The Villainess Is Too Difficult

For some reason, I feel good. My vision seems to be spinning and my body feels hot, but such trivial things don’t matter. What’s important is that I feel incredibly good right now!

“Oh my, Young Miss?!”

“Ah, Lily. Good work~”

“W-wait, Young Miss!”

When I greeted a maid I met in passing, for some reason she tried to grab me, so I quickly ran away. I suddenly think it was really good that I learned swordsmanship. In swordsmanship, not only the strength and skill to wield the sword are important, but footwork is equally crucial. If this were a martial arts novel, I would have learned it separately as footwork techniques…

“Hehe…”

For some reason, I keep feeling better and better. Earlier, when we were eating, I finished first, but Brother was just sitting there, so I looked around for something to cleanse my palate and noticed the fruit wine Brother had brought.

It might sound strange, but I was originally an adult. Of course, I’ve drunk alcohol before and know my tolerance well. From what I could tell, the alcohol content didn’t seem very high, and the scent was sweet, so I thought I could drink it like juice. Taking advantage of Brother’s distraction, I took a cool shot of one glass!

And this is how I’ve been since then. Am I drunk? No way. If I were drunk, I’d already be unconscious and sprawled out. But right now, I’m exactly the same as usual, except that I feel very good. So I’m not drunk.

“Hmm… This isn’t the time for this.”

What was I worrying about? Probably about that damn father who still won’t meet me. The unsolved problem that I was consulting with Brother about until just now.

But now I’m fine! Maybe it’s because of the alcohol, but my head is spinning incredibly fast! I’ve come up with a brilliant idea.

“Let’s go!”

“Young Miss, please wait a moment!”

“Young Miss!”

It seems like the number of people following me has increased, but I don’t care and start running at full speed through the mansion’s corridor.

Heinrich headed straight to his study as usual as soon as he returned home. In fact, the only spaces in this mansion where he freely moves around are his study and bedroom.

It’s ridiculous. To think that the great Duke Walpurgis can only go in and out of those two places in his own home. Moreover, if you say that the reason is none other than Ariel, it would be laughable. In fact, Reinhardt, who knows this fact, immediately showed an incredulous reaction.

At first, he couldn’t get close to her because of the thought that she was born at the cost of his wife’s life, and when time passed and his emotions settled, he couldn’t face her because he was ashamed of himself.

He thought it would get better as more time passed. Ariel wanted her father’s love, and Heinrich also wanted to give love to his daughter.

But… it wasn’t as easy as he thought. After creating distance for several years, he couldn’t easily approach his daughter even though she was his daughter.

It was awkward. To speak to a daughter he had never spoken to before.

It was disgusting. To himself, who was now thinking of speaking after turning his back for so long.

It was scary. Afraid that she might turn away or hate him if he tried to talk to her.

It was laughable. Just a father trying to talk to his daughter, yet there were so many reasons to hesitate. Heinrich laughed silently. While hating himself for making such excuses, he felt only sorry towards Ariel.

“Sigh… She said she’s going to the Academy soon.”

To be honest, Heinrich felt relieved when Ariel said she was going to the Academy. Everyone at the Academy lives in dormitories. Of course, she could come home during vacations or holidays, but looking at the current situation, it seemed unlikely that she would return.

“Kuk kuk…”

What’s this about being the Empire’s greatest magician? What’s this about being a war hero? The one here is just a pathetic man who couldn’t properly care for his own child.

Heinrich sat in his chair with a sigh. There’s not much work left to do, but work is something you can always create if you want to.

‘Well, this time…’

Thump thump thump thump!

“Hm?”

Heinrich’s eyes narrowed at the ominous energy felt from the corridor. Someone is running. And at full speed, without caring about others.

‘Who could it be?’

They’re quite fast. But judging from the sound not being too loud, it’s not someone with a large build. They’re not using magic to walk or anything, just purely running.

Did a new maid make a mistake?

That can’t be. Only experienced staff with long careers in this mansion come near Heinrich’s bedroom and study. There’s no way a newcomer would come here. Then what is this sound?

Bang bang bang!

This time it’s not from the corridor. It’s the door of the study. Whether they think they’re knocking or have some other intention is unclear, but at least from the listener’s perspective, it’s a violent gesture that brings to mind the word ‘intrusion’.

“Who is it?”

Of course, when you ask who it is, you rarely get an answer. Most people would rather act than speak. Especially someone who clearly has impure intentions like this.

But Heinrich was quite relaxed. The protective magic installed in the study from generations ago is considerable, and if Heinrich sets his mind to it, he can defend it like a fortress. Subduing? It’s not even worth discussing. That’s why he calmly asked the question, but… no answer came.

“Don’t you intend to answer?”

It’s a strangely peculiar presence. While openly showing impure intentions, there’s also a strange feeling that I should just let them in.

‘And somehow it’s quiet around too.’

Of course, it’s not completely quiet. There was commotion felt from far down the corridor, and the intruder kept knocking on the door as if not caring about it. But that commotion felt much lighter than Heinrich had expected.

[Muriel! Hurry!]

[I can’t do it alone! Help me!]

Something felt off. If it were a real intruder trying to harm the Duke, it wouldn’t end like this. The current atmosphere is as if it’s just a minor happening, something that could be overlooked.

“Ugh… Won’t you open the door?!”

And finally, when the intruder’s voice was heard, Heinrich’s thoughts froze. Why? Why is that voice heard here? I thought I would never hear it again. My fault that was buried under continued neglect.

“Open the door!”

Bang bang bang bang!

The door is knocked on once again. But unlike before, Heinrich couldn’t think of defense at all.

“I’m going to break it…”

He could feel magic gathering outside the door. Considering her age, it’s not just excellent control, but extraordinary. To be at that level without a proper teacher… it’s honestly surprising.

But that was only for a moment, Heinrich was conflicted. The magic being prepared beyond the door now, although not enough to blow away the study’s protection, might cause serious damage to the surroundings. Unless she anticipated and controlled even that, judging from her voice alone, she’s not in her right mind. She might just unleash it recklessly.

“Kuk…”

Heinrich quickly moved his magic. He doesn’t do simple things like blocking. What he’s trying to do now is to nullify the magic itself. It’s like an art of twisting the magic power that’s forming the spell and unraveling it.

Of course, this is not something that can be done normally, and it’s a technique close to mockery that can only be done when there’s a significant difference in level between magicians in a magical battle.

Normally, Heinrich wouldn’t prefer such techniques either, but in a situation like this, it was the only way to end things without damage.

“Huh? Huh?”

A bewildered voice is heard from outside the door. Of course, it’s natural since the magic she was preparing has completely disappeared. If only she would turn back now… Heinrich sincerely thought so. However…

“Dad.”

“Ugh!”

A word he thought he’d never hear in his life. That single word broke through Heinrich’s defense. Not ‘Master’ or ‘Duke’, but this title. It was a word he had never heard except in early childhood.

“If you’re in front of the door, move.”

“What?”

Somehow, an ominous energy was felt. Of course, if Heinrich set his mind to it, he was confident he wouldn’t get even a fingertip hurt, but right now, he was just a sinner who couldn’t say anything. He didn’t even dare to properly block it. All that was left was to trust the defense in the study…

‘Wait.’

At that moment, Heinrich recalled the only weakness of the defensive magic engraved in this room. Once activated, it guarantees tremendous protection, but there was an exception. That is… it doesn’t work on the bloodline of Walpurgis.

Crash!

As the ruined study door flew off, the sight that could only be seen from afar was etched into his eyes.

“Finally, we meet…”

“Ariel…”

His daughter, who looked exactly like his deceased wife, stood there panting.