"Are you serious, Astrea?!"
Hearing this, Focalors, who had been listening silently, instantly changed her expression.
Her elegant and composed demeanor vanished, replaced by solemnity and shock.
"Do you know the consequences of a god entering the Dungeon? If an accident happens and you die in the Dungeon, you truly won't be able to return to Heaven."
Aiden was also moved by Astrea's resolve.
The Dungeon harbored the deepest malice toward the gods.
In order to fight back against the deities who interfered with the lower world, the Dungeon would spawn pitch-black monsters immune to all divine power—the Assassin of the Gods.
These monsters were specialized anti-god weapons. Divine attacks were completely ineffective against them; they could even devour divine power in reverse.
But the most terrifying part was that if a god unfortunately died in the Dungeon, their soul would be permanently trapped by the Dungeon, unable to return to Heaven, let alone enter the resurrection cycle.
That was equivalent to being permanently sealed. It was the true "death of a god."
It could be said that even the gods who loved chasing thrills the most rarely dared to gamble their eternity by casually stepping foot into the Dungeon.
One careless mistake, and they truly would be completely devoured by that living labyrinth.
Gods were immortal. As long as Heaven existed, even if a god was killed, their soul could return to Heaven, enter a lengthy resurrection cycle, and return once more after ten thousand years.
But if they were devoured by the Dungeon, it meant that even the chance of resurrection would be stripped away.
The Dungeon was the veritable Graveyard of the Gods.
Because of this, Aiden had never underestimated the Dungeon. It was a terrifying existence capable of forging a "pact" with the gods, leaving the high and mighty deities completely helpless.
"I know, Focalors."
Astrea's voice, though soft, was resolute. "I know it is against the rules for us gods to enter the Dungeon, and I know the irreversible consequences behind it. But as long as I don't use my divine majesty or divine power, and don't actively attract the Dungeon's attention, it will be fine. I must... confirm this with my own eyes. There are some things I am extremely concerned about."
Hearing this, Aiden seemed to understand something. He looked at the gentle yet determined goddess, a flash of surprise in his eyes, but more so, an indescribable sense of anticipation.
"Lady Astrea, could it be that you believe the Dungeon... is capable of summoning back a soul that has already returned to Heaven?"
"Theoretically, the Dungeon is capable of doing such a thing."
Astrea nodded, her expression grim to the extreme. "Because it is even capable of giving birth to entirely new souls."
This was the true reason she had to rush back at all costs.
If only Alise's physical body had been resurrected, even if it possessed memories, it would merely be an empty shell manipulated by the Dungeon, a pitiful monster.
But if... if even her soul had been forcefully ripped down from Heaven, then she absolutely could not remain indifferent.
Gods were obsessive creatures.
If a child's soul returned to Heaven, a god would "fish them out" of Heaven, chasing the reincarnation of their child's soul across endless eons.
But now, someone was telling her: Not only has one of your children been resurrected by the Dungeon, but even her soul might have been stolen by that accursed place. How could she possibly endure that?
She had been full of anticipation, waiting to reunite with those lovely children in the future after returning to Heaven.
This action by the Dungeon was no different from snatching a child right out of a mother's arms. It was the most naked provocation toward a god.
This was also the reason she insisted on personally entering the Dungeon. She had to get to the bottom of it.
If it was only the body, then there was nothing left to say.
Although it would be incredibly sorrowful, it would simply be a monster that needed to be subjugated.
But if even the soul belonged to Alise herself, then Astrea absolutely could not just sit back and watch as the "resurrected" Alise was hunted down like a monster.
But before making a final decision, she first had to figure out exactly what the situation was with the current Alise.
She actually had other options, but upon careful consideration, she found that none were truly suitable.
The best fighters from the Loki Familia were currently on an expedition in the deep floors. Distant allies couldn't solve an immediate crisis.
As the "police" of the city, the Ganesha Familia was even less likely to knowingly break the law by taking the lead in escorting a god into the Dungeon.
Ganesha could, at best, turn a blind eye to her, but he would absolutely not help her break the rules.
As for the Freya Familia, their combat power was certainly sufficient, and their relationship was passable.
But the moment Astrea thought of that troublesome Goddess of Beauty, she got a headache. If that woman got involved, things would only become more complicated.
After eliminating all the wrong options, the only correct answer left was the one sitting right in front of her.
Her good best friend, Focalors.
And her Familia possessed powerful strength that could be relied upon.
With the Focalors Familia's current lineup, as long as they didn't stubbornly force their way into the deep floors, finding someone in the middle floors was absolutely not a problem.
In fact, if they didn't deliberately hide their strength, engaging in short-term activities in the lower floors wasn't even impossible.
"Alright," Aiden's voice broke the silence in the living room. It wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear. "I accept this request. I will protect you with everything I have, Lady Astrea."
His gaze calmly met Astrea's. Deep within those blue eyes, it was as if a long-dormant ember reignited at this moment, dancing with the light of anticipation.
Because he wanted to know too.
He was also desperate for an answer.
Was the Alise resurrected by the Dungeon merely an empty phantom possessing memories and a body? Or... had even the soul, which should have long returned to Heaven, been forcefully stolen by the Dungeon from the realm of the gods?
If it was the latter...
If it was the latter!
Did that mean the name branded into the deepest parts of his memory—the woman he couldn't forget, Alfia—also had the possibility of being resurrected?
Not a simple recreation of flesh, but a true resurrection, brought back to this world by the Dungeon alongside that proud, solitary, and despair-inducingly powerful soul.
If that were truly the case...
In a corner where no one noticed, Aiden's fingertips clenched slightly.
If that were truly the case, he had to find a way to snatch her back.
Of course, all of this was built upon a massive unknown.
He couldn't control the Dungeon's thoughts. Who to resurrect was entirely up to that behemoth itself.
Moreover, whether Alise's soul had truly returned still required Astrea, the god with the deepest connection to her, to witness it with her own eyes.
But regardless, this was an opportunity he absolutely had to seize.
"That is wonderful."
Receiving Aiden's positive answer, Astrea's tense body instantly relaxed, a smile of immense relief blooming on her face.
Placing a hand over her heart, she said sincerely: "I will pay sufficient remuneration."
Her tone carried immense backing.
Do not underestimate a patron deity who once possessed a powerful Familia. Even after living in seclusion for years, the wealth she had accumulated was enough to leave the vast majority of Familias in Orario clicking their tongues in envy.
Beside them, Focalors sighed softly. She picked up her slightly cooled black tea, but didn't drink.
She raised her eyes to look at Aiden, her profound gaze carrying an all-knowing understanding.
"Since you have both made up your minds, it's not my place to say much more."
How could she not know what Aiden was thinking?
Astrea wanted to confirm Alise's condition out of love and responsibility for her child.
And Aiden similarly wanted to know Alise's condition in order to verify that very hypothesis in his heart.
One for a departed child, one for a lingering obsession.
Their goals aligned perfectly on this point.
"Protect Astrea well, Aiden."
Focalors's voice carried a hint of seriousness. "Do not let any harm come to her."
"Naturally."
Aiden nodded, then turned to Astrea and asked the most crucial question: "Lady Astrea, the Dungeon is both dangerous and vast. Do you have a method to locate the 'Crimson Flower of Justice'?"
Finding someone—especially in the Dungeon—was an incredibly troublesome endeavor.
One must understand that the 24th Floor of the middle floors alone possessed an area comparable to half of Orario.
And the floors further down would only be even vaster.
Rumor had it that the area of the deep floors was equivalent to several Orarios stacked together.
Finding a specific person in such a massive, three-dimensional labyrinth was akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
Furthermore, the Dungeon was not some scenic tourist attraction; it was a living nest hiding murderous intent at every turn.
"I can determine her general direction based on the connection of her 'Falna'."
Astrea shook her head, a trace of distress appearing on her beautiful face. "But the Dungeon itself will obstruct and distort my perception. I can only sense a vague direction. As for exactly which floor she is currently on... I cannot be certain."
This was indeed a hassle, but it was also their only lead.
They could only do their best to try.
"That's no problem." Aiden's answer, however, was unexpectedly straightforward. "As long as we can determine the direction, that's enough."
He already knew things wouldn't be that simple.
But having a direction was much better than stumbling blindly into that boundless underground labyrinth to search for a needle in a haystack.
At the very least, the compass of hope now had a needle.
----
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