Diary of the Improper Monster Girl Transformation.

Chapter 395 Openness and Conservatism (6K views, please subscribe!)
"..."

Under the silent gaze of everyone, Captain Charles squinted, deep in thought without moving.

He's really conflicted right now.

Should we let them in, or turn them away?

If the decision is the latter, then he has ample reason to do so.

He is the chief of guards of the Holy City, and his duty is to safeguard the city's security and eliminate all uncertainties.

This is Solantis, the glorious holy city that countless believers in the sun yearn for.

This is the closest place to the sun god on earth; it is a sacred place that must not be desecrated.

In the past, even devout believers might not be able to stay for long, or even enter, for various reasons.

Now, are we really going to allow some filthy abyssal aliens to enter?
The honor of the Holy City cannot tolerate the slightest blemish!
But if you choose the former, it actually makes sense...

These two nuns from other races do indeed have a desire to atone for their sins. Should we abandon them?
The sun god holds the power of purification and has a long tradition of reforming heretics.

While in the vast majority of cases the person is completely purified on a physical level, there are a few precedents of converting a fallen person to the faith.

If a legendary fallen person could be brought back to the right path, that would be a tremendous achievement worthy of being written into the holy scriptures and becoming one of the many legends of the church.

In addition, the cooperative attitude shown by the other party is one aspect, while their own strength is another.

Although the Church of the Sun is confident in its ability to suppress all enemies, no epic-level powerhouse should be underestimated.

They are extremely dangerous and powerful individuals who can cause enormous harm to the world at any time.

Since the other party has taken the initiative to express goodwill, we should treat them well and show them respect.

In addition, there's the fact that others overlooked: Herbert and his family's background.

The Misty Monastery.

That's one of the few reclusive organizations that the Church of the Sun takes seriously; they need to be treated with caution.

Although the Misty Monastery is not well-known outside the world, and even many churches are unaware of it, it remains low-key and seemingly isolated, with only a small reputation in a remote small country.

However, to those who truly understand it, this special monastery has always been an unfathomable and mysterious organization.

This monastery has saints in it!

Even setting aside everyone else, a saint alone is enough to command everyone's attention.

No one would underestimate such a reclusive organization.

Even the Church of the Sun, known for its arrogance, shows considerable respect when facing saints.

Otherwise, the "sincere request from an ally" to have the monastery provide the battle armor would have long since become "an order that must be carried out by the servants of the Great Sun."

Among the many reasons, the importance of the Misty Monastery ranks in the top three.

That's the truth. Although the archbishop claimed that the monastery would not endorse or help Herbert's actions, this was actually only a tacit understanding between the two of them.

The world outside of them was unaware of the agreement between the two.

As long as Herbert doesn't actively hide his origins, he will be seen by outsiders as representing the will of the monastery.

Even if he mentions it, no one will believe him; they will only think that he has some special hidden reason.

This is why organizers often tell their members that they must lead by example and not let their guard down.

Because to the outside world, members represent not only their personal reputation, but also the reputation of the organization.

"……Ugh."

The guard captain was in a dilemma.

Besides the objective reasons, what made the guard captain hesitate even more was Herbert's attitude.

The other party demonstrated a considerable degree of trust and confidence.

The boy "angel" in front of them made no attempt to hide his companion's background, frankly revealing the truth without any concealment.

Why was he so certain?
Was he so sure he would allow them to enter?
Based on those "achievements"?
Charles pondered, his mind wavering, and his resolve began to falter.

He had only recently taken office as the guard chief, and his position was still unstable. The last thing he wanted to encounter was an accident.

As a result, they first encountered the ancient legendary phenomenon of the "Confused Lady," and then the even rarer situation of "alien cultivators applying to enter the Holy City."

Charles was unsure whether his luck was good or bad, given how rare such a rare occurrence had happened to him.

"……Um?"

Suddenly, his eyes flickered, and then his tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. Under everyone's gaze, he gently exhaled, and his whole body relaxed.

Seeing this, everyone knew that the guard captain already had the answer in his heart.

what's the result?
The captain of the guard nodded to Herbert, but did not speak. Instead, he turned to the other bishops who were waiting and said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, what are your thoughts?"

Oh?
Herbert found this unexpected turn of events somewhat intriguing; he raised an eyebrow, vaguely sensing something amiss.

So he remained silent, like an observer, quietly waiting to see what would happen next.

I'm watching the show.

The first to respond to the guard captain's words was an elderly bishop dressed in a magnificent golden robe, his face appearing somewhat stern due to his seriousness.

He stood up first and said in a loud and majestic voice: "Gentlemen, the Holy City of Glory is the sacred territory of our Lord, a symbol of light and holiness!"

“We know very little about the origins of those unclean beings from the abyss, which has always been a breeding ground for darkness and evil. They may carry the curse and dark aura of the abyss.”

"And that dragon is a powerful and savage lower creature, burdened with deep sins, which will surely affect others."

"Their power is difficult to control, and once they enter the Holy City, they could very well disrupt its peace!"

"In my opinion, we absolutely cannot allow such a dangerous element to enter the Holy City!"

The golden-robed bishop took a firm stance and lodged a protest without any politeness.

After he finished speaking, Herbert astutely observed that at least half of the people in the room nodded slightly in agreement.

These people thought so too, and that the golden-robed bishop was just one of their representatives.

Before Herbert could explain, the bishop from the other faction spoke up.

“Your Excellency Bishop Collier, I understand your concerns, but we cannot reject them simply because of their background.”

A female bishop dressed in a crimson robe stepped forward and calmly said, "Those two nuns, though they are alien races from the abyss, did not have a choice in the matter."

"The abyss was constantly interfering with them, but they ultimately chose to defy fate and stick to their own will."

"To be in darkness yet yearn for the light—isn't that something to be encouraged?"

"As for that dragon, we should accept it, and even sign a pact with it, so that its great power can become our helper in the fight against darkness."

"Our Lord's teachings contain the principles of inclusion and redemption, and we should not turn away any fellow believers."

Compared to the hardliners who were acting emotionally, Bishop Evelyn remained composed and unassuming.

She simply explained the pros and cons and offered her own perspective.

Then, Bishop Collier frowned and immediately retorted, "Bishop Evelyn, you are too naive! The power of the Abyss is immeasurable. How can you guarantee that they are not spies sent by the Abyss?"

"Letting them into the Holy City is like planting a seed of darkness in our garden!"

"And that dragon, you all saw how dangerous it is! How long can the so-called contract bind it? Once it goes berserk, the Holy City will suffer enormous losses."

His words were quite blunt; he openly questioned Valentina and her group's background right in front of Herbert.

But Herbert didn't feel angry; instead, he found the scene very amusing.

Because he realized that the other party's words were not really meant to attack them, but rather to use the opportunity to attack another group.

Is this... factional strife?

Clearly, there are different factions and cliques within the Church of the Sun, each vying for true dominance.

Herbert and his group were merely a trigger for an attack; it would have been the same with anyone else or any other situation.

Sure enough, without Herbert even needing to speak, Bishop Evelyn gently shook her head and replied, "Bishop Collier, is our faith so fragile?"

"If we dare not even accept nuns and dragons who seek the light, how can we demonstrate the greatness of the sun god to the world?"

“We have numerous clergy and powerful magical protection. Can’t we supervise and guide these alien races?”

"Or... are you no longer confident?"

Boom!
"Supervision? Guidance? Bishop Evelyn, wake up! You're gambling with the safety of the Holy City!"

Bishop Collier stamped his foot sharply, his voice rising even higher: "We cannot take this risk, not even the slightest danger should be allowed."

Boom!
Bishop Evelyn stepped forward as well, her face still calm, but her eyes were filled with anger. She also raised her voice: "Your Excellency! Please be realistic. There is no gain without risk!"

"If we remain stagnant, the Holy City will forever be confined to this place, unable to truly spread the faith of our Lord to farther places!"

"You are cowardly! You are bringing shame upon our Lord!"

Collier's brows furrowed deeply, and he shouted angrily, "What did you say?"

Evelyn did not reply, but simply looked back at him calmly, silently expressing her attitude.

The two of them may seem like they are the only two arguing, but they actually represent a microcosm of the conservative and liberal factions within the entire Sun Church.

Collier and his people adhere to the ancient doctrines of the sun god, aiming to eliminate all evil.

Evelyn and her followers, on the other hand, hoped that the doctrine could be further developed, embracing new possibilities while eliminating evil.

One side is conservative yet radical, while the other is open and inclusive.

Seeing that the two were about to continue arguing, and it seemed to be escalating, Herbert, a bystander, finally looked up at the guard captain.

Why are you just staring?
Are they really not going to do anything about it?

"cough!"

Finally, the guard captain coughed lightly, interrupting their argument, and said calmly, "Enough, stop arguing."

"I have made my decision."

The captain of the guard nodded slightly to Herbert and said calmly, "Brother Herbert, I understand your request."

“It is certainly good that your servants have recognized their sins and are willing to atone for them.”

“Our Lord is merciful, and the Holy City will accept sheep like them who have gone astray and come back to the right path.”

"They can enter Solantis."

The guard captain, who had been hesitant and indecisive, acted swiftly and decisively, giving no time for others to argue or object, and finalized the matter directly.

Without explanation, he silently ignored the incredulous looks on the faces of some. If anyone tried to speak, he would simply look at them with a calm gaze. The guard captain forcefully suppressed all dissenting opinions.

That's it.

Who agrees? Who objects?
"..."

In the end, under his imposing gaze, no one raised any objections, and even the previously most unyielding Bishop Collier silently lowered his head.

Herbert glanced around, taking in everyone's expressions, and nodded slightly to the guard captain: "Thank you for your understanding and help."

His words were actually quite cryptic.

The word "understanding" is easy to understand; it means thanking the guard captain for allowing Valentina and her group to enter the Holy City.

The word "help" on the surface means thanking the guard chief for overcoming all objections, but it actually has a deeper meaning: it is a reminder from another perspective.

The guard captain only consults others after making a decision.

This operation may seem democratic and fair, but it is actually still a case of strongman power.

Why did he have to make this trip?
Is it just to prove how enlightened they are?

no.

By doing this, the guard captain was actually letting Herbert witness firsthand the "unfriendly" group within the Church of the Sun, so that he would be on his own guard.

He revealed the internal stance of the Church of the Sun: although you are allowed to enter, you cannot let your guard down, as some people will harbor hostility towards you.

You must be careful in your actions, avoid causing trouble, and refrain from creating unnecessary complications.

At the same time, the captain of the guard also made his stance clear—if Herbert really explained the conflict to Collier and the others, he would not get involved.

The guard captain meant to remain neutral.

"You don't need to thank me."

The guard captain shook his head slightly, refusing Herbert's thanks: "You should go and rest first. We can talk about it tomorrow."

After saying that, he took a deep look at Herbert's angelic armor, then turned to Evelyn and nodded: "Evelyn, please take Brother Herbert to meet his companions, and then lead them to their resting place."

"clear."

Bishop Evelyn calmly agreed, then nodded slightly to Herbert, turned and walked towards the outer platform, then leaped directly from it, her body transforming into a giant fire spirit in mid-air, flying towards the city gate like a huge fireball.

It's hard to imagine that the woman with the indifferent expression would choose such a reckless mode of transportation—but considering that she is a believer in the sun god, it doesn't seem like a problem.

Herbert smiled and bowed to the crowd, then with a flick of his blood wings, he easily followed behind her.

Compared to Evelyn's grand and imposing flight, his movements were much quieter, appearing elegant and graceful, attracting the attention of many residents.

"Phew... It worked."

During the flight, Herbert secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although she appeared relaxed and confident on the surface, she was actually quite nervous inside.

While the guard captain was pondering, Herbert had caught his thoughts several times, leaning more towards the conservative approach of prohibiting Valentina and her companions from entering the city.

Fortunately, the guard captain changed his mind at the last minute, and in the end, it was a close call, and they successfully obtained the ticket to the Holy City.

Regardless of what happens during the process, as long as the result is good, that's enough.

However, what Herbert found interesting was that, faced with this outcome, not only did Bishop Collier's faction not appear angry or disappointed, but Evelyn's group also did not seem particularly happy.

How is this going?

Collier and his group didn't feel ashamed even though their opinions were suppressed.

Conversely, Evelyn's group was the same; they weren't excited after receiving support.

What are the reasons behind this?

With this question in mind, Herbert went with Bishop Evelyn, who was being guided by the captain of the guard, to fetch Valentina and the others into the city.

"Wait, there seems to be a plausible explanation..." An idea suddenly flashed through Herbert's mind.

“If the guard captain is a big shot in the conservative faction, then it all makes sense.”

Everyone has their own inclinations and preferences.

If the captain of the guard himself comes from one of those conservatives, then even if he rejects the opinions of other conservatives, they will not find it unacceptable.

Conversely, even if he agrees with the ideas of those liberals, they won't feel particularly honored.

"So the question is, why did the guard captain change his mind at the last minute?"

Herbert squinted, recalling every detail from before, and suddenly caught a detail he had previously overlooked.

Before making up his mind, the guard captain's ears twitched slightly, and his body instinctively tried to turn backward.

He heard someone else's suggestion!
Herbert thought to himself, then silently turned around and looked at the tallest building in the holy city.

"So...there are other people behind him?"

……

Just as Herbert had predicted, the guard captain's arrangement was not his true intention.

Ultimately, the reason he had the courage to overcome all opposition was not because the guard captain finally stood up for himself, but because he heard a calm and gentle voice when he was struggling with his decision.

"Let them in."

That was the voice of the Pope Sun.

Although Pope Sun did not officially appear, he was actually observing the situation from the shadows.

It was only with His Holiness the Pope's permission that the captain of the guard finally decided to let them pass.

With the leader's endorsement, even if something goes wrong, he won't be held responsible!

"Misty Monastery, Herbert..."

The captain of the guard dismissed the other bishops and stood alone in the hall, pondering: "Why does His Holiness the Pope value them so much? He even allowed them to enter the Holy City."

Charles pondered for a while, then shook his head helplessly and sighed silently.

"Hopefully nothing else goes wrong. One confused woman is already a headache enough, sigh..."

Compared to Herbert and the other visitors to the monastery, the bewildered lady's situation left him even more helpless.

The guard captain did not deliberately mention the Confused Lady to Herbert.

This is actually quite normal.

The Confused Lady is someone that only a very small number of devout pastors can see by chance, and Herbert does not meet this standard.

Besides, this was something the Sun Church itself was concerned with, so there was no need to tell Herbert, an outsider.

He genuinely didn't think Herbert would have any connection with the Confused Lady.

"They shouldn't be involved in anything, right?"

"...Hmm, probably not."

The guard captain thought for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly, saying helplessly, "Really, what am I thinking?"

"How could such a thing happen?"

"Hahaha!"

……

"Nenesha, have you noticed?"

Herbert tried to communicate with Miss Harmony, but received no response.

Nenasha wasn't faking her death this time; she was actually trying her best to hide.

This is the sun god's base camp on earth, and He will be aware of every move here.

After Herbert entered the Holy City of Glory, Nenasha completely shut herself off and stopped responding no matter how much she was called.

Quiet, I'm not online. Leave a message if you need anything.

Herbert also remembered this and couldn't help but tease him in his heart, "Oh, weren't you fearless? Why are you being so cautious now?"

Hey, isn't this Nenasha?
Where's your usual hairstyle? Why isn't it sticking up anymore?

So you've finally met your match!

Just after Herbert finished his taunts, a chill ran down his spine, and he suddenly became alert.

hiss!
He vaguely heard a smacking sound filled with displeasure.

[“…Tsk!”]

Miss Harmony silently expressed her dissatisfaction—you brat, don't go too far!
"Ahem, it's nothing, I didn't say anything, um."

While Herbert and Nenasha were conversing in their minds, an unexpected change was quietly brewing.

At the same moment, in another corner of the holy city, the illusory figure that had previously remained unresponsive to the outside world stopped.

The bewildered woman, who had been wandering in the holy city, slowly turned her head and silently looked in one direction with her illusory and indistinct face.

"……Um?"

At the magnificent city gate of the glorious holy city.

The bored dragon maid's eyes lit up when she saw Herbert flying towards them.

"Herbert!"

She doesn't care at all about the terrifying image of herself as a "scarlet dragon" in the eyes of some people.

What image?
Is it delicious?
Valentina bounced around on the spot, waving happily at Herbert, looking every bit the innocent and carefree little girl.

"Come quick! Come quick! Quick... Huh?!"

Then, just before Herbert arrived, Valentina's expression froze, her pupils shrank instantly, and she abruptly turned her head to look to the side.

! ! ?

Her instincts had long since detected a great threat, and she vaguely sensed a cold, indifferent gaze.

But when she tried to feel it carefully, she didn't feel anything at all.

"...Is it just my imagination?"

(End of this chapter)