Chapter 28: Sharp Increase In Monica’s Affection Rate

"First kiss?" Elias asked, his expression becoming confused.

He stared at Monica for several seconds, trying to reconcile her words with something she had said after he had bathed her for the first time.

Back then, she had spoken with such confidence that Elias had assumed she possessed considerable experience with physical intimacy. Yet now she was claiming that he had taken her first kiss.

His expression gradually shifted into suspicion, and he asked with narrowed eyes, "You have not kissed anyone before?"

Monica immediately noticed the undertone in his question.

Her expression twisted as she hissed, "What do you think I am? A whore?"

Elias furrowed his brows and shook his head.

"Of course not. You just did not look like it was your first time being held by a man when I bathed and dressed you."

The moment he finished speaking, Monica’s face turned red.

She looked away and remained silent for a few seconds before finally explaining, "That is because I do not feel when you, anyone, or anything touches me. I only feel an ache inside my body... nothing else."

"I see..." Elias whispered, his eyes becoming heavy with worry.

She had already told him about the constant pain caused by the Shadow Ghost Poison, but she had never explained that she couldn’t actually feel physical contact at all.

The realization made several things suddenly make sense.

When he had carried her, washed her, dressed her, or moved her body from one place to another, she had never reacted to his touch. Elias had assumed that she was simply accustomed to being handled because of her condition.

He hadn’t realized that she couldn’t feel any of it.

His gaze lowered slightly.

He wanted to say something comforting, but nothing came to mind. What could he possibly say to someone who had lost something so fundamental?

Any words he offered would probably sound hollow.

For a long while, neither of them spoke.

The room remained quiet except for the faint sounds of the manor waking beyond the door.

Eventually, Monica broke the silence.

"You do not have to feel guilty for kissing me. I don’t have any issue with it, not like I was awake, anyway."

She chuckled, seemingly trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Elias glanced toward her but remained silent.

Monica’s smile faded slightly as she looked toward the ceiling.

After another quiet moment, she said, "Thank you for taking care of me."

Elias let out a quiet breath before turning toward the door.

"You do not have to thank me. I am simply doing what any husband would do for his wife."

Hearing those words, Monica’s lips curved into a small smile.

"Okay, husband," she mumbled in a low voice.

Elias’s hand paused against the door as the familiar orange glow appeared before his eyes.

[Ding!]

[Affection Rate is increasing!]

[Monica Ragnar’s Affection Rate: 5]

Elias blinked.

’Five?’

His brows rose slightly as he stared at the system notification.

That was a surprisingly large increase.

It had taken a considerable amount of time to raise the Affection Rate to one, yet Monica’s affection had suddenly increased to five after what had happened last night.

’Maybe it becomes easier to increase Affection Rate after reaching certain milestones?’ Elias wondered.

The possibility made sense, although he couldn’t be certain.

The system had never explained exactly how individual affection worked, and he still had far too little information to understand its calculations.

Elias pushed those thoughts aside for now and pulled the door open before he stepped outside.

The moment he turned his head to the side, however, his gaze fell upon someone standing in the distance.

Elias blinked.

Natasha was standing in the corridor.

She held her notebook tightly against her chest, and a deep frown rested upon her beautiful face.

Her normally neat black hair was unkempt, with several strands falling around her face, while she was still wearing the silky white nightgown she had slept in.

He frowned slightly.

It was already morning.

Why was she wandering around the manor dressed like that?

More importantly, why did she look so much sadder than usual?

Elias studied her for a moment before calling out through Mental Whisper.

[Natasha?]

Monica, who was still sitting on her bed, glanced toward the doorway and saw him standing there with a frown.

She furrowed her brows and mumbled, "What is he doing?"

Natasha’s eyes widened as she heard the familiar voice in her head. She looked around and finally found Elias.

A look of relief appeared on her face, and she walked over to him.

She stopped a few steps away from him and handed him the notebook.

At the same time, Monica’s eyes widened, and she shouted in her head, ’What in the arcane?’

From her bed, she had a rather unfortunate perspective.

Elias had taken over half of the doorway while the other was taken by two meaty blobs covered in white silk.

She lowered her head and looked down at her own assets. She was in no way lacking, but in comparison to Natasha, she fell short. Which was to be expected because Natasha was most curvaceous out of Elias’s three wives.

Elias, fortunately, hadn’t noticed Monica’s silent comparison.

He simply took the notebook and read the words.

Where is Lord Elias?

He immediately understood that Natasha had probably written the message intending to ask the servants where he was.

She must have woken up and found that he wasn’t in the bedroom, then started looking for him.

Fortunately, she had found him before reaching the servants.

Elias looked back at Natasha.

She was watching him quietly, her golden eyes filled with concern.

[Let’s talk in my room.]

Natasha nodded somberly.

Elias closed Monica’s door before walking toward his room.

Natasha followed him.

Even after they left, Monica continued staring at the closed door.

She remained silent for several seconds before looking down at herself again.

"Tch," she clicked her tongue and muttered, "Those things are only going to hurt her shoulders. Pitiful."