Days passed.
Christian had already settled into what could be considered a routine, with all his time devoted solely to work.
That work was still done entirely in the forging room — under Anastasia's watchful eyes. And by now, her presence no longer felt intrusive. It was just part of the room.
At this moment too, Christian was hammering away at a metal part, sweat clinging to his skin as sparks danced briefly before vanishing into the dim light.
Anastasia, who once bombarded him with endless questions, had quieted over time. Now, she would occasionally offer a piece of advice, before falling back into silence.
So, the forging room echoed mostly with the steady rhythm of metal against metal.
Just then, without looking up, Christian suddenly spoke.
"You know, I've been meaning to ask for a while now," he said, keeping his eyes on the glowing piece under his hammer. "How old are you?"
The question floated in the air like a misplaced ember.
Age, much like weight, could be a sensitive topic for some women.
But Christian, who had grown more comfortable around Anastasia lately, asked anyway.
He was curious. Very curious.
Her appearance was certainly misleading. But more than that, with her overwhelming strength, he wouldn't be surprised if she gave an answer in the six-digit range.
After all, power stages weren't just brute force. They were built on accumulated knowledge and essence. And with each stage, the amount needed to move forward grew exponentially.
So just how long had she been accumulating?
Christian stole a glance over his shoulder.
Anastasia sat exactly where she always did — arms crossed over the table, expression unreadable. Her silver hair shimmered faintly in the forge's red glow. But her eye met his.
He was saw that meaningful gaze on her face, and so, Christian quickly turned back to his work, pretending he hadn't asked anything at all.
She wasn't going to answer. That was fine. He wasn't going to push.
But then, with a sudden pride lacing her voice, Anastasia said, "I'm quite young. Only 512."
The hammer in Christian's hand froze mid-air.
Only 512?
Some might laugh at calling that "young."
But Christian's expression said it all — surprised, wide-eyed, brows slightly lifted.
'Considering her strength... she really was young,' Christian thought, as he inadvertently asked, "Is it really possible to reach your level of strength in just around five hundred years?"
He was genuinely curious.
Even with his Idle system, Christian still felt that reaching such a height might be difficult for him.
"Well, I'm a genius!" Anastasia replied with a smug tone, clearly pleased with herself.
But when she noticed Christian still watching her, clearly hoping for something more than that overly simple answer, she let out a small sigh and added, "Asking these kinds of questions — about things that are still too far from you — when you could be asking about things far more meaningful to you..."
She clicked her tongue, her voice carrying a faint edge as she lightly scolded him.
"You really don't know what kind of chance you have."
Christian paused.
Then, without a word, he returned to the task at hand.
But her words didn't just pass by.
They stuck. They echoed.
And he couldn't help but wonder... should he really be asking about every little doubt that crossed his mind?
He was someone who gathered every piece of information and knowledge he could — no matter how small.
That was just the kind of person he was.
The kind of person he had become because of the Idle System.
So... could he take her words as permission?
Permission to ask everything that lingered in his mind?
Despite her seemingly casual tone — her gesture that hinted it might be okay — Christian still knew.
He needed to choose his questions more carefully.
That's why, this time, he took his time.
He let the metal cool slightly beneath his hands, his mind sorting through everything he knew, everything he didn't.
Then, after a long silence, he asked,
"Can one train in any Essence Technique, regardless of the stage it could help one reach?"
To some, this question might seem useless.
But Christian, who had received the Infernal Spark from Olivia — a technique that could help someone reach the fifth stage — and had also upgraded the Breath of the Shadow Blade technique to the point where it, too, could help reach the fifth stage, had confirmed something.
The higher the stage a technique could help achieve, the more complex that technique seemed to become.
And here was the problem.
He had his Idle System. It allowed him to raise his comprehension. But that wasn't the case for others.
Did that mean people were tied down not just by their talent for essence — things like attunement and affinity — but also by their comprehension?
That was what he truly wanted to know.
Because neither his sister nor Eva seemed to possess particularly high comprehension.
And if things continued like this... then sooner or later, wouldn't they hit a wall?
Wouldn't they stumble right into the limit of what they could understand?
That's why, in this moment, Christian's focus shifted more to Anastasia than to the metal he had been working on.
She raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question, then asked back with a calm, thoughtful tone, "You're asking this because of comprehension, right?"
That she would out right mention comprehension, Christian was a little surprised. Still, he nodded.
And Anastasia, now with the confirmation she wanted, replied, "If it's about comprehension, then the answer is simple."
"Comprehension can be raised, when you break through from one stage to a higher one."
Christian blinked slowly.
Then, almost without thinking, he said, "That didn't happen with me, though."
Anastasia gave him a long, meaningful look.
A slight smile played on her lips as she asked in return, "How can you be so sure of that?"
'Well, that's because of the Idle System,' Christian thought.
But of course, he didn't say that aloud.
Instead, he just coughed awkwardly and stayed silent.
Anastasia didn't press further. She simply continued, her tone calm and assured.
"Transitioning from one stage to another is a transition of life level."
"It's not just the visible things, like strength, that get elevated during the process. Even the invisible ones, like comprehension, are raised too."
She paused for a moment, her gaze fixed on him, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, before she continued.
"But—"
"If your comprehension still didn't increase despite reaching a higher stage, then the answer is simple."
"You already have very high comprehension. And the technique you're training with is so terrible, it couldn't help raise it any further."
Christian didn't say a word.
But inwardly, he felt his heart bleed.
So he wasted a chance — an incredibly rare chance — to increase his precious comprehension just like that?
That was all that filled his mind.
At least, at first.
But then, something else came to his mind.
He suddenly remembered how he was interrupted from his next breakthrough — because of Anastasia.
And at that moment, a different thought occurred to him.
Maybe… her visit was actually a blessing.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have lost the opportunity just once—
But twice.