At the Twisted Root, Robin’s lookalike introduces himself as Griffin Lovell. He reveals they share a father, Professor Richard Lovell, who secretly maintains a wealthy wife, Johanna, and two children in Yorkshire. Griffin’s blunt disclosures unsettle Robin, who drinks to steady himself while trying to process the familial betrayal.

Griffin admits he is a criminal with the Hermes Society, which steals silver and materials from Babel. He warns Robin that discovery would mean torture and prison, then asks Robin to steal from inside Babel because Robin’s blood-bound access can open doors. They walk Oxford’s streets to avoid eavesdroppers; Robin buys pastries to preserve his alibi with Ramy and grapples with Griffin’s demand amid scant details and tight security.

Griffin refuses to divulge Hermes’s size or headquarters, citing operational secrecy, and challenges Robin’s suspicions about profiteering. He asks why Robin helped the thieves earlier; Robin, unable to articulate more than instinct, admits it “just seemed right.” Griffin urges trust and frames the choice as a moral leap rather than an information-gathering exercise.

Griffin then indicts Babel: most bars serve frivolous luxuries for the British elite, while larger revenues come from militaries and slave traders. He argues Babel’s translation magic extracts value from foreign languages to empower British imperial expansion, enforcing exploitative trade with silver-enhanced ships and weapons. Hermes, he says, diverts silver to uprisings and communities in need, melting decorative bars to cure disease instead.

Overwhelmed and fearful of consequences, Robin asks for time. Griffin grants five days and instructs him to mark a lone birch in Merton College gardens if he agrees. They part in Summertown; Griffin insists Robin maintain normal student routines and offers no contact method. When Robin asks if Professor Lovell knows about Griffin, Griffin isn’t sure, reveals he fled Babel after his third year, and notes he once lived in Robin’s current room.