I Became the Villain’s Lost Daughter Chapter 100

“…”

 

“…”

 

There was an eerie silence in my father’s spacious office.

 

How could it be so quiet when there were four people in the room?

 

It was a deliberate silence that flowed between the three men, not including me.

 

Otherwise, the awkward atmosphere was inexplicable. I glanced at my father and Aaron, who sat across from me, and then at Thane, who had pulled up a seat next to me.

 

“Ahem…”

 

I deliberately coughed, but three pairs of eyes locked on me, and none of them spoke.

 

‘…Maybe I like this awkward atmosphere.’ 

 

Thane’s ears and tail were now hidden, the characteristic features of a beast.

 

But I could have sworn that if his ears and tail were exposed, they would have been drooping.

 

“Why don’t you please look at Thane kindly, because he’s scared of you, Father, Brother, please?”

 

Taking hold of Thane’s hand, which seemed to be shaking for some reason, I smiled awkwardly and opened my mouth to speak.

 

The look in my father’s and Aaron’s eyes right now was downright unkind.

 

Their red gazes were even a little scary, which was saying something.

 

“…Scared?”

 

Aaron’s expression turned nervous at my words.

 

The tone of his voice suggested that he had heard something he shouldn’t have.

 

I glanced at my father’s face, and it was similar.

 

‘My Thane is so sweet and gentle, not at all like a wolf. Sometimes he has a hard time coming back from missions…’

 

A lump of worry rose in my throat.

 

What I hadn’t realized was that the image of Thane grunting and sulking after a mission was actually a bit of an instinctive performance.

 

“He’s so gentle. …and the way Father and Brother look at him would scare anyone.”

 

It was true that Thane was gentle, and it was true that their gaze was fierce.

 

“Miss Erita, I’m fine…”

 

Thane’s grip on my hand tightened a little more, and he whispered something in my ear.

 

It was quiet enough in the house that they both heard it.

 

For some reason, I felt my father’s piercing gaze lower a little.

 

“…I see. So, according to you, that wolf is the next heir to the beastmen?”

 

My father asked in a low voice as he stared at my hand clasped by Thane for a moment.

 

It was a fact that I had told him yesterday, but his expression was odd as he asked again.

 

“Yes, Father. Actually, I thought it would be a bit odd for Thane to come in as my escort, but he said it was fine…”

 

Assuming that my father’s expression was based on the unsuitability of having the next heir to the beast clan as an escort, I blurted out with a wry smile.

 

I, too, thought the Thane was far beyond suitable to be my escort.

 

“No, it’s not like that.”

 

“…”

 

“If you’re the next heir to the beasts, you’re perfectly fine as an escort.”

 

The words were not out of place from my father, the strongest man on the continent of the Empire and the owner of the Krovachatz.

 

“Then why…”

 

My father chuckled languidly as a question mark formed on my face.

 

“But I don’t know if you’re up to the task, so I’ll have to find out.”

 

“…Find out, Father? 

 

“To find out, we’ll have to have a duel.”

 

Bleep, bleep, bleep—

 

A loud siren sounded in my head.

 

‘…I have to stop him.’ 

 

I spat out urgently, “No, Thane is a full-blooded wolf, and I can vouch for his skills…”

 

“No matter how good he is, it’s his heart I’m worried about. I hope you understand, my dear, and I don’t think the wolf would say no.”

 

Finishing his sentence in a more casual, yet somehow vicious manner than usual, he stood up.

 

Even as I wondered if he would go to such lengths, I could see the light in Thane’s eyes as they turned to night.

 

But I was too late to speak.

 

“I’ll let you be the judge, then.”

 

Aaron, who opened his lips half a beat faster than I did, followed suit and jumped to his feet.

 

‘Even my brother!’ 

 

For a moment, I stood dumbfounded, feeling betrayed, then quickly turned to look at Thane.

Worrying about my gentle wolf.

 

‘What if Thane is scared…’

 

But maybe I shouldn’t have worried in the first place.

 

When I looked back at Thane, he didn’t look particularly frightened.

 

“Miss Erita, I’ll duel them.”

 

Thane smiled shyly with his usual gentle face and told me he was going to beat the daylights to death.

 

“Um, Thane, are you sure you’re okay with that?”

 

To be honest, I wouldn’t describe my father’s personality as kind or gentle, to say the least.

 

And his training was more intense than I expected.

 

Suffice it to say, on the rare occasions that he would watch the knights train, the next day I would see all of them with glazed-over eyes and headaches.

 

That was the result of my father alone.

 

But Thane didn’t seem to mind and nodded.

 

“…If I can prove myself in a duel, then I can become Miss Erita’s escort, and that’s fine with me.”

 

“Thane…”

 

To think that such a nice and gentle Thane should be sent to my father’s clutches.

 

Now that he’d accepted, I couldn’t tell him not to.

 

“Don’t worry. …And if I get hurt, Miss Erita will take care of me.”

 

Thane smiled sheepishly and said the last word in a small whisper.

 

To my ears, it sounded like he was prepared to get hurt.

 

“Huh.”

 

Behind me, I thought I heard an audible gasp of disbelief, but I decided to dismiss it as a mistake.

 

💫

 

With the sun shining, it’s the perfect weather for a walk.

 

The reason we gathered at the training ground was not for a peaceful, leisurely walk.

 

There were four of us on the training grounds: me, my father, Aaron, and Thane.

 

“…The Grand Duke himself is going to duel?”

 

“He is the escort the lady has brought with her.”

 

“Hmm, he’ll be immobilized for a while, though he’s a young fellow and should heal quickly. 

 

“Still, I’m jealous that the lord himself is willing to give him a challenge.”

 

A chattering voice came from the distance.

 

The four of us were the only ones on the training ground, but more people were watching from afar.

 

I despaired as my magical eavesdropping brought me back to reality.

 

Was it my overwhelming worry that made it so hard to move for a while?

 

Trying to console myself, I thought to myself that my father would never usurp Thane, the next heir of the beasts, but he was too great to do that.

 

Even my brother, a Swordmaster, would be beaten by him.

 

“…Are there any conditions?”

 

Just as my insides were burning with worry, Thane, who stood facing my father, spoke first.

 

He asked what it would take to pass this duel.

 

Despite repeatedly telling him that there was no need for this, that he wasn’t good enough to be an escort, the three men wouldn’t listen.

 

Even Thane now had the slightest hint of determination on his face.

 

“Did you say your name was Thane?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Thane answered Father’s question, a little nervously.

 

“They say that wolves are the strongest of the beasts, so if you can put a single scratch on me, I’ll take you as Erita’s escort.”

 

Father’s conditions were simple enough.

 

However, one must not forget that simple does not mean easy.

 

“…A single scratch?”

 

Thane asked, his ashen eyes flashing.

 

At his response, Father smirked and nodded, intrigued.

 

“One wound, like a little scratch.”

 

It was the condition my father had set for his duel with Aaron.

 

To inflict a single wound on Father, Aaron would have to be in a state of exhaustion.

 

And my brother, who had inherited Father’s talent, was stronger than Thane.

 

‘…No, what if the same conditions I put on my brother are the same conditions you put on Thane?’

 

Even if I knew that Thane was a pure-blooded wolf and had great skills, father was my father.

 

There were many words to describe him, but none of them needed to include force.

 

The undisputed might of the Empire.

 

An empire that had swallowed up half a continent, which meant he was simply the strongest in the world.

 

“…Father, you have to be gentle.”

 

In the end, I appealed to my father with anxious eyes.

 

The unspoken implication was that if Thane got hurt, I’d be furious.

 

“…Okay. Then I won’t move more than two feet from this spot. If you move more than two feet from where you’re standing, I’ll count it as a defeat.”

 

Fortunately, my father took my concerns into account and was willing to accept the handicap.

 

Two feet was a pretty big limit.

 

That was a good thing.

 

“I see, the conditions for defeat are when one side calls for surrender or becomes incapacitated. The Grand Duke has the added condition that he must not move more than two feet from his current position.”

 

Aaron’s calm voice recited the rules.

 

“I see.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Both Father and Thane agreed, their faces distinctly different.

 

“Then we’ll begin.”

 

At the sound of Aaron’s voice, Thane quickly stomped the ground.