The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 569 - 593 Refusal

Chapter 569: Chapter 593 Refusal Chapter 569: Chapter 593 Refusal Nakala’s words truly shocked everyone present. Was she inviting Lancelot, a human, to become the Commander of the Giants’ army in the upper planes?

“Surprised?” The blue-haired Demi-goddess revealed a smile that suggested she had everything under control, “I can see what you have been through, mortal. Your past is an epic written in steel, blood, and flame, and on the snowy plains outside the Gate of Stroddet, you have proven that you can also handle the combat among Giants. Of course, not many will be willing to accept your command at first, but I believe you have the capability to gradually gain the trust of more Giants.”

“Your proposal truly honors me,” Lancelot shook his head, “but I regret that I must decline.”

“What?”

‘What?’

The voices of the Demi-goddess and the Succubus Lord resounded unexpectedly both in Lancelot’s ears and in his heart at the same time, each containing different emotions. Nakala’s face showed displeasure for the first time, and the temperature in the cave seemed to drop dozens of degrees instantly, while Gertie standing behind her spoke outright in anger:

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“You dare to refuse Princess Nakala’s request, human? Mind your status!”

‘A wise choice.’ Tijana sounded much happier than before, ‘I knew you wouldn’t be tempted by such trash…’

‘Have some confidence in yourself.’ Lancelot replied somewhat speechlessly, ‘My lady, you are much stronger than she is.’

“Can you tell me why?” Nakala’s voice was icy as she began, “You didn’t even ask what benefits there would be.”

“My identity is one of the reasons,” Lancelot shrugged indifferently, “I am just a human, not a Giant.”

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“Don’t you possess the ability to transform?” Nakala frowned as she asked, “The power obtained from Qiao’s blood, am I not right?”

“That’s true, but it can’t last for long, and it would not work if I had to march with the Giants,” Lancelot shook his head, “To bring out a hundred percent combat effectiveness of an army, a Commander must have unquestionable authority, which is something I could never attain in Lord Geogad’s army.”

“Qiao will convince them,” the blue-haired Demi-goddess insisted, “As long as you perform well, you can definitely…”

“Your Highness, you are truly benevolent, and I am profoundly honored by that, but you are of half-blood from the Goddess of Winter, not purely Giant,” Lancelot firmly shook his head again, “I am not ignorant of Giant culture; I know that the great Father of Giants created a hierarchical system called the Ordning, to let each Giant tribe understand who is closer to His knees. The Ordning ranks, from highest to lowest, go as follows: Storm Giants, Cloud Giants, Fire Giants, Frost Giants, Stone Giants, Hill Giants, and at the bottom are distant relatives and collateral branches, such as Two-Headed Giants, Cyclopes, Ogres, and the cursed deform Giants, and so on. But what about humans, Dwarfs, Elves? We are not even part of this system, our status even lower than those who worship the Abyssal Lord. This hierarchy is strict; even a chieftain of the Stone Giants could not compare to the most ordinary Frost Giant; at the same time, it is deeply ingrained in all Giant hearts, no matter how outstanding my performance may be, it would be impossible to win the trust of those Frost Giants.”

“You think you understand Giants better than I do?” Nakala’s face lost all traces of a smile, “After all that talk, these are just excuses for your refusal. How foolish, you have no idea what kind of glory you have just missed!”

“Everyone regrets a certain decision they made at some time, wondering if the outcome would be different if everything could be done over,” Lancelot shrugged nonchalantly, “but at this moment, I still adhere to my original viewpoint; your proposal is a tremendous honor, but it is indeed not suitable for me.”

“Suit yourself, human,” Nazaka turned stiffly, and the cave became even colder, frost forming on the ground even beside the campfire, “I know you’re looking for something, and in light of what you’ve done before, here’s a piece of advice: once Qiao conquers Kostcheqi’s lair, all the treasure inside will belong to him. If you dare to touch a single coin, don’t blame Qiao for turning on you!”

“I sincerely wish him the greatest glory,” Lancelot bowed to the demi-goddess’s retreating back, “one that matches your own glory.”

“Hmph!”

Leaving behind a disdainful snort, Nazaka left the cave where everyone was hiding, followed by Gertie who shot a fierce glance before walking out as well. Lancelot’s spirit perception this time sensed the fluctuations of spatial magic, and soon after, the presence of the two visitors disappeared completely, evidently having teleported away.

‘Looks like you’re safe for now.’ Tijana’s pleased voice rang in Lancelot’s consciousness, ‘I still have so much to do…’

‘What kind of succubus are you?’ Lancelot complained through the mental connection, ‘Shouldn’t you spend more time with the target of your charm?’

‘Sorry, but I am still the lord of Twin Bridges Town, with tens of thousands to tend to in their daily needs,’ Tijana’s voice grew serious, ‘The demons have rallied another legion to strengthen the assault on Volcano Fortress, I can even smell Bartez’s stench from my balcony. The entire output of the Craftsmen’s District is now being sent to the fortress, I’ve even agreed to their demands for not paying in advance!’

‘Ah, that’s the Tijana I like, you have a different charm when you’re working hard,’ Lancelot said beaming, ‘Anything else troubling you, my lady?’

‘Yes, my lover seems to prefer spending his energy sparring with me in the training field rather than more interesting activities.’ Tijana’s voice suddenly became full of seduction again, ‘Haven’t changed your mind? Your persistence is making me doubt my own charm.’

‘Because I prefer the top,’ Lancelot answered earnestly, ‘Is that so hard to understand?’

‘…We need to have a proper talk about this issue face to face when you come back,’ Tijana fell silent for a while before changing the subject, ‘The dwarves are now only getting four hours of sleep a day, you really should hear what they call me behind my back… hurry up and bring back Dain Frostbeard’s armor, that thing should greatly boost their morale.’

‘Alright,’ Lancelot promised, ‘If everything goes well, we’ll soon have a chance to infiltrate Glacial Fortress.’

‘After you get it, come straight back, and don’t take any detours like last time to Androlina.’

‘Of course, I have no interest in stone.’

‘It’s not ok even if it’s not like stone!’

‘As you command, my lady,’ Lancelot suppressed a laugh, ‘I promise not to confirm whether or not that’s true.’