Upon hearing that her daughter was safe, Natalia’s heart finally settled back into her chest. She turned her beautiful eyes toward Eros, her gaze flickering with a mix of surprise and confusion.
"How do you know the details of the Church Academy’s assessment?"
She didn't suspect him of lying—there was simply no motive for it. Eros, however, didn't stop his wandering hands, his tone remains entirely nonchalant.
"Did you think you were the only ones who planted people in the Academy? We do the same. As soon as the assessment ended, they sent word out through a specialized, hidden channel."
"As you know, those of us from the Night branch are quite adept at that."
Eros dropped the subject there, choosing not to elaborate. Instead, he leaned in and whispered teasingly into Natalia’s ear:
"By the way, have you spent these past few days learning about the protocols for 'Divine Descent'? Or perhaps, have you tracked the movements of the others who received 'Divine Grace' at the same time as you?"
Hearing the mockery in the words of this "Remnant of Night," Natalia’s gaze wavered. Her breathing grew heavy and labored. After a long silence, she let out a long breath and uttered a single, emotionless sentence:
"I’m tired. I’m going to sleep."
She closed her eyes and rolled over, presenting her back to Eros. He let out a soft chuckle but didn't push her further. In some matters, a light touch was more effective than constant prodding.
In the darkness, despite her closed eyes, Natalia’s mind was a chaotic storm. She had spent time researching those topics over the last few days. And it was precisely because of what she discovered that her heart was now so painfully conflicted. On one side stood the Goddess she worshipped; on the other, the child she loved more than life itself.
Ayesha... my child. Does the Goddess truly view you as nothing more than a temporary vessel for Her arrival?
For a long time, Natalia asked herself this question in silent agony.
Beside her, Eros found himself unable to sleep. He shifted his gaze toward Natalia’s back. After a moment's thought, he leaned over, nipping at her crystalline earlobe as he murmured indistinctly:
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"Don't sleep yet. Get up and play with me."
Natalia flinched slightly at the sudden contact, but she remained silent, refusing to acknowledge him. Seeing no response, Eros blinked and whispered:
"I’ll take your silence as consent."
The Next Morning.
When the first light of dawn filtered through the window and onto the bed, Eros opened his eyes. He looked at Natalia sleeping in his arms, her fair, silken shoulder peeking out from beneath the covers.
"I’m leaving now," he said with a light laugh.
Natalia didn’t open her eyes, offering only a lazy, soft "Mmm" in response. With that acknowledgment, Eros’s body dissolved into a pool of shadow, slowly sinking into the darkness cast by the morning sun until he vanished.
Shortly after he left, Natalia opened her eyes. She frowned and sat up with some difficulty. The warm sunlight bathed her pale, exquisite body. After sitting for a while, she gathered her scattered clothes and began to dress.
Once dressed, she leaned against the wall to get out of bed; even then, her legs felt so weak she nearly collapsed. Stabilizing herself, she looked back at the bed.
"I should have made him leave money for the laundry fees," she muttered with a hint of annoyance.
She reached out and gathered the messy sheets and blankets. Her first thought was to take them to the laundry women, but she immediately stopped. Those washerwomen were experienced matrons—there was no way they wouldn't know exactly what had caused those stains.
Thinking of the narrow, knowing looks she would receive, a flush of crimson crept onto her cheeks. Finally, she made a decision: she would throw everything away and buy new ones. The thought of the unnecessary expense only added to her irritation.
Meanwhile, Eros emerged from a deserted alleyway, shedding his cloak of shadows. He stepped onto the street and hailed a rental carriage, directing it toward the Duke’s Manor.
A moment of awkwardness struck him during the ride: he had no money on him. All his funds were in his backpack, which was currently with Undine. Fortunately, the driver was a believer in the God of Death and Reincarnation. Seeing Eros in the official robes of a Church priest, he agreed to a "payment on delivery" arrangement.
Upon arriving at the manor, the head butler and the head maid happened to be discussing something near the gate. Eros didn't have to keep the driver waiting long. He took a ten-pound note from the butler and handed it to the driver with a smile.
"Keep the change as my thanks."
The driver stared at the note in shock. He didn't snap out of it until Eros had disappeared inside. When Eros had given his destination as "Duke North's Manor, 27 King’s Avenue," the driver assumed the young priest simply knew a servant there.
But what did he just hear? That butler—who dressed more elegantly than many minor nobles—had called him "Your Highness"!
Good heavens! He never imagined he’d one day pick up a member of the high nobility.
The butler looked at the stunned driver and offered a polite smile. "Would you like to come in and rest for a moment, sir?"
The driver waved his hands frantically. "No! No, no! I... I have to get back to work!"
The butler nodded. "Thank you for your trust."
"It was... it was my pleasure!" the driver stammered, scrambling back onto his seat and hurrying away. The butler stood there, watching until the carriage was out of sight.