The Villainess Proposed a Contractual Marriage

A week had passed since their visit to the demon realm.

Though the meeting had produced results worthy of historical record, the public remained unaware. Most of it was kept secret until Yulian completed his coronation and ascended to the throne as Emperor.

In one corner of this peacefully unaware society, someone was recounting a part of that history.

It was Harte, visiting the temple to report on recent events.

"So... you exchanged your divine power for peace?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"My goodness..."

Ibria couldn\'t hide her astonishment. Harte had pulled off something unbelievable, despite having only recently awakened from a coma.

"What\'s there to regret? Actually, divine power should be sealed away for life."

"Well, that\'s true, but..."

It was abnormal for Harte to have used miracles so freely after leaving the temple. The more peaceful the world became, the more divine power should have faded from people\'s memories.

"Anyway, I\'m glad. I\'m satisfied just knowing that Harte didn\'t give up his baptismal name."

The Pope gently defended Harte.

"Surprisingly, Harte doesn\'t seem to value his life much, does he?"

"I do now."

"Oh?"

"Because I\'ve become human. Probably for quite a while now."

God\'s vanguard, who had intended to use his life\'s worth, had established his identity as a human while walking the path of life. Now, he was just an ordinary person who wanted to watch over his precious people for the rest of his life.

"Erehite."

[Yes?]

"What makes a good family?"

Harte thought Glen\'s situation resembled his own. Especially similar was how they had both been abandoned somewhere when their sense of self was vague.

Of course, unlike Glen, the place where Harte had been abandoned was the doorstep of the temple.

That\'s why the concept of family had been vague to the past Harte. Perhaps it was because this concept was so faint that he had accepted the children as family without resistance.

"Sometimes I wonder about that."

In any case, Harte had formed a family. So it was natural for him to ponder what made a good family.

"I think Erehite is a good parent. That\'s why I want to ask for advice. How can a human who can\'t handle miracles become a good parent..."

[Oh my.]

Erehite\'s eyes widened as if surprised. Then, with a slight snicker, she responded cheekily.

[Harte, you really do give compliments that even Ibria has never given. You\'re such a good son. I might not know about being a good parent, but you\'re certainly a good son, aren\'t you?]

"I-I can give compliments too!"

[Oh my, Ibria. There\'s a world of difference between being able to do something and actually doing it.]

"Kuh...!"

Erehite sneered at the indignant Ibria, then somewhat forcefully changed the subject.

[First... thank you for seeing me as a good parent, Harte. It means a lot to me. It means the past years weren\'t in vain.]

"What do you mean?"

[As you know, I\'ve lived for quite a long time. I\'ve dealt with many children at the temple. Though it\'s only been 200 years since my first child-rearing experience...]

"That\'s surprisingly short history."

[Hehe, indeed.]

Erehite narrowed her eyes as if projecting the past onto a distant mountain. Her cheekbones were slightly raised as she immersed herself in memories.

[At first, it was no joke. I\'d grab a two or three-year-old child by the ankle and lift them upside down. Picky eating is bad for the body, so I\'d grind up grass with goat\'s milk and pour it down their throats.]

"...Erehite did?"

[For your information, this is about His Holiness the Pope.]

"W-what...?"

Harte never dreamed that even the Pope had been raised by Erehite. And with such harsh treatment...

"Ahaha, without a baptismal name, I would\'ve died for sure~."

[Young humans are quite fragile compared to dragons. I didn\'t know they were that delicate back then.]

Faced with this attack laced with vocal techniques, Erehite avoided eye contact and made excuses.

Meanwhile, Harte found it hard to believe that Erehite had a history of such incredible child-rearing.

[Anyway... after several experiences like that, I received praise from Harte as a good parent. Humans often seem to forget, but becoming a parent is a first for everyone. No matter how hard you try, you can\'t be perfect.]

"I... see."

[Of course. So don\'t be impatient. I\'m sure Harte can become a good family member. I, a good parent, guarantee it.]

"...The scriptures say not to make guarantees."

[Oops, how careless of me, being a divine dragon and all. Then shall we believe? After all, as you know, our job is to believe.]

"Yeah, our job is to believe. You\'re right, Erehite."

Harte admitted he had become anxious after seeing the example of the Demon King and his companion. It seemed his uneasiness had grown because he didn\'t want to face an outcome that forced unwanted patience due to a momentary mistake.

Looking back, all he could do was act according to his beliefs.

\'Right... I should believe. Believe that I can be a good family member to the children and Elphisia.\'

He had gained a satisfying realization.

Just as he thought it might be okay to get up and leave...

"Ah! That\'s right. Would you come with me for a moment, Harte?"

A rainbow flickered in the Pope\'s eyes as he called out to him.

---

---

It was early evening, with the sun setting, when Harte returned to the ducal mansion.

The trees and buildings casting long shadows somehow felt new. How could a world covered in twilight be so surreal?

As he opened the front door of the mansion, taking in the fresh air, his eyes met Tina\'s, who happened to be passing by.

"Oh, Dad! You\'re back?"

"Yeah, where\'s Elphisia?"

"Mom\'s still working."

"...Same as always."

Harte glanced at the large clock hanging in the mansion.

The hour hand pointed to five o\'clock. Coincidentally, it was the same time Harte used to come to meet Elphisia in the world before the regression.

She always greeted Harte in her office. She would furrow her brow, moving her pen over stacks of documents managing the vast ducal estate.

\'The Duke must be dumping work on her, saying he\'s preparing for retirement.\'

Soon, if Yulian established his reign, Elphisia\'s investiture ceremony would also be held. Then, as the Duke wished, Tina\'s family register would be adjusted too.

Harte imagined Tina as a princess. He imagined his daughter receiving the name \'Tina Luminel\' and charming all the young nobles in the world...

"Ah... This won\'t do."

"Huh?"

"Just thinking how being a good dad is really difficult."

He knew future Tina would grow into a truly beautiful woman. Moreover, since she was now growing up preciously with less hardship, her beauty would shine even more.

Harte already wanted to set up curfew regulations.

Considering that noble socializing took place at numerous night parties, it was an idea that would make Tina an outcast.

Tina tilted her head at Harte, who was smiling faintly.

"By the way, Dad. Is it true that you can\'t use miracles like before anymore?"

"Oh my, it seems there are no secrets among you kids."

"Hehe..."

Tina adorably averted her eyes.

"That Yulian, he just can\'t keep his mouth shut."

Given the nature of the matter, Harte had told Yulian the truth. After all, Yulian\'s side needed to know what was used to negotiate with the demons so they could prepare.

But to think he\'d tell Tina straight out. And if Tina knew, Glen probably knew too.

\'No wonder Glen has been strangely watching me since yesterday...\'

It seemed Yulian deserved a light knock on the head to feel less wronged.

...Just as he was about to brush off this thought as a joke, Tina\'s lips carried disaster.

"Actually, Yulian was quite serious. He said that now that you don\'t have miracles, he can train hard and beat you up."

"Hmm...?"

"He said he\'ll learn swordsmanship diligently from now on and definitely avenge all the humiliation he\'s received."

"Ah... I see. Hmm. Hmmm."

Hmm.

Shouldn\'t a man dream big? And an adult who denies a child\'s dream is surely a poor adult.

He understood it all.

He understood everything, but...

\'An adult who doesn\'t do their best is just as bad...\'

Harte vowed before Tina to respond to Yulian\'s spirit with all his heart and soul.

\'Elphisia... I\'m sorry. I promised not to draw it again...\'

Cry, O Hell Blade.

...Anyway, he needed to go get the sword he had abandoned at the temple long ago. Harte deeply engraved this future schedule in his heart.

"Thanks for letting me know, Tina."

"It\'s nothing, Dad. Good luck!"

"If my daughter is cheering me on, I should start warming up right away."

"Ah, but Mom seemed to be waiting for you."

As much as he didn\'t want to change his words right away, he had no choice once Elphisia was mentioned. The only thing more urgent than this would be the High Priest invading humanity.

"Go quickly!"

"Mm!"

Harte turned his back on Tina, who was waving with a beaming face. As soon as Harte climbed the stairs and turned the corner, Tina spotted Glen watching from a distance and ran over to him.

\'Huh? This is the third floor, but she sensed me from the entrance?\'

Glen was shocked. The talent of half-dragons was truly frightening. Without particularly dedicating himself to training, witnessing her reach the third floor in just a few leaps made him keenly feel the unfairness of the world.

Soon after reaching Glen, Tina opened her mouth with clear eyes.

"Hehe, did you hear? Dad said he\'ll do his best. This will help Yulian more, right?"

"...Huh?"

When Tina spoke, Glen had just witnessed Harte\'s cheeks twitching unnaturally. That alone gave him a very clear sense of Harte\'s state of mind.

Yet Tina, who had observed Harte up close, spoke confidently.

"Ah~. I hope Dad gets much, much stronger. Then Yulian can get stronger too. I\'m so excited! Don\'t you think so, Glen?"

Tina was the epitome of pure innocence.

Faced with this, Glen defined the pure girl with one word.

\'Villainess...!\'

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