Chapter 118: Would You Come With Me? (33)

Within the Sealed Sanctuary, the old man gazed at the youth with kindness, his voice carrying no disappointment, only a touch of gentle counsel.

"Child, your intentions are good — you hope Valentina can return to freedom, and you hope the world can understand the truth you know."

"But your method is far too naive."

Naive…

Herbert clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to back down at this moment, and once more struggled to argue and explain.

"But… Valentina wouldn't."

"You understand this too, don't you, Your Eminence? Valentina isn't a cruel, evil sort — she wouldn't do something so casual as to harm people."

The Archbishop must surely understand all this — otherwise he wouldn't have shown Valentina mercy back then.

"I do understand, but my understanding alone is useless. The one who wants to take her out is you, not me."

The Archbishop shook his head and sighed: "The question now is, what can you offer as guarantee for her?"

"Can you truly bear the cost of all this? Do you truly have the ability to shoulder everything?"

"You're a clever child — in your heart, you actually understand all of this."

"I…" Herbert opened his mouth several times to answer, but in the end silently closed it again.

Yes, he understood.

The current him had no right to make such a promise.

He could swear a deadly oath, pledge his own life as guarantee, but words unsupported by strength were still too hollow and fragile.

"Right now you can't protect those innocent mortals, you can't protect yourself, and you can't even protect her."

"You're not helping her — you're placing her in a crisis of life and death."

"Goodness without strength is fragile; it shatters at the slightest touch of malice."

"Once Valentina breaks the covenant — whether of her own will or not — that will be her true Doomsday."

"I will kill her. I will show no mercy."

Words spoken without personal emotion, warm in tone, yet they only made one feel cold and sharp, gently piercing into Herbert's heart, even making him feel suffocated.

Was I wrong?

Could it be that the Archbishop isn't what I imagined him to be…

"Also, before making your request to me, did you go and ask Valentina what she thinks?"

Huh?

"What did you say?"

Herbert raised his head in a daze, brows knitting in confusion.

The Archbishop's expression remained kindly as he said softly:

"Child, if — as you say — Valentina truly isn't a monster that knows only destruction, then why didn't you ask her thoughts?"

"By acting this way, aren't you showing that in your heart you never actually regarded her as an equal?"

The old man gently pressed the youth on the oversight he had unconsciously forgotten.

Herbert was silent for quite a while before nodding helplessly: "I… I truly didn't ask her thoughts."

But there's no need to ask at all!

How could she possibly refuse…

Herbert still wanted to explain, but the Archbishop coldly cut him off.

"Can you truly be certain?"

"Would Valentina truly be willing to bear such a risk?"

"She stays in the monastery now — her freedom is restricted, yes, but there's no threat to her life. Once she leaves, however, she'll be facing the risk of death."

The old man sighed softly, helplessly: "If I agreed today, but she was unwilling? Would you give up?"

"Or… even so, would you still take her away by force, bringing death and destruction to Frost Crystal?"

As he spoke, a murderous aura leaked out without warning — a sliver of it — and a cold killing intent surged upward from underground.

Herbert's whole body jolted violently, nearly leaping up from the ground.

???

Wh-what the heck was that!?

Is your killing intent even serious?

How is that a chrysanthemum-region attack?!

When Herbert hurriedly looked at the Archbishop, he found the old man winking at him like a mischievous old child, sweeping away the earlier coldness, and chuckling:

"Heh heh, child, do you feel a little better now? Still feeling nervous?"

"Uh… yes, a little better."

Herbert's mouth twitched, growing more certain that this old coon wasn't a serious person.

After all that fuss, you're just here scaring the kid for kicks, are you?

You just like bullying people, don't you!

It's only because I can't beat you right now — otherwise I'd definitely give you a fright too!

"Alright, go on."

The Archbishop chuckled, waved Herbert off with a shooing gesture: "Go ask her — see whether she's willing to risk death and leave with you."

As he spoke, the old man plucked a single snow-white hair from the top of Herbert's head, rolled it lightly between two fingers, and a plain silver-white ring appeared at his fingertip.

Hum—

As Herbert stared at the ring, it erupted in a blinding flash of light; when he opened his eyes again, the ring had returned to its original plain appearance.

Though nothing unusual could be seen on the surface, one could faintly sense the terrifying power contained within it.

The old man placed the ring into the youth's palm and said softly, "If she truly is willing... then put this ring on her hand."

"Within this ring I have left a portion of my power. If she goes mad and does evil, I will rush there and purify her completely."

……

"What is this... creating something out of thin air? What kind of miracle is this!"

What kind of pa wa is this?

Herbert turned the ring over in his fingers. Had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, he could never have imagined it was made from his own hair.

No matter how he looked at it, this was entirely an exquisite, divinely-crafted magical artifact.

Moreover, if Herbert's senses weren't mistaken... although this ring carried no power attached to it, its own grade had already reached the legendary level.

More precious than everything he had on his entire body combined!

Is my hair really worth that much?

Then all the hair I shed before...

【"It's not out of thin air, you know!"】

After leaving the Sealed Sanctuary, Nie Nasha, who had been hiding, finally poked her head out and explained:

【"In terms you can understand, he altered the form of your hair, then infused his power into it, gave it a spirit, and turned it into a legendary creation."】

"Sounds like there's not much difference?"

【"Mm, indeed the difference isn't that big — they're all things you can't do, and the current me can't either."】

【"So, what do we do next? Time to go coax the little dragon?"】

"Coax?"

Herbert gave a light snort, toyed with the ring in his hand, and strode forward to push open the great doors of the Third Commandment Hall.

"When have I ever deceived her?"

"I've always treated her with a sincere heart!"

The moment he entered, he didn't pause for a single step, going straight to Valentina and calling tenderly, "Valentina, wake up, I'm here."

"... Mm?"

Valentina, slowly waking, opened her eyes and immediately saw Herbert holding a ring in his hand, gazing at her with an utterly sincere expression as he said earnestly:

"Valentina, will you come away with me?"

Mm?

"You, what did you say? Hm?"

The bewildered Young Lady Hungry Dragon blinked, looked at Herbert's serious expression, then lowered her gaze to look at the ring in his hand.

……Mm?

She widened her eyes, carefully studied his face, then earnestly studied the ring again...

???

"Ah!!?"

Just one more day to push through, and tomorrow I can post the launch announcement!

I'm really afraid if I keep writing, it'll be almost twelve thousand characters... lol.

The day after tomorrow it goes live for sale! Hurry hurry hurry!

Begging for monthly tickets, begging for recommendation tickets!

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(End of this chapter)