Chapter 37: Stella’s Stats And Skills

Elias stared at the orange system screen for several seconds, his mind struggling to process the number displayed before him.

Affection Rate: 30

Stella’s Affection Rate had suddenly jumped from ten to a ridiculous thirty, and the system had even unlocked the ability to view her Stats and Skills.

The increase was so large that Elias couldn’t help wondering what exactly had caused it.

However, after thinking about it for a moment, he decided not to dwell on it too much because for Stella, the Affection Rate displayed on the system wasn’t necessarily the same number that would ultimately be used when calculating his rewards.

Instead, he focused his attention on the woman currently clinging to him.

Stella was hugging him as though they hadn’t seen each other in months, her arms wrapped tightly around his body while she pressed herself against him.

Elias lowered his gaze toward her and asked softly, "What happened? Why are you being so clingy?"

Stella slowly lifted her head and looked into his eyes, but her cheerful expression gradually became pitiful as she muttered, "I don’t like that aunty!"

Elias furrowed his brows.

’What is she talking about?’

He kept his voice calm as he asked, "Which aunty?"

Stella tilted her head and stared into the distance, seemingly trying to remember something. Then her eyes brightened as she recalled the memory.

"I met her after eating the sugar fruit her husband gave me," she said, her arms tightening around Elias again. "She looked the same as me, but she was scary. She told me that you are some old bastard’s son and we are each other’s enemy."

Elias’s expression changed slightly as he listened.

Stella looked back into his eyes and asked anxiously, "She was lying, right? Husband can never be my enemy, right?"

Listening to her explanation, Elias finally understood.

The woman Stella was describing could be no one other than her other self.

To think that eating the Extraordinary Sugar Fruit had allowed her childish persona to encounter the berserk version of herself was truly surprising, but considering what he had already witnessed, perhaps it wasn’t completely impossible.

Elias smiled gently and answered, "Of course. I would never hurt you."

"Hehe," Stella giggled before closing her eyes and embracing him again.

The warmth of her curvy yet trained body wrapped around him like a silky blanket, and Elias couldn’t help smiling as he allowed her to cling to him.

However, his smile soon disappeared when Stella asked in a low voice, "Can you give me one more sugar fruit?"

"No."

Her eyes opened immediately.

"Why?"

"If you eat it, you will have to meet that aunty again."

Stella’s expression immediately became troubled.

"I don’t want it then. Hmph."

Elias chuckled softly.

He allowed her to continue hugging him for several minutes, but eventually he placed his hands against her shoulders and gently tried to push her away.

"Alright, let go now."

"No."

"I have to go."

"No."

Elias sighed tiredly as Stella tightened her arms around him again.

"Stella."

"No."

"I really have to leave."

She shook her head stubbornly.

Elias stared at her for a moment before a mischievous glint crossed his eyes.

Instead of trying to force her away, he leaned his head forward and gently blew into her ear.

Stella’s body immediately trembled, and she giggled while pulling her head away.

"Stop it!" she said, covering her ear with one hand.

Elias smiled.

"Then let me go. I have to take a bath, and Monica is still unconscious. You don’t want me to leave her alone, do you?"

Stella immediately released him.

"Never!" she said seriously.

Elias nodded before looking toward Benjamin and Natasha.

[Let’s go.]

Natasha immediately stood up and began walking toward him.

Benjamin raised his brows slightly as he watched her.

’My master truly is something extraordinary,’ Benjamin thought upon seeing that in just a few days he had formed enough familiarity with Lady Natasha that she could understand his thoughts from simply gestures.

The four of them left the training grounds together, and the three returned to Elias’s room while Benjamin walked away to do other tasks.

Once inside, Elias took out a change of clothes before walking toward Monica’s room. When he entered, he found Monica already unconscious; her body lay peacefully on the bed whose magic formations had repaired themselves.

He approached the bed and carefully picked her up together with the blanket wrapped around her body.

Then he carried her toward the bath.

The maids had already prepared enough warm water, and the room was filled with a comfortable warmth.

Elias carefully lowered Monica until she was sitting against the wall, then adjusted her position so that she wouldn’t fall.

"I should clean myself first," he mumbled.

He glanced toward Monica.

’Still asleep.’

After making sure she was stable, Elias removed his clothes and stepped into the warm bath.

The water immediately surrounded his body, washing away the sweat and dirt that had accumulated during his spar with Stella.

As he washed his hair, his thoughts returned to the system notification, and he mumbled, "Status."

The orange system screen appeared before his eyes.

[Status]

[Name: Stella Crimson]

[Rank: Monarch (Lord)]

[Affection Rate: 30]

[Note: Due to mental instability, the Affection Rate will be counted as 3.]

[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]

[Strength/Constitution: 76] (228 - 380)

[Speed/Agility: 73] (219 - 365)

[Stamina/Endurance: 71] (213 - 355)

[Perception/Comprehension: 82] (246 - 410)

[Mana/Spirit: 38] (114 - 190)

[Skills]

[Slash (F)]

[Stab (F)]

[Swing (F)]

[Parry (F)]

[Pain Resistance (F)]

[Fireball (D)]

[Fire Wall (C)]

[Excellent Aura Enhancement (A)]

[Aura Layering (A)]

[Aura Sense (A)]

[Aura Invoking (A)]

[Demon Hound’s Seven Sword Strikes (S)]

[Blood Wyrm’s Steps (S)]

[King’s Sword (S)]

[Intent Invoking (S)]

[Intent Layering (S)]

[Unknown — Requires Affection Rate: 40]

Elias stared at the screen.

His hand remained frozen against his wet hair as his eyes moved from one line to another.

’What the fuck?!’