The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1119

The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1119

Chapter 1119
“Damn this world...” Davey slumped over as Perserque gently comforted him.
“Don’t be too heartbroken. It’s all just a rebellious phase. I’ll do my best to soothe Eva...” she said, barely keeping up her smile.
“Leave me alone!
Gosh
!!”
Thud!!
After Evangeline slammed her door shut, Perserque slumped down right beside Davey. “
Ahh.
What’s the point? It’s all so futile.”
Seeing both of them sprawled out, late arrivals Aeria and Illyna sighed.
“Can someone really change that much overnight? No matter how I look at it, something feels off.”
“Right? No matter how much I think about it...”
Evangeline had always been on a trajectory for growth spurts. Once in her second growth spurt, she was going through a severe rebellious phase.
At first, Davey thought something had gone wrong again, but the explanation he’d heard later forced him to understand.
As a member of the ancient dragon race, known for their overwhelming self-righteousness and disdainful views, Evangeline had been far too kind as a child. That was the anomalous part, not the way she was acting after the ceremony.
Fortunately, ancient dragons’ rebellious phases were said to be intense but short. Their self-awareness developed quickly and their growth was rapid, so many saw their rebellious phase as a brief and embarrassing chapter in their lives.
“It’s normal for her to act this way right now. It’s different from when her individuality was twisted due to the rules.”
Despite being in a rebellious phase, there was no hatred behind it. Embarrassment, sure—but no loathing.
‘Or... was there?’
His confidence wavered for a second, but he had no choice but to acknowledge that the troublesome side of Evangeline was simply part of her growth.
Illyna cautiously asked, “By the way... what are you supposed to do when kids hit their rebellious phase?”
“How should I know?” Perserque shot back.
“You don’t either, Sister?”
Perserque just slumped in silence instead of answering.
Aeria spoke up, “That’s why we need a plan.”
It might’ve sounded careless, but the truth was that they didn’t have any available solution.
“Anyway, if Evangeline’s okay now, then what about the others?” Illyna asked cautiously.
Davey quietly glanced at Aeria. He hadn’t told her about Grand Duchess Kathryn yet, but he couldn’t keep it hidden forever.
“They’ll be okay, and most of them probably already are. Unfortunately, however, the Daughter of Heaven of the Great Empire of Ming, who was killed, won’t be coming back.”
The assassination of the Daughter of Heaven had sparked war between the Ming and the Contas Empires. It hadn’t reached full-scale yet, more like guerrilla skirmishes and probing missions, but stopping it after even that much seemed nearly impossible. One side would inevitably have to fall or surrender.
“As for Grand Duchess Kathryn, only parts of her memory were lost. She’ll be fine.”
Aeria cried out in shock, “W–What?! Something happened to the Grand Duchess Kathryn?!”
“Sorry for not telling you earlier. I didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily.”
Tears fell from her eyes. Not out of sorrow, but regret. “
Ahhh.
Grand Duchess...”
“She’s okay now. Really.”
After resolving the issue with Evangeline, Davey received a direct message from Emperor Deorte of the Lyndis Empire. It appeared Kathryn had awakened. From what they could tell, she seemed to be back to normal aside from her memories. They’d asked for more details.
Of course, from their perspective, it was understandable. They’d believed her to be dead, so for her to suddenly return to her old self was shocking.
In the end, they’d reached out to Davey not just for information, but to make sure Kathryn wasn’t faking her, in a way, resurrection.
Davey had informed them that she was fine now, and Emperor Deorte, unlike his usual self, had shown a sign of relief.
“What’s happening on the western continent is unfortunate, but I have no grounds to intervene. The Pallan Empire will be stepping in to mediate instead.”
All in all, Belga’s detection had turned out to be pretty much pointless. It was still a bit of a mystery why he hadn’t noticed Evangeline’s change before either.
When Davey asked him about it, Belga explained that he’d been weakened after being separated from Tsuna for too long. While he hadn’t really done anything in the end, perhaps that was for the best.
Davey sent him back to Tsuna and passed along the news about Kathryn, easing her worries. He then returned to Heins Territory, only to find himself once again having a headache over his daughter’s situation.
Evangeline was an ancient dragon, and their rebellious phases were said to be rough. Davey still didn’t really know just how bad it could get.
Come to think of it, he had never given much thought to how his rebellious phase had been in his past life.
He thought hard about it. The truth was, he didn’t remember much about his parents, and he’d spent most of his life in a hospital bed—he didn’t have any real reference points to judge by.
Back in the Hall, there hadn’t even been the slightest opportunity or room for rebellion.
He knew that if he’d acted out back then, those temperamental heroes would’ve instantly beaten the living hell out of him. At that young age, all he had was the will to survive, so he’d skipped the phase entirely.
Sure, after a few hundred years, there were some rather embarrassing moments, like when he’d become the king, but that was a whole different story.
Davey turned to Aeria. “What about you?”
“Me?
Ah.
I,
uhhh.
”
He wondered if she even had a rebellious phase to begin with.
When Davey had first met her, she was about the age when that kind of thing usually started. Even so, she had shown absolutely no sign of it.
Illyna cut in, “Well, everyone’s different.”
“Then what about you?” Davey asked, turning to her in response.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she shook her head. “I-I mean...
Ummm.
I’m not really sure. Back then, I used to lose it just hearing anything about vampires.”
So, Illyna hadn’t had much of a phase either. That left Perserque.
She visibly flinched when Davey turned to her.
“You have some stories to share, don’t you?”
“T-That’s...” She looked away with an awkward smile.
Illyna and Aeria both turned their eyes toward her as well, clearly interested. It made sense they were intrigued—they were genuinely curious about what kind of ridiculous things someone as sly and composed as Perserque could have gotten up to in her teenage years.
“Well, when I was a child...” She gave a faint, nostalgic smile. “They’re not exactly pleasant memories. I remember getting so angry one time because my father washed my clothes with his.”
To be honest, it was hard to imagine being like that.
“I thought I was the most special person in the world...”
‘Classic main character syndrome.’
“I believed the world was completely wrong, and I was the only one who was right.”
‘Classic symptoms again.’
“I used to tell my father that he was my favorite person in the whole world. Before I knew it, I started cringing away when he tried to hug me, kept telling him he smelled weird, and wouldn’t go near him. I stopped asking questions when I was curious, and I’d complain about every little thing.”
As she recalled those memories, Davey imagined them all one by one. “
Pfft!
”
“You think that’s funny? You dare laugh?! You’re so dead!” Face turning red, Perserque started kicking at Davey.
“Sorry, sorry. I just... honestly, I can’t picture it.”
Her face flushed even redder at his reply.
“So then Evangeline’s going through something similar, isn’t she? What we do now is the real issue at hand. I’ve heard you’re supposed to be extra sensitive and gentle with kids that age.”
“Well, she’s an ancient dragon, so the perspective is a bit different.”
Even if she’d been raised among humans, blood and instincts didn’t just disappear.
The problem was that she had always been so gentle, kind, and pure that her rebellious phase was only amplified by the contrast.
“Let’s just try facing it head-on for now.” With that, Davey stood up with conviction. He walked over to the door Evangeline had slammed shut and knocked.
“Evangeline, it’s Daddy. Can I come in?”
No reply.
In the past, she would’ve rushed to open the door and leapt into his arms. Alas, there was not even a peep.
A hint of anxiety passed through Davey, and he instinctively threw the door open.
His expression immediately twisted. “What the—? Where’d she go?”
Perserque, who had followed behind quietly, narrowed her eyes. “The Goddess did say ancient dragons have some pretty intense rebellious phases, right?”
“She... did, yeah.”
“But you see, Davey, a rebellious phase doesn’t mean a person changes in a radical 180. It varies depending on their base tendencies.”
Even if Evangeline had changed somewhat, she was still Evangeline. Compared to someone who had always been rough or extreme, she would be much more tame.
Even so, she had instantly vanished.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt more thankful that Evangeline turned out to be such a kind kid.”
Her room was utterly silent, but then Evangeline stormed into the room, fuming. “What the hell
Dad, what are you doing in my room?!”
Davey turned his head to her. “
Uh... uhh?
”
“Get out! I said get out! I hate you, Dad!!”
Staggered by her sniffling, he froze in place like he’d turned to stone.
“Why do you keep coming into my room without asking?! I seriously hate it!”
“E-Eva...”
She interrupted him, fuming, “Don’t call me Eva anymore! How long are you gonna keep treating me like a kid?!”
“
Ah.
” Davey didn’t know what to do.
“Get out already! I want to be alone!”
All honorifics and respect were gone as her anger blazed like fire.
‘So, this is what the rebellious phase is like.’
Stunned into silence, Davey couldn’t find anything to say. He scurried as Perserque pushed him out of the room.
The door slammed shut behind them, and Davey just stood there, staring blankly.
* * *
In the commercial district of Heins Territory, Davey sat alone in a quiet pub, downing liquor like water.
“Damn this world!”
He slammed back mouthfuls of alcohol, letting the liquor pass through like a dam gate had burst open. It wasn’t just any liquor, either—it was Nirvana Brew, a specialty of Dokgo Jun, the Hall’s greatest drunkard.
“Damn this world! Nothing matters.”
“Davey, calm down,” Perserque said softly.
“Calm down? Do I look like I can calm down?! Evangeline glared at me like I was scum! You saw it, right?! She said she hated me. I-I mean...
Ugh!
”
Davey, still shouting, brought the bottle to his lips again and took another heavy swig.
Perserque sighed. “We expected this, didn’t we? We just don’t know how long it’ll last...”
Even among humans, the age and duration that puberty hit varied from person to person. Some grew out of it quickly, while for others, it lingered for years.
“Blame Goddess Freyja. Why in the world would she design something like this?”
The man serving tried to caution him, “Your Highness, you’re drinking a bit much...”
“
Huh?
I’m not drunk! Just stop worrying about it and bring out more food. More of this, too!” He slammed a handful of gold coins onto the table, slurring slightly with a flushed face.
The pub owner, eyes wide, perked up immediately and pocketed one of the coins. “I can’t possibly overcharge His Highness. One gold is more than enough.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just bring it already!”
The pub owner, Karon, may have been a commoner, but he was one of the few who had been around since the Heins Territory’s earliest days. Thanks to that, he and Davey were on relatively familiar terms.
“Hey, Karon.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“They say raising daughters is pointless...”
“
Haha.
It’s the same for everyone. My son and daughter both started pulling away from me one day, out of nowhere.”
“And? What’d you do?”
“
Hm...
” Karon paused for a moment, then smiled warmly. “I just let them be. Still, when they did something wrong, I made sure to scold them properly. Even if they need delicate care during that time, if you don’t correct their mistakes, the kids will just veer off course.”
He let out a chuckle. “Well, everyone’s rebellious phase is different. Some kids go through it after their coming-of-age at sixteen, and some never go through it at all.”
“Is that so...” Davey muttered drunkenly.
To think he had to indefinitely endure Evangeline shouting that she hated him over and over felt like a living hell to him.
Karon reassured him, “Still, I think she’ll be fine before long. From what you’ve been saying, her rebellious phase isn’t that bad.”
‘But I heard ancient dragons are notoriously bad during this phase?’
Davey disagreed with the man. “I heard Evangeline’s rebellion might be pretty intense.”
“Well, I wouldn’t know much about how nobles think, but... she was exceptionally kind to begin with, wasn’t she? Even if she’s changed, just how bad can it really be? Just take it slow; give her space; support her interests; and wait, then things will smooth out.”
Davey gave a faint chuckle at that. “Thanks, Karon. That helps.”
“
Hahaha.
Never thought Your Highness would have a rebellious daughter at your age.”
“Yeah...”
Even though Evangeline wasn’t technically human, no one there found it strange.
After all, it was the same land where Rinne, their most beloved celebrity, was technically a bio-golem. Even Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon were, well... swords. There really wasn’t more to say.
Just then, the pub door opened with a slow groan as someone stepped inside.
Of course, since the pub wasn’t reserved entirely for Davey, it wasn’t strange for someone else to enter. However, the person who came in looked far too young to be stepping into a place like that.
“Master. One bottle of wine.”
A deep yet somewhat unnatural voice rang out, and the pub owner, Karon, immediately frowned with unease.
“Miss, have you even had your coming-of-age ceremony yet? I don’t sell alcohol to children.”
Sure, plenty of places did, but Davey had officially banned excessive underage drinking. Not everyone liked it, but just as many had welcomed the decision with open arms.
“I-I’ve already had my coming-of-age, so it’s fine. Now hurry.” The girl, clearly forcing her voice into a deeper, more mature tone, was putting on an act—and not a very convincing one, at that.
Karon shook his head with a wry smile.“Miss, do you even have any money?”
The robed girl stuck a hand into her inner pocket.
A moment passed. She then began fidgeting more desperately, clearly flustered.
“
H-Huh?
”
Karon sighed at her panicked behavior. It would appear she couldn’t afford it.
“Karon.” Watching from across the room, Davey called out to the pub owner and handed him another gold coin. “Bring her a glass of milk.”
“Your Highness?”
“Kids with a story behind them always look like that. Don’t ask, just bring it.”
Grumbling under his breath, Karon poured a glass of milk and drizzled some honey into it before setting it down in front of the girl.
“The guest over there sent this for you.”
As a thoughtful gesture, he didn’t say His Highness and freak her out.
The small girl, hood pulled down low, turned toward Davey, only to freeze.
“Miss?”
She stood there, stunned for a moment, then suddenly leapt from her seat and rushed toward Davey in a panic.
“
Uh—?
”
Startled by her sudden outburst, Karon opened his mouth to say something. Yet before he could say anything, her hood fell back with a flick. Long, black hair fluttered down around her shoulders.
“Davey!! Davey, it’s really you!!” Her face was streaked with tears. She looked gaunt and utterly exhausted, like she hadn’t eaten properly in days. She ran to him, throwing herself into his arms.
Davey, momentarily stunned, could only mutter her name. “The Daughter of Heaven?”
It was none other than the Daughter of Heaven from the Great Empire of Ming.

Chapter 1119