Chapter 99: Who Am I? (Thank You, Patron! Bonus +3 More!)

【“My dear ally, do you really believe that guy?”】

【“Hah! Hahahaha~”】

In the quiet chamber, the god of evil laughed freely behind the mortal.

Her melodious laughter brimmed with delight, a touch of amusement, and faint mockery.

Yet no one knew who exactly she was mocking at this moment…

【“So, are you now doubting me? Thinking I have ulterior motives? That I’d harm you?”】

【“That really hurts me! Waaah~”】

The god of evil whispered her probing questions into the boy’s ear, sounding curious and faintly wounded—though the sorrow was clearly feigned.

Yet the boy was unmoved, his emotions perfectly steady as he replied calmly:

“No, I’ve always known you had schemes in secret, and I’ve never cared.”

From the start of our alliance, both sides clearly harbored hidden agendas; mutual distrust was only natural.

Nenasha hid her true intentions—so did Herbert.

In this world, who doesn’t have secrets?

But the real issue isn’t that.

Herbert shook his head calmly and said softly: “You don’t have to tell me those things now. What I care about right now is another matter—who exactly am I partnering with?”

“Even if you plan to deceive me later, at least tell me who’s deceiving me, won’t you?”

【“Oh, come now~ How could I ever deceive you? Hahaha~”】

Nenasha sighed dramatically, sorrowfully saying: “You’d rather trust a stranger who’s plotting against you than your ally who’s devoted entirely to your good.”

【“That’s truly… heartbreaking~”】

Herbert listened to her fake crying and couldn’t help retorting: “Wait, calm down first—old woman, why are you putting on such a performance…”

【“Hm?”】

The god of evil sharply caught the shift in his emotion and asked coldly: “What were you just about to say?”

“Cough, nothing. Really nothing.”

Herbert cleared his throat loudly, pretending nothing had happened, and said calmly:

“Don’t say I’d rather trust him than you—that’s nonsense… Compared to him, I naturally trust you more.”

“Precisely because I trust you, I’m asking you directly instead of secretly investigating during the day, aren’t I?”

【“…”】

Indeed, as Herbert said, he could have simply not asked.

Herbert could have pretended ignorance—after all, from earlier events, Nenasha couldn’t possibly have known about his conversation with the High Priest.

He could have avoided the topic entirely, then quietly investigated during the day, even colluding with the High Priest to ambush her.

But Herbert didn’t do any of that—he chose instead to be open with Nenasha and confront the issue head-on.

“Besides, I don’t intend to dig deeper. I only want to know who you are. That’s all.”

【“…Who I am? That’s all you want to ask?”】

“Yes, just that. I won’t ask anything else. Say it if you want, don’t if you don’t.”

Herbert smirked and snorted: “I just don’t want to have called you by that name for so long, only to find out it was fake—that’d annoy me.”

【“…That’s it?”】

“That’s it.”

【“Hah! Hahahaha~”】

Nenasha laughed again, but the atmosphere in the room had noticeably lightened since before.

【“Oh my! I never noticed—you’re actually so~ cute~”】

“Hmph.”

Herbert rolled his eyes, regretting having told her the truth.

He should’ve pressed her harder.

This silly god of evil, give her an inch and she takes a mile.

“Hmph, stop wasting words—just tell me whether you’ll tell me or not.”

Nenasha’s laughter faded, and the room fell silent once more.

Long moments passed; the candle flame flickered gently, and Herbert felt an icy fingertip suddenly touch the center of his back, lightly rubbing up and down.

She was right behind him.

“Herbert, you’re so greedy… hehe.”

Nenasha’s voice dripped with amusement as she teased: “You’re so eager to know a lady’s secret—surely you understand what that means for a man?”

As Nenasha’s tone shifted, Herbert’s emotions calmed too, and he whispered softly:

“It means I want to understand you—deeply, more deeply than anyone else ever could.”

“So, will you tell me?”

The mortal asked sincerely, and the deity answered in a whisper.

【“I’ve always been myself~”】

Nenasha’s voice had never been so gentle, curling softly around Herbert’s ear, slipping into his ear canal, flowing like honey into his soul.

“Herbert, don’t worry about me.”

【“The Saintess in the story vanished in the divine flames; the Ancient God faded into the river of time. Only I remain before you now.”】

【“In terms you can understand—I am both the Saintess and the Ancient God. Both are me.”】

Herbert fell silent.

As he’d anticipated—the third possibility.

The Saintess and the Ancient God were both dead, yet not entirely gone; their fractured remnants had intertwined into a new entity.

“How did the Saintess manage it?”

Nenasha gave no detailed explanation, only said softly: “A mortal’s will is no weaker than a god’s.”

Which will prevailed, Herbert did not know.

But from Nenasha’s consistent behavior, it seemed their influence was nearly equal.

Hence the emergence of this self-proclaimed “Evil God,” who was neither truly evil nor truly good—just a ridiculous, comedic deity.

“To be honest, I see no trace of the Saintess in you.”

Hmm, not at all like her.

【“Why not? You’ve never seen me as the Saintess. The image you hold is merely imagination.”】

【“Must a Saintess be stern, endlessly preaching compassion, forever smiling sweetly?”】

【“My dear ally, that’s blatant prejudice!”】

Prejudice?

Herbert wanted to retort, yet had to admit he couldn’t refute it.

He had indeed imposed his own assumptions.

But even so…

【“Enough~ What’s there to overthink? For you, isn’t it the same whether I’m ‘He’ or ‘She’?”】

Nenasha asked with a chuckle, drifting on:

【“You never knew the Saintess, never knew the Ancient God—they mean nothing to you.”】

【“But I? I’m connected to you—deeply, deeply connected.”】

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(End of Chapter)