82: Chapter 82 got a score increase?! 84 points! A first-ring spirit rune mage!

Top floor of Snow Velvet Manor, master bedroom.

The fire in the fireplace dispelled the chill of early winter.

Rowen had Elena sit in the chair by the floor-to-ceiling window and poured her a cup of steaming hot milk.

Only then did he sit in the chair opposite her and begin to speak calmly.

He did not hide the fact that he had killed Count Farrell.

This matter could not be concealed either.

He still needed to rely on the merit of this matter for his subsequent plans.

"I happened to be... attending to some business elsewhere in the mountains at the time, heard the commotion, and chased after it to investigate."

Rowen's tone carried a hint of helplessness, "I saw the severely wounded Count, and I recognized him."

"He was being pursued by people from the Church. The Church members immediately demanded that I stop him."

He paused and looked at Elena with a sincere gaze:

"Elena, you know that I am a devout believer of the Dawn."

"Therefore, I called out a warning, ordering him to stop and accept the Church's judgment."

"But he... seemed to have gone completely mad. Not only did he refuse to listen, but he flew into a rage and tried to kill me to silence me."

"I was forced to defend myself, and in the exchange... I slipped up and struck his previous critical wound..."

"I didn't expect his injuries to be so severe. After that blow, he just..." Rowen's voice lowered, carrying a hint of complexity as he looked at Elena:

"Elena, I know he was your father. For that, I am very sorry."

"But I had to do it."

"If a Great Knight who colluded with evil gods were allowed to escape, more people would be harmed in the future, including... innocent people who might be implicated."

"Everything is for the Dawn..."

While Rowen was speaking, the power of [Charm] constantly lingered around Elena, alleviating her instinctive resistance and hostility.

Elena held the warm cup of milk tightly in both hands, listening quietly.

Tears slid down silently, dripping into the cup.

Seeing Elena's tear-stained, fragile, and lost appearance, Rowen understood everything in his heart.

He stood up, walked over to her, and took her cold, trembling hands.

"I'm sorry, Elena."

"I know this cannot change the facts, nor can it alleviate your pain."

"But I hope you understand that I never intended to hurt you. Everything I did, under the circumstances at the time, was perhaps... the only choice."

His voice was low and full of strength, "Forget those unpleasant things, okay?"

"Your father chose his path and bore the consequences. But you are you, Elena."

"You are pure, you are innocent, and you have the right to have a new life."

"Your life should not be darkened by this."

"Let me help you, okay?"

"Just like that night, right here..."

He gently stroked the back of her hand with seductive tenderness, "Forget those unpleasant things..."

Elena looked at the handsome face so close by, looking at the undisguised pity in his eyes.

Her tears rolled down, and she gently closed her eyes...

Rowen said no more, picked her up from the chair, and walked toward the large, luxurious bed...

...

The clouds parted and the rain ceased.

In the bedroom, only the crackling of the fireplace and the two people's uncalmed breathing remained.

Elena lay on Rowen's sturdy chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.

The previous grief and confusion seemed to have been diluted a lot, replaced by a kind of post-exhaustion calm and a strange sense of dependence.

Rowen's hand stroked her long hair rhythmically, but he was evaluating the harvest just now in his heart.

The free attribute points absorbed by the [Drain] skill were more than expected.

With a slight movement of his mind, he brought up the system panel to check Elena's score.

[84 Points]

It went up by two points?

A flash of surprise crossed Rowen's eyes.

Therefore, his fingers lightly traced over her smooth back, and he spoke as if unintentionally:

"This period of time must have been very difficult, right? Besides the family matters, are there any other... changes? I always feel that you are a bit different from before."

Elena rubbed against his chest, her voice filled with post-intimacy softness and a faint touch of sadness:

"Father... a period of time before the incident, he didn't know where he got a drop of Thunder Titan's blood essence. It was very precious, and he forced me to complete the Rune construction as soon as possible..."

"Then... I succeeded. Now, I am considered an official First-Ring Rune Warlock."

"Rune Warlock?" Rowen appropriately showed curiosity, "I remember you mentioned it, is it the path of Ice Source Rune University? Specifically, it is..."

Elena seemed to perk up a bit and explained:

"It is using the blood essence of high-level magical beasts as a guide, combined with various materials and special rituals, to permanently construct Runes with extraordinary power on specific nodes of the body."

"Constructing a complete Rune counts as stepping into the First Ring, and one's strength is roughly equivalent to an Official Knight."

"Runes can provide various abilities, such as elemental manipulation, strength enhancement, speed improvement, or various innate spells, etc."

"I constructed the [Power of the Thunder Titan] primary Rune, which mainly boosts strength and comes with lightning spells."

Rowen understood. This was another extraordinary path similar to the Knight's Breathing Technique and the Mage's Meditation Method, relying more on external objects and specific knowledge inheritance.

"That sounds very powerful. However... why don't I see any Runes on you?"

He asked, his palm wandering over her delicate skin with a hint of exploration.

A blush appeared on Elena's face, and she whispered shyly, "Runes are usually hidden under the skin; they are invisible to the naked eye and cannot be felt. They only appear when one actively activates the Rune's power."

"Oh? Can you show me?" Rowen said with great interest, while his fingers lightly tapped on her lower abdomen, where there was a slight fluctuation of magical energy, "Is it here?"

"Yes." Elena was tickled by him and playfully slapped his restless hand, but she still complied, slightly propping up her upper body and kneeling in front of him.

She took a deep breath and mobilized the Rune power fused with her flesh and blood in her body.

Only to see that on her fair and smooth lower abdomen, a faint light beneath the skin gradually brightened, outlining a pale blue pattern composed of countless fine blue lines and lightning symbols!

The pattern was about the size of a palm, with an abstract thunder symbol in the center, and branch-like patterns extending from the edges, disappearing into the sides of her flat and toned lower abdomen.

Rowen reached out curiously, his fingertips lightly touching the glowing pattern.

It felt cool to the touch, and he could feel a faint energy flowing beneath the skin. A very slight tingling sensation came to his fingertips, as if brushed by a weak electric current.

"A very wonderful power." He praised sincerely, carefully examining this extraordinary creation that was very different from Battle Qi and magic.

A flash of shyness crossed Elena's face, but she still tried her best to maintain the Rune power in front of her beloved, making it easier for him to observe more carefully.

After a while, Rowen gently patted Elena, signaling that it was enough.

Elena then withdrew the Rune power.

The pale blue light quickly faded, and her lower abdomen returned to being smooth and fair, as if nothing had ever been there.

She lay back down on Rowen, pressing her hot cheeks against his neck.

The bedroom returned to quietness.

After a while, just when Rowen thought she was about to fall asleep, Elena suddenly spoke again, her voice very soft, with a hint of caution:

"My dear..."

"Hmm?" Rowen replied casually.

"Will you... marry me?"

The question was sudden and direct.

Rowen's body stiffened slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Marry her?

How is that possible?

He opened his mouth, wanting to use some rhetoric to gloss over it.

But before he could make a sound, Elena suddenly lifted her head and sealed his lips with her soft ones.

An awkward and forceful kiss.

Carrying salty tears.

A moment later, she lay back down, burying her face deep into his neck, her voice trembling:

"Don't answer me..."

"I understand, I understand everything..."

"I was just... just... asking casually..."

After a long while, the sobbing gradually subsided.

After another while, Elena's voice sounded again, very softly:

"Rowen."

"Hmm?"

"I am willing..." She paused, as if using up all her strength:

"To be your Little Nightingale forever..."