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 18: Crisis Averted

Chapter 18: Crisis Averted

“I deeply apologize for doubting you, Father, without realizing the depth of your intentions.”

Back in the office, Forsina bowed deeply before me.

After wrapping up the situation in the alchemy workshop, I had sent Mildart and Dalton back to their respective duties. The beastkin girls were handed over to the household staff under Aramund’s supervision.

Now, it was just the two of us in the office.

“Very well. As long as the misunderstanding is cleared, that’s all that matters. Perhaps I was at fault for keeping it from you in the first place.”

As I spoke, Forsina hesitantly raised her head, as if fearing I might turn cold toward her again.

“I also must apologize for entering the alchemy building without your permission, Father. I deeply regret my actions.”

“Indeed, that area contains many dangerous items. From now on, do not enter without my express permission.”

“Yes, I’ll remember that.”

Forsina’s demeanor had softened, and the icy Ice Lady aura was nowhere to be seen. At least on that front, things seemed to be fine now.

“Heh, I didn’t expect you to get so upset, Forsina. You’re usually so calm, but it seems your heart is quite lively.”

“Y-Yes. I’m sorry. As your daughter, I feel ashamed of my behavior.”

“No, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. In fact, I prefer it this way. If there’s something on your mind, don’t hesitate to tell me. Hearing my daughter’s thoughts is one of the joys of being a father.”

“Wha…!? N-No, thank you very much.”

Forsina covered her face with both hands. Looks like her affection level just shot up—significantly. It seems this misfortune turned into a blessing after all.

“By the way, Father, I understand you brought them here to heal them, but what do you plan to do with them going forward?”

“Hm, about that…”

Before I could continue, there was a knock at the door, and Aramund entered with the eight beastkin girls.

It seemed the household staff had cleaned them up and dressed them in new clothes. Oddly enough, they were all wearing maid uniforms—though I had no idea why.

Starting with the fox beastkin girl, all of them looked tense. While they’d been healed, I hadn’t yet explained what would happen to them next, so their anxiety was understandable.

“My lord, I’ve brought them.”

“Well done. You may leave, Aramund. Rest until I call for you later.”

“Understood.”

With a soft whoosh, Aramund disappeared, leaving everyone except me staring in shock at her sudden exit.

“Now then, everyone, let me explain once more. I am Mark Stewart Blaumont, a duke of this kingdom. As I mentioned earlier, I purchased you for the purpose of testing the potion. While your bodies have been successfully healed, unfortunately, I cannot set you free at this time.”

Several of the girls gulped nervously, though the fox beastkin girl seemed to nod slightly in understanding.

“There are a few reasons. First, you were bought as slaves, and since I’ve paid for you, you’ll need to work to repay that value. Second, I want to keep the details of this potion a secret for the time being, which means I can’t let you leave the estate for at least a year. And lastly, as painful as it is to say, you have nowhere to return to—your village no longer exists.”

At those words, all the girls except the fox beastkin looked on the verge of tears.

“Therefore, from now on, you’ll work here as servants in the mansion. As servants of a duke’s household, you’ll also be expected to learn proper etiquette and basic education. You’ll be busy, but you’ll be provided with food, clothing, shelter, and a small salary. If you wish to gain your freedom sooner, you can save that salary to buy back your freedom. That’s all. Any questions?”

The beastkin girls exchanged glances but remained silent.

Seeing this, the fox beastkin girl raised her hand.

“I’m confident in my sword skills. If possible, I’d prefer to work as a soldier or something similar rather than a servant. Or, if it’s alright, I could even serve as your bodyguard, Duke.”

“Hmm, being my bodyguard is fine, but it would also involve going on frequent monster hunts. Are you prepared for that?”

“That’s exactly what I want. You’re strong, aren’t you, Duke? I want to become stronger too.”

“Heh, very well. I welcome those who seek strength. However, with that manner of speech, I can’t have you by my side. You’ll study alongside the others. Now then, that concludes this discussion.”

I used a magic tool to summon a servant and had the beastkin girls escorted away.

Once it was just the two of us again, Forsina looked at me with an expression resembling admiration.

“They’ve lost their village, haven’t they? You healed them under the guise of an experiment, gave them work, and even offered them a chance to become independent. What you’ve done is truly commendable, Father.”

“It was mere coincidence. Still, if they can be saved as a result, then so be it.”

“Yes, Father. However, I question the decision to make that ill-mannered girl your bodyguard. Honestly, I don’t think you even need a bodyguard.”

“Forsina, as you saw during the recent attack at the royal castle, it’s likely that the demons’ assaults will increase in the future. In that case, having even one strong ally could prove invaluable.”

“Do you believe she’ll become strong?”

“Indeed. She’s a swordsman who fought to protect her village. On top of that, her willingness to volunteer as a poison tester shows admirable courage. It’s not easy to find someone like her.”

“So, you intend to keep her purely as a swordsman and part of your forces? Setting aside her speech, she doesn’t seem like an unattractive girl.”

“Of course. But if we’re talking about looks, no one can compare to you, Forsina. Rest assured.”

“Ah… Father, that’s unfair…”

And there it is—affection level up (significant).

It seemed Forsina had suspected me of keeping the fox beastkin girl around for improper reasons.

But thanks to my newly developed skills in turning any situation into an opportunity to raise affection, I wasn’t about to let her doubt linger.

Now, all that remained was convincing Aramund. With the fox beastkin girl proving to be a capable asset, this might even turn out to be a lucky event.

Once Forsina returned to her room, I called for Aramund.

As always, she appeared like a ninja, but this time her expression seemed slightly uneasy, a rare departure from her usual calm demeanor.

“Now then, Aramund. It seems there’s no longer any issue with Forsina, but those girls can no longer be used for experiments.”

“Understood. However, if necessary, I can bring others for you.”

“No, that won’t be possible. The existence of that room has already been discovered, so repeating the same thing is out of the question. Besides, the body modification techniques you acquired are no longer needed. I won’t be pursuing that research.”

“Why is it no longer necessary?”

“Thanks to the success of the Extra Potion, I’ve realized that alchemy can be used to create body enhancement medicines. There’s no need for troublesome research anymore.”

“I see… But what about Lady Blaumont?”

“Ah, watching my daughter today made me realize I shouldn’t remain bound to the past. I appreciate the effort you put into gathering that information for me. Forgive me for abandoning it.”

“No, if that’s your decision, my lord, I have nothing to say against it.”

Even as she spoke, it was clear Aramund had more she wanted to say. Of course, her unease likely stemmed from how her employer—the one pulling her strings—might react to the cessation of the research. Not that it’s my concern.

“You’ve done a lot to set up that room and prepare everything, but I’ve decided to halt that project. For now, I’m more interested in what’s happening in the royal capital. I want details about the expedition to the Southern Great Forest—who besides the Crown Prince will be going, how much military force will accompany them, and how long it’s expected to last. If possible, I also want to know who proposed this plan in the first place.”

“Why does this concern you, my lord?”

“The recent Chaos Demon attack—it’s something I take very seriously. I suspect it was a form of reconnaissance, and if that’s the case, it’s entirely possible the demons are planning to attack the royal capital. If they are, a time when the kingdom’s forces are reduced due to the forest expedition would be the perfect opportunity.”

“But there’s no sign of movement from the demon army…”

“I don’t doubt your ability to gather information, but it’s possible the demons possess magical techniques we aren’t aware of—such as the ability to instantly transport large forces over great distances.”

As I said this, Aramund flinched slightly. For someone meant to be a stoic, poker-faced character, her reactions were surprisingly easy to read. It was oddly amusing.

“Starting tomorrow, spend two weeks in the royal capital and investigate everything I’ve mentioned.”

“Understood.”

“Good. You may go.”

With that, the dark elf vanished from sight with her usual swift grace. Once she was gone, I couldn’t help but quietly pump my fist in celebration.

With this, I had successfully nipped Mark Stewart’s most troublesome issue—human experimentation—in the bud.

Things had gone much smoother than I’d anticipated, thanks in no small part to Forsina acting exactly as I’d hoped.

Still, Aramund must be wondering how the existence of that room was discovered. She didn’t bring it up, but the question was likely on her mind.

Of course, not even a seasoned spy like her would guess that I, the one responsible for the whole thing, had subtly ensured Forsina found out. That secret is mine to keep.