Diary of the Improper Monster Girl Transformation.

Chapter 458 "Reluctantly"

To become its container?

Herbert didn't even realize what those words meant at first...

But soon, he felt his breathing become rapid.

container.

Carry it on your back.

To become one with it.

it!
it!!

it!!!
Goo!
In the silence, Herbert heard himself slowly swallow a mouthful of saliva, unsure whether it was from excitement or nervousness.
Um! ! ?
This unusual change jolted him awake, and he shook his head violently.

Suddenly, I realized that I seemed to have been in a special state, as if my mind had been influenced and bewitched by some invisible force.

wrong.

I shouldn't have gotten so agitated.

At the very least, it shouldn't seem so unpleasant when it's brought up.

Were you affected?

...Yes, I was affected.

Herbert quickly adjusted his mindset, frowned slightly, and looked at the archbishop, where he saw the archbishop's approving gaze.

"Very good, you have not disappointed me after all, and you have been able to resist its seductive power."

The old man didn't think he had done anything wrong. He nodded in satisfaction and said, "You may not have noticed, but you actually have talent."

"Ok?"

"Although you didn't feel anything special after arriving here, in fact, for others, this holy statue has been emanating an invisible, seductive power that subtly changes people."

"Eh?"

Herbert blinked in surprise; he hadn't actually noticed that.

Huh? Oh, so that's what happened?

So this fallen statue has been constantly radiating an aura of decadence to the outside world all along?

How come I didn't notice at all!
That's strange... but it's not strange at all.

My dear Miss Harmony would never harm me.

Isn't it normal for someone to make things difficult for others but give me a break?
Furthermore, once this point is clarified, many things that were previously unclear become explained.

Why are the guards of the underground sanctuary rotated periodically?

Is it really just because they're worried the kids will get bored if they stay too long?

no.

This is because, even for legends, this seductive power has always existed invisibly, gradually and subtly influencing their hearts.

Therefore, it is necessary to replace the resident personnel every now and then, allowing them to return to the ground and gradually get rid of this invisible influence.

Once everything is resolved, we will return underground and begin a new round of oversight.

Herbert, who could completely ignore the impact, was a rare anomaly.

"The monastery has actually been looking for someone like you. Your soul seems to be born with a difficulty in revering the gods and has a natural resistance to their temptations."

The archbishop spoke slowly, glancing at Herbert with a meaningful smile.

"Oh, by the way, it's best not to mention your physical condition to others... In this day and age, the faithless are considered outcasts."

What era are we living in now?
An age of faith!
In this era, almost everyone has their own beliefs.

Even if many people are only superficial believers in words, they still have their own faith.

Herbert remained silent on this matter.

Is his lack of reverence for the gods due to his innate constitution?
No.

In his view, with very few exceptions, the gods of this world are almost impossible to truly recognize as gods.

Well, he's just a powerful individual who wields immense strength.

Therefore, this is not rational.

He simply looked down on these powerful beings who were not worthy of being called "gods".

But since the Grand Master has misunderstood that he possesses such a constitution, he will not offer any further explanation.

After a moment of silence, Herbert didn't explain, but shook his head and asked, "Your Excellency, what did you mean by that? How can I become its vessel?"

In the tranquil sanctuary, the old man who had guarded the sealed artifact for over a thousand years casually said, "It's simple. Take it from here and keep it with you forever."

Herbert looked at the half-person-high statue and didn't know how to reply.

Me? I carry it with me at all times?
But he didn't ask such a stupid question.

Since the archbishop brought it up, there must be a solution; simply changing the form will suffice.

He thought about it carefully for a moment, then asked, "If I take it away from here, won't it affect other people?"

Without any protective measures, Herbert will become a walking, human-shaped natural disaster, spreading seeds of chaos and madness everywhere.

...This doesn't seem like something a paladin should do!

"Hehe, there's no need to worry about that."

"Your physical body will become the vessel that holds it, and your soul will become the sanctuary that binds it. You alone will bear all the seductive power."

"It won't affect anyone else until you break down or die."

The archbishop spoke casually, but his words left Herbert with mixed feelings, or rather... a warning.

"In contrast, you will face His remaining will, and you may be seduced by His lingering madness, or you may lose yourself in His power."

"The impact you just felt was only momentary, but once you accept this mission, you will be fighting against it every moment."

"Either He wins, or you win."

After explaining all the risks, the old man's tone became relaxed, and he chuckled, saying, "Although it may be a bit dangerous, it is indeed the best choice for you."

He slightly opened his smiling eyes, looked at the boy before him, and asked softly:

"Are you... willing to accept this challenge and gift from fate?"

are you willing?
Herbert didn't answer immediately, but instead silently narrowed his eyes.

If the archbishop's words were spoken by someone else, it would indeed be a very difficult decision.

Risk, responsibility, mission...

Once he accepts this challenge, from this day forward, he will become the vessel that seals the evil god.

In other words, Herbert will replace and become the "underground sanctuary," a walking sanctuary.

Or perhaps, a calamity that could erupt at any moment, a natural disaster roaming the mortal realm.

If he dies or something unexpected happens, the sealed artifact will be released!

At that time, he will become a sinner who brings calamity to the world.

Herbert was well aware of his own character. While he was by no means a saint, he was not the kind of person who could justify himself after harming innocent people.

To bear the burden of another's life requires considerable awareness.

This is an unimaginable amount of pressure.

Moreover, the icon itself also poses a great danger.

Once he is corrupted and infected by the residual aura on the "sealed artifact," there is only one fate for him—to be destroyed by the monastery.

He was personally executed by the archbishop to purge his own ranks.

If this invincible old man were to make a move, there would be no other outcome; he would likely have no chance of escaping.

Such an ending is far too tragic.

But this challenge isn't entirely without its benefits.

Generally speaking, returns and risks go hand in hand.

Low risk, low return; high risk, high return. This operation carries high risk, but it also implies potentially huge potential profits.

By relying on the divine aura emanating from the holy image, one can make up for the final part that one lacks.

Complete perfection, becoming a true [Ascended One].

Even with his current strength, which is only half of what it used to be, he can still fight against epic opponents without being at a disadvantage.

He couldn't imagine what kind of terrifying improvement he would receive once he filled in the last gap and became completely perfect.

With the help of epic-level monster girls, can they, as legends, force their way into the realm of gods?

power.

A tremendous strength!
A power comparable to that of a god!
This is an idea that makes one's heart flutter just thinking about it; it has an extremely strong allure.

In this world, more than beauty, wealth, or power... it is strength that truly drives countless beings mad.

Power is the real poison!

Once you've tasted its sweetness and enjoyed the pleasure that strength brings, there's no going back.

This is an offer that anyone who aspires to become powerful cannot refuse.

Herbert was no exception.

He is not some saint who has transcended base desires.

He craved power.

They yearn for the power to truly control their own destiny.

Moreover, and most importantly, he doesn't need to answer or make any choices at all.

Because in a sense, even if Herbert did nothing at this moment, he himself was already equivalent to His vessel.

choose?

What choice should we make?

This is like asking a knight who's been thrown into a goblin lair and beaten up if he'd be willing to sacrifice his looks for the sake of the team...

What a joke.

What are you still saying now?

Your body is already exhausted, and you're still talking about such trivial things.

Of course, this is the fact, and this is the situation.

Herbert couldn't just give an easy answer right away.

Human nature is very complex.

A fisherman once said that some customers who come to the seafood market to buy seafood are very foolish.

The cheaper the seafood, no matter how fresh it is, the less willing I am to buy it, feeling like it's being given away for free.

No matter how disgusting the rotten fish and shrimp that are secretly hauled ashore from the sea are, as long as you dare to quote a high price, there will really be suckers willing to buy them!
She believes that "you get what you pay for," so if she dares to ask for this price, she must have something special about her!
Many things are less valued the easier they are to obtain.

"..."

After a moment of contemplation, Herbert clenched his fist tightly and then slowly relaxed it.

He let out a long breath, as if he had finally made up his mind, but there was also a certain degree of wavering.

"Your Excellency, can I really do it?"

Herbert lowered his head slightly and hesitated before whispering, "Aren't you really worried about things going wrong by entrusting me with such a task?"

“If something goes wrong with me, wouldn’t all the monastery’s thousands of years of perseverance have been in vain?”

He lowered his head, his body trembled slightly, and his back was slightly bent, as if he were carrying a heavy burden on his back.

The weight of the monastery's millennia-long aspirations now rested on his shoulders.

It felt like he couldn't breathe.

But just before Herbert was about to "collapse," a calm and ordinary voice shattered this heavy pressure.

I believe you can.

The archbishop looked at Herbert, his smile as calm as ever, and encouraged him: "Child, you can definitely do it."

Herbert looked up excitedly, but quickly pursed his lips, gritted his teeth, and said with difficulty, "But, what if I fail? What about the consequences..."

"Then I'll just say I misjudged him."

The archbishop remained calm and said casually, "When that time comes, I will bear all the consequences and I will solve all the problems."

“If that day ever comes, my child, I promise you—I will kill you with my own hands.”

After receiving the archbishop's "promise," Herbert seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief and completely unload the burden on his shoulders.

His body was no longer bent, his spine straightened again, and the vitality that had disappeared under the weight returned to him.

"Since you can make such a promise... then I have made my decision."

"I am willing to bear this fate."

The boy raised his head, looked at the old man with an extremely determined gaze, and said earnestly, "If this is something only I can do, then this is the mission that fate has given me."

"And I will not shirk this mission, nor will I ever bow to fate."

Herbert proclaimed, “Your Excellency the Archbishop, please let me be its vessel!”

"I will seal it away completely!"

"And if I fail, please kill me with your own hands!"

Seeing the determination in the boy's eyes, the old man finally smiled and said softly, "Then, so be it."

“If one day you can no longer control Him and He becomes beyond your control, then I will destroy you with my own hands.”

Ha ha.

She truly is the chosen one I've chosen.

It has truly grown up just as I expected.

And I truly accepted this difficult challenge that I could have refused.

Having grown to this point, although it's still a bit early, it's already enough to complete the most difficult step.

Now, as long as the seal is transferred to his body, the underground sanctuary will lose its original meaning.

So, does that mean...?

Can I take a short trip outside?

Thinking of such a bright and glorious future, the archbishop's smile became even more amiable and polite.

He concealed his true feelings, raised his hand, pressed firmly on Herbert's shoulder, and nodded approvingly at him.

Good boy!
Haha!

"hehe."

Herbert, seeing his satisfied expression, felt very pleased.

Look!
He believed it.

He actually believed it!
Haha!

I actually felt that I chose to accept it because of "fate".

The two men, each with their own thoughts, exchanged a glance and burst into hearty laughter.

They both felt that the other had been fooled.

They all felt like they'd hit the jackpot!
"Ha ha!"

"Hahaha!"

At that moment, only one person silently expressed their speechlessness.

"...Two idiots, tsk."

(End of this chapter)