Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger

A delicate silver crown.

Several pale-blue crystals were embedded along its surface, releasing faint Frost energy into the surroundings.

The temperature around them immediately dropped as a thin layer of frost began spreading across the nearby wall.

Evelyne stared at the crown.

Cain raised an eyebrow.

Neither of them needed to inspect its information to realize that something was unusual, since it obviously had nothing to do with Life or Healing Mana.

A notification appeared before Evelyne.

[You have obtained the Crown of the Frozen Saint.]

[Crown of the Frozen Saint]

[Grade: Mythical]

[Attribute: Ice Element]

[Current State: First-Echelon Release]

[Most of the crown’s true power remains sealed. Further power will be released as the wielder advances through the Echelons.]

[Current Stat Increase: Strength + 30 / Agility +40 / Sense +50 / Mana +100 / Magic +120]

[Effects: Frozen Saint’s Mind, Winter’s Authority]

[Skills: Absolute Winter, Saint’s Frost Halo]

— — —

[Frozen Saint’s Mind]

[Greatly improves concentration and Ice Mana control while increasing resistance against mental interference. Complex Ice abilities can be maintained with significantly greater precision and reduced unnecessary Mana loss.]

[Winter’s Authority]

[Greatly strengthens the power, density, stability, and control of Ice and Cold energy. Ice created by the wielder becomes considerably more difficult to melt, disperse, or overpower.]

[Absolute Winter]

[Releases the crown’s stored Frost energy and transforms the surrounding area into an extreme cold environment. Enemies within range suffer reduced movement and slower Mana circulation, while the wielder’s Ice abilities become significantly stronger.]

[Saint’s Frost Halo]

[Creates a halo of condensed Frost Mana behind the wielder. The halo continuously refines surrounding Mana into highly pure Ice Mana and strengthens Ice-based abilities. Accumulated Frost energy may be released to restore a portion of the wielder’s Mana.]

[Additional abilities remain sealed.]

Evelyne stared at the information for several seconds.

The excitement she had felt after awakening the Sacred Life Body slowly faded away, turning into disbelief.

Her gaze dropped toward the delicate silver crown resting between her hands.

Then she looked at its Attribute again.

[Attribute: Ice Element]

Her mouth twitched.

”You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Cain barely managed to suppress his laughter.

”What?”

Evelyne raised the crown slightly.

”What do you mean, what? Look at this!”

”I’m looking at it.”

”It’s an Ice element!”

”I noticed that too even if I don’t know the details.” Cain nodded seriously.

Evelyne gave him an irritated look before returning her attention to the item.

It was Mythical-rank.

Even in its sealed state, the Stat bonuses were far beyond anything she had personally owned. Its abilities were even more ridiculous.

Unfortunately, almost everything revolved around Ice.

Frozen Saint’s Mind improved Ice Mana control.

Winter’s Authority strengthened Ice and Cold energy.

The remaining abilities followed the same direction.

She could still equip it purely for the Stats, but doing so would waste most of what made the crown so valuable.

Evelyne did not need long to think of someone who could use every single ability.

Her expression became complicated.

”...This is basically made for Elara.”

Cain’s eyes immediately lit up.

”Give it here for a second.”

Evelyne looked at him suspiciously.

”You got excited really quickly.”

”I’m just curious about the item.” Cain rolled his eyes.

”Hmph.”

Despite her tone, she handed the crown over.

The moment Cain touched it, the complete information appeared before him.

He carefully read through everything again.

The longer he looked, the more interested he became.

A Mythical-rank item.

One full grade above Nathan’s Legendary bow.

Even though most of its true power remained sealed, the current Stat increase alone was absurd for a 1st Echelon Awakener. The abilities made it even better.

More importantly, almost everything about the crown suited Elara.

Her Glacial Sword Body already gave her exceptional compatibility with Ice Mana and swordsmanship. Frozen Saint’s Mind would make her control even more precise, while Winter’s Authority could directly increase the quality of the Ice she produced.

Then there was Absolute Winter.

If Elara could turn the surrounding battlefield into an extreme cold environment, her combat ability would become far more troublesome.

Cain smiled faintly.

”No wonder you’re annoyed.”

Evelyne’s eyebrow twitched.

”What’s that supposed to mean?”

”This thing really does look like it was made for Elara.”

”I already know that.”

Cain glanced at her slightly puffed cheek and became amused.

He tossed the crown back.

Evelyne caught it against her chest.

”Do whatever you want with it.”

She blinked in surprise.

”What?”

”It came from your Orb.”

Cain leaned against the nearby wall.

”You can keep it for the Stats, give it to someone else, or throw it somewhere. I don’t care.”

Evelyne stared at him for a moment.

”You really don’t?”

”Why would I?”

”It’s a Mythical-rank item.”

”And it’s yours, since I already gave the Orb to you anyway.”

Cain shrugged as he continued, ”Whatever came out of it belongs to you. So, you can do whatever you want with it.”

The irritation on Evelyne’s face faded slightly.

She lowered her gaze toward the silver crown.

Cain had clearly noticed how perfectly it suited Elara, yet he had not asked her to hand it over.

For some reason, that made the decision harder rather than easier.

Evelyne stayed silent for several seconds before finally sighing.

”You give it to her.”

Cain raised an eyebrow.

”Why me?”

”Because she’s your girl.”

The words left Evelyne’s mouth before she properly thought about them.

Her expression immediately stiffened.

Cain slowly smiled.

”My girl?”

”That’s not the point.”

”Oh?”

”Don’t start it.”

Cain looked at her face.

”You sound like someone who’s jealous.”

”I’m not!”

”That answer came out pretty quickly.”

”Because I’m not!”

Evelyne hugged the crown closer and frowned at him.

”I’m annoyed because my Mythical-rank item is something I can barely use. That’s all.”

Cain chuckled softly.

”Fine. I believe you.”

The way he said it made it obvious that he did not.

Evelyne glared at him, but after a moment, she simply released a breath.

”Whatever.”

She examined the crown one last time.

As much as she disliked the situation, keeping such an item solely for its Stat bonuses would be wasteful when Elara could make use of everything it offered.

Besides, Elara becoming stronger meant their entire group would become safer.

That was the sensible decision.

Evelyne nodded to herself.

”I’ll give it to her later.”

”Good choice.” Cain smiled faintly.

”Don’t look so pleased.”

”I didn’t say anything.”

”Your face did.”

Cain laughed lightly.

Evelyne ignored him and carefully stored the crown.

She would be lying if she claimed she felt absolutely nothing about handing such a valuable item to Elara, especially after the way Cain’s eyes had brightened while reading its information.

However, another thought bothered her even more.

If she kept something she could barely use simply because it suited Elara, what would Cain think?

Would he believe she was petty enough to weaken the group because of something this childish?

Evelyne pressed her lips together.

’I’m giving it to her because it’s the best decision.’

That was all... Definitely not because of anything else.

Cain suddenly spoke.

”Go call Elara for me.”

Evelyne looked up.

”Elara?”

”Yeah. Tell her to come here.”

Her eyes briefly narrowed.

”You really are going through us one at a time.”

Cain smiled.

”Something like that, yeah...”

Evelyne considered asking what he intended to give Elara, but the satisfaction from Sacred Life Body quickly overwhelmed whatever irritation remained.

”Fine.”