"WHAT!?"
A blood thirsty aura started emitting from the Duke's body. Little Evan felt like this was the end for him, and he still hadn't spent a day much less an hour.
"Wait! My love , ice affinity is rare..." the duchess, Evan's mother spoke.
"It's a disgrace,Eva."
"But he may..."
"EVANGELINE!" the Duke was now fuming.
"Ronald, the tests for the golden one..."
The Duke seemed to instantly cool down, though Evan didn't know what was going on he was grateful to his mother for saving him.
Eva continued in a soothing tone," Once he comes of age ,no, he grows a little maybe till he is five years old,his ice affinity maybe useful to help the gold one and elevate our status."
Duke Ronald rubbed his chin as if in deep thought, then, he grinned, " He will be of use, but, this doesn't mean he will get any special treatment. Look at you, because of him you are too weak. "
"I agree my love." Eva smiled at the Duke who just turned on his heel and left.
Eva turned torwards the old man and mouthed on word,"Run. "
The old man bowed then left at a hurried pace... A while later, the Duke burst into the room, anger etched on his face.
"Eva! Where is the old geezer?!And dont you dare try to hide him from me!" Duke Ronald.
Eva looked at him with a curious but innocent look and then she asked, " Ehat did he do? "
"How could he run after I sent for him multiple times and he couldn't even remember about the test or think of using him as a coolant. What kind if advisor is he?!"
"Honey, relax..."
Her words died in her throat as she saw the murderous gaze in his eyes.
"I'm sending the Shadow Clan." He said this and stormed off slaming the door on his way out.
Eva stared at where he stood then shivered involuntarily. The 'Shadow Clan' was a mercenary group with centuries long history on the continent.
They were silent, ruthless and utterly untraceable but they had members in an established guild all over so that if anyone needed their services, they could br contacted.
The ones running the guild were the outermost of the outer members. If one was caught, they couldn't care less so there wasn't much use in using members as hostages.
They were a group rven the king feared, fir wherever you were hiding, three days later, tour head would be with their client.
Eva prayed for the old man's survival and turned her attention back to her son.
She rang a bell by her bedside and a maid entered a moment later. "Bring Clara."
The maid bowed and left. A while later a small girl of 7 years entered. She had flowing red hair and ocean-blue eyes. She looked every bit if Eva, albeit younger.
"Clara, darling, come say hello to your baby brother."
Clara moved closer and stared at the baby who stared back. Clara moved her index finger to poke his cheeks but Evan caught it.
Clara smiled and used her finger to mess with him. Evan moved her finger to touch his tummy and cried.
Eva shooed Clara away and feed Evan her milk.
'Yummy .' Evan thought,'Never knew breast milk was this good. I can get used to this.'
The moment he thought that,Eva pulled away ,fixed her dress and laid Evan in a crib beside the bed.
Though overtime,the other family members tried to see him, she wouldn't let them sit she knew he didn't have the signature crimson hair if the family.
And just like that , a year passed though not without challenges.
During that time ,Evan learned to walk and began to read. Having memories of his previous life and fragments of his meeting with the ones who reincarnated him here,he dedicated his time to learning about this world.
Sadly, since his birth,hos mother could only move around for some time and her condition worsened until she was bedridden.
But did that help her recover? No, now she could barely speak. The Duke searched far and wide fit any cure or any way to buy her time ,but fate had other plans.
Evan was seen sitting on a raised chair beside his mother, holding her hand tightly.
"Evan..." she spoke hoarsely," I...love you... don't... forget that..."
"I love you too mom. Don't worry,dad will find a cure just...just hold on." Evan said, his voice cracking.
Eva moved her hand slowly, with great difficulty, and patted his head with a light smile on her lips.
She closed her eyes with the same smile on her face as she breathed her last. Evan continued to hold her hand until he noticed that she hasn't moved at all.
Cold dread crept up his spine. He stared at her motionless face ,tears streaming down his face.
"Mom. Mom,mom! MAMA!" Evan screamed shaking her trying to wake her.
Clara , hearing him scream ,came running. What she saw stopped her in her tracks.
She saw Evan shaking their mother shouting her name. Tears flowed from her eyes as she moved towards Evan.
She grabbed him and threw him away shouting,"WHAT DID YOU DO?! "
She turned to her mother trying, futily,to shake her awake. She glared at Evan then ran out while Evan moved and hugged his mother's lifeless body.
A moment later, Duke Ronald entered, Clara crying behind him. Ronald grabbed Evan by his neck and threw him away like a broken rag doll.
He hit the wall making a spider web like crack. He slumped to the floor groaning in pain.
Ronald kissed his dead wife and daughter on their foreheads respectively. He turned towards his son and started kicking him mercilessly, venting his anger.
It was surprising he could endure his father's kicks and remain conscious. When he was done he left. Clara looked at him with teary, angry and saddened eyes as if he killed her.
A moment later , some men in white came and took Eva's body.
Evan stayed sprawled on the floor crying until he fell asleep.
———————————
[24 hours passed]
[Gifts X2 received]
[Trait: Withered frost]
[Trait: Live more]
Withered frost: The sun despises you and does what it can to end you.
Live more: 5 extra lives are ingrained in the soul to be used in place of the host's own life
———————————
[System shutdown in 5:00]
[System shutdown in 3:24]
[System shutdown in 1:56]
[ System shutdown in 0:30]
[System shutdown in 0:03...]
[System shutdown in 0:02...]
[System shutdown in 0:01...]
[Good luck,host]
Evan woke up to find himself being carried by his father.
No,not carried, dragged across the floor. Ronald walked through a backdoor through the castle's kitchen. (Which Duke doesn't live in a castle)
He tossed Evan like a sack of potatoes onto the ground beside a dust-covered bed.
"Never,never consider yourself apart of this family. You lost that privilege the moment you killed my wife." Roland growled before slamming the door and noisily locking it from the outside, leaving Evan in the dark.
' What did I do? sigh, the look Clara gave me and the fact that there are even more of this family,will I really survive?'