Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"This—"

then……

The "heretics" who turned the corner saw that.

It was a seamless stone slab, a huge wall that covered the entire field of vision.

A large wall blocking the way (、、、、、、、、).

There was absolutely no way to save them.

"A dead end...?"

"Fels... what's going on? Did we take the wrong turn?"

"How could that be? No way. I really..."

Reed stood frozen in place, and Guross asked a question; Fels stood beside the two, looking down at the "blueprints".

Fels had been following the map, heading towards the western "gate" that even the Loki Familia hadn't discovered. However, a massive wall still blocked his path.

Could it be a secret door? No, there's no such indication on the map—

How could that be? Wouldn't that make us feel like we're being manipulated in someone's palm?

Beneath the swaying black robes, the cursed skeleton vividly recalled the sensation of sweat...

"Hey, fellow 'heretics'."

A burst of cheerful voice, inappropriate for the occasion, came from behind.

"!"

"Nice to meet you all. Please don't be wary. My name is Hermes, just a god."

Orange-yellow hair, and a travel hat with feathers.

The handsome man, whose eyes, the same color as his hair, curved into crescents, gave the astonished "heretics" a pretty boy smile.

"Hermes, the god of heaven...!? What are you doing here?!"

"It's simple, you down-on-your-luck sage, I've been hiding here waiting for you to come to me."

"Wait for us to come...!?"

The dialogue with God left Fels in a sorry state, as were the "heretics."

What was Hermes saying? What did he mean by waiting for us to come to him? What was his purpose? Fels's thinking refused to comprehend the situation.

As the "heretics" froze, a chill running down their spines at the divine object before them, the black-clad magician gripped the map in his hand and questioned:

"Hermes, the god of the heavens... What's going on? There's no 'door' here. Didn't you get your hands on the 'Man-Made Labyrinth Blueprint'?! This blueprint... what exactly is the 'Daedalus Manuscript'—"

Regarding these questions from Fels.

Hermes, with a smile on his face, told him:

"How could there possibly be any 'Daedalus Manuscript'?"

Book 11, Chapter 6: The God's Conspiracy

Hestia held the waterlogged notebook, her face deathly pale.

"The writing hasn't disappeared...the ink hasn't dissolved (…!)...!"

The text wasn't blurred at all.

This fact had an indescribable impact on the goddess.

No, if we're really going to get to the bottom of it, the fact that the pages have absolutely no wrinkles is also suspicious. The fact that ancient paper from a thousand years ago can absorb water and still retain its shape proves that this is a manuscript—

"This notebook itself is a 'magical tool'...? It's not impossible, although it's not impossible...!"

This cursed "notebook" was made by the renowned craftsman Daedalus.

Hestia heard that he was one of the few of Uranus’s followers and one of the first to receive “divine grace.”

In his later years—the early years of the divine era when the gods descended—it would have been impossible for him to possess such a rich array of magical artifacts. The expertise in magical artifacts, primarily based on the manifestation of "mystical (developmental abilities)," has been accumulated slowly over the past millennium. Leaving aside the "door" made of the hardest metal (orogen) that only has a switching function, Hestia doesn't believe Daedalus could have created such an ancient book.

Hestia unfortunately realized that someone had deliberately reproduced the ancient manuscript.

Just like it's to deceive others.

"Furthermore, this ink is insoluble in water... I know this property..."

Hestia knew of something similar to this ink. The letter delivered by the owl familiar to Fels was the same; the blood-red ink wouldn't smudge even in the rain.

That is a magical item called "blood feather" that can use blood instead of ink.

This blood-red quill pen is extremely common in Orario and is very popular among adventurers.

That's right, the one who invented that gadget was—[The Omnipotent One].

"Ikelos didn't give me any 'notebook'."

Faced with the speechless Fels and the "heretics," Hermes spoke with a leisurely air.

"The original owner of the 'Journal' was Dix Perdix. Now that he is dead... the real (original) manuscript should be somewhere in the 'Artificial Labyrinth,' right?"

The legacy of the ancestors (Daedalus) will be passed down to their descendants, whether it is the "man-made labyrinth" or the "manual".

Hermes said that even the supreme god could not take away the "notebook" at will, and he still had a smile on his face.

This fueled Fells' confusion, disarray, and anger.

"So, what is that journal?"

"A fake. What I gave Hestia and the others was a counterfeit made by my retinue (children). Isn't it exquisitely made? I asked her to use magical artifacts to recreate the stubbornness of a thousand years ago."

Hermes answered, and from behind him appeared a beautiful woman with light blue hair, her eyes etched with weariness. The Almighty had accepted the gods' plea and, working tirelessly for several days, successfully forged the master craftsman's (Daedalus') dedication.

Of all the things Hermes said to Uranus when he handed over the "notebook," only the statement that he had "investigated the 'artificial labyrinth'" was true. This completely overlapped with the scope of Loki's investigation.

In other words, the "design plans" below the basement level were entirely fabricated.

The map that Hestia and Fels used to guide them also contained "lies".

This is the location.

"You drew a 'door' on the map that doesn't exist, luring us here...!?"

"That concludes the conclusion. Since the Loki Familia has secured all the entrances, you'll have no choice but to take any path that leads to survival, right?"

The location of the dead end is marked with a non-existent "door".

Fels and his companions, led by the forged "notebook," fell into a trap set by the gods.

No wonder Finn's predictions were inaccurate. It's understandable that his "intuition" for sensing danger failed him.

Because the "heretics" have gone completely in the wrong direction.

"Once you can see whether you will go west or east... then just have faith and wait patiently, right here."

The handsome man revealed the truth about "waiting for someone to come to you," and touched the brim of his travel hat.

"Please don't blame Uranus. He made an agreement with me that he must 'assist' me as a way of repaying me for what I have done so far."

Why didn't Hermes just hand the "notebook" over to Bell and the others?

It's very simple, so as not to arouse suspicion.

He used Uranus as an intermediary to ease Hestia and Fels' suspicions; in other words, to deceive them. Once the item came from the hands of the righteous old god, Hestia and the others had no doubts and believed it.

"The Loki Familia didn't initially think you would choose your own path to destruction, but once we tracked your movements, we knew we would come sooner or later."

"...!"

"But don't worry, there's another 'shortcut' you can take. Once you get there, you'll be able to return to the dungeon safely."

Hermes, as if he had driven his opponent into a dead end, faced Fels and the "heretic" head-on, placing despair and hope before them simultaneously.

The meaning of this is crystal clear.

At this moment, Hermes held the power of life and death over everyone.

The "heretics" were even less able to regain their composure than Fels, both stunned by the smile of the god; as for Fels, he gripped his black gloves so tightly they creaked. Besides anger, an unprecedented anxiety welled up within him.

The fool, who was hailed as a "wise man" based on his past achievements and lived for over eight hundred years, had to realize something when he reached this point.

That means they were all manipulated by divine will.

"—Fels, something's not right! The water-soaked journal is still intact... It's a fake! Uranus... no, it must be Hermes who did something...!"

Hestia's scream rang out in the dead end, where a chilling atmosphere permeated the air. It was a communication from the Eye Crystal.

Urged on by Hermes's gaze, Fels silently gripped the crystal and crushed it.

The goddess's voice abruptly stopped.

"What is your purpose, Hermes, the god...?"

"I want to make a deal—no, I should say I'm making a request?"

The "heretics" have no right to refuse.

Fels's words were tinged with resentment, and when he asked her a question, Hermes narrowed her eyes.

With his entourage following behind, he surveyed the monsters before him and slowly began to speak:

"Die, you heretical monsters!"

*

After saying goodbye to Winnie and the others.

Bell and Haruhime left the orphanage's backyard and arrived at a high point in the northern part of Daedalus Road.

"The commotion in the street has subsided..."

"Yes, all you 'heretics' should be back in the dungeon by now..."

The street scene of the slums unfolding in front of the railings shows the clamor gradually receding. The black fog that had permeated the western district has also completely dissipated, indicating that the commotion is slowly subsiding.

Bell and Haruhime stood side by side, their hearts filled with a mix of a sense of accomplishment and a touch of loneliness, gazing at the complex and bizarre labyrinthine street.

"...They say there's one last 'heretic' left here... Is there really no way to help him?"

"Lord Bell..."

"Although it sounds like he stayed voluntarily, and I might be being nosy, but..."

"If I could, I would hope he survives." Bell recalled the figures of Winnie and the others, and hesitated to speak.

Seeing the boy, younger than herself, in this state, Haruhime narrowed her eyes, and a smile appeared on her face—

"—Bell, Haruhime! Can you hear me!?"

The crystals adorning the handguards emitted the voice of a goddess.

"A deity? What's wrong?"

"I have a lot to say, but let's meet up first! I'll head over there, and you'll follow my instructions!"

"Huh... Ah, okay, I understand."

Hestia's anxious tone startled Bell. He and Haruhime exchanged glances, and soon shared a sense of foreboding.

The deity didn't even have time to explain before leading the way. The two followed the voice's instructions and soon met successfully in the square on the west side of the maze street.

Hestia appeared, her backpack swaying as it was filled with "magic maps" and other items. Upon seeing the two of them, she skipped over any words of comfort and immediately launched into a rapid-fire explanation of the current situation.

"That 'Daedalus Handbook' is a fake! And I can't contact Fels and the others anymore!"

"Fake, counterfeit goods...? Can't contact any of you 'outsiders'...?"

"W-What's going on? A deity!?"

"I don't know, I don't know, but... I have a bad feeling...!"

Seeing the disheveled Haruhime and Bell, Hestia ran her hand through her tied-up black hair.

Seeing the main god's anxiety, Bell and Chun Ji realized the seriousness of the situation.

"Bell, I'm sorry, but could you please go check out the underground passage? The Loki Familia hasn't left yet. I know it's dangerous, but I still hope you can go and see what's going on!"

“I-I understand!”

After a hasty explanation, Bell grabbed the "Double Invisibility Suit" and tried to run out, but—