Chapter 140: My Little Mage

Elias did not think he had done anything to upset Natasha, especially since everything that had happened in the morning had been initiated by her. Still, he could not help but feel a little sad when he saw her acting distant.

’She just needs some time to come to terms with it... I guess,’ he concluded inwardly, deciding not to press her.

Instead, he continued eating breakfast with a warm smile on his face, while Stella sat beside him with a bright expression.

The crimson-haired woman smiled before every bite Elias fed her; she happily chewed her food before picking up another piece and feeding him in return.

It was a strangely peaceful breakfast.

When they finally finished, Elias and his two wives rose from their seats, but before he could say anything, Natasha immediately began walking out of the dining room.

Elias watched her leave with a faint frown, then shifted his gaze toward Stella.

"Stella, can you go play with your big sister?" he asked with a gentle smile.

"Yes!" Stella answered brightly, and she immediately hurried after Natasha.

Elias chuckled as he watched the two women disappear, and then he walked out of the dining room as the maids appeared, just as they usually did.

The rest proceeded normally.

Eventually, Elias carried a meal into Monica’s room, only to find her staring at him with an unmistakably displeased expression.

"Why did you dress me up?" Monica asked with a frown.

Elias tilted his head slightly as his gaze swept over her figure before he calmly asked, "I cannot?"

Monica’s mouth fell open at the answer, and after staring at him for a moment, she muttered, "What do you think I am? A doll?"

Elias walked closer and placed the meal on the drawer beside the bed before stopping directly in front of her. Then, lowering himself until his face was close to hers, he asked with an amused spark in his black eyes, "You do not like being my doll?"

Monica’s blue eyes trembled, and she answered in a low voice, "Do you have no shame?"

Elias leaned forward until their noses touched, and Monica’s eyes widened slightly at the sudden closeness.

"Why would I have shame when I can have you?" he asked.

Monica blinked.

The answer made absolutely no sense.

There was no logic behind it, and it was so completely nonsensical that she could not even formulate a proper response. Yet, despite how absurd his words were, her heart refused to stop pounding.

Elias smiled and leaned closer.

"Good morning, my doll," he said before planting a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Monica’s thoughts seemed to melt at the faint warmth of his lips, and she simply stared at him with wide, surprised eyes.

Elias straightened and sat down in the nearby chair with a relaxed smile, but the moment he turned toward the drawer to pick up the bowl, his smile faltered, and his face slowly turned red.

His heart was pounding fiercely.

He had actually kissed her while she was awake.

The last time he had kissed her cheek, she had been asleep, so he had wanted to know how she would react if he did it while she was conscious.

Judging by her expression, he was quite satisfied with the result.

For the next several minutes, Elias fed her while Monica stared blankly and silently at him. The same silence followed when he eventually took her to the bath.

As usual, Elias cleaned her body carefully, and like yesterday, they entered the tub together; Monica settled over him with her back resting against his chest.

His fingers interlaced with the fingers of her left hand, while his other hand rested gently against her abdomen.

For a long while, neither of them spoke.

Eventually, Monica broke the silence with a quiet mumble.

"I am no one’s doll."

Elias’s attention immediately shifted toward her.

He remained silent, allowing her to continue.

"I do not wish to be controlled by anyone..." she said softly, lowering her gaze. "I want to do whatever I want."

"I understand," Elias replied, pressing his face gently against the top of her head before continuing, "I want to dress you up and care for you, and that is why I called you my doll. I do not intend to control you."

A mischievous smile slowly appeared on his face.

"You can run away if you want to."

Monica chuckled softly before asking, "Can you stop doing that?"

"Doing what?" Elias asked innocently, although the mischievous smile remained on his face.

She turned her head slightly and looked at him with an exasperated expression before sighing.

"Stop lusting over my body."

Elias hesitated.

’Should I say it?’ he wondered.

After a brief moment, he mentally shrugged.

’Fuck it.’

He tightened his arms around her and leaned closer, whispering beside her ear, "I am not lusting over your body, my little mage. I am lusting over you..."

Monica’s lips curved into a small smile.

"You are getting better," she whispered.

"Thank you, my lady," Elias responded solemnly.

"Still not good enough, though," she added, a blush spreading across her face.

Elias frowned.

"Nothing is good enough for you, is it?"

Monica lowered her gaze toward her thighs and remained silent for a moment before quietly saying, "Well... you do have some good things about you..."

Elias blinked.

"What?"

"Nothing."

He stared at her suspiciously, but Monica simply closed her eyes and leaned her head more comfortably against him.

Sometime later, Monica was lying on her bed while Elias put on a dress on her.

She was wearing a blue silk top with a black lace border and white net sleeves, while her thighs were covered by a short black silk skirt that stopped right at her knees.

[Image]

The outfit made her look rather cute, even though Monica herself seemed less than enthusiastic about wearing it.

"Do we really have to do this?" she asked with a frown.

Elias looked at her and asked, "Can you not do it for me?"

Monica stared at him for several seconds before finally mumbling reluctantly, "Fine..."

Elias carefully lowered her onto the bed and leaned toward her ear.

"Thank you," he whispered.

A faint smile appeared on Monica’s lips.

A few minutes later, it was time to check Stella’s Auracle.

Monica’s Mana Projection stood within the complex inner layer of the Auracle, surrounded by countless intricate formations that stretched in every direction.

She stared at the enormous network of formations and symbols, trying to understand how they functioned.

’Hmm... I think I understand what the Auracle is doing...’