"He's been favored by the Divine Spirit!!?"

"Yes."

Herbert glanced at Steven with a slight raise of his brow and chuckled softly, "I thought you had noticed already, given how obvious those characteristics are."

"Besides, let's not dwell on that, don't forget what kind of place this is."

"Without the favor and guidance of the Divine Spirit, someone like him could never have arrived here unscathed."

Although Herbert's notion of "unscathed" was questionable, Steven did indeed survive and hasn't died suddenly even until now.

"You can try again. Don't just rely on sight, but feel with your heart. Perhaps you can sense the fluctuation emanating from him."

Obvious?

Hmm...

Sofia furrowed her brow tightly, staring intently at Steven for quite a while.

Her gaze made Steven's spine chill and the back of his head ache faintly. Only after uncertain events unfolded, did he helplessly look away.

In front of Herbert, she deeply bowed her head, dejectedly saying, "My Lord, I am too foolish, unable to notice anything."

In Sofia's eyes, he indeed appeared as a mundane individual, devoid of any extraordinary traits.

Not worth paying attention to.

Especially unworthy of drawing her master's excessive attention.

However, in Herbert's view, the situation was quite different.

Steven was very special.

His soul consistently emanated a peculiar radiance—in a negative sense.

His soul showed evident signs of erosion yet had been gouged out and replaced by another soul.

The present Steven, seeming normal, was internally like a patchwork monster of souls, surviving in health was arguably life's miracle.

It's rare for a mortal to possess such high accomplishments in soul manipulation.

And this indicated one point — Steven had been modified by an entity from the Divine Domain.

Moreover, such an entity continues to watch him, using him as its eyes.

It watches this place.

A fortunate survivor may not hold much value.

But a person observed and favored by the Divine Spirit carries quite a different significance.

As for Steven "being spied upon and thus exposing Elda," Herbert seemed less concerned.

His actions were significant enough to draw the attention of entities shrouded in mist.

In other words, attempting to liberate the Misty Mountain would inevitably incite a confrontation with them.

Exposure was a matter of timing, merely differentiated by being sooner or later.

At least from the current stance, their attitude couldn't be classified as benevolent, yet neither was it malicious.

Besides, the hidden entity, its attitude appeared somewhat subtle.

Herbert hadn't forgotten the previous noticed peering gaze.

It's nearby.

Or rather, its "eyes" are nearby, secretly observing every move of the Elda Territory.

Though uninvolved in intervening with personal agrarian pursuits, neither providing assistance, merely observing with a detached gaze as an outsider.

What is it waiting for?

Aiming to confirm something?

Furthermore, the identity of the observer remained uncertain, even Nenasha couldn't ascertain it.

["In my Divine Kingdom, indeed there were several subordinate Divine Spirits, but they either perished in that battle or chose to flee at the last moment, surely none would return voluntarily."]

Despite the observer's identity remaining unknown, without exhibiting power, the sole certainty was its residence in the Divine Domain.

Given the undefined stance of the opponent, Herbert refrained from expelling Steven, instead taking advantage of the situation and keeping him as his first subject.

In Herbert's view, Steven being used as eyes by that entity wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Leveraging the situation in reverse could serve as a cautionary device too.

When it watches Elda, it's also being watched by Herbert.

This is mutual.

Herbert perceives himself as patient, curious about when the entity will finally reveal itself.

"Lord, Lord!"

"Hmm?"

After a simple cleanse, Steven returned before Herbert, mustering the courage to say with difficulty, "Can I... may I choose to leave?"

Oh?

"What did you say?"

Before Herbert could respond, Sofia stepped forward, leveling her spear at the rude mortal, angrily saying, "You ungrateful wretch! Do you dare refuse my Lord's goodwill!?"

"Uh!"

Startled, Steven stepped back, but still managed to reply, albeit with difficulty, "I, I'm not, I just want to go home."

"Sofia, be not rude, lower the spear, refrain from such behavior henceforth."

Herbert unhurriedly reproached Sofia, the impulsive Heroic Spirit, somewhat casually only after waiting for a moment.

After "admonishing" the Heroic Spirit, he turned to the uneasy Steven, gently inquiring, "Do you mean you wish to leave here?"

Seeing Herbert not angered, Steven relaxed a fraction, whispering, "Yes, Lord."

"I see..."

Herbert nodded, but didn't give an affirmative or negative answer, curiously asking, "May I ask the reason? You don't like it here? Is there something displeasing about this place?"

Displeasing?

Kneeling on the ground, Steven lifted his head a bit, blankly surveying the surroundings, facing the empty, clean land, momentarily at a loss for words.

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