After returning to the Academy, life resumed its familiar rhythm: teasing Ayesha during class and teasing Undine after. Just as Eros thought this peaceful routine would continue until the Sin Realm assessment, Ayesha suddenly approached him.

  Eros felt a stir in his heart. Is the "Grand Gift" operation finally beginning? He immediately feigned total ignorance, looking at Ayesha with an inquisitive gaze, as if curious about the purpose of her visit.

  Ayesha looked at Eros with hesitation. After agonizing for days, she had finally decided to act. Taking a deep breath, she summoned her courage and spoke:

  "I’m very grateful for your care during this period. To thank you for all your help, I... I was wondering... would you like to come to my home as a guest this weekend?"

  "Of course, I know my family can't offer anything sufficiently dignified to entertain you," she added quickly, "but this is the best way I could think of. Please, don't look down on us."

  In Ayesha’s mind, the heir of a top-tier noble family would surely reject such a crude invitation. Why would a high-ranking aristocrat condescend to attend a commoner's family gathering? Such undignified behavior, if leaked, would make him the laughingstock of other nobles.

  Her goal was to be rejected. Her feelings were complex; she didn't want to kidnap this pervert, but she also didn't want to disappoint her mother. Thus, she devised this plan: if Eros refused, she could tell her mother that she had tried but failed.

  Eros blinked, then said with keen interest, "Are you taking me to meet your parents?"

  "Huh?" Ayesha froze, momentarily confused.

  Seeing this, Eros added playfully, "I’ve heard that once a couple solidifies their relationship, they take each other to meet their parents. It’s called 'making it official'."

  "H-h-how could that be!" Ayesha’s face flushed a deep crimson. She waved her hands frantically, stammering an explanation. "I... I... I’m a man, and you’re a man! That... that’s impossible!"

  Simultaneously, a horrifying thought occurred to her: Was this pervert planning to tear off his own disguise and fully expose his true nature as a homosexual?

  Watching her panicked expression and incoherent rambling, Eros’s lips curled upward as he fabricated a lie on the spot. "Have you ever heard of the racial talents of the Elven race?"

  Ayesha was stunned again, wondering why he was suddenly bringing up Elven lore. Undeterred by her lack of response, Eros continued with a smile:

  "The Elves have a talent—they are extremely sensitive to the scent of a pure maiden. With just one sniff, they can tell if someone is a virgin girl."

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  Having said that, Eros leaned down, took another deep breath near Ayesha’s neck, and clicked his tongue. "Good brother, you seem to smell even sweeter today."

  Ayesha’s pupils dilated. Her mind went blank, save for one phrase echoing repeatedly: "Extremely sensitive to the scent of a pure maiden."

  He knew all along? At that thought, a surge of fear and dread rose from the depths of her soul. She never imagined her identity would be exposed so inexplicably and abruptly. She had heard that the Church burned heretics alive on the gallows with purifying flames. If she was caught...

  Eros watched the girl’s slight frame tremble uncontrollably and asked with feigned curiosity, "What’s wrong with you?"

  The voice snapped Ayesha out of her internal spiral. She suddenly remembered something vital. If he had known her identity all along, why hadn't he reported her to the Church? Perhaps... she wasn't doomed to die?

  Taking a deep breath to suppress her fear, she asked with a shaky voice, "You... you discovered me long ago?"

  Eros nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Though I don't know why you look like a man, I definitely wouldn't mistake such a pure maiden's scent."

  Ayesha shuddered again. After a long pause, she spoke hoarsely. "Then why didn't you report me to the Academy?"

  Eros looked surprised. "Since you were admitted to the Academy, the Church must have inspected you. That means they definitely know your true identity. If you were a problem, they would have arrested you long ago. I don't think your disguise could fool the Holy Relic housed in the Academy."

  "Since the Church knows and you’re still running around healthy and free, it means the Church thinks you’re fine. In that case, why would I report you? Am I that bored? Or... do you actually have a problem?"

  Eros leaned down, his gaze piercing as he stared at the girl.

  Ayesha was dazed. It works like that? He thinks the Church knows about me? It made sense. With Transcendents and Holy Relics at the Academy, normal means shouldn't be able to hide anything. It was a logical assumption for him to make.

  However, she was still startled by his final question and waved her hands in panic. "N-n-no way! How could I have a problem? The Academy knows all about me."

  "See? There you go," Eros shrugged, sounding completely indifferent.

  Phew... Ayesha let out a tiny sigh of relief, but a new doubt immediately followed. If this pervert knew she was a girl, why had he treated her like that before? Gritting her teeth to suppress her indignation, she asked, "Since you knew, why did you... do those things to me?"

  Eros thought for a moment, then reached out and pinched her soft, fair cheeks, shaking them as he gave a wicked grin. "Because you look so easy to bully."

  Ayesha slapped his hands away and glared at him. I really shouldn't have felt sorry for this guy! Dammit! If she weren't so outmatched, she would love to give him a brutal beating, tie him up, and make the Church pay a ransom for him.

  Ayesha gnashed her teeth in fury. Eros, seemingly oblivious to her thoughts, asked with a smile, "So, are we meeting the parents this weekend?"

  "No!" the girl snapped angrily.

  "Eh? Didn't you just say you wanted to invite me to your home to repay me for my care?" Eros looked taken aback, seemingly shocked by her sudden denial.

  "I don't want to invite you anymore!"

  She gave a light huff, turned, and walked away. Since she was already exposed before this guy, she couldn't be bothered to maintain her persona anymore.

  "A maiden’s heart is just like a man’s!"

  Watching her petite figure storm off, Eros shook his head and laughed. In his mind, Barbara’s crisp voice asked with a hint of confusion:

  "Why is it like a man’s?"

  Eros’s lips curled. "Because they both change so fast (fickle)!"

  Hearing this explanation, Barbara’s face was filled with bafflement—she clearly didn't get the "pun."