Chapter 183: Creating Demand (Bonus 26 of 46)

"You're saying the Sun God didn't react at all to your betrayal?"

"Yes."

"Huh???"

After repeatedly confirming the same answer, Herbert was filled with questions.

Is the Sun God really that good-natured?

Doesn't even get angry about this?

That doesn't make sense!

In those scriptures, the Sun God was never a gentle deity.

His temperament was like the midday sun—fiery and volatile, a being prone to extremes.

Back when he was part of the Natural Pantheon, he could be held in check by the Lord of Nature, preventing him from truly going to extremes.

But as his power grew stronger, fewer could suppress him, until he became the very architect of the Solar Catastrophe.

Lucifer was equally puzzled by this.

"Perhaps it's a matter of timing?"

"Timing?"

Lucifer shook her head slightly and said slowly:

"After I blinded his avatar's left eye, he didn't destroy me on the spot—he merely tore off my wings and stripped me of all authority I had drawn from him."

"But just as I thought I would perish utterly, his avatar vanished."

"Later I learned that at that moment, the other gods had invaded his divine realm, forcing him to restrain his extreme actions—he had no spare energy to deal with a negligible fallen creation like me."

Is the timing really that coincidental?

Herbert frowned; though the explanation was a bit weak, it seemed plausible.

"And after that?"

No time or energy then doesn't mean there wasn't any later, right?

"After that, he never came to deal with me."

The fallen angel shook her head, radiating a sense of loneliness: "To a being as great as him, I, a discarded traitor, wasn't worth remembering."

Lucifer explained it this way, but Herbert suspected there were hidden truths beneath it.

Just ignoring me?

A deity's dignity cannot be insulted.

What Lucifer did went far beyond mere insult.

As Archangel, she not only chose betrayal, but personally blinded the god's avatar.

Any one of these acts alone was enough to erase her countless times.

Yet the Sun God chose to ignore her—was this how he expressed his contempt?

Does that even make sense?

As Herbert rubbed his chin in thought, Lucifer watched him for a long time before finally making up her mind and speaking slowly:

"And this… is precisely what I wish to ask of you."

"Child, I…"

But before she could voice her request, Herbert raised his hand to interrupt, gruffly saying:

"Wait a minute—I may be younger than you, but can you stop calling me 'child' all the time?"

You're definitely older, in every way.

But can you at least show me some respect?

Constantly calling me 'child! child!' makes me feel like a brat.

"Don't you remember my name?"

Lucifer hadn't expected Herbert to be upset over this; after hesitating, she nodded:

"I remember—Herbert. If you don't want it, I won't call you that anymore."

"Alright, then I'll call you Lucifer."

"... Alright."

After a brief silence, Lucifer continued: "Herbert, I wish to ask you for a favor."

She fixed her "gaze" on the boy's eyes, staring intently at him.

"Help me understand why he did this? Why did he choose to ignore me?"

"Use any method, any means—just give me an answer."

"For someone blessed by a deity, this isn't a difficult request."

Blessed by a deity?

Herbert's heart skipped a beat—he instinctively thought Nie Nasha's presence had been exposed, but quickly regained his composure.

Oh!

It was the mark left by the Ice Goddess on his body—Lucifer had misunderstood.

But Herbert made no effort to clarify—it was unnecessary.

Let her keep her misunderstanding!

It might even give him more leverage in negotiations.

Herbert didn't immediately agree; instead, he raised an eyebrow and asked: "If this is a request, there must be some compensation."

"What can you offer me?"

The white-haired boy's lips curled slightly as he stared at the fallen angel, analyzing which part he could crunch into his mouth.

Hair? Blood? Or feathers?

Good, it's time for my favorite part — the negotiation.

Herbert wasn't afraid of Lucille having demands of him; what he feared was her having none at all.

He who has no desires is firm.

It is precisely because he does not contend that no one under heaven can contend with him.

A person without desire or want is the hardest to deal with.

No one can sell an item to a person who has no need for it — you have to create that need in advance.

Now that Lucille had something to ask of him, naturally he couldn't let this opportunity slip.

Time to drive a hard bargain!

"What can I offer you?"

Especially after repeating some of Herbert's questions, she thought for a moment, then gently shook her head.

"When that gentleman brought me in here, nothing was left on my person."

Lucille herself didn't have many belongings of her own — the only things she possessed were a suit of Angel Battle Armor and a holy sword capable of unleashing the power of the sun.

But after the betrayal, those lost their power and turned into a pile of ordinary iron — perhaps even worse than ordinary iron.

Herbert was well aware of this point, and said considerately:

"I don't need material help — you can give me some other kind of reward."

For example, your feathers, your hair… I'm really not picky!

Herbert's words had a clear implication, but Lucille didn't catch the meaning behind them.

After a moment, the fallen angel gently shook her head.

"Although I can't provide you with that kind of help, still…"

"Since you serve as Warden, you must need to enter the subsequent zones."

Hmm?

Herbert suddenly had a bad premonition.

Lucille said: "I can't help you pass through, but I can make it so you can't enter the next zone."

The moment Lucille opened her mouth, Herbert had already realized the problem and tried to seize control of the sealing array, but she got there first.

That's not right.

Her identity is definitely not right.

Unlike back then when he fought Sefani for control of the Lightless Prison's array, Herbert now, in terms of prison authority… didn't even rank higher than her!

Hmm???

Although Lucille was inside the alien prison, she wasn't entirely a prisoner!

Herbert recalled the tone Lucille had used earlier when mentioning the Archbishop.

Unlike Valentina's timid and fearful manner, she treated the Archbishop entirely as an equal.

Could she have come in here voluntarily!!?

Wait.

That's not right!

It's the opposite!

Damn it — you're creating demand for me here?

(End of this chapter)