Eros reached out and ruffled Doreen’s hair, his voice soothing. "You’re safe now. And with me here, I’ll protect you."
Doreen nodded vigorously, her small head proactively nuzzling into Eros’s palm like a docile kitten. Watching this scene, Joanie felt a sudden flicker of vigilance rise in her heart.
Syphreya had a fiancé, but Doreen didn't. Furthermore, Doreen’s status was equally prestigious; she was a perfect match for Eros in terms of social standing. Judging by her current behavior, Doreen was likely to be a formidable rival in the future. Joanie realized she needed to find a way to secure her own advantage.
With these thoughts swirling, Joanie’s eyes began to wander aimlessly across the landscape. Suddenly, a splash of pink in the distance caught her attention. "What’s that?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.
Eros looked in the direction she was pointing. With his superior vision, he could clearly discern what the object was.
"Is that... a backpack?" Eros frowned. He turned to the girls. "Wait here for a moment. I’ll go check it out."
He patted Doreen’s hand, which was still clutching his shirt. Once she let go, he walked quickly toward the backpack. He scanned it with Spirit Vision to ensure there were no traps or lingering curses before picking it up and bringing it back to the group.
Upon opening it, several survival supplies were revealed: food, drinking water, and some changes of clothes. Judging by the style of the garments, the owner was clearly female. It was unclear whether she had met with an unfortunate end or had simply abandoned the pack in haste.
"Mary Shaun..." Doreen whispered, standing to the side.
Eros was startled. He turned to her urgently. "You recognize this bag?"
Doreen looked at him, extending a slender, jade-like finger to point at the back of the shoulder strap. Her voice was timid. "The name is written right here."
Eros flipped the strap toward him. Sure enough, the words Mary Shaun were inscribed there.
This belongs to her? Why would her backpack be left here?
Thinking of that pink-haired "legal loli" who had left such a deep impression on him, Eros felt a surge of worry. Did something happen to her? But then he corrected himself—the locator wasn't nearby. She had to be fine.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Doreen tugged at his sleeve. When he looked at her, she offered a soft comfort: "Sister Mary is okay!"
On the other side, Syphreya looked aghast. "Miss Mary’s backpack? Why is it here?" A terrifying thought crossed her mind, but she shook her head violently to dismiss it. "Miss Mary is so experienced; she wouldn't have an accident. She must have just dropped it by mistake."
Eros glanced between the two girls, cleared his throat, and addressed the others who clearly didn't know Mary.
"Let’s go find her. We can use her personal items for divination. If we find her, we might be able to locate the other sixth-year students. In this unknown Sin Realm, there’s safety in numbers."
No one had a reason to refuse. As Eros said, more people meant more security—especially when the person in question was a sixth-year student who had survived five previous Sin Realm assessments.
Only Undine looked suspicious. She had noticed the subtle shift in Eros’s expression the moment the name "Mary Shaun" was mentioned. She suspected he knew this woman, but she had no evidence. Since Eros usually spent all his time at the academy with her, she hadn't heard of him having close contact with other girls. It must be my imagination, she thought.
Syphreya took a personal item from the bag and said softly, "I’ll perform the divination."
Eros waved her off. "I’ll do it."
If Mary really had met with disaster, a divination might point toward a high-level evil spirit. While Syphreya could withstand the remote contamination of a common spirit, this Sin Realm had been "glanced at" by an Evil God. Who knew what horrors lurked here? It was safer for him to handle it. Even if Syphreya had protections left by an unknown deity, her resistance to contamination couldn't compare to his.
Syphreya obediently handed the item to him. Eros took it, grew a straight branch using his powers, and thrust it into the ground. He closed his eyes, focusing on the divination.
Two minutes later, he opened his eyes. The branch toppled over, pointing directly ahead. Eros retrieved the branch, picked up Mary’s bag, and turned to the group. "This way!"
He took the lead. Doreen quickly trotted after him, grabbing his shirt hem again. Undine pouted but didn't protest. She felt for Doreen after hearing about the side effects of her sealed artifact and her tragic ordeal.
The group followed Eros’s divination results. Every few miles, Eros would pause to perform another reading to correct their course. Time slipped away in a rhythm of walking and divining until the sky darkened, the red moon rose, and night once again draped the Sin Realm in shadow.
Eros noticed that as night fell, Doreen’s grip on his shirt tightened significantly. Her petite frame was trembling slightly. Eros reached out and took her hand, his tone warm. "Don't be afraid. Nothing will happen. We barely saw any spirits during the day; tonight will be the same."
In truth, by relying on Barbara’s vast sensory range, he had been navigating around the spirits all day. Only when surrounded on all sides would he choose the weakest point to break through. Consequently, they had barely fought. The largest pack they’d encountered was only about a dozen spirits—Undine and the others had cut them down before Eros even had to draw his gun.