Fairy Tail: Igneel's eldest son in Anime Multiverse

Charles had no idea that the message he'd brought back had prompted a secret meeting between two gods, nor did he realize that he had already drawn the attention of another deity. When Hephaestus returned, she simply reminded him to keep a low profile for the time being, and handed over the money from selling the equipment and magic stones.

With the heavy bag of coins in hand, Charles went straight to the Gubernu Familia.

Unlike the Hephaestus Familia, which specialized in forging weapons, the Gubernu Familia could also make arms but were especially skilled in construction. The luxurious palace of the Ganesha Familia had been built by them overnight.

So when Charles delivered his blueprints and the deposit, the architects from the Gubernu Familia pounded their chests and confidently assured him the job would be finished soon.

Still, their efficiency far exceeded Charles's expectations.

The very next day, they notified him that the forge was ready for inspection and final payment.

Charles headed to the smithy Hephaestus had assigned him and found it perfectly remodeled to match his vision.

In fact, some parts had been improved upon with better logic and design—thanks to the architects' refinements.

That was the power of divine blessings: mortals enhanced by divinity didn't just surpass limits in combat, but in all fields.

Satisfied, Charles paid the balance and acquired the finest tools, then began his forge training in earnest.

Fahl lay atop a specially made platform and breathed fire at the anvil.

The flames reflected off Charles's face, tinting it red, but he stayed focused on the breastplate already taking shape on the anvil.

This armor used the dragon scales dropped by Amphisbaena. Charles had fused them with white adamantine, greatly enhancing their durability, and forged it into the "Twin-Headed Dragon Armor."

No wonder people said only by gaining the \[Forge] development ability could a blacksmith walk the proper path.

After leveling up, Charles could clearly feel the improvement: his control over the crafting process and his understanding of materials had drastically increased.

So he had chosen to use Amphisbaena's rare drops to forge a complex suit of armor.

Due to material constraints, the armor was full-body but fell somewhere between light and heavy armor in class.

Still, Charles had full confidence in its quality—it was more than worthy of a first-tier adventurer.

With the final clang of his hammer, he finished the breastplate.

He used tongs to place it into the quenching liquid. Amidst the sound of hissing steam, the armor took its final form.

Charles retrieved the breastplate and set it alongside the rest of the assembled parts.

That was the last piece. Now came the final treatment and refinements.

He opened the workshop's windows, letting sunlight flood in.

Since devoting himself to forging, Charles had completely lost track of time. He ate irregularly and paid no attention to day or night. Seeing the noonday sun, he realized days might have passed.

After adjusting to the sudden brightness, Charles returned to his workbench.

Sitting atop it was a piece of monster bone jewelry—the ear ornament he had taken from Jura.

Aside from forging, Charles had also been researching this magic item. After all, it had been crafted using the ultra-rare \[Mystery] development ability, and he wanted to uncover some of its secrets.

Unfortunately, after days of study, he had made little progress.

To his blacksmith's eye, the item was simply a well-polished piece of bone—nothing special in its materials or craftsmanship.

And yet, there was no magical signature to be felt. Still, when triggered, it could alter the wearer's aura.

That alone was proof of the incredible mystery behind \[Mystery]. Even after extensive analysis, Charles had only managed to uncover a small clue.

He had initially assumed the etchings along the edge were decorative, but later discovered they were the true source of the item's power.

So besides completing the Twin-Headed Dragon Armor, Charles had devoted all his energy to studying these mysterious markings.

Progress was slow, though, due to the lack of additional samples.

Grrrrrr!

A loud grumble echoed from Charles's stomach. He couldn't even remember his last meal. Now his body was protesting the neglect.

Charles rubbed his belly and acknowledged it was time to find food. He grabbed the earring anyway, not wanting to waste a moment of potential research.

Leaving the forge, Charles considered where to eat.

His workshop was located in Orario's northeast, an area filled with magic stone processing plants, tool shops, and blacksmiths. It was essentially Orario's industrial zone.

Naturally, there were a few restaurants in the area, but their food matched the industrial atmosphere—hearty portions, sure, but flavor-wise… best left unspoken.

After trying them once, Charles had sworn never to return. He already felt guilty for forgetting to eat; he wasn't about to punish his stomach with meals that tasted like forge slag.

So he walked along the street, half-focused on the bone ornament in his hands.

Suddenly, a girl darted out from a nearby corner.

Even with his attention divided, Charles's sharp instincts kicked in. He dodged just in time to avoid a collision.

Though they didn't crash into each other, the girl seemed startled and tumbled backward.

Charles quickly snapped out of his daze and reached out, grabbing the girl's arm while catching her bag of groceries with his other hand.

Then he looked at her face.

It was an astonishingly beautiful face—so perfect that even the best sculptor couldn't have carved it better.

But Charles had no time to appreciate it, because he recognized the girl in the "Hostess of Fertility" uniform, with ash-gray eyes and hair.

Syr Flover. The popular waitress from the Hostess of Fertility tavern—she was one of the reasons the establishment was renowned beyond its cuisine.

But this seemingly ordinary human girl was actually the avatar of a certain goddess.

It was precisely because of this that Charles had avoided that famous tavern; he didn't want to draw her attention.

And now, fate had brought her to him.

"I'm terribly sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going," Syr apologized.

Her voice pulled Charles back to his senses. He composed himself and replied calmly while helping her up, "I wasn't paying attention either. There's no need for you to apologize."

As he was speaking, Charles suddenly sensed a dangerous presence.

"That thing… where did you get it?"

Even without aura reading, the voice was thick with fury and killing intent.

Charles turned toward it.

If the goddess's avatar was here, then naturally the other girl would be nearby too.

An elf—Ryu Lion. Former LV4 adventurer of the Astrea Familia. And the person who had the deepest grudge against Jura, the original owner of the earring Charles now held.

Charles glanced at the item in his hand and understood immediately where her murderous intent was coming from.

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