Chapter 213: Would She Still Be The Same?

For a while, Elias remained lying on the bed without a single thought crossing his mind as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

Eventually, his gaze shifted toward Natasha and Young Stella, who were sitting some distance away from him as they played Sword and Staff. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he watched Natasha struggle to counter Stella’s moves, yet continue trying her best despite repeatedly falling behind.

On the other hand, Young Stella seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself as she defeated Natasha once again, her expression brightening with every victory.

Elias watched them for a little longer before returning his thoughts to everything he had witnessed in the simulation, and the first conclusion he reached was that, unlike the previous simulation, this particular destiny was unlikely to unfold in the same way.

After all, Sarina hadn’t failed and had managed to get Natasha out of there before that man could forcefully turn her into a demon. Moreover, Natasha had grown up and was now around twenty-four years old, whereas the woman he had seen at the end of the simulation had still been younger than her.

However, that didn’t mean Natasha could no longer transform into a demon.

Elias understood that if she consumed enough Demonic Energy, her Heavenly Demon Physique would awaken, causing her body to undergo Reformation and Transformation. The process could fundamentally change her, allowing her to regain what she had lost.

He also understood that there were people in this world who possessed the ominous energy he needed, meaning that finding a suitable source wasn’t necessarily impossible.

But... he didn’t want Natasha to become like the woman he had seen in the simulation.

Even though she had reached heights most people could only dream of, she had remained lonely, consumed by hatred and anger. The only difference was that she no longer had a fixed vessel into which she could pour those emotions, for the man responsible for everything she had suffered had already died at her hands.

It was a cruel destiny that had transformed her into a monster.

Elias understood that the method used to awaken her had been responsible for that outcome. She had been forged through hatred, anger, death, and destruction, and in return, she had unleashed those very things upon the world multiple times over.

He could make sure nothing like that happened to Natasha, and he had the means to prevent anyone from forcing her down the same path. However, despite knowing that, he still couldn’t shake the fear lingering in his heart.

He knew the transformation could heal her, restore her voice, and return her ability to hear. She would no longer have to depend on others to help her with everything, nor would she remain powerless in a world where strength often determined one’s fate.

But... would she still be herself afterward?

What he feared most was losing her.

What if the Reformation and Transformation changed her into an entirely different person? What if the woman who emerged from that process no longer possessed the same personality, the same emotions, or the same attachment to him?

Would she still be his Natasha? The same Natasha who couldn’t even fall asleep without embracing him?

Elias didn’t know the answer, and that uncertainty only made the decision more difficult.

At the same time, however, he couldn’t help feeling angry at himself.

He had promised to heal her, and now that he finally knew how he could accomplish that, he was allowing his own emotions to stand in his way.

Was he really going to let her continue living as she was simply because he was afraid of losing her?

He let out a deep sigh as he struggled to settle his thoughts, knowing that neither choice would be easy.

Unfortunately, Stella had already killed all the demons living in the hidden dungeon she had discovered, so he couldn’t simply return there and start searching for demons. If he wanted to obtain the Demonic Energy Natasha needed, he would have to find another source, and that meant locating Night Shade.

He also wondered whether Natasha still needed the dark dagger, considering that she had already absorbed Envy.

What he did know, however, was that all his questions would eventually be answered once Natasha could finally live as she deserved to.

Elias glanced at her again, and a melancholic yet genuine smile appeared on his face as he watched her continue playing with Young Stella.

Right then, an orange screen appeared before him.

[Ding!]

[Olide Grayson has awakened: Eye of Arcane Revelation — Tier I]

’Oh?’

A surprised expression appeared on Elias’s face as he read the notification.

He had expected Olide to need a few weeks before awakening the ability, but the latter had managed to accomplish it within just a few days.

He shifted slightly on the bed, and the moment he did, Stella noticed his movement. She immediately threw her hands into the air and exclaimed, "Husband is awake!"

Elias looked at her with a smile, and Natasha turned her head toward him as well.

However, when he met her gaze, his expression turned slightly somber, and she immediately noticed the change.

[Is something wrong?] she asked.

[No... nothing,] he replied before sitting up and turning toward both of them. "You two continue playing. I have to check something."

Both nodded, and Young Stella returned her attention to the board.

"Okay," she replied before resuming the game.

Elias climbed down from the bed, summoned his boots, and began walking toward Olide’s room. However, as he made his way toward the door, he glanced back at Natasha once more. She noticed his gaze, causing her to frown slightly.

She could tell that something had happened, but since he didn’t seem comfortable talking about it, she decided not to press him.

Elias left the room and made his way down the corridor until he eventually arrived at Olide’s room.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Olide shouted as he looked around with wide eyes, faint blue light shining within them.

Sermus, Greta, and the guards stared at Olide in confusion, unable to understand what was happening to him.

"So, you finally awakened it," Elias muttered, his Storyteller’s Captivating Tongue causing everyone to turn toward him.

"Do you know what is happening to me?" the merchant asked, his voice filled with a mixture of exhilaration and fear.

Elias nodded. "I do."

He then glanced around the room and ordered, "Everyone, leave."

As though he had been waiting for those words, Sermus immediately began walking toward the door, but Elias stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You stay."

Sermus turned toward the young nobleman with a frown before reluctantly muttering, "Fine."

His voice was no longer as dry and raspy as it had been before.

"Greta, you stay as well," Olide said, raising a hand to shield her as though he were protecting her from something.

Elias glanced at him and chuckled faintly. "It is your choice if you want them to stay, though I would suggest otherwise."

Olide fell silent for a moment as he considered the situation before finally making his decision.

"Guards, leave."

The two guards standing at the entrance immediately obeyed and walked away, leaving only the four of them in the room.

After a few moments of silence, Olide turned toward Elias and asked, "Can you tell me what has happened to me?"

Elias nodded. "I can. You have just become more useful."

The merchant frowned and mumbled, "I do not like the way you are putting it..."

Elias gestured toward the cavernous walls surrounding them and explained, "Look around. You must be seeing patterns or symbols on the walls that you couldn’t see before."

"I can," Olide replied, his eyes still shining with faint blue light.

His answer prompted both Sermus and Greta to look around, but no matter how carefully they examined the walls, neither could see anything unusual.

"Your eyes are special," Elias remarked.

"What do you mean...?" Olide asked, his confusion deepening.

Elias glanced toward one of the walls before muttering, "The symbols you are seeing are flaws in the one-star magical formations inscribed into these walls."

"What?" Sermus muttered, his expression shifting to one of surprise. "How is that possible?"

Elias shrugged. "It simply is. Have you ever questioned why the sun is hot?"

"I have," Sermus responded.

Elias stared at him for a while, seemingly unsure how to respond to such an answer.

"Why can he do that all of a sudden?" Greta asked, voicing the same question that had been troubling Olide.

"Because, before today, he didn’t have enough understanding of one-star magical formations to perceive their flaws."

Hearing his explanation, everyone frowned as they tried to make sense of it.

Olide, in particular, would never have considered learning about magical formations if Elias hadn’t forced him to do so in the first place.

"Did you know this would happen?" Olide asked, staring at Elias in bewilderment.

Elias nodded. "I did."

"How?"

"Does that matter?"

"I think it does..." Olide replied, his brows furrowing as he struggled to understand the young nobleman’s intentions.

"Why did you help him?" Greta asked suspiciously, her gaze fixed on Elias.

"To make him more useful, obviously," Elias replied without hesitation.

Olide frowned, and his eyes narrowed as he studied Elias’s expression.

"Why do you think I would help you?"

"You seem to be misunderstanding something," Elias replied, his voice turning chillingly cold and sending a tremor through everyone present.

"You are not helping me. You are paying the price for the life I have allowed you to keep."