The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 603 - 627 Brotherhood
Chapter 603: Chapter 627: Brotherhood Chapter 603: Chapter 627: Brotherhood “I assure you, Shuni’s church promotes and extols beautiful, sincere love,” the Elf Priest said. “You know, there are always such cases in the world: two people genuinely in love get separated due to misunderstandings, impulsiveness, immaturity, lack of experience, and various other regrettable but entirely avoidable reasons, and they never end up together in the end. Our study of the psychology of lovers is aimed at preventing such situations, because only true love can make Lady Fire more powerful.”
“This kind of study sounds like it could easily veer into dangerous territory,” Kalalin remarked.
“My defense is that only by understanding the characteristics and methods of evil can you recognize it in time and avoid harm,” the Elf Priest responded. “Kalalin, I think you might understand my point.”
“If we had only just met, I would say: The Dark Cult studies the Abyss and Demons for some noble purpose, so that the Kings and Lords of mortals would not be helpless in the face of chaos and evil invasions. However, that’s not the case.” The Scholar shrugged, “The core idea of the Cult is that knowledge is neither good nor evil, but it provides us with the power of choice. The study of the Abyss might make us controlled by madness, devoured by evil, and seen as enemies by both Demons and Holy Warriors, but in the fight against ignorance and fear, we will never submit.”
The flowers in the courtyard were still blooming brilliantly, which was certainly due to the effect of Lancelot’s mysterious green liquid, but it was also evident that someone took care of them regularly. After Kalalin finished speaking, no one immediately responded; the three of them just stood silently, as if they were simply admiring the beautiful blossoms.
“Alamir, I think you should just say your view, no need to seek Kalalin’s support,” said the Scholar.
“Um… Okay,” the Elf Priest said somewhat awkwardly, scratching his head. “What I want to say is that love also holds tremendous power. It can make a person blind, fanatic, and even recklessly brave. Unlike tangible weapons or detectable Magic, hardly anyone can resist the power of love, and this is precisely what we Priests of Shuni are working to improve.”
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“Speaking of using love…” Lancelot hesitated, “Are you referring to Demons like Succubi?”
“I’ve always been curious when you would ask me about that,” the Elf Priest said with a smile, walking over and sitting down by an exquisite stone platform in the yard, “You might be surprised by the answer, but according to our practical work experience, it’s most often ordinary mortals who commit these sins. Conversely, it’s those Fiends who appear on the list of victims.”
“What?” Lancelot looked shocked. “How can that be?”
“As I’ve always said, love is one of the most powerful forces in the Multiverse,” Alamir shrugged, “Whether it’s mortals, Fiends, Fairies, or beings from the Heavens, all are equally vulnerable in the face of such a majestic force. Even those Undead who are thought to be emotionless are seen to fall at the slightest touch of true love.”
“Incredible,” Lancelot pinched a Dharma Decree in his hand, and the plants around them began to move toward them, leaving fresh fruit on the stone platform. “Are you really not just trying to comfort me?”
“I can offer a different perspective,” Kalalin said, grabbing a yellow berry and skillfully beginning to peel it, “Many people know that Succubi and Lust Demons represent Demons and Devils enticing people to fall on the Prime Material Plane, leading countless souls towards the Bottomless Abyss and Barto Hell, but how exactly do they do it?”
“With their enchanting faces and supernatural charm,” Alamir picked up another berry from the table, “Straightforward and brutal, very effective.”
“Indeed, it’s just as you said, but the reality is much more complicated.” Kalalin popped the peeled fruit into his mouth, a blissful expression crossing his face. “Mmm, Lancelot, these you’ve made are simply divine… Continuing our earlier topic, anyone with even a slight understanding of the Blood War’s scale would realize that Fiends wouldn’t likely take a one-on-one approach to lure people into corruption; it’s not only inefficient but also too prone to exposing their identity.”
“So what would they do?” Lancelot asked curiously. “I remember you once said that if someone’s will is twisted by magic such as Charm, their sins would not lead their souls to the lower planes after death?”
“That’s correct, which is why these seductive Fiends adopt a more covert yet more efficient method.” Kalalin picked up another berry. “Take Succubi, whom I am more familiar with, for instance. First, they choose a suitable target for their scheme, typically avoiding settlements with powerful wizards or large temples. Then, they appear as a figure of immense charm, yet elusive to conquest, leaving everyone who sees them unable to forget. At first, the Succubus doesn’t take any overtly scandalous actions, simply subtly influencing the inward ideology of people, noticeably easing the strictures around sexual desire. In some overly strict societies, this change might not be a bad thing, but as long as she stays within the settlement, the alterations grow gradually more perilous.”
“The Succubus observes the conflicts among her suitors, rewarding those competitors who resort to any means, thus encouraging and guiding all manner of decadent behaviors. Gradually, the whole settlement begins to deviate from its original social morals, with people becoming increasingly uninhibited in pursuit of romance, and the pursued coming to believe that excessive behavior is a sign of ‘love’, while the Succubus continues to fan the flames from the sidelines. In the end, the traditional moral framework is completely discarded, and people have no qualms about satisfying their desires, even if it means harming others. By this stage, reversing the community’s fall into degeneracy is exceedingly difficult; unless there is direct intervention by Divine Power, there is little that can prevent these unfortunate souls from being sent to the Bottomless Abyss after death, becoming cannon fodder in the Blood War.”
“But these behaviors are all part of the Succubus’s job, their professional skill.” The Elf Priest interjected. “However, if they accidentally get themselves caught up in the process, now that would be interesting… Remember Elothysia? That’s a prime example.”
Lancelot glanced at Alamir somewhat guiltily and quickly swallowed a berry, skin and all.
“And Tijana is also an exceptional case. From the beginning, she made her appearance as a Lord, relying on force, stratagems, and wealth to build Twin Bridges Town from a small trading post into one of the main munitions manufacturing bases on the Plains of the Abyss.” Kalalin continued with enthusiasm, “The rise of Twin Bridges Town is nothing short of legendary, but the entire process never involved the Succubus’s core job—inducing mortals to fall into depravity through desire. And you, as far as I know, are the only lover she has publically taken record of…”
“And the reason turned out to be because she felt threatened by competitors, from three female Giant Dragons,” Alamir said with a grin he couldn’t suppress. “Lancelot, you don’t even look all that handsome, and while you can fight, you’re not quite unbeatable, so how did someone like you catch her eye…”
“Personal charm, no other explanation,” Lancelot said with a smile, shaking his head as he stood up from the stone bench. “Alright, let’s go back. Oh, Alamir, aren’t you quite knowledgeable about dragons? Do you know which part of their body is the softest?”
“What are you planning?” The Elf’s face showed suspicion.
“Grilling tonight, have to prepare some ingredients.” Lancelot pulled out the Dimensional Bag given to him by the Halfling Pakos. “The corpses of the ancient White Dragon and its son are right in here, still fresh.”
“That’s a hefty task.” Alamir also stood up. “Dragon hide is very tough; it will be tricky to handle…”
“Don’t worry, we have this.” A short sword sparkling with starlight appeared in the Human Knight’s hand. “Finally going to put it to good use.”
