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The sudden visit from the Turncoat Queen.
It wasn't just a simple visit—she also knew that the Turncoat Pawn's true identity was Carl Marcus.
"You've done quite a bit of research on me, haven't you?"
"To some extent. Actually, the real challenge would be not to know once you dig in, don't you think?"
The Turncoat Queen laughed.
A smile with a hint of mockery.
In truth, as she said, finding out that Turncoat Pawn was Carl Marcus wasn't all that difficult—if one was intent on knowing.
Groups like the Shadow Order or Ganesha Tripathi already knew the truth about Turncoat Pawn's identity.
And now, even someone like Tatiana Belov might have a hunch by this point.
But that required setting aside the biggest prejudice—that Pawn was some kind of monster. Naturally, the Queen and Ark had different perspectives.
"So, what brings you here?"
"No need to be so prickly. I'd say I've been quite helpful to you, actually. Shouldn't I be the one expecting a thank you?"
"My work?"
"Hmm, hasn't the gift arrived yet? That's odd. I thought it'd be here by now."
A strange comment.
Because I had no idea what gift she was talking about.
If anything unusual happened recently, it would have to be Lieutenant Imosha's visit just moments ago...
'…So that's what this is about.'
It didn't take me long to realize what the Turncoat Queen meant.
Especially when I considered the timing of Lieutenant Imosha's sudden visit—and her unusual background as someone from the Black Line.
"You were the one who got involved with the Rose Cross Knight Order."
"That's right."
No wonder it felt off.
The Rose Cross Knight Order is one of the most extreme secret factions within Ark.
And yet, with the Kronos Union posing a threat inside Ark, they had done nothing?
That was utterly implausible.
'And on top of that... the fact she mobilized the Rose Cross Knight Order must mean the Turncoat Queen knows at least part of my true objective.'
Strictly speaking, knowing Carl Marcus's objective wasn't that hard.
Carl Marcus had moved solely for one goal—to protect Ark, tirelessly and tediously.
But despite that fact, many still suspected that Carl Marcus—me—had some ulterior motive.
In that sense, the Turncoat Queen was one of the few in this cursed world who truly understood me.
Ironically enough.
"But how strange. How could a mere Turncoat like you intervene with the Rose Cross Knight Order?"
"Ark is a significant place—for us as well. Of course, we have a few ways to intervene."
Was it just my imagination?
The shape of the Queen's lips, visible beneath her bone mask, looked different than before.
No, not just different—familiar, even. Almost like...
"...Agnes."
Agnes, the vice-commander of the Rose Cross Knight Order.
The lips revealed beneath the Turncoat Queen's bone mask were an exact replica of Agnes's.
As if... she was Agnes.
"Oh my, correct."
The Queen's red lips curled into a chilling smile.
And the meaning behind that smile was crystal clear.
The Turncoat Queen was now wearing the outer flesh of Agnes, the original vice-commander of the Rose Cross Knight Order.
"You've done something monstrous."
"That's only from a human perspective."
"This isn't something that can just be brushed off."
"Don't worry. This is all just part of the process."
Even though the Rose Cross Knight Order operated from the shadows of Ark, given the caliber and influence of its members, they were far from a trivial group.
Agnes, too, wasn't someone to be taken lightly—yet the Queen had appeared wearing her face so casually.
'Agnes herself is probably... either dead, or imprisoned somewhere without her face.'
Either way, there was no doubt we'd never see the real Agnes in Ark again.
A humiliating and meaningless end for someone who once led such a fearsome group.
"Why would you do something like this?"
"I told you. I wanted to help you, Pawn."
"Don't be ridiculous."
I didn't know the Queen's true goal, but at least I could tell that that was a lie.
"Strange, isn't it? From your perspective, this should've been a good thing. Those people were nothing but extremists who would've mocked your idealism."
She wasn't exactly wrong.
The Rose Cross Knight Order would've tried to ruin the alliance between us and the Kronos Union regardless of my true motives.
I just didn't like how she went about it.
"Stop spewing nonsense."
"Taking kindness that way… how tragic. But I won't blame you. I suppose it means we're not that close yet."
If Esther were here, she probably would've told the Queen to shut up and get lost… I found myself missing her presence a little.
"Enough useless talk. What do you want? Don't tell me you came here hoping to be praised for dealing with the Rose Cross Knight Order."
"Praise? Ahaha! You're funnier than I expected. Honestly, I'd make you one of the King's retainers right now if I could."
"Quit the nonsense."
The Queen's eyes met mine.
"Really now… I'm being serious. You're so cold. Still, becoming a servant of the King is fate—no need to rush it."
"You're not even human and you talk like that."
Though she looked human, the truth was that the Skull Turncoat wasn't human.
Despite the human appearance, she was far closer to a monster.
That was the nature of the Skull Turncoat—the Turncoat.
"...Wow. You sure know how to hurt someone. Is that what you call your precious humanity, Pawn?"
"Stop your pathetic imitation of a human."
"Fine. Enough chatter. Let's get to what you really like—the main topic."
The Queen said,
"It's time."
"Time? Time for what?"
A sudden and out-of-the-blue remark.
But the Queen nodded as if it said everything.
"Time to decide the true King."
Just that sentence—but for me, it was enough of a clue.
Now I understood why she had come through all this trouble to find me.
"What do you mean?"
Still, I pretended not to know.
She had no reason to know I was already aware of the Bone Lord Hunt.
"A battle to determine the true King. Surely you don't believe there can be two kings beneath the same sky?"
A battle to decide the true King.
A showdown between the Turncoat King and the Bone Lord to determine who truly sits atop the throne of the parasitic bone monsters.
'The Bone Lord Hunt, huh.'
It was less of an "episode" and more of an event.
That made sense, since the Bone Lord Hunt wasn't a regularly occurring part of the game—it only happened when specific conditions were met.
'I've only seen the Bone Lord Hunt happen about seven times.'
Even after hundreds of attempts, the event had triggered less than ten times.
'Still, the Bone Lord Hunt usually happens in the later stages…'
The fact it was occurring now in a Yellow Line stage meant that massive changes had occurred—not just within Ark but beyond it as well.
Whether that was good or bad, I couldn't yet say.
"So, what do you want from me?"
"A King needs capable retainers for this fight. Pawn, I'd like you to fight alongside us."
Exactly as I expected.
Though she called it a grand war to determine the King, the Turncoat King couldn't face the Bone Lord alone.
That's why the Bone Lord Hunt was an event where the Turncoat King would lead his followers and army to hunt the Bone Lord.
Typically, players didn't get to participate directly in such events—but now the Queen was inviting me in.
"And if I refuse?"
"I don't think you will. You already know what you stand to gain, don't you?"
She didn't need to say it outright—I already knew.
A part of the Bone Lord.
The apex of all parasitic bone monsters, a piece of that creature was something no Skull Turncoat, Skull Knight, or bone creature could resist.
[Screeee!]
As if to confirm it, Janus shrieked—a primal instinct to consume something even stronger.
Seeing that, the Queen smiled faintly.
"Seems like your partner has already made up his mind. Or should I be calling him Pawn instead?"
"Even if I agree… how can I trust you? What's to stop you from tossing me aside when it's over?"
"A King rewards their retainers accordingly. You have nothing to fear."
I knew that.
Surprisingly, the Turncoat King and Queen were the type to keep their word in these matters.
'Knowing that, it's certainly a tempting offer…'
Even so, the reason I couldn't accept it so easily was simple.
'If the Bone Lord Hunt succeeds, the Turncoat King and Queen might become dangerously powerful.'
Every time that event had taken place, the threat level of the Turncoats skyrocketed.
The existing ecosystem of boss-tier monsters and creatures would be completely overturned.
'Hmph…'
But my deliberation didn't last long.
The event had already been triggered—and if I stayed out, it might actually make things worse.
"Fine. I accept."
"Hmmm… that was more straightforward than I expected. Good decision."
Though she said that, the Queen smiled like she had anticipated it all along.
For some reason, that smug smile made me want to wipe it off her face.
"But I have conditions."