How Much Is Moral Value Worth

Chapter 20: How Much Is Morality Worth?

Harvey couldn't bear to watch.

The previous few Mages had almost lost their tempers because of this very sentence.

Detect Evil was a spell unique to Holy Professions, capable of detecting evil individuals hidden among humans, such as cultists of evil gods, criminals, and so on.

However, this spell could only detect evil, not differentiate between types of evil. Sometimes, even evil thoughts could be detected.

Who could guarantee they never had an evil thought?

Among the top ten most annoying behaviors of Paladins circulating on the Continent, casually casting Detect Evil was absolutely ranked number one.

Announcing it before casting seemed polite, but it actually put people on the moral judgment stand.

If you agreed, you might be detected for evil thoughts. If you refused, in full view of everyone, it clearly showed you had something to hide.

The previous Mages had erupted in anger, considering it an insult. One particularly hot-tempered Mage had almost started a fight. If Harvey hadn't intervened to break them up, lives might have been lost on the spot.

He had thought that after a few similar incidents, this stubborn Paladin might have learned some restraint. He hadn't expected him to make such an outrageous demand again.

Amber Xiu remained silent; he also found the request absurd.

It wasn't without reason that these Paladins were disliked, especially the Paladins of the Lyne Empire, who were practically zealots.

Harvey worried that Amber Xiu would lose his temper on the spot, but Amber Xiu's reaction was surprisingly calm.

The moment he saw the Paladin appear, he knew Detect Evil was coming. Even if Amber Xiu's Transformation Spell was perfect, a Paladin's sensitivity to Undead was no joke; they might become suspicious even if they couldn't find a flaw.

When the other party made the request, Amber Xiu paused for a moment and said to the Paladin, "As a Paladin, you should know very well that such a request is an offense to others."

The Paladin said in a practiced tone, "Detect Evil is harmless to people; it merely detects evil thoughts. If you have no evil in your heart, not only will you be unaffected, but it will also prove your righteousness."

Amber Xiu retorted without hesitation, "Most people don't need to prove their righteousness. Their survival has nothing to do with whether they are righteous. Instead, the word 'righteousness' has become an added value for noble Knights like yourselves. Your faith, your honor, is merely a burden to others. Do you deny this?"

The Paladin nodded and said, "For the faithless and heretics, they indeed do not understand the meaning of righteousness. Are you saying all this because you intend to refuse?"

The Paladin wasn't surprised. Refusing Detect Evil was the normal reaction; very few were willing to accept it. But that didn't mean he would lower his standards.

Amber Xiu, however, said, "It's not a refusal, but a reasonable discussion of the issue. Since Detect Evil is merely to satisfy your personal faith, while I have to bear the extra risk, shouldn't this test... naturally come with a price?"

The Paladin fell silent, and Harvey was dumbfounded.

It was the first time he had ever seen someone charge money for Detect Evil. What a negotiation genius! How could he have put it so reasonably?

Although the Paladin showed no outward expression, his fingers couldn't help but tremble. He seemed to be hesitating. Something felt wrong, but he couldn't find a reason to refute it.

Amber Xiu calmly added, "Unwilling? It seems your faith is nothing more than that."

This was too much. The War Priest on the other side heard this and had already reached for the nail hammer at his waist, ready to cast a Holy Fire spell.

"What, did I say something wrong? Practicing faith requires sacrifice. You all know the Paladin's oath better than I do. Yet, you're unwilling to pay even a little, merely shifting the risk onto others. If the Lord of Dawn you believe in knew this, the flames of judgment would likely fall upon you."

After he finished speaking, the tavern erupted in thunderous cheers.

"Well said!"

"Right! Sacrificing oneself is faith, but what is sacrificing others? Some kind of cult?!"

"I've long disliked these hypocritical Paladins!"

"Lyne's lapdogs only know how to talk!"

There were many non-human races in the tavern, and Amber Xiu's words struck a chord with them. Some even shouted that they would buy Amber Xiu a drink.

Listening to the heckling from the surrounding patrons, the Paladin held back the enraged War Priest and asked, "How much do you want?"

Amber Xiu smiled slightly and said, "That depends on how much your faith is worth."

"Such rhetoric is meaningless. My faith cannot be measured by money. However, you are right; questioning others' morality should indeed come at a cost. So, what is your morality worth?"

Harvey, watching from the side, couldn't help but want to praise him. As expected of a Paladin considered a pillar of the Lyne Empire.

The offer shifted from the Paladin's faith value to Amber Xiu's moral worth. Regardless of the offer, it would prove that Amber Xiu's morality could be bought, thus making him a depraved person.

Every Paladin, in addition to mastering powerful combat skills, also had to undergo trials in literature, history, and art. They were believers of the Lord of Dawn, practitioners of divine teachings, and by no means foolish idiots, as that would tarnish the majesty of the Lord of Dawn.

Amber Xiu was slightly surprised to be countered like this. The Paladin's reaction was quite swift; he had underestimated him.

How much was morality worth?

Facing this question, Amber Xiu smiled slightly and replied, "You ask me to put a price on my own morality. I could have casually made up a number you absolutely couldn't afford. But doing so would be too unsightly. I don't possess the pure will of a Holy Profession; casually quoting a price would merely be a lie and a pretense, benefiting neither of us.

"Therefore, you don't need to worry. My price will be very fair."

The Paladin said in surprise, "I've never heard of a standard for measuring morality with money. Master Ultraman, I am genuinely interested in your offer."

Amber Xiu said confidently, "According to the laws of Alchemy City, if either party in a transaction engages in fraud or deception, the breaching party must pay ten times the compensation for the false claim. In Alchemy City, the standard for morality is ten times compensation. According to the commission you posted, the reward for this adventure is five hundred Gold Coins. Since this commission takes place in Alchemy City, let's use Alchemy City's standards.

"If you want to question my morality, then give me five thousand Gold Coins, and I will accept your Detect Evil. Do you think this transaction is reasonable?"

Five thousand Gold Coins sounded like a huge sum, but that was for ordinary people. For a Paladin of the Lyne Empire, a member of the Royal Paladin Legion, and a powerful noble with actual landholdings, this amount would at most cause him some heartache, but not be too concerning.

Moreover, Amber Xiu's reasoning sounded plausible. The patrons in the tavern were watching and heckling, and at this point, they were only mocking the two of them. But if this continued, they might even end up insulting the Lord of Dawn.

To implicate a Deity's reputation and cause it harm was something a Paladin could not accept.

"Alright, five thousand Gold Coins is nothing. I accept."

The Paladin took out a small leather pouch, opened it, and poured out a large amount of Gold Coins.

A Magic Pocket capable of storing a vast quantity of items. This item alone was worth over ten thousand Gold Coins. Truly, he was a rich man.

Amber Xiu slowly and meticulously counted the Gold Coins, appearing completely confident. This made Harvey wonder if he truly had a clear conscience. Could it be that this Master Ultraman was genuinely able to guarantee his soul was pure and spotless, without a trace of evil intent?