"Encounter with the Legendary Sea Siren in the Alien Race Prison, Attack High, Defense Strong, As Monstrous as a Creature, Can't Defeat Even with All Efforts!"
[?]
"Disciple is incompetent, begging the Ancestor to assist me!"
[?]
"Immortal save me! Give me a hand! Why are you just watching, Immortal?"
[?]
Lord Harmonious God seemed to not expect Herbert to react this way, sending three question marks in quick succession and taking a long time before finally speaking.
[...Speak human language.]
Can you act normal? I'm a little scared.
It's not easy to come across someone you can communicate with, and they're like this?
Herbert curled his lip, ultimately deciding not to continue teasing.
Though continuing to tease was really fun.
"Oh, just saying, I met a Legendary Sea Siren today. She wanted to control my mind, but guess what?"
"Hey! Not only was I unaffected by her song, she was incredibly friendly, wanting to give me a loving hug! Amazing, right?"
"So, regarding this matter, do you have any clue?"
[You noticed?]
The text became more elaborate, faintly conveying the pleasant mood of the person behind it.
"Of course, it was so obvious. I'm not an idiot; it's hard not to notice."
[Heh heh, seems like you now understand my greatness.]
"Understand, totally understand."
Herbert gritted his teeth, temples pulsing with a few veins, his face resolute.
Damn, it's so dark.
Making Minotaur women and Goblin women prance around and charge at me...
This kind of dream is definitely something no normal person can imagine!
It's too twisted.
Though the Evil God left a trace of Mercy, in the end not really following through, not letting Herbert truly break down.
Even so, it has already caused irreversible mental damage.
His mind's sullied!
Filled with memory fragments comparable to ancient pollution, tucked within the folds of his brain.
Herbert shook his head, taking a deep breath to divert his attention elsewhere.
[Glad you understand, hehehe...]
[With my protection, a mere Legendary Sea Siren is nothing~]
Boasting, the Evil God even drew a smug stick figure face on the paper.
[However, the ineffectiveness of Charm Power has little to do with me~ you might want to think about what other protection you might have?]
Other protection... oh!
Herbert pondered and then realized; it was the Purity Protection of his that he grudgingly accepted.
Mind clean, unaffected by any charm.
Herbert originally thought this ability merely increased his Charm Resistance, but it turns out it directly made him immune.
Immune to Charm!
That would explain why the Monastery higher-ups dared let him manage the prison alone.
With the Purity Oath Protection, as long as Herbert doesn't break the oath himself, he won't be charmed by anyone, won't be played with by the Monster Girls in the prison.
So, just like a wage slave who drinks three cups of black coffee and carries quick heart-relief pills to work overtime, is a true toolman self-prepared with resistance?
[That's right, although I look down on Him, as long as this Holy Mark Protection remains, all Charm Power will be ineffective against you.]
"But wait, last night, wasn't I charmed by you?"
I almost got tricked out of my room by you!
[You're comparing them to me? How little do you think of me?]
"Oh..."
Serve me right.
You are the Evil God, you are awesome.
Herbert's mouth twitched, barely resisting questioning—if you are so awesome, then why can you only come online after midnight?
Is it because you don't want to?
Or did your mother not let you play with your phone, so you have to sneak around at night?
They continued to bicker for a while, but it was Herbert who eventually changed the subject, writing earnestly: "I say, enough with the pointless banter, shouldn't we discuss the serious matters?"
[Oh ho? What do you wish to discuss?]
"Your goals, what you need me to do, and the compensation you can provide."
[Is that a threat to me?]
"Not yet, at this stage it's still just a discussion. If it comes to threats, that's only when we can't reach an agreement."
When discussing serious matters, Herbert shed the casual demeanor, his expression calm, not caring at all what kind of entity he was bargaining with.
It must be known, even though the Evil God belongs to the Evil Domain, no one can ignore the fact that this is a Divine Spirit overlooking the human world.
The natives of this world might hold such an entity in awe, thinking it's irresistible.
But Herbert, reincarnated, had no such mental shackle, his attitude towards Them was one of awe without reverence.
[You're pretty confident~ you really think I'll necessarily follow your ideas?]
Herbert's left hand trembled, a drop of ink from the pen tip fell, quickly spreading and forming an eerie piece of text on the paper:
[Do you really think you have the right to negotiate terms?]
Do you really think, as a mere mortal, you have the right to negotiate with a deity?
The Evil God unreservedly showed contempt, questioning the arrogance of the mortal.
And the mortal... paid it no mind.
"Heh!"
Even chuckled.
"Of course."
Herbert's expression barely changed, and he no longer played around with the pen pal game, calmly speaking: "Because the one who needs something here isn't me, it's you."
He leaned back in his chair, letting the front legs lift off the ground, leisurely rocking back and forth.
"Don't rush to refute, let me walk you through it."
"The one who came uninvited is you, the one who's been dragging me into playing this boring game is you, and the one who's sealed and trapped... is also you."
The room was silent, only his monologue echoing.
"Additionally, today has confirmed something for me—you are weaker than I initially imagined."
"Do you really think I did nothing during the day but cower in some corner trembling?"
"Here's a little tip, guess why I initially asked you about the Sea Siren?"
The young man sneered, just as the Evil God previously scorned the mortal, now ridiculing the deity's stupidity and arrogance.
"Did you really think I was just bored out of my mind?"
Buzz—
A faint buzzing hummed in his ear, as if some presence was angrily interfering with reality.
But Herbert ignored it, continuing to talk to himself.
"Your reaction gave me the answer, you're not an omniscient being."
"You don't know about my encounter with the Sea Siren, don't know what happened at the time, or what I discussed with her... which means, you can't really know what's on my mind."
"Even if you are truly an Evil God, you're not as terrifying, as insurmountable as I first imagined."
"Am I right, dear Evil God?"
Click.
"Now..."
The wobbling chair legs settled, the young man crossed his right leg, leisurely asking:
"Do I have the right to negotiate terms with you now?"