Chapter 82: Growing Suspicion

Elias coughed awkwardly and lowered his gaze, silently wondering, ’Did I show my thoughts on my face?’

He quickly composed himself before looking toward Monica with a wry smile and asking, "Can you not teach me the rune we need?"

"Heh," Monica smirked before scoffing lightly. "Runesmithing requires enormous mana reserves, so much so that it is impossible for a Scholar even to inscribe them."

Elias frowned at her words and thought inwardly, ’Status.’

The familiar orange screen appeared before his eyes.

[Status]

[Name: Elias Crimson]

[Rank: Warrior]

[Affection Rate: 7.66]

[Talent: Unbreakable Will (A)]

[Physical Constitution: Three-Star Harmonic Dragon Physique (Sealed)]

[Weapon: Sword]

[Weapon Mastery: Sword — Advanced III]

[Weapon Aura: Unobtained]

[Mana Aptitude: A]

[Mana Affinity: Wind (D), Earth (D), Shadow (SS)]

[Mana Circle: None]

[Spiritual Aptitude: None]

[Spiritual Affinity: None]

[Spiritual Stars: None]

[Stats]

[Strength/Constitution: 40]

[Speed/Agility: 37]

[Stamina/Endurance: 34]

[Perception/Comprehension: 50]

[Mana/Spirit: 31]

[Stat Points: 20]

[Skills]

[Slash (F)]

[Stab (F)]

[Swing (F)]

[Parry (F)]

[Enhanced Mana Enhancement (B)]

[Shadow Ghost Poison Resistance (A)]

[Mental Whisper (C)]

[Tyrannical Giant’s Immovable Stance (S)]

[Masterful Hands (S)]

[Thousand Poison Immunity (SS)]

[Serene Mind of Geldnor (SS)]

Elias stared at his Mana stat for a moment before wondering, ’I have thirty-one mana, and I still have twenty Stat Points. Would that be enough for runesmithing?’

Monica continued explaining.

"Runes also require an entirely different level of understanding of the arcane," she said, her expression becoming slightly more serious. "It took me more than an hour just to understand one of them."

Elias stared at her.

’One hour? How is that difficult in any way?’

For a moment, he wondered whether she was simply bragging about her arcane talent, but then he remembered something important.

He had never actually checked what her talent was.

’Status.’

The system immediately displayed Monica’s information, and Elias focused on the talent he had overlooked before.

[Heavenly Arcane Comprehension]

[Grade: S]

[This mind holds a peerless level of comprehension and understanding for anything arcane.]

Elias stared at the description in stunned silence.

’If it took her more than an hour to understand a single rune, then how long would it take me?’

His expression gradually became solemn.

’Days? Weeks? Perhaps months?’

Runesmithing was just like every other branch of arcane magic. It was extremely difficult, and the difference between understanding a rune and merely knowing what it did could be enormous.

Yet Elias couldn’t give up.

He didn’t have that choice in the first place.

Monica watched his expression for a few moments before asking, "Why do you want to leave so badly?"

Elias looked toward her and answered honestly, "Crimsonland is not safe for us. Sadly, the only inheritance I obtained from my family was enemies."

Monica chuckled softly at his answer.

"I would love to leave," she said, "but it is simply impossible for such a thing to happen. If you have me travel in a normal carriage, the driver and the horse would not survive."

Elias nodded darkly.

"I understand that."

He rose from his chair and walked closer to her before continuing, "Still, I will talk to Priest Mekah about it and ask if we have a runesmith in Kilmir."

"Do whatever you want," Monica said indifferently as she turned her gaze toward the ceiling.

Elias looked at her for a moment before suddenly lowering himself.

The next moment, his head appeared directly before her eyes.

"What?" Monica muttered, feigning ignorance as she looked at him suspiciously.

Elias slid his arms beneath her back and thighs before carefully lifting her from the bed.

"It is time for your bath," he mumbled.

Monica’s cheeks immediately reddened.

"Y-You just want a reason to touch me. Hmph!" she said with a flustered expression.

Elias smiled softly as he carried her toward the bath.

"Think whatever you want," he said.

Monica looked away while trying to hide her embarrassment, but Elias didn’t pay much attention to her reaction. He simply carried her into the bath and began taking care of her as he usually did.

Fortunately, no seizure occurred this time either.

Elias couldn’t help but feel relieved as he continued washing her carefully, and he began wondering whether the unusually powerful seizure she had suffered previously had somehow reduced the frequency of them.

Perhaps she wouldn’t have to deal with another one for several days.

Once the bath was finished, Elias carried Monica back into her room and carefully placed her on the bed before using his Masterful Hands to massage her body.

His movements remained precise and gentle, and Monica gradually relaxed beneath his touch until her eyelids became heavy.

Within half an hour, she had fallen asleep.

A peaceful smile rested upon her face as she slept, and Elias remained beside the bed for a while, quietly staring at her.

He smiled faintly before eventually standing up.

"All I can do is hope that there is a runesmith in Kilmir," he mumbled as he turned toward the door. "Otherwise, I would have to cancel leaving the west."

He glanced back at Monica one final time before walking out of the room.

The door closed quietly behind him.

Several seconds passed, then Monica’s eyelids slowly rose.

Her gaze rested upon the closed door, and the suspicion that had been growing within her mind returned once again.

"We were together for more than an hour," she mumbled suspiciously, "and he was completely fine as though the poison was not even there. How is this possible?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she thought about everything that had happened since Elias became her husband.

He had stayed beside her for hours, touched her, fed her, bathed her, and he had even slept in the same room without showing any signs of poisoning.

Monica knew her poison better than anyone else did, and that was precisely why Elias’s condition made no sense.

There was something different about him.

Something she had failed to notice until now.

Her gaze remained fixed upon the closed door as another possibility gradually surfaced within her mind.

Maybe she could find a cure to her current state by finding out how Elias could stay within the range of her poison without any trouble.