Rontress was smarter than his initial impression made her out to be, had Elsodd believed her to be cunning? Of course, she had to be in order to run around Ifira like she did, but actually smart? The kind that lets people run territories and make business decisions?

  That he didn't expect, he's always believed that education and experience act as the center force of intelligence, and without the two of them, a person would be a dullard.

  A natural gift that bypasses that never crossed his mind, perhaps because he's terrified of the possibility that someone out there might actually be born with it.

  Rontress' existence is proof that his beliefs were wrong, and as his sense of reality breaks down, his nightmare— the very reason why it got to this in the first place. — is having dinner with him, unaware that she scares him more than Ifira ever will.

  "That is quite a fascinating concept." Euthiel nodded with a stoic face, she put on a brave front but Elsodd knew that she was panicking inside. "And you say that it takes a lot of money to make this dream a reality?"

  "Of course!" Ifira nodded enthusiastically, though Elsodd had a feeling that she didn't even know what she's talking about. She's catching up, however, because on top of the girl's physical prowess is a sharp mind capable of utilizing it. "Money wouldn't be an issue anyway! Rontress and I are planning on selling a lot of stuff!"

  "What Ifira is trying to say is," Rontress began to explain in detail, she's done so throughout their dinner. Ifira was talking with passion but she? She described things clearly, and with fluidity a child shouldn't possess. "If Flotol looks good, then any store we build would have a lot of customers, since they wouldn't mind staying in the village for long periods of time."

  "But isn't it a bad investment? I don't see the benefits of playing the long game when you don't even know the result of it." Euthiel stopped eating and just started questioning the girl. "You're not a seer, are you?"

  "Nope."

  "Then is it a good investment?"

  "Yes? But even if it's counter productive to our store, investing in infrastructure, roads, and the general hygiene of a village should be obvious anyway, it helps me, helps the citizens, and if it attracts people and money towards Flotol then it's simply the right choice."

  Elsodd chewed on the thought for a moment, then he realized something: was she insulting them? Was she saying that they are bad leaders for not investing in Ghorise? Is that it?

  Does she know that it is pointless in the end? That the citizens are nothing more than thankless fools who would stab them in the back the first chance they get?

  "Oh? That's an interesting view." Euthiel smirked, it is clear however she's internally displeased. "A leader should always invest in their community, is that what you are saying?"

  "Pretty much." Rontress doubled down, and Elsodd couldn't take it anymore.

  "We don't know if this will even work!"

  The table got struck, it wasn't him, because if it was, only a thunderous thud would have come out. Instead, the entire thing got flipped over, sending food flying everywhere.

  "We don't know that." Ifira's voice was cold, devoid of the excitement it had throughout dinner. "And you're a failure as a noble anyway, what right do you have to say that our plan is wrong?!"

  "Ifira—" he backed away as his daughter approached, but there was no world where he could have run away from her, and so, he was struck.

  Elsodd felt the blow on the right side of his body, it broke his ribs and turned his bones to dust, he felt weightless while flying through the air, and then he heard Rontress talk.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "How?.." She was confused? About what? "Did he just fly from a punch?"

  A giggle was the response. "Yes? Is it strange? It happens all the time!"

  "His body should have just caved in... That didn't make sense unless?.. What level is your father?"

  "I don't know, but it's pretty high! He used to fight in the war against Jhivan, you know?"

  "What's that?"

  "Our neighboring kingdom, duh? Rontress, did you even read maps?" Ifira was amused, she was happy, like she didn't just punch her own father hard enough to break his body.

  "Right."

  And this girl! Elsodd forced his head to turn to his daughter's new friend, he expected pity, amusement, or at least something. But what he got was far worse: indifference, it's like he didn't exist to her at all, didn't matter.

  They had dinner didn't they? They talked and conversed, so how come her face looks like it was made of stone? Or how her eyes lacked any warmth, or anything at all?!

  "Well, he's beginning to faint." Rontress says like she's describing today's weather. "Hm, dinner got ruined."

  "Yes! By him!" Ifira scowled. "It should have been perfect!"

  Elsodd felt glee, he may be dying, but he at least got to hurt his daughter before he left this world. He's always imagined stabbing her, killing her, but he feared for his life so he never took action. Never listened to his intrusive thoughts, who would have thought that even something as petty as ruining a dinner Ifira planned would feel this cathartic? He should have listened to his urges long ago!

  These were the last thoughts that came to Elsodd as he lost consciousness.

  And then he came to.

  Elsodd rose, sitting up hurt but the dull ache wasn't bad, it was just... There. Present but not overwhelming.

  "What happened?" Was it just a dream? Usually anything Ifira gets her hands on would be broken. Dead. "I..."

  "Rest, you're hurt." Urio's voice entered his ears and he softened.

  "Urio." Elsodd reached out and grabbed the hand of the maid. "How..." He hugged her. "I thought I was gone."

  "I did too." She says, murmuring softly.

  "We should run away." He has been thinking about this for a while now, and isn't this the perfect opportunity to do so? She just needed to say yes and they would be gone in the same night. "Go with our child, we can live somewhere safe! Far away from here and—"

  "Well, this is a rather fascinating revelation." Ifira's voice echoed into the room, everything froze, cold sweat ran down Elsodd's face. "Maid, leave the room, I don't care if you have a child with my father, your business is yours."

  Urio stood up and hastily bowed. "Yes, Mistress."

  Once the maid left, Elsodd came face to face with his daughter, the little girl who had taken the reins of Ghorise and ruled her own family with an iron fist.

  "Ifira..."

  "Don't talk." How can she sound so cold? She's disrespecting him and she's not even acknowledging his authority! "[Heal]."

  Elsodd's body snapped into place, the broken bones mended themselves and he felt whole once more. She utters a single word and he fully recovers.

  "Rontress healed you just right for fear that you might get corrupted." Ifira started moving, her feet carrying her closer to him. "And she would be right to do so, but I have a feeling that she doesn't have to worry about corrupting people when healing them, I don't know why."

  Was Ifira saying Rontress wanted him to suffer? It's been proven time and time again that the child's intuition is often right, so doesn't this mean that Rontress could have healed him fully?

  Does Ifira hate her now? Does she finally see him as her father?

  "Thank you for—" he was punched in the face, he felt the entirety of his skull crack.

  "[Heal]." Another wave of magic and he recovers back to full health. "I too don't need to worry about corrupting people, as the myth explains, I am incorruptible, any magic that goes through me will be purified. Perfected."

  "Ifira, what are you trying to say?" His heart was trying to beat out of his chest and he chuckled in fear. "Didn't you want to heal me?"

  "Heal you?" She laughs. "You hurt my friend! You ruined my dinner! And you were happy about it!"

  He couldn't respond, she punched him again, and again. She didn't stop. It hurt, his body is breaking, did he lose feeling in his legs? Would he be unable to walk now—

  "[Heal]."

  His body goes back to its physical peak, he felt invigorated. "Ifira, I didn't mean to—"

  "I DON'T CARE!" The scream was somehow enough to break the glass in the windows and for the room to shake. "You ruined my night!"

  A series of punches hits him, he starts crying, he knows that these wouldn't kill him, and yet he wishes they did. How did Ifira learn a healing spell? Did Rontress teach her? Why did Rontress teach her?!

  "To heal you, of course." The chuckle that came with those words had a strange intensity to them, a sense of cruelty that no amount of kindness and charity would ever match. "She doesn't know she resists corruption so she wants me to heal you to full health instead."

  "And I will. Eventually."

  Elsodd backed away but he couldn't, his leg got grabbed and twisted. Broken. He screamed in pain and begged his daughter but she didn't stop.

  "Let the entire estate hear your screams, I want them to know that if they ever ruin my time with my friend again I will break them."

  On that night, Elsodd finally broke and come morning, the proud nobleman who held onto his dignity despite his own daughter overpowering him is no more, all that's left is a shell of who he used to be.