Chapter 329: I Want You to Serve Me (64K)

I am Herbert Albert, and I'm going to show you how to survive in the most extreme and dangerous places!

In places like that, without proper survival skills, you wouldn't last even a single day.

This time, we've come to the Underdark.

Be very careful — this is the lair of subterranean creatures, filled with all sorts of unique monsters, and you could be ambushed from the shadows at any moment!

Please be sure to treat every shadow with caution!

After all, you don't want an eye-monster's tentacles to shove up your as— oh, look over there!

Look what we've found?

A mushroom-man!

Although normally I wouldn't recommend eating them, in a survival situation, this is a rare delicacy.

Just cut off its head, and the rest is edible… tastes like chicken, nice and crispy!

……

"An alchemist, heh, not a Grand Druid, but it'll do in a pinch."

"What a case of searching high and low only to find it without any effort at all!"

Herbert looked at the mushroom merchant Miss Mise, nodded with satisfaction, and sighed endlessly in his heart.

In the development of Elda, Herbert had previously run into a rather tricky and embarrassing problem — he couldn't properly cultivate the land.

As a divine kingdom's former site, the soil structure there had been altered.

Fu Leimei had tried brewing some alchemical potions — it wasn't that they were useless, but the results were genuinely unsatisfactory.

She suggested Herbert find a Grand Druid to specially improve the soil — that would be the fundamental, thorough solution.

After returning to the monastery, Herbert had indeed tried contacting druids, but with very little success and no real progress.

First and foremost, the main reason was that Grand Druids were simply too hard to find.

They always lived out in the wilderness, consorting with beasts and monsters, drifting outside human society.

Moreover, Grand Druids loved transforming into the forms of beasts and monsters, blending into their kind as non-human beings, not shifting back for years or even decades, becoming one of them.

Some extreme cases even lost themselves entirely, becoming legendary-class monsters, breeding offspring within the pack, only reverting to their original form after death.

For these elusive divine beings, let alone outsiders, even members of the druidic organizations themselves couldn't necessarily find them.

Additionally, because of the Mist Monastery's reputation for repelling monsters, many druidic organizations were unwilling to let them make contact.

They wouldn't go so far as to fall out with a righteous order of cultivators, but they certainly didn't show a pleasant face.

The letters Herbert sent in the monastery's name were all returned with great "politeness."

And letters sent under a noble's private name were completely ignored — not a single response.

Druidic organizations live in nature, with very little need for money and power — almost none, in fact.

He who desires nothing is firm.

That group of druids couldn't even be bothered with Holy Knights, and looked down on nobles entirely.

Although some druids of human origin were a bit better in this regard, getting in touch with them still required a certain amount of time and opportunity.

Even if contact couldn't be made in the short term, the development of Elda couldn't be completely put on hold — Herbert did have some backup plans.

One idea was to seek out some exiled Grand Druids of the evil alignment — those fellows would surely be very willing to accept the various "gifts" nobles offered.

Besides, evil druids had another advantage — they were much easier to capture and imprison, with no psychological burden involved.

Even if the matter came to light afterward, there wouldn't be any negative fallout — when necessary, they could simply be "neutralized."

Or alternatively, there was a stopgap measure — finding better alchemical potions.

A mermaid Young Lady, an amateur alchemist, makes potions that aren't potent enough, but what if we switched to legendary-grade potions made by a legendary alchemist?

The effect would surely be different!

And now, look what Herbert has found?

A legendary alchemist with a monster identity, neutral-leaning evil alignment, who also owes him a favor!

What a perfect backup — oh, at this point I should say "good person"~

Besides, don't forget this is the Underdark — even if someone mysteriously disappeared, surely there wouldn't be any problem… right?

"Not bad at all, not bad at all."

Herbert thought these thoughts as he gazed at the mushroom merchant with an increasingly tender look.

Miss Mise was unsettled by that gaze, and even her true body far away couldn't help trembling.

Hiss!

No, that look is just too unsettling!

She hesitated for a moment, and her puppet avatar forced an awkward smile as she ventured: "Uh, um… Sir Holy Knight, my lord? Is there something you wish to ask?"

What exactly are you trying to do?

Just say it already!

Whatever it is, just put me out of my misery.

"Heh."

Herbert's attitude shifted now. He chuckled softly and said with unusual gentleness: "Since you are no villain, you needn't be so guarded with me. Don't address me as my lord — please call me by my name directly."

Herbert set aside the cold, hard attitude he used against "evil" and switched to the gentle, humble Holy Knight mode.

"I am Herbert Albert, an ordinary Holy Knight from the Mist Monastery."

Ordinary?

Miss Mise was a bit speechless at Herbert's "self-deprecation," feeling he was being overly modest — so much so that it came across as a bit hypocritical.

At a time like this, what are you still pretending for?

Additionally, Miss Mise noticed a small detail in Herbert's words.

The monastery he mentioned... is it the Mist Monastery I know of?

After recalling those rumors, Miss Mise's heart trembled slightly, and her gaze toward Herbert grew increasingly cautious.

Miss Mise also couldn't tell whether Herbert was introducing his background normally, or deliberately hinting at her to behave and listen.

She couldn't shake the feeling that, after putting away his feigned coldness, this Holy Knight had become even more dangerous than before...

After pondering for a moment, Herbert withdrew his dangerous gaze and spoke bluntly: "Miss Mise, you just said you wanted to repay me?"

The main act is here!

Miss Mise's heart gave a jolt, knowing the other party had probably already thought of a request; she secretly braced herself, ready to meet the challenge.

"Yes, my lord Herbert, please give me a chance to repay you."

She didn't use the phrase "willing to pay a price," the kind of self-mutilating compensation rhetoric, but instead adopted the humble attitude of "actively repaying."

The main point is: it's voluntary on my part, please, leader, do let me have the chance to repay you.

She really knows how to play the game,

But Herbert did not accept Miss Mise's proactive offer, shaking his head: "There's no need for any repayment. I didn't become a Holy Knight so that those I help would repay me."

"You needn't worry I'm just putting on a show of refusal—this is my true feeling. Though Holy Knights fight for others, they fight even more for their own beliefs."

"A Holy Knight should never use kindness to demand repayment from others. It should never be that way."

The white-haired Holy Knight's tone was calm and firm, appearing exceptionally candid, carrying a peaceful yet immensely powerful force.

This attitude made the mushroom merchant nod slightly, her heart relaxing a little; she felt Herbert was indeed a qualified Holy Knight, not going too far.

"Lord Herbert, compared to your formidable strength, your noble character inspires even greater admiration in me."

"Heh." Herbert smiled faintly, shook his head, and offered no further explanation.

Does he dislike talking?

No.

Herbert was putting on an air of profundity at this moment only because, if he said a few more words... he would give himself away!

Herbert spoke in lofty, noble-sounding terms, saying he hadn't done it for

But in fact—hey, at the time he simply had no choice!

Did you think this Holy Knight was something I wanted to be?

No!

In the beginning, how bitter it was inside, only he himself knew.

But there's no need to share such small secrets with outsiders; as long as he himself knows, that's enough.

Herbert's heart is bitter, but Herbert doesn't speak of it.

He shook his head, then turned to the mushroom merchant and said: "No need for repayment, but I'd like to make a deal with you... a fair deal."

At this moment, because she believed in the noble quality Herbert had performed, Miss Mise's wariness toward him had lessened considerably; she thumped her chest and said: "Of course that's no problem, what deal do you want to make with me?"

Herbert nodded and smiled: "I want you to serve me."

Hmm?

Why is he saying this again?

Is this Holy Knight a bit long-winded?

Miss Mise was briefly stunned, then nodded again: "Of course, I'm very happy to serve you, no problem at all! I just don't know what you'd need me to do?"

"As you know, I'm an alchemist; I have many special potions I've crafted myself here."

To boost her persuasiveness, she waved backward; the carriage beside her moved on its own, slowly rolling up in front of the two of them, and began to tremble rapidly.

Clack-clack-clack...

After several breaths, the ornately decorated carriage had transformed, becoming a luxurious stall covered with all manner of bottled potions.

But compared to those potions flickering with various fluctuations, Herbert was more interested in the shape-shifting carriage itself.

Autobot, is that you?

He observed it carefully, raising his eyebrows in considerable surprise.

"Oh?"

Somewhat beyond his expectations, this carriage was not some animated construct-life Autobot, but rather something like... a mycelial adhesive body.

The carriage's material itself was nothing special; the key lay in the "mechanism" of transformation.

A living mechanism.

Specialized mycelia connected the two ends at the mechanism's joints, serving as hinges, controlling the carriage's transformation.

"Lord Herbert, please look, these are all my works!"

As Herbert observed the stall, Miss Mise stepped into it, hopped onto a deliberately raised stool, and began skillfully hawking the products she took pride in.

"Whatever you want, I can give you a twenty percent discount... ahem, sixty percent off, almost forgot."

She coughed once, used the mycelia to lift up the potions one by one, and began introducing them:

"If you want a defense-boosting potion, then I recommend this one—it can grant you defense comparable to petrified skin for half an hour. The side effect is that your speed drops a bit, ahem, drops a bit more."

"Or perhaps you want to boost your constitution? This one can grant you an hour of dragon's strength... ahem, roughly comparable, anyway not too far off. The side effect is that your will falls into chaos while it's active."

"Or short-term mana recovery? Poison resistance? Enemy confusion? Making monsters..."

Once she entered merchant mode, Miss Mise rattled off dozens of mushroom potions with varied effects in one breath, enthusiastically praising her products' effects, using rhetoric to downplay their various side effects.

And Herbert listened quietly beside her, occasionally showing an interested expression and nodding lightly, which made Miss Mise's performance even more fervent.

Finally, after quite a while, when Elisha returned with the other bruised and battered survivors, Miss Mise finally stopped.

She raised her chin proudly, wanting to know what Herbert intended to buy.

But, to her considerable confusion, after Herbert had picked and chosen for quite a while, he finally did look at her.

Smiling and nodding at her, he said again: "I want you to serve me."

Miss Mise:???

What's wrong with you? Don't you understand?

"No, I do understand—I'm happy to serve you. What exactly do you want… uh!" Miss Mise explained confusedly, then suddenly realized something and fell silent.

She slowly lifted her head, moved her lips, pointed at herself, and asked uncertainly: "Wait—your meaning isn't that you want the potion, is it…? You want me?"

Herbert smiled contentedly, nodded happily, and clapped in praise:

"Clever."

Young Lady, you've finally caught on. I almost thought you couldn't understand.

"…"

Miss Mise, hearing the mocking compliment, silently moved her lips, wishing she hadn't been so clever.

She finally understood the oddness of the conversation—their thoughts weren't even on the same topic.

Meanwhile, the vampire, having already vented his anger on other unfortunate ones, couldn't help laughing at this scene.

"Pfft! Hahaha!"

Stupid mushroom person, you're too naive.

You actually believed his nonsense?

Laughable.

After all these years, I've never heard a funnier joke!

"Haha, cough, cough!"

The vampire pointed and laughed mockingly at the embarrassed mushroom merchant, then burst into coughing as Herbert's gaze swept over him.

"Hmm?"

Herbert smiled faintly and asked: "Elisa, laughing so hard—do you have something to say?"

Now it was Elisa's turn to stop laughing; she pouted into a cat-face.

Hehe?

No hehe!

"I'm fine, nothing! Uh, you two go ahead, ignore me!"

Before Herbert could press further, she waved her hand: "Look, I brought them all back for you! Don't thank me! I'm going to find Svania!"

Without giving Herbert time to reply, she zipped into the shadows.

Zzzt-zzt!

Let the mushroom person get tricked by him—I'm getting out first.

The vampire young lady, holding the mindset of "let the other guy die so I live," shamelessly chose to flee alone.

Hehe, I'm definitely getting away!

Elisa returned quickly and fled even faster, leaving behind a group of battered survivors who stared at the white-haired boy with awe and bewilderment.

They were a group of about thirty special dwarves, roughly one meter thirty to forty centimeters tall, with grayish skin, each wearing heavy shackles on their feet.

They were gray dwarf slaves of the Moore family, spared because they were assigned to the furnace forge at the city's edge, continuously forging armor and weapons.

They barely understood what had happened—only that chaos broke out, Miss Xie Shen descended, angels descended, Miss Xie Shen died…

And a vampire came, beating everyone—men and women alike—then dragged them to the city center.

At first, after the cruel vampire left, some gray dwarves with lingering hope noticed the city seemed destroyed and tried to sneak away.

But before they could act, others urgently warned them and recognized the identity of the figure facing away.

That angel—like the blazing sun!!

Out of instinctive reverence for the powerful, the gray dwarves trembled, then one by one, like dominoes, knelt before the figure's back, bowing their heads deeply.

Herbert noticed the commotion behind him but paid it no mind; he kept staring at the grim-faced mushroom merchant and asked: "Do you have anything to say?"

Miss Mise gazed deeply at Herbert, then sighed helplessly.

Even though this puppet body didn't need to breathe—she had no lungs, no respiratory organs—this utterly meaningless action somehow calmed her.

The mushroom merchant composed herself, her expression fully restored to calmness, and asked without hope: "... My lord, may I refuse your transaction request?"

Herbert did not answer, only watched her quietly, a faint smile curling at his lips.

After seeing that expression, Miss Mise sighed helplessly and chuckled bitterly: "May I ask—why me?"

"Also, I feel we don't have any particular grudge against each other, do we?"

We were getting along fine before… why suddenly so forceful?

Herbert smiled at her resigned expression but gave no explanation for why he chose her.

He shook his head: "Miss Mise, it seems you've misunderstood something."

"I am not forcing you."

"I am merely making you a mutually beneficial, equal transaction offer."

I'm offering you a fair deal—don't make it sound like I'm pressuring you.

Miss Mise's lip twitched; she muttered helplessly: "But my lord, denying someone the right to refuse is itself coercion."

Are you really not forcing me?

"Miss Mise, I have certainly not forbidden you to refuse me—you have the right to choose."

Herbert smiled kindly, eyes crinkling: "If you truly refuse, you may try—it's perfectly fine."

"Perhaps I'll even agree."

Herbert declared openly—I didn't, don't make things up.

I didn't force you.

You volunteered to come home with me!

Refuse?

Are you kidding me?

Do I freaking dare refuse!?

Miss Mise felt her whole body go numb now, and could only complain without any real bite: "... You really are a most unexpected Holy Knight."

She put extra weight on the word "unexpected," trying to vent the grief and indignation in her heart.

After a small grumble, Miss Mise saw that the other party was unmoved and had no energy left to complain, so in the end she could only resign herself to it and explain helplessly:

"Lord Herbert, although I don't know what you want from me, I really have no way to leave this place, so your request, I'm afraid..."

"Miss Mise."

Herbert suddenly raised his hand and cut Miss Mise off, staring into her eyes, and asked out of nowhere: "Do you want to leave this place?"

"What I mean is — to leave completely."

Huh?

Miss Mise blankly raised her head, blinked, tilted her head and said: "Um, do you mean... you want to kill me?"

To let me leave this world completely?

When bribery didn't work, now it's coercion?

"Hmm?"

Herbert:?

Now it was Herbert's turn to be dumbfounded.

What kind of nonsense is she spouting?

How is your mushroom brain even more jumpy than mine?

I want to send you away, not send you away permanently!

Herbert's face twitched, and he said stiffly: "I mean... do you want to leave the Underdark completely?"

"Leave this place, get away from this dark and evil land, and live together with other people."

Hmm?

Miss Mise furrowed her brow, even more puzzled, completely unable to figure out Herbert's true intention.

It seemed the other party really wasn't threatening her, but inviting her?

Using the chance to take her away from here as a bargaining chip, in exchange for serving him?

This...

The mushroom merchant pondered for a moment, then slowly shook her head: "No, I don't understand what you mean, I don't want to leave this place."

"Perhaps to you, this is a dark, damp cavern, but to me, this is my homeland, my beloved homeland."

"I've never wanted to leave here."

Facing Miss Mise's denial, Herbert raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Really?"

Herbert chuckled lightly and asked: "Your speech, vocabulary, and behavior are surprisingly outstanding. For a myconid, to reach this level must have taken quite a lot of time, wouldn't you say?"

The mushroom merchant's brow furrowed even tighter, and she said in a heavy voice: "It is indeed as you say, I spent many years to achieve this, but what does that prove?"

"Just because I imitate others' behavior, does that necessarily mean I long for the outside world?"

"Could it not be that I only trained myself in order to trade with other people?"

"As a myconid, must I necessarily..."

At the end, Miss Mise closed her own mouth.

She finally realized something was off — her reaction just now had been a bit too emotional.

And for Herbert, although Miss Mise had been doing her utmost to deny his guess, in truth... it was no different from admitting it.

But he didn't puncture that last thin veil at this moment, and instead took the initiative to change the subject.

"Let's just take it that everything you said is true, for now."

"Since you're so confident and unwilling to leave this place, then let me meet your true body."

To put Miss Mise at ease, Herbert even took the initiative to swear an oath binding himself:

"Please rest assured, I swear on the name of the Holy Knight that I absolutely will not use this to do anything to harm you, including other people."

"If you truly are unwilling, we can switch to different conditions; I won't force you."

After hearing his promise, Miss Mise sighed quite helplessly, raised a hand and rubbed her own temple.

"You really are persistent..."

She didn't know where exactly the other party's persistent attitude and confidence came from.

"... Forget it, then let's do that."

"I'd like to say you're wasting your effort, but if you insist on meeting, I can't stop you either."

Miss Mise sighed: "Also, as it happens... I have something here I want to give you too."

Oh?

"What is it?" Herbert truly hadn't expected she had anything that could be called "as it happens" to give him.

Could it be she's going to give me some soup mushrooms?

"Mushrooms?"

"No, a human."

Herbert:?

Miss Mise, with an utterly blank face, read out flatly: "I picked up a guy who'd passed out cold."

Herbert:?

Huh?

Who is this expert, to have gotten themselves lost?

Whose subordinate is this, exactly?

It couldn't be... mine, could it?

"He bears the same badge as that lady, so he should be your companion."

Ah.

It really is mine!

(End of this chapter)