Chapter 9: I Have No Choice—Neither Do You!

After several probes, Herbert determined one thing.

The gods are not omnipotent.

In his understanding, the gods of this world are not the supreme embodiments of cosmic laws.

They are merely individuals who command specific domains of law and possess immense power.

Gods can perish; they can be sealed and suppressed by others.

They are not invincible.

They are not… irreverent.

Theory established; practice begins!

The buzzing in his ears had long vanished; the enraged great being had not descended divine punishment to reduce him to ash.

"Also, before you answer, have you decided how to seduce me?"

"Wealth? Status? Power?"

"Let me calculate for you—status is out of the question; even if I leave this monastery, I am still the duke's son, and very likely to become the next duke."

"Wealth is the same—I will never lack money; even if I don't become duke, at worst I can live out my days peacefully as a local lord in my estate."

"The only thing that still holds some allure for me is power—but I am a knight recognized by the monastery, qualified to access the complete lineage."

"So when you add it all up, haven't you noticed that to me… you're not nearly as important as you think?"

"No."

Herbert smiled with deep meaning.

"Perhaps precisely because you know this better than anyone, you've avoided mentioning it, pretending indifference, waiting for me to panic and beg you—then you'll control me…"

"Friend, save your breath. Don't wait."

Miss Xie Shen remained silent, offering no response.

But silence itself is a response.

This is clear to both Miss Xie Shen and mortals alike.

"Of course, I've said all this not to threaten you—I have enough self-awareness for that."

Herbert did not press further; his demeanor returned to its earlier casual, lazy tone as he said casually:

"My request is the same as before—be honest. Let's talk openly."

"What do you say?"

We're all smart people. Don't waste effort.

More sincerity, less trickery.

The god gave no response; the mortal did not urge. The room fell into silence.

Click. Click. Click.

With the soft ticking of the clock, seconds and minutes slipped away.

【You… exceed my expectations.】

After a long while, words finally appeared on the paper.

【Perhaps I truly shouldn't have treated you as an ordinary knight…】

Miss Xie Shen expressed generosity, but Herbert bluntly interrupted.

"See? Still pretending."

"You don't need to act out this 'I see through you, now you're shocked and change your attitude' routine—it's pointless."

"Please, stop pretending."

Still pretending!

Finally, after being exposed repeatedly, Miss Xie Shen could no longer maintain the act and drew a large, angry stick-figure expression on the paper.

【…Tsk. You knight is incredibly boring!】

"Then, thanks for the compliment?"

Miss Xie Shen indignantly accused the mortal of lacking appreciation.

【Don't you know this robs us of so much fun?】

"Rather than indulging your strange tastes, I think it's more important to clarify our relationship right away."

"Cut the chatter. What exactly do you want me to do for you? And what can you give me?"

When Herbert pressed again, Miss Xie Shen finally stopped posturing and dropped the pretense.

【Alright, mortal. I admit… you've genuinely surprised me.】

【This time, you've won. You do have the right to negotiate with me.】

【But before we get to that, there's one thing I still don't understand… I'm an evil god. Aren't you even a little afraid?】

Miss Xie Shen couldn't understand.

If this mortal sees through everything, why doesn't he seek help from others instead of risking a deal with her?

A madman?

But not quite—he showed no signs of self-destructive impulses in his spirit.

"Afraid? Would fear help? More to the point—did I ever have a choice?"

Herbert rolled his eyes, utterly exasperated: "Ever since you personally bestowed your blessing upon me, I had no choice."

"Since I have no choice, neither do you."

Why should I be manipulated by you?

No.

I won't let you get what you want so easily.

"A double loss is better than a single win! If we're going to die, we all die together!"

Herbert gave a cold laugh and spoke blasphemous words that would drive any outsider mad upon hearing them:

"I don't care what you want. I can help you, but on the condition that you become my slave."

Faced with such an impractical demand, the deity naturally would not agree and replied indifferently:

【You… must be joking, right?】

"Joking? Wasn't that originally your plan? To brand me with your mark, make me a fallen one who couldn't see the light, and then, when I had nowhere left to turn, have me come begging you — becoming a puppet enslaved by you."

Herbert gave a derisive snort and asked softly:

"How come when it's your turn, you're suddenly unwilling?"

Just having the qualifications to negotiate?

Not enough.

Far, far from enough!!!

Herbert was not content with merely becoming Miss Xie Shen's favored one; he wanted far more than that.

After a long while, Miss Xie Shen finally gave a response.

【Mortal, I smell the scent of ambition on your soul.】

"Heh, enough nonsense — just answer me, do you agree or not?"

After stating his demand, Herbert dropped the act, spreading his hands with a shameless air:

"Don't be so quick to refuse. If you won't agree, the worst that can happen is that once dawn comes I'll go turn myself in to the Zhaodazhu Sect. Surely he wouldn't just execute me on the spot, right?"

He could one-shot me!!?

【Are you sure about that?】

"Naturally I'm not sure, which is why I don't want to, and won't, try."

"Let me remind you of one thing — perhaps I'm not the only one you've blessed. In the future, people like me may also come. But I should be the most suitable candidate you could find."

【Why so confident?】

"Because I'm not a proper believer to begin with — I won't be swayed by dogma."

【No, actually you are.】

"Hm?"

Contrary to Herbert's expectations, after being forced with all pretense stripped away, Miss Xie Shen was not enraged. Her mood at this moment seemed… quite good?

【Hehe, you are no lamb of the gods — you are your own believer. You only believe in yourself.】

"Oh, nonsense, isn't this me trying to believe in you right now?"

【Mortal, I will no longer underestimate you, and you needn't keep up the act any longer… nor will I keep pretending.】

Just as Herbert was wondering how She intended to drop Her disguise, a soft, joyful voice rose gently within his heart.

【"Hehe."】

!!?

She had always been able to communicate with him directly!

【"Mortal… no, Herbert Albert, young Holy Knight — I acknowledge your qualifications."】

The Miss Xie Shen who on the surface seemed easy to talk to, but in truth disdained conversing with mortals, finally withdrew her contempt.

【"Greedy enough, cautious enough, mad enough… you are indeed a qualified partner."】

She personally extended an invitation to the mortal.

【"In the name of a deity, I extend this invitation to you — please become my contractor, help me break free of my shackles, and I shall grant you an equal reward in return."】

"…A partner, then?"

Herbert narrowed his eyes and did not give an answer right away.

Is this proposal hard to accept?

Of course not!

In fact, this was precisely Herbert's true goal behind all that performance.

He had a clear sense of his current situation — not being at a disadvantage was already hard enough; seizing the upper hand was pure fantasy.

Being able to temporarily hold the upper hand relied entirely on Miss Xie Shen's contempt for him; it was only by catching Her off guard that he could barely stand against Her, and he could never maintain it for long.

The reason he had brazenly raised an impossible demand like "slave" was simply to use the "door-in-the-face" effect to achieve his real goal.

Negotiation, after all, is just "name an outrageous price" and "settle on the spot."

"Then…"

Herbert did not give a clear answer, but tried, without speaking aloud, to ask directly in his heart:

"Since we're about to become close partners, shouldn't you at least let me know your name?"

【"Hehe, that's naturally no problem. It's just that right now I cannot speak my name — certain beings would take notice."】

"Great! Then I'll call you Niohuru Xie Shen-chan from now on, short for…"

Xie Shen-chan completely ignored Herbert's generous naming and, in a tone of nostalgia, whispered softly within his heart:

【"But you may call me…"】

【"Nie Nasha."】

The weather changed and I caught a bit of a cold; after taking medicine I feel groggy… ugh.

I still have to go out to meet friends tomorrow, so tonight I'll rush out the update first, and schedule it for tomorrow…

If I can't get it out, then I'll update in the evening — I will definitely update.

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(End of this chapter)