They say the most complex problems have simple answers.
Now, two weeks later, Christian couldn't help but think that way.
Eva's condition… the problem he had been grappling with, one he couldn't seem to find any clue about, let alone an answer to no matter what he tried. And yet, after feeding her body essence directly, crudely… he finally got a result.
Instead of delicately handling the essence, testing her talent, or trying to make gentle adjustments to her body, or any of the other methods he had considered, the answer turned out to be much simpler. Just feed her body essence.
And instead of a simple boost in physical strength as he had expected, the results were more comprehensive. Every spec of hers was rising.
With his ability, and with the way this change was progressing, he still couldn't find… no, actually, he couldn't detect any noticeable change in her body. Not in her cells, nor through any of the other methods he had used to observe.
But observing her in a more primal way, as in, watching when she sparred with his sister, testing her eyesight… or even when they were in bed, still made things clear for him.
While the increase wasn't comparable to his sister's rising physical strength, there was still progress.
And for once, Christian finally felt like he could breathe a little easier, and move forward, investigating her condition more slowly and carefully.
With that weight starting to lift from his shoulders, and with Eva finally returning to her full spirits, if not even more, Christian, now resting on her lap, found his focus turning to other things.
The things he had made progress on during these two weeks were naturally not limited to Eva's condition, after all. There were other matters too.
But if he were to point out which one he was most excited about?
Then, it would be his strength!
With the progress he had made, Christian had long since sensed that he had arrived at the threshold of achieving the first mastery stage in his essence technique.
But, there was still one last push remaining.
And that final push… he should be able to achieve it today!
… No, just a little later, after he goes to his workshop, becomes alone, and receives his idle accumulation.
Seeing how he was spacing out, staring at the air in front of him.
Feeling the weight of his head resting lightly on her thigh, Eva smiled faintly as her fingers moved gently through his hair.
Then, she couldn't hold herself back anymore, and finally asked, "What are you thinking about, that it made you space out, excitement showing in your face?"
Naturally, his eyes were on his system window, checking his idle practice slots, and he was thinking about his upcoming power-up.
But unable to say things related to his system, and wanting to leave this news as a surprise for later, he smiled, looked up into her eyes, and simply said, "Nothing."
Eva, while knowing full well that couldn't be the case from his obviously good mood, didn't seem intent on pressing further.
She had confidence that if it was something she needed to know, she would be informed eventually anyway.
So, without lingering on that, she continued staring at his handsome features, gently stroked his cheek, and finally voiced her thoughts.
"You know? I've been thinking."
Seeing her gaze fixed on him, Christian gave her his attention, and Eva didn't stop. She continued, "How about we move from this place?"
Christian couldn't help but blink at her words.
Had the act of them escaping… no, moving their residence once, already made it so that they didn't get attached to this new place at all?
And now, at the smallest sign, they'd want to leave again?
Even his paranoid sister hadn't mentioned anything about moving, after all.
So now, hearing Eva bring it up, Christian was naturally surprised.
"You mean, to move away, even now after spending all that money on the buildings here?" he asked.
Because their current place could now be considered a fortress, they had spent that much money on it, and continued to increase the amount of weapons around it from time to time.
When Eva was even able to bring in anti-aircraft missiles… missiles that cost a fortune, through some means and set them up here, one could only imagine just how much they had spent.
Not to mention… he liked it here.
Even if it was cold, with their strength, that had become just something cool. So, for him, the weather was the best.
But maybe he was the only one who cared about that, because Eva shook her head and said, "My love, maybe you still don't realize, but with Iris, and me with you, the last thing you need to worry about is money!"
Hearing her confident tone, Christian couldn't help but exclaim inwardly at how cool she seemed to be at this moment.
And finally, he gave her suggestion some thought before he said, "I still don't think there's a need for us to move."
"Maybe you think that the situation around here is currently dangerous, but that's only temporary, since they're searching for that treasure in this area."
"But when they've finished their search, the situation will return to normal."
The treasure, that pair of man and woman he saw when he moved here were probably here for that.
Apparently, it was a precious ice crystal, one that could help those who trained in the ice attribute. And it was rumored that it could be found here.
Was that really the case?
Unfortunately, no. He had already searched the area thoroughly, be it through satellite scans, by eavesdropping on others, by sending Silas, or even going out himself once, but he still didn't find anything.
Did that pair of man and woman find it, and that's why there was nothing left now?
He didn't know. But what he did know, was that someone had been spreading the rumor about the ice crystal being here, in hopes of turning people against each other.