My Adorable Daughter Can't Be A Villainess

Was it a wise choice to explode the boulder? No, it wasn’t. But for Eric, it had been the only option.

There was a high chance Gerald wouldn’t be able to carve a path through, so everything depended on Eric. Given his current condition, causing that massive explosion was the only way forward.

Because of that decision, Gerald was now busy keeping the entrance open, likely enduring intense pain as debris continued to rain down the mountain.

Eric pulled out a fire lamp from his pouch, no larger than his palm. He scraped it against the stone, and the tip ignited.

The lamp didn’t burn. It simply illuminated the area.

It was made using a blend of special minerals, allowing the entire stick to act as a steady light source.

The cave was wide enough to fit a small minotaur.

His footsteps echoed faintly.

Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the soft drip of water hitting stone.

The air inside was cold, and with no sign of wind, there was a good chance the cave had no other exit.

‘I need to hurry.’

He didn’t know how long Gerald could hold out.

Eric picked up his pace, keeping Detection active as he moved forward.

Several mana signatures appeared around him, but none were hostile. Bats, crawlers, spiders. Nothing dangerous.

‘If I’m right… ah.’

He stopped quietly as it came into view.

Floating in midair was the treasure he had come for.

A lantern, surrounded by a gentle green glow. Its metal handle was raised as if held by an invisible hand, with intricate patterns etched into the glass.

Before he could approach it, however, there was another problem.

A small beast slept in the corner.

The relic’s guardian.

Eric didn’t remember its name, but he knew exactly how it fought and how to deal with it.

First, he placed the light stick where it would illuminate the cavern properly, making sure he wouldn’t stumble.

Next, he fully withdrew his detection range, pulling his mana inward and suppressing it as tightly as he could.

Thankfully, he had practiced mana control since the day he was reborn into this world, allowing him to keep his presence almost invisible.

The protagonist had made a mistake the moment he arrived here. Eric had no intention of repeating it.

Silently, he moved toward the lantern, his eyes occasionally flicking to the snow-white wolf sleeping beside a small rock outcrop.

When he reached the space beneath the relic, he hesitated.

‘He grabbed it directly.’

In the original story, the main character had been shorter than Eric. He had touched the lantern immediately, triggering its defense and alerting the guardian.

Eric took a deep breath and reached for the handle, hoping it would work.

Then—

Grr.

The moment his fingers brushed the metal, a low growl echoed through the cave.

Eric slowly turned.

Just as expected, the white wolf was staring straight at him, body tense, fangs exposed.

Calmly, Eric drew the dagger from his holster and took a battle stance. Unless he defeated this creature, he wouldn’t be leaving with the relic.

The real issue was mana restriction.

This beast grew stronger by absorbing the magical energy of its opponent.

Eric refused to make that mistake.

“Woof!”

The wolf lunged, its claws slashing toward Eric’s chest.

Eric stepped left, barely dodging the strike, and countered with a stab.

But the beast landed far faster than expected, aided by some form of self-acceleration. His dagger cut through empty air.

The wolf howled and turned to face him again.

Eric didn’t hesitate and reset his stance.

For a brief second, they stared at each other.

Then the wolf burst forward, faster than before.

Eric retreated a few steps, raising his right arm, ready to strike even if he had to take a bite.

But the beast activated its acceleration again and abruptly changed direction.

A silver blur rushed in from Eric’s left. When he tried to shift right, his shoulder slammed into a rocky outcrop he hadn’t noticed.

He couldn’t stop it.

DHAK.

“Guh.”

The wolf crashed into him, the impact violent enough to shake the wall and rattle his bones.

The beast jumped back, its aura thick with bloodlust.

Eric coughed as he forced himself upright, the dagger hanging loosely in his grip.

The wolf took a few steps back, then charged again.

Eric clicked his tongue, tracking its movement.

‘Left… right… front… tch!’

Just before reaching him, the wolf lunged.

Instinct took over.

Eric swung his dagger downward, aiming for its head.

But mid-lunge, the beast accelerated again.

DHAK.

It slammed straight into his torso.

Eric’s eyes widened as he staggered back.

“Gaah!”

Blood spilled from his mouth, his vision spinning.

The monster had accelerated to the point where its weight felt multiplied, and the impact cracked several of Eric’s ribs.

The wolf scraped its claws against the ground, eager to finish him. It was clear it wouldn’t stop until the intruder was dead.

With a sharp huff, it charged again, its form blurring.

This time, Eric didn’t try to follow its movements.

Instead, he twisted sharply and hurled his dagger straight toward the lantern.

SCREECH.

The wolf skidded to a halt and instantly accelerated after the flying blade, its instincts as a guardian screaming in response.

Eric smirked and lunged forward.

CLANG.

The moment the wolf caught the dagger midair, something seized it from behind.

Eric wrapped his arms around its body and dragged it down with him, falling onto his back as he locked his grip tight.

“GHUOOOO!”

The wolf thrashed wildly, claws scraping uselessly at the air as its neck began to tighten.

Eric clenched his teeth and increased the pressure, refusing to let go.

The beast struggled harder, panic flooding its movements. Its muscles swelled with each surge of power, but Eric was ready.

He tightened his hold further.

The snarls turned wet and broken as its lungs failed. Its acceleration triggered again, this time inward, compressing its own mass in a desperate attempt to break free.

That was its fatal mistake.

Eric adjusted his grip, sliding his forearm beneath its jaw and twisting sharply. The pressure shifted directly onto its throat.

CRRK.

Something snapped.

The wolf released a choked screech, its body jerking violently before going limp for a moment. Eric didn’t loosen his hold.

He squeezed harder, ignoring the burning in his arms and the sharp pain in his ribs.

The thrashing weakened.

The kicks slowed.

The weight pressing against him became dead and heavy.

Foam mixed with blood spilled from the wolf’s mouth.

Seconds passed.

Then more.