"Mr. Chief? Is it fine to not meet with my father?" - Aria
Despite her age, she has grown a bit mature due to being neglected by her father and has been educated in formality. However, she still retained a bit of childish tone to the grown man as she still held reservation in her words.
Seeing how she is quite formal and reserve in her words, the Marquis turned to her before staring behind the people who are now glaring at him.
"I-it is fine Chrono. You don't have to...." - Marcus
"Marcus, you should know that having injuries in your body is not beneficial in training. Since Sir Reiter took his time with stroll with my daughter, it it given that, I, as one of the noble lineage should help my fellow nobles in their training. Come now and lets start improving our growths. " - Artonis
"You Motherfu-" - Marus
He couldn't help but curse as Artonis pulled out his sword and begins 'Training' his fellow men, Reiter looking away from the screams behind them and smiled at the innocent girl who seems to be upset of being a bother to him.
"While I am upset about not being able to spend time with your father, letting you head inside the capital alone is something as an Adult shouldn't do. As you are a noble lineage as well, having you kidnapped inside the royal capital would be problem for us. " - Reiter
He wanted to butter up to Artonis daughter such that he would end up like those guys who are being slaughtered by the Duke as it seem more and more disappointed at their incompetence.
The prince was quite lucky due to being ignored by the Duke as he could only watch as the nobles whom he had gathered to beat up the Duke up, only ended up at the chopping block.
Marcus, the man he idolize as the strongest person who had trained him since young, was thrown into despair and being humiliated in public by the Duke as he only looked at him more and more in disappointed.
"By word Commander, I am a respectful man who wouldn't have intercourse with another woman, especially the mother of someone I'm closed with. You should know by now that I do not understand such phrases you spoke off. Now, let us resume our training." - Artonis
Artonis takes things too literal and doesn't understand much about metaphors and other things like common sense. He had grown taking things in a logical sense that he doesn't understand cursing or even things that doesn't make sense without proof.
Growing with his father without teaching him how to socialize with another person, he tends to get into some misunderstandings to which he ends up dealing more damage than what he expects as he sees that the people he knows who are currently lying on the floor being beaten up, was them being tired from training.
The prince realizes as to why the men feared the Duke as Artonis just stares at him before walking closer to him.
"Apologies your highness. I shall reunite with my daughter to search for a suitable teacher for her. As a parent and as a noble, it is my duty that I should give her a proper education." - Artonis
He gave a proper bow to the prince before leaving him and the corpses of the people he has beaten up as the prince just lays there silently, as he didn't understand what had happened...
"Is this a timeline that a regressor like me who traveled too far to understand?" - Leonias
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"Wah...." - Aria
This was her first time sightseeing the capital as she was amazed at how bright and colorful the city was.
People having friendly chatter with one another, merchants and citizens buying and selling goods, and there were even children running around and having fun as Aria felt excited watching all of this.
They began to stroll around the place and letting her run around while took some deep breaths after escaping from calamity.
"Apologies for having you entertain my daugher Sir Reiter." - Artonis
"Ah! It wasn't bad at all Sir Chrono. I'm quite friendly with children you see."
Appearing behind and bloodied, the chief almost had his heart stopped to see Artonis who had bloodstains in his hands as he took a hankerchief to which the Duke accepts and wipe his hands off.
The chief could sense what had happened after he had left and was too scared to ask how fast the Duke 'Cleaned' his opponents in the form of 'Training'. He just ignored it entirely as the Duke was staring at him with a surprised expression.
"I'm surprised Sir Reiter. I thought that you hated kids....." - Artonis
".........." - Reiter
'Oh fu-' He began to sweat a lot from the questionable gaze that was coming from the duke but he manage to quickly thought of an excuse to his predictament.
"Duke Artonis. As a married man and having a family of my own, it is given that once you grown a bit more time, you will come to love something that once you hate. Hahaha...." - Reiter
"That is quite true." - Artonis
After hearing his response, while he did find it suspicious, he turns to his daughter who was running around while staring at the clothings and understands what the Chief had said.
He had once not bothered growing up with his daughter in the past as it only drew a line between them and he regretted not giving the love that she deserves. As a father, he was incompetent and being a perfectionist that he is, he hates the fact that he is incompetent to be a father.
However.....
"Sir Reiter...." - Artonis
After a long time of not asking help from others, he took sometime to ask this question due to hating the fact that he is now relying on someone.
"How do I become a proper parent?" - Artonis
"Hmn?" - Reiter
The chief turns to the man who seems to be gritting his teeth, unable to stomach of having to rely someone for help. Yet, he slowly understands that he can't achieve this as taking the look at his wife and daughter looking sad whenever he is around them, he knew that there was something he is missing to make them happy.
Reiter was shocked and quickly turned to smile as he knew that this might even be better than buttering up to his daughter.
"Of course Sir Chrono. As a family man, I undertand your worries." - Reiter
"???" - Artonis
He was slightly confused at the new change Reiter was giving as the chief grew closer to the Duke and both of them stared at his daughter.
"As a father, are you worried that your child might feel unhappy, knowing she doesn't reach your expectations?"
"!!!!" - Artonis
This dealt a huge blow to the Duke as if the Chief had read his mind yet Reiter, while unable to identify the Duke's change in expression. Just the shudder of his movements made him understand everything about him.
'You Souless son of a...' as he was proud of this discovery, he began to quickly think of ways to not only find exort more information from him, forgetting that he is the Chief of the Magic Division and not the Chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
Asking more and more related to his family, thinking he kept hitting Jackpot after Jackpot, Reiter's smile grew even more wider as he could understand more of Chrono's worries.
"*Cough* It is given due to your cold-hearted nature that you might enstrangle yourself from being distant to your wife and child. While fixing your relationship could improve your child's worries, you had to work on improving relations with your child first before improving your relationship with your wife. " - Reiter
"Ah, It does come to that..." - Artonis
He nodded in satisfaction after understanding what the Chief had said as he knew he didn't understand how to handle his relationship to the two females in his household.
Given that he hasn't been taught much by his father and he doesn't really connect with other people, understanding what the chief had said gave enlightenment to the perfectionist Duke.
While he had deemed both the women to be competent, he didn't really understand them properly as his relationship with his wife isn't what you say to be.... Close.
'This could take sometime to get used to...' - Artonis
He just sighed listlessly as if a whole new challenge had awaited him. Yet, he felt a bit excited, knowing that the more troublesome it is, the more fun he can take the joy out of it.
As he and the Chief continue to talk, Artonis spotted his child was about to bump into a random adventurer as he didn't proceed to stop her and let nature takes its course.
"Ah." - Aria
"Gah, you little brat." - Adventurer
Reiter notices what the commotion was and turned to see that Aria was looking down while apologizing to the man in front of her. Yet, it seems that the man was a bit arrogant as he acted cocky, not knowing what he was messing with a noble's daughter.
"Duke Artonis, shouldn't we help your daughter?" - Reiter
"Sir Reiter, I would like you to not intervene as I'll let my child handle this on her own." - Artonis
While he was confused as to why the Duke didn't help his child out, Artonis had judge that this could be benificial for his child.
For a 7 year old, it was already quite a daunting task to be in such a situation. However....
"I'm sorry.... Aria should have looked at Aria's way..." - Aria
'Courtesy to judge the situation, while it is childish for her to talk like that... It is still passable.'
With the right amount of education, her speech could be a bit improved as he is being lenient to her speech since he isn't good at talking as well. He mostly pissed people off that he decided that the teacher he was gonna hire, have at least the speech needed to not spite people with the way of words.
As he thought this, the adventurer wasn't satisfied with her actions as he isn't in a good mood after having a hangover and decides to teach this child a lesson.
"Gah!" - Adventurer
"..... Ah! I'm sorry!" - Aria
Once the adventurer tried to grab Aria off, she quickly put into a combat stance as she got into her zone to fight and proceed to punch the guy in the gut. She didn't expect her fist to hit as it launched the guy backwards and sending to the crates which were destroy to soften the impact as everyone standing there felt a bit shocked at what happened.
The chief was also surprised yet he quickly turned to see that the Duke who nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad, a bit late to notice that guy's attack but could be improved by training a bit more. Executing the move at the right moment is done nicely and using the magic in conjuction to her fist on her first time could be said that there's no errors to correct. " - Artonis
It couldn't be said to be perfect as Aria had just started out her training as Artonis was lenient on her due to her age. Using his strength to put pressure on her while letting her recover and observe his movements, she could have easily killed him here and there if not for being a bit weaker to deal enough damage and only put the adventurer into a coma for some hours.
He wasn't only a bit upset since in her age, he had already bodied a couple of thugs by himself. So, he only put this blame on her teacher.
As Reiter was only shocked at the magic she had used, Artonis just patted his back, looking at him in disappointment.
"If you want to understand what she did, read some human autonomy books on your spare time." - Artonis
Walking towards the daughter who seemed to be scared that she might killed someone, he just stroke her head gently as began his lecture on what had happened as the guy who was supposed to be a genius when it comes to magic, just listlessly slump his body at the monstrous duo.
"Dear God.... Another monster is being made..." - Reiter
Hehe thanks for the chapter.