures instantly energized Count Bran.
This was its area of expertise.
It immediately flew back to the log stump and cleared its throat.
"Speaking of that Dark Realm, Your Majesty, you've asked the right bird."
"That's a realm of the dead located in the deepest part of the Outpost Ruins, shrouded in eternal darkness and thick mist."
"No sunlight reaches there, deathly aura permeates everything, inhabited by ferocious skeletal hounds, treacherous vengeful spirits, and there are even rumors of bloodthirsty werewolves and vampires lurking about."
"Ordinary people who enter probably wouldn't even leave behind bone fragments."
It puffed out its chest, its black feathers seemingly glowing with glory:
"But there! I, Count Bran Disaster-Wing, was a legendary figure dominating the region! When I stamped my foot, the entire mist of the Dark Realm would tremble three times!"
Arthur, who had been silent all along, now nodded seriously, his soulfire burning steadily:
"The Count speaks truthfully. The Dark Realm is filled with dangers everywhere."
"If not for the Count's guidance, I would have long been lost there, reduced to a pile of dry bones."
Pfft!
Arthur, are you serious?
A noisy crow stamping its feet and claiming dominance in a perilous land swarming with undead?
That mental image was too beautiful to contemplate.
Could its burnt feathers be from when it boasted too much back then and got set on fire by some irritable undead?
Count Bran keenly caught the slime's astonished gaze, instantly looking like it had been stepped on its sore spot. Its black feathers puffed up as it jumped up in flustered anger:
"Caw! Your Majesty, what kind of look is that? Could it be you doubt my capabilities?"
"Even one as great as you can misjudge sometimes! Back in the Dark Realm, I genuinely saved this stubborn mule several times!"
Arthur said seriously: "Yes, that time in Dark Valley, we were being pursued by the Bone Lord's minions with nowhere to escape."
"The Count had a brilliant idea in the emergency, flying toward a fork in the road and shouting at the rock wall 'Look! Shiny treasure!' Those bones were attracted by its voice, but when they chased after it, they fell into a trap, allowing us to escape."
Count Bran proudly flew down to perch on the knight's shoulder, chest puffed out.
"Hear that, hear that? If not for my quick thinking, Arthur would have been caught long ago."
Hmm...
Chen Yu actually thought it had genuinely discovered treasure.
By sheer coincidence, the enemies fell into the trap.
"Arthur, there was another time when we needed to cross the deadly Sighing Swamp. Thick mist covered everything, making it impossible to tell direction."
"Again, it was I! Relying on my keen perception of disaster aura, I overruled objections and pointed out a path that looked more dangerous, with denser poison mist, where even the mud glowed with an eerie green light. And the result?"
"We plunged deep into the thickest poison mist, nearly getting knocked out by the toxic fumes. But just when we were about to collapse, the mist suddenly parted in a small area. Guess what? Right before us, quietly moored, was an old wooden boat."
"Thanks to that boat, we not only safely crossed the deadliest core area of the poisonous swamp but also successfully avoided the Giant Bat Lord, caw ha ha ha!"
Arthur nodded, confirming:
"Exactly as the Count said. Although the boat was old, it floated in the deep swamp and ultimately sheltered us as we safely passed through Sighing Swamp."
Count Bran proudly paced back and forth on the log stump.
"This is my wisdom—turning impossibility into possibility, transforming disaster into opportunity."
Chen Yu understood now.
Wasn't this just stumbling upon success by accident?
But being able to stumble upon success every single time...
That did seem to be a kind of talent in itself.
Just like this dungeon—if not for Count Bran's signature loud voice echoing through the empty cavern and revealing their position...
He might not have been able to find them in time within the maze-like cave system.
"So that's how it is... Count Bran, your ability... is indeed quite unique."
When Count Bran heard this, it was absolutely overjoyed.
It felt like it had finally met someone who understood its worth.
The King Majesty truly had an eye for talent.
"Caw ha ha ha! Your Majesty is wise, perfectly articulating my remarkable qualities!"
It excitedly flapped its wings, flying a circle above the campfire as if receiving a coronation.
"But this isn't just some innate talent—it's the authority granted by the great being I worship."
"The honorable 'Lady of Contrariety,' she holds dominion over the most unpredictable, most dramatic twists in the threads of fate."
"I am her apostle walking the mortal world, perceiving the shadows of disaster while also being able to pry open beams of fortunate light that defy logic in desperate situations."
"So-called misfortune and fortune can reverse in just an instant."
"Lady of Contrariety?"
Chen Yu wanted to go back and check the books in his treehouse—he didn't recall ever seeing this deity's title.
Probably Count Bran boasting too much again.
Making things up.
"......"
Count Bran continued tirelessly boasting to Chen Yu, while Arthur mostly remained silent, occasionally nodding.
Sometimes he would space out, taking out the dried white flower from his chest and staring at it.
Missing his sister.
"Arthur is doing fine here, cared for by the wise Count Bran and the great Slime Majesty, about to embark on a new trial..."
"Alice, my beloved sister, my adorable little skeleton."
"Where are you now, and are you doing well..."