This Lich is a Better Landlord Chapter 20

Harvey couldn't bear to watch.

The previous few mages had been so angered by this same question that they had nearly come to blows.

Detect Evil was a spell unique to holy practitioners, capable of identifying evil hidden among humans, such as cultists and criminals.

But the spell could only detect the presence of evil, not its nature. Sometimes, even harboring a malevolent thought could trigger it.

Who could guarantee they were completely free of wicked thoughts?

Among the top ten most annoying behaviors of paladins, as rumored across the continent, indiscriminately casting Detect Evil was definitely number one.

Asking for permission before casting it seemed polite, but in reality, it was putting someone on a moral witness stand.

If you agreed, you risked having some evil thought detected. If you refused, in front of everyone, it was as good as admitting you had something to hide.

The previous mages had flown into a rage, seeing it as an insult. One hot-tempered mage had almost started a fight. If Harvey hadn't intervened, someone might have died on the spot.

He had thought that after several similar incidents, this single-minded paladin might have learned to be a bit more restrained. He never expected him to make the same tactless request again.

Ambrose said nothing. He, too, found the request absurd.

There was a good reason these paladins were so disliked, especially those from the Ryan Empire, who were practically fanatics.

Harvey worried that Ambrose would fly off the handle, but Ambrose's reaction was unexpectedly calm.

The moment he saw the paladin, he knew Detect Evil was inevitable. Even if his transformation spell was flawless, a paladin's sensitivity to the undead was real. Even if they couldn't see through his disguise, they would feel suspicious.

When the request was made, Ambrose remained silent for a moment before speaking to the paladin. "As a paladin, you should be well aware that such a request is an offense to others."

The paladin replied with a well-practiced line. "Detect Evil is harmless to the person. It merely detects malevolent thoughts. If you have no evil in your heart, not only will you be unaffected, but it will serve to prove your righteousness."

Ambrose shot back without hesitation, "The vast majority of people have no need to prove their righteousness. Their survival has nothing to do with whether they are righteous or not. In fact, the very word 'righteousness' has become an added value for you noble knights. Your faith, your honor—to others, they are merely burdens. Do you or do you not admit this?"

The paladin nodded. "For the faithless and the heretics, they truly do not understand the meaning of righteousness. You've said so much. Are you preparing to refuse?"

The paladin wasn't surprised. Refusing Detect Evil was the normal reaction; those who agreed were few and far between. But that didn't mean he would lower his standards.

"Not refusing," Ambrose said. "Merely discussing the issue reasonably. Since this Detect Evil is only to satisfy your personal religious needs, while I must bear the additional risk, shouldn't this test... naturally cost extra?"

The paladin fell silent. Harvey was dumbfounded.

It was the first time he had ever seen someone charge a fee for a Detect Evil spell. What kind of bargaining genius was this? How did he make it sound so reasonable?

Although the paladin showed no expression, his fingers twitched, as if he were hesitating. Something about this felt wrong, yet he couldn't find a reason to refute it.

Ambrose added nonchalantly, "Unwilling? It seems your faith is not worth much after all."

That crossed a line. The war priest at his side, hearing this, placed his hand on the studded mace at his belt, ready to hurl a blast of holy fire at any moment.

"What, am I wrong? Practicing one's faith requires sacrifice. You know the paladin's oaths better than I do. Yet you aren't even willing to pay money, choosing instead to force the risk onto others. If the Lord of Dawn you worship knew of this, his fires of judgment would likely fall upon your own heads."

As he finished, a wave of cheers erupted from the tavern.

"Well said!"

"That's right! Sacrificing yourself is called faith. Sacrificing others, what's that, a cult?!"

"I've had it with these sanctimonious paladins for a long time!"

"The dogs of Ryan are all talk!"

...

There were quite a few non-human races in the tavern, and Ambrose's words had struck a chord with them. Someone even shouted that they'd buy Ambrose a drink.

Listening to the jeers of the surrounding patrons, the paladin placed a hand on the enraged war priest's arm and asked, "How much do you want?"

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

"Such wordplay is meaningless. My faith cannot be measured in gold. However, you are right. A moral inquisition upon another should indeed come at a price. So, how much are your morals worth?"

Harvey, who had been watching from the side, couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration. As expected of a paladin held up as a pillar of the Ryan Empire.

The negotiation had shifted from the value of the paladin's faith to the price of Ambrose's morals. No matter what price Ambrose named, it would prove that his morals could be bought, making him a man of no virtue.

Every paladin, in addition to mastering powerful combat techniques, had to undergo training in literature, history, and the arts. They were followers of the Lord of Dawn, practitioners of divine doctrine, not brainless fools. That would be an affront to the Lord of Dawn's majesty.

Ambrose was taken aback by the counter-move. This paladin was quick on his feet; he had underestimated him.

How much were his morals worth?

Faced with this question, Ambrose simply smiled and replied, "You ask me to put a price on my own morals. I could easily name a figure you could never afford. But that would be unbecoming. I do not possess the pure will of a holy practitioner; naming a price would be nothing more than a lie and an evasion, and neither of us would benefit.

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

The paladin sounded surprised. "I have never heard of a standard for measuring morality with gold. Master Ultraman, I am genuinely interested in your price."

Ambrose said confidently, "According to the laws of the City of Alchemy, if either party in a transaction engages in fraud or deceit, the party in breach of contract must pay tenfold compensation. In the City of Alchemy, the standard for morality is tenfold compensation. According to the request you posted, the commission for this adventure is five hundred gold coins. Since this is a commission taking place in the City of Alchemy, let us abide by its standards.

"You wish to interrogate my morals? Then give me five thousand gold coins, and I will submit to your Detect Evil. Do you find this transaction reasonable?"

Five thousand gold coins sounded like a fortune, but that was for an ordinary person. For a paladin of the Ryan Empire, a member of the Royal Paladin Legion and a landed noble, that sum would sting, but it was not something he couldn't afford.

Moreover, Ambrose's reasoning was sound. The patrons in the tavern, who had been jeering and heckling, were currently just mocking the two of them. But if this continued, they might start insulting the Lord of Dawn himself.

Allowing their god's name to be tarnished was something a paladin could not accept.

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

The paladin produced a small leather pouch. He opened it, and a stream of gold coins clattered onto the table.

It was a magical pouch that could store a large number of items. The pouch itself was worth over ten thousand gold coins. Truly a man of wealth.

Ambrose calmly began to count the coins, an air of complete confidence about him. It made Harvey wonder if his conscience was truly clear. Could it be that this Master Ultraman could actually guarantee that his soul was pure and untainted, without a single evil thought?