Chapter 251: A Mere Old Fool (56K Please Vote Vote Bonus Update 77 78)

Champion?

Brother, what champion are you talking about?

I…

Herbert:?

A huge question mark popped up over Herbert's head.

How did I get dragged into this?

And while Herbert was baffled, Valo kept loudly proclaiming.

"You guys don't know what I saw on him! That kind of killing intent, that kind of presence — it's on par with a real legend!"

He told the story in a carefree, expansive way, gesturing as he reenacted the scene for everyone around him.

"So stop arguing, everyone — the real champion isn't us and it isn't you, it's Herbert!"

"He must have slain monsters by the hundreds! Only then could he have that kind of aura!"

But clearly, the others didn't buy Valo's "exaggerated" account.

"Valo! Stop bragging here! There's no way it's as wild as you say."

"Heh heh, bragging again!"

"You're a weird one, you know that? This time you're not bragging about yourself — now you're bragging about someone else? Hahaha…"

Hearing these words, Valo's face flushed red and he shouted, "Nonsense! Who's bragging? You're the one bragging!"

He thumped his chest hard and bellowed, "I'm not bragging! I swear on the name of the gods! I'm not bragging!"

Swearing on the name of the gods is an extremely solemn oath for the people of this world, but the others just burst into more laughter.

"Hahaha! I was starting to believe you, but now I have to doubt you."

"Exactly — you're a Wu Seng, what are you doing swearing oaths like a holy knight?"

"Hahahaha!"

"I remember, last time you swore an oath, wasn't it that you didn't steal Zar's bread? Oh wait, that was supposed to be a secret… hahaha!"

Zar, standing behind Valo, had been about to leap to his defense with a show of "righteous testimony," gesturing to back him up — but hearing that, his expression changed.

Hmm?

So my favorite bread was stolen by you all along!!?

"Mmm? Mmm!!?"

He waved his arms frantically at Valo, his two hands moving so fast they were almost forming hand seals.

"Uh, let me explain to you later."

Valo gave an awkward explanation, then kept on arguing with the crowd.

Veins bulged across his forehead as he loudly argued back; the crowd roared with laughter, and the air around them was thick with merriment.

"So how many monsters did he actually hunt? And what ranks were they? You still haven't made any of that clear!"

Finally, after a long stretch of mockery, a cold voice cut through the rowdy rhythm.

The noisy crowd fell quiet and looked toward Valo's companions.

"You've been making a fuss long enough — give me an explanation."

A tall nun stepped up before the crowd and said coolly, "If you don't want to be the champion, then stop hogging the spot. Give it up voluntarily and let us take it!"

The nun's words reflected what the others were thinking too.

This monster-hunting event had ended, and as per usual custom, the final winner was to be chosen.

The competition for second through fifth place had been fierce, with everyone's results fairly close.

Only first place was far ahead — in both the quality and the quantity of monsters, it vastly outstripped the other squads.

Faor and the rest of their hastily assembled squad had taken first place in this competition.

The other squads were reluctant, but they accepted it in good grace.

But just when everything seemed wrapped up — when everyone felt a touch of regret but was willing to offer their blessings — the winning squad suddenly changed their tune.

Valo and the others suddenly declared they weren't really the champions.

The real champion was someone else!

And when pressed on who exactly that was, they couldn't say — in the end they just dragged out a Herbert to fob them off.

And that rubbed the others the wrong way.

We acknowledge your strength, we accept your results — but that doesn't mean we'll swallow everything you say!

That won't fly.

We have to fight for it properly.

Everyone was desperate for the title of champion.

The prize for winning the monster hunt was secondary — the true glory was getting to meet and speak with the Archbishop!

This, they had to fight for!

"Well, you see…"

Facing so many people, Valo scratched his head, at a loss for how to explain.

Seeing him like that, the tall nun's brow furrowed even tighter and she pressed, "You haven't been brainwashed by him, have you? Or do you owe him something? Why else would you go this far to help him?"

"If he's really as outstanding as you say, then why hasn't he come back?"

Right — if he's so outstanding, why hasn't he come back?

Is he afraid to come back?

Or is he already unable to?

"Even taking one more step back!"

Seeing the others fall silent, the tall nun also stopped pressing, her tone softening slightly as she shook her head and said:

"The final deadline for all teams to return has now passed. Regardless of whether he is truly as outstanding as you claim, he has lost his eligibility for evaluation."

The demon hunting competition has a time limit; contestants cannot be allowed to wander endlessly through the mountains.

Her gaze fixed on Fa'ao, who sat on the ground in silence, a strange light flickering in her eyes as she gave a slight shake of her head.

"Then since he does not appear now, it means he has lost his eligibility…"

At that moment, a gentle voice sounded beside her ear.

"Oh? You all seem to be having quite a lively chat! What interesting topic are you discussing?"

Who!!?

The tall nun jumped in surprise and instinctively reached for the short hammer at her waist.

But before she could even pull it free, a hand "gently" pressed down on her wrist, pinning it back in place.

The nun instinctively tried to exert force—but could not budge it at all!

Finally, the nun calmed down, realizing her rudeness, and turned her head, saying softly: "... Who?"

"One of us. Don't get worked up."

Herbert smiled and winked at her, then turned to the startled group with a slight smile.

"You all look a bit tense. Did I arrive at an inconvenient time?"

Clang! Clang! Clang…

Just now, when they suddenly realized Herbert had appeared, many had instinctively drawn their weapons; now they could only awkwardly sheathe them.

His snow-white hair was simply too distinctive—they immediately recognized the identity of the boy before them.

Herbert.

The very subject of their discussion had appeared.

Everyone instinctively felt awkward; several people awkwardly averted their gazes.

It was the embarrassment of gossiping behind someone's back—only to be caught red-handed by the person themselves.

Herbert paid no mind to their awkwardness. He released the nun's wrist and nodded to Fa'ao, who had suddenly risen from the ground.

"Feeling better?"

Fa'ao stood rigidly straight, ignoring the stares of others, and said seriously:

"Lord Herbert! You've returned! Thanks to your blessing, we are all unharmed!"

Herbert smiled at his serious expression, waved a hand at him, and asked: "So, what's this all about?"

"I seem to recall never asking you to hand the championship over to me, do I?"

What is going on here?

Who is trying to drape a yellow robe upon me?

You're going to make me suffer!

Cough.

Jokes aside, Herbert was genuinely confused.

The most crucial point… how did I not know I entered the demon hunting competition?

I never signed up!

"Lord, though you never said so, we all believe this honor rightfully belongs to you."

Fa'ao spoke seriously, and the other four nodded silently in agreement.

Though the idea originated with Fa'ao, all the others had chosen to agree.

"After all, without you, we five would likely all have…"

They were not Bai Chi; they knew the sudden retreat of the Mist Ghost Wolves was no accident—it must have had a reason.

And shortly after the ghost wolves retreated, Herbert appeared before them—this alone spoke volumes.

Herbert had driven away the Mist Ghost Wolves!

This reasoning was entirely wrong in its process, yet its final conclusion was correct.

The Mist Ghost Wolves' unrest began because of Herbert, and ended because of Herbert.

As the saved survivors, they felt this honor should be given to Herbert, who had saved them.

It made perfect sense.

Though they too longed for the chance to meet the Grand Archbishop, they ultimately chose to do this.

Fa'ao bowed deeply to Herbert and said earnestly: "Please do not refuse—it is our sincere…"

Herbert: "I refuse."

!!?

"What did you say? Why would you refuse?"

Fa'ao snapped his head up, staring at Herbert in confusion—only to find him shrugging casually.

"Because it means nothing to me."

Herbert smiled easily: "I don't believe taking something that rightfully belongs to others would bring me joy."

Hmm… then again, maybe not always?

Such things still depend on the circumstances.

Fa'ao blinked, bewildered, and asked hesitantly: "But…"

"There's nothing to 'but' about it."

Herbert waved his hand coolly, cutting off Fa'ao's words, and said calmly: "This matter is settled. There is nothing to discuss."

"Fa'ao, your flaw is that you're bad at communicating with others beforehand."

Whether it was your unauthorized sacrifice back then, or your unauthorized decision on my behalf, the principle is the same.

Your actions, though not malicious, may not necessarily be good for others.

Forced love is unacceptable.

Herbert's words silenced Fa'ao; he suddenly realized he had made the same mistake again.

He had committed the same error once more.

After a brief reprimand and admonishment, Herbert's tone returned to its earlier gentleness.

"Alright, lift your head. I have no intention of blaming you."

"Though I refused you, your sincerity truly moved me."

He patted Fa'ao's shoulder, then smiled at the other four.

"This is what you deserve. Do not doubt it. Accept it in peace."

"You are the true champions."

Herbert smiled, waved his hand casually, turned away, and left behind a single remark.

"Besides, if I were to meet him… hmm, there's no need for all this complexity."

Meet him?

Meet whom?

The hidden meaning in this seemingly casual remark plunged everyone present into deep thought.

After dropping a remark that left them all pondering, Herbert walked cheerfully toward the Knight Commander, who had been silently watching.

Hehe~

You still don't understand me at all.

I can understand you arguing about other things.

Arguing about this?

Arguing for a chance to meet the old man?

Come on, am I insane?

Herbert approached Rust Nail Bishop and bowed slightly to him.

"My lord, I have returned."

"Hmm…"

Rust Nail Bishop studied Herbert carefully, then slowly nodded, offering a rare smile of satisfaction.

"Good. You truly kept your promise from before."

Since Herbert's return, he had changed noticeably—he appeared more mature, shed his youthful naivety, and gained a sharp, unsheathed edge.

Though he had strongly opposed Herbert's solo journey, seeing him unharmed erased all his resentment.

Perhaps he had been wrong all along.

He should not have treated Herbert like a caged canary… he had always been an eagle of the sky.

After his scrutiny, Rust Nail Bishop nodded without further pleasantries: "Since you're back, go straight to see my lord. He has been waiting for you a long time."

Herbert laughed upon hearing this.

See?

You all fought to meet him, but for me, he's the one eager to meet me.

I told you—he's not some hard-to-reach big shot at all~

"Understood."

But before going to chat with the old man, Herbert still had one important matter to attend to.

"Still, I'll first take her back to the Third Ordinance Monastery."

The air beside him trembled slightly, revealing a hazy figure shrouded in mist.

Fu Leimei had been hiding beside Herbert using an optical camouflage technique.

A layer of mist cloaked her body; outsiders could only make out a blurred silhouette, never her true face.

"No, no need. She can return on her own."

"Eh? What did you say?"

Herbert blinked, not quite understanding what the Knight Commander had said.

Let her return to prison by herself?

Huh?

The Knight Commander frowned slightly at Fu Leimei, his eyes filled with conflict, yet he slowly nodded and said to her:

"【End Songstress】 Fu Leimei, you successfully protected Herbert. You did not betray his trust."

"Through this trial, the monastery has understood your stance. We will ease our suppression of you. Though your movements remain restricted, you may now move freely within the monastery—most facilities are open to you…"

"All of this is a direct order from my lord. Though I do not understand it, I still choose to obey—no one in the monastery will oppose it."

After speaking these words, the Knight Commander's expression grew even colder and sterner as he fixed Fu Leimei with a icy gaze:

"As Knight Commander, I give you this sincere warning—do not cause trouble within the monastery. Otherwise, not only will you face severe punishment, but Herbert will suffer the consequences of your actions."

Threat.

Rust Nail Bishop's words were an unmasked, blatant threat!

I'm warning you—don't stir up trouble here!

Though my lord has lifted some of your chains, this is still no place for a creature like you to act freely.

Yet as the target of this threat, Fu Leimei's expression remained cold, even disdainful.

"... Heh."

Fu Leimei furrowed her brow, squinted at the legendary Holy Knight before her, and only after a long while gave a faint, light snort.

"You needn't trouble yourself over these matters. Naturally, I won't let him come to harm."

"Whether from outsiders harming him, or from persecution because of me."

Having said that, she also demonstratively hugged Herbert from behind, then tilted her chin smugly toward the Knight Commander.

After this somewhat improper display, Fu Leimei didn't linger to chat with Herbert, and without so much as a glance at him, she simply chose to leave.

The way she looked, it was as if she were a heartless woman who had used Herbert to prove her charm to others.

After all, the relationship between the two of them was still secret; saying too much would easily expose the problem.

Sure enough, Bishop Rusty Nail didn't overthink it. He knit his brow tightly and asked after Herbert's condition: "Tch, she this… Herbert, are you alright?"

Facing Bishop Rusty Nail's concerned gaze, Herbert nodded and voluntarily lit up his holy mark to prove his "purity."

"Please rest assured, I have not been affected by her in the slightest."

Herbert said with an earnest expression:

"Please set your mind at ease, my lord — I did not let her succeed!"

Yes.

Fu Leimei did not succeed.

She did not defile my purity!

Because the one who truly succeeded — was actually me!

Time to eat fish.

I like grass carp — fresh, juicy, nourishing, and rich.

Tastes good, love eating it, eat lots.

"Thank you for your concern."

Seeing that Herbert's purity oath had only grown stronger rather than diminished, Bishop Rusty Nail was also relieved, and nodded at him with satisfaction.

"Mm, that's good then. You really are quite something."

This is a Holy Knight who cannot be bewitched by monsters!

Excellent!

Bishop Rusty Nail beckoned to Fa'ao and the others, then instructed Herbert: "Alright, since you're also going to see the Archbishop, my lord, then you lead the way for them. I have other matters to attend to."

"Understood."

When Fa'ao and the others, nervous and uneasy, walked over, they saw that Bishop Rusty Nail had already turned and left, with only Herbert still standing before them.

"This…"

"Bishop, my lord!!?"

What is going on?

Could it be that the Bishop, my lord, is angry because of their earlier wilfulness!!?

"Yo, we meet again."

Herbert looked at their micro-expressions, guessed what they were thinking at a glance, and said earnestly:

"Alright, given your conduct, the Bishop, my lord, has already given orders — he wants me to take you to the Third Commandment Office to reflect properly…"

Fa'ao and the others: What!!?

……

In the end, Herbert's heart softened — he merely led them to loiter at the entrance of the Third Commandment Office for a bit, without actually going inside.

A joke is fine, but don't really scare the kids.

That wouldn't be fun.

Under Herbert's lead, the group passed through a long tunnel and arrived at the monastery's underground.

At the end of the path, Herbert once again saw that great door, and the lonely figure standing quietly before it.

Bishop Ashes had long known of their arrival, and now at last gave a slow nod and spoke softly:

"Herbert, you've come."

"My lord."

Herbert gave Bishop Ashes a slight bow of greeting, allowing her to lay her palm upon his shoulder.

Bishop Ashes gently patted his shoulder, then pinched it with a little more force.

"You… hmm?"

And just before Bishop Ashes was about to speak, an invisible force struck her gaze, and her whole person wavered for a moment.

Her gaze pierced through Herbert's body, as if seeing countless wraiths coiled upon his soul.

Those monster wraiths were bound here by a force of shadow, flickering in and out of sight, emanating a hair-raising aura.

At the same time, his soul had also gained a few traces of an icy-cold aura.

"……"

"My lord, is something the matter?"

Hearing Herbert's words, Bishop Ashes withdrew her hand, and the phantasms before her eyes all dispersed.

She looked at Herbert deeply, and after confirming his soul was entirely unharmed, she gave a slight shake of her head and laughed softly: "Heh, it's nothing. Getting old truly does make one recall old matters."

His fate… had grown even more complex.

Bishop Ashes grew ever more curious — just where would this young man's destiny lead?

Merely imagining his future in her heart, she couldn't help wanting to laugh out loud.

"Heh, cough! Go on, child. That old— Archbishop, my lord, has been waiting for you a long while. When you come out, we shall continue our chat."

"Understood."

Herbert nodded, then walked through the gate with familiar ease, his figure vanishing from sight.

The people of Fa'ao watched in awe as Herbert chatted amiably with the most mysterious Bishop my lord, growing ever more unable to see through his identity.

Just who on earth is he?

To the monastery, what exactly does Herbert signify?

They found him increasingly impossible to read!

"Children, please wait a moment."

When Ash Bishop received the others, though he remained kindly, his tone carried a little less warmth.

"Once he comes out, you may enter one by one to speak with His Eminence the Archbishop."

"Now, arrange the order of entry among yourselves."

(End of chapter)