I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 371

I stared with a bewildered expression at the crow that had settled on my shoulder without making a sound.

Outwardly, it was a crow with three legs and a long crest atop its head.

Its size was close to that of a fully grown rooster. And yet, I couldn’t feel any weight at all.

’It looks like a crow... Is it a bird of prey?’

I examined the crow closely and glanced down at its talons.

Its talons weren’t unsheathed. Aside from barging in out of nowhere, it seemed to be a polite fellow(?).

Approaching without a trace of presence was suspicious, but since it didn’t cause any harm, it was fine for now.

’Fascinating. A creature this big, and I didn’t even notice its approach?’

Besides, its body was pitch black, so turning my head should have caught it instantly.

My field of vision wasn’t that narrow, suggesting it possessed an ability to scramble perception.

"Wanna take a bite?"

Nod! Nod!

When I picked up a piece of meat and asked, the crow nodded its head vigorously.

It didn’t attack, nor did it snatch it away with its talons like a robbery.

Unlawful entry couldn’t be helped, but for a bird, it was surprisingly polite.

"Phoo. Phoo. Here."

"Kaaak!"

When I gave it a piece of deliciously grilled pork belly, the crow cawed forcefully.

It seemed to mean "thank you." I chuckled lightly.

I didn’t know whether it was drawn here by the scent or happened to visit by chance.

However, seeing as it harmed no one and waited politely, its intelligence was likely exceptionally high.

’Or if not that, it’s quick on the uptake.’

Judging by how even Bbareumbo clinging to my back stayed still, he must have judged it to pose no threat.

If it just ate the pork belly and left quietly, there would be no problem at all.

Peck! Peck peck! Peck!

The crow pecked at the pork belly using its beak.

It looked awkward for it to eat, so I chopped it up into bite-sized pieces myself.

It then looked at me with an expression of deep touching before beginning to devour the pieces.

Seeing it eat ravenously, it seemed quite starved. If it weren’t starving, it wouldn’t have braved the danger to visit the Shelter.

’I heard crows have insanely high intelligence.’

I deliberated on whether to post it on the Gallery, but decided to just take photos for now.

It had three legs, and looking at the crest on its head, it was definitely an extraordinary existence.

’Feels like I’ve seen it somewhere before...?’

After tilting my head for a moment, I laid more meat onto the grill plate.

Regardless of the guest’s arrival, meat is important. There was plenty of it.

Even when the rest of us, including myself, had eaten a reasonable portion, the crow did not stop.

As if it had truly starved for days, it greedily devoured every piece of meat I handed over.

’Even Wonmo doesn’t eat like this.’

Was the crow fascinating to them? The kids slunk closer toward it.

The crow merely glanced at the approaching kids and didn’t care at all.

"Kaaaa-ak! Kaaak!"

"Piii-ek?"

Except for just one creature—Tyranno.

When Tyranno approached, the crow flared its wings wide in a threat display.

Even though the baby Nidhogg, Cheongseol, was right there, it reacted uniquely to Tyranno.

’Is it because he’s a hatchling?’

While Nidhogg inhabited the roots of the World Tree and posed little threat, dragons were a different story.

It must be threatening him because it knew full well how terrifying dragons could be.

’If so, shouldn’t it be backing away instead of making threats?’

At this rate, Tyranno’s mother, Vanir, is gonna scold it harshly later.

While I harbored doubts, the crow devoured the entire pile of pork belly.

Since I had chopped it into pieces, the crow could consume it without trouble.

"Drink some water too."

"Kaaak."

When its eating pace slowed down, I poured water, which it drank down readily. And so, the meal came to an end.

The crow wore an expression of utmost satisfaction. I wondered if it would fly away and vanish like this, but...

"Buu-urp."

"..."

It let out a hearty belch and waddled off somewhere. Flapping its wings seemed to be too much of a chore.

At least it had some conscience; instead of going into my house, it just flopped down nearby.

’What is this guy, seriously?’

I questioned the ridiculously laid-back behavior of the crow.

Somewhere between brazen and polite. Its intelligence was higher than expected.

Then again, crows are birds famous for having extremely high intelligence.

Maybe it was on par with Lackey or just below him? I grew slightly curious.

"Where did you come from?"Read the latest chapters at novеlping.com.

"Kaaak."

Seeing how it answered each of my questions, I could at least tell it harbored goodwill.

If it had no goodwill, it wouldn’t have bothered answering.

Of course, if the crow had shown signs of eating and running, I would have threatened it to spit the pork belly back out.

"Lackey. What is it saying?"

"This noble self hails from the place closest to the sun."

"...?"

Archaic, noble speech tumbled out of Lackey’s mouth. It sounded strangely familiar.

Lackey wouldn’t play pranks, so this was definitely what the crow said.

"Kaaak. Kak."

"Drawn by the splendid aroma, I temporarily graced your domain. Among all that has nourished this noble self, it can truly be called the finest."

"Uh... your tone is pretty unique?"

I’ve heard that way of speaking a lot on the Gallery.

Doesn’t someone close to me use that exact speech style?

I didn’t realize it on the Gallery since it was just written text, but hearing it directly gave me a bizarre feeling.

It made me feel like I should bow my head or something. Luckily, since Lackey was translating, I could brush it off.

"If you came from the place closest to the sun... are you like a Phoenix?"

"Kaaak."

"Do not compare this noble self to such a trivial beast."

Since when did a Phoenix become a trivial beast? I became increasingly curious about this guy’s true identity.

Given that it treated a Phoenix as a lowly beast, it was clearly powerful.

However, listening to its talk, it looked like nothing more than a irradiated crow, raising doubts.

"Who are you?"

"Kaaa-ak. Kaaak."

"I am the existence closest to the sun of this realm."

"The sun of THIS realm? Sounds like there are other places too?"

"Kaaak."

"Indeed. The suns of other realms are ruled by other beings."

The moment I heard that, I raised my head. The glaring summer sunlight filled my view.

For a self-proclaimed existence closest to the sun, it looked like a plain crow.

Unless it demonstrated its power.

"..."

However, since I didn’t know how it would react if I nitpicked, it was best to let it slide for now.

"You threatened Tyranno earlier, why did you do that?"

"Kaaak. Kak."

"Is that lizard not the descendant of that gigantic creature? It is something that poses a great threat to this noble self."

"You know Vanir?"

The crow nodded at my question. It seemed to know about Vanir, who was currently undergoing recovery.

I wondered if it was in a competitive relationship with Vanir, but it was slightly different.

"Kaaa-ak. Kak."

"The domains ruled by that creature and this noble self differ. We merely ignore each other because fighting would be a nuisance."

"HMMM."

Vanir had mentioned it before. This forest swarmed with entities that even she found difficult to handle.

I wondered if this crow was one of them. Though small in stature, being small might actually make it stronger.

Even its feathers looked soft on the surface, but radiated immense sturdiness.

I crossed my arms, staring blankly at the crow before speaking up.

"How long are you staying here?"

"Kaaak. Kaaak."

"I have no intention of lingering long. As stated prior, I was merely drawn by the savory fragrance."

Saying so, the crow paused with an "Ah" and said to me:

"Kaaak. Kaaak."

"Nonetheless, since you treated this noble self with utmost hospitality, a reward is in order. What do you desire?"

"Can you get me out of this forest?"

Just as I had asked Vanir, I asked this crow as well. Can you get me out of the forest?

For a split second, the crow’s head movement froze.

Then, wearing an expression I hadn’t seen before, the crow quietly replied:

"...Kaaak."

"Something other than that."

"You said you’re the existence closest to the sun. Why can’t you do it?"

"Kaaa-ak. Kaaak."

"Just as this noble self is grand yet bound to the sun, so too is this forest."

Man, dressing up "I don’t have the power to do it" in such fancy words.

Looks like even a creature powerful enough to rival a dragon finds escaping the forest difficult.

"Kaaak?"

"Is there nothing else?"

"Hmm... How about something good for the body?"

If escape was impossible, I needed food good for the body, like what the Spirit Deer gave.This chapter is updated first at n⁠ovelping.com.

Understanding my words, the crow nodded its head and answered:

"Kaaak. Kak."

"Very well. Might you grant me more meat in the future? Each time, I shall bestow something beneficial."

"Fine by me."

I didn’t know what it would give, but it would be something good. I willingly agreed.

Just as the deer comes by occasionally to hand over various items, wouldn’t this crow end up doing something similar?

"Kaaa-ak. Kaaak."

"I shall depart now. Uninvited as I was, I have stayed far too long."

"Sure. Take care."

Flap flap!

Like a gentleman(?), the crow gave a respectful bow before flapping its wings vigorously.

I stared blankly at it flying away, only to widen my eyes in shock shortly after.

"Huh?"

Its size suddenly ballooned. To a scale rivaling a dragon, no less.

It grew so naturally that for a moment, I wondered if my sense of perspective had gone haywire.

However, seeing the shadow covering the entire Shelter, its body had undeniably enlarged.

’Truly fascinating.’

Leaving behind the crow flying high into the sky, I began tidying up.

Then I found a single feather resting softly on the ground.

This was undoubtedly the crow’s feather. I carefully picked it up.

Ting!

’What kind of feather is as hard as steel?’

As expected, even the crow’s feather was extraordinary.

Could that fellow be a mythical beast as well? I wondered.

Title) Anyone know who this guy is?

Wild Grylls

(Photo of three-legged crow)

(Photo 2 of three-legged crow)

(Photo of three-legged crow’s face)

(Photo 2 of three-legged crow’s face)

While I was grilling meat, this guy suddenly dropped by.

According to Lackey, it was drawn by the smell?

So I gave it a few pieces of meat and made friends. It flew away now though.

└ Heavenly Demon) It looks like a creature that would dwell in the Central Plains.

└ Smart Demon) Crazy, I think that’s the Three-Legged Crow?

└ Heavenly Demon) What is the Three-Legged Crow?

└ Smart Demon) For minority ethnic groups, it’s an animal with a status similar to you, Milady of the Demonic Cult. It symbolizes the sun.

└ Heavenly Demon) It is surely a magnificent creature. Yet it falls short of I, who am the sky itself. After all, the sun is merely a part of the sky.

└ Smart Demon) I know that, but if that actually exists, it’s a massive headache for the Central Plains;;

└ Starlight Lady) Isn’t the Three-Legged Crow a creature symbolizing the Central Plains? That’s what it said in books.

└ Smart Demon) To be precise, it’s a mythical creature worshipped by minority ethnic groups absorbed by the Central Plains. The problem is that even the Central Plains finds those minorities troublesome.

└ Starlight Lady) Just listening to it sounds like trouble is bound to blow up?

└ Smart Demon) Of course it will blow up. After working so hard to absorb and dilute them, it pops up out of nowhere.

└ The world was flipped upside down by the existence of the Sky Whale, is it the Central Plains’ turn now?

└ I thought the Three-Legged Crow and the Phoenix were the same entity.

└ Man, the Emperor of the Central Plains must fucking hate Grylls lol

└ Absolute Supreme Arnold Best) I’m starting to dislike him little by little too.

I had heard bits about the Three-Legged Crow before too. I heard it was deeply tied to Goguryeo.

Of course, the history of this world and Earth’s history are completely different. It’s best to write it off as a coincidence.

Coincidence aside, the fact that it’s a worshipped entity remains the same.

’Whatever.’

As long as it helps me, that’s enough. Whether the Central Plains gets noisy or not isn’t my business.

Well, I should help the Heavenly Demon to some extent. I quietly closed the Gallery.

As time passed and evening approached...

"Kaaak!"

"...What is this?"

The Three-Legged Crow brought back some strange bird.

I thought it caught a Phoenix or something, but no. It brought back something far more grotesque.

"Piiii-e-e-ek!!!"

How bizarre must it be for Tyranno, a hatchling, to freak out like that? The rest of the group reacted no differently.

The body was definitely a bird, massive like an ostrich, but the face was not.

It was as if a human face, evoking an uncanny valley feeling, had been slapped right onto it.

Even its wings resembled bat wings rather than those of an ordinary bird.

"What... is this?"

"Kaaak!"

"A bird that preys on large lizards."

I asked it to catch something good for the body, and it brought back a Human-Faced Bird.