"……Victoria?"

  "……"

  Van stared at Victoria, who suddenly stopped moving altogether as soon as she touched Latanya’s forehead. Meanwhile, Latanya seemed to have calmed down, currently passed out but her breathing was a lot calmer than before.

  It might be because she was unconscious, but that was better than the alternative of whatever it is that Evangelin was doing to her earlier.

  But now, for some reason, there was something wrong with Victoria.

  "Victoria, are you—"

  "!!!"

  Van patted Victoria on the shoulder to see if she was alright, but as soon as he did so, Victoria’s body seemingly tilted like a domino, toppling down towards the ground headfirst. But of course, before her body could hit the ground, Van caught her.

  "……Victoria?" Van whispered into her ear, but alas, even a slight shiver in her eyes could not be seen. The only thing that still had life in her was her hair, scrunching and swaying around Van’s arms. "Victoria?"

  Van once again called Victoria’s name, but she remains so very still—even her breaths. "Latanya, wake up!"

  And now, it was as if the situation has shifted. From calling Victoria to help Latanya, to waking up Latanya to help Victoria. But alas, even though Latanya was breathing, even she was not responding, no matter how much Van nudged her.

  "What’s going on!?" Harvey and the others finally recovered from their shock and stupor as they approached Van.

  "I…… don’t know," Van could not help but stutter as he now had two people in his arms, both unmoving. Latanya seemed fine, it was Victoria that worried him so. Her whole body was stiff, even her hands were still raised from touching Latanya’s forehead. "I think…… I think Victoria is……"

  Dead— is what Van wanted to say. But he couldn’t make himself say it, not now, not when their group was just reunited. Not now that she was in his arms again.

  "……Van, what’s wrong with her?" Nisha and the others also rushed their way towards Van, with Nisha quickly checking on Latanya’s pulse. She let out a light breath as she checked her pulse, however, as soon as she checked Victoria’s, her eyes quickly widened in shock. She slightly backed away as she looked at Van, before turning her head towards Victoria’s mother, who was currently still standing still in shock in the distance.

  However, as soon as Paris saw the look on Nisha’s eyes, it was as if all the strands of her hair stood on ends as she quickly rushed to her daughter’s side.

  "N…… no!"

  Van quickly made way for Paris, turning his body while still supporting Victoria.

  "No…… no……" Paris gently patted her daughter’s face numerous times, trying to wake her up,

  "No…… my baby…… please…… mommy’s here…… mommy’s here."

  "……" Van didn’t know where to look as his breaths started to mix with Paris’ cries.

  "Van…… what is happening?" Harvey could not help but stutter as his jaw began to tremble, "Is…… is Vicky—"

  "Harvey. Don’t," before Harvey could finish his words, Gerald suddenly appeared behind him, grabbing his shoulder and stopping him from saying anything else.

  Beatrice, who was also watching on the side with Edward, had a grave expression on her face as she held Edward’s arm.

  "What did you do!?"

  And all of a sudden, Paris grabbed her daughter away from Van, looking at him with her eyes completely red from all the tears that burst from it, "What did you do to my daughter!?"

  "I……" Van was still at a loss as to what to say, "I……"

  Was this…… his fault? Is Victoria…… really dead? Just…… what is happening? He was as confused as everyone else here, so why is everyone looking at him for some kind of explanation. "I—"

  "Are you alright, Evans!?"

  "A…… Andrea," Van blinked numerous times as Andrea ran towards him, grabbing his face as she looked straight into his eyes, "I…… I’m……"

  "Did…… did that woman do something!?" Andrea roared as she looked around, trying to find Evangeline. Her eyes then strayed towards Paris, who was currently holding a lifeless Victoria, "……Victoria?"

  Andrea was talking with the Pit Locals along with Sarah a distance away and wasn’t aware of what was happening. She only rushed back when she heard someone shouting.

  "What’s…… wrong with her?" Andrea once again looked around. Paris’ face was currently devastated, her tears almost filling her entire face as she hugged her daughter. Andrea’s eyes then strayed towards Nisha, who was now checking in on Latanya’s condition. With two people suddenly not moving, Andrea’s confusion reached its peak.

  "What are you doing blaming a child, Paris?"

  It was then that the ground slightly shook, with Charlotte slowly approaching Paris and Victoria,

  "……The kid is alive," Victoria kneeled in front of Paris, looking at her granddaughter which seemed to have been frozen in time. Charlotte wanted to touch her face, but she knew she could not. "She is alive, Paris."

  "A…… are you sure, mother?" Paris could not help but stutter as her fettered breaths slowly stabilized.

  "Of course. But let’s ask an expert, shall we?" Charlotte then stood up before turning her head towards Sarah, who has quietly been watching on the side, "Please tell us what’s wrong with her, princess."

  "……" Sarah nodded, "I have been monitoring the movement of her blood ever since she…… collapsed. Her heart has stopped."

  "What!?" Paris could not help but let out an anguished scream, "But you said——"

  "But whether or not she is dead is something I can say yet," Sarah shook her head, "Those who have just died will still have their blood flowing through their veins momentarily through different parts of the body depending on her position……

  Victoria’s just stopped flowing instantly…… frozen."

  "F…… Frozen?" Paris cleaned Victoria’s face, pushing all the hair that was stuck on her face to the side, "So…… she might still be al——"

  "All of you must be confused."

  "!!!"

  "……"

  Charlotte’s calm demeanor quickly changed as the veins on her body started popping out as soon as a voice came from above. She watched as Evangeline’s long and silver hair flowed in the air as she slowly descended to the ground, landing in a very soft manner.

  "I’m not confused," Charlotte worded as she slowly stomped her way towards Evangeline. The entirety of the Encampment started to tremble, causing the others who were unaware of what was happening to almost stumble, "I am angry."

  "I understand," Evangeline nodded, not even worrying that Charlotte was walking towards her full of hostility, "Any mother would worry for her family."

  "Would they?" Charlotte let out a light scoff, glancing towards Van before returning her gaze towards Evangeline, "What do you even know about being a mother?"

  "I know enough," Evangeline sighed before looking at Victoria, "The blood-bender is correct, your grandchild is alive, she is just…… frozen."

  "Then turn her back, fucker," Charlotte cracked her knuckles as she stood directly in front of Evangeline, the level of her eyes only slightly below Evangeline’s, "I don’t like bullying old people, but you look young enough."

  "Such arrogance," Evangeline tilted her head as she looked at Charlotte, "But not unfounded. You have strength comparable to the one hiding here, after all."

  Although Charlotte was a bit confused as to what Evangeline was saying, the look of rage on her face still remained, "If you know it, then you better turn her back right now."

  "I am afraid I can’t do that," Evangeline shook her head, "Or rather…… I won’t."

  "You——"

  "Will you really risk fighting here?" Evangeline stood her ground even with Charlotte’s fist right in front of her face, "You might win, but do you really think these people can survive us fighting?"

  "Let’s take this outside, the——"

  "Give it up, muscle demon."

  Once again, before Charlotte could finish her words, someone interrupted her—— Angela.

  "……You’re still on her side even after what she’s done to my granddaughter!?" Charlotte could not help but click her tongue as she looked at Angela.

  "I am on the side of the Resistance," Angela let out a short sigh, "But I am also on your side. You don’t know how strong Master Evangeline is, Charlotte. You might die if you fight her."

  "Look at Victoria and say that to me again!"

  "……"

  "Now, now. Let’s all calm——"

  "Shut the fuck up, you baldy!"

  "Shut up, eggnog."

  "……" Hans was going to make an appearance, but before he could even take a step forward, both Angela and Charlotte shut his mouth completely.

  "……"

  "What exactly is your endgame here, Evangeline?" Charlotte then shook her head before taking off her stance and relaxing her muscles, "You torture your own child, and now what, you take mine hostage? Mother of the year here, everyone."

  "I take it I can explain now?" Evangeline breathed out as she approached Latanya, who was still completely unconscious, "Your granddaughter just used her Skill on a God Artifact, trying to take away and contain its emotions that it has built throughout the years—— a weapon’s emotion."

  "……What?"

  "Your granddaughter’s body couldn’t take the toll and——"

  "Cut to the chase, what is it you want from me?" Charlotte interrupted Evangeline, "That’s why you planned this in the first place, right? To get something from me? You have been wanting me to join your band of merry rebels for quite some time now."

  "……Not quite," Evangeline shook her head, "I want you to go away."

  "What?" Once again, Charlotte’s veins exploded as she heard Evangeline’s words.

  "Don’t misunderstand, Charlotte," Evangeline then slowly approached Van, whose mind had been in disarray ever since Victoria collapsed, "I want you to go away with my son to other lands……

  and send some pesky people back to where they belong."