Chapter 434: I Like to Be Passive (Happy May Day, Please Vote!)

“Yes, you heard correctly!”

“I’m taking you all to the headquarters of the Church of the Sun God—Radiant Holy City Solanthis!”

“I’m not mad, nor am I trying to torment you.”

“My goal is to give you a baptism.”

“A purification of the soul!”

In the lava hell, Herbert waved his arms, delivering an impassioned speech.

“Yes, I’m not persecuting you!”

“I’m saving you!”

When Herbert finished his passionate declaration, the entire hall fell silent—the demons and devils said nothing, all staring fixedly at him.

They said nothing, yet somehow said everything.

In the mutual gaze, the atmosphere grew unbearably awkward.

“Cough. Cough.”

Herbert cleared his throat twice and asked, feigning casualness: “Uh, well… don’t you have anything to say?”

“Uh…”

Flora tilted her head, utterly baffled, gazing at Herbert and raising a finger to point at herself.

Me? Me?

Facing the succubus’s confusion, Herbert nodded gently, his playful smile fading as he said seriously: “Yes, I’m not joking.”

“Come with me—to the Holy City for spiritual purification.”

Purify the soul?

Even though Flora was utterly confused, she couldn’t help laughing at those words.

“Pfft, haha! What are you talking about? Hahaha!”

Sending a demon to the Radiant Holy City for purification… how could you even say that?

Why not ask an angel to escape from hell?

As Flora burst into laughter, Herbert watched her with a gentle smile.

“Haha, uh!”

Flora’s smile froze. After a moment, she realized something and asked uncertainly: “Master… you’re serious?”

At this moment, the smile that had vanished from her face had silently transferred to Herbert’s.

“Of course I’m serious. I’m not joking with you,” the paladin chuckled and nodded.

“Believe me, I’m not making some cruel joke—I genuinely want to help you this way.”

Herbert raised his hand and gently stroked Flora’s hair, whispering: “Perhaps it can free you from the torment of chaos once and for all.”

!!?

Flora snapped her head up, locking eyes with Herbert.

Free from chaos?

“You found it?” she asked uncertainly.

“Hmm. Probably feasible,” Herbert nodded slightly.

“...”

Seeing the sincerity in Herbert’s eyes, Flora closed her eyes, exhaled slowly, and fell into thought.

Moments later, she opened her eyes and gave Herbert a solemn nod.

“I understand.”

She bowed slightly, respectfully: “Your servant Flora obeys your command.”

Flora didn’t know whether Herbert’s words were true, but she chose to trust her young master.

As Herbert had said before, her instincts were only temporarily suppressed—they would eventually resurface and drag her back into chaos.

Herbert promised to help her find a permanent solution, asking her to wait patiently.

And Flora had long prepared herself for a long wait.

Ten years, twenty years, fifty years, a hundred years—even several centuries!

As long as it wasn’t a thousand years, she could accept it.

But Flora never expected the opportunity to come so soon.

How much time had passed?

It felt like just a blink—and he’d already found the real solution… this efficiency was too high!

If it were anyone else, Flora might not have trusted them completely, suspecting they were merely tricking her into becoming a tool or a beast of burden.

But with Herbert, she chose unconditional trust.

Since you promised this, I’ll believe you.

This wasn’t blind favoritism—it was a conclusion drawn over “centuries.”

Even if that dream was false, Herbert himself was real.

During that long journey, she had seen through his true nature.

He sometimes had a terrible personality, enjoyed childish jokes, wasn’t a perfect man, and had petty greed.

But in keeping his promises, Herbert had never disappointed anyone.

In keeping promises, Herbert displayed an almost fanatical obsession.

Perhaps this was just the occupational disease of a paladin?

Honor one’s oaths.

For a paladin, breaking an oath was no easier than dying.

Seeing Flora’s obedient compliance, Herbert was very satisfied. He nodded gently and patted her small head happily.

“Good.”

Being trusted felt wonderful.

Since Flora could so easily choose to believe him and willingly follow him into this absurd endeavor, it proved she trusted him beyond ordinary bounds.

That was good.

Herbert was pleased.

He laughed again and roughly ruffled Flora’s hair, leaving her pink locks a mess before letting go.

“Alright, if none of you have objections, then you two prepare yourselves—I’ll go speak with the others…”

Unfortunately, before Herbert could finish, an untimely interrupter spoke up.

“Wait a minute, you two!”

“Tch.”

Herbert frowned and turned his head toward the side.

Beside him, the devil girl’s expression had frozen solid—a look of tragic realization, as if her greatest fear had come true.

Why that expression?

Like I’m persecuting her!

“What’s wrong? Do you have a problem?”

Compared to his gentle demeanor with Flora, Herbert’s expression toward Crete was far less kind.

Crete, are you dissatisfied?

“You, uh, I…”

Crete, as if her brain had crashed, struggled to form words, unable to reply.

Seeing this, Herbert smirked and teased: “Looks like you’re so eager to go to Solanthis you’re speechless. No need to be polite—I’m off then.”

After speaking, he directly pushed open the portal and prepared to leave immediately.

Before Crete could fully react, he’d better run now!

“...Wait! I said wait!”

As soon as Herbert took a step, Crete snapped out of her daze and lunged forward, grabbing his leg: “Come back! Don’t you dare leave!”

Crete clung to his leg pitifully, gritting her teeth and glaring at Herbert: “Herbert! Explain yourself first!”

“Hm?”

Herbert, already halfway through the portal, stepped back and looked down at her curiously: “What’s your problem?”

This was pure nonsense—making up reasons to talk.

Herbert knew perfectly well what the devil girl wanted to ask—he was just deliberately annoying her.

Today, I’m definitely going to be this low!

Sure enough, Crete immediately broke down, shouting: “What do you mean I’m going too?”

Herbert blinked, confused: “It means exactly what it sounds like—you’re coming with me… don’t get it?”

He blinked again, face stern, speaking with pity: “Come on, you don’t even understand this? Oh, how tragic!”

“How about this? I’ll set up a class for you—take remedial lessons with Valentina, okay?”

Crete: ???

Are you insulting me?

Are you calling me an idiot!!?

The devil girl had never imagined she’d be insulted on the level of intelligence.

One day, I would actually be compared to that giant dragon!

What level is she?

What level am I?

Is there even any meaningful comparison between the two in terms of intelligence?!!

Crete knew Herbert was deliberately mocking her, but she gritted her teeth and swallowed the humiliation.

Endure!

“No, I’m not asking about that!”

“Then what are you asking?”

She didn’t let Herbert derail the topic; she pressed on: “I mean, what does this have to do with me?”

“And do you even realize what you’re doing? You’re sending me to His divine realm—do you want us to die?!”

Flora was willing to go mad with Herbert; she wouldn’t.

To the Sun God’s earthly divine realm?

No, what’s wrong with both of your brains?

Are you insane?

Especially Flora—she simply couldn’t understand.

Even if he’s gone mad, are you going mad too?

Strictly speaking, if they truly reached Solanthis, Crete would suffer less than Flora.

Devils only suffer from excessive righteousness, while demons also suffer from the extreme order there.

“Herbert, do you want to kill her?”

After being questioned by Flora, Herbert shrugged and chuckled: “You don’t need to worry about that. I’m taking Flora to help her break free from her instincts.”

He suddenly wore a peculiar expression and teased: “Besides, you’re so concerned about Flora—does that mean you care for her?”

At that moment, Flora also raised an eyebrow, gazing at Crete with an odd look, as if lost in thought.

!!!

“Stop talking nonsense!”

Crete gritted her teeth, forcibly ignoring the unsettling gaze, and fixed her eyes on Herbert: “Then what about me?”

“Flora is tormented by her instincts—I never asked you to help me resist mine! Why drag me along?”

“Give me a reason to go with you. Just one.”

Facing the devil lady’s demand, Herbert raised a hand, stroked his chin, and murmured softly: “You want a reason?”

He thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, snapped his fingers, and nodded: “I’ll be happy.”

This unexpected answer stunned the other two present.

“Huh?”

“Huh???”

Crete’s expression twisted slightly; she widened her eyes and said in disbelief: “You mean…”

Looking at Herbert’s joyful smile, the devil lady felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

In that moment, she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity—as if she had come home.

This is…

And Herbert, as she expected, nodded with delight: “Exactly! Seeing you suffer so terribly makes me very happy.”

!!!

The devil lady’s face froze rigid, then suddenly twitched as she roared: “HER!BERT!”

This expression, this gaze, this vile personality… You’re the real devil, aren’t you?!!?

Damn it!

Realizing that Herbert’s personality was nearly identical to that of a devil duke, Crete gave up any further argument.

Useless.

Because Crete understood: for devils, the more their enemies suffer, the happier they become.

The more she showed anguish, the more delighted Herbert would be.

In the end, she pouted, glared fiercely at Herbert, and growled: “I will never submit! Hmph!”

She had already prepared: the moment Herbert let his guard down, she would retreat straight to the deepest depths of the Bronze Fortress.

Even if she couldn’t resist for long, she had to show her will to resist!

Maybe Herbert would get tired of the hassle and just leave her behind.

Herbert stared at Crete for a moment, then asked gently, with a smiling face: “So, you absolutely refuse to come with me to Solanthis voluntarily? No negotiation?”

An opening?

Crete sensed the shift in Herbert’s tone and stirred inwardly, yet maintained her defiant stance outwardly.

She couldn’t give in too soon—she had to keep up the act a little longer.

“Hmph!”

“Then… what a pity!”

Seeing her so resolute, Herbert shook his head in mock regret: “If that’s how it is, then you’ll have to come with us by force.”

Crete: ???

Wait, do I really have no choice?

As the devil lady puzzled over this, the succubus lady pressed her lips into a smile, barely holding back her amusement.

“Pfft! Hahaha, cough…”

When Crete’s gaze fell upon her, Flora cleared her throat twice and pointed.

“Uh, Crete, I suggest you turn around and look behind you before you answer.”

Turn around?

Crete furrowed her brow in suspicion—she thought Flora was planning some childish trick, to seize her the moment she turned.

But seeing Flora’s face barely holding back her laughter, she suddenly felt something.

Could it be…

Hesitating, Crete finally gathered her courage and slowly turned around.

“...Hss!”

Behind her, a massive teleportation gate had silently opened without warning.

Inside the gate was a colossal crimson vertical pupil—watching her for how long, she didn’t know.

…Gulp.

The devil lady swallowed hard, hearing Herbert’s soft chuckle behind her.

“So, are you willing to come with me now?”

Crete fell silent.

She glanced at Herbert, then at the giant dragon’s eye before her.

After a moment, she slowly nodded, struggling to speak: “...Willing.”

“I didn’t force you, right? If you really didn’t want to go, I wouldn’t make you.” Herbert said with thoughtful concern.

You devil!

The devil lady grumbled inwardly, forcing her expression to remain calm—she could feel the giant dragon searching for an excuse to pounce.

“It’s fine, don’t worry—I like being passive… Yes, this is all my own choice!”

Crete took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and snarled: “You know—I’ve always been deeply… yearning… for Solanthis!”

Yes, I really want to go!

I want to go so damn much!

“Hah, good…”

Just as Herbert smiled and prepared to further tease the devil lady with “wise people know when to yield,” he heard an annoyed voice from behind the gate.

Valentina glared at him and huffed: “Where are you sneaking off to?”

“Uh, well…”

“I don’t care! I’m coming too!”

(End of Chapter)