Chapter 17

A small time lapse, it's been a few days since Wilhelm's 'tour' through his makeshift underground bunker which was below the workshop he uses. He had made sure not to bring them to the areas that are still getting excavated, as the spaces are extremely large, they specifically would probably incite a few questions to say the least, especially if they had noticed the other entry/exit considering there previously seemed to be only one into the underground area.

That reminds him that he's gonna have to set up illusions and boundaries around the other entrance/exit which will exist outside the city.

Well, that's what a mental list is for. All that can be put off till later though because Wilhelm got a sudden urge to go through a musician support arc. He had essentially rushed Loki off after telling the woman to go purchase various materials in abundance for him, including leather, any materials that can function as elastic strings in a sense that are durable, a few different types of wood, along with copper, assuming this world doesn't really use brass so he'll have to make the alloy himself. Which also includes making the zinc himself likely with some straining transmutation magic because he's not sure if it's a common or not material, or what it's even called here, but he remained quite certain that all the metals still held the same name, and considering copper tended to be a metal often of early use in societies it should be easily known.

Overthinking and coming to conclusions that he has almost no evidence for is something he does quite often.

Obviously he has no intention of making just one instrument, he shrugged the idea of strenuous practicing and learning off because he could just download any and all data he would need with computerized mind essentially.

He was thinking something that he would or could make more combat oriented. Fighting while making music sounds tremendously fun like that. Thought the first ideas that came to mind for him were things like 'Chello and shield, trombone and spear…' though a. Guitar would probably be better then a chello for a shield considering there's the ones with a metal body, he didn't really have an idea how a metal chello would work and a guitar would be easier to move and make function like a shield- or something like a large bat. The trombone would be even more interesting. While he was thinking about putting a spear like structure where the end of the instrument slides out, the rest of it's curved and it's structure would probably prevent the spear tip from going far if at all.

The musical weapon idea, or whatever it should be referred to as, probably gonna get scrapped real fast but that's fine.

Since he wants to play something of a support role for a time being, he's gonna need to involve himself with spells related obviously, the music is to boost morale and keep them from just well- getting tired or bored of just fighting monsters.

Though the spells might just not be needed if the armor he's planning to make works as he hopes. To keep from wasting materials with a full set of leather armor having no use should the project fail, he decides it'll just be the chest pieces for his familia members.

The main idea behind the armor is to use runes to shift damage from areas inside the armor to whatever object is wrapped in the 'victim' set as he decides to call it mentally. In this case it'll be the giant slab or packed-together meat he told Loki to get for him.

Considering the force behind attacks also have to go somewhere, that's how he decided to use meat, rather then something else, they could also be shown the type of damage they'd be exposing themselves to what exactly they'd possibly need to be more wary of while in combat- without well- actually hurting them.

Though the present design wouldn't stop elemental attacks or magical attacks for the most part. And corrosive attacks would ruin the project. It's main purpose is for shifting the force behind attacks and the physical damage caused by the weapon(s).

Obviously each chest piece will have runes engraved to shift sizes and be form fitting to it's wearers.

Well he's still got significant time before the next expedition so plenty of time to work and he's already started making the brass he's needed over the past few days, so it'd be a good time for a quick break to walk through the pleasure district while singing love shack and cross it off his bucket list.

It'd also be a really good way to check how compatible his vocal cords are as 'speakers' in a sense, he could just 'download' the song in his mind and play it with output being through his vocal cords and his sound magic should there be any given problems or relieve strain on his vocal cords so they don't get progressively ruined faster then they can regenerate or heal themselves.

On his way out of the workshop that he's again spent a few days in, he left the twilight manor grounds in his somewhat typical sneaky way before making his way to and through the pleasure district.

Completely worth it to do a song with so many location references, and different singers. The looks of people thinking he was a fuckin weirdo was indeed extremely funny, a pity no one would understand his humored endeavors.

There were quite a few people who followed him through the district, whether they liked the song or were interested in him he didn't know because he wasn't paying attention.

By the time he finished the song-… well he didn't know which one he wanted to do next nor did he know where he was even trying to go…

At first he though of going to Ishtar to make a deal when going into the pleasure district but the woman seems like a childish bitch and a half to deal with in the show. Which isn't even considering that she's probably not the right person to sell aphrodisiacs to considering she has charm abilities to use and likely isn't into- well drugs besides alcohol.

This causes him to turn around and ask one of the prostitutes on the street during the night, "Where would I go to make a deal with drug recipes?- aphrodisiac recipes specifically I'm trying to sell." Wilhelm asks the woman while trying fishing a few hundred valis from his own pants he fashioned because well… fuck not having pockets.

The woman raises an eyebrow at him and opens her mouth to begin speaking but is cut off when Wilhelm sighs, "Nevermind, I don't have a fucking wallet yet." Letting out a grunt which seems to be derived of annoyance as he begins walking away again. "Not touching my funds in my storage magic or the like around this vixens… I refuse."

He sighs again as he decides to move onto Ishtar's residence directly, despite acknowledging mentally how many things are wrong with this idea.

'Ya know what, if I'm gonna go with horrible ideas just because I'm to lazy to commit to finding other options out… I'll full commit… no waiting for an audience, I'll just go in through one of the windows or the balcony up there.'

Aligning with his thoughts he almost shifts… in a public street but hesitates… well instead he just dashes out of view, into one of the many dark alleyways between buildings and shifts into a bird before flying up. No one's gonna believe he can shift into a bird so small without directly seeing it right?

Well regardless, not like the information of his shapeshifting abilities would be to detrimental, it would just be annoying considering how it's been used thus far and how he prefers to use it.

He eventually reaches one of the upper balconies, that seems to lead into a large bedroom after taking his time 'on the flight up' and the tower's aura or the feeling it seemed to give off. Truly it seemed like quite the copy considering the work it seemed really comparable to the Tower of Babel if one were to look closely, but if one knew Ishtar even remotely well it would probably be quite obvious why.

He lands on the balcony and shifts back to his humanoid form, making his clothes reappear upon himself in the same fashion they were before going into his inventory.

Wilhelm lets out a sigh as he comes to a realization and tries to open the doors of the balcony, they do open much to to his significant relief as his.

Well no longer believing he might have to break down a door or two he goes through he bedroom, that seems to be a spare bedroom of sorts for visitors and leaves through it's door, entering one of the tower's halls.

Immediately deciding he'll just walk around till he finds a set of stairs that'll take him to the top, either Ishtar's bedroom will be at the top or her 'throne room' considering her. Vindictive authoritarian complex.

It might've taken almost an hour to manage, also a few knocked out superficial adventurer guards… but it seemed like he finally managed to get to the 2nd most top floor which he found, seemed to be Ishtar's favorite meeting room of sorts- considering that's where she was- well meeting Hermes.

"Oh this is hilarious, I wish I had a camera… oh wait! Technically I do." Wilhelm steps into the room where the two gods were aggressively getting it on together, one being victim to the other's charm and the other in a pursuit of knowledge yet again, against Freya.

Well… Ishtar's rather startled in the moment because she expected her guards to have stopped any intruders or everyone to be gone… as she's typically sent all people away when dealing with other gods.

A holographic of the two fucking shows up beside them, quite a few pictures of Hermes being in such a submissive position, created with Wilhelm's light magic. "This won't affect you…" Wilhelm claims while turning his gaze momentarily towards Ishtar before turning to the drugged up Hermes, "just blackmailing him when he sobers up because I imagine he won't want to be publicly painted in such a submissive position."

Ishtar blinks a few times for a moment, and gathers her thoughts on the unexpected scenario before she begins to chuckle softly, "Quite the gall mortals seem to have today, interrupting my intimate time and boldly planning to blackmail a god I have reoccurring 'business dealings' with."

"Eh? Don't read so much into it, I'm just here because I wanted a reason to have fun singing iconic songs I remember in the streets below, to make the trip worth something I was intending to sell you aphrodisiacs or their recipes." Wilhelm waves her off for the most part.

"And what makes you think a goddess of love requires aphrodisiacs~?" Ishtar questions, she begins sitting up- still on top of Hermes but no longer giving the high messenger god any attention what-so-ever.

"You don't, but more potential profits would help in this 'war against Freya' that you're so bent on." Wilhelm sits on a chair opposite side of the room from the ouch, believing this conversation will at least last a while.

Ishtar's gaze shifts into a questioning glare, "How much do you know, boy, and where did you learn of such things?"

"Again, don't read so deep into it, holy shit it's like I'm getting into a Netflix drama slowly. Just think of me as a merchant of opportunity." Wilhelm responds.

Ishtar looks increasingly agitated in responds, pushing herself off Hermes and standing up to focus her efforts on the mysterious man in front of her instead.

'Hahhhh… thank those above I can shut off portion of my emotions and bodily functions' Wilhelm thinks to himself while slouching so there's no possible way to sit on him or the like when his body is at such a weird angle and making himself appear unsightly- the idea being to dissuade Ishtar from any seduction efforts or techniques.

"You will tell me what I desire to know!" Ishtar exclaims, while her charm related manipulation flares in an attempt to take control over the man in front of her.

"No, what are you gonna do if I don't? Call your captain who you're gradually loosing control over as she begins to think she needs you for nothing except her falna? Call the submissive vice captain who's profoundly weak despite his level?" Wilhelm doesn't even mention the possibility of charming him- because she should be noticing it doesn't work… at least he thinks she should notice. "Gah… it's wearing on my patience already, I should do some patience exercise or whatever. Agree to the deal and I might throw in an information incentive, don't and the altercation just ends. If you choose to call for someone regardless- you don't really think I came here without a way to leave in mind, did you." (A/N: he did)

Ishtar growls with a clear tone of frustration in her voice and begins rubbing her temples for a minute while thinking, recollecting her thoughts once more.

"I'm not going to sign any potentially binding contract with a mere mortal who lacks respect when dealing with a goddess." Ishtar face contorts and shifts into a vile grin, "You could be right about some of my familia being… rather dysfunctional… but I'll get the information I want from you child, either by your own volition or by force." She exclaims while stepping closer to Wilhelm once more, attempting to flare her charm further.

Wilhelm just sighs and moves himself even more swiftly to the other side of the room, "My Nono area will not be touched without my consent, my liking to cnc doesn't extend to being the victim or with someone I'm not comfortable with, we haven't even established a safe word."

"Why would I need a safe word or the consent of someone lesser then me~? Shouldn't you just obey and give me what I want? You should be able to take enough pride in that child." Ishtar claims

"I entered the pleasure district with a smile and thinking of how I could have fun, not sure how worth it the experience was, 2 out of 5 stars." He proceeds to simply rush to the nearest window he sees after leaving that questionable room and leaves the tower the same way he got in, though the window may have been broken this time.

Though he didn't leave before grabbing the corpse-like unconscious Hermes, might as well speed up the processes for some plans and make things easier given the opportunity.

Well going 'home', it was really about time he pushed to do the clone project and finish it all up.

POV SHIFT-

Hahhh~ he seems knows so much about me despite never having even met met~! He's my Odr~! He might even be a reincarnation of my Odr~! My little secrets being exposed means nothing if I get to learn how much my love already knows of me yet he's kept so much to himself it would seem~! I can already feel the value I hold in his heart… I have to start treating him, rewarding him~

He could sneak into my room any time it would seem and free me of these chains as he pleases, oh how tempting he continues to be while my knowledge of him grows~

I need to have one of my dear children grab him for a time soon so we could get some private time away from any similarly prying eyes.

POV SHIFT-

A man seems to wake slowly with a groan, lying on top of a table of sorts and hung over. It's early morning but he wouldn't be able to know that considering he's underground.

"You're finally awake… to make this quick you're here because I'm going to blackmail you into agreeing to 3 things." Wilhelm turns from what he was working on and moves to the waking man who clearly seems to be drained physically and mentally.

Hermes however simply stumbles over his words, slurring sentences but getting better as he begins to gather his bearings more adequately and come out of his stupor. " wh-waaatt? Eeeeviluus?"

"No." Wilhelm sighs for a moment and mumbles, "I still regret not being more attentive with events and those around me, I'm so far behind in level despite having such an advantage for my progression and I missed stuff like the attack on evilus bases." He begins to speak up once more after venting his frustrations quietly to himself. "I'm a different party, and unless you want your reputation in bed with women to go to shit…" he motions to multiple magic holograms of him being out of his mind while in the submissive position under Ishtar, "You'll do the following."

Wilhelm takes a moment and to see Hermes sober up real quick with a determined look on his face, "I want your honest word on your identity as a god you will not expose anything about me to anyone intentionally or so much as hint about it, you will help an alter identity of mine that will publicly take the place of a god into each denatus, and you'll give this message to Artemis without opening it and vouch for it's contents. None of these will hurt you, the other gods, or your family members, in fact the note is meant to help Artemis specifically."

While Hermes seems skeptical for a moment, he can sense the man is telling the truth but still remains unsure of a few things, "how do you intend to pose as a god when you can't lie to one?"

"Do you agree to the conditions?" Wilhelm questions in turn.

"Yes yes yes, fine I swear on my name as the messenger of the gods. Now tell me, you've intrigued me with how brave you are." Hermes responds with a profound grin.

"Cloning, spreading my soul and attaching it to another vessel I duplicate from his one, it'll take some practice but I should be able to confine my divinity to that portion of my soul stretched or portions(s) stretched into other bodies, it'll take some practice, and I'll probably use the dungeon to garner perspective on how well my divinity is restricted to said portion of my soul, while still connected." Wilhelm responds calmly and collected.

"How fascinating, would you like to join my familia? My captain requires a lot of help-" Hermes questions excitedly before getting cut off.

"Help with paperwork you leave for he? No thank you, I will remain in goddess Loki's familia with this body." Wilhelm responds "I'll escort you from the premises now that I've gotten what I wanted, easier then I thought I would to. Here's the envelope for Artemis." Speaking of it, he hands it over to Hermes before picking up the messenger god by the. Back of the neck and pulling him off the premises.

"I wish you good luck on your speedy travels, Sir Hermes." Wilhelm leaves the god having not listened to majority of what the main said and tried to do to strike up conversation, he had also not noticed in his haste that he brought Hermes through his workshop in his haste to remove the talkative bastard.