Investing in the Three Villainesses Gives Me Infinite Returns

A smile slowly appeared on Benjamin’s face as he watched Elias continue fighting Stella.

When he had first learned that he was being assigned to look after the bastard son of the Duke, Benjamin had genuinely been worried. He had heard all the rumors surrounding Elias Crimson, and the title of the Crimson Ducal Clan’s Trash had made him expect an arrogant young noble who possessed little talent and even less potential.

Yet he had been too foolish to believe that the Crimson Ducal Clan would simply throw away one of theirs.

The marriage to the three cursed flowers wasn’t a death sentence. Instead, it was the perfect cover that a prodigy like Elias needed.

After all, it wasn’t a secret that most prodigies were hated by others more than they were loved by their own.

Benjamin’s smile widened slightly as Elias blocked another of Stella’s attacks.

CLANG!

The force of the collision sent a sharp vibration through Elias’s arms, and his boots dug into the dirt as he was pushed backward.

He immediately twisted his wrists and redirected Stella’s blade, allowing it to slide past his sword instead of meeting the full force of the attack.

Then he stepped forward.

His sword swept toward Stella’s waist.

She shifted her body sideways, allowing the blade to pass by her, before bringing her own sword downward.

Elias raised his weapon.

CLANG!

The impact drove his sword downward and forced his knees to bend. The dirt beneath his boots cracked from the pressure, but he quickly recovered and pushed Stella’s blade aside.

He stepped forward again and thrust toward her shoulder.

Stella turned her body and avoided the point, then rotated her wrist and struck toward his ribs.

Elias twisted his torso.

The blade passed across his clothes, narrowly missing his body.

He immediately countered with a slash toward her neck.

Stella leaned backward.

The sword passed above her throat, and she used the movement to retreat several steps.

Elias followed.

His boots struck the ground rapidly as he closed the distance, and his sword came down with enough force to make the dirt beneath him scatter when Stella blocked it.

CLANG!

Stella’s arms shifted from the impact, but she recovered instantly and swept her sword toward his legs.

Elias jumped.

The blade passed beneath his boots.

He landed and immediately thrust again.

Stella parried.

CLANG!

The collision sent sparks flying between their weapons, and Elias rotated his wrist before following with another strike.

Stella blocked.

Despite the improvement in his strength and speed, Stella continued controlling the pace of the battle. Her movements were more efficient, her reactions faster, and her understanding of swordsmanship far beyond what Elias could currently match.

Still, Elias refused to simply retreat.

He attacked whenever he saw an opening, and several times he forced Stella to take a step backward.

A horizontal slash came toward her waist.

Stella caught it with her blade.

Elias immediately changed the angle.

His sword slid along hers and moved toward her shoulder.

Stella twisted her wrist and blocked.

CLANG!

The impact shook both swords, and Elias stepped forward while using his shoulder to drive his body into the exchange.

Stella gave ground.

For a moment, Elias managed to force her backward several meters.

Then Stella’s eyes narrowed, and she suddenly stopped.

Her fingers loosened around her sword, and the weapon dropped from her hand before striking the dirt with a dull sound.

Elias halted as well, his sword remaining raised while sweat covered his face and soaked through his training clothes.

Stella, however, barely looked tired.

Elias lowered his sword slightly and asked, "What are you doing?"

Stella looked at him and smiled.

"You are a good man," she said.

Elias frowned.

"What is this about?"

Instead of answering, Stella lowered her hands toward her waist and grabbed the lower edge of her sleeveless, skin-tight training tunic.

She pulled it upward, exposing her abdomen.

Elias’s eyes widened slightly as his gaze moved across her refined stomach, where faint six-pack muscles showed beneath her skin.

However, his attention quickly shifted toward her waist.

Three red rings, each roughly the size of a coin, were engraved across her abdomen.

Elias pointed toward them and asked curiously, "What are those?"

Stella touched one of the marks with her fingers.

"These are Auracle," she explained.

"Auracle?" Elias mumbled. "What are those?"

"Auracle are mystical marks engraved by the balards to restrain the flow of Aura. Many Lords and Monarchs use them to control their strength, my lord," Benjamin answered from nearby.

Elias turned toward him with a deadpan expression.

Stella chuckled softly and nodded.

"He is right."

Elias looked back toward the three red rings.

"What are you doing then?"

"I am repairing them," Stella said.

She touched one of the Auracle again and continued, "These are cracked a little. Once they are fixed, my berserk self would not be able to use Aura."

Elias’s expression became more serious.

"Is that so?"

Stella nodded.

She then lowered her hands over the three Auracle, covering the marks with her palms, before closing her eyes.

Elias watched her quietly.

The training ground became unusually still as Stella remained in that position.

A minute passed, then another, but she didn’t move.

Elias glanced toward Benjamin, who was frowning while observing Stella.

After several more moments, Elias finally asked, "Does it usually take so long?"

"It does not, my lord," Benjamin answered.

His expression remained concerned as he watched Stella.

Elias looked back toward her.

She was still standing motionless with both hands pressed against the Auracle.

Several more minutes passed, but nothing changed.

Elias’s brows gradually furrowed.

He stepped closer before placing one hand on Stella’s shoulder and gently shaking her.

"Stella?"

Her body shifted slightly.

Elias leaned closer, preparing to ask what was wrong, but before he could say anything, Stella’s eyes suddenly opened.

She immediately threw her arms around him.

"Husband!" she shouted with childlike innocence.

Elias blinked in surprise as Stella pressed her cheek against his and began rubbing it against his own.

Her expression was bright, and there wasn’t a trace of the seriousness she had displayed moments earlier.

Elias remained frozen in place.

Then the familiar orange system screen appeared before his eyes.

[Ding!]

[Affection Rate is increasing sharply!]

[Stella Crimson’s Affection Rate: 30]

[The host can now view Stella Crimson’s Stats!]

[The host can now view Stella Crimson’s Skills!]

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