Eternal Thief

Archie's words baffled Sonia, and she didn't know how to retort to them.

'Has it been really just a ruse like mom told me?' She thought indiscreetly.

Nevertheless, she still didn't buy it so quickly. But as Archie said, if he really entered the Royal Demon Institute, she would be alone with her father and mother and there won't an Archie who could create trouble, so it was definitely a plus.

Ace didn't make things awkward and moved on before leaving one last line, "Tell, elder brother, sorry for me as well, if you think it's worth it."

Sonia squinted before she followed him silently, but didn't agree or rejected him.

Soon, they reached the main hall, where Harvey, Ellie, and the mansion butler, with his expressionless face, were waiting for them.

Harvey looked at Archie with a content smile. "Brat, it's time to leave, and I'm going to escort you personally since that old dog Finley will not take it sitting after I made him bleed." He sounds proud and elated after he had a little revenge on his old rival, Finley.

"Hmph, you're just eating the rewards of my boy's hard labor." Ellie snorted gently, which made Harvey somewhat embarrassed. He wasn't a Runic Demon Duke in front of his wife.

After Archie's revelation, their relationship had mended completely, and they were closer than ever.

Ellie quickly approached Archie with a gentle smile, looked at him from head to toe, and nodded, "My son looks so handsome those high and mighty demonesses will definitely fall head over heels for you."

A tingle of jealousy appeared in Sonia's eyes when she saw how her father and mother treated his brother despite his past conduct.

Archie smiled and said, "I'm your son, so it's only natural to have handsome looks."

Ellie chuckled and patted Archie's head. "You really know how to make me happy. There's no need to pressure yourself. Even if you fail, there are still more years until you reach the age of 100, so there's no need to take any risk, alright?" she seriously told with a tingle of worry.

"I promised," Archie promised.

"Alright, let's go before your mom weeps fountain here." Harvey smiled wryly when he heard his wife instead of encouraging her son was discouraging him.

But deep down, he felt the same, but he was too embarrassed to say it out loud.

After Ellie let go of Archie and gave him a storage ring, both father and son left under Ellie's teary eyes within a carriage of Runic Demon Duke, and the coachman was the emotionless butler.

"Your sister is still young. Give her some time she'll come around." Harvey spoke at this moment.

How could he not know about the relation of his children?

Archie smiled bitterly. "I deserved this much, I guess. Even the elder brother doesn't come to bid farewell. I hurt him the most."

Harvey sighed and didn't comment on this. He knew his elder son used to care about Archie the most and always protected him, but when Archie walked on the other path, the person who was hurt the most was his elder son.

"You have indeed taken your act too far, but he still loves you, and if you enter the Royal Demon Institute, every doubt against will be erased. So, do your best." Harvey changed the topic, "I also found something interacting related to Academia Region this year, and I want to warn you about it."

Ace, who was still pretending to be remorseful, suddenly felt interested in what Harvey discovered.

As a Runic Demon Duke, Harvey has access to many secrets of the Royal Demon Nation and all the secret information.

Harvey quickly told when he saw Archie was interested, "You should've heard about that infamous thief, right?" A hint of coldness appeared in Harvey's eyes when he said the word 'Thief'.

The Sky Stealer was the Life Demon Tribe's biggest enemy right now, and everyone hated him, including Harvey.

Ace felt strange when he felt hostility in Harvey's voice. He didn't know what Harvey would do if he knew his son was replaced by the same thief his tribe hated the most.

But he still played along since he was interested in this news, which included him, "How could I not know? Almost every demon about him, that guy is like a legend now."

It was Archie's actual view of Sky Stealer.

Harvey snorted. "He's indeed a legend now, but so what? He's still hiding in his rathole, afraid to show his face. It won't be long before he would be captured unless he jumped into the endless sea. He can't escape the outer continent this time."

'So, they still think I'm in the eight provinces, huh? Good.' Ace was secretly glad.

Harvey continued, "Anyhow, because of this thief, the three institutes had to cancel their mass recruitment from the outer continent at that time, but they finally complete it a few months ago."

"I'm curious. Why would they want to recruit those lowly demons from the outer continent? Why now?" Ace was really curious about this exact thing for a long time.

The Demon Gate Trial was an open secret among the Royal Demon Nation, but the reason behind it was still a mystery.

Harvey smiled mysteriously and answered, "Isn't it obvious? Well, you were still young back then, so you might pay little attention to this matter, but it's related to the upcoming Ancient Allied Gathering between the top three races."

Ace's eyes shimmered brightly when he heard this. He had come to recollection about the Ancient Allied Gathering from both Paul and Archie's memories.

Furthermore, he first heard about this gathering from Noa when she told him about the rumors of a realm called 'Fiery Hell Secret Realm' that might have a Spirit Fire.

At that time, Ace paid little attention to it since he was too far away from the royal zone, and he still made a mental note to investigate it because Noa required a Spirit Fire to progress in her body refinement technique.

As he got memories from demons in the royal zone, he found out that this gathering was called the Ancient Allied Gathering, hosted by three top races of Golden Sky World every hundred years.

This gathering spot was the Fiery Hell Secret Realm, somewhere on the endless sea, and it was filled with precious recourses and astonishing opportunities.

As for the details about how this Fiery Hell Secret Realm comes into existence and why only these three races can enter it every hundred years, no one knows the details except for the upper echelon of the three top races.

Ace paid little attention to this matter nor did he have accurate information. But judging by Harvey's tone, it seemed it was quite important since the royal zone violated its rules for the first time and let demons from the outer provinces enter the three demon institutes despite their low bloodlines.

It might as well be a conspiracy!

"How is it connected?" Archie eagerly questioned.

Harvey spoke with a weighty expression, "If you weren't my son and about to enter the Royal Demon Institute, I would not reveal it to you.

"The next Ancient Allied Gathering is in little over three years. As you might already know the secret realm only opened every hundred years for a few months, and only demons under the age of 100 and cultivation below the soul realm are qualified to enter the Fiery Hell Secret Realm.

"If it was just for resources, then three races only allowed 50 participants for each race to enter the Fiery Hell Secret Realm. However, because of a peerless treasure that emerged in that realm's last gathering, they can send far more participants, until that treasure is acquired by someone! The exact number is still a secret, though."

Ace suddenly remembered Noa's words years ago and had a terrible feeling about this.

"What peerless treasure?"

Harvey solemnly said, "A fabled Spirit Fire!"

'So, this Spirit Fire really exists!' Ace was astonished, but then he worried because, by Harvey's words, a Spirit Fire sounds quite important to three races.

Harvey continued, "Although only his highness Grand Duke knows about the actual use of Spirit Fire. But from his tone, I presumed if another race acquired it, even devils, they will fight them for it!"

With a grave tone, Harvey revealed, "The selection in the outer provinces was also to choose demons, especially to enter Fiery Hell Secret Realm.

"As for why they didn't choose every demon from this side, you'll know if you got selected by the institute and given a seat in the upcoming Ancient Allied Gathering."

Ace now felt like he had just stumbled upon an enormous secret, and from Harvey's grave tone, he could sense that even he was afraid to reveal all the details or simply didn't know, despite his status.

Harvey gravely revealed at this moment with a solemn expression, "I told you all of this because I want you to break into the soul realm as soon as possible after you enter the institute before the gathering selection process starts so they won't select you!"