Chapter 123 - 1267X Returns

A few minutes passed as Elias continued gently patting Stella’s back, allowing the quiet atmosphere of the room to settle once again.

Stella remained completely asleep, her breathing slow and peaceful as she rested against him, while Elias stared toward the ceiling and waited for Natasha to leave.

Then a familiar mechanical voice resounded inside his mind.

[Ding!]

[Evaluating the host’s actions.]

[Goodwill and care demonstrated toward the targets have been calculated.]

Elias’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

The orange screens appeared before him one after another, and he silently read through the system’s evaluation.

[Somewhat easing Natasha Sephila’s insecurity about her scars.]

[Helping Natasha Sephila find out about her nature of wanting to pamper and spoil.]

[Complimenting Stella Crimson’s cooking and thus helping her ignore the voice.]

[Slightly comforting Monica Ragnar’s deep loneliness.]

[Using six hundred twelve gold coins for all three wives’ daily necessities.]

Elias’s expression gradually became strange as he reached the fourth evaluation. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

’Ignore the voice?’

His eyes narrowed.

’What does it mean?’

He had no idea what voice the system was referring to, and before he could ponder it any further, the screens abruptly changed.

[The host’s current Affection Rate has reached 12.67.]

[1267X Returns have been applied.]

[Ding!]

[Rewards have been issued.]

[Reward 1: Skill acquired — Angel of Comfort (SSS)]

[Reward 2: Skill acquired — Boundless Tether of Hearts and Souls (SSS)]

[Reward 3: Item acquired — Third Sage’s Amulet (SSS)]

[Reward 4: Item acquired — 775,404 Gold Coins.]

Elias froze.

His eyes widened until they nearly became saucers, and for several seconds he simply stared at the final reward.

’Seven hundred...’

His throat moved as he swallowed dryly.

’Seven hundred seventy-five thousand four hundred four gold coins...’

After everything he had done, he still had not obtained enough gold to feel secure about their future, and yet the system had suddenly given him more money than he could have imagined.

"This..." Elias mumbled, his voice barely audible. "This is crazy..."

"Umm..."

A soft voice came from beside him.

Elias immediately remembered that Stella was still resting against him, and a gentle smile returned to his face as he resumed patting her back.

However, his eyes remained sharp.

’What kind of voice does she hear?’

The question lingered in his mind as he opened the description of his first new skill.

[Angel of Comfort]

[Grade: SSS]

[You are the Angel of Comfort. Your words can calm the mind and spirit, your touch can soothe pain, and your warmth can reach the soul.]

[Everything and everyone in your embrace reaches a comfort only challenged by the eternal comfort of Death.]

[The potency of the effects varies based on your rank.]

Elias stared at the description without moving.

For a long while, he said nothing.

Then he slowly closed his eyes and muttered, "And who is supposed to comfort me?"

When his eyes opened again, a bitter emptiness had appeared within them.

The skill was undoubtedly powerful, and its effects would make caring for his wives much easier, but he disliked the way it described him.

An Angel of Comfort.

It sounded almost like the title of some messiah destined to save everyone.

Elias had never wanted to be a hero.

He was selfish, insecure, and hypocritical, and there were plenty of things about himself that he would rather not examine too closely. He had no desire to become some saint who existed solely to comfort others.

However, these women were his wives, and taking care of them was one of his responsibilities.

If this skill could help him do that better, then he had no reason to complain.

He closed the description and opened the next one.

[Boundless Tether of Hearts and Souls]

[Grade: SSS]

[In this world, one must choose their ties, responsibilities, and duty. You have the choice of binding your very self to three beings in an eternal, never-ending, limitless net.]

[Bounds: 0/3]

He frowned.

’What does this mean?’

As usual, the system’s description told him almost nothing about the actual effects of the skill.

He had no idea what would happen if he used it, who could be bound, or what exactly this "eternal, never-ending, limitless net" was supposed to mean.

’How am I supposed to use a skill when even the description does not explain what it does?’

He sighed inwardly.

So far, none of the system’s skills had harmed him directly, but that did not mean he could blindly trust every mysterious ability it gave him.

For now, he decided to leave it alone.

His attention then shifted toward the next reward.

He opened his Inventory and found the new item waiting inside.

It was a silver amulet shaped like a circle, with a greenish-purple gem embedded within a nine-pointed star casing. Faint grooves ran across its surface.

He took it out and turned it over in his hand.

There was no strange energy, no pressure, and no sensation that would indicate the amulet possessed some extraordinary power.

Elias stared at it for several seconds before storing it again and checking its description.

[Third Sage’s Amulet]

[Grade: SSS]

[You can see the unknown.]

Elias blinked.

’The unknown...’

His brows slowly drew together.

Usually, when people referred to the unknown, they were talking about spirit beings.

Spiritualists could sense such beings, but they generally could not see them unless those entities deliberately allowed themselves to be perceived.

Of course, there were other methods.

Elias vaguely recalled that spiritual beings could be forced to reveal themselves through violence.

’Although I doubt I need to beat the living shit out of a spirit just to see it now.’

He paused.

’Not that I am against it.’

His gaze then shifted toward the final occupied square of his Inventory.

Gold coins filled the space.

A six-digit number appeared at the corner.

Elias stared at it for a moment before a genuine smile slowly spread across his face.

’How delightful.’

He took out a single gold coin and rolled it between his fingers, enjoying the weight of it.

At that exact moment, the bedroom door opened.

He looked toward the entrance.

Natasha had returned.

She now wore a white dress decorated with blue and red thread floral embroidery, while her long, black hair had been neatly tied into a bun.

[Image]

Her golden eyes immediately landed on Elias. Then they shifted toward Stella, who was still resting against him.

Her expression darkened, and a deep frown appeared across her beautiful face as she stared at the two of them.

[We are just getting up...] He said as he shook Stella to wake her up.