How Much Is Morality Worth?

Harvey could not bear to watch.

The previous mages had all been so enraged by those words that they had nearly fallen out with him.

Detect Evil was a spell unique to holy professionals. It could detect evil people hiding among humans, such as evil-god worshippers and criminals.

But the spell could only detect evil; it could not distinguish what kind of evil it was. Sometimes, the evil in one's heart would also be detected.

Who could guarantee that they had never harbored an evil thought?

Among the ten most annoying things paladins on the continent were known to do, casually casting Detect Evil definitely ranked first.

Telling someone before casting Detect Evil seemed polite, but in reality, it put them on trial before the court of morality.

If they agreed, there was a good chance evil thoughts would be detected. If they refused, then under everyone's watchful eyes, wouldn't that clearly mean they had something to hide?

The previous mages had flown into a rage, believing it to be an insult. One hot-tempered mage had even nearly started a fight. If Harvey had not stepped in to mediate, someone might have died on the spot.

He had thought that after several similar incidents, this single-minded Paladin would rein himself in a little. He had not expected him to make such an impolite request again.

Amber Xiu said nothing. He, too, felt that the request was outrageous.

It was no wonder these Paladins were disliked, especially the Paladins of the Lyne Empire. They were practically fanatics.

Harvey was still worried that Amber Xiu might lose his temper on the spot, but Amber Xiu's reaction was unexpectedly calm.

The moment he saw the Paladin appear, he knew that Detect Evil was coming. Even though Amber Xiu's Transformation Spell was flawless, the Paladin's ability to sense undead was no joke. Even if he could not spot any flaws, he would still grow suspicious.

When the other party made the request, Amber Xiu fell silent for a moment before saying to the Paladin, "As a Paladin, you should know very well that this kind of request is an offense to others."

The Paladin replied in a practiced tone, "Detect Evil does no harm to people. It merely detects evil thoughts. If you have no evil in your heart, not only will you be unaffected, it will also prove your integrity."

Amber Xiu replied without hesitation, "Most people do not need to prove their integrity. Their survival has nothing to do with whether they are upright. Rather, the word 'integrity' has become an added value for noble knights like you. Your faith and your honor are burdens to others. Do you admit that?"

The Paladin nodded. "To nonbelievers and heretics, they truly do not understand the meaning of integrity. You have said so much—are you preparing to refuse?"

The Paladin was not surprised. Refusing Detect Evil was the normal reaction; those willing to accept it were few and far between. But that did not mean he would lower his standards.

Amber Xiu said, "I am not refusing. I am discussing the matter reasonably. Since Detect Evil is merely meant to satisfy your personal religious needs, while I have to bear additional risks, shouldn't this test naturally cost extra?"

The Paladin fell silent, while Harvey was utterly dumbfounded.

It was his first time seeing someone charge money for Detect Evil. What kind of bargaining genius was this? How could he make it sound so reasonable?

Although the Paladin did not show the slightest emotion, his fingers began to tremble. He seemed to be hesitating. Something about this felt wrong, yet he could not find a reason to refute it.

Amber Xiu added casually, "Unwilling? It seems your faith is nothing special after all."

That was going too far. The War Priest on the other side heard this and placed a hand on the spiked mace at his waist, ready to cast Holy Fire at any moment.

"What? Did I say something wrong? Practicing one's faith requires sacrifice. You know the Paladin's oath better than I do. Yet you are unwilling even to pay money, choosing instead to force the risk onto someone else. If the Lord of Dawn you worship were to find out, the flames of judgment would probably fall upon your heads."

As soon as he finished speaking, a tidal wave of cheers erupted throughout the tavern.

"Well said!"

"Sacrificing yourself is faith. Sacrificing others—what is that, a cult?!"

"I've disliked these hypocritical Paladins for a long time!"

"Lyne's lapdogs only know how to run their mouths!"

There were quite a few nonhuman races in the tavern. Amber Xiu's words had struck directly at their hearts, and some even shouted that they wanted to buy him a drink.

Listening to the surrounding patrons jeer and cheer, the Paladin held back the furious War Priest and asked, "How much do you want?"

Amber Xiu smiled faintly. "That depends on how much your faith is worth."

"That sort of rhetoric is meaningless. My faith cannot be measured in money. However, you are right. Interrogating someone else's morality should indeed come at a price. So how much is your morality worth?"

Harvey, who had been watching the show from the side, could not help praising him inwardly. As expected of a Paladin regarded as the backbone of the Lyne Empire.

The asking price had shifted from the value of the Paladin's faith to the value of Amber Xiu's morality. No matter how much Amber Xiu asked for, it would prove that his morality could be sold, making him an immoral person.

Besides mastering powerful combat techniques, every Paladin had to pass examinations in literature, history, and art. They were believers in the Lord of Dawn and practitioners of the divine teachings. They were absolutely not brainless fools, or they would tarnish the dignity of the Lord of Dawn.

Amber Xiu had been countered, and he was slightly surprised. This Paladin had reacted rather quickly. He had underestimated him.

How much was morality worth?

Faced with the question, Amber Xiu smiled faintly and replied, "You want me to name a price for my own morality. I could casually name a figure you could never afford. But that would be rather ugly. I do not possess the pure will of a holy professional, so any price I named offhand would be nothing more than a lie and an evasion. Neither of us would gain anything that way.

"So you need not worry. My price will be perfectly fair."

The Paladin said in surprise, "I have never heard of any standard for measuring morality in money. Master Ultraman, I am genuinely interested in your price."

Amber Xiu said confidently, "According to the laws of Alchemy City, if either party to a transaction commits fraud or deception, the party that violates the contract must pay a penalty of ten times the amount. In Alchemy City, the standard for morality is therefore 'fake one, pay ten.' According to the commission you issued, the payment for this adventure is five hundred gold coins. Since this commission takes place in Alchemy City, let us follow Alchemy City's standards.

"You want to interrogate 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 only true for ordinary people. As a Paladin of the Lyne Empire and a member of the Royal Paladin Legion, he was a powerful noble with his own fief. This amount would at most make his heart ache a little; it was not something he needed to worry about.

Moreover, Amber Xiu's explanation sounded perfectly reasonable. The tavern patrons were watching and jeering. For now, they were only mocking the two of them, but if this continued, they might start insulting even the Lord of Dawn.

A damaged reputation for their deity was something no Paladin could accept.

"Fine. Five thousand gold coins is nothing. I accept."

The Paladin took out a tiny leather pouch. When he opened it, a stream of gold coins poured out with a clatter.

A Magic Pocket capable of storing a large number of items—this thing alone was worth more than ten thousand gold coins. As expected of a rich man.

Amber Xiu calmly counted the gold coins, looking completely confident. Harvey could not help wondering whether he truly had a clear conscience. Could it be that Master Ultraman really could guarantee his soul was pure and flawless, without the slightest evil thought?

(End of chapter)