["You don't even dare to eat her**, and you still dare say you love her!"]
"Don't you bother about whether I love her or not. This has nothing to do with whether I eat this or not!"
["If you don't eat, it means you don't love her!"]
"Are you sick in the head!?"
At night, Herbert, who had been busy all day, sneakily returned to his private space to argue with the netizens.
Then, he was informed about the "way to absorb magic power is to eat Demon material!" This ridiculous method.
Is this right?
After arguing with the Harmonious God, Herbert lowered his head, looking at that palm-sized Seven-Colored Scale with a slightly distorted expression.
Take a look.
Under the light, it shifted colors, with excellent luster.
Take a sniff.
It had a rich fragrance, completely without the typical fishy salty smell of the sea.
Try a lick.
It tasted slightly sweet, without any peculiar aftertaste.
Determined, he took a bite... crack.
"Pfft... heh heh."
Herbert chuckled out loud.
Turns out, when a person is speechless, they really do laugh out loud.
Hey!
Guess what?
Couldn't bite through it.
Couldn't bite through it at all!
What am I supposed to do with this!?
Clap.
Herbert smacked the scale onto the table, exclaiming, "You demon, are you just messing with me!?"
Damn it.
I shouldn't have trusted you, Harmonious God, from the start!
["I've never lied to you~"]
Nenasha didn't mind Herbert's outrage. Judging by the tone, she even seemed to be holding back her laughter.
Oh, wait.
Evil God hadn't even tried to hide it.
["Don't say nonsense, I never told you to bite directly!"]
["But I didn't expect... pfft, hahaha! You adorable thing actually tried to bite it directly! Hahahaha~"]
The laughter was unrestrained and joyful, with a charming, bell-like quality that even sounded a bit seductive.
"...Tsk."
After laughing for a good while, she finally stopped her crazed laughter before Herbert's entire face turned completely red.
But the tone was still filled with mirth, she chuckled: ["My dear ally, don't be angry! It's just a small joke, you're getting a bit too worked up with that frown!"]
"No, I'm thinking whether I can just swallow it whole."
["Huh?"]Nenasha was puzzled, even a bit caught off guard by Herbert's whimsical thought process.
Just a joke, laugh it off, and it's over.
Herbert was indeed no longer angry by then, putting all his thoughts into figuring out how to get it down his stomach.
"Nothing is inedible, only a matter of timing, with good blending of the five flavors." — "Miscellaneous Morsels of Youyang·Food & Drink"
The ancients have said, in this world, there are only delicious and not tasty things, there's nothing you can't eat.
Seeing Herbert deep in thought, Nenasha was slightly puzzled and ventured tentatively: ["Well..."]
"Let me think how to do it, fry? stir-fry? or deep-fry?"
["Hey~ are you still there~"]
"Deep-fry? Pan-fry?"
["...I say?"]
"Simmer? Bake? Grill?"
["Ha!!!"]
A soul-shaking yell erupted within, startling Herbert so much that he nearly fell off his chair.
It took him a moment to gather himself, looking up in confusion, asking: "Why so loud?"
["Before you say that, shouldn't you recall what you were doing just now?"]
"I was just ignoring you. Was that worth startling me?"
Herbert replied righteously, not feeling he was wrong at all.
After all, they were equal cooperative partners; she could tease him, and he could ignore her.
The premise being neither gives in easily to the other.
["Ha, Paladin."]
"Ha, Evil God."
After the sarcasm, Herbert drew his sword, trying to cut the scale with its blade.
Herbert's sword was no ordinary weapon; it was gifted by King Frost Crystal when he was seventeen, reportedly crafted by a legendary royal artisan of the past.
Though only high tier in rank, it was no less durable than a legendary weapon!
Shhahh—
Accompanied by a harsh grinding noise, the two parted, leaving a tiny groove where the blade had cut, with a sprinkle of glossy powder falling.
"..."
Gazing at the powder on the table, a sudden thought flashed through Herbert's mind, and he bent closer.
With pursed lips, he took a sharp sip.
Inhale—
"Too... too... too... too spicy! Cough! Cough!"
He didn't dare inhale through his nose, fearing it would provoke sneezing, but didn't expect the powder to go straight to his throat.
As a result, the powder was unexpectedly spicy, causing him to cough repeatedly, as if trying to cough out his throat.
["..."]
Nenasha quietly watched him as if he were an idiot, eventually sighing in exasperation: ["Aha, this really is..."]
Honestly, the Evil God had a slight tinge of regret now.
It was a bit too hasty.
She shouldn't have so easily deemed him worthy as a collaborator.
Look at this.
Isn't he just a fool?
["Oh well, while the method is wrong, it's still somewhat viable."]
She finally didn't continue watching idly; taking control of Herbert's left hand, her fingertip brushed the sword blade, leaving a moderate cut.
Then, pressing on the Seven-Colored Scale, a drop of crystalline blood fell onto the scratch.
"Cough, why is it, blood dripping, cough, recognizing the owner? Cough cough!"
Really, in this day and age, still so old-fashioned and traditional?
Just as Herbert was coughing and couldn't help but quip, a mutation occurred.
Hss—
Just like touching a hot iron, the scale was instantly corroded by the blood, dissolving into a blood mist that surged into his throat.
Gulp.
It was like swallowing a cup of boiling water straight from a freshly boiled kettle, contorting Herbert's face as his throat issued a suppressed growl.
"Sss—not burning! Cough cough!"
Burning.
He felt as if his throat was being scorched, his very soul shriveled in the searing heat.
But just as Herbert painfully wished to gulp some cold water to ease it, the burning sensation receded like a wave.
In less than a breath, all the pain vanished without a trace, as if it was all just an illusion.
Before Herbert had time to think, another sensation of coolness swept over him as if soaking in a hot spring.
He seemed to hear the sound of the ocean.
Whoosh—
Upon opening his eyes, he found himself in a vast ocean, swaying with the rolling waves.
Yet strangely, Herbert didn't feel fear.
Because he heard a melodious song coming from afar.
He should not have understood the ancient language, but he seemed to grasp the meaning of the song.
The song was narrating a story.
An ancient and poignant story—