Crown Liam, Emilia, and their party headed straight to the Milkyona's Kingdom.

  Its official name was the Hono Kingdom. It was a country close to the volcano as Milkyona created those for herself.

  It was part of her strength but also the cause of her constant growth!

  Humans revered those volcanoes as they struck many opponents should the need be. They increased Milkyona's mana throughout the whole continent and beyond.

  Beyond, because Milkyona's volcanoes have been erected in many continents.

  All due to the teleports!

  "HALT!" A voice naturally stopped the group.

  Many eyes dropped to probe into Emilia's party. Their gazes alone brought warmth to their bodies……

  Of course, that was due to the intensity of all Milkyona's believers.

  They didn't know who had returned, so warmth was still bearable. Alas, it became worse when Emilia and others' faces appeared bare.

  No one recognized them.

  That alone increased the output. The warmth turned hotter and hotter, and it soon felt like an unknown fire seared them.

  All except Crown Liam were of a fire origin, so they endured well.

  Crown Liam didn't bring his buddies, so he was forced to hide his anguish. He did it well as he was forced to learn how to smile forcefully. In his job on Earth, Crown Liam passed much sad news to people worldwide.

  He was known as Miracle Doctor, but he also failed, and so did people under him.

  Some cases were just out of the humans' reach!

  Before that skill turned deadly, Crown Liam lifted his eyes and shouted, "We have been attacked by Red Wolves! We hail from the Raila Village!"

  On their journey, Crown Liam gathered intel for a rapid infiltration. He threatened humans to spit out enough information, and so it worked.

  The guards confirmed that all were humans through the talk, but also hidden means invented by one of the future ascended, the trickster, Changnam!

  Their origin mattered the most, not where they came from.

  Once their humanity was confirmed, the Hono Kingdom's gates opened for Emilia and others.

  They stared blankly at the city's inside, "That was enough?"

  That was enough indeed.

  "What are you standing dazed for? Come in and rest in our home!" A guard shouted with an amiable smile.

  Crown Liam's party entered the city still dazed.

  Humanity has gone through so many disasters…… They all were united against different races and wished for one thing; freedom! They wanted to peacefully go through the forests, seas, and mountains!

  They wanted to breathe and not fear any sudden attacks from the feral and ferocious beast races!

  No one wanted to be livestock or be used as breeding cows!

  Humans have gone through so much that not even one wanted to betray their own kind.

  Still, the races went quite tricky, and they all could take humanoid forms to look like humans, which was the reason for the guards' close investigation-

  "That's Milkyona……" Emilia stood before the perfect statue of the lady known as a goddess.

  She used to believe in Milkyona and respect her as well, but those feelings significantly changed over time…… In the end, Milkyona and other ascended disappointed their believers so much that they just wanted to forget all their promises.

  Emilia also had one promise for Milkyona.

  In the past, she was saved by the volcano. Emilia wanted to repay that and wholeheartedly followed the belief.

  Taking another good look at Milkyona, Emilia found out that she really couldn't reminisce about that promise.

  Her whole goals changed too much.

  "But as Reylin honored his promise to Yuki despite her getting clouded by the dark matter, I will do the same…… Once we meet, I will not point my gun at you but at other ascended," Emilia whispered.

  The worst part of the ascended was their arrogance.

  Their arrogance in status and strength was so profound that they would plot and use all means to keep their power and status.

  Should someone appear with qualities to become one of them, they would plot against that person and heavily slow him down!

  It turned Emilia's special day, where she was saved by Milkyona, into nothing but a mere future investment.

  People saved others as business, but Emilia didn't care about it.

  That arrogance shattered all her feelings and Milkyona's image.

  "Would you like to listen to my song about the goddess?" A bard with a lute gently asked Emilia, whose eyes stared at Milkyona's statue with profound emotions.

  She promptly woke up from her stupor and shifted her eyes to the bard.

  Emilia nodded, "Yes. How did you know I am new here, though? Ah!"

  "It seems like you understand," The bard smiled, "Yes. It's your clothes. You also look different from others…… I would say you are only the second to our goddess…… and I am quite a bold bard who has adventures through the world."

  "Please do!" Emilia smiled widely.

  To such a smiling and gorgeous lady, Bard smiled and sang his song!

  Emilia and others had long since split up.

  She and Crown Liam were alone while others worked in pairs to gather enough information! That was a totally safe choice as humanity wouldn't plot against each other…… Of course, if someone attempted anything funny, self-defense was proper and advised!

  That was why everyone scattered.

  Time was also not on their side.

  Thus, it was just more efficient.

  Emilia listened to the bard carefully.

  It started with unbelievable words, "Goddess Milkyona is a caring and sweet woman. Her beauty strikes people's hearts hot; hotter than a blacksmith smashes his anvil! She sounds gentle despite her curvaceous and sexy figure!"

  "Is that what you should call your goddess?" Emilia asked with squinted eyes.

  The Bard coughed, then continued his sweet story.

  And it was just unbelievable.

  Caring? Sweet? Benevolent?

  Not even a hint about Milkyona's arrogance bypassed the bard's lips. It was strange as the ascended were already regarded as the gods.

  Some arrogance would be understandable…… It would be just right!

  Yet, Milkyona showed none.

  "What about…… Changnam?" Emilia asked.

  The Bard's eyes closed, and he sighed, "He thinks too much of himself."

  "I see……" Emilia nodded.