The black-haired girl did not answer the question, which probably meant she agreed. She continued to study Eros suspiciously.
"How strange. Why do you carry such a strong trace of my master's presence?"
Now Eros was the one feeling confused. He asked, puzzled:
"As my ancestor's descendant, isn't it perfectly normal for me to carry a trace of her presence?"
"No, that's not how it works. None of your elders carry my master's presence. When I first woke up and sensed it on you, I almost thought my master had returned," the black-haired girl said, shaking her head in immediate denial.
Eros frowned, then seemed to think of something and tentatively asked in a low voice:
"Was my ancestor's revered name Alicia?"
The black-haired girl's eyes brightened, delight spreading across her face. "My master's name was buried long ago by the authority of concealment. Very few people in this world still remember it. How did you know? You really have met my master!"
Eros fell silent. He remembered that the goddess of the Elf Race had called him "Alicia."
At the time, he had not understood what she meant. Now it seemed that the goddess had mistaken him for his ancestor.
But would a goddess mistake someone's identity?
Surely not! But I wasn't even from this world in my previous life, and I came into this one with all my memories intact. I couldn't possibly be the Goddess of the Night.
Besides, my ancestor was a goddess, and I'm a man now. How could that be possible? He could not make sense of it. The more he thought, the more tangled it became.
After a long while, he said hesitantly, "The goddess of the Elf Race told me. But she seems to have mistaken me for someone else-for my ancestor."
The black-haired girl's eyes went round, her little mouth falling open in disbelief. "How could a perverted descendant like you be my master? How is that possible?"
Her expression was like that of someone who had just seen her favorite idol fall from grace and could not accept it.
Seeing her react like that, Eros felt a little embarrassed too. He gave a dry cough. "That's why I said she must have mistaken me for someone else."
The black-haired girl pressed her lips together and said nothing more. Although she also felt that the goddess must have made a mistake, would a being like that really mistake someone's identity?
She fell silent. Only after a long while did she speak again. "Hey, descendant! Make a contract with me."
Eros was surprised and delighted to hear this. Could I really get that lucky? A Divine Artifact, completely free?
Although his excitement nearly went to his head, he still retained a sliver of reason. Choosing his words carefully, he asked with some hesitation:
"Why choose to make a contract with me?"
"Ten thousand years ago, I exhausted all my power searching endlessly for my master. I've spent the years since then asleep, only waking occasionally."
"Your forebears did offer me some spirit marrow, but because I was asleep, those two bastards took it all for themselves. So I'm very weak now. I can barely even conjure the appearance of clothes."
A blush rose on her little face at that, but she continued:
"I'll probably fall asleep again before long. That's why I want to make a contract with you. Only with a contract can I obtain Spirit from you and barely manage to stay awake, instead of continuing to sleep."
The black-haired girl sounded distinctly awkward as she went on:
"Also, I want to observe you. Although I too think the goddess of the Elf Race must have mistaken you for someone else, you really do carry my master's presence. If I stay with you, I might be able to find her."
When she said that she too thought the goddess of the Elf Race must have mistaken him for someone else, the black-haired girl's gaze involuntarily wandered, and she did not dare look at Eros.
Before you continue