Chapter 397: How Could That Be, Haha (Seeking Subscriptions)

「……」

In the lonely demiplane filled with tomes, the last Keeper of Secrets sat quietly cross-legged on the ground.

The Ash Bishop, Ophidia, kept her head lowered, her eyes half-closed, in a state resembling meditation.

She was not spacing out—she was thinking.

Just now, Ophidia had had another dream.

This time, she once again "dreamed" of that unexpected person.

The two of them did nothing in particular, merely sitting side by side in the demiplane, quietly reading.

Throughout the entire dream, neither of them exchanged a single word, yet she felt a resonance with the other in spirit.

"Herbert… why is it you?"

Why was she dreaming of him?

For Ophidia, Herbert was nothing more than the most interesting among countless promising juniors.

By rights, she harbored no feelings for Herbert beyond "expectation"—she shouldn't have been dreaming of him.

Yet somehow, his figure had appeared in her dream.

……No.

Or rather—was that truly a dream?

Ever since she took on their burden and became what she is now, she had gone many years without dreaming.

In her dreams, only endless knowledge ceaselessly tormented her soul.

Having grown accustomed to those noisy nightmares of the past, this long-awaited quiet dream was all the more striking.

After waking, she felt a trace of doubt, wondering if she had been dragged into Herbert's dream once more… but she knew full well that was not the case.

But why?

If the first time was because of that potion, what was the reason for this second time?

The previous time had clearly been his dream—so why had she ended up as the one trapped within it?

She did not understand.

Because of this, Ophidia had been pondering the reason behind it all.

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

What on earth had caused such a situation to occur?

"Mmm…"

She concentrated all her focus on her thoughts, not noticing that someone was slowly approaching her demiplane.

In fact, it was only after the other party actively sent a signal requesting entry that she suddenly came back to herself.

They're here!

She opened the passage, then said to the person outside in a flat, indifferent tone: "You're here. I thought you'd wait another… hmm? Why is it you?"

And before her, Bishop Rusty Nail—who had just entered the demiplane and was about to step forward to pay his respects—halted in his tracks.

"Huh!?"

Bishop Rusty Nail:?

Bishop Rusty Nail, who had been preparing to report to the Watcher, was momentarily dumbfounded.

Hiss… did I do something wrong?

He didn't know whether he should step forward or pull his foot back.

Hmm???

From that tone, it seemed my lord's mood wasn't very good… did I come at the wrong time?

No—did I come at the wrong moment?

Should I not have come?

He hesitated, standing on one foot, and asked weakly with some uncertainty: "My lord, I… uh, should I not have come? Are you waiting for someone?"

Which lord was she waiting for?

Bishop Rusty Nail was embarrassed, but there was actually someone in the room even more embarrassed than he was.

Though Ophidia showed no outward reaction, inwardly she had already clenched her teeth tight.

Hiss!

How could she have done something so foolish?

To have so carelessly assumed the visitor was Herbert?

She had grown far too lax, letting herself be so careless—this truly should not have happened.

No—even the real problem wasn't there… that was only a small matter.

The truly big problem was—why had she so naturally assumed Herbert would come find her of his own accord?

To trust so completely that he would definitely come face her?

What if that fellow cowardly chose to hide?

Ophidia maintained an outward calm, but inwardly her thoughts raced wildly.

And her strange silence made Bishop Rusty Nail across from her even more uneasy.

My lord has fallen silent… did I say something wrong?

Did I do something wrong?

Although Ophidia had actually said nothing at all, he was already breaking out in a cold sweat.

After quite a while longer, Bishop Rusty Nail finally managed to compose himself and asked slowly: "Um, my lord?"

My lord, won't you look at me?

Kill me or whip me, it's fine—just give me an answer!

What did I even do wrong? Tell me!

Don't keep me dangling like this—it's torture.

Just give me a quick end.

"Hm?"

Hearing the weak call from Bishop Rustnail, Ophidia finally snapped back to awareness, paused, then said coolly: "No, it's nothing… hmm."

She fell silent for a moment, then slowly shook her head, offering no explanation, and moved on: "Speak. What do you want now? Is it again about those candidates?"

Huh!

Though curious about why the Warden had been angry, Bishop Rustnail, having finally gotten a moment to breathe, did not press further and simply nodded.

"Yes, this is one of the two matters I must report to you."

Hm?

Once they turned to serious matters, Ophidia returned to her usual cool demeanor, raising an eyebrow to retort: "Didn't I already tell you? Let your own people decide, whoever they are."

She paused, then suddenly realized Bishop Rustnail had come with some hidden concern, and frowned: "Has something gone wrong?"

"There are a few minor issues, but I've already chosen the final candidate—I hope you can offer some advice," Bishop Rustnail said with great humility.

"Speak. Who did you finally pick? Though I think I already know."

Ophidia tilted her head, teasingly: "Someone so ordinary wouldn't make a stick-in-the-mud like you hesitate so much and come beg my advice."

"Could it be Herbert?"

Though phrased as a question, Ophidia already had over ninety percent certainty about the answer.

But she found it strange.

Herbert had already been mentioned once before, and she'd given him advice then—why come back to ask again?

"Yes, the final choice is still Herbert."

Bishop Rustnail nodded slowly and said gravely: "But he has a few small problems."

"What kind of problems?"

"His strength… his strength doesn't match our original expectations."

Strength?

Upon hearing this answer, Ophidia grew even more confused.

What was wrong with Herbert's strength?

Wasn't it already decided that only high-level cultivators below Legend rank should go?

Isn't Herbert exactly suited to that condition?

He couldn't have been severely injured and dropped to mid-level, could he?

That would be too coincidental… I strongly suspect he's faking illness to avoid going.

"... Hm?"

Wait—could there be another possibility?

If his strength hadn't dropped, then it must be—risen?

He advanced?

"Hm??"

Ophidia suddenly realized another possibility, her eyes widening in shock: "Wait! You mean… Herbert has advanced to Legend rank?"

Seeing that she finally understood, Bishop Rustnail exhaled in relief and nodded slowly: "Yes, he has successfully advanced to Legend rank. But now that he has entered the Legend realm, he no longer fits our original concept for an envoy."

The old Herbert was a perfect envoy candidate. But now, he no longer meets our prior requirements.

He cannot properly express the Mists Monastery's firm but respectful disapproval toward the Sun Church.

"Yet despite this, I still wish for Herbert to serve as envoy to the Sun Church. He is young, and he needs these trials—he must witness the true power of divine churches."

Though it might seem slightly unfair to others, as a high-ranking official, Bishop Rustnail, both from a strategic standpoint and personal preference, believes opportunities should go to those who need them most.

In any case, Herbert remains the best candidate.

He has the greatest potential among them—prime resources must be directed toward him.

"Though a Legend going might make our stance seem unclear, leading the Sun Church to think we've bowed, this minor flaw is negligible."

"So I still hope you will understand my One's Own Thoughts and allow Herbert to become the envoy."

After expressing his thoughts, Bishop Rustnail suddenly noticed Ash Bishop's shock.

"Hm? Could it be… you didn't know about this?"

Huh?

You didn't know?

Bishop Rustnail was surprised—he'd assumed the Grand Bishop had already informed Ash Bishop, never expecting the two had not communicated beforehand.

Upon hearing this news, Ash Bishop fell silent.

The news was too sudden; his mind couldn't process it for a moment.

Herbert… became Legend?

Is this real?

"..."

After half a minute of shock, Ophidia finally came to her senses and gave a slight shake of her head.

"He… really is surprising…"

Surprising—but not entirely unexpected.

Unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable.

It was within reason because she was certain that Herbert would one day step into Legend, and she had never considered the possibility that Herbert would be stuck before Legend.

What was unexpected was that this moment came far too quickly, arriving considerably earlier than she had imagined.

"…The last time I saw him, he hadn't yet stepped into Legend. What happened after that?"

"Was it because of 【Noise and Silence】?"

Although there was no clear evidence, the Bishop of Ashes's first instinct was that Herbert had successfully advanced in this trial due to a blessing obtained within it.

And the truth, she estimated, would not differ much from this either.

After thinking all this through, Ofidia still did not explain anything further to the Bishop of Rusty Nails, and merely nodded with composure:

"Fine, I agree. Let's do it according to your idea."

She herself had no particular demands regarding the envoy's strength; whether he was Legend or not did not matter. As long as the attitude of the Mist Monastery was made clear, everything else was not a problem.

For a powerhouse of her epic-level caliber, a newly-advanced Legend holy knight and a cultivator at the peak of the advanced rank were essentially not much different.

Both were small fry.

"What about the other matter?"

After receiving a satisfactory answer, the Bishop of Rusty Nails breathed a sigh of relief and continued: "The second matter also concerns Herbert."

"After he advanced to become a Legend holy knight, His Eminence the Archbishop contacted me and asked me to gather materials."

"The Archbishop wishes to arrange a Holy Baptism ceremony for Herbert one month from now, and to personally preside over it for him."

Ofidia raised an eyebrow and teased: "Personally presiding? That old thing really does favor him."

This old thing really doesn't conceal his favoritism toward that kid at all.

Isn't he afraid of hurting the others' feelings?

Hmm… well, fine, he really isn't afraid.

As the strongest being in the entire Mist Monastery, and even a powerhouse standing at the apex of the mortal world, whatever the Archbishop does simply does not require him to consider One's Own Thoughts.

Acting as he pleased, without any scruple.

As long as it does not cross the bottom line in his heart, the thoughts of others need not be heeded at all.

"Fine, I understand. I will cooperate with this matter. Give me a list afterwards, and I will set aside a portion of the materials."

"Understood."

After both matters received approval, the Bishop of Rusty Nails did not linger any longer and decisively chose to take his leave.

"Although I don't know which 'Excellency' she is waiting for, it's still better to leave first."

Although the Bishop of Rusty Nails was rigid and cold by nature, he was not a Bai Chi; he knew that the longer he stayed there, the more the Bishop of Ashes's displeasure toward him would grow.

Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, retreat is the best.

Off he goes, off he goes; the 'Excellency's' matters have nothing to do with me.

And just after he left the demiplane, before he had walked very far, he happened to see the white-haired youth walking toward him.

"Knight Commander, are you here to see the Watcher?" Herbert greeted him with a brilliant smile.

Upon seeing Herbert, the Bishop of Rusty Nails sighed somewhat as he sized him up, sensing the difference about him.

Although Herbert was hiding it well now, still appearing to possess only advanced-rank strength, under the premise of already knowing the answer, he could still catch some subtle differences.

"Mm, Herbert, I must congratulate you… mm?"

Before offering his congratulations, he suddenly paused, realized something, and asked suspiciously: "Are you also here to see the Watcher?"

"Yes, I have urgent matters to report to her, so I'll take my leave first."

Herbert smiled, did not explain further to the Bishop of Rusty Nails, and after a simple greeting, naturally took his leave.

"Mm, alright, we'll talk later."

Although he very much wanted to chat more with Herbert and ask him about the details of his advancement to Legend, since the other party had a legitimate reason, the Bishop of Rusty Nails did not stop him further.

"Wait…"

Just as he was about to leave, the Bishop of Rusty Nails paused mid-step, turned his head thoughtfully, and looked at Herbert's back as he departed at ease.

"He's going to see the Watcher?"

"Is the 'Excellency'… waiting for him?"

"Is that possible?"

"……"

He stood in place thinking for a long time, and finally… nodded firmly.

"It shouldn't be, right!"

"Mm!"

"The Watcher is waiting for him?"

He shook his head repeatedly at his own thoughts and laughed self-deprecatingly,

"How could that be? Hahaha!"

……

And in the demiplane.

The moment Herbert entered, he shouted loudly:

"Ofidia!"

"I'm here!!!"

Bishop of Ashes:???

"Shut up!!!"

(End of this chapter)