Diary of Guarding Monster Girls

["Herbert, did you even understand what I'm saying!?" ]

Nenasha felt that her ally completely misunderstood her intent.

I'm asking you to treat this power with caution... not to cautiously try it out!

"Alright, alright, stop talking."

Herbert rolled his eyes and said irritably:

"What's there to say, I'm not a child. How could I not know the drawbacks of this power?"

["But..." ]

"To put it plainly, you're just worried that I'd lose myself in the process of gaining power."

Herbert walked through the monastery as he explained to Nenasha, nodding in greeting to the others he passed.

As he had expected, his three-day disappearance hadn't caught anyone's attention.

Most cultivators were unaware Herbert had returned, and those who knew just assumed he was too exhausted from the outside world and was resting in his room since returning to the monastery.

No one knew he had spent all three days in the Third Commandment Hall - even if they did, they wouldn't care.

After all, it was quite reasonable for the Prison Warden to reside in the dungeons.

Herbert did not head to the Knight Order's station.

Although he craved power, he didn't intend to "accidentally" kill some good brother of the Knight Order, that would be too absurd.

After some thought, Herbert turned and headed toward the kitchen.

And throughout this process, he continued his debate with Nenasha:

"I understand your concerns, the Power of Conquest from the War Angels is indeed a dangerous power, gaining power by killing enemies... this will definitely change how I view my enemies."

After realizing what this power represented, Herbert already equated enemies with experience points in his mind.

And there's no way to change it back.

If killing equates to rewards, such positive reinforcement could easily breed a bloodthirsty monster.

This is definite.

"You're worried that easily gaining power will make me take others' lives lightly, turning into a reckless killer... sigh."

At this point, Herbert sighed powerlessly, then with a headache, said: "What, are you my mom?"

Why suddenly meddle so much?

["Hmm?" ]

Though Nenasha was still sulking, feeling Herbert didn't take her well-meaning advice to heart.

But upon hearing this, she couldn't help but respond:

["You want me to be your mother? If you really want me to, I..." ]

She really didn't want to reply, didn't want to pay attention to this guy... but his posture was just too inviting.

No way to refuse.

Herbert reflexively responded after she answered: "Of course not!"

["Hehe, don't be shy! If you really want to be coddled, I can listen to you, you know." ]

"Shut up and let me finish!"

After their habitual joke, the tension between them gradually returned to normal.

Herbert said softly: "Nenasha, I'm happy that you care about me."

"Because it shows that you see me not just as an ally but as a... friend."

Initially, Herbert never thought their relationship would progress to this level.

At that time, Nenasha was just a threatening Evil God to him, a dangerous being lusting after his form.

But now, she had become the most trusted person in this world for him... without exception.

He trusted Valentina, but there were things he couldn't tell her, which would only harm her.

Currently, the only person Herbert could talk to unreservedly in this world was Nenasha.

They were allies, but also not just allies.

"But at the same time, I hope you can trust me a bit more."

"Believe in me more!"

Herbert's voice held a trace of helplessness, he smiled wryly:

"If I were just an eighteen-year-old boy, I might really lose myself in this process of gaining power."

He walked slowly along the monastery's ancient corridors, whispering softly: "But I'm not."

"I'm not alone."

The boy whispered to the entity hiding within his shadow, deep in his soul.

"Compared to those poor souls who lost themselves after gaining power, I have an advantage they don't."

The Divine Spirit was silent.

In this moment, she also realized what the boy was about to say.

"I have you."

"You'll always be by my side, won't you?"

The boy spoke the words in his heart without any dodge or cover, expressing his feelings straightforwardly.

"At any time, if I feel lost, you can be there to help me."

"Comfort me, scold me, teach me... these only you can do, and you're the only one I need to do them."

"Can you?"

["..." ]

Feeling Nenasha's unusual silence, Herbert's serious expression suddenly broke into a smile, teasingly asking:

"Haha, why so quiet? Are you embarrassed?"

The Divine Spirit remained silent, making the boy's smile grow even brighter.

Finally, Herbert crouched down, poking at his shadow with his finger, giggling: "Oh come on, I'm not embarrassed, why are you?"

["...Shut up." ]

After throwing out a single sentence, the Harmonious God fell completely silent and no longer responded no matter what he said.

"Haha, don't be shy."

Before Nenasha completely ignored him, as Herbert poked at the shadow, she made a small retaliation.

The power of the Devil's Tongue wasn't enough to affect the Divine Spirit, and no formal agreement was established between them.

But the Divine Spirit had her own little ways.

A tiny shadow tentacle wrapped around Herbert's pinky finger, giving it a gentle shake, successfully freezing the smile on Herbert's face.

["We've made a new agreement." ]

"...Mm."

Having made a new agreement, the Harmonious God completely went off-line, no longer responding at all.

After trying for a long time without a response, Herbert gave up disturbing her and finally reached his destination.

The monastery's kitchen.

"Hello, could you get me a live grass carp?"

The nun in charge of the cooking was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, then looked at Herbert with some suspicion.

"Grass carp? And it has to be alive?"

Hmm?

Ah.

Oh!!!

Uh-huh... cough cough...

Seeing her suspicious gaze, Herbert started sweating on his forehead, coughed twice, and said awkwardly:

"Uh... well, any live creature would do, cough! Doesn't have to be a grass carp!"

Damn it.

Though the legend of Brother Grass Carp had passed, it still lingered in the monastery as a tale...