Chapter 106: The Impassive Mask

"Olide..." Benjamin mumbled as he tried to remember who Elias was referring to.

After a few moments, his eyes widened slightly as recognition finally reached him. "The son of the Honorgold Merchant Company’s master?"

Elias nodded. "Yes."

"If you do not mind me asking... why, my lord?" Benjamin questioned, his confusion deepening.

Olide was a merchant, after all, and the Honorgold Merchant Company was well known even in the Ruler’s Cradle, so he could not understand why its young heir was staying in Kilmir.

Perhaps Olide had come because of some conflict between the heirs, or something else.

Regardless, none of that mattered to Benjamin. What mattered was that his master wanted to meet the man, and he wanted to understand why.

"The City Lord has closed the gates, so we need to purchase supplies before they become too costly or more taxes are imposed by that wretch," Elias explained.

Benjamin frowned deeply. "But we do not have enough gold for that..."

"You do not have to worry," Elias assured him as he began walking toward the dining room’s exit. "I will take care of it myself. Just find out where he is staying in the city."

Benjamin remained confused by the decision, but he knew better than to question his master without reason. He bowed toward Elias’s retreating figure and answered, "As you wish, my lord."

Elias nodded slightly and left the room, only to find Sara and Lena approaching him with the black antidote pill and Monica’s meal.

He accepted the pill, pretended to place it inside his mouth, and then stored it in his Inventory. Afterward, he took the plate and began walking toward Monica’s room.

’Considering how much Olide wanted to form ties with the Crimson Ducal Clan, I may be able to convince him to purchase the monster corpses or the Riftstone without informing Berlic,’ Elias thought as he walked through the corridor.

The plan was risky because Olide might have lied about wanting to form ties with the Crimson family. He could have simply been trying to get close to Elias so that he could sell him to the Draveon Marchional Clan and gain the trust of the masters controlling the southwestern ports.

’Still, I cannot afford to reject every possibility.’

Elias pushed those worries aside for the moment and entered Monica’s room, only to discover that his luck had already run out.

She was not awake.

Since the unusually powerful seizure, Monica had begun remaining conscious for longer periods, but today she seemed to be returning to her previous condition. That could become troublesome, considering that she needed to inspect Stella’s Auracle every day if she wanted to gather enough knowledge to create the Manacle.

Even so, it was not something Monica could control.

’Fucking poison,’ Elias cursed inwardly.

He brought the chair closer to the bed and sat beside her, placing the meal on his lap as he studied her face.

For several moments, he simply stared at her.

Her expression was completely impassive, lacking the faint amusement when she talked and the peacefulness she displayed after he massaged her.

For some reason, Elias disliked seeing her like this. It felt as though she were hiding all her pain behind an emotionless mask, refusing to let anyone see how much she was suffering.

He exhaled quietly, picked up the spoon, and began feeding her.

The process proceeded much as it had in the past. Monica remained unconscious throughout the meal, and when he finished feeding her, the Shadow Ghost Poison suddenly reacted.

Her body trembled violently, and dark smoke began leaking from her skin.

Elias had already prepared himself for the seizure, however, and immediately placed the antidote pill into her mouth before closing it firmly. The dark smoke writhed around her body for a moment, but then it was pulled back inside her, and the trembling gradually subsided.

Once Monica became still again, Elias carefully lifted her from the bed and carried her toward the bathroom.

He lowered himself into the bath with her body resting against his chest, supporting her back with one arm while using the other to wash her. His gaze remained fixed on the side of her face, and the longer he looked at her, the heavier his chest became.

’I hate it...’

He hated seeing her suffer.

He hated being unable to do anything meaningful about it.

Most of all, he hated the way she seemed to disappear behind that impassive expression whenever the poison overwhelmed her.

He had been hoping that she would wake up before he finished bathing her, if only so he would not have to continue looking at that empty face.

Yet she remained still.

Elias’s hands gradually slowed, and before he realized what he was doing, he stopped washing her altogether. Instead, he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her into a deep embrace.

"I wish I could end your pain..." he mumbled, his voice heavy with helplessness. "But I cannot even do such a thing. Maybe they were not wrong to label me as pathetic."

Monica had been asleep for nearly an hour, but she woke just before he finished speaking.

Her eyes trembled as his words reached her ears, and a sad expression briefly appeared on her face.

’You are not pathetic...’ she thought.

She wanted to say it aloud, but the words refused to leave her lips. After closing her eyes for a brief moment, she forced the sadness away and opened them again.

Elias was looking down at the dark mark on her right arm, his expression filled with genuine concern.

Monica watched him for a few seconds before an amused smile slowly appeared on her face.

"I did not wake up for once, and you are already having your way with me, huh?" she asked, her voice hoarse but teasing. "I was right to be suspicious of you, my lord husband."

Her words immediately reached Elias’s ears, and the sorrow in his expression was replaced by embarrassment.

"That is not true," he muttered as he released her from the embrace, a faint blush spreading across his face.

Monica laughed softly. "Haha! What thief agrees to stealing?"

"I am telling the truth," he insisted, his brows drawing together.

She looked at him with an amused smile and nodded lightly. "Sure, sure."

Elias was left speechless by her antics, and after a moment, he decided to regain the upper hand through a different method.

His hand moved downward until it rested slightly below her abdomen.

Monica noticed the movement, and her smile gradually weakened. "What are you doing?"

Elias gave her a smug look before pressing the area gently with one finger while activating Masterful Hands.

"Angh!"

A startled sound escaped her lips, and her face immediately turned red.

"W-Wait!" she stammered, but Elias only grinned and leaned closer, whispering beside her ear, "Do you want me to stop?"

"Yes!" Monica answered quickly.

He continued circling the area with his finger, then asked again, "Do you really want me to stop?"

Monica lowered her head, and the tips of her ears became red.

"No..." she whispered, sounding like a cat meowing.

Elias chuckled.