Ronin felt like his heart was electrified once more from back when he saw the rune.

But this time, he did not get a level up, he got an achievement notification.

[Congratulations! You have achieved the ‘Hero Spotter’. ]

“Do I get V-points for that?” He asked Kai, which appeared by his side once again as a holographic screen.

The world had stopped again, but only for everyone besides him and….. Cermin Drychspiel.

Min Cheng’s character in the flesh. He really did not expect to meet him so soon.

[No, unfortunately. But you do get a ‘Bonus’ instead.]

“What Bonus?” He frowned.

[Bonus information about your opponent.]

“My opponent…. Hah, he’s just a measly little kid in silk pants right now.” Ronin sneered.

[….. So are you, though.]

The Coal kid in silk pants grumbled. “That’s besides the point, Kai. Let me enjoy this moment, will you?”_.

He took a moment to observe Min Cheng in this form right now.

From the looks of it, he must not be more than 4-5 years old, and stands only up to slightly above the knee of the adults besides him, possibly his parents. His face was chubby and full of baby fat, but he does look like a ‘good-looking child’ that aunts often would say to be ‘girls’ favorite when he grows up’.

‘Meh, so what if he’s more good-looking than me even as a child? He’s still a snotty kid in the end.’ Ronin scoffed.

His hair was platinum white, wavy, and allowed to grow up to the nape of his neck. His eyes were bright and sparkly like an anime protagonist’s, the kind that likes to say ‘I can do it, yosh!’. They were sky blue with a mix of yellow bleeding onto the sides.

His skin was, of course— gold. He may have been wearing a simple frock and brown waistcoat right now, but there’s still this divine aura around him that separates him from the rest of the NPCs.

Ronin became more disgusted the more he looked at this shiny, perfect, god-gifted boy.

He can mingle around everyone else under those bright chandelier lights, while he can only hide in these railings in the shadows.

He turned to Kai with a sour expression. “Alright, I’m done enjoying the moment.”

His nose twitches from the seething jealousy and hatred towards Cermin Drychspiel. “What was this Bonus you were talking about?”

“I will let you know what Cermin Drychspiel is saying right now.” It said.

And suddenly, Ronin’s hearing was magnified.

The voice of an aristocratic 4-year-old came to him like Cermin was speaking to his ear directly.

“And this will be one of them, right? Can’t I at least have a preview or something?”

His modern way of speaking in English and not in the Celestian language did not match his appearance at all. It felt so out of place.

[No, you must wait until the character grows up. You have expended all your points for them.] Kai’s familiar robotic voice answered him.

“Meh, as long as she fits the description I gave. I have no problem with waiting.”

Cermin rubbed his hands excitedly. “I can’t wait to see her become a hot blue lady! It’s like the alien one I dated from my first season, the sci-fi one!”

“No….” Ronin was flabbergasted by this revelation, to say the least. “Don’t fucking tell me my sister is…..”

[Yes. Belladonna Zafeiri will become part of Cermin Drychspiel’s harem. He had availed her and customized her, but left it for HTM to decide what her role would be in the story. And so, she was randomly allocated and luckily went to become your sister. ]

“Yeah, lucky indeed.” Ronin grinned devilishly as he realized this. “My sister as part of this dumbass’ harem? Not on my watch.”

“All that points he spent would be a waste. I’ll protect Belladonna from this pervert horndog.”

[That was the Bonus. The story will now resume.]

Kai’s screen disappeared, and everything moved once more.

Ronin decided to point at Cermin Drychspiel to Maellan, tugging his brother’s sleeves.

“Who’s that?” He said with enthusiasm for the first time.

Maellan had never seen him this excited before, and so he was also interested to see where he was pointing at. “Oh, that’s the first son of the newly married Crown Prince of Scirocco, I believe. Prince Nevazan Drychspiel and Princess Avorrida.”

Ronin: …

‘Their names literally mean Prince Unimportant and Princess Boring. Wow.’

But he focused on the word ‘Scirocco’ for now. “That’s the wealthiest Kingdom in the Celestus Realm, right?”

“Not just the Celestus Realm, Ronin. The whole Magecia itself!” Maellan grinned. “Scirocco owns most of the export ships and trading in all 4 realms. Well, 3 at least since nobody trades with the Abyssal realm at all.”

“It was also the kingdom of the greats, as many of the most powerful Hero Mages come from there, mostly their kings and nobility.”

“Can he get any more perfect?” Ronin rolled his eyes.

“You’re interested in him?” Maellan asked with wide, curious eyes.

“Very. Tell me more about his background.” Ronin then remembered that he was a young child, so he reluctantly added. “….. Please.”

Maellan was glad to see Ronin happy despite the ‘miscarriage’ announcement earlier, so he indulged his curiosity a bit more. “I heard that boy had been the talk of his kingdom and nearby places for a while when he was born.”

“It was said that he was born exactly at the time when a prophecy that a blessed one of Aurion would be born.”

Ronin remembered that name. “The God of the Sun and Light?”

“And the Highest God in all the Highest Order gods. He was the most worshipped all over Magecia for many centuries now, undefeated and sitting in his golden throne.”

Maellan rubbed his chin. “But no one had seen him appear now, so many also speculated that he must have entered the cycle of reincarnation to be mortal again. And—“

“They think Cermin Drychspiel may be his new incarnate.” Ronin guessed.

“You know his name now?” Maellan chuckled. “You truly are invested in him, brother.”

“I just heard it from one of the visitors.” He excused. “But upon hearing that name, I knew I had to know him. Everything about him.”

‘So I can plan for his death.’ He sneered secretly.

Meanwhile, Maellan interpreted this in a completely opposite way.

“Well, maybe you can introduce yourself to him. I’m sure you can be friends, I heard that the Kingdom of Scirocco is the nicest towards Commoners. He won’t judge you based on the basis of your skin.”

He sighed. “Ah, would be nice if Sephyrine was a little more like that.”

“Though it is a wonder why Father was not like that at all when he came from Scirocco himself.” Maellan pondered.

He then clapped his hand. “Anyway, I would be having some tea now before the burial ceremony. I’m famished. Would you like to have some in my study, Ronin?”

“Father was from Scirocco?” The Coal boy repeated. “Ah, no. I don’t want tea.”

“You should have something to eat before we travel to the Edge. It’s a long way there, and Sephyrine is already the closest one kingdoms it.” Maellan insisted, so Ronin had no choice but to have some tea and biscuits with him.

Meanwhile, Duke Taevas and the guest had a feast downstairs to prepare for the Funeral ahead, and that includes the little future Sciroccan prince, Cermin Drychspiel.

The baby Belladonna was fed using the baby bottle with another woman’s milk as a substitute, and that was the only moment she stopped crying.

With all these pieces of information in Ronin’s hands, he thought about how he will concoct the perfect plan, and how each of these important people will affect his goal.

They were like chess pieces, and the board was slowly being filled up in his mind. How will they make the Black King Ronin…

Capture the White King Cermin?