After that, Charlie learned the exact location of Whiro Familia's base from Arlo, along with the parties involved in their slave trade.
Ensuring he had extracted every last bit of value from Arlo, it was time to dispose of this irredeemable trash.
*BUZZ!*
A low, almost inaudible hum broke the silence. An astronomical amount of magic essence flowed into Charlie's palm, mobilized with absolute precision—only possible thanks to the Six Eyes.
Spirit Arts activated, condensing and heating the air until a roaring, violently spinning plasma pulse formed, emitting a blinding blue-white light.
"Be a good person in your next life."
With no mercy, Charlie said those words as he directed the plasma sphere toward Arlo's body, still frozen under hypnosis.
"AAAHHH—!"
Under extreme pain, Arlo broke free from the hypnotic state. His eyes widened in full awareness and terror, watching his own body begin to disintegrate. But his scream lasted only briefly.
The plasma pulse burned at 8,000–10,000°C—hotter than the surface of the sun. Flesh, organs, and bones vanished without a trace, reduced to fine ash within just 15 seconds.
*WHOOSH!*
Just as the process ended, Aishia raised her hand. With an elegant motion, her Spirit Arts generated a controlled gust of wind that swept up the remaining ashes of Arlo, blowing them out through the broken church window, carried away by the breeze.
"It's time to go back. Before that, let's wake everyone up."
His mood, which had been quite pleasant after playing with the children at Maria Orphanage, was now ruined. Charlie no longer felt like lingering. Together, he and Aishia used Spirit Arts to neutralize the lingering sleeping gas in Maria and all the children's bodies.
One by one, they began to awaken in confusion. Maria was the first to open her eyes, immediately seeing Charlie and Aishia helping the children regain consciousness.
"The children… What… what happened?"
Maria quickly checked on the children around her to make sure they were unharmed.
Of course, Charlie couldn't reveal the truth. He delivered a pre-prepared lie instead.
"My enemies tried to trap us with sleeping gas, Sister Maria. They failed, but I deeply regret involving your orphanage in our problems."
Instead of anger, Maria's face filled with concern.
"Oh my, Mr. Charlie, Miss Aishia… Are you both alright?" She approached them and gently held each of their hands. "Please, be more careful. Being an adventurer is dangerous. Death doesn't come only from monsters in the Dungeon—conflicts with other adventurers are just as deadly."
The woman's genuine kindness touched something rare within Charlie. Without saying much, he pulled a heavy money pouch from his Space-Time Cache and placed it in Maria's hand.
"This is for you."
Maria untied it, and her eyes widened. Inside was filled with Valis.
"This… this is too much, Charlie! I can't possibly—"
"Please accept it, Sister." Charlie interrupted gently but firmly. For a moment, his eyes showed warmth. "This amount means nothing to me. Trust me."
To emphasize his point, he deliberately allowed Maria a brief glimpse into the vast sum stored in his Space-Time Cache. The 20 million Valis he donated were only a small fraction of his wealth.
A single expedition into the Dungeon earned him tens of millions of Valis!
"This…!!!"
Maria stared at him, then back at the pouch in her hands. Tears welled up in her eyes. With trembling hands, she finally accepted it.
"God bless you, Mr. Charlie. May God bless you, Miss Aishia."
"Please, use this money slowly. Don't change everything drastically at once. If you draw the wrong kind of attention, it could attract dangerous people who want to rob you. This place…" Giving a warning, Charlie glanced toward Daedalus Street outside, "…can be considered a lawless zone. The Ganesha Familia rarely patrols here."
"I understand. Thank you. I'll use it carefully."
Maria nodded, fully comprehending the wise advice. She clutched the money pouch tightly.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Goodbye, big brother Charlie! Big sister Aishia!"
"Come play with us again!"
Waving hands and sad cheers from children who already saw them as benefactors followed Charlie and Aishia as they turned and left Maria Orphanage, vanishing into the shadows of Daedalus Street.
After they'd gone far enough, exiting Daedalus Street, Aishia suddenly spoke.
"The children were very cute."
"Mm."
Nodding slightly, Charlie took a few more steps before Aishia spoke again, in the same innocent tone.
"When will we have a child, Charlie?"
"Uhuk uhuk...!"
Charlie's steps halted abruptly. The question was so unexpected it made him choke on his own saliva.
He could feel the heated stares from several passersby who happened to overhear.
Their gazes were full of suspicion and envy. After all, Aishia's beauty ranked among the finest in the world—no matter where you were.
What man wouldn't feel jealous hearing a woman like her talk about having children?
After his coughing subsided, Charlie looked at her in bewilderment.
"How did you even reach that conclusion?"
"Doesn't Charlie want to?" Aishia countered with another question, her clear eyes staring directly at him, completely unaware of how provocative her question was.
"..."
Charlie fell silent. His mind, usually capable of processing complex thoughts, suddenly went blank. How should he respond?
"Let's go home."
In the end, he chose to escape the topic.
"Mm."
Aishia nodded, not pressing further—as if her earlier question had been as simple as asking about the weather.
And so they continued walking, leaving behind a silence louder than any words.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
When Charlie and Aishia arrived at Empyrean Citadel, the sun had already set.
The sky above Orario was painted in shades of orange, purple, and indigo, marking the end of the day and the beginning of night life.
Adventurers crowded the streets, flooding the roads with noise after a long day exploring the Dungeon.
Orario at night was livelier and more energetic than during the day. Cheers and laughter echoed from bars and inns, where adventurers unwound with strong drinks.
Meanwhile, the Entertainment District, with its enticing colorful lights, was already filling up with male adventurers seeking to satisfy their pent-up desires.
In the past, Charlie himself had sneaked into the Entertainment District several times for fleeting pleasures. Unfortunately, his last visit ended in conflict with the Ishtar Familia, resulting in his name being scratched off their guest list—or rather, added to their blacklist.
Moreover, the situation was different now. Charlie already had a girlfriend—Ais Wallenstein, the Sword Princess of the Loki Familia.
Though their relationship wasn't public knowledge, Charlie knew that one wrong step into the Entertainment District could mean serious trouble—not just from the Ishtar Familia, but also from Ais.
"..."
"Welcome back, Onii-chan!"
As soon as the door opened, a small blur shot toward Charlie. Est landed in his arms, clinging tightly around his neck with affection.
"Welcome back, Charlie, Aishia. Did you two have fun today?"
Sitting gracefully on the sofa, a book open on her lap, Astraea greeted their return with her characteristic warm smile.
"Yes, everything went smoothly." Charlie replied almost reflexively. But he forgot one fundamental thing.
"Hm?"
Instantly, Astraea's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. As a goddess, lies—even the most subtle ones—were nearly impossible to hide from her.
Yet, seeing the fatigue he tried to conceal, Astraea chose not to press further.
"Never mind. Rest first. You must be tired."
"Has Lady Astraea had dinner?" Charlie asked, gently placing the still-clinging Est onto the sofa.
"Not yet. Est said she wanted to eat your cooking. So we waited." Astraea answered softly, her smile returning.
"I see. Then I'll cook. Please wait, Lady Astraea."
Charlie nodded and headed straight to the kitchen, seeking refuge in a familiar routine—chopping, stirring, and cooking.
As Charlie disappeared into the kitchen, Astraea turned her gaze to Aishia, who had quietly taken a seat in front of her.
"Something happened today, didn't it?"
"Mm. Charlie experienced something bad." Aishia nodded.
Astraea sighed softly. "Even though he hides it well, feelings can't lie."
She wondered what kind of problem Charlie had faced today.