CHAPTER 45: 45 THE ALOOF ELF (THANKS TO POORSEN, THE ALLIANCE LEADER!)

Knock knock.

"Is anyone home? Is anyone... oh, automatic door."

Herbert knocked on the door, and before he could start joking around, the wooden door automatically swung open.

The room wasn’t much brighter than outside; it was still lit up by the glow of plants growing everywhere.

He walked in slowly, his gaze sweeping across the room’s arrangement.

A huge table covered with various jars and bottles, filled with liquids in different colors, and some contained unknown biological organs.

Large eerie eyes, withered limbs, five connected red stomachs, an eyeball with three pupils...

Logically, Herbert should feel creeped out seeing such a scene, get goosebumps, and perhaps even have a SAN value check.

But for some reason, Herbert wasn’t scared at all; rather, he found the scene somewhat... satisfying?

Is this right?

Herbert was questioning whether there was something wrong with his mental state, and the culprit jumped out voluntarily.

["Hmm~ She really has quite the taste."]

"Oh, it’s because of you."

Alright, the case is solved.

It’s you, this ghostly thing, messing with my aesthetic sense.

["Why? Don’t you think all these things are good? They’re all good stuff, and the handling is very exquisite, with professional preservation methods!"]

"All good stuff, huh..."

Herbert stared at the three-pupiled eyeball for a while, and when he found it staring back at him, he couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Alright, maybe I’m just not good enough; I don’t understand aesthetics.

He forced himself to look away and continued observing the room’s decor.

Aside from the largest research desk, the only other things in the space were a small round table and two vine-woven chairs.

One was freshly made, the leaves still vibrant.

Overall, it looked like a workspace that also served living functions, but there was no place for resting, like a bed.

Does she not sleep?

"You seem to be a bit puzzled."

A slightly hoarse female voice sounded behind Herbert, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

When did she get there?

When he arrived earlier, he had carefully looked around but hadn’t noticed her.

Herbert squinted back, and for the first time saw the Dark Elf Grand Mage.

"Oh? Grand Mage Svanni?"

"Yes, a pleasure to meet you, Herbert the Prison Warden."

In Herbert’s stereotype, the Dark Elf’s looks were generally inferior to normal elves.

After all, he personally wasn’t very interested in dark skin, and just the skin color alone was a minus.

But now he realized that he was wrong.

What’s wrong with dark skin?

Not a problem at all.

If you’re beautiful, you can break it!

He wasn’t against dark skin; he just hadn’t met a dark-skinned beauty he liked.

Svanni appeared to be twenty-six or twenty-seven years old; a little less naive, but not too mature.

Her features were particularly delicate, and even slightly dark skin didn’t spoil her beauty; it added a unique charm.

Her blue-purple hair was meticulously braided, golden ornaments dangled from her earlobes, and golden patterns adorned her cheeks.

Among all the prisoners he’s seen, Svanni was the most refined, not at all seeming like a caged detainee.

Furthermore, she exuded a special aura, cold emanating from a peak of intellect.

Though standing before him, those golden eyes gave a feeling of distance as if she wasn’t really there.

A non-concealed coldness that keeps people at arm’s length.

And Herbert met Svanni’s gaze for a while, not timid, but smiling as he handed her the skull.

"Here’s your delivery."

Svanni shook her head and didn’t take it, instead signaling him to place it on the wooden table, then sat on the vine chair, softly saying: "Please sit, Warden."

Herbert sat down, noticing the vines subtly moved to fit comfortably against his back, enabling him to sit in the most relaxed position.

Ergonomic chair?

Live vine chairs are the true kings.

Herbert leaned back with pleasure, completely at ease inside her home, casually asking: "So, who might this be?"

"A member of my tribe, perhaps a death warrior sent by some family to deliver messages to me."

Svanni pinched and twisted the air in front of the skull, and a ghostly spirit the height of a hand was drawn out.

The spirit was dim, faintly showing an eighteen or nineteen-year-old Dark Elf girl, her lips continuously moving, seemingly delivering anxious messages to Svanni.

Svanni’s expression never changed, listening calmly for a while, then simply gripping and crushing the residual spirit in her palm.

Herbert raised an eyebrow, curiously: "Come on, she came to find you, and you treat her like this?"

Sacrificing the horse after getting off the mill?

So ruthless?

Svanni shook her head, slowly saying: "I’m helping her find release."

"She’s already dead, barely surviving in the world with the power of a taboo existence, her soul utterly tainted by [Sinful Desire]."

"Now that her task is complete, if I don’t do this, her fate would be to become a toy of that god."

Upon hearing the name Sinful Desire, Herbert understood, knowing why Grass Carp Brother ended up like that.

"Oh, so it’s because of Him."

[God of Sinful Desire], one of the most powerful evil gods in this world, mastering all corruption, sin, lust.

Compared to Nenasha, whose origin and power are unknown, this one is a bona fide mad evil god, purely insane.

Becoming His follower grants forbidden powerful abilities, yet eternally ensnared in His grasp.

His specialty is luring mortals into depravity, turning followers into senseless maniacs, caring not who or how many come, regardless of whether they’re human.

"And her task was to deliver a message to me."

"My sister assassinated our grandmother to become the new patriarch; some elders are dissatisfied, planning to send someone to rescue me, hoping I’ll cooperate actively when the time comes."

Svanni recounted dispassionately, as if it were someone else’s story.

Herbert: ?

"Wait, you just told me this news so casually? Is it alright?"

He felt it was odd, amusingly asking: "I’m the prison warden overseeing you, shouldn’t you show me some respect professionally?"

Aren’t you afraid I’ll report back?

"It’s fine, you can dispose of them however you wish."

Svanni played with the feeble soul in her hand, calmly stating: "Because I don’t intend to accept their rescue."

"Oh? You don’t want to leave here?" Herbert blinked.

That’s quite rare.

What prisoner wouldn’t want to leave prison?

Could it be because the people here speak so well, all are talents?

Svanni indifferently replied: "I have no interest in power; as long as I can continue my research here, I have no reason to leave. Returning to the family would only lead to interruptions."

Is that the reason?

It sounded pretty reasonable.

"Speaking of which, you’re more chatty than I expected."

Svanni calmly shook her head, slightly disdainful as she said: "I’m just unwilling to converse with those who are mundane, it doesn’t mean I’m incapable of communication."

"Oh, I see!"

Herbert sighed, a playful smile curled at the corner of his lips, slowly saying: "Since you’re so talkative... show some sincerity, don’t be so cold."

"When will you stop using an avatar and meet me personally?"

He flicked the leaf he’d been twisting across towards Svanni—soft leaves passed through her body and landed on the ground behind.

Herbert smiled and winked at the Dark Elf, fully reclining on the chairback, legs crossed, leisurely asking:

"Doesn’t that sound good?"

"Grand Mage~ huh."