Diary of Guarding Monster Girls

"So, there are others?"

"Hmm?"

Herbert was obviously taken aback by Ophidia’s question.

No, why is your focus here?

Tsk.

I really hate people with sharp instincts!

Moreover, Herbert felt like he had unintentionally opened Pandora’s box, releasing something terrifying.

Ophidia still wasn’t good at these romantic exchanges, because she hadn’t experienced them before and had no idea how to counter or react.

But that doesn’t mean she’ll always be this inept.

She’s quick to learn and very good at applying what she learns.

Ophidia is very smart; the tactics Herbert used on her would soon be deciphered and quickly mastered.

In just a half-day trip, she had evolved from initially resisting hand-holding to actively kissing on the cheek, and even catching verbal loopholes to turn the tables.

This level of improvement was genuinely astounding.

If he continued to push her like this, who knows what kind of formidable presence he might cultivate.

Conquering her would become increasingly difficult, and even if successful, interacting with her afterward would be more dangerous, with the risk of it all collapsing at any moment.

If Herbert was only after a conquest, there were two best courses of action for him now.

One would be to make a decisive, all-out effort.

Use every trick in the shortest possible time, strike while Ophidia hasn’t fully evolved, and capture her early.

Or, he could decisively withdraw and take what he could get.

Don’t create challenges for himself; if he couldn’t get her, he should decisively choose to abandon and turn to other targets that were both easier and more rewarding.

There are plenty of fish in the sea; why cling to just one flower?

But... it seemed Herbert wasn’t going to choose either of these optimal choices.

Firstly, because he wasn’t a jerk. (seriously)

Secondly, isn’t the true fun of conquest right here?

If every target of conquest was easy to topple, and all women immediately surrendered, wouldn’t it be very uninteresting?

Wouldn’t it lack a sense of achievement?

The bigger the waves, the more valuable the fish!

Also, he was quite delighted by the sense of crisis Ophidia’s "evolution" rekindled in him.

"...Phew, hahaha."

Herbert looked at Ophidia and couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head with a sigh.

?

Ophidia’s previously serious expression became somewhat awkward from his laughter, frustratingly tightening her tail slightly.

"Hey! What are you laughing at? Is there something funny in what I said?"

She initially thought she had grabbed something on Herbert and planned to retaliate well, but was made to feel a bit self-conscious by his laughter.

Could it be that I missed some crucial point?

Unfortunately, at her current level, she would probably never guess Herbert’s thoughts at this moment.

"Haha, no, I didn’t mean to laugh at you."

Herbert waved his hand, smiling: "I just suddenly thought, hmm... after all, this is more like you."

"Hmm?"

Ophidia furrowed her brows tighter, looking down at herself but found nothing special.

"No no, I’m not talking about your outfit, I mean... this attitude, is more like you."

Yes, this is the Ophidia Herbert remembered - the powerful and mysterious Ashen Bishop of the Mist Monastery, the Guardian of secret knowledge.

The Cardinal was never just a docile girl, silently enduring his teasing.

She not only fought back but could leave Herbert at a loss, ending in a stalemate.

Ophidia always gave Herbert this feeling, a considerable sense of pressure, with a constant risk of things collapsing.

It was only recently, when her true nature was uncovered, that she started acting all flustered.

Especially this time, being "coaxed" out by Herbert, she almost completely gave up resisting and went along with Herbert’s lead.

This well-behaved reaction was nice, but it somehow lacked a certain unique feeling.

But now... that feeling was back.

"Hey, are you making fun of me?"

Ophidia, unhappy with Herbert’s strange reaction, tightly wrapped him with her tail, tapping its tip against his cheek.

Herbert felt the tail wrapped around his waist gradually tighten, nodding at the sensation of its firm squeeze.

Ah, yes yes yes, that’s the feeling.

Right, it’s all back now.

Crunch, crunch, crunch...

Listening to the slightly ominous sounds coming from his waist, Herbert knew that if he kept being cryptic, she might actually get angry.

But how to get her to let go of the tail?

The method was quite simple.

He raised his hand, grabbed the tip of her tail poking his face, then turned his head to gently kiss it.

Then stuck out his tongue, pretending to lick.

"Hey!!!"

Startled, Ophidia indeed let go of him immediately, suddenly withdrawing her tail, looking at him with a vigilant expression.

After being provoked several times, Ophidia felt she had to say something now, baring her teeth and fiercely saying:

"I’m warning you, don’t ever do that without my permission again! My patience is limited!"