A long while later, Siphreya snuggled deep into Eros’s embrace, her chest pressed close to his. Eros rested his chin atop her head, inhaling the faint fragrance of her hair as he asked softly, "How are you feeling? Still in pain?"

  A sweet smile played on Siphreya’s lips. "After your... 'treatment,' it doesn't hurt anymore. If you still want to... I can do it now."

  Eros looked down and kissed her cheek, his tone a mix of helplessness and amusement. "In your heart, am I really such a lustful, insatiable person?"

  Siphreya returned the kiss, her expression turning bashful. "Actually... I was talking about myself!" After saying that, she added nervously in a small voice, "Will you hate me for being like this?"

  "Of course not. I’m so infatuated with you right now; everything about you fascinates me," Eros praised warmly.

  "Heehee!" A look of pure happiness bloomed on Siphreya’s face.

  Eros’s eyes sparkled with a smile. He reached out to stroke her long, silky hair, asking as if in passing, "Will you be staying at the academy this weekend?"

  Every weekend, the academy granted students two days off to relax their minds and bodies. After all, the subjects taught here were eerie and distorted occultism; without time to decompress, students could easily develop psychological issues, which was a surefire path to losing control and mutating. During these breaks, some students stayed for the entertainment facilities, while others chose to go home. Like Eros and Undine, who usually returned to the Ducal Mansion in Indiles.

  Siphreya didn't suspect a thing. "I usually go home for the weekends too."

  "Was that the case last week as well?" Eros asked, feigning surprise.

  "Mhm! Last weekend was my eighteenth birthday. My parents held a ball at home to officially introduce me to Indiles’s high society," Siphreya said cheerfully.

  In this world, noble scions typically joined formal social circles only after reaching adulthood. Eros and Undine had gone through similar ceremonies back in the Duchy—it was a way for him, the heir, to show his face to the ministers and officials, letting them know the throne had a successor.

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  Eros gave a slight huff of mock complaint. "I was in Indiles last weekend too. Why didn't I get an invitation?"

  Siphreya gave an embarrassed smile. "Your father is a high-ranking Grand Duke, and our family had never had contact with yours before. My father didn't dare disturb the Duchess unannounced."

  "Well, there’s contact now," Eros remarked. "And a very close 'contact' at that. If there’s another ball, come find me directly."

  Siphreya’s smile grew even sweeter. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered seductively, "As you wish, my dear Prince."

  Eros gave her smooth, fair back a playful pat. "I’ve never attended a social ball in Indiles. I wonder if they're fun."

  Siphreya pouted. "Not really. There are always these presumptuous guys trying to invite me to dance. Recalling the way they looked at me still makes me feel disgusted."

  Eros chuckled. "As the most dazzling jewel in the ballroom, you are naturally the focal point of everyone's gaze. Next time, you must call for me. Let me be your knight."

  Siphreya’s eyes turned watery with emotion. She nodded vigorously, letting out a soft, melodic "Mhm."

  "And after the ball?" Eros asked casually.

  At the mention of what happened after the ball, Siphreya perked up. She looked up at him, her tone turning mysterious. "Did you know? Our family was actually a Transcendent family! I’d never heard the elders mention it before, but after I came of age, my father finally told me about our former glory."

  Eros’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his expression remained unchanged, masking his thoughts with a curious smile. "Did he only tell you about the history?"

  Siphreya shook her head, her tone remaining light. "On the morning after my birthday, Father took me to the family’s secret chamber to see two Grade-2 Sealed Artifacts that have been passed down for generations."

  Eros’s pupils flickered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly regained his composure. Grade-2 Sealed Artifacts? If it were only at that level, there was no way Barbara would be unable to see through them. This meant the issue wasn't the artifacts themselves.

  "Grade-2 Sealed Artifacts?" Eros said with feigned shock. "Those are indeed forged from the pollutants of Transcendent beings."

  Siphreya nodded. "That's why I believed my father. We really were a Transcendent family once."

  "And after you saw the artifacts?" Eros pressed. Since it wasn't the Grade-2 items, perhaps she had encountered someone or something else afterward. Or perhaps that mysterious power appeared two weeks ago? No, Siphreya hadn't been this proactive before; the change definitely happened last week.

  "After?" Siphreya thought for a moment, looking a bit sheepish. "After we saw the artifacts, Father and I went to the dining hall for dinner. That night, I had a much larger appetite than usual. Thankfully, it was only that one meal, or I’d definitely have gained a lot of weight." She gave a shy laugh.

  Wait! Dinner?

  Didn't they enter the chamber in the morning? They looked at two artifacts from morning until evening?

  That was impossible. There was definitely something wrong—and it was a massive problem. Was it a cognitive alteration, or mental hypnosis? Could a Grade-2 Sealed Artifact really cause such a significant time skip without her noticing?