After wandering around outside for a while, Herbert and Valentina abandoned the others and returned to the Mist Monastery.

Although she was reluctant on the way back, Valentina voluntarily went into the Third Commandment Hall after they returned to the monastery.

Her smooth and fluid actions left Herbert dumbfounded.

No exaggeration, it was like watching a Shiba Inu carrying a leash as it went back into its own cage.

She has an excellent sense of self-management.

Is she still the same dog... cough! Is she still the same person!?

But after thinking a bit, Herbert understood the meaning behind it.

She had been in the Third Commandment Hall for too long and had previously harbored some resentment, even trying to persuade Herbert to take her away from there.

But honestly, apart from being a little hungry, she didn't actually suffer any torment there, and she just slept every day...

Valentina actually didn't have much resentment toward the Third Commandment Hall.

She had just experienced a bit of freedom on the outside, and now she felt no ill feelings about the inside at all.

It's just like getting tired from playing outside and coming home to sleep.

She just patted her behind and left, going straight back to sleep, but Herbert couldn't take it that easily.

Upon return, he was immediately taken to the Judgement Hall.

In the silent great hall with only the two of them, the Chief Judge silently stared at Herbert for a full half-hour.

And just when Herbert wondered if he was angry, the Chief Judge smiled with satisfaction.

"Hahaha!"

The Chief Judge patted Herbert's shoulder vigorously and said loudly, "You did a great job!"

"You showed them what real judgment is! Well done! Haha! Very well done!"

"Excellent, you embody the style of our Judgement Hall well!"

Seeing him like this, Herbert also began to chuckle.

Would the Thorn Bishop get upset?

Would he think Herbert was too excessive?

No.

The position of Chief Judge has never been one that could be held by a gentle soul.

The current Thorn Bishop was notorious for his brutal bloodthirstiness, never showing mercy when judging criminals.

While Herbert's maneuvers in the Kingdom might have seemed a bit devious, to the Chief Judge, these were merely trivial matters.

In terms of outcome, Herbert effectively eradicated the wicked nobility, considerably improving the commoners' lives.

Having achieved that, it was enough.

As for whether the nobles lived or died... what did that have to do with them?

Compared to the lives of the nobles, he cared more about the common folk.

That's why when receiving Cardinal Kaplan's transmission, he summoned Herbert immediately.

Haha.

This young man is really something!

Truly worthy of someone who came from our Judgement Hall!

Indeed, I always knew he could achieve something like this!

After a long period of praise, the Chief Judge shook his head, patted Herbert's shoulder, and earnestly advised:

"It's just that I think you were a bit too conservative; if you really wanted to be thorough, you should have disposed of the King as well..."

"Cough cough."

The Rusted Nail Bishop emerged from the shadows, coughed to interrupt his friend's senseless comment, and stared him down with deadpan eyes, asking:

"If the goal is to eliminate all the aristocracy, should he then also send the Duke of Silver Wings to the gallows?"

"The Duke of Silver Wings? Kill him! What's the point in keeping him, kill them all, after all, the nobles... uh!"

The Chief Judge, riding a wave of bloodlust, answered without hesitation, then realized the issue.

He scratched his bald head and gave Herbert an embarrassed smile: "Cough, don't kill, don't kill, you can't just kill the innocent."

The Duke of Silver Wings was the young man's biological father.

Even if you were to kill him, you couldn't make him do it himself!

Herbert shook his head, signaling the Chief Judge not to fret, and bowed in respect to the Knight Commander.

"Your Excellency, Knight Commander."

"Hmm, you did well, very well."

The Rusted Nail Bishop nodded, also showing immense satisfaction in his gaze towards Herbert.

Unlike the Chief Judge's indiscriminate malice toward the nobility, the Rusted Nail Bishop, being of noble descent, knew better what kind of death the nobility deserved.

Hanging them all might lead to some innocents, but hanging every other one certainly wouldn't miss any.

Every noble should find their own gallows waiting for them.

Not only the two bishops but almost every cultivator in the monastery had a higher regard for Herbert after learning what transpired in the Frost Crystal Kingdom.

It's no exaggeration to say that Herbert accomplished what many Paladins always wished to do.

There were no shortages of cultivators who had suffered noble persecution, and those from noble backgrounds knew even more about what the nobility had done.

No one thought Herbert's actions were excessively radical; these traditionalists even believed he was still a bit too conservative.

"You've done well, truly deserving of being a member of our Knight Order, far better than the folks at the Judgement Hall."

"Hmm!!?"

The Chief Judge's face immediately transformed upon hearing this, angrily replying: "What are you saying? Herbert is the elite of our Judgement Hall!"

"Heh, you know exactly what I'm saying," the Knight Commander coldly laughed, saying: "You almost let talent slip through your fingers, you bunch of waste!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Heh!"

Thus began the war between the two bishops.

And as the two bishops began arguing fiercely, Herbert tried to interject twice, but both attempts failed.

In the end, Herbert could only steal away from the battlefield while they were both distracted.

And after leaving, Herbert couldn't help but reflect while gazing back at the great hall: "Showing your true colors before me, huh? Heh, two old men."

"You two really have a great relationship!"

When Herbert returned to the Disciplinary Hall, Valentina had unsurprisingly already fallen into a slumber.

Also, due to her familiarity with Herbert's presence, she didn't react at all even as he stood nearby, continuing to sleep soundly.

"Sleeping, sleeping, always sleeping, how can you sleep at your age?"

Herbert shook his head, finding nothing odd about it, and then turned to open the door to the Deep Water Prison.

He was there for a rendezvous.

Before departing, he had promised Fremay that he would sing with her at the earliest opportunity upon his return.

Now, he was keeping his word.

As Herbert walked into the Water Prison, he felt the familiar ebb of water element waves and looked at the long-waiting silhouette inside.

"Fremay, I'm back..."

But before he could finish, Herbert was taken aback.

Herbert witnessed a scene he had never anticipated before!

In that moment, a pair of slender and delicate jade feet were tentatively treading the water's surface.

Jade!

No... legs!!?

The familiar yet slightly unfamiliar silhouette was using its tail as support behind, cautiously walking upon the water's surface!

Fremay evolved into having legs!

"Hmm?"

The Sea Siren seemed to notice something, turned her head in bewilderment, and upon seeing Herbert, broke into a joyful smile.

"Herbert!"

And then...

Plop.

She fell into the water.

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