"Defectors?"

In the Du Chloe Mansion, the day before the feast, Levi looked at Victor with a puzzled look on his face, his brow furrowed.

He stood there, as if something was going on, and for a moment Revi felt incredulous.

"That's right, it's Lipoot."

Victor sat quietly on an antique couch and explained lightly to Levi.

Lipoot, the defector who was chased by the Council of Mages.

This secret was revealed to him by Rachel himself when Victor was in the academy.

"Of course, there is another name that you may be more familiar with."

Victor's words paused here, and his obsidian-deep eyes seemed to shimmer with a glint of insight.

It's as if from the very beginning, he has seen all the secrets.

"He was the last god not to be expelled - Hermes."

……

The gods should no longer set foot in this world, this is the purpose of the Mage Council since its early days.

Because the gods only care about absorbing the beliefs of human beings, dividing people into different camps according to their own will.

Such beliefs are extremely harmful to human beings and will greatly limit the development of human beings and society.

Because all human beings have gone to believe in the gods, who will farm the land to supplement the human race, and who will build a suitable home for the human race?

And most importantly, by whom?

Even the gods are fighting each other for their followers, and each god has its own order and laws.

Want to get humans to follow order? Which side of the order to follow?

Since it doesn't make sense, let's solve everything with war.

The Age of the Gods is an era of frequent wars, an age of stars, and an era in which human beings divide their borders according to their own beliefs.

The former archmage realized this.

Humans should not be pawns of the gods, they should not fight for the gods who live forever.

Belief in gods can exist, however, gods should not exist.

So, when the gods of the whole world gradually left, even the goddess of justice was banished by the archmage.

Since then, the Council of Mages has been born, a noble and ethical organization

Humans yearn for gods because they represent salvation and hope.

Even if no god actually came down to save them, people were willing to put their hearts and souls in the gods.

Even in the midst of despair, they will still believe that the gods will eventually appear and redeem them from their suffering.

But there is only one god they believe in, and one god cannot save everyone.

It is also impossible for people to believe in all gods.

If faith is not sincere, the gods will not save the world.

The Council of Mages came into being to replace the belief of the gods.

Harness the supernatural powers of mages to help those in distress and reduce their dependence on the gods.

The influence of the Mage Council gradually became known throughout the world, and they succeeded in reducing the belief in the gods through the methods of mages.

People needed light, so the mages created magic bulbs.

People need communication devices to connect with friends and family who are far away.

So the mages created the Magic Crystal.

Even if they want to travel to another country, or take a quick trip within the country.

The Mage Council has also prepared the magic train for them.

Under the influence of the Council of Mages, the influence of the gods is decreasing.

However, even in this age of departed gods, there is only one god who cannot be expelled from them.

Hermes, the god of commerce and thieves.

Because Hermes cannot be expelled.

Unlike any other god.

The Goddess of Justice can be replaced by the high moral beliefs of the Council of Mages.

Industrious farmers also don't need the kind goddess of abundance to provide them with abundant food.

As for the other gods, they don't seem to have much to do.

Hermes is the exception.

Because business activities are inevitable and vital at all times.

Farmers cultivate the land not only for themselves, but also to make money by selling the harvest.

Merchants carry out trading activities, act as intermediaries in them, and even more so for money.

Even trade between countries is mainly for economic gain.

Most of the time, it's all about money.

Therefore, the problem of money cannot be solved.

Thieves are also involved in money.

As long as there is greed in the heart, thieves cannot be completely eradicated.

Because this kind of bad guy is like a hidden withered grass growing on the endless grassland, which will always come back to life.

In such an environment, Hermes, the patron saint of commerce and theft, remained in this world.

The other gods have left because they have become 'disappointed' with humanity, but Hermes remains on earth.

Business continues, he continues.

If the thief doesn't fall, he won't fall.

And all this is inseparable from the wisdom of Hermes.

It is precisely because Hermes had spoken harshly about the Casidra Chamber of Commerce.

As a result, he became the only god to survive in the world by taking advantage of the loopholes of his followers.

After he cultivated the surname Nannard, he left a warning to Nannard's descendants:

"Let your children and grandchildren take care of the money, and one day I will steal it all."

It was this sentence that aroused the sense of crisis in the Nannard family.

prompted them to establish the vast Casidra Chamber of Commerce.

It's a dead end-

The Nannard family fears the theft of their wealth, but they don't want to go back into poverty.

So they're going to develop the economy more and more.

The constant creation of the economy and the development of commerce were in keeping with the priesthood of Hermes.

Humanity needs business development as much as humanity needs Hermes.

Thus Hermes became a defector among the gods, the only one who did not leave the earth.

"Now do you know the relationship between Hermes and Lipoot Nannad?"

When Victor said this with a smile, he could clearly see the look of astonishment on Rivi's face.

But......

"If he's just a god of commerce, why is the Mage Council trying to expel him?"

Levi felt a little confused.

Because of this calculation, 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, and your goddess may not be as friendly to humans."

The goddess of nature distinguishes herself from any god because she does not need any believers.

All her power comes from nature.

The main duty of the goddess of nature is to protect the original environment of the world, so she created the calamity that represents the six supreme elements.

Once humanity's destruction of nature reaches its limit, these calamities will break through the seal and bring great disasters to humanity.

And the elves, which are born through nature, are also the objects of nature's protection.

However, Victor was never able to understand.

How could a nature deity, who is not friendly to humans, be so partial to a human being?

Thinking of this, there was a little more banter in Victor's eyes, and he looked at the slightly embarrassed Levi in front of him:

"Lord Duke, you are still very capable."

Listening to Victor's teasing, Levi coughed lightly twice and twisted his head away to hide a little embarrassment.

He felt that in front of Victor, nothing seemed to be a secret.

Just as Levi was adjusting, Victor's indifferent voice sounded again:

"The god of commerce is indeed a minor problem, but Hermes has another identity."

Hearing Victor's next sentence, Rivi's eyes widened.

"He is the messenger of the gods, the god who will surely revive the age of the gods."

"So, Hermes must be cleared."

Age of the Gods, Recovery...?

Levi was silent, his brow furrowed, a hint of crisis in his eyes.

"What do you need us to do with the Mage Council?"

"Make sure that Lipoot will definitely attend this [Elven Banquet]."

"Disperse all the inhabitants of the royal capital, and any damage will be compensated by Casidera."

"Last ......"

Finally, Victor smiled and said:

"Give me your daughter."

……

"I know, Lipoot...... No, Hermes. ”

Victor looked down at Hermes on the ground, his eyes cold.

"From the time when the Casidra Chamber of Commerce was ready to trade with me, from the time I entered the gates of hell."

"I know who you really are."

For Hermes had the power to invoke the gates of hell.

So he didn't believe that any human would be able to 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 turned the whole layout into a gamble, and he became more and more insane.

He's going to have to win the next time.

Finally, under the psychology of countless victories.

Hermes fell into a trap.

"A conceited god who thinks he will do everything?"

Demons, elves, Erica –

The combination of these three can bring about calamity.

Hermes could have imagined, but how could Victor not have imagined?

The sound pierced Hermes's heart like a sharp thorn, causing him great pain.

He lifted his body slowly, his golden eyes looking at Victor unwillingly, as if he was struggling to even support his own weight.

In front of him, Victor leaned down slightly, looking at the god in front of him with a condescending attitude.

Victor, who was staring at Hermes, spoke slowly, and the cold words pierced the god's eardrums again:

"No one has stood in the sky since the beginning."

"Ignorant God."

Eventually, he turned away, ignoring Hermes, who had been completely defeated and trapped in place.

He walked towards the rocky mountain, where he saw the massive wreckage of Ourano.

He stretched out a hand and plunged deep into the earthy-brown boulders.

From the countless earthy brown giant mountain stone piles, the energy of a rolling quicksand slowly floated out.

That is the source of the earth's calamity.

With the appearance of the Origin, the calm earth lifted a slight burst of sand.

The origin of the Earth Calamity gradually began to dissolve, turning into a slender scent of sand that flowed through the air, wrapping around Victor's fluttering black trench coat.

Hindered by the wind and sand, Hermes looked vaguely at Victor.

He saw that Victor's black trench coat gradually absorbed the surging wind and sand, and the surface was covered with earth-colored ripples.

He could clearly see that Victor's black trench coat was gradually absorbing the surging wind and sand, and the surface of the originally silent trench coat gradually lit up with an earthy ripple.

Hermes's eyes widened suddenly, and his golden pupils seemed to freeze.

He seemed to see something even more incredible.

Blurred eyes looked at Victor's gleaned back.

In Victor's glowing back, there seemed to be a dark crow phantom flickering slightly on his broad shoulders.

Hermes seemed to be in a state of madness, his voice trembled, and he blurted out:

"You ......"

"Hah...... Compare...... Card? ”