Chapter 47: The Chainsaw's Date, The Duke's scandal, and The Robot's Spine part-3
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Mid? I am afraid I do not know the geography you refer to, Lady Jessica."
Daphne Bridgerton walked up, looking elegant in pale blue. "Your Grace. Lady Jessica."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "Oh, hey Daphne. Cute dress. Very... safe. Very 'I listen to my mommy'. Simon needs a woman who challenges him, don't you think, Si?"
She winked at Simon. A literal wink. In 1814.
(She called you Si. That is a direct insult to your title. Simon, destroy her. Verbal riposte. Go.)
Simon set his glass down. He turned his full, intense gaze on Jessica.
"Lady Jessica," Simon said, his voice low and smooth like velvet dragged over gravel. "You speak of challenge. But there is a difference between a challenge and a chore."
Jessica blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You strive so hard to be different," Simon continued, stepping closer to Daphne, shielding her slightly. "You wear colors that scream for attention because your conversation cannot hold it. You use words that have no meaning to feign intelligence. You are not 'refreshing', madam. You are exhausting."
The nearby dowagers gasped behind their fans. "The burn!" one whispered.
Jessica turned red. "I... I am just being real! I am an independent woman! Daphne is just a... a trad-wife in training!"
"Daphne," Simon said, looking at the Bridgerton girl with warmth, "possesses a quiet strength you lack. She navigates a world of strict rules with grace, whereas you simply trample the flowers because you cannot be bothered to walk the path. Intelligence is knowing when to speak, Lady Jessica. Not simply making noise."
He offered his arm to Daphne. "Miss Bridgerton. Shall we dance? I believe they are playing a waltz. It requires rhythm. Something Lady Jessica seems to lack."
Daphne smiled, a genuine, radiant smile. "I would love to, Your Grace."
They walked onto the dance floor.
Jessica stood there, mouth open. "Did... did the Duke just cancel me?"
A footman walked by. "Madam, your neon dress is frightening the horses outside. Perhaps you should retire."
Jessica fled the ballroom, crying about the patriarchy.
[Incident Report: World 30][Target: Simon & Daphne.][Status: Scandal Averted. The Waltz Begins.][Villain Status: Socially exiled to the countryside.][Reward: 1100 System Points.]
(Classy. Brutal. I love it. Now, let us go to a world where 'emotional damage' is the main plot point.)
[System Alert: Anomaly Detected.][World Designation: World 31 - The World of Evas (Neon Genesis Evangelion Universe).][Setting: Tokyo-3 (Adult/University Pilots).][Host: Shinji Ikari.][Target: Asuka Langley Soryu.][Villain: "Pilot Delta" (Transmigrator).]
(Shinji? The boy who won't get in the robot? And Asuka? The girl who yells at him for breathing? This is the most toxic relationship in anime history. Let us fix it.)
[Initiating Transfer...]
..................….
World 31: The World of Evas (Evangelion Universe - Adult Setting)
Ethan arrived in a mind that was screaming. Not in fear, but in frustration.
Shinji Ikari sat in the entry plug of Evangelion Unit 01. He was 20 years old now, but he still slouched.
(Shinji. Stop slouching. Your synchronization rate drops when you slouch.)
Shinji sighed. "I want to go home. Asuka yelled at me again for leaving the toothpaste cap off."
(She yells because she cares. In her own twisted way. But we have a bigger problem. A new pilot, "Delta", is currently trying to sync with Unit 02—Asuka's Eva. He is telling NERV command that Asuka is 'obsolete' and mentally unstable.)
[Villain Identity: Pilot Delta (Transmigrator).][Villain Ability: "The Perfect Sync". Can forcibly synchronize with any Eva unit using a hacked interface.][Current Objective: To humiliate Asuka by piloting her unit better than she can, driving her to a breakdown so he can "comfort" her and take her place as the Ace.]
(He is in the cage right now. He is trying to board Unit 02. Asuka is screaming at him, but Gendo is letting it happen. Are you going to let him take her Eva? Her pride?)
Shinji gripped the controls. "Unit 02 is Asuka's mom... I mean, her soul. No one else can pilot it."
(Delta can. He has a cheat. Unless you intervene. Override the command codes. Walk Unit 01 over there. And physically stop him.)
"But Father ordered..."
(Forget your father! He is a terrible dad! Do you want Asuka to cry? Or do you want Asuka to look at you like a man for once? Get. In. The. Fight. Shinji.)
Shinji's eyes narrowed. "I... I won't let him take her place."
VRRRMM.
Unit 01's eyes lit up. The massive purple mecha broke its restraints.
"Shinji!" Misato yelled over the comms. "What are you doing? Launch sequence isn't ready!"
"I am going for a walk," Shinji said firmly.
Unit 01 stomped through the geo-front hangars.
In the adjacent cage, Pilot Delta—a smug guy in a custom white plugsuit—was standing on the gantry, about to enter Unit 02's entry plug. Asuka was being held back by security, screaming profanities in German.
"It is over, Asuka!" Delta gloated. "I am the superior pilot! Look at my stats!"
BOOM.
The wall of the hangar exploded inward.
Unit 01 stepped through the smoke. It towered over the gantry.
Shinji turned on the external speakers.
"Get away from her Eva," Shinji's voice boomed through the hangar, amplified to god-like volume.
Delta froze. "Ikari? Go back to your cage! This is an official test!"
"It is theft," Shinji stated.
Unit 01 reached out its massive hand. It didn't crush Delta. It simply extended a finger and flicked the gantry bridge Delta was standing on.
CLANG.
The bridge collapsed (safely onto a safety net below). Delta fell, screaming like a child.
"WAAAAH! MY SYNC RATIO!"
Unit 01 turned its head to look at Asuka. She had stopped screaming. She was staring up at the purple giant.
"Asuka," Shinji said over the speakers. "Are you getting in? We have Angels to kill."
Asuka blinked. Her face turned red. "Baka Shinji! Don't tell me what to do!"
.....
You can read the advanced chapters of all my novels at patre on for only 3$/ month at ultimate patre on tier
https://www.patre on.com/c/Vidhifate
...