Upon Elias’s command, the orange screen flickered before his eyes, and Stella Crimson’s information appeared in glowing letters.
[Status]
[Name: Stella Crimson]
[Rank: Monarch (Lord)]
[Affection Rate: 10]
[Note: Due to mental instability, the Affection Rate will be counted as 1.]
[Talent: Sword Saint (S)]
[Physical Constitution: Sword Body]
[Weapon: Sword, Dagger, Bow]
[Weapon Mastery: Sword — King II, Dagger — Elite IV, Bow — Elite I]
[Weapon Aura: Sword Aura — Tier III]
[Mana Aptitude: A]
[Mana Affinity: Fire (A), Darkness (C)]
[Mana Circle: None]
[Spiritual Aptitude: D]
[Spiritual Affinity: None]
[Spiritual Stars: None]
[Stats]
[Requires Affection Rate: 20]
[Skills]
[Requires Affection Rate: 30]
[Unknown — Requires Affection Rate: 40]
Elias stared at the screen.
For several seconds, he couldn’t process what he was seeing. Then his mouth slowly opened, and he whispered, "An S-grade talent..."
His gaze moved downward.
"An A-grade mana aptitude..."
He continued reading, and his expression became increasingly incredulous.
"An A-grade Fire affinity, a Sword Body, and she’s already a Weapon King?"
The more he read, the more ridiculous it became.
"What doesn’t she have?"
Stella tilted her head while staring at him.
"Husband?"
Elias didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the status screen.
He had already known that Stella had once been an extraordinary swordswoman, but knowing it and seeing the actual numbers were two completely different things.
If Damien Crimson hadn’t launched his rebellion, if the Bloodfang Clan hadn’t been destroyed, and if Stella’s mind hadn’t shattered after watching everyone she loved die, how far would she have gone?
There was no way to know.
But Elias was certain of one thing.
She would have eventually reached a level that very few people in the world could hope to touch.
He sighed and rubbed his chin.
"Is she a Monarch... or Lord?"
The strange title beside her rank caught his attention.
Power ranks were generally divided into Warrior, Exalted, Lord, Monarch, Paragon, and Transcendent.
The same fundamental ranking system was used by combatants, mages, and spiritualists, although each group had developed its own terminology over the centuries.
Mages disliked being classified as Warriors, so they commonly used the title Scholar instead, while spiritualists replaced Lord with Guardian.
The highest known rank in the current era was Paragon.
There had not been a living Transcendent for centuries.
The last known Transcendent had died while fighting the guardian of a Grade Five spatial rift, and the guardian had died alongside him. The battle had been so catastrophic that nobody had been able to determine which of the two had truly been stronger.
Elias looked at Stella again.
Could her rank have fallen because of her mental state?
It was possible. A person’s mental condition could affect their ability to control their power, and Stella’s mind was clearly far from stable.
He eventually shook his head.
"There is no point worrying about it right now."
His attention returned to the status screen.
Sword King II.
That alone was astonishing.
Weapon mastery was divided into Beginner, Intermediate, Adept, Advanced, Elite, King, and Saint, with every stage except Saint being divided into seven tiers.
Elias had only recently reached Adept V himself, yet Stella had already stepped into the King realm.
He couldn’t help feeling a little envious, then he looked at the woman standing beside him.
Stella was currently poking his cheek with one finger, apparently fascinated by how it felt.
The envy disappeared, replaced by something much stronger.
He wanted to see her recover.
He wanted to see the woman described in those records as the Steel Flower.
Not the Killer Flower.
Not the broken woman who had been abandoned by the world.
He wanted to see Stella become the person she had once been.
Elias lowered his gaze and asked gently, "Stella, do you want something?"
She stopped poking his cheek.
"Hmm?"
She tilted her head and thought for a few seconds, then her eyes suddenly brightened.
"Ah!"
She clasped her hands together.
"I want the sugar fruits Father used to give me."
Her cheerful voice gradually became quieter.
"Father..."
The moment she whispered the word, her expression changed. Tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks.
Stella touched her face in confusion, staring at the moisture on her fingers.
"Why am I crying?"
Elias’s heart tightened.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
"Is something wrong?"
Stella’s body trembled against him.
"I... I don’t know."
She buried her face against his shoulder.
"I just feel sad for some reason."
Elias gently rubbed her back.
"Sad? What for?"
He tightened his embrace slightly.
"I’m right here with you."
Stella remained silent for a moment before asking in a trembling voice, "B-But what if you leave me too?"
Elias’s stomach twisted.
He understood what she was really asking.
She wasn’t afraid that he would simply walk away.
She was afraid that he would become another person she loved who disappeared from her life.
Elias lowered his head and smiled.
"I would never leave you."
His voice was gentle but firm.
"I promise."
Stella lifted her head.
"...Really?"
"Really."
She searched his eyes for several seconds before finally smiling.
"Okay."
She hugged him tightly.
"I believe you."
Elias gently patted her back.
Behind them, Natasha had been watching the entire scene.
Her expression remained mostly impassive, but the corners of her lips slowly lifted.
An hour later, Stella had fallen asleep.
She was curled up on one of the couches in the sitting room, her breathing soft and peaceful.
Elias glanced toward the setting sun outside the window. The sky had already begun turning orange.
"I’ll get the sugar fruits tomorrow morning," he mumbled.
He didn’t want to send anyone into the city this late.
Besides, Stella was asleep now, and there was no reason to wake her.
After ordering the maids to prepare the fruits for the following morning, Elias checked on Monica.
She was sleeping peacefully.
There were no seizures this time, and the dark smoke that had surrounded her earlier had disappeared completely.
Elias stood at her door for several moments before quietly leaving the room.
When he returned to the dining hall, Natasha was already sitting at the table.
Elias sat across from her.
Dinner was quiet. Still, the silence didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable anymore.
There was something peaceful about simply sharing a meal with her.
After dinner, Elias once again fed Monica.
Thankfully, there was no seizure this time.
Once everything had been taken care of, the manor gradually became quieter as the servants prepared for the night.
Elias eventually remembered something; he turned toward Natasha.
She was standing near the dining room window, staring outside.
He quickly found a sheet of paper and a quill before approaching her.
He wrote: You should sleep in my bedroom.
Natasha took the paper, her golden eyes moved across the words, then her expression changed.
She stared at Elias with what could only be described as disgust.
Elias frowned. "What the hell?"
He looked at the paper, then at Natasha, then back to the paper.
"Ah."
He finally understood.
"That’s not what I meant."
He quickly waved his hands.
Natasha continued staring at him suspiciously.
Elias snatched the paper back and began writing again.
After a few moments, he turned it toward her.
I am not asking you to sleep with me. I am asking you to sleep in my room. I don’t trust these servants.
Natasha read the message and then stared at him for several seconds before she nodded.
Elias sighed in relief.
"Good."
He took the paper from her, tore it into tiny pieces, and threw them into the nearby wastebasket.
Elias then remembered Monica.
He found Benjamin and asked for the key to her room.
The butler hesitated for only a moment before handing it over.
"I’ll take care of everything Lady Monica needs from now on," Elias said.
Benjamin’s expression immediately brightened.
"Of course, my lord."
He handed over the key with surprising enthusiasm.
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"You seem happy."
Benjamin coughed awkwardly.
"I am simply relieved that you are willing to take responsibility for Lady Monica’s care."
Elias narrowed his eyes.
Benjamin smiled innocently.
Elias didn’t believe him for a second. Still, he didn’t pursue the matter.
A short while later, Elias stood outside Natasha’s room while she changed into her nightclothes.
He glanced at the closed door and mumbled, "She could have just changed in my room."
The door opened.
Elias turned around and froze.
Natasha stood in the doorway wearing a silky white nightgown that reached her knees.
The fabric contrasted beautifully against her rich chocolate-colored skin, while her long black hair fell loosely around her shoulders.
The scars covering her body remained visible in several places, but somehow they only emphasized her beauty.
Elias swallowed and quickly looked away.
"L-Let’s go."
Natasha frowned slightly. She didn’t understand why he suddenly seemed so nervous.
The two walked through the quiet corridor toward Elias’s bedroom and reached it within a few seconds.
Elias opened the door and stepped aside.
Natasha entered first, and he followed behind her before closing the door.