"Here, take it."
Loki casually tossed over the Recording Crystal.
Hermes caught it, recognizing it immediately—he'd seen one before.
"This crystal contains the conversation between that kid and the Black Dragon. The secrets inside could completely overturn the order of Orario. If this got out... I guarantee every god in the Evilus would lose their minds."
A world reshuffle—one that included even the gods. If the divine came to know such a truth, not one of them would be able to remain unaffected.
Loki didn't believe any of the gods she knew could face destruction with composure.
Hermes could already feel the crushing weight on his shoulders. The contents of this crystal could never be revealed to the other gods. If they were, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"There's no way Ouranos is the only god who knows. Zeus and Hera—they're ancient gods. It's very likely they've known the truth for a long time. That's probably why they were so focused on raising their Familia's children—trying to prevent the worst."
With that heavy subject finally behind them, Loki visibly relaxed.
She hadn't wanted to shoulder such a massive secret alone. Unfortunately, the world had left her no choice. Still, with Hermes acting as a go-between, she wouldn't have to stand alone on the front lines.
As Hermes held the crystal, his thoughts were in turmoil. He'd never imagined that even a so-called neutral god like himself would be dragged into something like this.
'That old man Zeus definitely knows!'
He was sure of it now. Hermes had spent enough time around Zeus to know—despite the old man's buffoonish front, he was a master at hiding what really mattered.
'And Hera too.'
Hera, infamous in Tenkai for her bad temper, had been a dominant force in the Orario of the past. To put it bluntly, when she was in her prime, no other goddess even came close.
Those two were husband and wife, and both ancient gods—it was hard to believe they didn't know about the gods' connection to the Three Great Quests.
The current generation of gods might not know anything, but back then, it was Zeus Familia and Hera Familia who had fought Behemoth and Leviathan. There's no way they were unaware.
So yes, those two definitely knew.
The truth must have been so overwhelming that even they chose silence.
"Hah... Those two old bastards kept something like this buried. If no one had brought it up now, we'd probably be facing the Black Dragon without even knowing what we were really up against."
"Heh, do you think anyone in today's Orario, aside from a few idiots, would actually see the Black Dragon as a target?"
"...Yeah, fair point."
Loki's sharp words left Hermes without a retort.
Compared to the past, Orario had grown far too complacent. That comfort had dulled the edge of its adventurers—so much so that the highest level had dropped from Lv. 9 to Lv. 7.
Today's Orario was a shell of its golden age. Only a few individuals were barely holding it together.
Would a Level 7 Adventurer really set their sights on the Black Dragon?
That would be nothing short of suicide.
And if no one dared face the Black Dragon... then no one would ever learn the truth.
"Hermes, try to let Ouranos know about all this. We'll need his support for what comes next."
Loki understood perfectly how important the Guild's backing was to her Familia.
That shorty might not care about size or whether the Guild was involved, but Loki couldn't afford to be so blunt. Her Familia wasn't just one person, and unlike that kid's group, it wasn't self-sufficient in every aspect.
"Yeah."
Hermes also understood the urgency. He definitely needed to speak with Ouranos—he wouldn't feel right leaving everything in the hands of that kid otherwise.
"If this concerns the survival of the entire Genkai and the gods themselves, then we might need to consider recalling some of the gods who are currently outside."
"Is that even possible? Weren't most of them kicked out for a reason?"
Loki didn't think that was very realistic. Most of the gods expelled from Orario had major issues. Ouranos wouldn't be foolish enough to bring them all back—that would only create more chaos.
"I'm not talking about the ones who were kicked out on purpose. I mean the few who were sent away for specific reasons."
Hermes wasn't referring to the instigators—the gods who'd been removed for stirring up trouble. Bringing them back would do no good. If anything, it'd just restart the problems they caused.
But there were others—gods who had been forced to leave not because they were dangerous, but due to their Familia's circumstances or special arrangements. The most notable being Zeus, Hera, and Astrea.
"Now that the Black Dragon's reaction has been pinned on the Evilus thanks to Bell-kun, this gives us the perfect excuse. If we want to wipe out the Evilus still hiding in Orario, we'll need every god's strength focused together."
"I think, as long as the gods truly grasp the gravity of the situation, they'll agree to the proposal."
Hermes' idea wasn't bad, but Loki knew exactly where the problem lay.
"So you're planning to make the gods realize just how serious this is? The Black Dragon won't roar twice. If it does... that'll be the next time that kid meets him."
To that, Hermes just smiled calmly.
"Actually, it's not that hard to make them take it seriously. Bell-kun still needs materials, right? So, we offer up a god as a sacrifice. Blame the Evilus for the god's death, and I'm sure the rest will suddenly start paying attention."
Loki gave Hermes a strange look.
"I didn't realize you could be that cold."
Honestly, she hadn't seen it before—but it turns out, they were all capable of being heartless when it counted.
"It's a necessary sacrifice. As gods, the least they can do is make themselves useful in a situation like this."
Hermes wasn't the kind to hold back. Using any means necessary to achieve his goals was just how he operated. He only played the carefree neutral when he had the luxury to.