Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Squishy von Loengrin 2
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According to the original game, Eve is classified as a pure mage.
I've said it time and again, but she's weak in close combat.
So... excluding the basics, she doesn't even have any close-range skills to begin with. Nor any way to learn them.
This girl can't wield longswords above a certain weight. Even rapiers are a stretch for her—ceremonial daggers, magic daggers, or demon swords free from weight restrictions are about her limit.
Of course, she's overall above average, but the funny part is, it's not due to her stats.
If you look at Eve's raw stats, Magic Power is 22, but Stamina is 12, Strength 9, Dexterity 13. No matter how you slice it, this girl becoming a warrior is impossible even in her wildest dreams.
But you know.
There are always those kids who want to do what others don't.
And those are the ones who raise Eve as a melee character.
The mindset of players who build Eve for melee is always the same.
"I get it, Eve sucks at melee. But is it right for us to give up on her?"
Giving up would be the smart choice, but if they listened to reason, they wouldn't be playing this game.
So, how does Eve's melee build route go?
Usually, it starts with, "Body enhancement isn't magic, so let's just buff her with reinforcement spells and try."
Then they realize she can't learn combat skills, and she ends up as trash converging on average melee stats of 15.
Next, they rely on magic tools. The poster child is the Black Flame Dagger 【Set】, one of the demon swords that converts all her Magic Power into Strength, Stamina, and Dexterity. It's insane, but with the caveat that no stat exceeds 20 individually... Still, watching Eve with 20 in Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina mowing down enemies has its own romance.
"No way. This isn't a melee character! Since when did melee chars use enchants, buffs, and demon swords? Real melee chars break through with one weapon, flashy controls, and movement!"
And that's where the Eve melee maniacs end up.
Push it to the end, and...
"What if we just spam parries to death with daggers for poke damage—normal attacks, normal cancels, dodges, dodge cancels, parries?"
With the deranged idea that treating a mage like a melee turns her into one, Eve von Loengrin becomes the game's worst trash character from then on. Naturally, her route turns into extreme hellfire.
Only one person at that cafe had seen the no-death melee Eve ending.
Who was it?
"Eve, move properly. You can move more than that!"
"Huff... Haah! I know! If only the weapon was a bit longer..."
"Even if I gave you a better weapon, it'd be a pearl necklace on a pig's neck! Be satisfied with that dagger!"
"Who's a pig?! Take that back!!"
"Why? Does it sting? You got fat, not me."
"Arrrgh!!"
Who else?
The one with the unyielding hot soul, the unlimited challenge guy who knows no quit: Yi Young-jin.
Today's expedition was me, Nefti, Eve, and Silpia.
It was like a royal family outing with royal guards.
"Ah, those are flower herbs over there."
"I know."
"Can I pick them? They might sell well."
"Do as you like."
"...Hmm, I'll pick them on the way back after the expedition."
Unlike Silpia, who was on high alert guarding Eve, Nefti was far more relaxed.
"Wolfram... Nefti is your royal guard; shouldn't she be more tense?"
She even came up to me directly to ask.
But this girl has no idea.
"Senior, two charging goblins ahead. What should we do?"
"Distance?"
"Bearing 15 degrees forward. Range 900."
"Engage."
"Understood."
"......How did she notice?"
Silpia couldn't hide her shock at Nefti, who went from smiling to grasping the situation in an instant.
Hmm, that's weird.
Why didn't Silpia sense them?
"Lapis Lazuli?"
"Assigned to Eve's protection. Well..."
Silpia glanced at Eve, slowly walking at the very rear.
Right. Eve is currently joining the formation as a 'warrior.'
Wearing a dagger and leather armor, on foot.
"...Hoo. Haa."
"I see."
I'm riding in the cart pulled by Patrascheu, but for Eve, marching like this is new.
For this expedition, I instructed Eve: move your body as much as possible without using Magic Power.
However, the rear is vulnerable to monster ambushes, so Silpia assigned Lapis Lazuli for protection.
In other words, the formation is Nefti, me, Silpia, then Eve.
Pathetic, really.
"Eve, walking like that won't get you to the expedition site."
"...Shu, t up. Riding alone in the cart... acting all high and mighty..."
"Then hop on? There's a spot opening up."
"...No, thanks. Hmph. Wolfram, who can't do anything... stay there and act superior. I... as a warrior... will pull my weight..."
"Good grief."
Can't do anything, huh.
A light, cheap provocation, but letting it slide wouldn't be OG gamer style.
Time to show 'em one.
I approached Nefti heading toward the goblins and proposed a plan.
"Nefti. After you take down one goblin, I'll handle the other."
"Hm? Possible, but... dangerous. Why suddenly..."
"Hmph. Patrascheu will help. What are you worried about? Just want to test the combat techniques I learned recently. That's an order. No objections."
"...Yes. Understood."
Nefti nodded uneasily.
Silpia, worrying about her lord like that—what's with the leisure talk?
I gave the orders and turned back to Eve.
"Eve, lend me that dagger for the next fight."
"...What are you planning?"
"You'll see. I'll use it 'once' and return it."
"Understood."
Alright. You'll see.
We encountered the two goblins. While Nefti took one, I stepped in front of the other.
"Wolfram? It's dangerous here. Fall back. I'll handle it."
"You fall back. Tend to your lord. Think me and Patrascheu would struggle against one charging goblin?"
"......Got it."
"And Eve. Watch closely."
"...Yes?"
I drew the dagger slightly. Good, it weighs almost nothing. One normal attack... should be fine.
With current Stamina at 3 and unused, calculations say... it works.
Kreeeek!
A goblin charged. Charging goblin has three starting motions: raising weapon overhead, crouching to prepare rush, or gripping with both hands for a strong swing.
Any way, all prep motions take over a second.
My Stamina: 3. Dexterity: 15. Monster motion: 1 second.
I said it before.
Melee Eve ending runners only use 'normal attacks,' 'normal cancels,' 'dodges,' 'dodge cancels,' 'parries.'
And the most used is parry.
A technique that deflects enemy attacks to create openings, guaranteeing criticals on follow-ups.
Martial artists or ninjas get better judgments with flower-branch connect or water-cutter, but melee Eve relies on basic parry's trash judgment for everything.
Parry costs 2 Stamina but refunds 1 on success.
Net: one guaranteed normal attack opportunity.
I've said it a million times: I'm the only one who cleared no-damage melee Eve.
Meaning my parry success rate: 10,000 tries, 10,000 successes.
I lightly deflected the charging goblin's second motion with the dagger, then gripped it reverse and lightly stabbed the nape. Done.
"...Gurk..."
The goblin slumped with a death rattle, and I returned to the cart.
Eve stared at me with wide eyes.
Not just her—Nefti and Silpia gawked too.
What're you staring at, you cute noobs?
First time seeing OG play?
"H-how...?"
"This is what pulling your weight as a warrior means, Eve von Loengrin."
"......Ugh."
"As promised, one use, and here's your dagger back."
Ah. My arms and legs are shaking.
Used 2 Stamina, recovered 1, then one normal—down to 1, regenerating.
Man. If only I had 15 Stamina.
I could end it all.
"Stamina that vanishes in a month... I don't want to lose it."
Could I survive on 2 Stamina then?
Fear gripped me.
While fighting monsters encountered en route, Eve von Loengrin sensed her limits.
She realized her Stamina couldn't handle anything but a dagger. That her movements were this sluggish.
She reached out several times, only to flinch. When truly dangerous, Lapis Lazuli would fell the monster, or she'd unleash Magic Power—low-level trash like that wouldn't be foes.
She knew: Nefti used guardian barriers taking hits for her, Silpia's wind blades sliced threats, Patrascheu shielded with telekinesis.
In other words, she brutally realized this was truly just 'training' level expedition.
But what about Wolfram?
In a near-real combat situation, he elegantly deflected a monster's attack with one dagger, stabbed the nape, spun half-turn, withdrew, and walked back.
She could tell how specialized that was for 'combat' as a 'warrior,' like it or not.
How refined and beautiful those motions were.
Now he's wheezing in the cart, muttering 'the sky is so clear and high, but I'm on temp contract...' but Eve knew how skilled those moves were.
'Similar to the swordsmanship the former Imperial Knight Commander, honed lifelong, showed at the banquet at age 40.'
He said he grinded 10 hours a day nonstop for 6 years.
Overlapping that with him—who had no such time...
If that's talent, how cursed is his?
'If only he had Stamina...'
I don't want to lose.
To that man, I don't want to lose.
Eve gripped her sword.
Having seen ideal martial prowess up close with this dagger,
At least she could imitate it.
Not bad.
That was my conclusion watching Eve's movements after.
"Eve. Watch the enemy's attack to the end."
"I know...!"
Fighting like she was pissed off.
Whatever motivated her, she wasn't whining like before.
She watched attacks fully, then moved. Real danger: Lapis or Patrascheu stepped in. All attacks on her: mitigated by Nefti.
And Eve kept swinging without giving up.
Her innate genius sense finally... succeeded one parry.
But what caught my eye was the lethal follow-up strike.
The dagger perfectly plunged into the umpteenth charging goblin.
"...Haa. Haa..."
Eve smiled at me.
Hah. Really.
Imitating me?
This cheeky noob?
Arrogant. Truly arrogant.
"I get what you're trying to show, but... it's sloppy."
"...Hmph. I know?"
"However, impressive. Fruits of effort."
"......Ugh. Was that... praise?"
"Of course."
Eve's eyes widened in disbelief at my praise.
Hmm. Let's see.
She did well, so reward time.
I rummaged the cart's bento box and found it.
Autumn Festival Entry No. 2.
"Hungry? Here. Reward for your hard work."
"This is..."
Crispy waffle loaded with butter, topped with chocolate, strawberry, vanilla triple cream, and generous apple jam—Wolfram's ecstatic waffle.
"...Want it?"
"Ugh......"
Not forgetting why she came here, Eve's hands trembled, yet...
She took the waffle I offered.
"...I'll kill you..."
"Work out hard, eat hard. Give everything your all."
"......I'll kill youuu..."
"Not tasty?"
Eve ate the waffle sniffling. Finished it.
"I'll kill you...... Especially you......"
What.
When your bloodmate declares a diet, isn't it right to boil two bags of chaparoni at 2 AM and wrap with thick pork belly strips?
No need to cry thanks, though.