"It gave me 9 white stats points." Rio said while smiling ear to ear but he saw Lia was frowning while looking at him, he asked "What happened?"
"It's not happening." She mumbled while confusion painted her face.
"What's not happening?" He asked with a questioning tone and started worrying.
Lia's eyes shone as if she remembered something, "I think I understand now."
She turned to pluck one more White Egleshew and gave it to Rio, "Consume it."
He scratched his head but he ate it.
It dissolved in his mouth and he felt the energy was going towards his dantian instead of going towards the core.
His root absorbed it and a text appeared in front of his eyes.
[Fruit of White Egleshew eaten. One White Stats point gained.]
"I received another white Stats point." He said to her but he was curious to find reason about her contemplating look from earlier.
"I guessed it right. You can absorb double the amount of stats points than a human or an asura. It's probably due to making a root and a core at the same time. This might be the reason behind having double the amount of mana than someone at white stage." Lia spoke with a grave tone.
His eyes shone with happiness as he found out he could gain double stats points that others. This would make him stronger than the others on the same level. However, he couldn't understand why his asura wife looked worried.
"Isn't that a good thing? Why do you look afraid? Are you worried that I might betray Asura after becoming strong?" Rio said with a gentle tone but his eyes were filled with doubts.
"Not that." Lia refused his claims.
"What is it then?" Rio scrunched his eyebrows.
"From ancient times, people have been wary of those who have great strength or an enticing treasure. They are full of greedy nature and want it for themselves. Those in power might silence you before you fully mature." Lia said with a bitterness in her voice.
He understood her logic but he had faith in her. Observing her so far, she had treated him better than all the people he had met in his life so far excluding his grandfather.
"Isn't that a good thing? I'm still weak, you can have my life if you want." Rio teased her but also tested the waters.
"You're not understanding, Rio. I'm afraid, if father finds out he might kill you without a second thought. You will become the biggest threat to this world if you somehow awaken your innate talent which is sure to happen seeing your potential to make a root and a core at the same time." Lia spoke with a sorrowful glint in her eyes.
He gulped nervously and a chill ran down his spine.
He understood it was a great blessing but he didn't think the emperor would kill his daughter's husband.
"Why are you calling me a threat? I'm bound by an oath to never betray you." Rio retaliated.
"Never betraying me doesn't guarantee to never betray asuras." Lia looked straight into his sea-green eyes.
He was speechless and didn't say anything.
"Listen carefully. Don't ever tell anyone about your stats points or mana and Don't reveal your AI watch to anyone including those who you trust most." She spoke with a serious tone and warned him.
"I don't understand why you're doing this." Rio mumbled.
"Doing what?" Lia looked at him with a frown.
"Why would you save me who can be a great threat to your world and your family? You only know me for a few days." He was suspiciously looking at her for answers.
"It's a secret that even my father doesn't know... I will tell you when the time comes." Lia turned around to avoid his questioning gaze.
She plucked nine more White Egleshew and gave them to Rio.
There was only one left on the ivy plant after plucking the nine more.
He stuffed them in his mouth and they dissolved just as previously. A massive energy rushed towards his root and got absorbed.
[Nine Fruits of White Egleshew eaten. Nine White Stats points gained.]
Rio smiled at Lia and said, "I got another nine White Stats points again."
But before he could say more or receive her reply, A yellow light enveloped his body. He felt something broke inside him and boosted his bodily limits.
He closed his eyes and a surge of mana rushed towards him like honeybees to the flowers.
His root and core grew in size by a tiny amount and their color changed to yellow.
The light covering his body lowered as time passed and came to an end.
He opened his eyes and looked at Lia who was gazing at him with a face filled with tranquility.
'It's not happening.'
He remembered her words from earlier and said "So you meant this? Now I get it."
Lia nodded her head with the elegance of a noble young lady.
He looked behind her at the remaining White Egleshew hanging to the ivy plant.
"What will happen if I eat one more?" He asked with greedy eyes like a hooligan.
"Find it out yourself" She plucked out the remaining White Egleshew and handed him.
He ate it nervously and the white bead entered his mouth. They dissolved like before and gave him some energy but no text appeared like before.
He saw the ivy plant withered and shrank after Lia plucked out the White Egleshew from it.
A single tiny bud was formed at the root of the bamboo-like plant.
"Sorry, I destroyed your White Egleshew plant." Rio apologized to her with a bitterness in his voice.
"They aren't destroyed. They will grow back in ten years of time." Lia said with a nonchalant voice as if it wasn't a big deal.
*Growl!*
His stomach made an embarrassing sound and revealed the fact he hadn't eaten for thirty hours.
"Sorry about that." He said with a bittersweet smile and scratched the back of his head.
"Let's return to our room so we can eat." Lia said and walked towards her Villa alongside Rio.
