"So, how much do you know about my past?"
After calming down, Charlie asked this question. From what he remembered of the original work, Aishia knew all of Rio's memories, including those of his previous life.
Therefore, he wanted to know if the Aishia in front of him was the same as the one in the original work.
"I know everything there is to know about Charlie."
"Including my previous life?"
"Yes."
"I see..."
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Yeah, I trust you, Aishia."
Hearing this, Charlie had no doubts about Aishia. Then, he realized the girl was still completely naked.
The sensation of what he had touched earlier and the beautiful body he had held came back to his mind. Charlie shook his head vigorously.
"Aishia, put on some clothes."
"Clothes... like this?" Aishia murmured softly.
*BUZZZ*
A flash of light enveloped her body, and after the light dimmed, her once-naked body was now dressed in a simple gown.
"Using Spirit Art to create clothes, I never thought of that."
Seeing this, Charlie felt he needed to think more creatively.
*BAM*
Suddenly, the bedroom door was flung open.
"Liar! How dare you not keep your word! Do you know how many men would die to meet me, and you ignore me! You—... Eh? A spirit?!"
The intruder began to complain as she entered the room, but her complaints stopped, replaced by a cry of disbelief.
Without even turning around, Charlie knew who the person was from her voice.
"Goddess Aphrodite, how did you get into my room... No need to answer, I already know."
Noticing the inn staff holding keys outside, Charlie guessed that Aphrodite had used her charm on him.
"Put that trivial matter aside. Why is there a spirit in your room? I haven't seen you for just two days, and now you have something extraordinary."
With a jingle of excitement, Aphrodite approached the bed and began scrutinizing Aishia closely.
"It's a long story. In short, this is my contracted spirit, her name is Aishia. By the way, how did Goddess Aphrodite know Aishia is a spirit? I'm curious."
Knowing he couldn't lie in front of the gods, Charlie told a partial truth, not revealing everything.
"Of course, I knew at a glance. Spirits are the gods' most beloved children, often referred to as half-deities. Usually, ordinary spirits, like fireflies, lack self-awareness but can still communicate. Then there are Great Spirits, like Aria and Jupiter, who possess self-awareness similar to that of humans and can transform into human forms."
"Only heroes of the past could form contracts with High Spirits... Wait a minute, doesn't that mean..."
Aphrodite, who had been proudly showing off her knowledge, suddenly realized something.
"Charlie, you can't deny it anymore. You are the hero the gods have been waiting for!"
Closing the distance between them, Aphrodite got very close to Charlie.
"I'm not a hero, you've got the wrong person."
Smelling Aphrodite's fragrance so close to his face, Charlie pushed her away.
"No, you are a hero. Otherwise, you can't explain your contract with a High Spirit. Why do you keep denying the fact that you're a hero? It's so confusing..."
"People aspire to be heroes, you know? Take Finn Deimne, captain of the Loki Familia, for example. His goal is to be the light of Pallum throughout his career as an adventurer, and he never stops seeking ways to enhance his monumental reputation, showing an immense ambition for fame to fulfill his goal."
"It's because of this ambition that Finn has advanced and endured so much, gaining the fame and reputation he has today. But... honestly, he's just a fake hero, not the true hero we've been waiting for."
Sitting on the bed, Aphrodite openly expressed her dislike for Finn.
"Since Goddess Aphrodite recognized Aishia as a spirit at a glance, that means other gods can too, right?"
This was Charlie's real concern.
He was worried that after the gods saw Aishia, they would immediately assume he was a hero. Charlie was sure the problems that would follow would not be fewer than those experienced by the protagonist of this world.
Never underestimate gods looking for amusement!
They are a group of maniacs who have lived for hundreds of millions of years and are so bored that they descend to the lower world to dispel their boredom.
"Of course. After all, the essence of a spirit's life is closely tied to us. If this girl appears on the streets of Orario, the gods who see her will immediately know she is a spirit." Aphrodite replied with a smile.
Charlie: "😐"
"Am I causing trouble for Charlie?"
Aishia, who had been silent, finally spoke with a calm tone, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice. It could be seen in her hand that gripped the hem of Charlie's shirt tightly, like a child afraid of being abandoned by her parents.
"Aishia, you are not causing me trouble; on the contrary, you've brought happiness I haven't felt in a long time. The real problem is the gods."
"How dare you say something so bold in front of me! You're as crazy as Hera."
"Anyway, as long as we're together, we can face anything."
Ignoring Aphrodite's complaints beside him, Charlie gently patted Aishia's head.
As long as they were in the lower world, the gods couldn't use their Arcanum. In other words, they were no different from mortals, except they didn't need to use the bathroom. If they broke the rules and used their Arcanum, they would be sent back to Heaven, and it would take at least ten thousand years for them to return to the lower world.
After all, there were plenty of gods in Heaven waiting in line to descend and play in the lower world.
Charlie wasn't afraid of the gods with their Arcanum sealed. What he feared was them sending Familia members to make trouble for him.
'This isn't the first time I've become an enemy to everyone. If it happens again in this life, so be it,' He thought, not too worried about Aishia's identity being revealed.
Now that he had contracted with a High-Rank Spirit, his Spirit Art output would be stronger than before. Charlie wasn't even afraid of facing a Level 6 opponent.
Can't win? Easy, just run!
There was only one adventurer in Orario who could fly. No one could stop Charlie if he wanted to escape by flying.
"Oho~, I like that look."
Observing their interaction, Aphrodite guessed that Charlie's mindset had shifted, even if he still resisted the idea of being a hero.
'I bet the other gods and goddesses will cause a commotion in Orario once they hear this news.'
Aphrodite could already imagine their reactions and couldn't help but chuckle.
She was thrilled to be the first of her kind to witness a hero's spirit in this era.