Chapter 1130 - 529: Never Seen Anything Like This...

Chapter 1130: Chapter 529: Never Seen Anything Like This...

A living ice block.

Powerful, beautiful, rational, but just doesn’t feel like a living person.

Back then the Witch Association had only just been founded. The chiefs of each tower relied on the Chairwoman’s overwhelming strength and took her as their sole leader.

But in secret, they were like any other outsiders, treating her as some terrifying monster.

Maybe Herbert’s words tugged at the Witch Association Chairwoman’s old memories; her gaze trembled slightly, and her previously calm aura rippled a bit.

"Looks like you know quite a lot."

The old woman let out a soft sigh and said slowly, "Indeed, no matter how you look at it, with the Witch Association’s current strength, picking a fight with the most renowned Godslayer... the end result is something we simply couldn’t accept."

"Giving Finn a chance might not even earn his gratitude. He’s probably already resenting me by now... I’m well aware of all that."

She looked at the young man before her—full of vitality, yet possessing formidable power—shook her head slightly and said softly, "But if all we have left is rationality, then we’re no different from puppets controlled by the Rules."

"You’re still too young. You don’t yet understand the price to be paid behind all this."

Herbert’s heart gave a jolt at the Witch Association Chairwoman’s words; he vaguely realized where the change in her came from.

She had undergone a spiritual metamorphosis.

Compared to a cold block of ice, now she was more like a real, living person.

["Oh? So he actually noticed that."]

Nenasha, rare for her, also gave the Witch Association Chairwoman a subtle evaluation at this moment: ["If she hadn’t awakened too late, and if she weren’t already this old, she genuinely would have had a good chance to advance to Saint."]

?

Herbert blinked and asked inwardly, "You mean she no longer has any chance to promote to Saint?"

["Who knows~"]

Miss Xie Shen wasn’t very interested in mortals other than Herbert, and tossed out an utterly irresponsible answer.

["If some Divine were willing to grant her help beyond the Rules, sharing their authority with her, then there’d still be some chance, hehe~"]

["But if she can only rely on herself, then just maintaining her current level of power is probably already her limit."]

The Witch Association Chairwoman had taken the wrong path. Though she finally realized the problem, it was already too late; there was no going back.

In that moment Herbert didn’t feel glad that he had meddled and forced a correction on Philia earlier; instead, he suddenly thought of the Sun Goddess—did she still have time to turn back?

After that brief emotional sigh, the Witch Association Chairwoman returned to her previous coolness, picked up the conversation again, and said calmly:

"Finn isn’t like you. His way of doing things is not decisive enough."

"You’re like a sharp-sensed carnivorous beast. Once you catch the scent of blood, you’ll take the initiative to strike without the slightest hesitation."

"As long as you sense any opportunity at all, even if it’s just a faint glimmer of hope, you’ll charge forward and seize it directly, not giving the other side any time to react."

Hearing this, Herbert blinked rapidly, his mouth falling slightly open. He very much wanted to raise his hand, interrupt her, and loudly explain.

Wait a second!

Who exactly are you talking about?

What beast?

Eh, me?

Since when did I become that kind of image in other people’s eyes?

I’m clearly an honest, proper, pure and clueless shy boy who blushes whenever he sees a woman.

They’re the ones always making a move on me!

I’m obviously a little lamb to be slaughtered!

["Heh."]

The Witch Association Chairwoman didn’t know about Herbert’s internal drama. Seeing him look like he wanted to say something but stayed silent, she didn’t think much of it.

"Finn, on the other hand, is different. Because of his experiences of near vagrancy in his youth, he developed an overly cautious personality."

"To draw a comparison, he’s like a scavenger beast hiding in the corner, always moving through the shadows, looking for an opening to exploit."

"Though there is a ruthless, vicious side in his character, he lacks bloodlust at crucial moments and keeps missing his chances again and again."

"He’ll always make sure everything is prepared down to perfection, and only then will he choose an appropriate timing to carry out his plan."

"Even if he has spent these past years disguising himself as a beast, it still can’t change his inherently timid and cowardly nature. He’s just a pretended strong man."

By the time she finished, the old woman had fully reverted to her prior cold demeanor, and said indifferently:

"My banishment of Finn is a crisis for him, but it’s also a challenge. If he manages to survive by sheer luck, he’ll have a chance to transform into a genuine strong man."

"Whatever the future holds, the Witch Association will no longer owe him anything."

To the Witch Association Chairwoman, Finn was indeed an ambitious man coveting her position, but over the years he’d also done a decent job of building up the entire Witch Association. If not merit, then at least toil.

This move could be considered as clearing all past grudges in one stroke.

Whether in the future Finn returns seeking revenge or returns to express gratitude, that’s all a matter for another day.

"Madam Chairwoman, you do know how to joke."

Once she finished speaking, Herbert finally opened his mouth. He shook his head and said seriously, "I’m definitely not that kind of beast who acts purely on instinct, like you said."

No. Absolutely not.

I am clearly the weaker side here!

"Then do you act on wisdom?"

"No, what I rely on is sincerity!"

Witch Association Chairwoman: ???

Herbert ignored the old woman’s strange look, shook his head firmly, and without feeling there was anything wrong with his words, said earnestly:

"The reason I’ve managed to get to where I am now isn’t scheming or plotting. It’s all about sincerity for sincerity."