Ace didn't expect her to give this kind of answer because in face of temptation like 'power'. She didn't ask about how powerful she'll become or when she will get the Blood Rose and begun her evaluation, what she asked was if she'll be able to protect him after gaining this power.
Ace was looking straight into Eva's bewitching eyes, there was not a sliver of doubt, malice, scheme or lie in those deep starry sky-like eyes. They were as pure as the ocean and her words were coming straight from her heart.
Ace felt the final layer of barer between them melt away by her heartfelt words and couldn't help but felt a new kind of emotion for her. That was the same type of emotion that he felt for Aline 'love'.
He couldn't stop himself from loving this kind of girl no matter what, because he never meets someone so pure and direct before.
She never tells lie or hide anything from him before and even stand beside him in extreme danger. Now in front of power she still wanted to used it to protect him not for herself.
Ace move closer to Eva they were only a few inches from each other. Ace moves his hand towards Eva's right hand where she was wearing the same storage ring that he put on yesterday. He holds her soft hand in his own as he looked straight into her breathtaking eyes.
Eva's heartbeat races wildly as Ace grabbed her hand without any hesitation, but she didn't resist and let him hold it. She even forgets about the evaluation and finds herself drowning in his dark blue eyes.
"You don't need to protect me, on the contrary now it is my duty to protect you with my life. So, just sleep without worried and when you'll awake I'll give you a grand wedding." Ace said without even thinking twice and made a promise to her.
He didn't know where he gets the courage from but he just said what comes to his heart.
In his heart, she deserved this much at least after what she has done and even tied her life with his. even if it was because of that [Charm] thing or not, he would not treat her like before anymore and take full responsibility.
Eva's heart skipped a beat when she heard Ace's promise. She didn't expect these kinds of bold words from this 'idiot' mouth. Unknowingly tears start to fell from her eyes but there was extreme joy in her heart. It was as if a huge burden was lifted from her heart.
"What? Are you proposing to me?" She smiled beautifully as she said in a playful tone. She wanted to tease him.
"Yes!" Ace said without any hesitation as he smiled back at her. He knew just what kind of nature this girl has.
Eva was stunned after hearing his unusual response and blushed.
"I Accept for now! But after I wake up and you have any other girl at your side t-then I won't marry you! Hmph!" At first, her voice was gentle but in the end, her aura starts to change as she warns him in a cold voice. This tone was the same as the tone she used to talk with Asher or anyone else before meeting Ace.
Ace started to sweat after hearing her words and he could tell she was telling him the truth. He never heard her talking with him in this tone before, he even wanted to bring up the marriage to tell her 'You're already mine'.
However, he couldn't since he didn't want her to feel embraced, and she was looking remarkably happy so he could only smile bitterly and only pray for those girls who will be meeting this devil in the future.
Since the atmosphere between them become normal again Ace has a sigh of relief. Because he could feel from this morning Eva was acting strange and her emotions were in a mess.
Maybe it was because of what she had done and can't bring herself to face or tell him, but now that he has proposed to her directly she has become like before again.
Eva was feeling very cheerful after what Ace has done. She said as she holds his hand, "I didn't know you were so bold, to even directly ask me for marriage." She giggles.
"And who was the one who agree in an instant?" Ace tease her back since he was not afraid of hurting her or crossing the line anymore.
Eva blushed after hearing Ace, she didn't expect him to be this shameless and tease her back. Normally she was the one teasing him all the time but now he was teasing her back.
"Y-you're shameless. I won't talk to you anymore. Hmph!" She said with a huff as she turns her face to another side. But she was still looking at him from the corner of her eyes.
They both talk and tease each other and time passed without them knowing it was already midnight. It was time to say goodbye.
Ace takes out a fully crimson Rose from his thief's space.
It was fully bloomed and in the center of its flower was a crimson bead it was like a gem. The moment the Blood Rose emerges it starts to emit a thick killing aura. With this aura, one could vaguely have an illusion of millions of wailing innocent souls. This herb was very sinister.
Eva faces color change and her mood becomes gloomy because she didn't expect this kind of thing to exist in disguise as a medicinal herb. She simply thing that this was just a normal medicinal herb but just its aura gave her the chills in her spine. She was really supposed to eat this thing?
Ace's complexion was also not better than Eva's, He never sees this herb before because he thinks by doing so would deplete its effects. He simply decided to take it out when it would be time to seal Eva. Now even he was having second thoughts if he should really let her eat this thing or not.
"System is it really ok to let her eat this thing?" Ace transmitted his voice inside his mind.
"[Yes, this is a natural safety mechanism that will automatically kick at the moment someone touched it. After sensing this aura no one will dare to come close to it or eat it. If this was a completely matured blood rose this aura would be so thick that the host can't even get closer to it much less touching it. But it would not change that halfling nature in any way. She'll be the same after her evaluation process.]"
Ace has a sigh of relief, in this world, he only believes the system completely.
"Don't worry about this aura is to scare away others from eating it. You can eat it without any worries."
Eva nodded her head she knew Ace would never harm her so she takes the Blood Rose from his hand. The moment she touched it she felt a strange desire rising within her body. It was coming from her devilish blood.
Eva felt in trance and without Ace's instruction she pluck that red gem-like bead from the center of the blood rose on her own. The moment she plucks that red bead the murderous aura vanished and the blood rose begun to wither. Within seconds it turns into dust.
She wanted to say something to Ace before she got sealed away. However, Eva's blood was boiling, it was as if she can't take it anymore and directly put that crimson bead into her mouth.
Ace was observing Eva from the side and saw her doing everything on her own like she knows this before. The moment she eats that red bead her eyes turns crimson and he heard system voice,
"[Host can now seal her with 5000 TP]"
Ace wanted to say goodbye to her because he knew it would be a long time before they'll meet again but seeing Eva has already lost herself he could only seal her without saying anything.
The moment he touched her she enters his thief's space and because the system has taken his 5000 TP an inky cocoon form around Eva.
The cocoon was inky but on its was a strange red pattern. It was Ace first time finding and witnessing the power of TP.
"[Evaluation process has started please wait plenty. Now the host cannot store anymore humanoid being inside his thief's space until host upgrade his thief's space.]"
[Thief Points (TP): 945]
Ace didn't care about TP since they were used on his wife but after seeing Eva turning into a cocoon he couldn't help but already starts to miss her. It was just moments ago that they were talking and teasing each other lovingly.
'Well it's not like she's has gone away, she's with me.' Ace smiled gently after thinking this. It was already night so he decided to start his journey tomorrow.
Now that he was alone in this cave it seems quieter without Eva, Ace decided to continue sorting the treasures in the Dulce storage ring to distract himself.
Since he was distracted because of Eva's matter but now he has all the time in the world.
Little did Ace know that system has helped him in creating a being that has been already extinct from the face of heaven and earth long, long ago!