Your Majesty's money, why don't you engrave my name on it?

"...Tell me, how do I get it?"

Without much thought, Reslaufer immediately asked.

"That's simple. You should be able to guess what it is. Like the shapeshifter, it's a shapeshifting creature, and this mist isn't its true form either—but it should soon have to reveal its true form."

"Within its true form, you can find a round or oval object. You can call it a kind of nucleus, pod, or sac. In short, it is one of the few magical materials found in this creature."

“They are Rose’s loyal servants. Killing them and taking their pods would easily attract the attention of the Spider Queen, especially us Nine Hells. But the pods inside Rose’s handmaids must be of good quality. Selling them to my colleagues would not only do me a favor, but also get me a lot of other good things.”

Among the demonic dukes of the Nine Hells, there is one who is obsessed with the study of magic and arcane arts. Most dukes keep their distance from him, but they often have to ask him for favors. The demon in front of Raslaufer is naturally one of them.

Raslaufer looked up in disbelief: "It's that simple?"

“Of course,” the devil’s figure began to sway and blur, “it’s that simple!”

“Go, my dear…” Although the great devil was still dissatisfied—after all, this wasn’t perfect emotional manipulation, but merely going with the flow—Leslaufer’s eyes were indeed bloodshot, and the corners of his mouth curled up again.

"Kill it!"

The tangible yet intangible mist suddenly emitted a deafening wail as Raslaufer swung his sword!

It could not see the demon's visit; it only knew that the man it was about to poison had somehow recovered, and now, his blade was burning with flames formed from the fusion of several elements!

This is absolutely impossible! Even if he were a genius, it would still be completely impossible!

As far as it knew, this power could not possibly be controlled by someone who had never been exposed to magic in their entire life! Even mortal scholars who devoted their entire lives to studying magic could not obtain such power!

It requires an understanding of almost all elements in the world—but he is just a mere mortal warrior!

Rose's handmaid wished it were all a nightmare, that nothing would have happened when she awoke. But the light and the thunder were truly tearing at her body! Telling her it was all real!

It really works!

Raslaufer watched with delight as his sword tore a gap in the mist before him, letting in fresh woodland air that cleared his mind. He twirled the blade several times in his hand, then slashed at another thin wisp of mist!

The blade is so sharp that even the mist has no way to hide from it!

"You won?!" Not far away, Dahl, who was watching the battle, looked at Raslaufer, who had reappeared in the mist after a period of silence, and his fingernails dug into his palms without him realizing it.

"Reslaufer...you little brat, you're just impossible to kill!" The old mercenary jumped to his feet and called to his men, "What are we waiting for? Cheers! Cheers! Give him a thunderous round of applause!"

"He's one of ours!"

Erwin's back was now soaked with sweat—he had actually tried to stop this man from entering the camp that day! He was alive, he was alive!

"Human, I will kill you!"

Raslaufer had already cleaved through the surrounding mist with his knife, but this was not the end. After only a brief silence, a heart-wrenching roar echoed around him. The bleak mist churned and rolled, and suddenly a fist resembling brown mud shot out from the mist, aiming straight for the back of his head.

"How dare you damage the noble body bestowed upon me by the mistress! Mortal, for this you deserve to die!"

Chapter 363 The Wax Melting Demon

Having recovered with the devil's help, Raslaufer pounced to the side, skillfully dodging the incoming attack.

Unlike the usual creature, this creature did not seem to rely on its claws, but its outstretched fists and the arms behind it were unexpectedly heavy. Even just whistling past Raslaufer's ears, it could make Raslaufer feel unparalleled pressure.

At the same time, however, some hot, liquid-like substance seemed to drip down, almost splashing onto Reslaufer's face. Having learned his lesson from the fog once, the mercenary dared not make physical contact again. As he dodged once more, the liquid substance dripped onto the ground and quickly solidified into a lump.

蜡？

Leslaufer raised an eyebrow slightly; it looked like wax from a burning candle—but why?

Despite his surprise, Doppler didn't like to delve into these details during the battle. After confirming that it was indeed wax, when the monster swung its arm again in the increasingly thinning fog, Raslaufer immediately rushed forward, carrying with him the chilling fog and the hot wind, and presented his battle sword and the spirits that accompanied the sword's flight to Rose's handmaiden's face!

But is that really a face?

Leslaufer couldn't tell, but he gritted his teeth and chopped one of the dark red spheres to the side. At the same time, what was sculpted in his heart was the semi-solid, semi-liquid columnar body below!

Isn't this just a candle?!

Leslaufer glanced instinctively at the sphere that had been cleaved in two—was the devil saying that she wanted one too…?

"Those are the Wax Melting Demon's 'eyes,' they're useless to the mistress!" Zheng Ling's voice suddenly rang in his mind. "Keep attacking, it's still alive!"

Dobul's heart skipped a beat. The other party's amorphous appearance made it impossible to tell whether it was dead or alive, or even whether it was flowing or not. Fortunately, however, that "eye" was a good choice.

Six powerful gusts of wind pressed down from behind like a wall, resembling the six segmented limbs of a spider. The mercenary immediately ran to the side, but after dodging the attack, he suddenly turned around and delivered another slash, precisely striking the sphere!

With a series of cracking sounds, a small fissure appeared on the surface of the sphere, and as if opening some kind of Pandora's box, a terrifying and blasphemous power roared out, carrying wails and resentment, almost engulfing Raslaufer. If it were any other warrior of equal skill to Raslaufer, they would likely have been driven mad by this.

Unfortunately, even the manipulation of the great demon was ineffective against Raslaufer, so how could such an influence possibly shake the killing intent in his heart? On the contrary, bathed in the turbulent current of emotions and magic, Raslaufer's large hand, no longer covered in metal, swung forward as if tearing through the turbulent current, moving against the current, and delivering another blow!

"Woohoo woohoo woohoo—" The creature that Zhengling called the Wax Melting Demon let out a howl like a drafty door or window. This was its last desperate cry, but it was utterly powerless to save the life that was truly like a candle flickering in the wind.

Although the dark red sphere was called an eye and could indeed perform a similar function, when it was cleaved into countless fragments by Raslaufer's blade, it marked the beginning of its death countdown!

The surrounding, waxy, semi-solidified bodies began to boil and become even more erratic, countless pseudo-legs and tentacles spreading out from them, a force that even with six arms, Raslaufer could not completely withstand. However, when the wax he had so carefully applied actually dripped onto his unarmored body…

"Hiss, does it hurt?" Leslaufer casually scraped away the solidified wax droplet with the blade, but was almost unharmed—the gift of the Wax Melting Demon's deadly poison largely came from the Spider Queen Rose to whom they served, which was often manifested in the previous forms, but she herself was more adept at using pseudo-legs and her own high temperature to roast her prey.

And just as they are almost unharmed by flames, how could Leslaufer, with a devil's arm and devil's blood flowing through its veins, be burned by such high temperatures?

After realizing that this death throes was not dangerous enough for him, Dubul sneered and immediately launched a counterattack, almost plunging headfirst into the boiling wax-melting demon's body!

He wanted to take the monster's so-called pod while it was still alive!

“You didn’t even explain this to him…” Zheng Ling kept an eye on the battle, but in the theater’s dance floor, she bowed her head and faced her hostess.

“Because he will definitely do it,” the Demon Grand Duke’s lips curled into a smile, “Zhengling, I understand mortals far better than they understand themselves…”

“However…” Suddenly, her gaze froze slightly, as if observing some insignificant detail, “Interesting, this Wax Melting Demon actually has two pods? That paranoid will definitely be interested in this.”

"Two?" At the same time, Raslaufer also noticed the problem, but not by looking, but because he was actually holding two round things between his arms, which were already red from being burned by the Wax Melting Demon's body!

However, the two spherical objects are not the same size, but one is larger than the other. The larger one is about the size of an egg, while the smaller one is about the size of a human eyeball.

The reason Reslaufer was able to make such an accurate judgment was naturally because he had "handled" both of them.

Which one to take? That didn't seem to be a question. Leslaufer struggled to pull his arm back, and the instant the two spheres were torn from their original positions, the Wax Melting Demon screamed in agony as its entire body rapidly began to solidify, and the solidified parts instantly turned into a sky full of black ash!

Even Rose, who practically had four lives, perished at the hands of Raslaufer at this moment—at least in the material world!

"Well done!" Zhengling's voice rang out again. Now, hand them to your right hand, and the mistress will take them away. Thank you for your cooperation!

Raslaufer had no use for the two spheres, so he did as he was told. However, just as the larger one disappeared silently into the darkness of the approaching dawn, the smaller one turned into a pool of waxy oil and seeped into his right arm!

"Ignorant mortal, what are you doing?! Stop right now!" Suddenly, a somewhat hysterical male baritone voice squeezed into Raslaufer's mental link. The voice seemed unremarkable, yet it inexplicably carried boundless pressure!

“I didn’t do it! If I could, I’d cut all the big ones in half for you!” Leslaufer immediately retorted, but at this moment, it didn’t seem to be the best time to argue his point.

In his field of vision, the ashes formed from the melted wax demons beside him suddenly came to life again, piling up in the air and gradually transforming into a monster with the body of a spider and the head of a dark elf woman. She stared at Reslaufer, as if she could see right through him with just one glance. Before Reslaufer could utter a sound, a soft yet cruel hoarse female voice had already completely enveloped him.

Chapter 364 Rewards Beyond Gold Coins

"You killed my maid," the strange being seemed to be in a dream or illusion, looking at Raslaufer with some curiosity. "What exactly are you...?"

When Raslaufer looked around, what he saw was no longer the forest of Rihar, but a huge network woven from thick magical spiderwebs, with various passages and cocoon-like chambers arranged within it. Countless spiders or other similar beings operated them, and portals emitted a dim light, hidden behind the curtain of spiderwebs.

"You are--"

“I am the name you have in mind,” the being, though possessing a monstrous body, still captivated by the deep purple skin and long silver hair of its humanoid features, nodded slightly. “Although you are not my child, I allow you to worship me. Your power has successfully attracted my attention—not every mortal possesses such ability and courage.”

"Or rather, arrogance and hubris—do you know that you have defied a god?"

Raslaufer's eyes narrowed slightly. The other party hadn't put any pressure on him, nor did he seem to intend to kill him outright to avenge his maid. Words alone were far from enough to subdue him.

"I can have as many maids as I want. If there has to be a reason to kill you, it is only because you have offended me, human," Rose, or rather, Her avatar, stood on eight legs, looking down at the tiny figure before her. "If that is the case, even that cowardly Edas cannot save your life, let alone a few demons."

Deities generally do not directly intervene in the material world, but deities themselves do not fall into the category of "general".

"What do you want from me?" Leslaufer didn't believe the other party would waste time threatening a mere mortal like himself. Although goddesses were far superior to demons, their attitudes and reactions towards him should be similar—as the saying goes, no one gets up early without a reason.

“At first, all I wanted was that sword. I wouldn’t let go of any opportunity to make Corellon and that bitch Shahani Moonbow repent for their sins, but you ruined that part,” there was little resentment in his voice. “I will keep my promise and let that girl keep the sword, but I have other plans for you.”

Reslaufer instinctively raised his hand. If anything had just happened, it was only because—

That small, cocoon-like object.

It merged into Reslaufer's body, but when the mercenary looked there, everything changed: his skin color had changed at some point, becoming like those of the dark elves, with a purplish-gray sheen. He hurriedly touched his ears, and the long, pointed parts had also appeared on his body!

"It can change your appearance, making you look like a dark elf. Aren't you a mercenary? Then consider it as me hiring you to do some things for me in place of that sword."

As he spoke, everything around him shattered. Raslaufer instinctively reached out to grab the illusion, but it was in vain. The next moment, he was still standing there, and his outstretched hand had returned to its original color, no longer bearing any trace of the dark elf.

"Wait--"

Raslaufer opened her mouth, but the goddess, just as inexplicably as she appeared, inexplicably disappeared.

“Uncle Raslaufer!” Angelita ran towards him and hugged him tightly. “You won! Are you hurt anywhere? You were just—”

"It's alright, it's alright now." Leslaufer was momentarily dazed, then subconsciously patted the girl's back. "Don't worry, it's dead."

Its owner personally approved it.

“Now, return the sword,” the mercenary turned to look at Lilindra and her daughter, who were still somewhat incredulous. “Or are you going to defy even the will of your own goddess?”

Lillindra and her companion had no desire to fight to begin with, and this was only amplified after witnessing the fall of Rose's handmaiden. Seeing the nearly unharmed Raslaufer turn to look at them, they dared not be negligent and hurriedly and cautiously handed the sword back.

"Can you feel it?" Lilindra lowered her head and asked her eldest daughter quietly.

“Yes, Mother…” Sylvia’s voice held a hint of surprise, “The goddess’s blessing has not left us…?”

"It's even... enhanced?"

This is probably not a good thing. If you want to gain Lolth's favor, you have to pay a considerable price. This is a well-known consensus in dark elf society.

But their mission had clearly failed, and they were lucky not to be punished, so how could this happen?

No one dared to question Rose. Even outside of the Dark Elves, other races had long been spreading rumors that the Spider Queen had gone mad. The members of the Evans family could only continue to walk on thin ice, waiting for the goddess's summons at any time.

That is the torment that every dark elf must face.

“I’m sorry, Uncle Leslaufer…” Angelita took the long sword from Shouzhi, feeling its cold blade, but felt no joy. “If only I had known you were going to face something like that—”

“Ha, stop talking nonsense, Annie,” Leslaufer laughed as he looked at the little girl with red eyes. “So many people want to fight a Waxmelter, but they don’t even have the guts. Look over there!”

Following Leslaufer's finger, Angelita stared wide-eyed at the mercenaries who had already begun celebrating on the spot—as excited as if they had won!

"Damn it, that monster was huge, and it still got killed, so it was worth dying for!"

"This is nothing! Didn't you see the way those dark-skinned elf girls were looking at him? Wow! If I were in his shoes, maybe I could do the same—"

"Get lost! You can beat Erwin first! Didn't you see how scared he was of that guy that day? No wonder he didn't even look down on our Lion back then. Animal, what an animal!"

"Let me tell you, you have no idea! I personally witnessed Raslaufer strangle three hundred knights with one hand. This is nothing compared to what we're seeing today!"

“See?” Leslaufer put his arm around the girl’s shoulder with satisfaction and looked at the proud mercenaries who were boasting so enthusiastically, as if they were the ones who had defeated the Wax-Melting Demon. “In a few months, in their mouths I will be the reincarnation of the Demon Grand Duke and the incarnation of the Demon Lord!”

"Even putting myself aside, besides gold coins, is there any reward more worth risking my life for?"

Chapter 365 Hatred is cheaper than gold

Although this only ranks third among the rewards Raslaufer expects, it often corresponds to the most important category. Defeating, hunting, or even simply killing powerful creatures is what Raslaufer seeks in life—and dying for it is also possible.

Retrieving a sword or something else felt more like a side effect. Reslaufer didn't hold Angelita, who had lost the epic poem, to any fault in this regard. However…

“For a warrior to be disarmed in battle is a humiliation,” Raslaufer said, his tone turning stern as he reprimanded, “Tell me, how did these guys take your sword?”

“Well,” Angelita shrank back guiltily, and quickly recounted her battle with Lilindra and her daughter, “…I already know where my problem lies. Even if I had to do it all over again now, I definitely wouldn’t fail!”

“Ha, then you still don’t understand the problem,” Leslaufer clicked his tongue, turned around, and slapped each of the others on the head without saying a word. “You guys, what did I tell you? Why did you leave her in a situation where she had to fight two against one? And she had to face both of their leaders!”

Raslaufer's height was undeniable; standing in front of anyone made him look like he was disciplining a child. His companions, their attention diverted by the other enemies, sighed. While everyone had their reasons for doing so, this responsibility was not easily shirked.

“Of course, my problem is bigger,” Raslaufer shook his head and walked toward the old mercenary who had been waiting for a while. “Dal, you’ve made a wasted trip this time. It was my mistake. There probably isn’t any orc army here. On the contrary, if I had listened to you, I might have been able to avoid this mess.”

Being constantly harassed and targeted versus facing the embodiment of a deity—the former may not address the root cause, but it seems somewhat more compassionate.

“It’s nothing, Raslaufer. If you were willing to raise a warband instead of going it alone, you could definitely do it too,” Dahl chuckled, giving Raslaufer a good bear hug. “But if that were the case, who else could have accomplished what you just did?”

"Rose's handmaid! Damn it, Leslaufer! Even this can't kill you!"

"Don't worry, this trip was definitely not a waste for us! But we did lose some brothers, and we still need to settle the score: either you or those dark-skinned elves over there."

"As for those demons, I think it's best not to expect them to pay me a sufficient price."

“It’s so unfair that fairies always get forgiveness and exemptions in all sorts of places.” Lilindra’s voice rang out at the right moment. The matriarch of the dark elf family strode in, looking down at Dahl with a haughty gaze, but nodding in greeting when she looked at Leslaufer.

“Arrogant at first, obsequious later,” Dahl muttered, but didn’t take it to heart. He turned to gather his men around—Leslaufer would help him secure enough benefits.

"It seems we have failed after all. However, there is nothing to regret, since your power has already been recognized by the goddess." Lilindra looked at Leslaufer with her purple eyes and said slowly.