'Primordial Runes (Fragmentary)' had initially taught Levi 16 modern runes, plus 8 primordial runes.
It also came with a portion of talisman characters from the world of Genshin.
However, how to actually use this skill was something Levi needed to spend a great deal of time researching, as it was more knowledge-based rather than an application-based skill like 'Command.'
Fortunately, while he might be short on other items, he had accumulated plenty of proficiency-boosting tickets from his previous gacha rolls—tickets that could turn one second in his mental space into ten or even a hundred days.
Without hesitation, he immediately began studying the application of modern and primordial runes.
By the time he arrived at Hephaestus's Workshop in the afternoon, the related skill on Levi's status panel had risen to 'Proficient 18%', and his unlocked Development Ability, 'Mystery,' had been boosted to Rank E by the skill's effects.
The red-haired, one-eyed goddess seemed to have just finished lunch and was now lounging on the sofa in the workshop's main hall, her left leg crossed over her right, swinging back and forth to the rhythm of a soft hum.
Hearing the sound of the main door opening, she turned her head and raised her right hand toward the pale-golden-haired boy who entered the workshop:
"Yo, you're here."
Levi replied dutifully, "Good afternoon, Lady Hephaestus."
"Come, have a seat." Hephaestus patted the sofa cushion beside her. "The merchant I found for you will be here soon."
"...Yes."
Levi walked over but didn't sit next to the red-haired goddess, choosing a single armchair instead.
Seeing his cautious demeanor, Hephaestus couldn't help but smirk. "What's wrong? Afraid I'll eat you? Or are you worried Hestia will get jealous?"
Levi wore a puzzled expression. "What are you talking about, my lady? I don't quite understand."
Hephaestus retorted, "Don't you know you can't lie in front of a god?"
"I do," Levi shrugged. "But sometimes, a lie is an answer in itself."
Hephaestus scoffed. "And here you are, pretending to be some innocent boy after awakening a magic like that!"
"Tch, a little brat with all the desire but none of the nerve." Seeing the boy beside her remain silent, she took the Class Card she had spent all night and morning studying from her breast pocket. Pinching it between her index and middle fingers, she flicked it through the air. "Here, take it back."
Levi caught it smoothly. He paused for a moment, feeling the warmth lingering on the card, but quickly returned to normal.
Hephaestus didn't miss this detail.
And so, the goddess's laughter became even more joyous.
"I knew you were up to no good, you little brat."
Despite her words, she didn't continue to tease him.
Although teasing a handsome boy was indeed good for one's health, it was best to quit while she was ahead, especially since she wasn't mentally prepared herself.
On the other side, Levi wasn't embarrassed at all about his little scheme being exposed.
He simply changed the subject himself. "So, did you figure anything out, Lady Hephaestus?"
The red-haired goddess shook her head at his words. "The previous Vision, not counting the constellation power inside, was just a matter of replicating its basic effects. Not just me, even Tsubaki could probably do it if you gave her a few years. But this thing Hestia called your 'Trump Card'... hmm, a Class Card, was it? The difficulty in making it is average. The real problem is that this world doesn't have a 'Throne of Heroes.' Even 'Yamato Rindou' and 'Scarlet Harnel,' whom you pulled back to the lower world from the Samsara System, are still essentially 'undead.' They aren't true 'Heroic Spirits' who have transcended the timeline."
"Of course, if old geezers like Ouranos and Odin gave the nod, and we gathered a group of gods who genuinely wish the lower world well, it wouldn't be impossible to construct a similar system."
"However..."
—There isn't much time left.
Hephaestus didn't say the last part of that sentence out loud.
There were many things that the children of the lower world didn't need to worry about.
Seeing the red-haired goddess suddenly go quiet, Levi didn't press for details. "By the way, after I meet with the merchant, could I borrow your workshop, Lady Hephaestus?"
Hearing his question, Hephaestus narrowed her left eye. "What are you planning to do?"
Since he was going to do it right under the goddess's nose anyway, Levi didn't hide it. "Forge an item. Hmm, maybe a few items of equipment."
"You know how to forge?" Upon hearing her area of expertise mentioned, the red-haired goddess immediately sat up a little straighter.
To her surprise, Levi shook his head.
"I don't."
Hephaestus frowned. "Then... how are you going to forge equipment?"
Then, the goddess saw a confident, faint smile appear on the boy's face.
"I can't. But the 'me' who has received your blessing can."
Hephaestus was quite concerned about Hestia—of course, the one she might truly be concerned about was Levi.
She had directly summoned the head of her Familia's external merchant group.
With his big boss supervising in person, the man was extremely polite from the very beginning of the meeting.
—The purchase price for the materials, while not exceeding the market average, didn't shortchange Levi much either.
Adding in the over 3,000 Magic Stones dropped from the Middle Floors, the grand total brought his wallet, which had dwindled to just over 27 million, rocketing back up to over 150 million!
"Thank you very much for this, Lady Hephaestus."
After parting ways with the merchant, Levi turned his head and spoke with a sincere tone.
Normally, upon hearing this, the red-haired goddess might have been tempted to tease him a bit.
But at this moment, her cheeks were slightly flushed—not from shyness, but from curiosity.
"Spare me the pleasantries and show me your magic already!"
As she spoke, she reached out, grabbed Levi, and started pulling him toward the workshop.
With the goddess herself being so insistent, Levi naturally couldn't refuse.
Upon entering the room, he began to chant softly: "Hephaestus, I pray to you now, please grant me the goddess's protection!"
A phantom of the red-haired, one-eyed goddess materialized behind Levi, right in front of the real one.
Although she had expected it, seeing the scene unfold before her eyes still filled Hephaestus's heart with a sense of strangeness, mixed with a large dose of embarrassment.
"Oh my..."
Seeing her own phantom step forward and embrace the boy, she scratched her cheek, feeling her face grow hot.
"This magic really is... embarrassing."
As the actual user of the 'Goddess's Protection,' Levi felt nothing in particular—perhaps due to being thick-skinned, or maybe just from having gotten used to it.
After the 'Swordsmith' entry under his Development Abilities was temporarily unlocked on his status panel, he took out the two-headed dragon's liver and scale, which he had deliberately saved, from his inventory.
"Lady Hephaestus, I'm about to begin."
____
🔥 New stories are out! 🔥
New Story: COTE: Natsuki Subaru Returns to School, but as the Purge King
✅ Read 40 chapters ahead on all series.
✅ Get exclusive content and updates.
Help us hit our targets:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 free chapter for all
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 bonus chapters (all stories)!
👻 P - Walnutchan