Chapter 357: Why Not Try Trusting Me (Please Subscribe)

The Knights have their knights.

The Tribunal has its wardens.

And the Secret-Keeping Court naturally has its secret-keepers.

By coincidence, Herbert, though both a knight and a warden, is also a secret-keeper.

Moreover, he is the only living secret-keeper in the entire Mist Monastery besides Bishop Ashes.

There were secret-keepers before him, but they all took their secrets to the grave.

The Secret-Keeper's Code — collect, interpret, remain silent.

And as a qualified secret-keeper, the most important principle is to remain silent, to bury the secrets one knows deep within the heart.

They are the best listeners.

No one worries that a secret-keeper will leak a secret.

Bishop Ashes: "……"

She paused, slowly raised her head, cast a suspicious glance at Herbert, and squinted as she sized him up carefully.

Really won't leak it?

She was quite doubtful about this.

"Heh."

Herbert read the look in Bishop Ashes's eyes, smiled, and asked knowingly, "So, you don't trust me right now?"

As if.

Bishop Ashes couldn't even be bothered to speak.

As for how much weight the title of secret-keeper carried when attached to Herbert, she knew better than anyone.

He had never passed any of the secret-keeper's formal trials — she had forcibly promoted him into the role.

Yes, Herbert's identity as a secret-keeper wasn't something he had asked for himself; it had been forced upon him by Bishop Ashes.

Of course, Bishop Ashes hadn't had any deep meaning in doing so back then — it was just a whim.

She had never truly hoped Herbert would become a real secret-keeper, and had never asked him to do anything, never required him to fulfill the duties of keeping secrets.

Because no more secret-keepers were needed.

In this cold space, one person alone — keeping company with secrets in solitude — was enough, as long as that person was her.

"……"

Because he couldn't see her expression, Herbert could only stare at Bishop Ashes's body language, silently analyzing.

After a moment, he had a rough answer in his heart.

She was still hesitating at the moment; the thought of disbelief occupied the upper hand in her mind.

He had to find a way to make her change her mind.

Thinking this, Herbert spread his hands with a smile and said, "But even if you don't trust me, shouldn't you at least trust yourself?"

"After all, this secret-keeper here was your choice."

"When you forcibly made me a secret-keeper back then, did you ever imagine a scene like this?"

???

Imagine this?

What a joke!

Bishop Ashes's face twitched beneath the shadows, and she suddenly rolled her eyes.

When I snatched you over back then, was it so you could lick my tail!!?

She had been interrupted by Herbert's earlier calm performance, and her emotions were no longer continuous — she had already been calming down a bit, but upon thinking of this, she got angry all over again.

The gaze she turned on him grew even sharper.

Herbert felt her gaze gradually turning dangerous, but his expression didn't change as he continued, "Would you like to try trusting me for a bit?"

"Hmm?" Bishop Ashes's emotions were interrupted once again, and her expression froze slightly.

She wasn't surprised Herbert would say something like that — sitting and waiting for death wasn't his style.

But what surprised Bishop Ashes was the expression on his face as he said it, and the emotion it conveyed to her.

"You……"

This was Bishop Ashes's private demiplane.

In this space, no lie could escape her eyes.

Herbert wasn't lying.

Those words were entirely, completely, his true heart.

Not a single trace of falsehood.

"Set aside your doubt, choose to trust me — I will never let you down."

The youth before her wasn't joking, nor was he merely putting on an act to find a way out.

Herbert was serious.

He truly hoped Bishop Ashes could believe in him!

But…… why?

Bishop Ashes felt a moment of bewilderment.

She didn't know why Herbert was so insistent on wanting to earn her trust.

Nor did she understand where this intense emotion of his came from……

Their relationship admittedly wasn't distant — it wasn't like superior and subordinate, nor like elder and young child; it was more like friends conversing as equals.

But, we don't seem to be that familiar either!!?

Your sudden emotional shift has left me a bit bewildered!

The Bishop of Ashes probably couldn't figure out, no matter how hard she tried, why Herbert had become so fanatical.

Herbert, where does this passion of yours actually come from?

As for the truth she wanted, it wasn't complicated at all.

Naturally, it's because of her true identity!

The Herbert of today is no longer the same as before.

The current him harbors a natural fondness toward all monster girls, with a built-in affinity bonus.

Moreover, this isn't just for the sake of obtaining the blessing after acquiring materials.

Although acquiring materials is important—an indispensable step—beyond that, he genuinely still likes monster girls.

At some unknown point, a peculiar partiality toward monster girls, these non-human beings, had taken root in Herbert's heart.

Human women—fine, but not really.

Monster girls—very fine, extremely fine.

Herbert had actually noticed this himself, realizing there was a small issue with his aesthetic somewhere.

"Probably Nie Nasha's influence. Yeah, it must be Her secretly swaying my tastes—definitely because of that."

"Holy crap, what a rotten god this is!"

After dumping the blame in his mind onto the jokester goddess who couldn't refute it, Herbert tossed the issue to the back of his mind with a clear conscience.

Things being as they are, so be it.

Anyway, it's not a big deal—it's not like he can't feel any pull toward human women at all, so the problem isn't that serious.

Herbert watched the Bishop of Ashes, who seemed to have been scared off by his enthusiasm, and silently stepped forward, saying: "What would it take for you to believe me?"

"Well…"

As the Bishop of Ashes hesitated, Herbert stepped forward once more, pressing: "Do I need to sign a contract? Or swear an oath? Or perhaps you can only know whether I'm telling the truth by looking into my soul?"

Will you cut open my chest and look at my heart?

Herbert asked as he strode forward, stopping right in front of the Bishop of Ashes.

"…"

After being pressed repeatedly, the Bishop of Ashes regained some composure and said firmly: "No, you don't need to do any of that."

She didn't need Herbert to make any guarantees.

Even if he hadn't offered, she wouldn't have made such a demand.

To the Bishop of Ashes, no matter how outrageous Herbert's actions, his status in her eyes wouldn't change—he would still be a sapling in need of care and protection.

She gazed into Herbert's eyes and said slowly: "Herbert, you don't have to do this. Whether you reveal the secret or not, I won't demand anything of you."

"Even if it means I might leak your secret?"

"Even so."

The Bishop of Ashes nodded calmly, silently watching Herbert.

"…" Herbert fell silent, a shadow settling over his expression.

Seeing the boy's dejected look, the Bishop of Ashes's heart softened slightly, and she said gently: "This isn't distrust toward you—it's simply the code of a Keeper of Secrets… we don't demand that others keep secrets, only that we ourselves do."

Be strict with oneself, lenient with others.

This is the way of the Keepers of Secrets.

Herbert's brow furrowed slightly as he stared at the warden before him and said slowly: "Then what if I were a true Keeper of Secrets? Would you believe me?"

"I would, but unfortunately, you aren't," the Bishop of Ashes replied calmly.

If Herbert really were a qualified Keeper of Secrets, this matter wouldn't be so complicated…

*Smack! *

The sound right beside her cut off the Bishop of Ashes's thoughts, and she looked at the boy who had just clapped his hands together.

…Hm?

"Then this is simple."

Herbert clapped his hands hard, his dejection swept away in an instant. He laughed easily and said cheerfully: "It's just being a Keeper of Secrets, right! I wasn't one in the past, but I can be in the future."

"Since you think I haven't passed the test and can't count as a true Keeper of Secrets… then test me."

He spread his arms wide and said with a grin: "This time, if I can keep the secret, then I can officially become a Keeper of Secrets."

She caught on.

Everything Herbert had just performed was to get that promise out of her mouth.

"This… hehehe, haha."

The Bishop of Ashes froze for a moment, then burst out laughing, shaking her head repeatedly and saying helplessly: "Was everything you said just for that one sentence?"

"Exactly. Once I become a Keeper of Secrets, you'll believe me—no take-backs, you said it yourself!" Herbert said with a matter-of-fact grin.

"Heh."

Since her biggest secret was already exposed, the Bishop of Ashes stopped hiding it. She slowly straightened up, leaning on her snake tail, looking down from above.

She slowly lowered her head, leaning close to the boy's face, letting the shadow cast by her hood envelop him as well.

From within the shadow came a teasing inquiry: "What do you have to pass the test? Your identity as a Holy Knight? An oath sworn on a Holy Knight's vows?"

Herbert, shrouded in shadow, appeared unusually calm. He shook his head firmly and said: "No. I swear on my own name."

"What has ever kept me from revealing secrets was never those dogmas and codes, nor will it ever be."

"Only my own will can truly bind me."

Herbert looked at the Bishop of Ashes, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, and said: "Besides, do Keepers of Secrets choose to keep secrets because they want to follow a code?"

The two stared at each other in silence, and the demiplane fell quiet for a moment.

"... Very well."

A moment later, the Bishop of Ashes was the first to react.

She gave Herbert a slow nod, sat back down, then tossed him a crystal vial.

"Take it."

Herbert caught it on reflex, staring with some puzzlement at the blood-like liquid inside the container.

"What is this?"

"【Silence and Clamor】. Some also call it 【Blood of Lies】—a legendary-grade alchemical potion," the Bishop of Ashes answered softly.

"Since you want to undergo the trial, I'll give you one chance."

"At midnight, close your eyes before a mirror and drink it down. When you open your eyes again, you will see all manner of illusory reflections in the glass."

"They will question you, press you in every way to make you speak the secrets in your heart."

"That is the trial."

"If you can keep your secret and are not deceived by them, then you shall be deemed to have passed the trial and may become a true Keeper of Secrets."

Watching Herbert's thoughtful look, she reminded him: "Don't think this will be easy. Once you open your eyes, you won't remember this is a trial, and it's very easy to lose yourself within it."

The Bishop of Ashes was not exaggerating.

In fact, the trial she gave Herbert was the hardest of all Keeper of Secrets trials.

This was the ancient Keeper of Secrets organization's initiation rite from when it was still a secret society—Silence and Clamor.

Back then, to avoid exposure before the gods, the Keeper of Secrets organization held extremely strict requirements on whether new members could keep a secret.

And the Bishop of Ashes's true intent in doing this was to make Herbert give up out of fear of the difficulty, and stop thinking about becoming a Keeper of Secrets.

This was not a fun matter.

Unless one truly possessed the resolve to endure solitude, one should not lightly make such an attempt.

Best not even entertain the thought!

"Understood."

The Bishop of Ashes had clearly thought so much of Herbert's welfare, yet he still did not take it to heart.

Herbert tucked the potion away, nodded easily, and said with a confident smile: "Please rest assured, I will definitely pass the trial."

Having said that, he turned and left at once, striding outward.

Difficulty? Danger?

He didn't take either of them seriously at all!

And after the youth had marched off with his chest puffed out for a moment, a faint whisper drifted from behind him.

"Herbert."

"Mm?"

"What's the rush to leave? You don't think I've already forgotten, do you?"

"..."

Hiss.

Herbert's steps faltered, and he quietly drew in a cold breath.

After spending half the day trying to distract her, he still hadn't managed to dodge it in the end?

It was just one lick of your tail!

Must you keep harping on it like this!?

And just as Herbert stood in place silently awaiting his doom, a helpless sigh drifted from behind him: "Sigh... What happened today will not happen again."

Eh!!?

"Okay! Next time I'll definitely—"

Herbert was overjoyed, about to turn back and give thanks, when a tremendous force struck his rear—whoosh! —and he shot out through the rift.

And after Herbert was thrown out, the demiplane fell into utter silence, just as it had for the past thousand years.

Quiet, and deathly still.

"..."

Shhh, shhh, shhh...

A serpentine tail covered in cryptic runes slowly slipped out from beneath her skirt, rose upward, and was presented before the Bishop of Ashes.

She lowered her gaze to the damp tail tip, frowning as she focused on the scale that had been nicked.

A faint streak of crimson blood clung to it.

For some reason, that thread of fresh blood actually gave off a fragrance that made even her instinctively want to inhale deeply, stirring an urge to take a sharp sniff.

Strange thoughts even surfaced in her mind—wanting to lick that bloodstain clean.

"..."

The Bishop of Ashes was silent for quite a while, then forcibly suppressed those impulses and wiped the serpentine tail clean with a handkerchief.

"So, is this the reason he was able to win the trust of those monsters so quickly?"

"Herbert actually possesses such a talent... a special constitution that attracts monsters?"

She sighed in wonder, then naturally lifted the bloodstained handkerchief to her nose and took a deep breath...

"Sniff—mm!!?"

(End of chapter)