Eros raised an eyebrow, his expression colored with surprise. He remained silent, waiting for Mary to continue.
Mary organized her thoughts and said with a light smile, "Because you’ve seen their faces, it will be easy to discover their identities. If they manage to return from the Sin Realm alive, you can track them down one by one."
"They will surely act awkward and resistant when you show up. But if you’re a bit firm—given that there’s already such a scandalous precedent—they’ll likely give in after a bit of half-hearted resisting. Do this a few times, and even if they can't marry you, they’ll be willing to provide assistance in the shadows when needed."
"We’re talking about dozens of noble ladies here. Behind them are at least dozens of noble families, all of whom have had contact with the mystical world. Maintaining a connection with them... I imagine that would be a massive boon for your family, wouldn't it?"
You don’t say... you really don’t say. Mary’s words truly opened a new line of thinking for Eros. So it can work like that?
In a situation where his own family’s secrets weren't exposed, befriending more nobles meant more channels. These channels could be used to trade information or spiritual materials—something that would greatly alleviate his family’s shortage of low-sequence materials.
Seeing the look of wonder on Eros’s face, Mary gave a low chuckle. "This method is actually quite common. Both men and women do it, but most people only manage to hook two or three. You, on the other hand, have dozens. The difference in impact is staggering."
It was indeed a common tactic, but Eros simply hadn't thought in that direction until now. Pulling his wandering thoughts back, he asked with some confusion, "Why are you telling me this?"
Mary looked up at the bathroom ceiling, her tone dipping into a low, melancholy note. "Because I’m not sure if I’ll return from this Sin Realm assessment alive. Plus, I’m quite fond of you, so consider it a friendly reminder."
Eros fell silent.
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from outside the bathroom:
"You brat, are you in there?"
Eros’s pupils constricted. Crap. He had been so preoccupied with Mary that he lost track of time. Calculating the hour, that "smelly sister" Undine should indeed be back at the Academy. He glanced down at Mary, who was lying in his arms in the tub, and felt a massive headache coming on.
What now? If they walked out, Mary would be exposed right in front of Undine. How would he even begin to explain that?
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
Outside, the voice rang out again: "Not there? Then I’m coming in, okay?"
Hearing this, Eros shouted hurriedly, "I’m here! I’m here! I’m bathing!"
He usually didn't lock the door, and this time was no exception. If Undine turned the handle, she’d walk straight in. Fortunately, hearing that Eros was in the bath, Undine gave an "Oh" and stopped her attempt to open the door.
Eros let out a long breath, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Mary blinked and whispered into his ear, "I feel like we’re having an affair right now."
Eros’s mouth twitched. To be honest, it really feels like it.
Mary then chuckled softly. "I’ve never tried having an affair. Want to try it? Let’s go over to the door and let my back rest against it."
Eros gave a dry laugh. "Next time! Next time! There will be plenty of opportunities."
Mary looked disappointed. She climbed out of Eros’s embrace and hopped out of the tub, her bare feet padding onto the smooth bathroom floor. She looked around, appearing conflicted. "I don't think I have any clothes to wear."
Eros pointed to the clothes she had taken off, but Mary shook her head. "Too dirty. They’re covered in wine stains and food scraps."
Eros pondered for a moment before whispering, "How about wearing mine?"
Mary thought about it and nodded. "That works!"
She picked up Eros’s coat and threw it on. It was obviously far too large for her, the hem falling well past her knees. She looked like a child playing dress-up in an adult’s wardrobe. Looking only at her exterior, no one would ever believe this "little one" was twenty-two years old.
Seeing her wearing nothing but the coat, Eros asked in surprise, "Just that?"
"This is fine," Mary said nonchalantly. "Your coat is big enough. Alright, I’m off!"
With a light spring, she leaped up and grabbed the bathroom window sill. Eros looked up. Sensing the gaze from below, Mary turned back with a mischievous grin and mouthed silently:
"Do I look good?"
She even struck a pose. Eros gave her an unhesitating thumbs-up of approval. This actually made Mary blush slightly; she quickly covered herself and scrambled out of the window.
Leaping down from the second-floor window, Mary was about to sneak out of the villa grounds when she looked up and saw a maid watching her. Their eyes met. The maid gave a slight curtsy, lifting her skirt, and then simply walked away as if nothing happened.
Mary felt her face burning. Seizing the opening, she bolted out of the villa area like a flash. On the way back, due to her attire, she carefully avoided every person she saw, finally sneaking back into her apartment after a long struggle.
Once in her room, Mary curled up, wincing at the lingering soreness. After a while, she muttered, "I should have let him help treat me. It was his responsibility, after all; he should have fixed it."
On the other side, Eros hid Mary’s clothes at the bottom of the laundry basket, covering them with his own. After quickly changing, he stepped out of the bathroom.
The moment he emerged, he saw Undine sitting nearby, casting a resentful gaze at him. Eros knew why—he had been missing for two days without taking her out to play.
Eros walked over, put his hand on top of Undine’s head, and gave it a vigorous rub. Sure enough, in the next second, the resentment in her beautiful eyes turned into a fierce glare.
This smelly sister! Eros laughed and turned to have the maid prepare more clothes.
Undine watched his retreating figure and huffed, "No respect for his elders."
After Eros finished dressing and spent a little more time with her, he and Undine headed to class together. Time flew by, and Wednesday arrived in the blink of an eye. The Academy’s annual Sin Realm practical assessment was set to begin today.