Elias continued bathing Monica while doing his best to keep his thoughts focused on the task rather than the woman sitting before him. Her pale body looked almost unreal beneath the water, smooth and strangely delicate, like polished polyester beneath the faint glow of the magical formations.
He kept his eyes lowered, concentrating on the wet towel in his hands.
After a while, a thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he asked, "Monica, how much do you know about magic?"
She furrowed her brows and muttered, "Are you seriously asking me that? What do you want to know?"
He continued washing her arm before asking, "Is it possible for a person to project their thoughts directly into someone else’s mind?"
Monica’s expression became thoughtful.
She remained silent for several seconds, apparently searching through her memories.
"It is possible," she eventually said. "But it isn’t something ordinary magic can accomplish."
Elias’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"What kind of magic can do it?"
She looked toward him.
"You would need to use one of the three forbidden elements," she explained.
Elias paused.
"The three forbidden elements?"
"Yes," Monica said, nodding. "Mind, Soul, and Spirit."
He frowned.
He had never heard of such elements before.
Monica continued explaining while Elias carefully washed her shoulders with the wet towel.
"Those three elements are fundamentally different from ordinary elemental magic. Fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, darkness, light... those are all forces that interact with the external world."
She paused before adding, "Mind, Soul, and Spirit interact with the existence of living beings themselves."
Elias listened carefully.
"So that’s why they’re forbidden?"
"Partially," Monica answered.
She lowered her gaze toward her hands.
"Magic involving those elements can interfere with a person’s thoughts, memories, emotions, consciousness, and even the structure of their soul. A mistake can cause incomprehensible damage to either the caster or the target."
Elias’s expression became serious.
"Even if the caster knows what they’re doing?"
"Especially then," Monica said. "Knowledge doesn’t eliminate the danger."
Elias nodded slowly.
That made things considerably more complicated.
He had hoped Monica might know a method of teaching Mental Whisper to Natasha, but if the ability was connected to one of these forbidden elements, then there was no simple solution.
How am I supposed to teach Mental Whisper to Natasha, then?
He continued washing Monica while thinking about it. His concentration slipped for a moment, and his hand accidentally slipped over to her chest.
As she already had her head lowered she saw his hand and muttered after raising an eyebrow, "That’s enough for a feel, no?"
His hand froze as he finally realized where it was, and he immediately pulled it away.
"I didn’t mean to do that," he said hurriedly.
"Sure," she muttered. "Pervert."
"I’m not..." Elias whispered.
Monica gave him an amused look.
"You don’t have to explain yourself."
Elias sighed, "Just stay still."
"Staying still is my whole thing," Monica chuckled.
He frowned. "Then stop making things awkward."
"You’re the one who made it awkward."
Elias decided that arguing with her was pointless and returned to his train of thought.
The system had given him the skill, but if projecting thoughts required one of these forbidden elements, then explaining the ability to Natasha might be much more complicated than he had initially assumed.
Elias shook the thought away.
There was no point worrying about something he couldn’t solve yet.
He finished washing Monica before carefully drying her body. He then put on her top and shorts while keeping his gaze away as much as possible, wrapped her securely in the blanket, and carried her out of the bathroom.
Monica remained quiet throughout the process.
Once they stepped out, Monica looked at him curiously and asked, "Have you done this before?"
Elias shook his head. "No."
Monica studied him for a moment before saying, "It seems like you have."
Elias glanced at her and muttered, "What’s so difficult about it anyway?"
Her lips curled into a teasing smile.
"I thought you’d be squirming like someone who has never seen a naked woman," she said.
He shrugged slightly and answered, "Maybe because I have."
She eyes narrowed slightly.
"So the great bastard heir has experience with women?"
"That’s not what I said."
"You didn’t deny it."
"I don’t have to explain my entire life to you."
Monica chuckled. "Interesting."
Elias sighed. They reached the room, and he carried her toward the bed.
Once he reached it, he carefully lowered her onto the mattress and adjusted the blanket around her.
She watched him for several seconds.
"You really don’t act like a noble," she said.
He frowned. "What does that mean?"
"You’ve been treating me like a person."
She looked toward the ceiling.
"Most nobles would probably leave me in this room and let servants handle everything."
He remained silent.
Monica continued, "Especially after seeing what I look like now."
Elias looked at her.
"I don’t care what you look like."
Her expression changed slightly.
"You don’t?"
"No."
Elias stepped back and said flatly, "You’re my wife."
She stared at him. For a moment, her usual teasing expression disappeared. Then she looked away.
"You really are strange," she whispered.
Before he could answer, a knock sounded from the door.
Elias turned around.
Benjamin stood outside the room.
He bowed respectfully and said, "My lord, there are knights at the gates, and they are looking for you."
Elias’s expression became serious.
"Knights?" he asked.
Benjamin nodded.
"Yes, my lord."
Elias glanced toward Monica, who was already lying quietly beneath the blanket, before nodding.
"Let’s go," he said.
Benjamin turned around and began walking down the corridor.
Elias followed him, but before leaving, he looked back toward Monica and said, "I’ll feed you after having a talk with them."
Monica didn’t respond.
Elias waited for a moment, but she gave no response.
He looked more closely and realized that her eyes had already closed.
She had fallen unconscious.
Elias sighed quietly.
"She’s asleep already," he mumbled.
He closed the door and followed Benjamin toward the entrance.
The two of them walked through the quiet manor before eventually reaching the front hall.
Beyond the entrance doors, several figures could be seen waiting near the gates.
Elias’s expression became thoughtful as he approached.
Why would knights come looking for me?
He stepped toward the entrance with Benjamin beside him, preparing to find out.