After dinner, Charlie sat on a rocking chair on the porch.
His gaze was blank, staring beyond the balcony railing, watching people come and go on Orario's lively streets even at night. No one could tell what was truly on his mind.
Inside the house, everything was quiet. Est, likely exhausted after being pampered all day like a mascot by Astraea's goddess acquaintances, had fallen into a deep sleep right after dinner. Aishia followed her, sleeping beside Est on the same bed.
The two spirit girls, with their heavenly beauty, slept peacefully—protected by their own powers and the security system of Empyrean Citadel, far removed from any fear of malicious intent from those who might desire them.
"..."
"May I sit beside you?"
Charlie snapped out of his deep contemplation. "How could I possibly refuse? Please, have a seat, Goddess Astraea."
Awakened from his thoughts by the voice of the Goddess of Justice, Charlie patted the other empty rocking chair beside him.
"Thank you."
With an elegant smile, Astraea sat down.
They simply sat in silence, their rocking chairs moving slowly and in sync. For a moment, they looked like an elderly couple enjoying retirement in their golden years.
"I've heard everything that happened today from Aishia. I never expected remnants of Evilus still exist in Orario. Especially bold enough to commit crimes like kidnapping women."
Suddenly, Astraea broke the silence.
"What exactly has Ganesha Familia been doing?"
Her eyes hardened slightly. Her Familia, Astraea Familia, had once been active participants in fighting Evilus several years ago.
In fact, the reason for her Familia's disbandment was a conspiracy by the Rudra Familia—one of Evilus' factions—angered and threatened by Astraea Familia's unwavering sense of justice and integrity.
The sole surviving member of that conspiracy, Ryuu Lion, avenged them by annihilating the Rudra Familia—but it would all feel meaningless if evil like Evilus could grow back again.
"The Ganesha Familia can't be fully blamed, Goddess Astraea. Orario is too vast. It's impossible for their patrols to cover every area, especially places like Daedalus Street, which are considered slums and ignored by most adventurers."
"Besides, darkness will always spread into developing regions, Goddess Astraea. Parasites like them will exist wherever there's opportunity."
As a former law enforcer in his past life, Charlie deeply understood the complexities and limitations faced by authorities. He didn't see things in black and white.
"..."
Astraea fell silent for a moment, considering Charlie's words. Then, her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
"You're right. Anger clouded my rational judgment. I should know better than to blindly blame one side."
Astraea admitted her earlier statement had been somewhat unreasonable.
"Then… what will you do, Charlie? Will you report this to the Guild?"
She stared at him sharply, ensuring Charlie wouldn't lie or make excuses.
"No." Charlie's answer came firm and without hesitation. "I won't do that."
"Given the authority and intelligence network the Guild possesses, it's nearly impossible they don't know about the remaining Evilus operatives in Orario. Yet, the fact that this information has never leaked to the public… means the Guild is deliberately covering it up. Probably for the sake of stability."
"After all, the citizens of Orario still carry deep trauma from the Dark Age caused by Evilus. Whatever the reason, reporting it would be pointless. At best, my report would end up in a classified archive—or worse, they'd just ask me to keep silent."
His experience growing up in Indonesia—a country familiar with corruption and broken bureaucracy—had given him a bitter understanding of how leaders often chose to maintain surface-level peace instead of cleaning the filth beneath.
"Then—"
"But!"
Astraea was about to speak, but Charlie interrupted.
"Waiting for fate to arrange everything in life isn't much different from waiting for death to arrive!"
"Evilus consists of twisted, depraved minds. Now, Whiro Familia has lost two of its executives at once. They'll definitely investigate. It's only a matter of time before they trace it all back to me."
Charlie knew that when he fought Arlo and his accomplice, several bystanders had watched from inside their homes. With his distinctive white hair, it wouldn't be hard for Evilus to identify him.
"You want to fight Evilus alone? That's extremely dangerous, Charlie!"
"Even though you're Level 5, Whiro Familia's base isn't in Orario—it's in the middle of the Kaios Desert! And you should know, it's not just Whiro Familia there. Who knows how many other Evilus Familias gather in that place!"
Astraea tried to convince him, her memories returning to the tragedy that befell her Familia. She couldn't—and wouldn't—allow the fate that befell Ryuu Lion—the sole survivor of the Rudra Familia conspiracy—to happen to Charlie.
Evilus wasn't confined to Orario. They were scattered across the world. Though Orario was considered the center of the world, not all gods descending from heaven settled there. Many resided in various countries, including evil deities who sought chaos purely for entertainment.
It was said that the Kaios Desert was where the largest number of Evilus Familias gathered. Not knowing Charlie's true strength, it was natural for Astraea to worry about his safety.
"I know it's dangerous, Goddess Astraea. Still, I don't like having a ticking time bomb that could explode anytime. Since they've already marked themselves as my enemy, I'll take the initiative to strike first. That's always better than waiting to be attacked while constantly on guard."
Pausing, Charlie gazed at the star-filled night sky. Then, a thin, confident smile appeared on his lips, along with an aura of self-assurance.
"Not taking initiative to secure your future, but instead waiting for luck to come—Isn't that the definition of laziness?"
"That—"
Astraea wanted to interrupt, but Charlie continued, his voice now lighter yet no less convincing.
"I'll be fine. Trust me. I may not be The Strongest, but one thing I can guarantee—I am The Fastest in this world."
"If the situation turns too dangerous and I can't defeat my opponent, I can always escape. There's no need to fight to the death if there's no chance of victory."
"..."
Astraea could only stare at him. His arguments were logical, his confidence genuine, and his determination burning. She saw a shadow of Ryuu in Charlie—stubborn and utterly fearless in facing danger alone.
A few seconds later, Astraea finally sighed deeply, her tense shoulders relaxing further.
"Geez. My persuasive skills have never worked on either of you. Whether it's you or Ryuu, neither of you ever listens to advice about being more careful. You both are so… stubborn."
Yet behind her complaint, there was a glimmer of admiration—and a hint of relief.
The world needed people like them—those who wouldn't just sit and wait for the storm to pass, but dared to charge through it to protect others.
Astraea finally gave in, gently patting Charlie's shoulder.
"Do what you must. But remember—you have a family here waiting for you to come home. So, keep that promise—run if the situation becomes uncontrollable."
Charlie nodded, his faint smile now warmer.
"That's a promise, Goddess Astraea."
His decision was final.
The journey to the Kaios Desert to confront the nest of Evilus was no longer an option—it was a certainty.