"Defector?"
In the Du Croy mansion, the day before the banquet, Levi looked at Victor with doubts and frowned.
He stood there as if something was wrong, which made Levi feel unbelievable for a moment.
"That's right, it's Lipoot."
Victor sat quietly on an antique sofa and explained to Levi calmly.
Lipoot, the defector being chased by the Council of Mages.
This secret was revealed to Victor personally by Rachel when he was in the academy.
"Of course, there's another name you might be more familiar with."
Victor's words paused briefly here, and his eyes as deep as obsidian seemed to sparkle with insight into everything.
It was as if, from the beginning, he had understood all the secrets.
"He is the last god not expelled - Hermes."
…
Gods should no longer set foot in this world. This was the purpose set by the Mage Council in the early days of its establishment.
Because the gods only care about absorbing human beliefs and dividing people into different camps according to their own will.
Such beliefs are extremely harmful to mankind and will greatly limit the development of mankind and society.
Because all human beings have begun to believe in gods, who will cultivate the land to supplement human food, and who will build suitable homes for human beings?
Most importantly, who will establish order?
Even the gods are fighting each other for believers, and each god has its own order and laws.
Want to make humans follow order? Which order should be followed?
Since nothing makes sense, let's use war to solve everything.
The Age of Gods is an era of frequent wars, an era of stars, and an era of human beings dividing their territories based on their own beliefs.
The former Archmage realized this.
Human beings should not become pawns of the gods, and should not fight for those immortal gods.
Belief in gods can exist, but gods should not exist.
Therefore, when the gods of the entire world gradually left, even the goddess of justice was expelled by the Archmage.
Since then, the Council of Mages, an organization with noble morals, was born.
Human beings long for gods because gods represent salvation and hope.
Even if no god actually comes to save them, people are willing to place their hearts on the gods.
Even in despair, they will still firmly believe that God will eventually appear and save them from suffering.
But there is only one god they believe in, and one god cannot save everyone.
It is impossible for people to believe in all gods.
If faith is not sincere, God will not save the world.
The Council of Mages emerged precisely to replace the belief in gods.
Use the supernatural power of mages to help people in distress and reduce their dependence on gods.
The influence of the Council of Mages is gradually becoming known all over the world. They have successfully used mages to reduce human belief in gods.
People needed light, so wizards created magic light bulbs.
People need communication equipment to contact relatives and friends who are far away from home.
So the mages created magic crystals.
Even if they want to travel to other countries, or take a quick trip within the country.
The Mages Council also prepared the magic train for them.
Under the influence of the Council of Mages, the influence of the gods is decreasing day by day.
However, even in this era when the gods have left, there is only one god who cannot be driven away.
God of commerce and thieves - Hermes.
Because Hermes cannot be expelled.
Unlike any other god.
Lady Justice can be replaced by the high moral beliefs of the Council of Mages.
Hard-working farmers don't need a kind goddess of fertility to provide them with abundant food.
As for the other gods, they seem to have no necessary role.
But Hermes is the only exception.
Because business activities are inevitable and crucial at any time.
Farmers cultivate the land not only for themselves, but also to make money by selling their harvest.
Merchants conduct trade activities and act as intermediaries, especially for money.
Even trade between countries is primarily for economic gain.
Most of the time, it all goes hand in hand with money.
Therefore, money problems cannot be solved.
Also related to money are thieves.
As long as there is greed in people's hearts, thieves cannot be completely eradicated.
Because this kind of bad guy is like the hidden withered grass growing on the endless grassland, and will always reappear.
In this environment, Hermes, the patron saint of commerce and theft, remained in this world.
The other gods left because they were 'disappointed' with humans, and only Hermes remained in the world.
Business goes on and he goes on.
He will not fall until the thief falls.
And all of this is inseparable from the wisdom of Hermes.
It was precisely because Hermes had said harsh words to the Cassidra Chamber of Commerce.
As a result, he became the only god to remain in the world by exploiting the loopholes of his followers.
After he cultivated the name Nanard, he left a warning to Nanard's descendants:
"Let your children and grandchildren take care of this money. One day I will steal it all."
It was this sentence that aroused the Nanade family's sense of crisis.
prompting them to establish the massive Cassidra Chamber of Commerce.
This is a dead end——
The Nannads feared having their wealth stolen, but did not want to return to poverty.
So they are increasingly developing the economy.
Continuously creating the economy and developing commerce is in line with the priesthood of Hermes.
Human beings need commercial development, which is equivalent to human beings needing Hermes.
Therefore, Hermes became a defector among the gods, the only god who did not leave the world.
"Now do you know the relationship between Hermes and Libiot Nanade?"
When Victor said this with a smile, he clearly saw the look of surprise on Levi's face.
But……
"If he is just a business god, why is the Council of Mages trying to expel him?"
Levi felt a little confused.
Because in this way, the reason why his family is so rich is also inseparable from Hermes.
But what Victor said directly interrupted his thoughts:
"Not all gods are as friendly as your goddess, not to mention that your goddess may not be friendly to humans."
The Goddess of Nature is different from any god because she does not need any followers.
All her power comes from nature.
The goddess of nature's main duty is to protect the pristine environment of the world, so she creates disasters that represent the six supreme elements.
Once humankind's destruction of nature reaches its limit, these disasters will break through the seal and bring huge disasters to mankind.
Elves, beings born through nature, are also protected by nature.
However, Victor still couldn't understand.
How could a natural god who was not friendly to humans be so partial to a human being?
Thinking of this, Victor's eyes became a little more playful, and he looked at the slightly embarrassed Levi in front of him:
"Your Majesty the Duke, you are still very capable."
Listening to Victor's teasing, Levi coughed slightly and turned his head away to cover up his embarrassment.
He felt that nothing seemed to be a secret in front of Victor.
Just when Levi was adjusting back, Victor's calm voice sounded again:
"The God of Commerce is indeed a small problem, but Hermes has another identity."
Upon hearing Victor's next words, Levi's eyes suddenly widened.
"He is the messenger of the gods, the god who will inevitably revive the age of the gods."
"So, Hermes must be eliminated."
Age of Gods, resurgence...?
Levi was silent, he frowned, and there was a hint of crisis in his eyes.
"Magic Council, what do you need us to do?"
"Make sure that Libot will definitely attend this [Elven Banquet]."
"Dispel all residents of the royal capital, and any damage caused will be compensated by Cassidra."
"at last……"
Finally, Victor smiled and said:
"Give me your daughter."
…
"I know, Lipoot...no, Hermes."
Victor looked down at Hermes on the ground with cold eyes.
"From the time when the Cassidla Chamber of Commerce was preparing to trade with me, from the time when I entered the gate of hell."
"I know your true identity."
Because Hermes has the power to guide the gates of hell.
So he didn't believe that any human being could enter the gates of hell without his guidance.
But Victor slapped him in the face.
The arrogant gods are always self-righteous and never think that they will be defeated by humans.
But the gods lost to him again and again.
The god who refused to admit defeat regarded the entire arrangement as a gamble, and became more and more crazy.
He must win again.
Finally, under the mentality of pursuing victory countless times.
Hermes fell into layers of traps.
"A conceited god who thinks he can figure everything out?"
Demon, elf, Erica——
The combination of these three can trigger disaster.
Hermes could imagine it, how could Victor not imagine it?
As a result, the sound penetrated deeply into Hermes' heart like a sharp thorn, causing him to feel extreme pain.
He slowly raised his body, his golden eyes looking at Victor reluctantly, as if it was difficult to even support his own weight.
Victor, who was in front of him, leaned down slightly and looked at the god in front of him with a condescending aura.
Victor, who looked at Hermes, spoke slowly, and those cold words penetrated the god's eardrums again:
“No one is above the sky from the beginning.”
"The ignorant god."
Finally, he turned and left, ignoring Hermes who had completely failed and was trapped in place.
He walked towards the huge rocky mountain, and in front of him was the huge wreckage of Urano.
He reached out a hand and dug into the pile of earth-brown boulders.
From among the countless earth-brown giant mountain rocks, the energy of rolling quicksand slowly floated out.
That is the origin of the Earth Disaster.
With the emergence of the source, a slight wave of dust was stirred up on the calm earth.
The origin of the Earth Calamity gradually began to disintegrate, turning into slender sandy breath flowing in the air, entangled in Victor's fluttering black windbreaker.
Obstructed by the wind and sand, Hermes looked at Victor vaguely.
He saw that Victor's black windbreaker gradually absorbed the surging sand, and earth-colored ripples appeared on the surface.
He clearly saw that Victor's black windbreaker gradually absorbed the incoming wind and sand, and an earth-colored ripple gradually lit up on the surface of the originally silent windbreaker.
Hermes' eyes suddenly opened wide, and the golden pupils seemed to freeze.
He seemed to see an even more incredible sight.
Blurred eyes looked at Victor's back with light patterns.
In Victor's shining back, there seemed to be a dark crow phantom flickering on his broad shoulders.
Hermes seemed to have fallen into madness, his voice trembled, and he blurted out:
"Who are you……"
"Ha...b...ka?"
