[ Synchronization Complete! ]
As soon as the notification rang in his mind, he could feel the Ether energy responding to his will.
He could now utilize this Ether in its basic form.
Without celebrating too much, Adonis broke out of his meditation and moved forward to lift the boulder again.
This time, his muscles and bones felt denser and stronger, a clear effect of Ether application.
As such, he was able to lift the boulder with ease.
When he looked at Knight Claudia with the intention of showing off, he was met with a dumbfounded expression.
Her mouth hung open wide, as if she could swallow an egg.
"Uh oh, did I do too much?"
If she had heard him, she would have answered loudly, "Yes."
He might not know it, but she did. Even for talented beginners, it usually took at least a week to form a connection with the inherent Ether within their bodies.
After recovering her composure, she stepped closer and asked casually,
"Adonis, can you tell me what your inherent Ether number was on your Sword Link?"
Though she tried to suppress it, he could feel the great curiosity lurking beneath her calm exterior.
Adonis did not feel the need to hide it.
"It's 100, Lady Hellitrix. Isn't that normal?"
According to his prior assumptions from the original plotline, 100 was a fairly average number. Most players received this amount of Ether as a starting base, with exceptions being those who possessed special physiques or were grand destinies among important NPCs.
But now, he would learn that everything he believed was wrong.
The moment Claudia heard the number, the shining greatsword slipped from her grasp, shock written all over her strong face.
"No. No, that's not normal at all," she said as she placed her firm hand on his small shoulders.
"Most beginners awaken with 10 at best. And the most talented person of this era, King Magnus himself, awakened with only 50."
She shook his shoulders in disbelief.
"Do you understand what this means, Adonis?"
"You are secretly a genius. The primary number one hundred does not merely represent the Ether within your body. It signifies your unparalleled affinity with the World Force, Ether itself."
She inhaled sharply before continuing.
"Most children take weeks to form a connection with the Ether force, yet you did it in just a few minutes. This breaks every record ever known."
Adonis understood all that. But she was too close. Her enticing big breasts were literally shaking in his front view, as if inviting him to suck them in.
[ Profile Appraisal ]
[ Name: Claudia Nont Hellitrix ]
[ Age: 25 ]
[ Level: 57 ]
[ Status: Single, Royal Knight. ]
[ Affiliation: Princess Guard of Fernis Kingdom ]
[ Personality Traits: Strong, Loyal, Fierce in Battle ]
[ Talents: Imperial Warlord Physique. ]
[ Affection Level: 2% (Curious. Sees you as an apprentice) ]
[ Weaknesses: Secretly Kind, She loves body massages after routine exercises, becomes emotionally vulnerable after remembering her family's tragic death, wants a strong sparring partner, currently going on blind dates, but none have worked, and she feels frustrated about it ]
[ Harem Force Potential: High ]
[ Threat Level: Extremely High. (Tread with caution) ]
[ Notes: Has a secret tendency to get dominated in bed. ]
"Oh, wow! She really has some intense desires, doesn't she? It really doesn't match her tough personality at all," he mused inwardly.
The age factor didn't matter to him at all. After all, since he was mentally older, he had no problem accepting her.
And honestly, he liked older women more.
But the hard part was conquering this Level 57 Royal Knight. It definitely would not be so easy.
"Thank you for thinking so much of me, Lady Hellitrix. But I honestly don't think of myself as so talented. After all, I just awakened a White-tier Sword. People call me a White Frog on my back," he said to her in a disheartened tone.
Hearing him, her tough face softened for the first time.
"Still, you can't give up, Adonis. Many people still see potential in you," she added, looking straight into his young eyes.
"Does that also include you, My Lady?" he said, trying to be a little suave, but because of his shorter height, he failed.
She hesitated before replying, "Yes. You can say that. Come closer, I will tell you a secret, Adonis."
Adonis went over and grabbed her by her well-toned waist with both hands, keeping his ears open.
His intention was only clear to him: to harvest Harem Force.
[ Harem Force + 20 ]
Just a single hug gave him 20 points, which clearly proved the legitimacy of her high potential for Harem Force.
She was simply a treasure trove right now. And he intended to dig as much as he could using his innocent act.
Claudia felt awkward because of the boy's hug, but she didn't push him away.
Instead she asked, "What are you doing? I told you to come closer, not hold my waist. I can't even move like this."
Her tone lost all its previous strictness. After learning the boy's potential in wielding Ether, she started to look favorably toward him.
Adonis inhaled her unique feminine scent, then showed an apologetic face.
"I'm sorry, Lady Hellitrix. But I always wanted to hug someone besides my mother like this. It gives me warmth and a sense of protection. I sincerely apologize for crossing the boundary."
Claudia felt a heartache.
'The boy must have a tragic past. He is surrounded by his blood siblings and relatives, but no one must have shown him love,' she thought inwardly.
Her buried kind nature surfaced.
She ruffled his black hair with sibling-like care.
"It's alright, Adonis. What I wanted to tell you is that I was originally sent to you, not to punish you, but to train you. Someone from the royal family sensed your immense potential, and that person wants you to become stronger with a sincere heart.
So, you can't be lazy, understand? You will have to work so that you don't let that person down."
Adonis was inwardly surprised hearing this. Apparently, he was saved by some kind of mysterious royalty.
"My lady, who could this person be? I wish to express my sincerest thanks for saving me," he said.
She shook her head in firm denial. "No. You'll know them in the future. For now, you need to focus on building your foundation. And for the next 29 days, I will be your personal teacher."