Hearing her words, Eros instinctively glanced at the wall separating them. Undine and Estelle were right next door. But a moment later, he snapped out of it. Wait, why am I feeling guilty?

  Was there anything between him and Madam Florika that couldn't be known? Really, she made it sound like they shared some unspeakable secret. His mouth twitched, and he lowered his voice, speaking with a wry smile:

  "Madam, if there’s something you need help with, you can just say it. There’s no need to be so..." He struggled to find the right word.

  The smile on Florika’s face faded, replaced by a touch of melancholy. "Do you know? I’m only three years older than Lady Estelle."

  Eros began to grasp her intent, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue. As expected, she paused and then spoke with a hint of desolation: "I didn't feel it before, but over the past year, I can clearly sense my body weakening... my looks gradually fading."

  Eros hesitated, then said sincerely, "Madam, you look twenty-nine at most." He wasn't just being polite; she truly did look that young.

  A flicker of a smile crossed her face before vanishing back into gloom. "To preserve my appearance, I spend hours every day on maintenance. Even so, I feel I’m losing the battle."

  "Time is the enemy of all living beings," Eros whispered.

  "Yes. That’s why I came to you." Florika’s melancholy vanished, replaced by an intense seriousness. "As a long-lived being, an heir to the Elven bloodline, and one personally baptized by the Great One—you must have a solution, right? Lady Estelle is proof of that."

  Eros said nothing, which was a silent admission. Seeing this, Florika smiled. "What price must I pay for such a miracle?"

  "You don't have to pay anything. It’s a simple task for me," Eros replied casually. Indeed, it was just a matter of shedding a little blood. As a "human fountain of life," a few drops were nothing.

  Instead of relief, Florika’s face fell into disappointment. Eros’s eyelid jumped, and he screamed internally: Wait, what’s with that disappointed look? Madam, I feel like your thoughts are becoming very dangerous!

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Despite her disappointment, she smiled again. "I actually hoped you’d make some... excessive demands. Transactions based on one-sided giving rarely last long." She sighed with regret. "Since you didn't ask, I suppose that’s that. However, if you think of any 'demands' later, come to me directly. I won't refuse; in fact, I’d be quite happy to help."

  Madam, there’s something seriously wrong with you! Eros forced a grin that looked more like a grimace. "Madam, cough! Let’s not talk about that! Once we’re done bathing, I’ll have Irina bring you what you need." He emphasized the name Irina, signaling her with his eyes.

  Whether the mist was too thick or Florika was too caught up in her own words, she didn't notice. She continued: "Are you worried about your father? It’s fine. This sort of thing is common among nobles. And if it’s you, I suspect your father wouldn't mind—he might even tacitly approve. Besides, he’s busy with his new companions all day; he has no time for an 'old, fading woman' like me."

  "Mama! You’re not old at all!"

  Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted from behind her. Eros covered his face. Florika froze, her face turning a violent shade of crimson. She turned her head mechanically, her voice trembling. "I-I-Irina... W-what are you doing here?"

  She had specifically chosen this time because she assumed Irina wouldn't follow Eros into the bath.

  "I’ve been here the whole time~" Irina said tonelessly.

  Florika lowered her head so far it nearly buried itself in her chest. Being caught red-handed by her own daughter made her feel that the continent of Croatia was no longer a suitable place for her to exist. Irina said nothing more, and Eros felt equally awkward. The atmosphere turned bizarrely silent.

  Eros didn't even remember how he left the bath or returned to his room. Lying on his bed, he felt dazed, as if the night’s events were a dream. After a while, he got up and locked the door. Undine was sleeping with Estelle tonight to comfort her, and Irina was likely downstairs having a "heart-to-heart" with her mother.

  Standing by the bed, Eros gestured. His ring transformed into a petite, doll-like girl amidst a glow of light. Looking at the exquisite girl lying on the bed, Eros asked in a raspy, conflicted voice:

  "Is she really not Elsa?"

  He had asked this before, and Barbara’s answer was always a firm "No."

  "Then why... the resemblance? And the coincidence?"

  When he had claimed the Divine Kingdom fragments, that area of the Domain of Sins was where two domains overlapped. The collapse happened right when the Church reported the collapse in the Martigordon Mountains. He couldn't help but wonder: was the overlapping domain the very one in the mountains? Had Elsa vanished because she accidentally crossed through that overlap?

  Every clue suggested this girl was Elsa, so why did Barbara insist she wasn't?