Chapter 46: Side Story Evangeline Cross (3)

45: [Side Story] Evangeline Cross (3)

My mind was becoming numb.

I opened my mouth slightly.

“Because you’re the Empire’s nastiest lout!”

I asked her how she became a fan of mine, and that was her answer.

“......”

Is she messing with me right now?

As I was bewildered not being able to get a grasp of this brave teenager’s thoughts, Evangeline shook both her hands and elaborated.

“Wait, I’m not trying to sound sarcastic! I really liked you because you were such a nasty lout.”

“Huh… Uh? I mean, why?”

“...Because I wanted to rebel against my father.”

Evangeline awkwardly shrugged.

“I wanted to upset my father as much as possible. I wanted to cause a ruckus, go on a rampage, and ruin the family’s reputation. I wanted to live like that.”

It was difficult to understand the complex mind of teenagers.

“But how should I put this? Misbehaving was more difficult than I imagined it to be. First off, because my father really hated the knights from the Imperial Academy, I entered the academy as soon as I ran away from home. Up until then, everything was fine.”

“But?”

“But since the day I entered the knight classes, all I did was train. I couldn’t misbehave, and I was forced to become a model student.”

She wasn’t just a model student.

Evangeline graduated from the Imperial Academy at the top of her class in just 3 years— something which would normally take 6 years. She was a genius that would imprint her name in the history of the Academy.

“The only rebellious thing I could do was refuse to contact my father whatsoever.”

“That’s a cute little rebellion…”

“I was living such a timid life, but then I heard Prince Ash's story.”

Evangeline looked at me with her eyes flashing in fascination.

“The boldness to upset his father, His Majesty the Emperor, the greatest of the empire! The creativity of changing the contents of troubles that he caused every week! You even built a fountain out of gold, and a carpet made of jewels!”

“......”

“I heard that His Majesty the Emperor even collapsed in rage because of the prince? That's amazing! So cool!”

I really think she’s trying to mess with me. Isn’t she? Or not? Is she?

“Every time I heard the news of the prince's incidents, I was able to get vicarious satisfaction. You are my role model and idol!”

“I-I see…”

I never thought someone who lived like trash could become a role model. You really never know what’ll happen in life, I guess.

‘Congrats, Ash. Your dissolute life was not in vain.’

After laughing it off, I asked her cautiously.

“You really do hate your father, Evangeline.”

“Well…”

Evangeline paused for a moment, but then she nodded her head.

“I do. I really… hate him.”

“Why?”

“Well, a lot of things happened…”

A complex light flashed across her face, but Evangeline quickly brushed it off, lifted her head, and looked around her.

“So, where’s the old man? Y’know, even though he might not like his daughter who ran away from home, he should at least try to talk to her if she returned after 3 years, right?”

“......”

“I plan to practice the 100 ways of being a bad daughter that I have studied while watching the prince one by one.”

I took a small breath.

“I see, you really didn’t return because you heard of the news, Evangeline.”

“Sorry? What news? I only came home after graduating.”

“......”

“Why? Did something… happen?”

“......”

I couldn’t help myself to open my mouth, and Evangeline’s face was starting to stiffen up as she watched me.

Perhaps, she sensed something strange.

I slowly dropped my head as I couldn’t keep myself to see Evangeline’s eyes.

It really was a strange feeling.

To convey the news of the predecessor's death to his daughter.

“I am sorry to break the news this way, Miss Evangeline.”

My stomach started to sting as if I had swallowed a piece of hot iron.

Resolving my desire to run right away, I spat out the following remark.

“Your father has passed away.”

“......”

“He saved everyone in the city by throwing his own life away in a battle against monsters a few days ago. His death was truly heroic.”

I told her every little detail about the final battle of Earl Charles Cross. Evangeline was just listening with a blank expression.

“I recorded all of his activities and reported them to the imperial family. His contributions were already acknowledged in the past, so he should be able to receive the Imperial Military Service Medal.”

“......”

“The funeral will be held in three days, and I intend to proceed with the highest level of courtesy.”

Evangeline sat still on the bed, stiffened.

I was about to deliver the Earl’s will, but I kept my mouth shut. And I sat quietly beside her.

The father that she hated so much turned out to be dead when she came back home.

I couldn’t even fathom what this little child in front of me could be feeling right now.

“...Haha.”

Evangeline let out a dry laugh after a few minutes that felt like an eon.

“Now when I was just about to play the role of an unfilial daughter in earnest. He just runs away like this.”

“......”

“He would always say that he will die fighting against the monsters. And he really passed away like that.”

Evangeline let a hollow smile slip through her pale face.

“He just left, without receiving all my resentment…”

“I’m sorry.”

Evangeline looked at me with puzzled eyes.

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because I am the current lord of this place, and the frontline was completely under my command. Your father’s death is my responsibility.”

I slowly bowed my head to Evangeline.

“So you may resent me.”

“......”

“I am sorry.”

Evangeline looked at me quietly and slowly opened her mouth.

“...Mister, are you really Prince Ash?”

“Sorry?”

“This isn’t it. How can I say this? Prince Ash, whom I have been hearing about would be more…”

Evangeline rolled her eyes for a moment, struggling to choose her words, then spoke.

“I thought he would be more of a selfish lout, and inconsiderate of others. But you are too considerate.”

“Stop calling me a lout in front of my face…”

“It’s true, though. Think of all the troubles you caused back in the capital.”

“Even though what you are saying is factual, I’m still the imperial prince! Have you not heard of the crime called contempt of the imperial family? If you keep up your attitude, you’ll get in big trouble!”

“I mean, even hearing that from the person who was relegated to this countryside… I don’t really feel threatened at all.”

Damn it, she’s right about that one.

The kid in front of me is the heir to the Cross family that has ruled this area for several generations.

On the other hand, I was in the position of a demoted prince, as if I was kicked out of the imperial family.

In fact, here, at the southernmost tip of the Empire, Evangeline may have more influence than I do…

“Anyway, thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.”

Evangeline’s small body slipped into the blanket.

“But this all still feels surreal. It all feels like a lie and a dream.”

“......”

“I wanna be alone for a moment.”

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I slowly got up from the chair.

“There will be a servant waiting at the door. If you need anything, let him know.”

“......”

“Take some rest.”

Raising her blanket up to her nose, Evangeline was no longer looking in my direction.

After taking a final look at the child who must be immersed in many complex thoughts, I left the room.

* * *

* * *

The Evangeline I saw in the game was a tall adult, but the Evangeline I met this time is a teenager no matter how I look at it.

When I went to Aider and asked why this difference had occurred, Aider smiled and explained.

“First of all, you should know how old Miss Evangeline is. She just became sixteen this year.”

“Still so young…”

The youngest person in our party, Demian, was 18 years old. She was 2 years younger than that.

‘In fact, if you were to judge based on her appearance, she barely looks 15.’

I shook my head.

“Because the Earl was fairly old… I didn’t expect his daughter to be that young.”

“The Earl got married in his mid-forties. When his daughter was born, he was already over 50 years old.”

Aider giggled while covering his mouth.

“For your information, the Earl was 15 years older than his wife. He was pointed out on that when he got married.”

“And how old are you, who’s able to remember all that?”

“A man’s age is a secreeet.”

Aider gave an evasive answer with a mischievous smile. This youkai director.

“Anyway, as you already know, Miss Evangeline appears in the second half of the second year at the earliest, usually the beginning of the third year.”

“Ah!”

I finally understood.

This meant that the time that Evangeline made her appearance in the game is supposed to be around two and a half years from now.

It wouldn't be strange for that kid to become an adult in two years. Because kids these days grow up fast

“However, ‘this time’, because of the intertwined causal factors, she appeared earlier than usual.”

“I see now.”

I opened the system window. Evangeline’s information popped up.

[Evangeline (SSR)]

- Level: 35

- Title: Immature Heir

- Class: Advanced Lancer

- Strength 35 | Agility 30 | Intelligence 20 | Stamina 35 | Mana 20

Wow, SSR…

Just looking at the stats makes me feel ecstatic.

To think that a shield-lancer, who is a pure tanker, could have this high agility stat. Goodness, she can even be an evasion tank.

However, the reason why Evangeline was considered the best tanker of the game wasn’t only because of her stats, but her skill set was very overpowered.

[Learned Skills]

> Passive: Roar of the battlefield

> Skill 1: Damage Store

> Skill 2: Damage Payback

> Ultimate: ??? (Available after 3rd class advancement)

The roar of the battlefield, a passive, is the patent of the Shield Knights. It taunts enemies and buffs allies.

These common skills have different effects depending on the character rank and level, but since Evangeline is an SSR rank, the effect will be outstanding.

Just one shout on the battlefield will change the tide of the battle.

‘However, the real overpowered skills are these active skills.’

The first skill is Damage Save.

The second skill is Damage Payback.

The effects are very simple. [Damage Save] will store the damage that the shield receives.

And [Damage Payback] releases the stored damage on the enemy.

What makes these skills so overpowered is the fact that the damage received will not actually damage the wielder, it will simply be ‘saved’.

And the saved damage will be ‘paid back’ right at the enemy.

‘Of course, there is a limit to the capacity of storable damage, and the 2nd skill cannot be used whenever.’

The damage that exceeds the capacity will have to be taken with her own body.

If a strong burst of attack was to be received, such as my triple seven strike yesterday, the wielder will have to take damage.

And the 2nd skill can only be activated upon reaching a certain threshold of stored damage.

If the enemy's attack isn't strong, the damage won't be saved, so the second skill won't work.

‘There are minor restrictions, but that doesn't change the fact that these skills are broken.’

And the best part of this is the fact she can contribute more to the offense than most damage dealers while being a pure tank.

If you put her in a party, she will take care of everything by herself.

Because she is a unit that’s close to perfection, it was only natural for everyone to want to have her in the party.

'But wait, there’s more.'

Even the traits that Evangeline possessed were broken.

- Equipped Traits (2/3)

> Unstoppable

> Clumsy (Cannot be unequipped)

The ‘Unstoppable’.

She is literally ‘unstoppable’. She has 100% resistance to movement-impairing status ailments such as snare, slow, and freeze.

It means that she can ignore any obstacles the enemy may present, and she can stir around the battlefield like a chariot.

This is a really amazing passive. There are only a few passive skills that are as good as this for tanks in this game.

‘So broken, like yikes… Wait a minute?”

But the second trait, I’ve never seen this before.

‘Clumsy?’

Did Evangeline have a trait like this?

I opened it up to check what it was about.

[Clumsy]

- Because she is still young and immature, she can sometimes make mistakes. There’s a chance that the unit will make big or small mistakes during combat.

(After accumulating enough experience, this trait will disappear.)

This was the explanation I got.

“Oh, for god’s sake!”

I tapped my forehead.

I guess this is the trade-off for being able to recruit her much earlier than I’m supposed to.

‘Well, she is still young…’

A sixteen-year-old can still be considered a child.

She should be playing around with her friends, not fighting on the battlefield.

- Bro!

“......”

Suddenly, my fingertips started to tremble.

Aider sneaked up to me as I kept my mouth shut.

“M’lord. Are you going to recruit Miss Evangeline to the party?”

“Huh? I…”

I couldn’t answer right away.

It was as if a ball of gold was rolling around right in front of me.

However,

‘Promise me this one thing, Prince Ash.’

The last voice of the Earl, who died in my arms just a few days ago, is still vivid in my mind.

I couldn't answer Aider's question right away and just bit my lip.

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