Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil - Chapter 1931

A few minutes before the seal-strengthening ritual abruptly came to a halt on Azurea’s side.

Eren had finished his battle with Marina and secured her agreement to his marriage proposal.

Grimdawn didn’t care that he had essentially forced the marriage upon her. As long as the job got done and benefited him, he was fine with imposing the idea of marriage on the entire female population currently present on and around Baga Island.

At that moment, he sensed a peculiar mana pulse and furrowed his brows. This was the mana fluctuation generated by Naya’s impending S-Rank breakthrough calamity. Although it felt suppressed, Eren could feel the might behind its source.

Since Naya was now Eren’s demon beast, he could sense her general location and current status simply by concentrating his thoughts on her. Although not safe, he could feel that she was not in a life-threatening gesture.

Eren was surprised by the sudden onset of Naya’s breakthrough calamity. He had assumed it would take her longer to reach this point.

He knew Naya had been slightly jealous of Roza when the latter had achieved her breakthrough not too long ago—simply by sleeping with him. Because of this, he expected Naya to work even harder to attain the same status as her friendly competitor.

However, he hadn’t anticipated that the pressure she faced during the raid battles would be so intense that it would push her into a Battle Trance, triggering an in-battle breakthrough.

Eren understood the consequences of such a breakthrough all too well. He had experienced something similar during the war between the Edinburgh and Layos kingdoms back in Anfang.

While breaking through in battle was a faster and more instinctive way to reach a higher rank, it also carried significant risks.

Undergoing such a life-altering transformation amid chaos was never ideal. If enemies chose to exploit the situation, it could endanger both the body and soul of the one experiencing the breakthrough.

While still handling affairs with Marina, Eren considered various possibilities before using a voice communication channel to contact Osha Daman and Roza. He instructed them to keep an eye on Naya and ensure her safety while she continued battling the two Templars.

"You want me to stop the battle and secure her behind the defense line?" Osha asked bluntly. As an S-Rank Sage, she wasn’t supposed to interfere in a battle meant for A-Rankers. However, the unwritten rules of war never dictated that she couldn’t retrieve Naya in a pinch.

"No," Eren replied immediately in his mind while continuing his conversation with Marina. "You only need to keep an eye on her for now and report any developments. This breakthrough is a bit of a problem for us, but it could also be an opportunity for Naya.

So let’s not interfere and allow her to complete her in-battle breakthrough as naturally as possible. I believe Naya is capable enough to handle the situation—provided we offer her a bit of help at the right place and the right time," he instructed both Osha and Roza before ending the communication.

Osha and Roza understood their roles after hearing Eren’s words. Since he wanted Naya to experience a natural in-battle breakthrough, they wouldn’t interfere directly unless her life was in immediate danger. Their only task was to ensure that no additional opponents from Raashim Temple joined the two Templars in overwhelming her.

They acted accordingly, coordinating their efforts to prevent reinforcements from interfering with Naya’s battle. Unbeknownst to her, Eren was already easing her burden while simultaneously using her opponents as whetstones to sharpen her abilities, facilitating a smoother breakthrough process.

Eren had never viewed his female subordinates and companions as damsels in distress. On the contrary, he placed his trust in them and encouraged them to fight their own battles.

He was completely devoid of the ego that made some men see their female companions as beings in need of protection. Of course, it also helped that he only chose capable subordinates and allies in the first place.

***

Eren’s selection of subordinates and companions was never dictated by mere impulse or someone’s background—at least, not entirely.

For example, the Butcher would have altered his initial Lazarus Project plan if Becky had demonstrated her ability to rise above her circumstances. Unfortunately, she failed to meet Eren’s stringent standards, preventing him from extending a helping hand.

He had also tested nearly all the core members of the White Raven Guild in Anfang through various means. Friendship and companionship needed to be offered to the right people. Those who didn’t appreciate the care given to them would never be able to advance, no matter what kind of assistance they received.

This was the kind of tough love Eren had experienced from his father, Elijah, from a very young age. Due to Eren’s unique state of being as a child, Elijah had established a set of rules for him to follow.

After all, young Eren lacked empathy—or, at the very least, didn’t experience it the way normal beings did.

Unbeknownst to Eren, it was his Spirit Bloodline that had turned him into a very special child. The reason why he was so skilled in using intent-based magic despite lacking a certain set of emotional highs and lows was also because of his Spirit Bloodline.

Of course, it was Elijah who had given Eren his Spirit Bloodline when he was still in his mother’s womb. The reason Eren’s mother had turned apathetic towards Eren was also partly related to the Spirit Bloodline experiment.

It was as if nurturing Eren in her womb had robbed his mother of some of her empathetic emotions as well. Her soul likely had been damaged after birthing Eren.

Eren’s successful birth after he was exposed to a Spirit Bloodline experiment while still being a fetus was a pleasant accident for Elijah. He never thought that his experiment would see success while he was just temporarily staying in Anfang.

One could say that Elijah was the reason Eren had turned out to be the way he did.

Thus, Elijah had created rules specifically tailored to Eren, enabling him to achieve success in any field while appearing as a normal member of the mana practitioners’ society.

A father didn’t need to be physically present at all times; as long as he served as a guiding light for his children, his care would eventually reach them and illuminate their world in the future.

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AN: In Eren’s flashback of his past in chapter 354, Elijah says to Eren "We are different, you and me. Always remember this, my boy". Apart from their peculiar family background back in Labh Salem, Elijah was also referring to their Spirit Bloodlines in that flashback.

Also, I would highly recommend the readers to read chapters 1601, 1602, and 1603. :)