Lynch heard Knight Macken's answer, but he restrained himself from thinking too much about Light God Pate. What he needed now was just a name, that was enough. If he relaxed the constraints on his own mind, it was very likely he would no longer be able to control his drifting will.
The mage was breathing heavily, but he still looked like a drowning man whose throat had been choked, his cheeks flushed and even a bit purple. A mortal forcibly struggling under the influence of divine power, wanting to escape from the immense sense of oppression — though this pressure wasn't painful, it was rather soothing, yet the mage still refused to give up his efforts.
Lynch staggered backward and relied on the powerful wand to support himself. He felt the pressure gradually lighten, but he dared not be careless. No matter which deity he faced, even if it was a benevolent god like Pate, Lynch harbored deep wariness. He tried to summon his hatred, jealousy, and murderous intent, otherwise, he would have long been blinded by his yearning heart for the light. The mage gritted his teeth and said, "Macken, or should I say Pate, you can't obtain my help like this!"
"Why not?" The knight still full of confidence: "Since your mission is also to go north to find that person, there's absolutely no conflict between the two. Your wand and my sword are enough to overcome all possible threats."
"You have no right to order me, nor even to demand anything from me!" Lynch said: "When you speak, you are in a dominant position. According to the mage's understanding, I am now a demon bound by a spell, about to sign an unequal contract with the spellcaster." The mage gradually regained his freedom of movement, took a deep breath, then said, "Having the same goal doesn't mean you and I are allies! Haha, Pate, either you go alone or you request me, that's the choice I give you."
"You will agree with what I say, because there is still justice and fairness in your heart, and I am the representative of these two qualities," Macken said: "You can defeat the undead, defeat the demons, but you cannot defeat your own soul. Deny the goodness in your heart all you want. Slowly, you will understand what I mean."
"I don't think so, Pate!" Lynch said: "Dwarves are about to gather around us; our earlier loud 'discussion' is enough to draw their attention. By then, will you maintain your current form? Do you want to expose your identity?"
The knight did not answer, he also heard those footsteps. Thus, Macken gradually calmed down, his figure no longer appeared very tall in Lynch's eyes, and his dazzling armor slowly returned to its usual state, blending with the darkness of the cave. The candle in Old Dwarf Weite's house extinguished, leaving the courtyard in complete darkness. But Lynch and Macken could still see each other's faces, neither moving a muscle, staring at each other intently. A few dwarves rushed in, stunned by the strange scene they witnessed.
"Knight, I can't follow you now, because that way I would be ensnared by your temptation at any moment." Lynch said with a smile using the heavenly language: "Maybe one day, the goodness in my heart will drive me to become your loyal servant, but then, I would no longer be myself. There is only one way to avoid that situation."
"What is it, clever mage?" The knight answered in the same language. The dwarves were utterly confused, having no understanding of what these two were talking about.
"I have a skill that you can never master, one that has kept humans alive in this world," Lynch revealed a sly smile: "Can you lie, Light Knight?"
Then, the mage spoke in dwarf language to those around: "Old man Weite has passed away, I was beside him when he took his last breath. He had some parting words for the Dwarf King, take me to him quickly." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel•fire.net
Then he turned his head to the knight and said: "Will you continue to waste time with me here? Or will you pretend to know his last words and accompany me?"
The knight smiled, nodded to the mage, then turned and left. At that moment, he seemed completely inconspicuous, not even a dwarf noticed his actions. Though they all made way for the knight, it was entirely a reflex action that didn't leave any impression in their minds.