I have no choice, and neither do you!

After several trials, Herbert confirmed one thing.

The gods are not omnipotent.

According to his understanding, the gods of this world are not the supreme embodiments of the world's laws.

They merely control the rules of specific domains and are individuals possessing great power.

Gods can fall, can be sealed and suppressed by others.

They are not invincible.

They are not… beyond reproach.

Theory established, now to put it into practice!

The buzzing in his ears had long since vanished, and the wrathful great being had not descended to smite him to ashes.

“Before you answer, have you decided how you intend to manipulate me?”

“Wealth? Status? Power?”

“Let me calculate for you. Status is out of the question— even if I leave this monastery, I am the son of a duke and will likely become the next duke in the future.”

“Wealth is the same. I will never lack money. Even if I don’t become the duke, I can at worst retire peacefully as a local lord on my estate.”

“The only thing that still tempts me somewhat is power, but I am a paladin recognized by the monastery, qualified to access the full inheritance.”

“Considering all this, don’t you see? You’re actually not as important to me as you think, aren’t you?”

“No.”

Herbert smiled meaningfully.

“Perhaps it’s because you know this better than anyone that you keep avoiding the topic, pretending not to care, planning to wait until I beg you out of fear, so you can then control me...”

“Friend, I advise you to save yourself the trouble. Don’t wait.”

The dark god was silent, offering no reply.

But in truth, silence itself was a kind of answer.

Both the dark god and mortals understood this clearly.

“Of course, I’ve said all this not to threaten you— I am aware of my limits.”

Herbert stopped pressing, his tone relaxed and casual as before, and he said,

“My request remains the same as before—be honest, let us have an open and sincere conversation.”

“How about that?”

We are all intelligent; no need to waste effort.

A little more sincerity, a little less guile.

The god gave no reply, the mortal no urging, and the room fell into quiet.

Tick, tick, tick.

With the gentle sound of the clock, time passed moment by moment.

[You… are quite unexpected.]

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

[Perhaps I truly should not treat you as an ordinary paladin...]

The dark god expressed a certain generosity, but Herbert rudely interrupted.

“See? Still acting.”

“You really don’t need to put on that ‘I see through you and you’re surprised so you change your attitude’ act. It’s meaningless.”

“Please stop pretending.”

Still pretending!

Finally, after being exposed several times, the dark god could no longer keep up the act and drew a big angry face doodle on the paper.

[…Tch, you paladin, you’re really boring!]

“Well then, thanks for the compliment?”

A certain mischievous god grumbled about the mortal’s lack of appreciation.

[Don’t you know this will take away a lot of fun?]

“Compared to respecting your strange tastes, I think it’s more important to clarify the nature of our relationship quickly.”

“Cut the nonsense. What exactly do you want me to do? And what can you offer me?”

When Herbert pressed again, the dark god finally stopped dragging and honestly dropped the disguise.

“Fine, mortal, I admit… you truly surprise me.”

“This time, you win. You do have the right to negotiate with me.”

“But before we talk about that, there’s still one thing I don’t understand… I am a dark god, right? Aren’t you even a little worried?”

The dark god was puzzled.

If this mortal understood everything and saw through everything, why didn’t he seek help elsewhere but risk trading with her?

A madman?

But not really—there was no hint of self-destructive impulse in his spirit.

“Worry? Would worrying help? Honestly, do I even have a choice?”

Herbert rolled his eyes, feeling exasperated. “Ever since you blessed me, I’ve had no choice.”

“If I have no choice, then neither will you!”

Why should I be your pawn?

No.

I refuse to let you get everything you want so easily.

“Better to lose together than for one to win! If I go down, so do you!”

Herbert sneered, uttering blasphemous words that would drive outsiders mad upon hearing:

“I don’t care what you want. I can help you, but only if you become my slave.”

Faced with such an unrealistic demand, the god naturally refused coldly:

[Are you… joking?]

“A joke? Weren’t you planning exactly that? Mark me with your seal, make me a hidden fallen, force me to come begging for help when I’m desperate, and enslave me as your puppet.”

Herbert laughed scornfully and asked softly:

“Why is it that when it comes to yourself, you’re suddenly unwilling?”

Having the right to negotiate?

Not enough.

Far from enough!!!

Herbert refused to be merely a servant of the dark god; he wanted far more.

After a long silence, the dark god finally responded.

[Mortal, I smell the scent of ambition in your soul.]

“Heh, enough talk. Just tell me if you agree or not.”

After stating his demand, Herbert stopped playing games and shrugged like a brat:

“Don’t rush to refuse. If you say no, I’ll just go to the archbishop at dawn and confess. He wouldn’t execute me on the spot, would he?”

He can kill me instantly!?

[Are you sure?]

“Of course not. That’s why I won’t try.”

“Let me remind you: I may not be the only one you bless. Others like me may come in the future, but I should be the most suitable candidate you can find.”

[Why so confident?]

“Because I’m not a proper believer. I’m not bound by dogma.”

[No, actually you are.]

“Hm?”

To Herbert’s surprise, after being forced to drop the act, the dark god did not grow angry. Instead, her mood seemed… quite good?

[Heh, you are no lamb of the gods. You are your own believer. You only trust yourself.]

“Oh, nonsense. I’m trying to believe in you.”

[Mortal, I will no longer underestimate you, and you need not continue the performance… I will stop disguising myself as well.]

Just as Herbert wondered how she intended to drop her guise, a gentle, joyful voice softly sounded within his mind.

[“Heh.”]

!!?

She had always been able to communicate directly with him!

[“Mortal… no, Herbert Albert, young paladin, I recognize your qualifications.”]

Though seeming affable on the surface, the dark god who had looked down on mortals finally retracted her disdain.

[“Greedy enough, cautious enough, mad enough… you truly are a worthy partner.”]

She personally extended the invitation to the mortal.

[“In the name of the divine, I invite you to become my contractor, help me break free from my chains, and in return, I will grant you equal rewards.”]

“…Partner?”

Herbert narrowed his eyes, hesitating before answering.

Was this proposal hard to accept?

Of course not!

In fact, this was the true purpose behind Herbert’s long performance.

He was quite self-aware of the current situation—merely avoiding a passive stance was already difficult, let alone seizing the upper hand.

The temporary advantage he held was only due to the god’s underestimation of him, and his ability to counter her unexpectedly; it could not last.

His outrageous demand to become her master’s slave was only a “broken window theory” tactic to achieve his real goal.

Negotiations, in essence, are “asking for the moon” and “paying on the spot.”

“Well…”

Herbert gave no definite answer but instead tried asking silently within his mind:

“Since we are about to become close partners, shouldn’t you tell me your name?”

[“Heh, of course that’s no problem. But I cannot reveal my name now, or some beings will take notice.”]

“Fine! Then I’ll call you Lady Niohulu Dark God, or just…”

The dark god completely ignored Herbert’s generous naming and whispered softly into his mind in a nostalgic tone:

[“But you may call me…”]

[“Nienasha.”]