Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

Eren couldn't shake off the unsettling revelation Nira Nightshade had shared about the God Vulcan.

According to her, Vulcan played a significant role in the Calamity Era that had afflicted the inhabitants of Anfang in the past.

Of course, Eren didn't have any feud with the guy as he was not present in that era. Even his first timeline was unaffected by the god's interference in Anfang.

However, he remembered the animosity he felt coming from a certain fire deity when his consciousness was brought to the Celestial Hall. If his guess was right, this fire god was none other than God Vulcan himself.

God Vulcan's reason for opposing Eren was simple and straightforward. He wanted to crush a newbie demigod with Edict Over Water to sharpen his own divinity.

'Erni, should we consider leaving Sunhaven for another place?' Reen cautiously voiced her concerns to Eren, her tone tinged with slight anxiety.

'The patron goddess of this city is linked to that god. If he somehow discovers your presence here, it might lead to trouble.' She glanced around the restaurant, sensing a disturbance outside. Despite the commotion, she focused her attention on Eren.

'Hmm? How did you know about this?' Eren asked Reen with a surprised expression. In the next moment, he answered his own question. 'Goddess Echidna talks with you, doesn't she?'

'Hm,' Reen nodded. 'She visits me in my dreams from time to time. She says she has cut herself from me completely. But she worries about you so she asks me to be careful,' she disclosed.

'Should have told me sooner.'

Eren shook his head and sighed before responding to Reen's earlier question.

'Anyway. We should stay here without a doubt,' Eren replied as he patiently awaited the arrival of the main course at his table. Leaning back in his chair, he opened his book, seemingly engrossed in its contents as he continued.

'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, Reen. Contrary to what you might think, this is probably one of the safest places for us.

Hunt is on everywhere. Where else could we go that is absolutely safe? This entire world is full of people with faith. There's no running away from them.

These so-called gods were once like us. They are prone to making the same type of decisions as us based on certain conditions.

Enemies are less likely to search in their own backyard. Besides, we can gather information about that god and overall situation through the Temple of Sekhmet.' Eren addressed Reen, turning the pages of his book.

"Dear sir, your order is here. Please enjoy your food,' one of the restaurant's managers came to Eren's desk and announced politely while offering him a slight now. Eren nodded and waved his hand, making the book disappear from his hand.

Soon, the restaurant staff arrived with a trolley laden with a variety of delectable and aromatic dishes that Eren's table had ordered in one go. "Hahahaha," Arman exclaimed in joy as the main course was served. "Today, I'll eat like there's no tomorrow," he declared, thumping his fists on the dining table, which clutched the fork and spoon.

"Who's this insufferable loudmouth acting like he's never tasted a meal in his entire existence?"

A voice abruptly resonated through the inner sanctum of the restaurant. A troupe of individuals entered from the grand entrance, with the apparent source of irritation toward Arman's exuberance visibly at the forefront.

This was a group of royals and their retinue from the Eldorathian royal family. As they entered the restaurant, some of them couldn't hide their evident disdain as they eyed Arman.

Their leader, adorned in regal attire, with arrogance dancing in his eyes, approached Eren's table. "What is this?" the royal spat, a sneer gracing his lips. "How can a beggar like you be allowed in a place meant for the elite?" he asked while looking at Arman hatefully.

Arman, targeted for his shabby appearance, felt the weight of their disdain. A royal teen, who stood behind the retainer continued mockery.

"Look at this ragged urchin. Is this how the commoners dine nowadays? In the company of beggars and misfits?" she taunted as she looked in Eren's direction.

'Hmm? Where the fuck did these clowns come from?' the butcher thought to himself.

'Reen dear, don't do anything stupid. I'll have to wipe out everyone in this city and raise it to the ground just to cover our tracks here,' he warned Reen before she could take any actions against them.

Eren, maintaining his composure, raised an eyebrow at the royal girl. "Pardon us, my lady. Can we be of service to you?" he inquired courteously.

'Hehe. Erni, maybe she wants to meet this city's patron goddess face to face.'

Reen teased in Eren's mental realm, her words soaked in bloodlust even though she didn't let it manifest outwardly.

Eren was sure that Reen would have devoured these nuisances already if he hadn't warned her against doing it. From her birth, she cared little about human lives. As a demon beast, they were her natural prey to feed on.

Or maybe, she would have just killed them and not devoured them because devouring mere mortals like them would run her palette. Reen was very peculiar with the choice of her "food" even after being turned into an Elder Seed Artifact Spirit.

'Did… did I speak too loud? Is this because of me? I… I didn't know. What should I do now?'

Arman, caught between discomfort and fear, suppressed the retort bubbling within him. He didn't think himself to be qualified to speak. The imposing group left him feeling uneasy, causing him to overlook the sumptuous main course awaiting his indulgence on the nearby food trolley.

For the first time in a long while, he felt awkward about his clothes and looks. He felt a bit uneasy about his situation and the life he had been living. He wouldn't have entered this rich facility if he knew something like this would happen.

The scrawny kid from the boonies preferred having good food for free but not at the expense of humiliation. He would rather have dry bread and eat it by dipping it in water than face such troublesome situations.

'Wait! Those motifs on their clothes. Royals… they are Eldorathian royals from the capital.'

Arman quickly recognized who the trouble-seeking patrons of the restaurants were. After all, this was not his first time seeing such royal scions in Sunhaven. They often came around this time in Sunhaven for the annual festival of the goddess.

'I… I shouldn't make things too difficult for my customers. I… I should go and wait outside.'

Arman reflected to himself, setting down his fork and spoon. Surprisingly mature for his age, he had learned to cultivate such composure due to the challenges of his upbringing.

"Stay put, little man. You are not going anywhere until the tour ends."

Eren interjected before Arman could rise. Although Eren's words were plain and unthreatening, the underlying message was crystal clear – he cared little for the royal scions and their opinions of Arman.

"Hahaha. It seems this middle-aged buffoon is unaware of our standing," a young man in his early twenties, adorned in opulent attire, stepped forward with a smug tone. He chuckled derisively at Eren, exchanging a playful wink with the royal girl, signaling his intent to handle the situation.

Hailing from a prestigious merchant family in Sunhaven, he sought to impress the royal girl accompanying the entourage.

"Do you truly belong in Mystic Hearth, uncle? Is this your first time in Sunhaven, perhaps? This establishment caters to the refined, not beggars like your little companion here. Either you kick the kid out or I'll arrange for all three of you to leave this city."

He declared, pointing disdainfully at Arman, his words dripping with condescension.

Eren shifted his gaze to the young royal girl accompanying the outspoken scion of the merchant family. Her discomfort with Arman's presence was palpable, evident from the moment she set eyes on him.

'Some people truly believe in their superiority based on birth. Is it truly their fault or the fault of their parents? Looking at them, I'm kinda glad my father left me the way he did.'

Eren sighed, shaking his head. Closing his eyes briefly, he took a deep breath before reopening them. The once dull, mortal-like emerald-green eyes now radiated their usual brilliance as he focused on the young scion and the others around him.

[Unique Skill: Unreal Reflection

Downgraded variant: Sedating Gaze ]