Ms. Paper Figure nodded. "Yes, it is merely an ordinary piece of jewelry."
Stealing something from the Royal Family to prove our strength?
Eros rubbed his chin. Could the deal she spoke of also involve theft? It had to be said, the powers of the Night were exceptionally suited for such endeavors. No wonder she had placed this plan at the highest priority.
However, if stealing from the Royal Family was only to prove their strength...
A frown creased Eros’s brow as a troubling suspicion surfaced. Could the actual deal involve stealing something from inside the Church?
"The transaction you’re talking about... you don't intend for us to go into the Church to take something for you, do you?"
Without hesitation, Eros voiced his doubt. It was better to clarify this now. If she truly expected him to infiltrate the Church, the deal wasn't worth making. There would be no point in wasting time verifying his "strength."
Stealing from the interior of the Church was a death wish. The Church in Intiles was guarded by Exalted Ones. With the few "small fry" left in his family, trying to steal from them would be nothing short of a suicide mission.
Upon hearing this, Ms. Paper Figure shook her head repeatedly. "No, the transaction will not involve the Church. You can rest assured."
Relieved to hear the Church wasn't involved, Eros nodded. "Very well. We will arrange for someone to complete this 'test' as soon as possible. But how should we contact you once it's done?"
Ms. Paper Figure shook her head again. "There is no need to contact me. As soon as you succeed, I will receive the news immediately."
"Then, on that very night, we shall meet here to discuss the details of the transaction."
"Agreed," Eros nodded, giving his consent.
He didn't ask how she would receive the news so quickly; doing so would make him look unprofessional. Since she was so confident, she clearly had a way to learn of a palace theft in the shortest possible time. Does she have an informant in the palace? Or is she lurking there herself?
Seeing that the matter was settled, a smile appeared on the Paper Figure's cut-out face. "I look forward to the day of our formal transaction. Well then, I should be going!"
With that, she performed a graceful curtsy—virtually lifting her paper skirts—and took her leave. Eros watched her receding back, a thought flashing through his mind:
The way she curtsied was very standard... and her aura doesn't resemble that of a maid.
That left only one likely possibility.
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Is she some noble lady? One with close ties to the Imperial Palace!
After a brief reflection, Eros made his guess. Once the Paper Figure had completely vanished from sight, Irina stepped out from his shadow. She looked at Eros and asked:
"Shall we continue cleaning?"
Eros sighed. "Let's call it a day. Let’s return to the physical world."
By the time he returned to the physical world, it was already three in the morning. Eros lay in bed, his consciousness sinking into his soul space.
"Don't you think this is a bit too coincidental?" Eros asked Barbara within the soul space.
First, a sudden whim to go for a stroll led him to overhear Natalia and her friends, which led to Irina. After saving Irina, he discovered she held a clue to a fragment of the ancestral Divine Kingdom.
Then, during this trip to the Spirit Realm to catch a "Weird Thing"—in the vast, boundless expanse of that realm—he just happened to run into Ms. Paper Figure. And she, too, held a clue to a fragment.
Although she said she wasn't certain of the clue's accuracy, Eros felt it was likely ten to one that she was right. There were simply too many coincidences!
Hearing his question, Barbara rolled her eyes. "You’re overthinking it. Do you really think someone is behind the scenes arranging all of this?"
Eros gave a dry laugh. That was exactly what he thought. But Barbara’s tone suggested otherwise. If no one was arranging it, why were there so many coincidences? Could it really just be his luck?
As if sensing his thoughts, Barbara explained:
"Shrouded by the Authority of Secrecy, even the Gods cannot arrange your fate, because they can't even find it, let alone manipulate it."
"As for the coincidences you're sensing, they are likely due to the Law of Spiritual Convergence."
"This strange body of yours might be exerting a convergence effect on the Master’s Divine Kingdom fragments. That’s why they are attempting to gather around you through various coincidental means."
"Why would my body attract the ancestor's fragments?" Eros asked, his face a mask of bewilderment.
At this, Barbara’s gaze became shifty. Her eyes darted around the soul space, looking at everything except Eros.
"Who knows? Your weird body probably just has an attraction to them in some way. Oh, forget about it! Isn't it a good thing that the Master's fragments are actively gathering around you? Why think so much!"
Seeing that Barbara was unwilling to elaborate, Eros could only give up helplessly. As she said, it was a good thing. Since it does me no harm, whatever. I’m too lazy to think about it anymore.
Having dropped the issue, Eros soon drifted off to sleep.
The next morning during breakfast, Estelle sat across the long table, her beautiful eyes regarding Eros with curiosity. "Did you succeed in capturing a Weird Thing last night?"
Eros replied casually, his expression unchanged, "Not yet. The Spirit Lady felt those Weird Things were too weak, so she didn't want them. She wants to pick a more powerful one for me."
Estelle nodded, indicating her understanding. The more powerful the Weird Thing, the more vigorous the Spiritual Fire ignited by the Profane Spark crafted from it would be. One of the requirements for promoting from Sequence 6 to Sequence 5 is having a sufficiently vigorous Spiritual Fire. If one could ensure that fire was strong right at the start of Sequence 6, it would undoubtedly save a lot of time later. With the "Spirit Lady" watching over him, Estelle didn't feel the need to worry.
After a moment, Estelle brought up another matter:
"Tonight, we will host a charity gala at the Rhine Palace in your name. The invitations were sent out yesterday."
"It’s the perfect opportunity to introduce the two of you to the upper-class nobility of Intiles."
Eros already knew about this, so he wasn't surprised. However, Undine suddenly looked up from her food, her small face filled with confusion. Charity gala? Why didn't I know?
Seeing this, a smile touched Eros’s lips. He reached out with a napkin and carefully wiped a stray crumb from the corner of Undine’s mouth, gently explaining the origin of the gala.
After listening, Undine pouted. She felt isolated—everyone knew but her.
I see. There is no longer a place for me in this family!