Became the Villainess’s Guardian

If she did not regard Edan as a father, then there was only one way she could be thinking of him, was there not?

Precisely-

‘No, wait a minute!’

And it was at this point that Freugne’s mental emergency brake engaged.
The instinct that foresaw her committing some unimaginable act if she proceeded further shut down the rampant thoughts that had been charging like a bloated toad.

Having gained a moment to catch her breath, Freugne finally became fully aware of what she had been thinking.

‘What kind of thoughts was I entertaining just now?’

Slap!

Witnessing Freugne strike her own soft cheek, Erine shot her a questioning look as if to say, “What’s up with her today?”
Did she intend to rush over wielding a shotgun if Edan found out she had a boyfriend? He didn’t seem like that kind of person.

“Are you alright?”

“Hah, phewww.”

“Doesn’t seem alright.”

Regardless, Freugne was too preoccupied with calming herself down to pay any mind elsewhere.
She silently reiterated the premise she had tried to deny moments ago. After all, it was a lifelong belief, not something easily changed in an instant.

‘A father. That’s right, a father.’

She didn’t even remember how she had brushed off Erine’s suggestion of visiting a hospital.
In any case, upon returning home in a daze, Freugne immediately fell back into turmoil at the sight of Edan, who had just returned from work.

“Dad’s home.”

“You’re back early today. Already…here?”

In her ears, an angel and a demon began loudly clashing in stereo.

‘You’ve already received more than enough of his love, haven’t you? What more could you possibly want?’

‘But is that love in the form you desire? Truly?’

‘Like it or not, he is your father. Legally and definitively.’

‘That system, you mean? With a bit more effort, you could manipulate it to your taste, couldn’t you? Just grease the palms of a few officials, and the bureaucrats would swiftly change the records in under 10 minutes.’

‘No, get a grip. He is your father! Even if not a drop of blood is shared, he is your father!’

‘That father status, you can change it anytime, can’t you? And the no shared blood part? That’s even better, isn’t it?’

Thump

What broke through this endless filibuster was Edan’s touch.
The hand placed on her shoulder was warm and firm – the same hand that had carried her out of the burning factory.

“Huh, yes……”

“Why don’t you go upstairs and rest first? I’ll take care of dinner myself. Should I warm up some milk for you too?”

“No, that’s alright… I’m not hungry. And I’ve already prepared dinner.”

“Is that so? Thank you, as always.”

After shaking her head to dispel the stray thoughts, Freugne opened her mouth.
There was just one thing she wanted to directly confirm.

“Um, Mr. Edan.”

“Yes?”

“This might be a rather sudden question, but… do you love me?”

Edan silently blinked his eyes, seemingly taken aback by the abrupt, contextless inquiry.

However, he soon regained his composure and responded:

“Of course I do. Why, were you feeling insecure about whether I didn’t?”

His tone held not a shred of hesitation.
Rather, it was imbued with such assuredness that Freugne even felt a twinge of guilt.

“No, that’s not it……”

“Remember, you are my precious daughter. No matter what anyone says, that is certain.”

“Daughter……”

…Yes, she had known he would say something like that.
What had she been thinking towards Edan, who had so diligently cared for her like a daughter?

To tell the person reassuring her thus that she had never regarded him as a father would undoubtedly disappoint him.

Having barely managed to compose herself, Freugne had intended to return to her room to prepare for her exams.
Torturing her mind with three 60-minute sets of textbook reading would at least temporarily distract her from this dilemma. After all, her ancestors wouldn’t be solving the upcoming end-of-year exam questions for her.

“So, you really don’t have a boyfriend?”

“Yes, as I mentioned yesterday.”

“Well, you’re free to date someone you like, even later on. As for marriage, unless it’s something egregious, I don’t intend to interfere.”

“Marriage…?”

The moment those words left his lips.
The emergency brake she had barely applied shattered, and her fantasies began to run rampant once more.

Marriage. Yes, she would have to do it someday. But with whom?
As she stood there speechless, Edan asked:

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Edan gently placed his hand on her forehead.
Then, after bringing his own forehead close to compare, he repeated the action and nodded.

“You feel a bit feverish. Any coughing or runny nose symptoms?”

“Oh, no…!”

“Well then. If you’re feeling unwell, let me know right away. You can take a few days off from school, no problem.”

As he turned to leave after finishing his words, Freugne grabbed his sleeve.

“Wait a moment, Mr. Edan.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Do you… have any intentions of marrying someone, even in the future?”

And she impulsively asked.
It was a perfectly reasonable concern for a daughter to have regarding her father remarrying and gaining a stepmother.

However, Freugne was aware that her question held intentions beyond just that.

“Marriage, huh. Yes, I had seriously considered it once upon a time. It’s been quite a while since I’ve forgotten about that topic.”

“And now?”

“These days, with how busy I am, I haven’t really given it much thought.”

“I see……”

“And who would take an interest in an old man like me, anyway? Wouldn’t they?”

“…I would.”

“Hm?”

“I’m right here, you know.”

“Ah, yes, of course. Our Freugne is here.”

After affectionately patting her head as if impressed, Edan made his way to the kitchen.
Unlike her, who felt she could hardly breathe with each of his casual actions, he seemed perfectly at ease.

While she was at a complete loss, unable to find tranquility.

“…That’s just cruel, you know.”

To make such remarks and then leave.
Did he not consider how it would affect her efforts to comfort her own heart?

I know the nature of Freugne’s current condition.

Having passed through puberty, her mind maturing, desiring a degree of independence.
Not quite the rebelliousness of puberty, but that unwillingness to be restrained by her parents.

Freugne must simply dislike the idea of her boyfriend being discovered. Come to think of it, with how adorable she is, it would be stranger if she didn’t have one.
Moreover, isn’t she rather precocious for her age? Well, considering who raised her, it’s only natural.

But the heart of a daughter is like an open book to a father.
While already aware, out of respect for Freugne’s romantic endeavors, I decided to feign belief in what she had told me yesterday.

‘Indeed, there is a certain charm to youthful innocence.’

But enough thoughts about Freugne for now. I currently have an important matter at hand.
The rare, once-in-a-lifetime experience for a mage of being invited to join the Royal Academy.

So why am I going to such great lengths to gain entry into the Royal Academy? The reason is simple.

“Weapons.”

“Weapons, you say?”

“Yes. I wish to create weapons.”

Weapons manufacturing, supporting the defense industry, and so on.
When I shared this covert hobby with Lord Norton, who had previously approached me for investment, he nearly choked on the tea he had been sipping.

And after finally catching his breath, rather than questioning why my previous venture had gloriously failed without sending me leaping into the Thames, he seemed more interested in the former.

“Ho, might I inquire as to what inspired such thoughts?”

“Personally, I believe this kingdom has been steeped in peace for far too long. While the Demonic Tribe remains ever-present, they have long since vanished from our minds.”

“I see.”

For reasons unknown, the solemn-faced lord remarked:

“So to manufacture weapons, for the sake of the kingdom…!”

“Yes, to make it prosperous.”

“Huehhhck.”

A gasping sound escaped Lord Norton’s lips.
His reaction was rather dramatic – surely he didn’t suspect I intended to stage a coup d’état?

I neither commanded a private military force nor possessed the means to manipulate the higher authorities and control the army.
If anyone believed I could subjugate Londinium singlehandedly by creating new weapons, they ought to be immediately admitted to the nearest mental institution for a thorough examination.

And yet, the lord seemed to excessively fear this grand vision of mine.

I could understand why.
Being my senior, he must have grown up hearing the testimonies of those who had participated in the great war against the Demonic Tribe, so his apprehension was understandable.

However, his willingness to sponsor my dream, despite such a reaction, suggested he did not harbor outright opposition.

Thanks to his support, I did attempt weapon development, but the result of my solo efforts was merely the destruction of my own laboratory and Freyja resetting the accident-free day counter to zero, tears in her eyes.

Which is why I must join the Royal Academy.
Only by accessing this kingdom’s greatest assemblage of intellects can I avoid the trial-and-error process of losing fingers.

In an era without the internet, where educational broadcasts could not be expected from radios,
to acquire knowledge, one had no choice but to visit libraries or seek out mages who had studied the subject – and with military secrets unlikely to be found in libraries, consulting mages directly was necessary.

“The most valuable asset is connections. Connections with mages whose lectures are usually difficult to even purchase tickets for.”

This was how Professor Magni described the Royal Academy.
It was precisely what I needed after my dream of shooting a rail gun with my fingers had been shattered.

Of course, it was not a group that readily granted membership, be one a dog or an ox.
Fortunately, the once finger-sucking Edan looking up to the already-member Professor Magni was no more.

For the one present here today was Edan the Great, an inventor who would insult even summer itself.

“Inviting a disciple to the Royal Academy. I suppose I do get to experience such things in this lifetime.”

“But you’re pleased about it, aren’t you?”

“I am. Now hurry up and get in. We’ll be late at this rate.”

“Yes, I’m coming now.”

I boarded the carriage with Professor Magni, who had appointed himself my guide.
Our destination was the Parliament Building adjacent to the Royal Academy’s headquarters.