Ishtar shrugged: "I don't know. Our transaction had several layers of intermediaries. The information was passed through many hands. It's not a simple matter to trace the source."
"Of course, they can probably guess the identity of our Ishtar Familia. After all, we're an open faction."
"But for those forces hiding in the shadows, it's not so easy to track them.
"So far, although I've made quite a few deals with them, the relationship of mutual trust has not yet been fully established."
Ishtar looked at Emiya, "However, there are two things I can be sure of."
"First, they definitely possess a secret passage from the Dungeon to the surface."
"Second, I'm certain that their headquarters, or at least a very important base, is hidden in some corner of Daedalus Street."
The goddess Ishtar looked at Emiya, "This intel seems to be quite important to you?"
Emiya nodded and admitted frankly, "Yes, very important."
The goddess showed a meaningful smile at the corner of her lips and gently stroked her cascading hair, "Then… for the next 'reward,' this concubine will look forward to it."
Emiya walked out of the goddess's palace. A refreshing breeze blew against his face, bringing a slight sense of relief.
However, the intel he had just learned still swirled in his mind, and Emiya fell into deep thought.
At that moment, he suddenly sensed someone blocking his path.
Emiya looked up and saw a tall figure appear before him.
It was an Amazon dressed in a seductive dancer's outfit, the purple silk fabric outlining her curvaceous and exposed figure.
The fabric barely covered anything, only hiding the most vital parts. Her exposed brown skin shimmered with a delicate sheen under the sunlight.
She wore a veil, but that familiar figure and gaze made Emiya instantly recognize her identity.
"Tione-senpai?", He asked.
Tione's heart trembled violently, and she sighed inwardly, "Was it that obvious…? Can't you at least pretend not to recognize me?"
Emiya didn't notice her complicated emotions and continued to ask, "Tione-senpai, what are you doing here?"
Tione cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound more natural, "Ahem, I just… just came to visit a friend, that's all."
"I see," Emiya nodded and didn't ask further, "By the way, Tione-senpai, are you heading back to the Loki Familia now? I have something important to discuss with Captain Finn as soon as possible."
"Looking for the captain?", Tione instantly grew tense upon hearing Emiya's words.
Thoughts involuntarily surfaced in her mind, 'Could it be… he's already realized what happened earlier?'
'And from that moment on, did he already consider me his possession?'
'Now, is he trying to force me to report to the captain and confess those shameful things myself?'
'Such a strong sense of possessiveness… this must be the legendary [Amazon's Owner]…',
Scenes like this involuntarily appeared in Tione's mind:
She stands before Finn, speaking softly—
["Captain, I'm sorry. My body… can no longer forget Lord Emiya's fighting form."]
She couldn't help but bite her lip, her mind spinning with more complex thoughts, 'What will the captain think of me? Will he be sad?'
(He'd be so happy he'd open a bottle of wine to celebrate.)
["Captain, what should I do…",] The girl's heart grew increasingly chaotic, her expression becoming more and more complex, filled with an indescribable grievance.
"Guh… What a deeply lustful male," She muttered softly.
But soon, she forcefully shook her head, raised her chin stubbornly, and said, "I'm not like those other Amazons. D-Don't think you can make me submit so easily!"
Emiya: "???"
———
"Sis, what are you doing?", Tiona tilted her head and looked curiously at Tione, who was crouched at the door crack.
In the dim hallway, Tione's figure appeared exceptionally flexible. Her long and beautiful body lay prone, displaying the unique athletic lines of an Amazonian girl.
She slightly raised her head, her hair falling over her shoulder, and her glowing delicate skin accentuated the beauty of her physique.
"Shh, the captain and Shirou are in the office," Tione raised a finger to her lips, signaling her sister to be quiet.
"The captain and Emiya-kun… What are they talking about? Could it be…"
———
Meanwhile, in the office, the conversation between Emiya and Finn… had nothing to do with Tione.
"I see, Daedalus Street, huh. Indeed, if there's any place in the city that's the most suspicious, it must be there," Finn nodded.
Daedalus Street was Orario's slum district, famous for its chaotic and irregular architecture. Its intricate alleys resembled a labyrinth, making it impossible for newcomers not to get lost.
This area was a mix of all sorts, a hotbed for gray and even dark forces, filthy and turbulent.
Without revealing the source of the intel, Emiya conveyed what Goddess Ishtar had told him to Finn.
Although Ishtar herself didn't care, dealing with forces suspected to be remnants of the Evilus faction clearly required enough discretion.
Since the goddess had taken the initiative to provide such vital intel, Emiya naturally wanted to protect her interests.
And it was precisely because Ishtar understood Emiya's personality that she could so easily share this information. Of course, her actions were mostly due to a beauty goddess's usual willfulness.
Finn understood this without being told and did not question the intel's origin. He paced back and forth in the office, deep in thought.
In fact, there was currently no concrete evidence directly linking the intel Ishtar provided to the strengthened species or fallen spirits that Emiya's group had encountered.
However, since the matter involved spirits and Ais, the Loki Familia's current conduct no longer clung to so-called evidence and details.
Finn's current stance was to err on the side of caution rather than let something slip.
Moreover, even if it was ultimately confirmed that none of this was related, eliminating a monster smuggling group along the way posed no burden to the Loki Familia.
Aside from that, the existence of a secret passage between the Dungeon and the surface was, in itself, an unignorable threat.
"Compared to knowing the enemy may have a base in Daedalus Street, the more valuable intel is the hidden exit from the Dungeon to the surface…", Finn murmured.
To be honest, the fact that shady factions had a base in Daedalus Street was nothing unusual.
From the old Evilus faction to the city's current "Five Fingers," and even more radical, brutal organizations than the "Fingers," they either had headquarters in Daedalus Street or at least one base there.
The reason was simple, the "location advantage" was exceptional. The complex environment made thorough sweeps difficult, and many of the residents there had shady backgrounds, readily recruitable by underground forces, making Daedalus Street an ideal hiding place for them.
"An exit from the Dungeon to the surface… Aside from the big hole under Babel, the first thought is a very bad guess," Finn frowned and said, "The Guild might have such an entrance."
There was no evidence, but considering the Guild's unique position and status, having a secret entrance wasn't too strange, and that was enough to raise suspicion.
Emiya pondered for a moment and said, "Still, I don't think the Guild would use such an entrance for something like monster trafficking."
The Guild controlled the magic stone trade, which was a highly lucrative business. Magic stones, as clean energy and high-quality materials, were exported globally and brought in considerable profit.
By comparison, the profit from selling monsters was insignificant.
"But if some higher-ups in the Guild have ulterior motives and do such things for personal gain… it's not impossible," Finn continued, "Still, it's hard to believe."
"Mr. Finn, it seems you don't trust the Guild much?", Emiya asked.
"Yeah, that's true," Finn nodded and showed a helpless smile, "Due to some past events, my trust in the Guild is limited. The Guild's conduct during the Dark Era was honestly very unsettling."
Of course, during the major conflict between the city and the Evilus faction, the Guild wasn't criticized for choosing the wrong side or committing evil, it was blamed for being "incompetent."
In that chaotic era, the Guild's performance was abysmal. The Guild president couldn't see the situation clearly and was still urging the Loki and Freya Familias to conduct expeditions while the Evilus ran rampant.
Its internal management was full of holes. Many key pieces of intel were leaked to the Evilus by undercover agents.
Many on Ryuu's kill list were Evilus adventurers posing as Guild staff.
So, Finn's distrust of the Guild was quite reasonable.
"Then, should we move directly?", Emiya asked.
"Daedalus Street is too complicated. Without a clear target, acting rashly won't get the results we want, it'll just alert the enemy," Finn said, "So, we need to gather more intel first."
"I'll handle this matter. If there's a concrete plan, I'll notify you," Finn said steadily, "Too long and the situation will change. We act within three days at the latest."
Then Finn paused and continued, "But aside from this, I have a more personal request. I hope you can help me."
Emiya looked at Finn and nodded, "Please, go ahead. I'll do my best."
Finn gave a small smile, "You might have heard, but my wish is to revitalize the Pallum race. So I've been searching for outstanding Pallum women, hoping they can be the future of our race."
"Outstanding Pallum women?", Emiya asked softly, clearly aware of this topic.
Finn nodded lightly and continued, "Your Hephaestus Familia's Liliruca Arde… Ah, of course, she's not my target."
Liliruca Arde wasn't currently interested in romance at all. Besides, she probably already had someone she liked.
With Finn's moral standards, he naturally wouldn't pursue someone like that, nor would he ever have improper thoughts about her.
Also, by Finn's own standards and partner preferences, compared to a "merchant," he preferred a same-race "adventurer."
"Miss Lili now holds a high position among the city's Pallum community and has an extensive network," Finn said.
Pallum with weaker physical traits rarely joined large Familia. Lili was one of the few exceptions and belonged to a large production Familia like Hephaestus's.
What's more, she chose to become a "manager" at Level 1, a career path closer to an ordinary person's life.
By contrast, high-level adventurers from Loki or Freya Familia, like Finn and the Gulliver brothers, though famous and admired, were too distant from ordinary people.
Simply put, for the city's Pallum, Finn was a heroic figure, but too far removed. It was hard to approach him, let alone gain any tangible benefit.
On the other hand, Liliruca, as Hephaestus Familia's manager, had already become a key figure in the eyes of many Pallum. Winning her favor was more practical and could even bring real benefits.
And Lili didn't waste this advantage. She made full use of her position and gained the support of her kin, such as gathering commercial intel, expanding business channels, and more.
Among her kin were even members from other Familia. like Apollo Familia's Luan Espel, who had become one of Lili's "underlings."
"So I hope you can ask Miss Lili to recommend some outstanding Pallum women," Finn continued, with a very serious tone.
Emiya: "Understood… Mr. Finn, your honesty in admitting you're building a 'harem plan' is truly admirable."
Finn chuckled lightly, "Same to you… Ahem, I mean, there's one more thing I want to ask you."
"Please speak," Emiya looked at him with a hint of curiosity.
Finn's eyes sharpened, "Emiya, I ask you seriously, at your full strength, can you defeat Tione?"
Emiya paused for a moment, then looked up and answered calmly, "Yes."
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