Loki Familia had once again departed on an expedition, their elites all equipped with the suppression bracers that Charles had rushed to complete.
Before leaving, Finn also delivered the information he had promised to Charles.
After Charles knocked out the two factions that had been watching him, all the probing gazes vanished the next day, finally allowing him to immerse himself in his research.
To his surprise, Charles discovered a book on grimoires buried in the stack of documents.
Grimoires in Orario were quite different from the four-leaf clover grimoire from his original world.
In the world of Black Clover, a grimoire functioned more like a magical staff, primarily aiding Magic Knights in sensing and controlling mana.
But in Orario, grimoires served to awaken magic in the reader.
The most powerful grimoires were consumables that, based on the reader's desire and potential, would generate a corresponding spell.
The book Charles now held contained knowledge specifically about this kind of grimoire. No wonder such items could only be crafted by adventurers with high-level [Mystery]—even the book itself was written in divine script.
The book had two main sections. One focused on magic, which Charles couldn't understand—he didn't possess the [Magecraft] development ability after all.
The magic abilities granted by his [Fairy's Blessing] didn't help in the theoretical study of magic.
However, the second section, which dealt with [Mystery], offered significant insight for Charles.
Development abilities like [Mystery] and [Magecraft] required different types of experience to improve. In their case, not only training but accumulated knowledge also played a major role.
Charles realized that the knowledge he had recently acquired had finally pushed [Mystery] up by one level.
In practical terms, this meant he could now forge equipment imbued with even greater power.
After this intense stretch of research, Charles decided to unwind for a bit.
So he made his way to The Benevolent Mistress, planning to treat himself to a good meal.
But as soon as he stepped through the tavern door, he spotted a man leaning casually against the bar, a feathered hat perched jauntily on his head, chatting up a group of female customers.
The god Hermes—perhaps the deity Charles was most wary of, second only to Freya.
Freya might be insane, but at least her goals were clear.
Hermes, on the other hand, was a pure-blooded leisure-seeker.
Though he often assisted Uranus and other gods who had withdrawn from Orario—like Zeus—and even frequently aided the main cast, Hermes's true objective was far more self-indulgent.
All he cared about was ensuring the emergence of heroes, so that he could enjoy the best seat in the house when the heroic epic finally unfolded.
But the birth of a hero always came hand in hand with disaster.
In that sense, Hermes wasn't all that different from Enyo.
Acting purely on self-interest, this god was capable of anything. Even worse, he possessed the intellect and power to make it happen.
Charles merely glanced at him before finding a seat—one as far from Hermes as possible.
Ryuu came over with the menu. "Long time no see. What would you like today?"
Charles smiled. "It has been a while. I've been drowning in work. Finally found a break, so here I am."
"As for food—I'll leave it to your recommendation. I trust your taste."
Ryuu gave a small nod and turned away, though her steps were noticeably lighter.
Just as Charles was waiting for his food, a figure approached and placed a mug of ale on his table. Hermes sat across from him.
"Well, if it isn't the Dragon Furnace from Hephaestus Familia! You've been the talk of the town lately. What a surprise to see you here!"
Charles replied coldly, "Lord Hermes, this is the first time we've met. I don't think we're close enough to be drinking together."
Hermes chuckled. "What's the big deal? Sometimes, friendships between men are forged in an instant."
"I'm genuinely quite fond of you, Charles. It's been ages since I saw someone form a contract with a spirit. And more than that—you're interesting."
"So, let's get along, shall we?"
His eyes, half-hidden beneath the brim of his hat, glinted with a piercing, almost hypnotic intensity.
Charles stared back with total indifference. "Unfortunately, I have zero interest in you."
Hermes winced dramatically, as though wounded. Any trace of divine authority from a moment earlier evaporated like mist.
"Oof, that stings! And here I thought I was charming."
Charles remained dead silent, giving him nothing to work with. He knew that if he so much as said a word, Hermes would cling on like a leech.
But Charles had underestimated the god's shamelessness.
Instead of backing off, Hermes grinned. "Ah, I've got it! I know how we can bond."
"I'll take you somewhere fun later. A man's paradise—you'll love it."
Bang!
Before Charles could respond, a tray slammed down between them with a heavy thud, forcing a bit more space between Hermes's increasingly pervy grin and Charles.
Ryuu glared at Hermes as if she were looking at garbage.
"Lord Hermes, not everyone shares your fondness for… such filthy places."
Hermes glanced at her, then at Charles, and chuckled oddly. "Ohhh. I see. I see~"
Ryuu flinched under his gaze and turned away in a hurry.
Something amusing had just happened—at least from Hermes's perspective. "Girls really are a mystery, aren't they, Charles?"
Charles shot him a look, then focused entirely on eating.
"Anyway, it's settled! Later, we're going out for some real fun."
Charles didn't lift his head. His eyes were ice-cold.
At first, he had suspected Hermes's appearance here was a coincidence. But the moment he mentioned the Pleasure District, Charles knew he'd been targeted intentionally.
There was no doubt in his mind: Hermes was linked to Ishtar—or perhaps even acting under her instructions to lure him into her territory.
Which wouldn't be surprising. In the original story, Ishtar had seduced Hermes to acquire intel about Freya's interest in Bell.
Though in truth, Hermes had probably let that information slip on purpose.
Sure enough, that led to Bell meeting Haruhime, which deepened his understanding of what it meant to be a hero and pushed him further along that path.
But Charles was puzzled. If Ishtar had plans for him, why would she use Hermes?
A more plausible explanation was that Hermes knew Ishtar had her eyes on Charles—and wanted to stir the pot just for the entertainment value.
If that were the case—if Hermes really was inserting himself just to spark some chaos—then Charles had reached a new understanding of just how far this so-called god of travelers would go for amusement.
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