Diary of the Improper Monster Girl Transformation.

Chapter 546 Old Deng's Ghost Fire? (Bonus Chapter 307 for 6K Views!)
who?

Who's speaking?!?
"who is it!!?"

Steven's own panicked voice echoed through the cave, and dust fell with the sound waves, settling on his hair.

Steven felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart, jolting him awake from his semi-conscious state.

Like a startled rabbit, he frantically turned his neck, his eyes scanning anxiously in the dim light, trying to find the source of the sound from the distorted shadows of the rocks.

His right hand instinctively reached for his waist, but only found an empty belt—his dagger, which he had used for many years, was nowhere to be found.

No, nobody's here!?
"Oh? Are you that nervous?"

In the midst of this extreme tension, the quality of that voice—a slightly languid tone and an air of detachment—made Steven pause in surprise.

He must have heard that voice before, and it must have left a very deep impression on him!

He quickly came to his senses, recognized the familiar voice, and his eyes widened in shock.

"...Wait, could it be Lord Herbert!"

Upon confirming the identity of the voice's owner, Steven's tense nerves instantly relaxed considerably, and a feeling of exhaustion from surviving a disaster mixed with immense joy welled up inside him.

"Hmm, not completely stupid, he didn't treat me like someone else and start cursing." The voice carried a clear smile, seemingly quite satisfied with Steven's reaction.

Herbert's teasing made Steven chuckle awkwardly and scratch his head unconsciously.

Oh dear, he reacted quickly, before he even had a chance to think about it... If he had been a few seconds later, cough cough.

He secretly rejoiced, thank goodness, thank goodness.

Steven breathed a sigh of relief, then realized a subtle problem—so, where are the people?

Despite his still aching body, he managed to stand up, tiptoeing, and scanned every corner of the cave more carefully.

Stalactites hanging upside down overhead, uneven ground beneath his feet, slippery rock walls on both sides... Apart from himself, there was no other moving figure.

Although the cave was not small, it was far from large enough to hide a living person without being discovered.

Where is Lord Herbert?
"you……"

Steven searched everywhere, but couldn't find Herbert anywhere.

"Save your energy, I'm not here with you right now."

Herbert's voice rang out again, still as clear as a whisper, directly entering his mind, which made him even more certain that the other party was not physically "here".

"That……"

How did I hear Lord Herbert's voice?
Although he really wanted to ask the question, he wisely remained silent.

Ask what you should ask, and don't ask what you shouldn't ask.

Steven opened his mouth, the question "Then how did I hear your voice?" almost slipping out.

But he immediately swallowed his words.

This young paladin is shrouded in mystery; there are some things he shouldn't be investigating.

Knowing more isn't necessarily a good thing.

He changed to a relatively "safe" question.

"Lord Herbert, are you also trapped here?"

"You're asking me? Do you even know where you are right now?" Herbert's voice carried a strange undertone in his question.

"Uh, in the Misty Mountains?"

Steven was in a state of confusion, his mind a jumbled mess, with the image of saying goodbye to his wife in his dream still flashing before his eyes.

But having experienced something similar before, he had gained some experience.

If nothing unexpected happens, I'll probably be in the Misty Mountains again.

"Yes and no, but it's fine to understand it this way."

Herbert's answer was somewhat vague, and he did not intend to explain in detail the difference in danger between the "center of the Misty Mountains" and ordinary areas.

The very center of the Misty Mountains is, of course, also within the Misty Mountains; there's no difference.

"..."

Steven paused for a moment. He wasn't stupid; Herbert's slightly perfunctory tone made his heart tighten.

He instinctively sensed that his current location was probably far more dangerous than he had imagined.

It seems the chances of survival are slim.

He suppressed his unease and asked another crucial question.

"Lord Herbert, how did you find me?"

This is incredible.

The Misty Mountains are vast and fraught with danger, and he was trapped in this unknown cave. How did Lord Herbert pinpoint his location so precisely?

Why do you ask so many questions?

Herbert, however, had no interest in wasting any more time with him. His tone was impatient as he directly interrupted Steven's endless stream of questions.

"Alright, there's no time to explain anymore. Let's talk about these trivial things later."

His tone became serious, carrying an undeniable sense of urgency.

"Listen to my instructions, get out of this awful place right now. By the way, do you remember the way you came in?"

"...I, uh, I probably don't remember anything."

Steven looked embarrassed. He rubbed his temples, trying to dig out useful information from his hazy memories, but to no avail.

He only remembered encountering a powerful magical beast when he returned to the outskirts of the Misty Mountains. He was chased by it and ran headlong into a place that looked like an entrance.

After that, there was only darkness and scattered fragments.

Steven scratched his head, looking rather embarrassed, and said, "I... I only remember the events before I entered the Misty Mountains. When I woke up, I was already here."

A strong sense of shame welled up in Steven's heart.

He had the blood of a legendary explorer flowing through his veins, yet he had ended up in such a sorry state that he couldn't even explain how he got here.

If our ancestors knew this, they'd probably jump out of their graves in anger.

His behavior has truly brought shame upon our ancestors.

How embarrassing!
Herbert didn't mind, because it was perfectly normal.

Given Steven's abilities, it's already a miracle that he arrived here unharmed; to expect him to remember the route is simply unimaginable.

"In that case, you will follow my instructions completely. Don't trust your senses. Go wherever I tell you to go, understand?"

Herbert's instructions were very clear and carried absolute authority.

This is the deepest part of the ruins of the divine kingdom. In this eerie place, even the eyes, ears, and intuition of mortals could bring about annihilation.

"Uh, yes!"

Steven answered instinctively, a feeling of gratitude towards Lord Herbert flashing through his mind.

I was saved by Lord Herbert once again. The last time was similar; I received Lord Herbert's help during my most difficult time.

"Okay, now, keep going straight ahead, and don't stop no matter what you encounter along the way."

"Yes!"

Steven took a deep breath, suppressing the pain and weakness emanating from his body, and began to walk, preparing to follow the instructions strictly.

However, just as he lifted his foot, it suddenly stopped as if it had been nailed to the ground.

His face showed intense struggle, his lips moved as if he were engaged in an extremely difficult psychological battle.

【"Um?"】

Herbert uttered a syllable filled with doubt and dissatisfaction.

"..."

Steven's face turned bright red, and cold sweat even broke out on his forehead.

He knew that his next move would be tantamount to betraying his benefactor's kindness, and could even be described as utterly foolish.

But the thought of that reason made him unable to take a step.

Finally, Steven seemed to have used all his strength, gritting his teeth and squeezing out the words: "...I'm sorry, Lord Herbert, I...I'm afraid I can't leave with you."

【"Um?"】

Herbert was bewildered by his action and asked, puzzled, "What do you mean? You're going to stay here forever? I didn't realize you were so good at joking."

“I’m not joking, I really can’t leave right now.” Steven’s tone was unusually firm, though behind that firmness lay deep unease and guilt.

"So, you really intend to stay?" Herbert's voice turned cold.

No, it can't be called cold; it's just that the words lacked the original emotion, leaving only calmness.

"...Yes, I am truly sorry, Lord Herbert, I must break my promise to you again."

Steven smiled wryly, lowered his head, and dared not imagine Herbert's expression at that moment.

He felt like an ungrateful wretch who had ruthlessly pushed away the helping hand extended to him.

This is tantamount to repaying kindness with enmity, throwing away the goodwill of one's benefactor and trampling on it.

But because of that reason, he was forced to do such a shameful thing.

【“…”】

Herbert's voice faded away, and Steven fell into a brief silence.

The silence made Steven feel incredibly oppressed, like the calm before a storm.

After a moment of silence, Herbert spoke again in a calm tone:
【"Why?"】

"Sir, my daughter is still alive, and she should be around here. I... I have to go find her."

Steven finally gave his reason, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

His wife's dying words, the brief yet vividly beautiful memory in his dream, and his sense of responsibility as a father were like three ropes that bound him tightly.

Theresa, who was able to fall into that dream with him, must be nearby, or even not far away.

He couldn't bear to leave her behind.

"So, you're going to go find her? And then what?"

“…Yes, once I find her, I will go back to Elda with her.” He tried to make his plan sound more feasible, even though he himself was completely unsure.

"A touching determination... but unfortunately, it was all in vain."

Herbert's voice remained indifferent, devoid of any emotional fluctuation; he was simply stating a fact.

There was no mockery, which only made it seem more cruel.

"If you can't even protect yourself, who else can you expect to protect?"

These words were like a cold dagger, precisely piercing Steven's most vulnerable spot.

"I……"

"First of all, are you sure you can find her? You don't even know where you are, so how can you guarantee you'll find her?"

"Secondly, even if you're lucky enough to find her, what can you do? Can you take her with you when you leave?"

"If you really let her go with you, she'll probably end up like your former companions."

The final blow reopened Steven's bloody wounds, reminding him of his teammates who had died because of him, and his face turned deathly pale.

Steven clenched his fists and lowered his head in shame. "You...you're right. I'm too weak and don't have the strength to protect her."

His voice lowered, carrying a deep sense of powerlessness.

Yes, Lord Herbert is absolutely right.

I am so naive, so weak and powerless, so full of wild fantasies...

If it were the old Steven, he would have given up resisting at this point and would have obediently accepted help from others.

But this time, he suddenly raised his head, a near-obsessive flame burning in his eyes, and gritted his teeth, saying:

"But even so! I can't just give up on her like this!"

"But I will sacrifice my life to keep her alive."

“This is my wife’s last request… No, that’s not right. It has nothing to do with my wife. It’s something I have to do as a father.”

It has nothing to do with anything else, nor can it be used as an excuse.

This is a responsibility I should have taken on!

"I am grateful for your help, although I may never be able to truly repay you in this lifetime, but... please forgive me."

Steven knelt down, bowing his head deeply to the ground.

Please forgive me for breaking my promise.

"I... I want to be a good father now."

The pleading voices echoed in the cave, plunging the two into complete silence.

Steven had given it his all.

After a moment, Herbert, who had been silent for quite some time, finally responded.

"I see, now I understand your determination..."

His tone seemed to soften a bit, no longer so cold, which put Steven at ease.

But then Herbert continued, "However, precisely because of this, I cannot grant your request."

"Lord Herbert! I..."

"Because, if you really want to be a good father... then you should come with me now."

"If she knew I watched you go to your death alone, I don't know how much she'd cry afterwards."

“…What?” Steven was taken aback.

"she"?
Who will cry?
"Come on, I'll take you to see your daughter."

Herbert's serious demeanor finally cracked, and a barely concealed smile crept out.

Having witnessed a father's determination, he stopped keeping a straight voice and smiled mischievously.

"Come on, I'll take you to see your beloved Teresa~"

Old Deng, hop on the will-o'-the-wisp and come with me.

I'll take you to meet your daughter.

???

Theresa!!?
The name exploded in Steven's mind like a thunderclap.

He froze completely, his expression solidifying into a huge question mark and exclamation mark.

The blood seemed to rush to his head and then suddenly drop back, making him dizzy—a feeling of unreal happiness.

"and many more!"

Steven practically screamed it out, his voice hoarse from extreme shock.

His expression was completely chaotic. He grabbed his hair and shouted, "You mean, you know about my daughter?!"

My mind went completely blank. How could Lord Herbert know Theresa's name?!

"Yes, her name is Theresa, isn't it? Does she have some other nickname?"

"What! How, how did you know..."

Steven felt his thoughts were completely muddled.

When she parted ways with Herbert last time, she shouldn't have told him her daughter's name. How could he possibly know her name... No, that's not right!
Lord Herbert knows where Theresa is?!
"Why, you ask?"

Herbert smiled, a smile that traveled through the invisible connection and carried a mysterious quality.

A mischievous thought flashed through his mind, and he decided not to reveal the truth for the time being. Instead, he chuckled softly in an almost mocking tone:
"That's because... I know everything."

!!!

……

……

"By the way, where am I now..."

Teresa, still not fully conscious after waking up, instinctively moved her fingers and touched a warm patch of skin.

?

The skin was firm and taut, and you could clearly feel the steady, powerful heartbeat beneath.

? ?
Theresa froze abruptly, her pupils dilating instantly. Only then did she belatedly realize that she was curled up in a broad embrace, her cheek pressed tightly against the other person's chest, her breath enveloped in the warmth of their body.

Moreover, it is clearly the chest of the opposite sex...

???

The shocking fact made Theresa tense up, and she looked up abruptly—and saw a familiar strand of white hair.

Ah!
It's Lord Herbert!

Upon realizing the other person's identity, Teresa's tense body suddenly relaxed, feeling completely exhausted.

Thank goodness it was Lord Herbert... Wait a minute!
How could it be Lord Herbert?!?
What unreasonable things have I done?

“Hmm!!?”

Her voice caught in her throat; she swallowed back the last few syllables, afraid of waking the other person.

Because in that instant, she suddenly sensed another presence, realizing that she was not alone with Lord Herbert.

There are other people here!
goo...

Theresa raised her head slightly, her gaze slowly moving, and then she saw a scene that made her even more flustered.

On Herbert's other side, Eunil was leaning against Herbert in the same position, clinging tightly to his arm, breathing lightly, and appeared to be still unconscious.

The two of them, one on the left and one on the right, clung tightly to Herbert like two kittens dependent on their adult.

?

Wait, what happened?!?
I... I...

What did I do before I fell asleep?!?
Theresa's cheeks instantly flushed red, from the tips of her ears to the roots of her neck, and her heart pounded so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.

She instinctively tried to step back, but before she could move, Herbert gently pulled her back with his arm.

He seemed to sense the movement of the person beside him, his brows furrowed slightly, but he didn't wake up, he just hugged them tighter.

This action completely froze Teresa, even her fingertips trembling slightly.

escape?
Or should I continue lying down?

Countless thoughts swirled in her mind, and in her panic, she almost cried out.

But just then, his mother's words from the dream suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"You're no longer the little child we need to protect all the time!"

"Face everything bravely!"

"Be brave when you meet the person you love!"

Theresa took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to calm her wildly beating heart.

My mother said that I need to learn to be strong and not panic and run away from problems like I used to.

Lord Herbert must be worried about them, that's why he's holding them while we rest. I can't let my mind wander, and I can't disturb him because of my panic.

"..."

Once she had calmed down a bit, Theresa slowly opened her eyes.

With her mother's encouragement, she felt...very brave!
Although it's unclear what exactly happened, such an opportunity is truly rare right now.

If you don't cherish it, you'll definitely regret it later.

She took a breath silently, stopped thinking about it, mustered her courage, and tentatively moved her hand, which was placed at her side, upwards.

Little by little, just a little bit.

Her fingertips slowly approached Herbert's chest, first touching the edge of the fabric, then slowly moving upwards, finally gently pressing against his chest.

The heartbeat there was steady and strong, transmitted through the thin fabric of her clothes, like a silent comfort, gradually calming her initially panicked heart.

call--

Just as the girl's hand had settled, another warm little hand suddenly fell down from above and gently touched the back of her hand.

Theresa's hand trembled violently, as if burned, and she almost pulled it back.

“Hmm!!?”

"Well!!?"

Hearing the faint gasp, Theresa's gaze remained fixed. She stiffly and slowly turned her head, meeting Yunier's open eyes.

Those eyes, which were usually always smiling, were now filled with bewilderment; they clearly hadn't expected this to happen.

Their eyes met, and the air froze instantly.

! ! ?

Theresa could clearly see the blush slowly creeping up Yunier's cheeks, even her ears were turning bright red.

She didn't dare to laugh.

Because she knew very well that her expression probably wouldn't be any different.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment, with only the increasingly rapid heartbeats of the two people and Herbert's steady breathing echoing in their ears.

Just as Theresa was hesitating about whether to pull her hand back, Yuniel suddenly moved—she didn't pull her hand back, but instead gently hooked Theresa's fingers together.

The two shook hands in this strange manner.

???

Eunil smiled silently, then winked at Theresa, her lips moving almost imperceptibly as she whispered in a low voice that only the two of them could hear:
"Shh, don't wake him, he's too tired."

?

Before Theresa could react, Yunier gently squeezed her fingers again, lowering her voice even further as she teased, "Hey! I saw it! Were you secretly feeling Lord Herbert's heartbeat just now? Look at you, your face is as red as an apple!"

"I-I didn't!"

Theresa hurriedly retorted, but her voice trembled slightly with nervousness. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but Yunier gripped it even tighter.

???

Wait, what are you trying to do, girl?
Let go first!
(End of this chapter)