Reincarnated as a Villainous Duke (37) Who Gets Condemned by His Daughter ～I Stopped Acting Like a Villain, Yet My Daughter Keeps Becoming the 'Ice Lady'～ - Chapter 06: Winning Trust (Continued)

Chapter 06: Winning Trust (Continued)

That evening, as expected, dinner was just Forsina and me once again.

After everything that happened earlier, I was the only one who seemed to feel awkward.

Forsina’s expression was as cold and unmoving as an ice sculpture, and she quietly ate her food without any sign of discomfort.

“Forsina, how are your practical magic skills coming along?”

Unable to stand the silence, I broke it with a question. Honestly, how did the old me manage to be comfortable with this kind of atmosphere? Then again, I was a future mid-level boss…

“I’ve completed the intermediate spells for the four basic elements, Father.”

“Hmm, not bad. How are you doing with the advanced spells for the four higher elements? I believe ice magic was your specialty.”

I asked because, in the game, Forsina’s abilities focused on ice magic. Her nickname, “Ice Lady,” wasn’t just about her appearance and personality—it also reflected her magic skills.

However, Forsina looked back at me with a puzzled expression.

“No, my teacher hasn’t mentioned anything like that…”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

Oh, right. Yesterday, she said she was still studying the theory of the higher elements.

“You can use all elements equally, Father, and I heard Mother was skilled in water magic. So if I have a specialty, I thought it might be water.”

“…That makes sense. While I can use all elements, I’m actually a bit better with wind magic. So, combining my wind magic with your mother’s talent for water magic, I thought you might be good with ice magic.”

“I see. I’ll try it out tomorrow.”

Forsina smiled gently.

Did I just manage to cover that up?

By the way, when we talk about magic elements, this world follows the classic system. There are the four basic elements—Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth—and the four advanced elements—Lightning, Ice, Light, and Dark. Whether you can use the advanced elements depends on your affinity with the basic elements.

As for me, I have an affinity for all elements. Even though I’m a magic swordsman, my magic power is far higher than that of most mages. It’s like the world itself is pushing me to be a mid-level boss.

“By the way, Forsina, I obtained a rare magical weapon today in the Forest of No Return. I want you to have it.”

“Thank you, Father. I’m very grateful.”

“This will help you when you use magic. As a noble, you need the strength to protect the people of our territory. If you’re happy, make sure to keep working hard.”

“Yes. I’ll work hard to protect the people and support you, Father.”

Forsina smiled again.

Seeing a normally cool character like her smile so brightly was… unexpected.

“Good. Also, about your maid, Miar…”

“Did Miar do something…?”

“From what I saw today, she seems to be a great source of support for you.”

“Y-Yes. She takes very good care of me. She always listens to me and is there when I need someone to talk to…”

Forsina’s cheeks flushed, probably remembering how she had cried earlier in the day.

Seeing that moment made it clear how much Miar meant to her.

“That’s good to hear. But it seemed like Miar had something she wanted to say to me. Are you aware of that?”

When I said this, Forsina’s eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at me seriously.

“Yes… I noticed it. And it’s my fault for not stopping her. So, please don’t punish Miar—”

“It’s fine. Considering how I’ve treated you in the past, it’s only natural for Miar to distrust me. If anything, her loyalty to you is something to be praised.”

“Father…”

“Take care of loyal servants. They are rare and valuable.”

“Y-Yes! Thank you, Father.”

Alright, this should cover things with Miar as well.

If I’m trying to win over Forsina, getting rid of her close companion, Miar, would be the worst possible move. In fact, I need to get Miar on my side too; otherwise, her influence could cause Forsina to hold negative feelings toward me.

But praising Miar directly probably wouldn’t be very effective. Instead, complimenting her indirectly works best—I learned that in my previous life. The original Mark Stewart Blaumont was the type who never praised anyone, which is exactly what you’d expect from a mid-level boss.

In any case, I think I’ve made a good start in winning over Forsina. If I consistently show her a father’s kindness from now on, the chances of her condemning me should go down significantly.

Of course, being kind just to avoid condemnation does make my conscience sting a little.

I hope that someday, we can have a real parent-child relationship.