20 years had passed when I woke up! ~ The villain's daughter’s thereafter and after that ~ - Chapter 45

Translator: NovelMultiverse | Editor: NovelMultiverse

The story changes to first-person and talks about the past events in the middle.

Graham collapsed.

When that report came, Fioria was visiting the Legalia Empire.

While finishing the talk with the 88th Emperor Dark, Fioria immediately returned to Tristan Kingdom.

Her method of movement was neither by land nor sea.

Both were too slow.

It would take days.

If that’s the case, then the answer is obvious.

“Oracle”

Wings of light sprouted out of Fioria.

A violent gust of wind blew.

It rustled her hair while she flew up into the sky.

Once she reached a certain height, she stopped for a few seconds.

As if she snapped, she flew.

She rushed through the blue sky.

She broke the sound barrier and still went faster.

Her destination was the Tristan Kingdom.

In the capital Tristina, the Florence family’s home.

Contrary to her violent speed, her landing was quiet.

She slowly flapped her wings and dropped into the courtyard without making a sound.

When she entered the mansion, she went straight to her father’s room.

She knocked on the heavy thick black door.

“It’s me Fioria. Can I come in?”

“Well aren’t you fast. Well, come in.”

Her father Graham is laid on the bed.

He was sitting up and dressed in blue pyjamas.

“Father, is your body alright?”

“Nothing to worry about. The doctor said I just overworked.”

He forced a smile.

“To think that I would collapse from just overwork, I am getting old.”

“You are 60 this year, right? Don’t force yourself.”

Fioria consoled him.

Graham looked much smaller than he did before.

Maybe it was his thinning cheeks.

Maybe it was he had more wrinkles than ever.

It was an atmosphere where she could not be at ease. A very calm air drifted towards her.

“Father, what do you think about retiring?”

“That would be difficult. King Vincent has only just started his reforms. If I leave now then the court might disintegrate.”

“When you came back as prime minister, were you able to work as well as before?”

“As my daughter, you are pretty harsh…”

Graham sighed deeply.

“It is as you say. I cannot overcome my age. It seems my age has caught up to me all at once. If it was possible I would give up my job as the prime minister. But there are no successors after me.”

“What are you saying, father? Your replacement is in front of you right?”

The face of Fioria who announced that was very kind.

“The legacy of the parents will be succeeded by their child. Leave it to me and rest easy.”

**

My name is Graham de Florence.

I am the head of the Florence family and work as the prime minister of the Tristan Kingdom.

Head of the Florence family.

Prime minister.

Looking at it objectively, both have very serious responsibilities.

If I make a careless mistake, it won’t just be the Dukedom of Florence, but even the Kingdom will lose one’s means of livelihood.

But to be honest, to me, being the Duke or the prime minister is not a heavy title.

Because I have an even more heavy responsibility.

As the father to Fioria de Florence.

That position is very heavy.

It was as if I had the future of the entire Belgaria continent, no, all of creation on my shoulders.

I want you to hear a bit about my old times.

My daughter Fioria was exceptional in a lot of ways since she was young.

She possessed basically an unlimited amount of mana and being able to not just use wind magic, but also light. A saint.

Being the only 4 users of the Rod of Judgement, under the training of my late wife Flora’s education, she learned to use the sword, spear, bow, axe, all sorts of martial arts.

Without saying she was exceptionally beautiful and even more, she was extremely smart. She was too superior.

It is because of that I did not know how to interact with her as a parent. Without me knowing, I distanced her from me.

No.

Looking back at it now, I had a sense of inferiority against Fioria.

My daughter, who as a human, was far too exceptional.

Compare that to me, who was just a normal person.

I was short and incompetent. It made me want to scratch my heart out.

I avoided this humiliation and to protect what little pride I had.

I put distance between me and the young Fioria.

As a father, I am reflecting that this is something I should be ashamed of.

My wife’s last words were what changed me.

“I have taught everything about war to Fioria. As a soldier or as a commander, there should be no better talent than her. But… I am sorry. I completely forgot about teaching her about feelings. She might accidentally destroy the world depending on her mood. Please, teach her about common sense and morals. I will leave the rest to you.”

It was a terrible shoving of responsibility.

But, Fioria and Flora were both unprecedented; leaving Fioria’s moral education to her would have too many problems.

Originally, as “Father and representation of a normal person”, it was my job to do that.

But being frightened by my inferiority complex, I ran away from my parental responsibilities.

The result of that.

Fioria at that time became like a reincarnation of the god of destruction.

She did not even have the slightest hesitation using great power. It was not impossible for her to cause the destruction of all of Belgaria.

It was an urgent task.

If I do not teach her the way of the nobility, then, not even as a joke, she will destroy the world.

I do not even have the time to think about my inferiority complex.

I was regretful from the bottom of my heart, but I forced her around to do things.

When I made her be in charge of the Dukedom, and when I got her to lead as the prime minister as well. Always.

I used myself as an example and taught her what a noble was supposed to be.

Those who have, for the sake of those who do not have, must change the world for the better.

That was the duty of nobles.

From there the days passed to now.

The world did not get destroyed and humans continue on.

Then, I want to think that I succeeded with my education.

How heavy was the responsibility of being the father of Fioria?

Did I manage to even a little bit pass that on?

If I did then I will be delighted.

If it was possible, I want you to praise me.

Because I prevented the destruction of humanity.

Call me Hero Graham.

No, you don’t need to. It was a joke.

In any case, I raised my daughter became a wonderful noble.

She exceeded the definition of a noble and became the first female pope in history. I was surprised but if it is her then it makes sense.

As a parent I am proud.

But at the same time, just a little bit, I felt guilt.

I had, in the past, been very cold to her.

Even if I were to repent, I cannot erase the mistakes of the past.

In the end, what did Fioria think of me as her father?

Normally, I would’ve stopped this question in my mind.

But because of my illness, maybe it has weakened my resolve.

Just before Fioria, who came to visit me, left, I asked her.

“Was I a father to you? Fioria.”

**

“Was I a father to you? Fioria.”

Just as she was leaving, Graham threw this question at her.

Fioria stopped.

She stood still and turned to face him.

She looked at her father’s figure. He had more white hair than ever before.

The reason was obviously because he came back as the prime minister.

She heard it was a very tough job.

In order to restore the Tristan Kingdom, he probably worked day and night and acted skilfully.

Those who have, for the sake of those who do not have, must change the world for the better.

The father who did his noble’s duty all the way to the end, Fioria was proud of him from the bottom of her heart.

The way of life Graham showed her was undoubtedly in her.

That’s why she answered like this.

“I am very glad that I was born as your child. Be proud father, Graham de Florence. Surely my name will be carved into history. But the reason I could do that, I owe it to you.”