11 Chapter 11:Charismatic Strategy

Seeing Isabella's affection grow, Elias breathed a sigh of relief.

Indeed, professors always have a soft spot for students who love learning. His gamble had paid off.

 But merely expressing a love for learning wasn't enough. There were plenty of diligent students, likely some still in the library even after school hours.

It was also about the look: holding a cup of hot water, with melancholic eyes, wearing a white shirt, this frail yet handsome boy's passion for learning was irresistibly appealing, especially to a young female professor like Isabella.

 Her affectionate gaze said it all. Elias felt his investment in charisma was finally paying off.

 Their conversation drifted from academics to school matters.

 "The administrative office can be such a hassle with all its paperwork, sometimes I get so annoyed with them," Isabella vented her frustrations.

 Elias listened with a smile, keeping an eye on the affection meter.

 [Affection Level: 40 ↑]

 It wasn't enough yet. He needed to step up his game.

 "How are you feeling now? Still unwell?" Isabella inquired.

 Elias nodded gently. "Thank you, professor Isabella, I feel much better now."

 "That's good to hear."

His gaze was intense, filled with gratitude, admiration, and perhaps something more as he flashed a bright smile.

"I'm so lucky to have you as my professor, Professor Isabella. I don't know what I'd do without you."

 "I really appreciate you!"

 The office was bathed in soft sunlight. Isabella's eyes lingered on Elias's smile, momentarily lost in its rarity.

When he smiled at her, it seemed as if all the afternoon light was focused on him.

Elias faintly heard the gasping of a young woman.

After a moment, realizing that her behavior was somewhat unbecoming in front of her student, Isabella quickly looked away.

"Um... Hahaha, the professor is certainly the best, isn't she..." she joked.

"You little rascal! Are you trying to flatter me?" "No chance! I am very strict! I will not show any mercy when it's time to fail you!"

 Elias feigned distress. "No, please... I've struggled so hard to catch up after four years away... "

"You don't know how much effort I've put in, studying late into the night just to be on par with my classmates..."

 "Nice try," Isabella playfully scolded, "I've seen your records. You were a good student four years ago. Catching up should be a breeze for you!"

Elias chuckled softly.

Their playful banter lightened the mood considerably. Isabella, who had been a bit uncomfortable, seemed to relax.

 She began organizing the paperwork Elias had completed. "You don't need to thank me, it's all part of being a professor. I'm very proud of a hardworking student like you. "

"If there's nothing else, you should head home. I don't want to keep you from resting!"

 Though she seemed to be sending him away, her long conversation didn't give the impression she wanted him to leave immediately.

 Elias felt a long-lost warmth. The pain of being impaled, the endless deaths and rewinds, the near-despair from Luna... all seemed like events from a distant past.

Elias's tension finally eased. He looked at Isabella gratefully, his smile this time truly sincere.

 [Isabella]

 [Affection Level: 54 ↑]

 [Affection level exceeds 50, system reward issued]

 [Please check...]

 Suppressing his excitement, Elias waved goodbye to the professor. As he reached the door, he paused as if remembering something.

 "Oh, one more thing, Professor Isabella?"

 "Yes? What is it?" Isabella turned to him.

 Elias glanced around at the bookshelves, then asked the question he had been curious about. "Do you know magic, professor?"

 "Magic?" Isabella asked in confusion. "Why do you ask?"

 "Well..." Elias quickly concocted a reason. "I've always been fascinated by magic, but I don't have the talent for it, so I ended up in our magic guidance program instead..."

 Magic and magic guidance, despite the similarity in names, were entirely different concepts. Magic guidance students were mere cogs in the grand machinery of the magic industrial system, while a real magician could be a game-changer in his current predicament.

 Unfortunately...

Isabella shook her head, "No, I don't know magic."

 "Okay..."

 Seeing Elias's disappointed face, Isabella's tone became unusually stern. "Magic isn't something wonderful; it brings madness and destruction. Being touched by it is a misfortune."

She warned, "Don't think I'm exaggerating, Elias. Listen to me, don't try to dabble in magic."

 "Alright, professor..."

 Although still unsure about her knowledge of magic, Elias couldn't press further as she had made her stance clear. He left the office, slightly disappointed but not empty-handed.

 Elias quickly checked his reward.

 [Skill Exchange Voucher received. Choose one from the random skill pool]

[Skill: Negotiation/Pacification (Master)] [Skill: Sudden Inspiration (Proficient)] [Skill: Firearms Shooting (Beginner)]

 The panel's options surprised Elias; he hadn't expected such useful rewards from the affection system. It seemed the system was finally being generous.

 Each choice was tempting for Elias:

[Negotiation/Pacification (Master): Understand psychology, calm emotions, lower target's guard, suppress 20 pollution points per use, cooldown 24h, requires 80 charm points or more]

[Sudden Inspiration (Proficient): Temporarily boost inspiration, significantly enhance perception of mystical events, requires 50 inspiration points or more]

[Firearms Shooting (Beginner): Gain basic knowledge and skills of firearms, proficiency at the level of a hobbyist, requires 30 strength and constitution points or more]

Elias briefly looked over the options. Although the first two could enhance his survival and investigative abilities, there were issues.

Firstly, the amateur-level marksmanship seemed somewhat ineffective; he had visited shooting ranges before.

Furthermore, the 'Sudden Inspiration' itself lacks the necessary attributes; it simply cannot be exchanged

 Thus, the best choice was the first one, [Negotiation/Pacification (Master)]. Its effect in calming emotions and reducing pollution, especially potentially on Luna, seemed invaluable.

 Without hesitation, Elias chose the first skill:

 [Negotiation/Pacification (Master)]

 [Skill Acquired]

 After exchanging for the reward, Elias felt unusually good. The conversation with Professor Isabella and the affection reward made the trip worthwhile.

 But his good mood faded when he saw Luna again on his way back.

 "Bro..."

 She stood in the middle of the hallway, her gaze inquiring as she looked towards the office.

 "Why were you gone for so long?"