Harvey couldn't bear to look.
Several mages before him had nearly lost their temper over this remark.
Evil Detection is a spell unique to the holy professions that can reveal malevolent beings hidden among humans, such as Followers of the Evil God and criminals.
However, the spell can only detect evil, not discern its specific nature. Sometimes, even harboring evil thoughts would trigger its detection.
Who can guarantee they harbor no evil thoughts?
Among the top ten most annoying behaviors of Paladins, as commonly agreed upon across the continent, casting Evil Detection recklessly is without a doubt at the top of the list.
Giving a heads-up before casting Evil Detection seems polite, but in reality, it puts one on the moral judgment stand.
If you agree, your evil thoughts are very likely to be detected, but if you refuse, in full view of everyone, aren't you blatantly admitting to a guilty conscience?
Several mages before had raged, seeing it as an insult, with one particularly hot-tempered individual nearly coming to blows. If not for Harvey stepping in to break it up, there might have been a casualty on the spot.
One would think that after several similar incidents, this obtuse Paladin might have shown some restraint, yet he still made such an impolite request.
Amberser said nothing, for he too found the request absurd.
It's no wonder these Paladins are disliked; particularly those from the Laine Empire, they're almost indistinguishable from religious zealots.
Harvey was worried Amberser might lash out there and then, but Amberser's reaction was unexpectedly calm.
The moment he saw the Paladin, he knew the issue of Evil Detection was bound to come up; even if Amberser's Shapeshifting was perfect, the Paladin's sensitivity to the Undead was real. Even without finding any flaws, suspicions would arise.
When the request was made, Amberser fell silent for a moment before saying to the Paladin, "As a Paladin, you must be well aware that such a request is offensive to others."
The Paladin replied with practiced ease, "Evil Detection is harmless to the person and merely detects malevolent thoughts; if your heart is free of evil, it won't affect you, and it can even prove your integrity."
Amberser, without hesitation, retorted, "The majority of people don't need to prove their integrity. Their survival is not dependent on whether they are upright or not. Instead, the term 'integrity' has become an added value for knights like yourselves. Your faith, your honor—they are just burdens to others. Do you acknowledge that?"
The Paladin nodded, "For the faithless and heretics, they indeed fail to comprehend the significance of integrity. All that you've said—is it a preparation to refuse?"
The Paladin didn't find it surprising; refusing Evil Detection is the norm, and those willing to accept it are few and far between. But that doesn't mean he would lower his standards.
Yet Amberser said, "It's not about refusal, but rather a logical discussion of the issue. Since Evil Detection serves only to satisfy your personal faith requirements and poses an extra risk to me, shouldn't this test... naturally come with an added fee?"
The Paladin fell silent, and Harvey was flabbergasted.
This was the first time he'd seen someone charge money for performing Evil Detection. What sort of negotiating genius was this? How could he make it sound so reasonable?
Although the Paladin's expression remained unchanged, his fingers began to tremble, indicating hesitation. There was seemingly something off, yet he couldn't find grounds for rebuttal.
Amberser added lightly, "Not willing? It seems that your faith is just so much talk."
That was going too far. The War Priest on the other side heard this and had already reached for the warhammer at his waist, ready to cast Holy Fire at any moment.
"What's the matter—did I say something wrong? Practicing faith requires sacrifice, and you Paladins know your vows better than I do. And yet, you're not willing to pay up, preferring to unload the risks onto others. If your Lord of the Dawn were to find out, it's likely that the fire of judgment would fall upon your own heads."
After these words, a tide of cheers broke out within the tavern.
"Good point!"
"Exactly, sacrificing oneself is called faith, but what is it to sacrifice others, a cult?!"
"I've never liked the looks of these Paladins pretending to be so upright!"
"Laine's lapdogs are only good at running their mouths!"
...
There were quite a few non-human races in the tavern, and Amberser's words struck right to their hearts, with some even shouting out offers to buy Amberser a drink.
Hearing the heckling from the surrounding tavern patrons, the Paladin suppressed the angry War Priest and asked, "How much do you want?"
Amberser replied with a slight smile, "That depends on how much your faith is worth."
"Such rhetoric is meaningless, my faith cannot be measured with money. But you're right, there should be a price for questioning the morality of others, so how much is your morality worth?"
Harvey, who had been enjoying the show from the sidelines, couldn't help but want to praise the Paladin, truly deserving of being seen as a pillar of the Laine Empire.
The quotation went from the value of the Paladin's faith to how much Amberser's morality was worth, no matter the amount, it would prove that Amberser's morality was for sale, making him a man without morals.
Every Paladin, in addition to mastering powerful combat skills, had to be tested in literature, history, and art. They were followers of the Lord of the Dawn, practitioners of the Deity's teachings, definitely not brainless fools, as that would damage the Lord of the Dawn's dignity.
Amberser was taken aback, slightly surprised, as the Paladin reacted faster than he had expected. He had underestimated his opponent.
How much money is moral worth?
Faced with this question, Amberser smiled slightly and responded, "You're asking me to put a price on my own morality. I could easily cite a figure you could never afford, but such would be in poor taste. I lack the pure will of those with sacred vocations; to quote a price off the top of my head would be nothing but lies and evasions, and then neither of us would benefit.
"So, don't worry, my price will be very fair."
The Paladin unexpectedly said, "I've never heard of a standard to measure morality with money, Master Ultraman, I am genuinely interested in your quote."
Amberser confidently said, "According to the laws of Alchemy City, if either party involved in a transaction is found guilty of fraud or deceit, the violating party must pay ten times the amount of the fine. In Alchemy City, the moral standard is tenfold. According to the commission you posted, the bounty for this adventure is five hundred Gold Coins. Since the commission took place in Alchemy City, let's go by the standards of Alchemy City.
"If you want to question my morality, then give me five thousand Gold Coins, and I'll submit to your Evil Detection. Do you think this deal is reasonable?"
Five thousand Gold Coins might sound like a fortune, but that's for ordinary people. A Paladin of the Laine Empire, especially a member of the Royal Paladin Corps with noble rights to lands, would feel a sting losing that amount of money, but wouldn't take it too hard.
Moreover, Amberser's rationale sounded fairly reasonable. The tavern's patrons who were enjoying the spectacle might only be ridiculing the two of them for now. But if it continued, even the Lord of the Dawn might get dragged through the mud.
Damage to the deity's reputation was something the Paladins could not accept.
"Fine, it's just five thousand Gold Coins. I agree."
The Paladin took out a small leather pouch and opened it, pouring out many Gold Coins with a clink.
The Magic Pouch capable of storing a large amount of items was worth tens of thousands of Gold Coins on its own, truly befitting of the wealthy.
Amberser counted the Gold Coins unhurriedly, looking confident and in control, which made Harvey wonder whether he really had a clear conscience. Could it be that Master Ultraman was truly able to ensure his soul was pure and untainted, without a hint of evil thought?