On the other side of the city, after escorting Natalia back to her rented house, Eros leaned against the doorframe. Watching her walk inside, he said in a lighthearted tone:

  "I’m heading back now!"

  Natalia glanced back, gave a simple nod, and uttered a calm "Mhm."

  Seeing her lackluster response, Eros said with exaggerated flair, "Wow! So cold? And here I was thinking of a kiss goodbye. After all, 'I kiss you goodbye in the silent night'~"

  Natalia stared at the frivolous man. She found it truly difficult to connect the word "Transcendent" with the person standing before her.

  "Sigh! Since you’re unwilling, let’s forget it. Goodnight, babe! I’m off~"

  As soon as he finished, Eros’s figure dissolved into a mass of shadows and seeped into the darkness of the doorway. Natalia looked at the empty doorframe, her brow furrowing slightly. She was confused—what on earth does 'babe' mean?

  Eros, having departed via Shadow Leap, was currently examining a bronze-green ring in his hand. It was an ancient-looking circle engraved with seven distinct patterns. He had retrieved this from the monster’s body earlier; it was identical to the one he had found inside Reymante, with the only difference being that this one carried a much heavier aura of Sin.

  The playful expression on his face vanished, replaced by a brooding sigh. "I didn't expect tonight’s events to be linked to an Apotheosis Ritual (Rite of Godhood). The storm is truly brewing over Indiles."

  "Events like this will only become more frequent. The weight of Sin one must carry for godhood isn't so easily satisfied," Barbara’s voice rang in his mind, calm and detached.

  "I just wonder if these Rings of Original Sin are only in Indiles or spread everywhere. If they appear in smaller cities, they’ll be much harder to deal with." Eros sighed again, feeling a pang of pity for the commoners caught in the crossfire of such a ritual.

  If he had the strength, he wouldn't mind helping them within his capacity. But alas, he was a "weakling." Against an existence of that level, a single sneeze from the opponent could blast him into oblivion. When strong, aid the world; when weak, preserve oneself.

  Upon returning to the Ducal Mansion, Eros gathered all the family members currently in Indiles. Once everyone was assembled in the hall, he laid out the intelligence he had gathered: the unknown plans of the Lunar Sect involving a Divine Vessel, and the Apotheosis Ritual of an unknown entity.

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  The sheer weight of this high-level information made everyone’s skin crawl. Sublime Ones, Divine Descent, Apotheosis... For a moment, they were dazed, wondering if Eros was playing a prank or if they were all trapped in a dream.

  The hall fell into a deathly silence. After a long while, Estelle spoke, her voice dry. "Such events are far beyond the family’s current reach. From this moment on, we must be prepared to evacuate Indiles at any time."

  Seeing the bitter expressions on everyone’s faces, Eros offered some comfort. "Don't be too worried. Neither the Apotheosis Ritual nor the Lunar Sect’s plans are things that can be completed overnight. We still have plenty of time. Moreover, Indiles is guarded by three Sublime Ones from the Three Great Churches. As long as we are cautious, don't expose our identities, and stay out of these affairs, our safety is relatively guaranteed."

  "However," he added, "we must prepare for the worst. That way, even if the worst happens, we won't be caught in a panic."

  Micheal nodded in agreement. "Indiles is the capital of the Empire. The Three Great Churches will never abandon this place. As long as we stay hidden, we are indeed safe for now."

  Only after these words did the heavy atmosphere in the room lighten slightly. Eros smiled and continued, "I will use my own channels to keep track of these events so we can steer clear of trouble at critical moments."

  Undine looked on, her face full of bewilderment. When did this brat get his own information channels? Doesn't he attend classes with me every day? I’ve never seen him talk to anyone but me! She began to doubt if they were even attending the same school.

  With the briefing over, Eros took out two Rings of Original Sin from his pocket. Since he had Barbara isolate their "attraction" beforehand, he wasn't worried.

  "This thing is a tool required for someone’s Apotheosis Ritual. It is highly corrosive and possesses a strong magnetic pull. If you see it outside, remember: do not touch it. Distance yourselves immediately." He passed the rings around for them to familiarize themselves with the appearance.

  After discussing a few more precautions, the small family meeting ended. Eros returned to his room, while Estelle went to the study. she needed to draft a letter to inform the rest of the family, thousands of miles away, of the night's developments.

  Eros spent a moment in his room before heading to the bathhouse. This time, he didn't forget to lock the door. He leaned back against Irina’s lap, letting her gently wash him. It turned out that falling into decadence was a very fast process; he didn't even want to wash himself anymore.

  Just then, a strange hum echoed through the air. Eros snapped his eyes open, looking surprised. Beside him, Irina’s face was filled with alarm. "Did you hear that? That strange sound."

  Eros nodded. "I heard it, but nothing seems to have changed. Could it be another Sealed Artifact aimed at commoners?"

  "That was the Cardinal Archbishop of the Church of Reincarnation taking action!" Barbara’s voice suddenly echoed in the room.

  Eros’s pupils shrank. "A Sublime One made a move?"

  "Mhm. That sound just now was the 'Voice of the Soul.' If I’m not mistaken, the Cardinal Archbishop is currently weaving memories for every single commoner in Indiles. Weaving a segment of memory enough to cover up tonight’s anomalies. It seems the pollution in Indiles has been dealt with."

  Barbara’s tone was flat, but Eros was left speechless. There were millions of commoners in Indiles. To weave a logical, consistent memory for every single one of them—was such a thing even possible?

  Is this a Sublime One? A Mythical Creature? An Angel from the ancient epochs?