Eros’s expression remained unchanged, his voice calm and steady as he spoke:
"I recently joined a secret gathering where I learned news regarding a fragment of our ancestor's Divine Kingdom. However, the person who holds the information said that if we want to trade, we must first fulfill a prerequisite condition she set."
"My departure from the gala last night was precisely to discuss the details of those matters with her."
Estelle froze. Eros went to handle serious business last night? Did I misunderstand him? However, since the matter involved a fragment of their ancestor’s Divine Kingdom, she didn't have the heart to dwell on her previous suspicions. She hurriedly pressed for more:
"What is the condition she demands? Is the information regarding the fragment accurate?"
"Also, could she be someone sent by the Church to deliberately spread news as bait to lure us out?"
Eros took a moment to organize his thoughts and gave a simplified account of the encounter. At the end, he added:
"She herself cannot be certain it is a fragment of the Goddess of the Night’s Divine Kingdom; she only suspects it based on certain records."
"I thought that regardless of the accuracy, a lead on a fragment is hard to come by. Whether true or false, we have to go and see for ourselves, don't we? If it happens to be real, we’ll successfully recover another piece of our ancestor’s legacy!"
Estelle nodded after listening. Just as Eros said, regardless of the lead's reliability, they had to send someone to investigate. However, she remained wary that this person might be a plant by the Church. After all, the Church had set such traps in the past.
Seeing the shadow of worry on Estelle’s face, Eros smiled.
"As long as we don't act rashly, even if she is a plant from the Church, she won't be able to harm us."
Estelle’s tone turned concerned. "Her prerequisite is for us to steal the Heart of the Ocean from Empress Isabella inside the Imperial Palace. From this condition, it’s not hard to see that her subsequent transaction will likely involve theft or infiltration."
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"Infiltrating the Imperial Palace—guarded by Transcendents—is merely the prerequisite. Could she be planning to have us infiltrate a Major Church or another secret organization later?"
Regarding this concern, Eros gave a light chuckle. "I asked her that as well. She said it does not involve the Church. As for whether it involves other secret organizations, I don't know yet. If it proves too dangerous when the time comes, we can simply refuse."
"The most important thing right now is to obtain the Heart of the Ocean. Only by getting our hands on it can we continue the trade."
Estelle nodded, no longer dwelling on the previous point. "I will immediately arrange for our people to attempt the theft of the necklace!"
As she spoke, Estelle prepared to rise and set the plan in motion. Eros quickly reached out and caught her hand.
"Let me handle this. I have the protection of the Spirit Lady. If I go, the success rate will undoubtedly be higher, and it will be safer. Even if I encounter irresistible danger, the Spirit Lady can instantly pull me into the Shadow Realm to hide. Therefore, I am the most suitable person for the job."
Seeing the lingering hesitation on Estelle’s face, Eros placed his hands on her shoulders, gently guiding her back into her seat before saying in a relaxed tone:
"I’m the one who negotiated this deal; it’s only right that I’m the one to complete it, isn't it?"
Ultimately, Estelle was persuaded. Indeed, Eros—protected by a Divine Artifact—was the most suitable candidate. Her previous reluctance had merely been born of personal bias and worry for his safety.
With a light sigh, Estelle stood up. "I will go and organize the maps and intelligence regarding the interior of the Imperial Palace for you!"
With that, she turned and walked toward the door.
Soon, only Eros and Undine were left in the living room. He turned to look at Undine, only to find her blinking her beautiful eyes, looking at him with a mix of confusion and innocence.
Seeing him look over, Undine’s soft lips parted slightly, her voice filled with bewilderment:
"You've done so many things... why didn't I know about a single one of them? Aren't you always with me?"
Eros reached out and ruffled Undine’s hair, a hint of a smile in his voice:
"You don't need to know these things. As I once said, I will carry the weight of the family. You only need to be happy every day!"
Undine gave a small "hmpf," then obediently rubbed her head against Eros’s palm, her expression resembling that of a contented kitten.
At this, Eros let out a long breath of relief. Finally, I've managed to bluff my way past both of them.
Eros didn't stay in the living room much longer. Shortly after, he left as well; he had to continue his efforts toward reaching Sequence 6. He planned to find the two Temple Guards they had brought from the family estate.
Upon entering the secret room where the two Temple Guards were stationed, Barbara emerged from Eros’s soul space. With a casual swipe of her hand, she tore open an entrance to the Spirit Realm. Then, grabbing a Temple Guard in each hand, she tossed them into the passage without a moment's hesitation.