Danmachi: Is It Wrong to Be the Main Character in Orario?

Spirit!

The moment that name came out, the expressions of all four gods changed completely.

The enemy's true form was actually a Spirit—beings known as "the closest to the gods," often called "the children most beloved by the gods," or even "avatars of the gods."

Even if the effects of the Falna had diminished their power, Spirits were still among the most powerful races in the world.

And now, that race stood on the opposite side of gods and humans.

What was once humanity's greatest ally had become its greatest threat. This was no trivial matter.

Bell continued speaking as if he hadn't noticed their stunned reactions.

"Through my research, I've identified its race."

"Wait!"

Loki interrupted immediately.

"We all know about Spirits. You don't need to explain that. The real question is—why?"

"Spirits were supposed to be humanity's allies. So why are they now standing against us?"

Bell calmly met the agitated gaze of Loki-sama.

"Reversal. That's the term I've given to this phenomenon."

"From what I can tell, after being devoured by monsters in the Dungeon, the Spirits retained their consciousness and awareness. Even though their physical forms were consumed, their minds still lingered."

"But that awareness is extremely fragile. It's easily distorted by the monsters that devoured them, causing the Spirits' very souls and essence to undergo a complete reversal from what they originally were."

"You could also call it 'corruption'."

The word "corruption" hit Loki hard.

'So that's it. No wonder Ais...'

At that moment, she finally understood why Ais had changed so much—why she'd seemed so dazed after her treatment and return to the Dungeon. The root cause had finally come to light.

"Bell-kun, are you absolutely sure you're not mistaken?"

Hestia looked at him, clearly worried.

But Bell gently shook his head. It wasn't just that he had done extensive research and analysis—he also had direct insight into the fetus itself.

"There's almost no chance I'm wrong."

"The answer—'Spirit'—was given to me directly by the fetus after I enslaved it. And I don't believe it has the ability to resist my control."

'Enslaved... You actually enslaved a Spirit...'

Hermes had lost track of how many times his face had twitched today. But this—this had to be the most intense day he'd ever lived through.

Most adventurers wouldn't understand—but how could he not?

Spirits were the race closest to nature and divinity itself. Calling them "avatars of the gods" wasn't an exaggeration.

They were more adept than even elves at wielding magic, with a natural affinity for it that was simply unmatched.

And precisely because of that affinity, they possessed overwhelming resistance to magic, curses, and even certain binding contracts. To enslave a Spirit through normal means was all but impossible.

But...

Hermes turned to glance at Loki and Hephaestus.

It was understandable if Hestia hadn't pieced it together, but Loki and Hephaestus? There was no way they didn't know this. And yet—neither of them showed a hint of doubt. They accepted Bell's explanation instantly, without hesitation.

Hermes lowered his hat, casting a shadow over his eyes, then gave Asfi a subtle glance.

Not missing the signal, Asfi adjusted her glasses and raised her hand to speak on behalf of her god.

"Hold on. Spirits have incredibly high magic resistance. If you're claiming to have enslaved one, there's a strong chance it's just pretending to be controlled."

Even though this concern was raised under her god's instruction, Asfi herself genuinely doubted it.

Spirits, being so close to divinity, shouldn't be subdued so easily.

She felt it was necessary to warn Bell—after all, they couldn't rule out the possibility that the so-called answer was something the Spirit had deliberately leaked.

Bell cast a glance at Hermes, who was feigning ignorance, then shook his head slightly and firmly rejected the idea.

"There's no need for concern, Perseus."

"Goddess-sama, Hephaestus-sama, and Loki-sama are all well aware of a Spirit's nature. Yet have you seen any of them raise objections?"

Asfi instinctively looked toward the three goddesses—and sure enough, all three wore expressions of calm acceptance, showing no sign of disagreement or doubt over the Spirit's enslavement.

"After all, gods aren't fools. There's no way they wouldn't know."

"But, Hermes-sama, if you truly want to understand, then please—step forward."

The moment Bell said that, all three goddesses, including Loki, turned their attention toward Hermes with amusement.

They all knew that Hermes had always taken a neutral stance—never aligning too closely with any side. But now, would he take that step?

Of course it was a trap.

Hermes recognized it immediately—a deliberate setup to force him to pick a side.

Judging by the looks on Loki and Hephaestus's faces, they were waiting to see where he stood.

In situations like this, Hermes's instinct was always to remain a spectator—stay in the center, uncommitted.

But this time, the atmosphere didn't leave him that option.

It was clear: he couldn't avoid this decision. And if he tried to walk away now, Loki definitely wouldn't let him.

Besides, they were deep inside Hestia's territory. Even if he recovered his divine powers, escaping might not be possible.

The world barrier wasn't something to take lightly.

Even if it hadn't fully fused with this place to form a "world outside the world," the integration had clearly begun.

The moment he stepped in here, he'd already lost his freedom to choose.

Still, what really tipped the scales was his desire to witness Orario's future—whether it would end in destruction or rise again in rebirth. That kind of future... thrilled him.

"You never really gave me a choice to begin with, did you?"

This tactic was deeply frustrating for someone like Hermes, who valued neutrality.

But the thought of watching an even grander tale unfold—of seeing legends born—was too enticing to resist.

"Very well. I surrender. From now on, I'll stand with Hestia."

"In that case, will you now tell me the reason they were all so certain?"

Bell snapped his fingers, and eighteen Runes materialized at once.

"This is...!?"

Hermes's face changed—initial shock giving way to growing excitement as his eyes flicked toward the three goddesses.

"So that's it. Now I understand. No wonder you were all so sure."

At last, Hermes grasped why Loki and the others hadn't questioned Bell-kun's claims. If they'd already known this truth, why would they object?