Catching an Owl

Sounds of rustling from outside alerted me, and I slowly exited my house, quiet enough to go unnoticed. Whoever it was, they had skill enough for me not to sense them, which put me on edge. It could be someone from Hermes' Familia or another high-level adventurer—either way, the situation was dangerous. Facing a potential Level 5 adventurer could mean my death.

Or maybe not—depending on whether they could bypass my high regenerative abilities. If they could, I'd be dead in an instant.

Activating my thermal vision, I noticed a small figure on a tree nearby. It appeared to be a bird, but something about its movements was off—not mechanical, but as though it was being commanded. The way it scanned its surroundings felt deliberate as if it were searching for something.

As I cautiously moved closer, I turned off my thermal vision to get a clearer look. It was a white owl, with one eye blue and the other brown. Majestic, to say the least—a bird of rare beauty that many would admire. But it didn't take me long to recognize what it was. This was Ouranos's owl, the one he used for spying and intelligence work. I remembered hearing about this bird delivering a letter to Bell.

Revealing myself from the bushes, the owl turned its head toward me and stared for a long moment. We locked eyes in a standoff, like two cowboys in a duel. A few blinks passed between us, and just when the owl attempted to fly away, I made my move.

"Banshō Ten'in," I muttered in broken Japanese, extending one arm toward the owl. It flapped frantically, trying to escape, but a powerful force pulled it toward me. Helpless, it let out strange screeches as I grabbed its soft feathers. It struggled, scratching at me, but it couldn't harm me—it only cried in desperation.

"Easy there," I said, holding it firmly. "Now that I've got you, I'll hold you hostage until your owner comes to meet me. Since he already knows where I live, I'll make it easy for him. Don't worry, I'll give you a fancy cage with plenty of food and water. I've always liked birds."

The owl stared at me, still cautious but somewhat calmer. I returned inside and created a cage using wind magic. It was a well-crafted wooden enclosure, stocked with premium bird food and fresh water. I wanted to show Ouranos that I wasn't a threat—maybe I could even use this to get some intel on Evilus. If anyone had information, it would be him.

"Stay put until your owner contacts me. You've got the best food and water, so you'll be fine. I'll be heading into town for a bit. Be good while I'm gone. See you later!"

With that, I left the house and made my way to town, hoping to dig up some useful information—maybe something on Evilus or any criminal activity I could clean up.

I also had flying lessons tomorrow, so I needed to keep that in mind. Skipping class for personal reasons wasn't an option—Asfi wouldn't offer to train me if I did that, and I couldn't afford to miss such an opportunity.

Once I mastered flight, everything would become much easier. Dungeon exploration would be a breeze, and fighting enemies from the air would give me a massive advantage due to the nature of my powers.

Spamming Eldritch blasts while flying around would turn me into an A-10 Warthog, and no one would be able to stop me.

The walk toward town was peaceful, with nature offering some interesting sights along the way. As I got closer, the sounds of chatter and the bustle of the town began to fill the air.

Entering the town was easy. It was inhabited almost exclusively by adventurers, and only a fool would come here to steal or cause trouble. Adventurers were a brutal bunch, almost like a cartel in some ways.

It wasn't uncommon to hear stories about adventurers killing someone for something as minor as a bad look or for having better gear. Though the surface was tamer, it still wasn't entirely safe from those with malicious intent.

I eventually reached a small café where adventurers gathered to celebrate, drink, and eat. Judging by the smell, the food must've been good—adventurers usually only settled for the best.

I sat at the only empty table and waited. A minute later, a human man approached me.

"What may I serve you today?" he asked.

Scanning the menu, I decided to keep it simple. "One chocolate milk, please. Could you warm it up a little?"

The man nodded and walked away. With that sorted, I leaned back and noticed a few odd glances in my direction.

Normally, I'd know exactly where this was headed, but for once, I wanted to avoid any trouble. I kept my head down, staring at the wooden table to avoid eye contact.

As I waited for my drink, I overheard a few conversations about fights between adventurers. Nothing of importance to me—such skirmishes never interested me.

"Here you go, sir. Would you like to pay now or later?" the server asked.

I opted to pay immediately, and he went on his way. The chocolate milk was perfectly warm and smooth.

Back at home, the cage I had created earlier disappeared a few moments after I'd finished making it, which confirmed what I suspected—I could create structures but not living things or food. Still, I wondered if it was possible to create non-living things like vehicles. It was worth testing.

As I sipped my drink, the usual buzz of conversation and laughter filled the café. One table, in particular, caught my attention—a group of Amazonians entertaining some male adventurers. The Amazonians looked like escorts, but I knew better. They were also information gatherers for Ishtar.

"I'll take your drink as compensation for my lost bag. You won't mind, right?"

A man with a face not even a mother could love approached my table and snatched my drink. Now I had two options: let it go and waste my drink, or deal with him right here. Killing him would cause me problems, but I was sure Hermes would bail me out if needed.

"Universal Pull."

With a swift gesture, I pulled the drink back from the man's hand, sending him sprawling onto the wooden floor. The café went silent. His friends at the table stood up, while the Amazonians watched me with interest.

The fallen man scrambled to get up, but I was already on my feet and out the door before anything escalated. I wasn't looking to cause Hermes any trouble so soon—I'd deal with that guy later, his face now etched in my memory.

As I left town, planning to spend the night outside, something unexpected happened. A tall, ghostly figure emerged from behind a tree. It was a figure I recognized immediately: Fels, Ouranos's subordinate. Even if I used thermal vision, it wouldn't work—he was a skeleton beneath that cloak.

"How may I serve the mysterious stranger today?" I said, immediately regretting how awkward that sounded. Fels didn't seem to mind, though.

"Adventurer, I believe you have something that belongs to my master. Perhaps we can make a deal for its return?"

He was referring to the owl I had caught earlier. My plan was unfolding just as I had hoped.

"Oh, you mean that owl? Yeah, I noticed it spying on me, so I caught it. You can have it back, but not without a deal."

Fels was silent for a few moments, so I continued. "For me to return it, you'll need to take me to your master. Otherwise, the owl stays in the cage."

Fels tried to refuse, but my unyielding stare told him I wasn't going to back down. Finally, he relented.

"Fine. Follow me."

He began walking, and I followed closely behind. I knew that during our brief exchange, he had already been in contact with Ouranos. It seemed like I was finally going to meet the primordial god who ruled Orario from the shadows.