Chapter 169: Aura Level 7 Noah nodded in agreement without considering the meaning behind her words. The cat girl really did have an adorable personality that made her a genuinely endearing company. She’s sweet and thoughtful. Obviously cute in a friendly way. Lola’s smirk widened as she realised he’d walked directly into the trap she’d carefully set. "Master Noah...Do you perhaps like the cute Alissa? I didn’t know you had a thing for cat girls." "Huh? What!" Noah suddenly realised the trap the succubus had set for him, understanding exactly what she was implying, he immediately responded. "I didn’t mean cute that way!" He glared at her with indignation. "Don’t say that in front of her. Things would become awkward." Lola nodded with a mischievous smile, then stood up and walked toward him slowly. "It seems like Master Noah is interested in something other than cat girls..." She whispered seductively into his ear, her breath warm against his skin. "I wonder who the lucky girl is~" Noah gulped involuntarily, her proximity and tone making his pulse quicken despite his attempts to maintain composure. "I need to practice my aura skill," he said immediately, trying to distract himself from the succubus’s deliberate charm offensive. His aura skill was directly linked to his mana control, and it remained two levels behind his other magical abilities. He knew that levelling it up would be relatively easy; he simply needed to circulate the energy a few times with proper focus. Lola chuckled with obvious amusement at his transparent attempt to escape her teasing, then returned to her seat with a satisfied smile. As she watched him settle into practice position, trying to focus on aura circulation rather than her previous comments, she couldn’t help but mutter softly with genuine affection. "Cute..." Noah pretended not to hear her comment while beginning his aura exercises. ... [Your skill Aura has reached level 6!] [Your skill Aura has reached level 7!] The skill advancement came swiftly, catching up to his mana control level before ceasing to advance further. It took him only about ten minutes to increase the skill’s levels, all he had to do was simply adapt to his improved mana control by learning to cover his body more effectively and manipulate the energy with greater control. The aura skill’s rapid advancement made sense given its direct connection to mana control. With his current mana control, channelling mana around his body had become significantly easier and more intuitive. Two skill levels in five minutes. Sometimes, having a solid foundation makes everything else fall into place. He glanced at the shelf to check his current inventory levels, noting that his stock had increased to decent quantities during the day’s various activities. Nearly six hours had passed since the morning’s events, and the automated production had steadily refilled his supplies. The bread and iced tea quantities had reached thirty-six units each, while the premium items, beef jerky, energy drinks, and protein bars, had also reached their maximum capacity of six units since restocking after the king’s purchases. Noah stood up with a sudden realisation that he’d neglected an important responsibility. He hadn’t fed Leo today besides a single loaf of bread, and the young golden mane lion deserved proper nutrition after patiently waiting through all the day’s excitement. Poor Leo. He’s been so patient while I dealt with third-rate villains. The golden mane followed Noah eagerly toward the shelf, his tail swishing with obvious anticipation. Leo clearly expected his usual treats of bread and iced tea, which had become a comfortable routine between them. But his expectations were completely shattered as he spotted his master retrieving different items from the premium displays. Noah had decided to go all out for his faithful companion, taking beef jerky, an energy drink, and a protein bar from his most valuable inventory. The Items were worth at least 1,800 golden coins for just one meal. Leo was eating better than the king himself! Lola watched the extravagant feeding session without surprise anymore. Noah had demonstrated such generous treatment of his friends for the past two days, making this latest display of affection entirely predictable. Despite not being surprised by his actions, she still couldn’t believe how easily he distributed legendary-tier enhancement items like casual snacks. Most people would guard a single protein bar with their lives, even against their own family. He’s feeding them to a juvenile lion. Leo’s reaction to the premium feast was a sight to behold. His golden eyes widened with shock as the first bite of beef jerky flooded his system with vitality enhancement that made his entire body tingle with energy. The young lion let out a small roar of pure pleasure, his tail whipping back and forth with uncontrollable excitement as permanent constitution improvement coursed through his developing frame. Purr-roar-purr! The energy drink followed, its properties sending the agility boost through Leo’s nervous system like liquid lightning. His movements would become more graceful, his reflexes sharper, as the permanent improvement would integrate with his body. Finally, the protein bar completed the transformation. The strength boost that came flooded through Leo’s muscles, making him feel more powerful than he’d ever experienced in his short but happy life. Roooooar! The young golden mane attempted a mighty roar of triumph, though his vocal cords produced something closer to an adorable roar that made both Noah and Lola smile with affection. But the overwhelming surge of enhancement proved too much for Leo’s small body to process. The combination of permanent attribute improvements and simple overeating created an irresistible urge to sleep. Leo’s eyelids grew heavy as his body demanded rest to properly integrate the extraordinary improvements he’d just received. His legs wobbled slightly before he simply lay down on the shop floor, curling into a comfortable ball. Within moments, soft purring filled the shop as Leo fell into the deep, restorative sleep that would allow his body to fully absorb the legendary enhancements his master had so casually provided. Noah wasn’t worried after Lola had told him the young lion was going something called growth sleep. His body simply needed time to adapt to all those permanent improvements before he woke up much more powerful than before. Noah smiled with satisfaction as he watched his companion’s peaceful slumber, knowing that Leo would awaken significantly stronger, faster, and more resilient than before. After he finished ensuring Leo was comfortable, the shop door opened with its familiar chime. Alissa and Kip had returned from their ingredient-gathering expedition. Surprisingly, the cat siblings hadn’t just purchased raw materials; Alissa seemed to have already prepared a complete meal! The delicious aroma that preceded their entrance made Noah’s mouth water immediately. "I bought the ingredients and went to our house to cook," Alissa explained, seeing his surprised expression. "It’s nearby, so it didn’t take long to prepare everything properly." The meal she’d prepared featured tier 1 magical beast meat, its quality immediately visible from both appearance and scent. The cooking had been expertly done, bringing out flavours that normal meat could never achieve. Noah was excited to eat the food prepared by Alissa, after all. He had tried her food once before alongside the young goblin, and it was simply amazing. The way the food looked, the way it tasted and smelt. Everything was simply too good. Tier 1 beast meat prepared by Alissa is going to be special. After finishing the excellent meal, Noah looked at Alissa with gratitude. "Thank you for the food, Alissa. That was amazing, much better than anything I could have prepared myself." Her silver ears twitched with pleasure at the compliment, a soft smile brightening her entire expression as she basked in acknowledgment of her cooking skills.